A California couple breathes new life into a Historic Hingham home.
By Laura DeSisto
Photography by Kate Rogan
San Diego natives Isabella and Stephane Voitzwinkler grew up in an arid landscape dotted with Spanish-style ranch homes. Though they enjoyed much about their coastal community, when Stephane’s company offered him a transfer to New England, they jumped at the chance for a change of scenery.
“Believe it or not,” says Isabella, “one of the things I was most excited about was the opportunity to garden in a different climate. I have always loved hydrangeas, which you really can’t grow in San Diego. I also love New England architecture and in fact, my husband and I lived in one of the only shingle style homes in our neighborhood in California.”
Despite spending her formative years on the West Coast, Isabella has deep roots in New England. Her ancestors were Mayflower “Aldens” and her maternal great grandmother was a direct descendant of the Coffins of Nantucket. When Isabella (whose middle name also happens to be Alden) decided to launch her own luxury sleepwear collection, she leaned on this family history and named the brand “Ella Alden.”
“I was working in interior design when COVID hit,” says Isabella. “Supply chain issues made it nearly impossible to obtain furniture and accessories. Fortunately, I was able to use my art background to pivot into something I truly love.”
Ella Alden’s thoughtfully designed pajamas and robes are made of 100 percent cotton and combine comfort with style. “I was the kid who showed up at the sleepover in a pajama set,” says Isabella. “I have always felt my most authentic in pajamas; I think it’s the comfort and the freedom to wear wild patterns that I would never wear during the day.”
Since Ella Alden is primarily an online business, the couple could have chosen to live anywhere in the greater Boston area. However, given their love for coastal living and thanks to the conveniences of the commuter boat and train, they quickly zeroed in on Hingham as the perfect fit. When they first moved in January 2022, they were unable to find a rental in Hingham that could accommodate their two rescue dogs, so they rented a beach house in Hull.
“Right after the move, we spent weeks taking trips from Hull to get necessities at the Target store in Hanover. So we were driving up and down Main Street in Hingham almost daily and quickly fell in love with the old homes and architecture,” says Isabella. “On one of these trips, we noticed a ‘for sale’ sign on an antique white Cape. We called the realtor, but had trouble reaching him.”
They left a second message, and in a moment of kismet, the realtor called them back at the exact moment that they were passing the home on one of their Target trips and he was available to show them the house right then and there.
“Honestly, at first sight, we were disappointed,” says Stephane. “The house was so dark and dingy and in need of so much repair. But we were able to see past it because the house exuded so much charm. We made an offer and closed on it within six months of our move.”
By then, Isabella had joined the ‘Hingham Hub’ Facebook group, where she was finding a vast array of nearby resources, including Bill Hersey of Hersey Contracting, a local builder descended from one of Hingham’s founding families (see sidebar).
“Our new home is the 1815 Ruben Tower House, a Federal period Cape, and we wanted to really highlight its historic features,” says Stephane. “Because Bill is someone who has worked on antique homes, he was a great fit. He helped us with a total renovation of the kitchen and a redesign of the entry way. He exposed the original wide pine, plank flooring as well as the antique beams in the kitchen.”
If the couple had any doubts about the age of their home, they were quickly put to rest when Hersey started work on the kitchen.
“When Bill removed the ceiling and walls, they were filled with pinecones!” laughs Stephane. “Apparently that’s what they used for insulation. We removed bags and bags of them.”
With the interior work well under way and the weather growing warmer, the couple turned their attention to the home’s exterior. They worked with A&S General Contractors to embark on much-needed masonry repairs and a pea gravel patio. As the work progressed, neighbors often stopped by to comment on the project and chat with the couple, offering their encouragement and assistance.
“That’s when we really knew we had made a great decision in choosing Hingham,” says Isabella. “We feel like fellow residents are really cheering us on. The people are so friendly and there is a beautiful sense of community here.”
This year, the couple has finally started planting Isabella’s beloved hydrangeas – a mix of blue ‘Endless Summer’ and white ‘Annabella’ varieties. They are also working on a kitchen garden by building raised ‘wattle beds,’ – traditional English garden beds, woven out of sticks and branches.
Work is continuing inside the historic home as well – all under the influence of Isabella’s distinctive design aesthetic. She infused each room with easy, California style, while retaining the historic character. “This house is such a fun canvas for me because it’s a mix of old and new, and of East Coast and West Coast style,” she says.
The Voitzwinklers are happy that they were able to preserve the historic character of the home while updating and personalizing the home for modern living. Thanks to their vision, a home that has been perched on a grassy Hingham hillside for more than 200 years, will continue to live on for generations to come.
Ella Alden Delivers Comfort and Style
Ella Alden pajamas are individually crafted from hand-stamped organic cotton by their six person manufacturing team in India. In their first ever collaboration, Ella Alden has teamed up with the Nantucket Clothing Company to design a Nantucket island themed set of “Mommy and Me” pajamas, which will be available at the retailer this summer. For more information, visit ellaalden.com.