Custom light fixtures combined with re-upholsterd dining chairs from another home live in harmony in the open kitchen, dining and sitting area.

The owners previously has a stainless steel island countertop and loved the durability so it was replicated here, along with commercial grade appliances as they love to cook. The perimeter countertops are Danby marble.

This buffet was built in to look like a piece of furniture

A fun bar area with wallpaper reminiscent of tile, and an antique pendant of the owner’s hangs above.

The living room is a serene spot in warmer tones of coral, pale sage and linen. I simply ADORE these chairs!!!

A sweet antique game table and chairs and a wood burning fireplace make this a perfect spot to settle in and relax.

The living room connects to a wonderful screen porch with ocean views.

Sitting here the first evening of the shoot confirmed that I need a screen porch in my life! So delightful!

The bright and sunny foyer.

Kinlin Rutherford added some great little details to this house, like this curved ceiling detail.

Just obsessed with this wallpaper and trim combo in the powder room

The cozy primary with its own sitting porch.

Primary bathroom- a mix of marble, wood and v-groove.

OMG I was so excited to use this wallpaper for this guest room!

There’s something seaweed-y about it, even though it’s ferns. Such a fun mix of pattern in here too.

Another guest room, this time in shades of yellow and green.

This guest room was a great mix of antiques/ existing pieces and some new additions.

There are several guest baths, but we just photographed one, as we approached the design of each in a rather similar manner, just mixing up floor and shower tile. Special hardware and a gorgeous water blue tile make this one a treat.

There are two bunk rooms in which we had some fun! This one with a fabulous striped rug and bold tone on tone wall color.

A re-upholtered chair in this fun fern print adds a spot for reading.

I showed Henry this room and he immediately dubbed it the “Percy Jackson” room as the paper is both nautical and has Greek ruins! The amazing ceiling light plays off the theme and the cutest little antique chair was reupholstered in this bold outdoor grade stripe.

Each bunk room has four twin beds- providing abundant sleeping space for littles and bigs alike!

There are a few more exterior shots on the portfolio page, this sweet one shows the lovely mix of materials used in creating a home that fits perfectly into the local aesthetic.

Last but not least, the hard working mudroom, which while compact houses a washer/dryer (not shown), TONS of wooden peg hooks, cubbies AND a built in dog crate!

Please also check out or new Maine project as well! And reach out to us with YOUR project, we’d love to work with you!

We designed this family’s home here in Massachusetts and so when they called us again with the surprise news they had bought this unbelievable property, we were so thrilled. Not only to be called back for a second round of design work (always a wonderful feeling) but also because we were going to be able to work in a style a little out of our normal, traditional-meets-modern vein- which for us was inspiring.

This house was designed by an architect in California, and was ready to go. While we swapped out some lighting, the hard surfaces, baths and kitchen were done and looked great, so no need to reinvent the wheel there. What we did do was play off the vibe the architecture and setting already set for us, with the directive to make this NOT your typical New England beach house. What they were after was a more California cool, sort of 70’s surf vibe. Modern, warm, and a place you can still kick your sandy feet up and feel comfortable LIVING in (especially with kids).

This is a great room, with ocean views all along the far wall of windows. We wanted a natural warmth to be the base in here so we used lots of natural jute, wood, caramel velvet and linen. I am obsessed with the checkered poufs with boullion fringe- not something you’d expect in a Maine beach house and yet SO GOOD.

These clients love to hunt for great art, and this piece from Portland Art Gallery by Anne Sklar was the exact right feel and tones for this modern mantel spot.

Looking out at the ocean and private rocky beach (we collected a lot of pretty rocks on this shoot!). The client wanted to keep the view the star, foregoing drapes and instead installing very minimalist sheer motorized roller shades.

Looking back at the open plan towards the dining area and kitchen, you can better see the ochre and coral palette in the pillows and the AMAZING custom light fixture done by Tracy Glover.

A flatweave rug creates a casual but comfy base for this custom dining table that we paired with antique razorback chairs (we had to locate two identical sets online- a challenge) upholstered in an indoor/outdoor burnt coral red stripe. Can you EVEN with these florals????

As I mentioned, the kitchen proper was complete, so all we added were some great rope counter stools and accessories.

Out the glass doors is the porch, where you can just take a deep breath looking over the rolling grass down to the beach. Truly a magical spot.

Behind the kitchen is the super spacious mudroom- we did add these built ins in this space, mimicking the existing woodwork.

