blue

The dark hue (Benjamin Moore Old Navy) of the TV room creates a cozy sanctuary off the bright and lively living room. The custom chair is upholstered in Langham by Jim Thompson Fabrics.

It reappears in the living room in Morning Still Life, a painting by Lillia Frantin, which inspired the addition of bright greens and blues to the palette. Designer Heather Wells kept the vibe casual by incorporating vintage furnishings, such as this wicker-block sofa designed by John Hutton for Donghia.

A once-characterless condo got a bold refresh that is both comfortable and conducive to frequent entertaining; the counter stools are from Bungalow 5, and the punchy striped fabric is from Robert Allen.

Designer Laura Keeler Pierce wanted to open up the kitchen without sacrificing storage; the custom hanging brass-and-glass shelving unit, fabricated by Fishbone Metal Works, does the trick.

A sunshine-filled nook by the bay window has the ideal spot for tucking into a good book: a comfy Eero Saarinen womb chair from Knoll.

“The room gets a lot of light,” notes architect and designer Michele Kolb. “That’s why I was able to use a dark color.”

Taking inspiration from boutique hotels, designer Justine Sterling gave each bedroom suite its own signature color.

The first room to receive a makeover belongs to seventeen-year-old Jack Lambros, who helped choose the Ralph Lauren wallpaper.

The sunroom is everybody’s favorite indoor spot, tailor-made for relaxing by the fire with a cocktail or a good book. Summer Classics woven sofas face off over a low coffee table crafted of reclaimed Russian oak.

Interior designer Christine McGovern went for plenty of texture in the living room, starting with the abstract rug the homeowners already had and adding a crushed velvet sofa, Phillip Jeffries jute wallpaper, and draperies of linen by Anna French for Thibaut.

Gentleman’s Gray shows up again in the second-floor office, which features a geometric rug from Beauvais Carpets.lor also appears in the main suite’s dressing area, which the architects completely reworked.

The color also appears in the main suite’s dressing area, which the architects completely reworked.

Designed by Michael S. Smith for Kallista, these mirrored medicine cabinets boast frames that light up. The sleek vanity echoes the room’s black-and-white scheme while exposed plumbing adds a subtle industrial appeal.

The homeowners purchased Nancy Gruskin’s vibrant painting from the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, annual alumni sale.

Schoolhouse crafted this mirror and light fixture, and Benjamin Moore Waterbury Green adorns the walls.

Down came two walls to create an open-plan kitchen, breakfast area, and family room.

The kitchen island is topped with leathered Nero Mist granite and painted Farrow & Ball Hague Blue. To seamlessly tie together the home, all the walls in the public spaces got a coat of Benjamin Moore Light Pewter paint.

In the study, a quartet of Bernhardt Design swivel chairs circle an ottoman custom designed by Kaplan and upholstered in Pollack fabric; the fireplace surround includes tile from Discover Tile.

The kitchen backsplash sports more Delft tiles.

The owners’ collection of Staffordshire dinnerware, displayed in the dining area, inspired designer Gerald Pomeroy’s choice of the garden level’s blue-and-white palette.

The garden-level powder room was treated to a bold Thibaut wallpaper.

In the same space, Tharp specified a daybed, ottoman, and sectional from her own custom line, the Lisa Tharp Collection; the cozy-yet-streamlined pieces don’t monopolize visual space. Swivel chairs offer flexible seating; Scofield sconces hang above the fireplace.

To draw the eye upward in the long, open-plan living area, interior designer Lisa Tharp added beams and rafters to ceilings, hung drapes as high as possible, and replaced the existing fireplace surround with floor-to-ceiling paneling.

A bunk room with toe-to-toe twin beds on each side is used for lounging or guests. Striped wallpaper, Schoolhouse sconces, and vintage art lend a nautical vibe.

The living room’s stone fireplace was inspired by the one in the original house; that’s Skok’s Nichola fabric on the French footstool.

The attic above this guest bedroom was partially removed to add an extra window and more natural lighting, accented by a cut-crystal chandelier.

The master bath’s space-saving shower is set against a backsplash of locally quarried Danby marble and drains into a floor inlaid with an oval design repeated throughout the home.

Covered by a wooden ceiling designed to resemble the hull of an upturned boat, the screen porch was the one major addition to the home. All-weather chairs surrounding a coffee table crafted from a tree harvested on the property afford lake views warmed by a crackling fire.

Painted in a blue tone to match the waters of Lake Champlain, the dining room features a landscape mural by a local artist and a chandelier with wax candles whose light reflects off a high-gloss ceiling that increases the sense of space. The bay windows are original to the house.

Opposing twin fireplaces warm this stone-sided room at the center of the house, enlivened by the face of an antique French clock. The custom mantel incorporates an oval design found on the transom over the front door, and the bench and sling chair provide extra seating in a compact room.

The mudroom’s checkerboard floor is made of local Panton stone, matching that used in the walls of the house and on the property.

With the ocean on one side and the blue bay on the other, the location of this Maine vacation home couldn’t be more heavenly. Multiple decks celebrate the spectacular location and offer bonus living space. “I was worried about building,” says the wife. “But our builder was wonderful. Everything went smoothly.” The well-worn path is a direct route to the sea.

Hand-painted Carrara marble tiles line the master bathroom’s shower, while beadboard walls add to the beachy character.

The owners opted for pieces that suit a summer lifestyle, like a Serena & Lily woven seagrass bed. A fun recipe of stripes, florals, and paisley raises the room’s spirit.

Window seats flanking the fireplace provide extra seating and make snug spots to curl up with a book. Rosenfeld says she found most of the room’s fabrics, including all the lively pillow covers, at small independent fabric houses and artisanal shops.

A powder room features a simple but elegant design with a sink of statuario gold marble and an embedded mirror flanked by dark gray paneling.

