The great room serves as the ultimate family area for relaxing, board games and more.
Leopard-patterned shades from the client’s previous home complete this hangout space.
Jellyfishlike glass vessels by Jeff Goodman bubble from the wall.
THE PROJECT
The guest bedroom pops with blue drapes in a Lee Jofa fabric, made at Makkas Drapery, and Vanguard furniture.
After feeling out their second home on Cape Cod, one family sought the help of Rachel Reider (rachelreider.com), who also designed their primary residence in Boston, to carve out the decor of their living spaces for family functionality.
THE CLIENTS
There was one key word in the planning of the interior design in this vacation home: durability. “They’re a young, very active family of six. They’ve got four kids [and] two dogs. And the kids do every activity you can imagine. So any time I’m in the house, people are darting in and out,” says Reider of the project. “So I knew that the house had to accommodate a very active lifestyle and also be very durable, especially for a summer home.” She did this through a variety of ways, including using materials and finishes that could be maintenance free and easy for sandy feet and sunscreen-greased bodies. “We like to really think about those things when we’re designing the space,” she adds.
THE GOALS
Outside of keeping up with their busy schedules, the second home also needed to be ideal for summer hosting. “They wanted it to be casual [with] lots of hangout spaces, great spaces for entertaining,” Reider explains. As for the style, the typical nautical decor was a huge pass for the wife, who favors a contemporary, clean, Miamiesque aesthetic. “They wanted it to be fun but also still sophisticated. The wife has a great sense of style, so we really tailored the designs to that.”
THE CHALLENGES
Reider’s biggest challenge here was timing. The clients, who had come to her in late fall, needed the home completed by the summer, during which they live there full time. And then COVID-19 hit. “The biggest challenge was figuring out what we could realistically get done for them for the summer without having to have them feel like there was construction going on while they were there,” she explains. “We wanted to get the first phase done so that they could enjoy the summer and then come back in the fall and [finish] this space.”
DETAILS, DETAILS
The son’s bathroom mimics the waves outside.
Upon entering the home, natural textures are immediately spotted in the double-story foyer as neutral elements layered against pops of color and fun patterns. “This is just a little moment to greet you and set the stage for the home,” Reider explains. A geometric white grassclothlacquered console with navy blue edges sits in the area. Above, more textures come into play through bubbled vases for flowers and greenery and a thin sunburst mirror. To the left, the dining room stands out with functionality and style thanks to cool rattan light pendants by Bone Simple (bonesimple.com) and wall art that’s reminiscent of seaglass (the designer’s favorite piece in the project). “It’s even more dynamic in person,” she says of the artwork. “The light just reflects off it and moves in really beautiful ways.” Throughout the space, blue and green hues add a punch of color against the rugged, driftwoodlike table. Back into the foyer, walk straight to find yourself in the great room, which features stunning views of the water and is bathed in natural sunlight. To draw the eye, Reider chose a woven string light fixture that doesn’t block any sightlines from the double-ceiling-height windows. A large, patterned wool rug hides the wear and tear of everyday, while a navy sofa and blue chairs beckon the homeowners to sit and relax after a long day. Off to the right, a deck serves as the perfect spot for curling up with a good book or entertaining. Below, a basement patio leads off onto the pool area, as well as the dock. Back inside, a den serves as another hangout space for anyone who needs it. In this room, two punchy blue ottomans with ombre fringe add a hip, fun vibe in front of the white couch. The blue theme flows more thanks to a grasscloth wallcovering by Thibaut (thibautdesign.com). “It’s got this great textural element to it,” Reider adds. A powder room, also on the first floor, grabs the attention of homeowners and guests alike, thanks to tall, white wainscot and a retro blue-green wallcovering. Other bathrooms throughout the home follow the same theme, like the son’s, which features a wallcovering reminiscent of beachy waves. On the second floor, three bedrooms exist. The guest bedroom, especially, was designed with tranquility in mind. “A lot of times when we do bedrooms, we’re doing a softer palette because people do want that serene feeling, and because the client loves color we want to do something with more pop here, but I think the overall feel is still that serene, sophisticated look—it’s just deeper, more saturated,” she explains, noting the ultramarine drapes from Makkas Drapery (makkasdrapery.com) and accent pillows. The Vanguard (vanguardfurniture. com) bed frame evokes a comforting touch with its pillowlike curvature. Down the hall, the teenage son’s bedroom was also redesigned by Reider, with splashes like a bright blue bed frame with a 3D-like fabric by Pierre Frey (pierrefrey.com). Another fun moment came with the children’s suite, which entertains with hanging egg chairs and more fun plays with texture. “We wanted a space that could be really interactive,” she says. “It’s a little bit more playful in the use of pattern and color.”
THE OUTCOME
“They’re thrilled with the spaces. ... The house was not representative of who they were and how they lived,” Reider concludes. “And so in knowing that we were really able to tailor both the design and the functionality of the house to their needs, and knowing that it’s this wonderful place for them to gather and spend time as a family, it’s a great feeling to have.”