Down the hall is a TV room, which we outfitted in shades of yellow, beige, brown and a hint of coral and black. The sectional is a wonderfully nubby outdoor fabric that for sure has a throwback appeal to it.

Again, those VIEWS.

Another fantastic piece of art selected to complement the scenery and the room itself. Another pair of vintage chairs in a sheepskin is durable and cozy year round.

Across from the TV den in the main entry- with a super funky black iron mirror, rope-wrapped console and suede fringe ottomans. A checkerboard Moroccan rug warms up the floor and calls back to the pattern in the great room. The lamp and custom shade serve almost as sculpture.

What I LOOOOVE about my job is the ability to work in styles opposite of my own home- it is SO fun and exciting to work in a style like this and show that we really can do ANY look. :)

I absolutely LOVE how the primary came out- starting with the incredible striped bed and caramel ikat drapes. Such perfect colors for this soothing space.

The white reeded nightstands pop off the wood panels and complement the ride and fall pendants that were actually existing.

Across the bed you can spot a vintage wicker chest and bamboo mirror with a peek into the bathroom.

Another space, this time more of an adult office and den, with shades of plum, magenta, yellow and orange. This room is SO much fun- from the blockprint roman shade to the purple sofa and funky chair.

We also added this built in wall to look like it had always been here, providing more storage and display space.

The kids bunk room- what colors, DIDN’T we use in here? Such a bright and happy space perfect for the littles in the family (plus some friends!)

We really cleaned out 1st Dibs of braided wicker casegoods :)

I ADORE how moody this guest room came out. It’s tiny, so we painted the wall this deep plum and used an abstract mural on grasscloth on the back plastered wall as almost large scale art. A braided rope bed, tiny retail nightstands and modern brass lamps round it out.

This other guest room was done in coral and green, but not in a cutesy, juvenile way.

We fitted out this laundry room with new cabinetry, tile and the SWEETEST hunter green leaf paper.

A little hallway nook…

A huge thank you to Eliza and Colleen on my team for all their incredible work getting this across the finish line and all our tradespeople for making (multiple) trips to Maine to make this perfect for us and our lovely clients.

I saved a little round up of items that give you the feel of this project in my ShopMy, too. I cannot reveal all the sources for these specific items (the clients pay us for that), but I can suggest some readily available items that will help you get the look!

https://schumacher.com/catalog/products/5007129?source=PLP&tab_id=b6ce3b29-7e3-4e3-be3-2eccswan dress/ swan paper/ chocolate dress/ chocolate paper

delft tile dress / antique delft tiles / tile dress/ antique hand painted tiles

wicker chair / wicker handbag / blue Chanel flats / tile/ fabric

floral dress / floral fabric / stripe dresser/ stripe tee

When times are heavy, we deserve little treats wherever we can spare the time or money – be it a nice walk or a new candle. In an effort to urge you to be kind with yourself, here are few small ways to boost your mood within your home.

1. (the rug I have in my fam room) // 2. // 3. // 4. // 5. (amazing source!) // 6. // 7. // 8. // 9.

10. // 11. // 12. // 13. // 14. // 15. plate & mug

16. // 17. // 18. // 19. // 20. // 21. // 22. // 23. // 24. // 25. // 26.

I hope these little ideas help you find some joy!

XO,

Erin

Admittedly I have NOT designed many yellow rooms in my career – it’s just never been my favorite color historically (yellow paint being one of the hardest colors to get right in my book). The guest suite above was the most yellow space I have photographed I can share- which is not a lot of yellow. But if 2025 was the year I fell back in love with red, 2026 is going to be the year of me and YELLOW. I’m finding myself saving a lot of rooms done in yellow on IG and have a pile of yellow fabrics I’m loving on my desk. All of a sudden I get really excited when a client suggests yellow for a room! So I pulled together some favorite things I’ve found in this tone. All the links can be found HERE.

How do you feel about yellow? Are there other colors you want to try out in 2026 that maybe used to be on your “no thanks” list?

With the holidays approaching and finding myself actually hosting not one but two sets of guests, I have been prepping my guest spaces to be as comfortable and hotel-like as possible and thought I would share what I like to add to these spaces that make staying with us memorable (other than being woken up by Henry and Emma!)

This is my current guest room, which used to be our primary bedroom (there are more detail about this space in my new book, also great in a guest room – hint, hint). I love this room, and sleep in here often when Andrew snores like a wild boar. So I know how I want it to feel, which includes small touches I appreciate when visiting someone’s home myself.

