Table of contents for Spring/Summer 2020 in BH&G Cottage Style

Big houses have their perks, but the true test of design savvy often comes when space is at a premium. That’s when creativity kicks into high gear and pint-size rooms become prime examples of how to maximize every inch. In Rhode Island, interior designer Maura O’Malley turned a stuck-in-the-past waterfront cottage into a light and airy retreat that lives much larger than its 1,450 square feet (“Local Refresh,” page 24). In addition to some layout tweaks, O’Malley right-sized the furniture and introduced a neutral palette—punctuated with blues and greens—to visually expand each room and take advantage of the ocean views. Near another beach—this time in the Hamptons—real estate expert Adam Widener set his sights on a forlorn 1,800 -square-foot cottage built in the 1980s that was in desperate need of…

As summer arrives on Massachusetts’ scenic Buzzards Bay, this inviting guesthouse nestled in a quaint village along the shore becomes the life of the party with backyard barbecues, pool parties, and evening cocktails galore. “The homeowner loves to entertain, and when she has a party, she goes all out,” says architect Thomas H. Egan III, who let the vintage charm of the neighboring 19th-century homes guide the 2015 structure’s Shingle-style exterior. “The very first party she had here was for one of her kids’ birthdays, where she set up a fun candy bar with tall glass cylinders that were color-coordinated to match the hues of the house.” So it came as no surprise to Egan and his colleague, interior designer Josh Linder, that she wanted to further embrace the interior with…

Standing on her back porch, Audrey Wylie watches a lanky heron forage in the nearby marsh as a purple martin swoops into a multifamily birdhouse just over the railing. “They’re so engaging,” she says of the vociferous swallows. “I find it fascinating that the same pair of purple martins return from South America each year to nest in the very same house.” Audrey knows a thing or two about migrating, returning nearly every weekend to the familiarity of her getaway perched on a finger of Galveston Island tapping into the Texas bay of the same name. Trading Houston’s dynamic energy for relaxed days stirring up savory gumbo, walking the shoreline, and toasting beautiful sunsets provides what she calls “a fabulous change of pace.” Designer-builder John Dreiss and designer Ginger Barber…

THE CALL OF THE SEA PAGES 14–23 Interior design: Charles Riley, Charles Riley Design, New York City; charles@charlesrileydesign; charlesrileydesign.com. Construction: Jeff Thomas, Hearthstone Home Developers, Danbury, Connecticut; 203/240-3814. Landscape design: Austin Ganim Landscape Design LLC, Fairfield, Connecticut; 203/333-2003; austinganimlandscapedesign.com. LOCAL REFRESH PAGES 24-29 Interior design: Maura O’Malley, Maura O’Malley Interiors, 129 Newbury St., Fourth Floor, Boston, MA 02116; 617/680-1633; info@mauraomalley.com; mauraomalley.com. Architecture: Anne Snelling-Lee, 54 Carver Rd., Newton, MA 02461; 617/464-4665; anne@aslstudios.com; aslstudios.com. General contracting: Pimental Contractors, 120 River Rd., New Bedford, MA 02745; 508/995-0524; pimentalcontractors.com. COLORFUL PERSONALITY PAGES 30-37 Architecture: Thomas H. Egan III, Evolve Residential, 89 W. Concord St., Boston, MA 02118; 617/424-0003; tom@evolveresidential.com; evolveresidential.com. Interior design: Josh Linder, Evolve Residential, 89 W. Concord St., Boston, MA 02118; 617/424-0003; josh@evolveresidential.com; evolveresidential.com. SUMMER SANCTUARY PAGES 38-45 Renovation architecture: James…

Helen Norman always wanted to live in a stone house. Growing up in a 1700s home surrounded by farm country, she had long dreamed of finding her own historical place set on a few rural acres—ideally, it would be a neat little home with a manageable property. That was before 130 acres in Maryland became available next to her brother’s farm. Helen, a photographer, and her husband, Mark Elmore, loved the beauty of the land, complete with the requisite stone house and its own small village of outbuildings. But there was one problem—the house was falling down. Still in its original floor plan, the 1850s house had no kitchen and no real bathroom—not the best scenario for a couple with a toddler and another baby on the way. But Helen…

Saying goodbye to a house full of kids can be bittersweet, but for Anne and Ted Peterson it was also the catalyst for a much-needed remodel. “Ours has always been the hangout house, and we didn’t want that to change when the kids left,” says Anne of their La Jolla, California, home. “That said, we had some lackluster finishes and posters on the wall that needed to go.” So the empty nesters sought out a design professional to undo the wear from raising four boys—and give their home an up-to-the-minute refresh in the process. The couple didn’t tell their grown children about the project; they wanted to surprise them with a house that still felt like home, only better. Their designer of choice, Audrey Kennedy, jumped right in. “I basically…

It was the view that sold interior designer Maura O’Malley’s clients on this petite Rhode Island beach cottage. Also, at 1,450 square feet, the house seemed manageable, both to transform and maintain. It certainly was not the ’70s-era knotty pine paneling, choked up windows, or Styrofoam ceiling panels that drew them in. “Homes here have passed through generations,” O’Malley says. “People don’t think about changing them.” Lured to the area by its pastoral landscape, quiet beaches, and low-key atmosphere that ensured few distractions from family time, the homeowners wanted a place where they could gather to enjoy the beach, light up the grill, and entertain friends over fresh oysters and cocktails. They envisioned an all-white haven akin to a Santa Monica beach house that still felt true to its Yankee…

The airy Kiawah Island cottage of Scott and Leslie Fennell is perfectly perched over a verdant marsh with expansive views of the river that winds along South Carolina’s coast. After discovering the pristine lot, the couple, whose main residence is in nearby Charleston, worked with Thomas & Denzinger Architects to design a contemporary home that would seamlessly blend into the classic Low Country setting. Large windows welcome views of the lush maritime forest and marshes, and an open floor plan and generous porches ease indoor-outdoor flow. Inside, designer Allison Elebash took her cue from the home’s surroundings, highlighting the creams, greens, blues, browns, and grays of the natural world with a complementary palette indoors. Hardwood floors and textured rugs combine with woven accent pieces, wrought iron, and pottery throughout. “Scott and…

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