Beautiful Virgin Islands

Sunday, Jul 06, 2025

This Maine Vacation Home Puts a Fresh Spin on Seaside Hues

This Maine Vacation Home Puts a Fresh Spin on Seaside Hues

It's sleepover central.


Rocky shores, sweeping vistas, tight-knit communities-the coastal towns of Maine are famous for their ability to entice visitors to return summer after summer, generation after generation. So it was for a Connecticut-based husband and wife, the latter having grown up spending holidays in the southern part of the state, when they bought a piece of land there adjacent to her parents' home-and just a stone's throw from various aunts, uncles, and cousins.

The couple, who have four young children, wanted a retreat that was bright and airy, one that captured plenty of classic New England charm without being cliché. Enter designer Chauncey Boothby, a Maine native with a proven talent for putting a fresh spin on the region's old-school design sensibilities.

The plan for the home's interior started with the color palette: Rather than rely on a stereotypical navy-and-white nautical theme, Boothby dressed the house in "duck egg blues, teals, flax and taupes that pull from the sea and sand, but that didn't necessarily scream coastal," says the House Beautiful Next Wave designer. Next, "Instead of typical beach decor, we mixed in mid-century inspired pieces, caned woods and various natural materials among otherwise tailored furniture."

With the constant ebb and flow of guests in mind, the house has two separate bunk rooms-one for the couple's two older sons, where the custom beds feature queen-sized lower bunks and twins up above, and another one for visiting friends and family. (For the occasions when it hosts adult guests, "we tried to make it feel a little less juvenile," says Boothby.)

While the house was primarily built as a summer retreat, architects Brooks & Falotico and builders Thomas & Lord designed it to be used year-round, fully winterizing the structure so that the family could use it during the spring and autumn shoulder seasons, when nighttime temperatures can drop precipitously, and holidays like Thanksgiving. The decision that proved especially prescient over the past year: "It served as the perfect spot to quarantine!" says Boothby.

Kitchen


            

Two kitchen islands mean that the clients, frequent entertainers, have plenty of space to prep for dinner parties while the kids eat at the counter. Island paint color: Stratton Blue by Benjamin Moore. Stools: Serena & Lily. Pendants: The Urban Electric Co. (in Benjamin Moore's Wythe Blue). Tile: Subway Ceramics.

Dining Room


            

"The requirement for this room was to maximize seating," says Boothby. "Typically the table is set for 10, but when fully extended, the table can squeeze up to 14." Pale blue trim-Benjamin Moore's Yarmouth Blue mixed with Simply White-livens up the white walls. Dining table: Restoration Hardware. Chairs: Palacek in a Schuyler Samperton Textiles fabric. Pendant and sconce: The Urban Electric Co. Rug: Merida Studios.

Living Room


            

Performance textiles-like the Thibaut fabric on the Hickory Chair sofas and Delany & Long on the Lee Industries ottoman-are a no-brainer for a house where sandy feet are the norm.

Chair: Mark Sikes for Hendredon in a Vanderhurd fabric. Coffee table: Oomph. Lamp: Serena & Lily. Tray: West Elm. Rug: Thayer Design Studios.

Screened-In Porch


            

"Since the home is a fully winterized vacation home, this screened in porch was a created as a real three-season room-it's an ideal spot to spend a chilly fall weekend by the fire," says Boothby. Panels can be installed to add extra protection from the elements. Furniture: Kingsley Bates. Pillow fabrics: Peter Dunham through John Rosselli (on sofa) and Christopher Farr Cloth (chairs). Wall lights: NorthEast Lanterns. Rug: Serena & Lily.

Main Bedroom


            

The room’s serene palette reflects its sweeping ocean views. Chair: Ercol through Lekker Home in a Penny Morrison fabric. Drinks table: Bunny Williams. Pouf: CB2. Curtains: custom by the Drapery Trading Company in Pindler & Pindler fabric.

Main Bathroom


            

A blue-tinted white on the walls (Benjamin Moore’s White Ice) gives off a watery feel. Stool: vintage. Art: Ellen Welch Granter through Maine Art Hill Galleries.

Daughter’s Room


            

"Since her brothers shared the large bunk room, it was important for the family’s only daughter to have her own space to host sleepovers," says Boothby. Pillow fabric: Radish Moon through John Rosselli (floral) and Kathryn Ireland (coral). Chair: Ballard Designs. Window treatments: custom by the Drapery Trading Company in Pindler & Pindler fabric.