Here’s a roundup of some favorites with notes below! Click images for links.

BEDROOM:

• The obvious-fresh sheets and a variety of blankets. People like to sleep at different temps so I like to make sure there are options. Also two different firmness of pillows is a nice touch.
• These non-iron sheets are pretty great and look tidy at all times (and are on sale right now!)
• By the bed, a nice carafe for water, a sound machine (I have a clock/ sounds machine combo in mine), a sleep mask and ear plugs as well as a charging cord with lots of different options on it.
• I also like to have a favorite scented candle (bonus points for cute matches) and some linen spray- this is my current favorite.
• I have a mini Keurig brewer on a tray with coffee pods, tea, shelf stable cream packets and sugar and nice mugs so someone can have a cup of coffee before coming down in the morning or some tea alone before bed.
• If your room is small without any place to put luggage, a folding luggage rack is a nice addition.
• I once stayed at a friends house who had pre-packaged snacks in the guest room like a little minibar and it was delightful!
• If you don’t have window treatments, you can custom size these linen roller blackout shades online for very little- then layer drapes over them when you have some time or budget allows.

BATHROOM:

• I forgot to add this, but a couple fluffy robes is a special touch.
• Fresh towels- may I suggest my collection? :)
• I found these adorable tortoise toothbrushes in bulk on Amazon and I am obsessed. Paired with a mini Marvis toothpaste for a little luxury.
• In little canisters or within a drawer I like to have elastics, razors, cotton pads and qtips, individually wrapped makeup remover towelettes, ibuprofen, bandaids, mini hair styling products and a fresh brush.
• I have full size shampoo and conditioner in the shower and a blow dryer and curling iron also available.

Here’s another favorite guest suite from the book – these clients went bold and fun in their guest space and I LOVE it. Guest rooms are a fantastic place to play it less safe with your design and explore a bolder or different look.

Photography: Kirsten Francis

Shall we start with the view from the side porches? One side of the wraparound deck faces Perkins Cove while the other has a view of the ocean. Hard to choose which one is better!

On to the family room with multiple seating options and a great mix of patterns, featuring both indoor and outdoor grade fabrics.

A set of Palecek chairs done in an outdoor Sister Parish pattern surround a game table by Dunes & Duchess.

The kitchen is long and narrow with a pass through to the bar and two islands – one in the cooking area for prep and the second with stools for seating. We mixed up the materials for the prep island so it felt more like a furniture piece than another run of cabinetry. Beyond the second seating island is a dining table that overlooks the water and the screened in porch.

Off the kitchen is this super fun lounge area – the clients really wanted this space to be fun and bold, so this Peter Dunham paper did the trick! The doors fold back to make the screened porch and lounge one big entertaining space (complete with beer on tap and Frame TV with a custom bezel!)

The sweet powder and laundry rooms are done in a seaglass shade of pale green and white.

The foyer is simple and sweet…

At the top of the stairs is a home office and guest suite.

Followed by the kids bedrooms with a Jack & Jill bath and another full guest bath.

I’m crazy about this bathroom and how we were able to make it fun and interesting but stay neutral.

And, finally, the primary suite, which includes a deck with more seating and incredible views. Again, this is a classic, time tested look for a beach house with watery pale blues, woven textures, washed oak and lots of bright white.

You can read more about the project in the July 2025 issue of Maine Home + Design, which includes interviews with the builder, Richard Moody & Sons Construction, and our gracious clients.

And to see our most recent projects (that we aren’t holding back for the book!), you can always visit our portfolio page.

All photos by the talented Jessica Delaney.

Check back in the coming weeks, when I’ll share a few ideas/suggestions for how to get the look :)

Years ago I would have told you that my least favorite color to decorate with was red. And up until recently, I was hard pressed to use it in abundance in any other spaces than a kids room or perhaps a family room (like the one above, which we did years ago!). However, lately I’ve been falling for red – both in design and fashion. I’ve never shied away from it in my wardrobe, but even more so right now I’ve been drawn to it – from deeper wines to bright, fiery tones. I even added a new red color way to my bedding collection because I could not find a perfect red!

I’ve been growing to like it more over the years it seems, a couple years ago we did this study in which we painted all the paneling a deep true red and papered the walls in a grasscloth for contrast. A hint of blue in the roman shades is a great complement (as you can tell, adding blue with red is one of my favorite pairings).

