Maritime Reverie

A set of original decorative window coverings, softly printed with botanicals in coastal tones of pale blue, teal, and sage, became the compass guiding every decision that followed. The palette was non-negotiable. It already knew exactly where it wanted to go.

The transformation began with an act of subtraction. A dividing wall and built-in bar had long fragmented the heart of the home, severing the kitchen from the casual dining nook and family room and blocking the light that wanted so desperately to move through the space. We cleared it away, and in doing so, revealed something the floor plan had been holding in reserve: a seamless, breathing expanse that now flows from the main entrance all the way to the backyard, a natural axis, unobstructed and alive. For our client who uses a wheelchair, this wasn't simply an aesthetic choice. It was freedom!

With the space opened, we turned our attention to its layers. Existing kitchen cabinetry was painted and extended, wrapping gracefully into the formal dining area as though it had always belonged there. Overhead, the warmth of wood ceiling beams, carried from the original kitchen into the newly connected spaces, anchors the expanse with rhythm and continuity. The family's beloved custom banquette remained. In its honor, we introduced a refined bookshelf to gently delineate the casual dining zone from the family room, structure without walls, intimacy without enclosure.

The piece that holds the most affection is the display and bar cabinet nestled beside the fireplace, itself refreshed with a whitewash that softened its presence without erasing its story. The cabinet is a composition unto itself: the kitchen's new tile backsplash extended into its form, paired with a traditional wash technique that lends the whole piece a weathered, almost coastal quality. Time-worn, intentional, and entirely original.

The guest bathroom received its own awakening. What was once dated became eye-catching: coastal hues layered with cherry blossom wallpaper that brings a breathable elegance and a sense of wonder to such an intimate space.