            

Headboard: Oomph in a Penny Morrison fabric. Quilt and pink lamp: Ballard Designs. Chest: Chelsea Editions. Mirror: RH Teen.

Boys’ Bunk Room


            

“With reading lights in each bunk, it’s a perfect spot to read a book on a rainy beach day,” says Boothby of the older sons’ room. Sconces: Marset. Quilts: Restoration Hardware. Roman shade: custom by The Drapery Trading Company in a Peter Dunham fabric. Pendant: Hawkins New York.

Guest Bunk Room


            

Located over the garage in a separate part of the house, the second bunk room “affords a bit of privacy for a visiting family.” Pillows: Tulu Textiles.

Newsletter

Related Articles

Beautiful Virgin Islands
0:00
0:00
Close
Elon Musk Founds a Party Following a Poll on X: "You Wanted It – You Got It!"
London Stock Exchange Faces Historic Low in Initial Public Offerings
A new online platform has emerged in the United Kingdom, specifically targeting Muslim men seeking virgin brides
Trump Celebrates Independence Day with B-2 Flyover and Signs Controversial Legislation
Boris Johnson Urges Conservatives to Ignore Farage
SNP Ordered to Update Single-Sex Space Guidance Within Days
Starmer Set to Reject Calls for Wealth Taxes
Stolen Century-Old Rolls-Royce Recovered After Hotel Theft
Macron Presses Starmer to Recognise Palestinian State
Labour Delayed Palestine Action Ban Over Riot Concerns
Swinney’s Tax Comments ‘Offensive to Scots’, Say Tories
High Street Retailers to Enforce Bans on Serial Shoplifters
Music Banned by Henry VIII to Be Performed After 500 Years
Steve Coogan Says Working Class Is Being ‘Ethnically Cleansed’
Home Office Admits Uncertainty Over Visa Overstayer Numbers
JD Vance Questions Mandelson Over Reform Party’s Rising Popularity
Macron to Receive Windsor Carriage Ride in Royal Gesture
Labour Accused of ‘Hammering’ Scots During First Year in Power
BBC Head of Music Stood Down Amid Bob Vylan Controversy
Corbyn Eyes Hard-Left Challenge to Starmer’s Leadership
London Tube Trains Suspended After Major Fire Erupts Nearby
Richard Kemp: I Felt Safer in Israel Under Attack Than in the UK
Cyclist Says Police Cited Human Rights Act for Riding No-Handed
China’s Central Bank Consults European Peers on Low-Rate Strategies
AI Raises Alarms Over Long-Term Job Security
Saudi Arabia Maintains Ties with Iran Despite Israel Conflict
Musk Battles to Protect Tesla Amid Trump Policy Threats
Air France-KLM Acquires Majority Stake in Scandinavian Airlines
UK Educators Sound Alarm on Declining Child Literacy
Shein Fined €40 Million in France Over Misleading Discounts
Brazil’s Lula Visits Kirchner During Argentina House Arrest
Trump Scores Legislative Win as House Passes Tax Reform Bill
Keir Starmer Faces Criticism After Rocky First Year in Power
DJI Launches Heavy-Duty Coaxial Quadcopter with 80 kg Lift Capacity
U.S. Senate Approves Major Legislation Dubbed the 'Big Beautiful Bill'
Largest Healthcare Fraud Takedown in U.S. History Announced by DOJ
Poland Implements Border Checks Amid Growing Migration Tensions
Political Dispute Escalates Between Trump and Musk
Emirates Airline Expands Market Share with New $20 Million Campaign
Amazon Reaches Milestone with Deployment of One Millionth Robot
US Senate Votes to Remove AI Regulation Moratorium from Domestic Policy Bill
Yulia Putintseva Calls for Spectator Ejection at Wimbledon Over Safety Concerns
Jury Deliberations in Diddy Trial Yield Partial Verdict in Serious Criminal Charges
House Oversight Committee Subpoenas Former Jill Biden Aide Amid Investigation into Alleged Concealment of President Biden's Cognitive Health
King Charles Plans Significant Role for Prince Harry in Coronation
Two Chinese Nationals Arrested for Espionage Activities Against U.S. Navy
Amazon Reaches Major Automation Milestone with Over One Million Robots
Extreme Heat Wave Sweeps Across Europe, Hitting Record Temperatures
Meta Announces Formation of Ambitious AI Unit, Meta Superintelligence Labs
Robots Compete in Football Tournament in China Amid Injuries
×