And of course, Henry’s old room, which I still love so much had a great dose of red.

So we’ll see if any clients let me run with my newfound love of red in 2025! In the meantime, some red finds for your closet and home:

SERENE & STREAMLINED

COLORFUL & COZY

Our trip to London to see Taylor was so great – perfect weather (every day was low 70’s-60’s and sunny!?), incredible hotel and great meals and sightseeing. I wish we had more time but it just means we need to go back, with the kids next time.

There were SO many recommended hotels to stay at in London it was hard to choose, but I wanted a classic English experience and knew Claridges would give that to me. And boy did it. The staff and service was amazing, the design perfectly British and our room- woah. Initially we had a balcony room overlooking some loud construction so we politely asked if there was any other room available. Not only did they get us a new room but it was an incredible upgrade (go look at all the rooms on their site, it’s so fun). 10/10 recommend.

We had a very fun, super delicious (and star studded) dinner at Gymkhana, ate at a couple cafes outside which were so lovely for lunch and then another dinner at Scott’s (lovely outdoor seating, but unfortunately surrounded by cigar smoking men, which kinda ruined it for me).

We did the V&A museum (so cool), Tower of London (sadly missed the Crown jewels because the line was insane), visited Kensington Palace and Diana’s memorial and walked around some shopping areas- sadly I did not make it to the design district- spent too much time at Liberty of London picking out an outfit for Emma I guess :)

And Taylor was- well, Taylor. I can’t say much more than it’s a life affirming experience to go to the Eras tour- especially in this modern time. Her work ethic, talent and love for her fans is so inspiring. And everything feels so happy and positive and kind when you are there. Worth the trip. I saved my pics to a Highlight on my Instagram!

Of course I was so endlessly inspired by the design, architecture, history and way everything feels more “special” in England – from getting a cup of coffee to a cab ride. After pouring through some British design magazines on the way home I decided my whole life needs to be more English :) Here’s a room design I pulled together inspired by my trip – a mix of very traditional and modern pieces swathed in a calm blush paint (Setting Plaster from Farrow & Ball, of course).

Links for : chair // coffee table // painting // sofa

We worked with Brookes + Hill Construction on this kitchen facelift, new wet bar passthrough, dining room and playroom. Continuing the color scheme we used upstairs in the main living area, it’s a sea of blues and styles that range from traditional to modern.

The dining room features a gorgeous bubble chandelier over a long custom table for 10 with Louis style chairs and a little sofa tucked neatly into the curved bay.

A custom curved rod was installed to add a bold trimmed set of drapery panels over shutters, which provide privacy from the sidewalk.

The wetbar connects the dining room to the kitchen and the cabinetry was painted in a high gloss deep blue with mess grille inserts. An antique mirror serves as a backsplash, which helps bounce light around the small space and tricks the eye into thinking it’s bigger than it is.

Do these shelves look familiar? After doing this bar I knew I wanted the same look for my own bar someday! :) Library rails keep bottles from slipping off the open shelving and the ceiling is done in a marbled paper to add a little interest.

In the kitchen, we painted the existing cabinets, replaced the countertops and hardware, and added new Urban Electric pendants to finish off this very classic space.

We had added this banquette during our initial phase, but added a new pendant to the mix to better balance out the nook.

Outside the dining room is a lower level entry where we added statement lighting, a chest to keep all sorts of stuff hidden (mittens, kids shoes, bags, etc) and put a cute little cushion on the built in bench seat across from it.

In the garden level playroom we added a bold Phillip Jeffries paper with a complementary navy sofa and accents of mustard. Painting by Hannah Bureau through Libby Silvia.

With so many built ins, this space is SUCH a dream for city dwellers with kids! A Murphy bed makes it a comfortable guest space as well.

Photographs by Jessica Delaney

GET THE LOOK:

Click the images for links!

If you follow me on IG you saw that my best friend from college and I spent a long weekend away at The Claremont in Southwest Harbor, Maine and had an absolutely incredible time. A few of you asked for a full review on my stay and so today I’m happy to point out my favorite things, a couple notes and some really pretty pictures in case you missed them (and no, this is not sponsored, I paid for everything).

I’ve been wanting to go to The Claremont since I first saw a picture of the pool on someone’s instagram. The pink umbrellas and the pavers with grass between them just looked SO charming. And I am happy to report, it was even BETTER than I had hoped.

