From one oasis to the next, a local interiors expert shares five trends dominating second home design.
A colorful screened-in porch in Osterville, Cape Cod, designed with architect Patrick Ahearn and builder E.J Jaxtimer.
As another summer comes to an end, dreams of second home renovations dance in Bostonians’ heads. Tasked with bringing those vibrant visions to life is Allison Mattison, principal and head designer of Trellis Home Design (trellishomedesign.com). “Clients want their second home to have a sophisticated but carefree feel, which gives us an opportunity to recommend colors, patterns and design schemes that are a bit more whimsical,” she shares. From lake to ski and beach getaways, the expert dishes on the top trends sweeping destination home design.
this Edgartown summer home, created with architect Patrick Ahearn and builder Autumn Builders, has a dream outdoor space.
MULTIGENERATIONAL DESIGN CHOICES
In recent years, our clients have been thinking about how families of varied ages will live together and make their homes more personalized. Second homes are now designed as a shared oasis, a place to spend time together as a family for longer periods of time. When planning the design for these homes, we consider the needs of various generations.
INVESTING MORE IN THE INTERIORS
We have been tasked by clients to “spruce up” a second home and to use lower-end design elements (“cheap and cheerful,” I like to call it!). There is a need to do this, but recently, the trend I’ve seen is designing their second homes with more intention. Clients are investing more in these homes since they will be spending time there with their families. They realize that it is not just a “look” they want but also an investment in how you live in the home.
CASUAL AND TAILORED DESIGN ELEMENTS
While vacation homes tend to be casual, we are finding that because people are spending more time in their second homes, they prefer more sophisticated elements with natural textures and less “serious” design elements.
Allison Mattison
BOLD DESIGN CHOICES
Almost all clients we work with on second homes want it to feel different from their primary home. Because of this, we are seeing bold design choices being used in vacation homes: more color, textured wallpapers etc.
PROMINENTLY DESIGNED MUDROOMS
While mudrooms have been an afterthought in the past, with second homes especially, we are seeing a trend of what I call “beefed up” mudrooms! Dog washing stations, welldesigned laundry areas, designated areas for storing sports gear etc. If it is designed to meet the needs of the location and the homeowners’ daily lives, it creates an easier living experience.
