FINE FOLK
Coastal Living|Summer 2023
Color, comfort, and a big gush of gingham enliven a formerly forlorn Maine family retreat
STEPHANIE HUNT
FINE FOLK

At a ripe 30 years old, it was full midlife crisis. This classic shingle-style house on Maine's mid-coast had, for three decades, served as summer central for a Massachusetts family. They loved its tucked-away waterfront locale and salty New England charm, but the home's dark interiors, cramped kitchen, and general sense of the blahs begged for a refresh. Plus, grandkids were now in the mix, so additional sandy feet toddling around necessitated rethinking the flow and functionality. "Our goals were to make it bright and fun and to reference the 19th-century shingle-house vernacular a bit more without being stuffy," says interior designer Lilse McKenna, who kept the original beadboard but gave the existing dark stain a creamy white face-lift, and started anew with most everything else-gutting the kitchen and baths, and expanding the much-used screened porch overlooking the woods and water.

Minus the porch addition, the home's footprint stayed the same, but new arched doorways, molding, and coffered ceilings added architectural verve. McKenna's vibrant layering of texture and patterns, from cheery checks to vintage chintz, amped up a sense of youthful coziness. She drew palette inspiration from 18th- and 19th-century folk art, including a piece discovered at Maine's Bates College Museum (re-created above the living room sofa), and gave the entryway a similar dose of Americana, replicating a 19th-century wall stencil pattern. Tired wood floors were freshly painted, and new gathering spaces invite lots of grandchild lap-sitting. "To me, upholstered furniture and layered patterns are just so comfortable," says McKenna, whose "formula" entails juxtaposing historical references-pairing a French floral with an Indian block print, for example. "It's now a happy, sunny house that still feels like Maine."

GO DUTCH

Diese Geschichte stammt aus der Summer 2023-Ausgabe von Coastal Living.

Starten Sie Ihre 7-tägige kostenlose Testversion von Magzter GOLD, um auf Tausende kuratierte Premium-Storys sowie über 8.000 Zeitschriften und Zeitungen zuzugreifen.

Diese Geschichte stammt aus der Summer 2023-Ausgabe von Coastal Living.

Starten Sie Ihre 7-tägige kostenlose Testversion von Magzter GOLD, um auf Tausende kuratierte Premium-Storys sowie über 8.000 Zeitschriften und Zeitungen zuzugreifen.

WEITERE ARTIKEL AUS COASTAL LIVINGAlle anzeigen
FOOTLOOSE - fieesta
Coastal Living

FOOTLOOSE - fieesta

An Australian idyll gets colorful with bold art and Mexico inspired vibrance

time-read
2 Minuten  |
Winter 2023
Seeing Pink
Coastal Living

Seeing Pink

Every year, hundreds of Lilly Pulitzer fans congregate in Palm Beach, Florida, to celebrate their muse and her inimitable fashion. MEG LUKENS NOONAN joined the party

time-read
5 Minuten  |
Winter 2023
SOUTH AFRICAN - SPLENDOR
Coastal Living

SOUTH AFRICAN - SPLENDOR

Inspired by Kommetjie's rugged coastal landscape, a pair of South African designers use color and texture to create a year-round family retreat

time-read
3 Minuten  |
Winter 2023
MUSSEL BEACH
Coastal Living

MUSSEL BEACH

Mussels are perhaps the easiest seafood meal, ready in mere minutes. Their subtly sweet taste is enhanced in all types of recipes, from buttered pasta to spicy Thai soups.

time-read
5 Minuten  |
Winter 2023
LIVING IN COLOR
Coastal Living

LIVING IN COLOR

DESIGNER KARA MILLER STEEPS A WEST PALM BEACH FAMILY HOME IN HAPPY HUES AND THOUGHTFUL PATTERN PLAYS, ALL WITH ROOM TO GROW

time-read
4 Minuten  |
Winter 2023
BLUE AND WHITE DONE RIGHT
Coastal Living

BLUE AND WHITE DONE RIGHT

THE CLASSIC COLOR COMBINATION-AND COASTAL FAVORITEIS EXPLORED AND CELEBRATED

time-read
2 Minuten  |
Winter 2023
All the Right Ingredients
Coastal Living

All the Right Ingredients

One of the first purchases homeowners Mary McDonald made for the house was a medallion that she commissioned sculptor Stan Bitters to create for the front entrance.

time-read
4 Minuten  |
Winter 2023
BORA BORA
Coastal Living

BORA BORA

It could be enough to linger in the enticing overwater bungalows of these famed French Polynesian islands, but the greater beauty lies beyond: in the mountains, amid the islets, and beneath the shimmering waters

time-read
5 Minuten  |
Winter 2023
FOOD & WINE CLASSIC
Coastal Living

FOOD & WINE CLASSIC

Gather with world-class chefs, wine and spirit experts, and industry leaders at America's most iconic culinary festival.

time-read
7 Minuten  |
Winter 2023
THE BAHAMAS' SERENE SECRET
Coastal Living

THE BAHAMAS' SERENE SECRET

The island of Eleuthera, just 50 miles east of Nassau, is lesser known in the Bahamas-and its fans are happy for it to stay that way.

time-read
1 min  |
Winter 2023