Nantucket Light

An historic, cedar-shingled cottage lives larger thanks to a genius (but gentle) refresh—without moving a single wall.

- Betsy Cribb

Ten years is a long time to search for a house. But every year for a decade, the would-be owners of this 1873 shingle-style cottage on Nantucket kept their eyes peeled and their ears open, hoping to trade annual summer rentals for a salty place of their own. Then it happened: An historic charmer popped up on the market. “They thought it felt like a little jewel—great light and two gardens, and just a short walk to the beach,” says designer Lee Ann Thornton, whom the owners hired to update the interiors for their family of four. Long, narrow common areas, tiny bedrooms, and a tired combo of dark green paint and yellowed pine floors left plenty of room for improvement. A petite lot made a full expansion out of the question, which meant Thornton had to work within the existing walls of the centuries-old house. Here, the Connecticut-based designer shares her tips for pulling off a top-to-bottom, inside-and-out transformation without breaking out the wrecking ball.

SHINE UP YOUR ENTRYWAY

A brave, brilliant finish brings an historic entry into the 21st century. Thornton lacquered the ceiling in a custom cantaloupe shade, and paired it with a handful of neutral accents to temper the sheen. Painted beadboard wainscot, driftwood-finish floors, and a Dutch door painted a pretty mineral hue “really sing against the bright ceiling,” notes Thornton, who papered the walls in a sea urchin pattern for an extra bit of texture.

BRING ON THE BANQUETTE