Nobody wanted to touch this house—except me!" remarks designer Michael Ellison of the 20-year-old Nantucket home he encouraged his clients, a family of four with two teenage boys, to buy. "People here tend to knock down and build bigger, wide-open houses." But he knew he could smooth over its dated elements and work within the existing footprint to create the intimate gathering spaces the family craved after spending a few years in a more contemporary, open-floor-plan home.
Having persuaded his clients that it needed only aesthetic changes, Ellison set out to create what he calls the "New Nantucket." Skipping the expected coastal color palette of bright blues and crisp whites, he leaned on natural hues. "I think it's about letting the blue come from nature so your house can be grounded in earth tones," Ellison says. "When things are really tonal, texture and layering are a must." The home's main entertaining areas set the scene for this theme, with a rich mix of natural stone, distressed leather, rattan fixtures, jute rugs, and faux-vellum walls.
While preserving the bones of this home was key, so was reusing a handful of pieces the family already owned. One of them was a 96-inch-long sofa that didn't work in the new space. Rather than selling it, Ellison had it reconfigured by cutting it in half and adding a middle piece to create a massive angled sectional. The effect was immediate: The modern shape allowed this conversation zone to accommodate four additional chairs (plus two ottomans for feet and seating)without affecting the flow or disrupting the outdoor views.
With the more "public" areas set, Ellison wanted to ensure the family had spaces that were solely for them to reconnect. He turned a tucked-away room on the main floor into a restful den, with a channel-tufted velvet sofa, barrel chairs, and a set of oversize table lamps from their previous home. This room, painted in the owners' favorite shade of gray, has become the go-to family spot for gathering. Though the exterior received a resort-style overhaul, with a stunning lap pool, double pergola, and garage-turned-pool-cabana, what the clients ultimately wanted was a home that brought them together. And that's exactly what they got.
Exterior
Family Room
The reconfigured Egg Collective sofa (in Romo fabric) takes in all the views and allows for conversational seating. Pendant: Balsamo. Chairs: Agnes Studio (barrel) and Scala Luxury (woven).
A nook off the family room is a prime spot for a rotating collection of favorite pieces. Table: Dovain Studio. Vase: Kravet. Stool: Christian Siriano.
Media Room
Flanked by the boys' bedrooms, this space is primed for game nights as one of the only rooms in the house with a television. Sofa: CB2. Rug: Beni Rugs. Coffee table: Teak Warehouse. Hanging chairs: clients' own.
Kitchen
Ellison partnered with Workshop/APD to create a larger island with a slotted sink, for chilling wine and Champagne, and enough seating for four. Calacatta Manhattan marble: BAS (island). Barstools: StudioTwentySeven.
Dining Room
Ellison designed the custom banquette and tables to feel easy and informal, with a nod to yacht life. The Ladies & Gentlemen Studio sconces resemble hats caught in the wind. Chairs: Morentz. Faux-vellum plaster walls and ceiling: Art Space NYC.
Primary Bedroom
A custom wood-paneled screen makes a "rogue window" behind the bed disappear. Lamps: Danny Kaplan Studio. Wallcovering: Romo. Chair: vintage. Rug: Doris Leslie Blau. Bed and nightstands: custom.
Den
Suffused with natural light, this room serves as a screen-free catch-up zone. Chairs: StudioTwentySeven. Rug: JD Staron. Paint: Purbeck Stone, Farrow & Ball. Wallcovering: Phillip Jeffries (ceiling). Coffee table: Balsamo. Poufs: South Loop Loft. Table lamps and sofa: custom.
Pool Cabana
A Porter Teleo camouflage-inspired wallcovering wraps the walls. Custom sofas mimic swinging benches; they're upholstered in an indoor-outdoor JAB Anstoetz velvet fabric that's friendly to wet swimsuits. Coffee table: Galerista. Rug: Verdi.
Poolside
A double pergola creates the perfect retreat on a new sundeck designed in collaboration with Workshop/APD. Sofa: Sutherland. Tables and ottomans: Teak Warehouse.
Firepit
This intimate outdoor spot, located just behind the cabana and pool, is the ideal location for chats that extend well past sunset. Chairs: Stahl + Band. Firepit: Design Within Reach.