Here’s that famous pool patio (it’s realistic turf between the stones) and the incredible view of the harbor.

In typical Maine fashion, there is a wraparound porch that is the perfect spot for coffee, a cocktail or playing a game.

Speaking of cocktails, Harry’s Bar is the perfect cozy spot for a drink- so charming.

I realized after leaving I took almost NO shots of the interiors, which were adorably and perfectly done by Keeler & Co.- it feels like your staying at someone’s old family estate in the least stuffy way possible.

The main restaurant, Little Fern, was delicious- breakfast especially, and not hideously expensive. I loved the old farm table with the topiaries and the caned chairs.

The wood paneling on the walls mixed with the glam bar and fixtures was such a great touch.

These little lamps on the bar made it feel extra cozy.

I mean, can you EVEN with this view? Even though we got 2 sunny days, it was kind of nice have one rainy day here it’s so perfectly appointed. We played shuffleboard in the game room, Scrabble at the bar, got facials at the spa (the one let down- I’d skip the spa if you go), worked out in the little barn gym…. it was pretty lovely.

Down on the dock is another restaurant, more casual, called Fish Camp – we grabbed some drinks here and lunch as well.

Also on site is a tiny little bakery for coffee or a quick egg sandwich to go on your way to to venture to shopping or a hike.

The Fitness Cottage – well stocked, but really only big enough for 2-3 people MAX and does not have central air conditioning, so take note :)

I have a friend whose family has a house on Little Cranberry Island a 15 minute boat ride from The Claremont. There is a great restaurant called The Dock there that you can take water taxis to get to- worth the trip on a gorgeous night like we had! But book the taxi EARLY- they fill up fast and it’s the only way to get back unless you have a friend with a boat (speaking of, how flipping CUTE was this boat complete with doodles?)

It was SO picturesque and perfect- I think I am a Maine person now.

Our last day (we took the 5pm Cape Air flight from Bar Harbour to Logan- 1.5 hours and better than the 5 hour drive)- my bestie INSISTED we do this hike in Acadia National Park called Precipice. A couple people seemed shocked we were doing it when we told them, and when I looked it up the internet was telling me it was really hard and really scary. Being both athletic gals, we decided to do it anyways.

It was both REALLY scary and really hard- basically rock climbing without harnesses. Absolutely not for anyone under 16, anyone even the tiniest bit scared of heights or not in decent shape. I’ve heard beehive is hard and gives you a taste of this while being a little bit less scary? Anyways, there are a ton of trails, and it’s a gorgeous park.

I actually had so much fun on this trip I spent most of the time taking it in, and not taking pictures. Forgot to take a pic of my room and a lot of the interiors but you can see images on their site. Cute, small, but well appointed. You don’t spend a lot of time in your room anyways. I’m already planning a trip back next summer in one of the two bedroom cabins and bringing the kids (although not a super kid focused place- they did seem welcome)

Here’s a few items to help you get that cozy, lived in, traditional with a twist look found at the hotel – click images for links except the wall sconce, which can be found HERE:

Jenna Lyons has been back in the news lately with her (surprising) turn on Real Housewives (I don’t watch that series, to be honest) and it made me think yesterday about her AMAZING Domino cover and spread in 2008. That brownstone was SO incredibly influential to me as a designer just starting out on my own – the black walls! That yellow couch! The mix of ornate antiques and super modern pieces!  It blew my mind. I mean, Domino itself was such a massive inspiration for so many of us at that time (RIP). But what’s most amazing is the longevity of the design choices in that home. I saw some bedding the other day that looked almost identical to that bold coral bordered bedding on the cover and immediately had to recreate this room for modern day. And honestly, I wouldn’t change much about it. Now that’s good design.

• Not clickable: Art (turned sideways) // pillow fabric

As you may have seen on my Instagram, I spend a few days last week on Nantucket for my birthday (and attended some great Nantucket By Design events as well).  I actually head back in 2 weeks to spend the last week of summer there with the kids and Andrew, a first for us as a family of four, in a cool old house in town. Nantucket is always so inspirational for me, even though it’s gone from quiet and quaint to be a bit more “Hamptons”-like- nothing beats the charm of the island- the downtown cobblestone streets and historic homes, the beaches, the shopping… it’s all pretty heavenly. So today’s post is interior items inspired by that little island 30 miles off the coast of MA.

Click images for links, except for the fabulous photograph by nantucket resident Lauren Marttila, which is available in our shop HERE.