Houzz Tour: Easy, Breezy Style on the Massachusetts Coast

Photos by Michael J. Lee

House at a Glance
Who lives here: A couple and their three young daughters
Location: Westport, Massachusetts
Size: 3½ bedrooms, 2½ bathrooms
Interior designer: Virginia DesRoches of Ironwood Studio
Contractor: Eddie Ribeiro of E. Ribeiro

DesRoches walked through the house with her clients and consulted with them for about three hours. The house was quite dated and they’d already decided to go forward with a full remodel. “They wanted it to be easy to maintain and not at all fussy,” DesRoches says. This meant using durable materials that could take on sand and three active little girls.

The entry welcomes with easygoing style. A new periwinkle three-quarter glass door lets light into the room, while a marine-float-inspired light adds a coastal touch. “We did install coffered ceilings for a more formal feel throughout part of the first floor,” DesRoches says. These also add architectural interest.

The first floor had oak floors that needed a lot of work, but DesRoches was able to restore them. “The former owners had six dogs, and the floor stain gave them a dated yellow look,” she says. “But we were able to sand them down and used a medium brown stain to neutralize them. It turned out beautifully.”

Paint: Iceberg (walls) and White Dove (trim and ceiling), both Benjamin Moore

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The shiplap-like walls and coffered ceiling continue into the sitting room, which is open to the dining room. DesRoches centered the comfortable upholstered furniture around a whitewashed wood coffee table with glass top.

The French doors open to the deck. The house has a walkout lower level, so this deck is elevated one story off the ground, opening it up to views of Westport Harbor.

The kitchen, mudroom and a cozy den have plain drywall ceilings and a more casual feel. The homeowners’ must-haves included a dark blue kitchen island and durable countertops. DesRoches recommended Sherwin-Williams’ Naval paint for the island base and white quartz for all the countertops. Rattan stools bring in a natural coastal texture.

The designer knew she didn’t want to go completely white with the rest of the kitchen. She found a beautiful fish-scale-pattern tile in shades of dark blue and used it as an accent behind the range. “The fish scale tile ties everything together,” she says. The custom vent hood is walnut.

Cabinets: Schrock by MasterBrand Cabinets

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In the powder room, the designer repeated the grooved paneling and added a nautical touch with a rope-framed mirror. Placing the sconces on the side walls allowed her to use a larger mirror. A cute little framed anchor can be seen hanging over the toilet in the mirror’s reflection.

In the family room, DesRoches had a photograph of nearby New Bedford Harbor’s industrial fishing piers and Palmer Island lighthouse by Peter Pereira printed on stretched canvas and framed in reclaimed wood. For all you Moby Dick enthusiasts, New Bedford was the whaling capital of the world when Herman Melville worked on a whaling ship there as a young man and the place he chose for Ishmael’s point of embarkation at the beginning of the novel.

DesRoches brought in natural materials with a jute rug and natural stone coffee table. “It took three people to lift that thing,” she says with a laugh. The sectional sofa is comfortable and can fit the whole family.

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Upstairs in the hallway, DesRoches combined photographs by artist Adam Katz and antique frames she found at the Brimfield Antique Flea Markets. The colors in the artwork inspired a navy blue accent wall.

Previously, the upper level had wall-to-wall carpeting. The designer replaced it with luxury vinyl wood-look planks and added area rugs. The flooring is durable and easy to clean.

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In the primary bedroom, a palm-leaf-patterned wallcovering anchors the headboard. A pair of curvy brass sconces with silk shades save space on the nightstands, provide reading light and add an elegant touch to the wall. The whitewashed nightstands offer additional storage, and rattan stools at the foot of the bed bring in beachy texture.

DesRoches placed two cushy swivel chairs in the bedroom for the couple to enjoy the coastal views. The glass door opens to a private balcony that extends all the way across the back of the house.

This sweet nook is located in a bonus room over the garage. “This is my favorite little hangout spot in the house,” DesRoches says. She transformed the space into a room for the girls. The daybed can serve as an extra bed when they have a friend sleeping over, or it can be a cozy spot for reading or hanging out.

Previously, the closet’s main purpose was to house HVAC ducts and pipes. The designer covered that up with the daybed. The marine sconce and porthole-like mirror add cute nautical touches.

One place where DesRoches decided to go full-on nautical was in the girls’ bathroom. “You can always take more of a risk in a bathroom, especially a kids’ bathroom,” she says. “It was a great place to add some fun and whimsy in a summer home.”

She added storage to the bathroom by placing a mango wood chest of drawers in an existing alcove.

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