Typically when I think of coastal, it's all driftwood and starfish. Not my cup of tea. But this home to designer and blogger Meredith Rodday of View from My Heels is my favorite kind of tea. Calm and cozy that exudes coastal charm without any blatant ocean paraphernalia. Instead it's layered with texture and prints, moody blues and that perfect shade of white. And did I mention shiplap? Oh yeah, that too. Check out even more of this New England home with gorgeous imagery by Kate Renyi in the VAULT.
Four years ago we bought a new house that was very well built but that didn't really feel like our home with our personality. So we decided to add some functionality as well as some design elements that make the spaces more unique to us! I've fallen so hard for that laid back California look with lots of white and bright rooms.
Also I'm always inspired by Studio McGee and House of Jade. The goal was to create calm and bright spaces that felt relaxing in the midst of a chaotic (but fun) life with young kids. In the past I've always decorated with color but I find as I get older and as life gets busier, I'm increasingly drawn to calm palettes. It's been a fun departure from the bright spaces of my past!
Also I'm always inspired by Studio McGee and House of Jade. The goal was to create calm and bright spaces that felt relaxing in the midst of a chaotic (but fun) life with young kids. In the past I've always decorated with color but I find as I get older and as life gets busier, I'm increasingly drawn to calm palettes. It's been a fun departure from the bright spaces of my past!
Our entry had a big double height wall where I tried a gallery wall but nothing ever felt right. I toyed with wallpapering the whole space but I have wallpaper commitment issues (!) so the right choice for us was to shiplap. I did a ton of pinning and googling before figuring out exactly where the shiplap would go.
The natural point seemed to be to match the height of the floors on the second story. I decided to add a picture ledge to the top of where the shiplap ended on that big wall. I love seeing our family photos every morning when I come downstairs! We also shiplapped the front of the stairs to tie it all together.
I thought long and hard about adding shiplap to the entire entry but in the end decided against it - budget was one of them! - and we can also go back and add it at a later date if we want. I had the un-shiplapped walls painted white to match the shiplap and unify the space. It looks so fresh and clean - we love how it turned out!
[dotted]
I thought long and hard about adding shiplap to the entire entry but in the end decided against it - budget was one of them! - and we can also go back and add it at a later date if we want. I had the un-shiplapped walls painted white to match the shiplap and unify the space. It looks so fresh and clean - we love how it turned out!
Entry
[dotted]
Desk | Lamp base | Lamp shade | Mirror
If you know that we have 4 year old twin boys you had to be wondering, where are the toys? See that gray bookcase thing? That's where. And also inside the console behind the sofa in the first photo, in the built ins, and on that side table next to the sofa too.
Living Room
[dotted]
sofa | chairs | ceiling fixture | floor lamp | rug | steer art | wall color - BM silver satin
In the kitchen we changed out the island counter and the pendants above the island and the sink. I did a 2" edge on the counter because I love that thick look. It's marble and we have to be careful but it's pretty and so, so much better than the old tan granite. I had already added the backsplash a couple of years ago in preparation for these updates. We also swapped out our old metal counter stools for leather ones to add a little warmth and texture.
The bench cushion is indoor/outdoor fabric and has already been put to the test with tomato sauce and wiped up no problem!
We added a new pendant (and the not-so-old light was moved into the dining room), table, chairs (and said farewell to our high chairs for some boosters), and built in seat. The built in was a late decision as we were doing the work from the other projects last fall and I'm so glad we pulled the trigger. It changed the whole space. The roman shades are pretty much the only thing that didn't change but now they look like they belong!
Kitchen and Breakfast Nook
[dotted]
table | table pendant | table chairs | bench seat pillows | island pendants | globe light above sink |counter stools
I decided to choose a custom cabinet to fit the space. I wanted a clean look so I went with inset cabinetry and a white quartz top. I had the fabricator miter a 2" edge which is a good trick and way to fake a thicker counter. I also decided to have no overhang on the counter so it fits the cabinet base cleanly.
The mirror is from restoration hardware and I love the super simple rounded corners. I went with brass for the lighting, mirror, and knobs and chrome for the faucet. The mix of finishes make it feel more interesting and I love the non-matchy matchy look.
[dotted]
Powder Room
[dotted]
Cabinet Paint: White Dove, Benjamin Moore | Knobs | Faucet | Mirror | Sconce | Art | Trash can
We added sconces above each dresser and put them on a dimmer so they give off great ambient light.
The built ins have made such a huge difference not only in terms of storage but also coziness. They are painted dove white by benjamin moore. Hardware is from schoolhouse electric, one of my very faves.
I used the same linen for the bench seat cushion as for the bed and had the seamstress do a french seam for a less tailored look. I love how it came out!
I love how the bed and nightstands came together. The bed I wanted was from restoration hardware but even the lowest headboard height was too high for the window above. Covering it up seemed awkward so I opted for the custom route. I found this guy, jordan, in arizona who make exact replicas of the RH beds (and any other one you might want) in custom sizes. Score! The company is called custom beds and headboards, straight forward enough! Honestly his pricing is fantastic - no more than buying it from RH including shipping and tax. So I quickly scooped up some greige linen fabric and sent it to him to do his magic.
The tufting is well done and the thing is sturdy. I also had a giant 4 foot lumbar pillow made from boho pillow on etsy. The shades and duvet cover were pretty much the only things left over from the old room.
The built in design was heavily influenced by a snap I saw on instagram (have I professed my love for IG lately?!). The only real change we made was to add doors to the lower section - the original was all drawers which looks awesome but wasn't as practical in real life. I chose kendall charcoal by benjamin moore for the built ins and love the way the dark color pops. We moved our old tv from the family room down here and it works well in the new space. Definitely feels more integrated!
On the wall to the left of the built ins (where the zebra is in photo above and below) I made a grid of oversized clothespins that are hung with command strips - quite possibly my favorite product ever - to show off the boys artwork. It's fun (and easy) to rotate all of their masterpieces and they love that their work is on display!
On the opposite side of the built ins is a play table for the boys and their friends with a ton of ikea storage. Thank goodness for ikea right? Also I used the same pattern for the roman shades as for the wallpaper. I think it helps unify the space.
Basement and Play Room
[dotted]
Wall Color: simply white, Benjamin Moore | Built in Color: Kendall Charcoal, Benjamin Moore | Built in Hardware: Pottery Barn Boulevard Collection (i think sadly it's sold out) | Sectional | Wallpaper and Roman Shade Fabric | Zebra | Sofa Pillows: see my IG post here - all sources are tagged and all of them are shops i found through instagram | Oversize Clothespins: see my post here and you will also get a peek at the "before"
After completing the project I invited clients and friends over to check it out and shared it on Instagram. I had a great response which feels so nice after months of hard work and research! It also enabled my business to grow because people could see first hand what my designs look like - a nice side bonus!
Our next projects include the dining room which we've made good progress on and the office which has a ways to go. Transformations definitely don't happen overnight and there's a lot of ugly - even in designers' own houses - before the pretty stuff comes!
Our next projects include the dining room which we've made good progress on and the office which has a ways to go. Transformations definitely don't happen overnight and there's a lot of ugly - even in designers' own houses - before the pretty stuff comes!
