With a condo in Boston’s bustling South End and a sprawling residence in rural Vermont, Swartz has experience fusing metropolitan style with rustic elements. Her ability to bridge the gap between the avant-garde and the antique is a testament to her portfolio.In 2001, Swartz moved to Mendon, a small town near the ski mecca of Killington. She and her husband built a pastoral, shingle-style home dating back to the late 1800s. “It’s rustic with heavy stone, cedar shingles and traditional mutins on the windows,” she said. “It blends into the mountain.”

Although her city dwelling is more formal, Swartz does a majority of her large-scale entertaining at her country retreat. With its soaring ceilings, colossal windows and grand staircase, the space easily accommodates more than a dozen family and friends at a time. Swartz admits her dining room is at capacity most weekend nights.

After graduating from Cornell University in 1981 with a degree in interior design, Swartz landed in a boutique firm in Manhattan where she managed high-end residential and commercial projects. When her husband took a job in Boston, the family moved to New England and settled in Brookline. Swartz worked at an architectural firm in Cambridge before establishing Elizabeth Swartz Interiors in 1985 – a decision made partly because it offered a more flexible schedule with her young family.

Drawn to the creativity and intimacy of residential architecture, Swartz transitioned solely to home design in the late 1980s. Over the years, she has mapped a lucrative enterprise from Greater Boston and the Cape and Islands to New Hampshire, Vermont, New York, Georgia and Florida.

As you’ll see in the photos below, Swartz was able to achieve the homeowner’s desire for a contemporary look, yet timeless feel. Her fearless use of color in the likes of raspberry, aqua, cantaloupe and lime mixed with a bold choice in ornate patterns set against white and dark woodwork captivated me from the moment I entered the airy foyer. To indulge in more photos of this gorgeous home, snag a copy of South Shore Living magazine and look for my byline.