Houzz Tour: Classic Shingle Style for a Seaside Summer Home
http://www.decor-ideas.org 06/13/2014 03:14 Decor Ideas
This classic shingle-style summer home looks as though it’s been perched above the Atlantic Ocean for a century, but in fact it’s new. The house was designed by architect Nancy Leslie, who completed the space planning inside, and interior designer Patti Watson of Taste Design, who joined the project after the house was framed. Working with clients who loved traditional style and antiques, Watson designed the interior architectural details and chose the fixtures, finishes, lighting, colors and furniture. Mindful of her clients’ love of formal style, Watson created a careful balance of classic pieces, modern touches, a soothing color palette and subtle coastal touches.
Houzz at a Glance
Who lives here: This is the summer home of a pair of empty nesters.
Location: Narragansett, Rhode Island
Size: 4,000 square feet (372 square meters), 3 bedrooms, 3½ bathrooms
Photography by Nat Rea
The home’s gambrel roof, cedar shingles and authentic divided-light windows give it classic period shingle style. Craftspeople in the area made the railings and wrought iron handrail. Rocks and boulders around the garage, foundation and garden ground the house in its surroundings.
The home has ocean or marsh views from every side. This side looks out on the marsh.
For the porch Watson chose resin furniture that looks like wicker but will stand up to the elements. The benches are made of natural sisal fiber and provide extra seating when the house is full of guests. The owners live half the year in Florida and half here, and enjoy hosting their adult children, grandchildren and other loved ones here.
On the other side of the house, two Adirondack chairs look out to a vast view of the Atlantic. The door connects the kitchen to the patio. The balcony on the second floor is off the master bedroom.
In the hallway a wool ikat rug adds an updated touch to the traditional shingle-style architectural details. These include the exaggerated crown moldings, the wide baseboards and the recessed panels beneath the chair rail. Also true to period style are the lighting choices; the clients eschewed recessed lights for ceiling mounts, pendants and sconces throughout the home. Watson added subtly nautical touches with weathered-looking antique brass accents, and helped the couple build their art collection, which features calming seascapes.
The floors are wide-plank hickory. All of the floors on this level have radiant heat.
Paint: Ferrous, C2
The living room shows us how Watson combined her clients’ love of traditional style with a more relaxed beach vibe. They’re “not the casual slipcovered type, so we went for tailored pieces, like the wingback chairs and the tufted armchair,” she describes. Crisp white trim and a natural-fiber rug add casual beach style, while throw pillows in an unexpected amethyst color and a chevron pattern freshen things up.
Built-in bookshelves and benches flank the fireplace. A coffered ceiling was also typical of the period. The fireplace surround and hearth are honed travertine.
Matching sconces and mirrors on either side of the fireplace enhance the symmetry. One of the homeowners had reading to her grandchildren in mind when planning this area.
The bookshelves are backed by an ink-blue silk wall covering. It makes the objects on the shelves stand out and helps blend the TV in with the design.
Mirror: Ballard Designs
If you lined up the previous photo to the left of this one, you’d have a panoramic shot of how the dining room and living room open to one another. The wooden sconce seen in the previous photo is just to the left of the hutch; its mate is on the other side.
“My clients use the island as the buffet, so there was no need for one in here,” Watson says. This allowed her to use the tall French-inspired hutch, which balances out the scale of the fireplace and built-ins across the room. The piece offers plenty of storage space for serving pieces and linens.
The host chairs are covered in velvet; the rest are covered in a linen-like Sunbrella fabric, which stands up well to grandchildren. While a French trestle table and Louis XVI chairs suit the clients’ formal style, the wood bead chandelier and weathered oak hutch are more casual coastal touches.
Table: custom by David Ellison, Lorimer Antiques; chairs: Hickory Chair; chandelier: Curry and Company; hutch: Eloquence
A hardworking island seats four, and has a microwave drawer facing the range and room for lots of dish storage facing the dishwasher and sink, making unloading easy.
Lighting: Visual Comfort; cabinet paint: Revere Pewter, Benjamin Moore; island paint: Jailhouse Rock, C2
Watson brought in the formal and pretty via custom cabinetry, which has glass panes. “I wanted to have some glass doors on this wall because it doesn’t have any windows — it needed something reflective,” she says. The insides are lined in sheers. A Viking range mixes in a more modern touch.
The backsplash and countertops are Michelangelo Calacatta marble. The antiqued brass hardware ties into the kitchen light fixtures and other brass touches used throughout the house.
The upstairs hallway serves as a landing spot for guests. The custom cabinets have the same shape as the kitchen cabinets and are used for guest linen storage. The homeowners leave this welcome tray arranged with items for guests on the ottoman to greet them upon their arrival.
Ottoman: custom designed by Watson, with fabric from Highland Court; paint: Albescent, Benjamin Moore
In the master bedroom, a four-poster bed, nightstands and a tufted velvet bench provide the more formal, traditional look the homeowners love. “The room is very textural,” Watson says. “And the ikat pillows add a little modern touch.”
Bed, nightstands: Hickory Chair; bed upholstery: Schumacher
The master bedroom offers spectacular ocean views and has its own balcony. The floral chair and ottoman provide a comfortable spot for reading.
Chair, ottoman: Hickory Chair, with fabric from Thibault
“We packed a lot of function into the master bathroom and kept it pretty and timeless,” Watson says. Laying out the long and narrow room was tricky. Watson perched the custom vanity atop legs to give it a floating appearance.
On the left is a makeup station, complete with a trifold Venetian mirror and an elegant quatrefoil chair. The room is covered in a porcelain that looks like marble but is less slippery. The steam shower has an operable window that provides views of the ocean, a built-in bench and room for two. Ample ventilation keeps the botanical wall covering from peeling.
Due to safety codes, the railings on the master balcony are backed in glass, which keeps the views open and the kiddos safe.
The homeowners are looking forward to family gatherings overlooking the Atlantic all summer.
More: Find out more about shingle-style architecture
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