When this 6,000-square-foot vacation home suffered water damage in its family room, the homeowners decided it was time to update the interiors at large. The clients wanted an elegant, sophisticated, and comfortable style that served their lives but also required a design that would preserve and enhance various existing details.

To begin, Austin focused on the timeless and most interesting aspects of the existing design, which had been implemented by internationally renowned firm Bierly-Drake Associates of Boston. Details such as Spanish tile floors in the entry and kitchen were kept, as were the dining room's spirited marine-blue combed walls, which were refinished to add even more depth. A beloved lacquered linen coffee table was also incorporated into the great room's updated design.

To modernize the interior, Austin looked to the home's gorgeous water views, bringing in colors and textures that related to sand, sea, and sky. In the great room, for example, textured wall coverings, nubby linen, woven chairs, and a custom mosaic backsplash all refer to the natural colors and textures just outside. Likewise, a rose garden outside the master bedroom and study informed color selections there. Throughout, Austin updated lighting and plumbing fixtures and added a mix of antique and new furnishings.

Because the clients use the vacation home in multiple seasons, they wanted to be able to change the layout of the great room with ease. Here, seating and tables were specified to fit multiple configurations – the sofa can be moved to a window bay to maximize summer views, for example, but can easily be moved by the fireplace during chillier months. Designing for that kind of flexibility lends a modern sensibility, but also creates a space – and hence, a lifestyle – that is inherently practical for the clients.

Project designed by Boston interior design studio Dane Austin Design. They serve Boston, Cambridge, Hingham, Cohasset, Newton, Weston, Lexington, Concord, Dover, Andover, Gloucester, as well as surrounding areas.

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