The family room/library is ideal for rest, play, or conversation. The bookshelves hold a collection of hand-turned wooden pieces by the homeowner; he also crafted the backgammon table behind the sofa.

A glimpse of the campaign-style desk-and-drawer unit designed by designer Jenn Orr. The U-shaped piece runs along the perimeter of the office.

The custom teak campaign-style dining table was crafted by Kariba Woodworks in Sandy Hook; they worked with the homeowner, who turned the legs.

A cozy corner of the long, narrow living room is furnished for comfort with a sectional from A. Rudin in an inviting shade of blue. Making an appropriately maritime statement is a collection of photographs from the Rosenfeld Collection from the Mystic Seaport.

Hand-hammered brass sconces add a bright touch above a pair of comfy chairs from The Antique and Artisan Gallery in Stamford.

“Rather than making a sexy evening entertainment vibe, we went for something plush, light, and inviting that beckons you to take a seat all hours of the day,” says Sinkin about the living room. Prism side tables inject an architectural element, while faux palm leaves are reminders of Florida, a favorite vacation destination. The coffered ceiling panels sport a cane-patterned wallpaper to heighten visual interest.

A custom Ping-Pong table, set against Rivets wallpaper from Phillip Jeffries, plays to both sophisticated tastes and college-kid interests.

A mix of styles, from art deco to midcentury to coastal chic, makes for a sophisticated lounge space grounded by a youthful touch of fun in the neon wall sign.

Pops of peppy color punctuate the playroom. The modular sofa by Nugget can be configured into forts. The trio of prints are by London photographer Karin Berndl through ArtStar.

A tubular LED light from Luke Lamp in Mamaroneck, New York—twisted into shape by the designer and client—coils above the reflective surface of a Flexform Zefiro table and De Padova chairs clad in Spinneybeck leather.

The dressing room, once an extra bedroom, is an elegant but not overwhelming background for her extensive wardrobe.

The inviting chaise in the master bedroom was chosen to echo the teal hues in May’s treasured dressing room

The dressing room, once an extra bedroom, is an elegant but not overwhelming background for her extensive wardrobe.

Beast meets west in this comfy corner of the living room, where a desert-bleached skull, lizard-skin wallpaper, and the home’s turn-of-the-century crown moldings suggest the parlor of a Gold Rush tycoon’s mansion at a recent remove from the frontier.

Luxurious details in the master bath include a mosaic stone backsplash and grasscloth-clad cabinetry.

A television hides in the master bed’s footboard; a wire-and-glass tapestry by artist Susan Freda was commissioned for the room.

A lacquered mirror and tasseled lamp hang in a playful powder room.

The sunroom’s V-groove ceiling and slate tile floor evoke a classic beach house vibe. Wedge ottomans under the coffee table provide extra seating.

The Calacatta Bluette marble that tops the kitchen’s double islands informed the palette in the room and just beyond, while mixed-metallic finishes heighten the drama. The client also “thought through every daily ritual,” says Watson, which helped define realistic storage that results in a calm, clutter-free space.

For ample seating in the living room while keeping the space airy, designer Patti Watson brought in ottomans that tuck under the coffee table and portable benches in playful blue and yellow. A photograph by Newport, Rhode Island, photographer Onne van der Wal hides the television above the fireplace.

The entry’s bi-directional shiplap and custom newels deliver pared-down detailing that riffs on traditional vernacular.

The dining room’s custom built-ins have Niobe Beige marble countertops that double as serving surfaces. The Keith Fritz table, Sunbrella-upholstered chairs, and an Urban Electric Co. chandelier emphasize a circular motif.

Luxe alpaca curtains buffer the windows in the couple’s sleeping quarters. Palumbo designed the upholstered bed and framed it with contemporary task lamps.

The thread of blue continues into the master bath with a pin-striped his-and-her vanity atop rose-gold legs.

Floor-to-ceiling red glass tiles from Ann Sacks are a vivid, reflective counterpoint to the concrete floors. A zero-clearance shower with a full-width linear drain eliminates the need for an enclosure.

The bar, the ladder, and the loft railings were fabricated by Adam Brandt of ArcArt in Sterling, Massachusetts.

Najnigier kept the cottage from being too rustic with clean lines (note the lack of baseboards and moldings), modern furnishings, and strategic use of saturated color.

Rich velvet and brass accents add a dose of luxury.

Designer Jill Najnigier contrasted rustic elements, such as the original ceiling (which was lightly sandblasted to bring it back to life) and the stone fireplace, with simple interior architecture. A ladder made of metal piping and salvaged hemlock leads to a loft with a queen-size bed.

A vibrant painting by artist Alice Denison brings a spark of interest to the stairwell.

The lambrequin (a window treatment style that harks back to the Middle Ages) might have felt old school, had interior designer Honey Collins not chosen an upbeat Katie Ridder fabric. Add a bright door, a Jim Thompson wallpaper, and an antique credenza Collins nabbed in Atlanta at Parc Monceau, and this is an entry everyone wants to come home to.

The lambrequin (a window treatment style that harks back to the Middle Ages) might have felt old school, had interior designer Honey Collins not chosen an upbeat Katie Ridder fabric. Add a bright door, a Jim Thompson wallpaper, and an antique credenza Collins nabbed in Atlanta at Parc Monceau, and this is an entry everyone wants to come home to.

The Summer House’s bedrooms are a riot of color, pattern, and texture.

Amy outfitted the family room in furniture from Oomph, the Greenwich shop she and Brooks own, superimposing a fresh, up-to-date layer on the antique beams, paneling, and brick.

Rosenthal enlivened the living room’s neutral backdrop with deep blue upholstery and graphic pillows.

The antique portrait lending character to a cozy guest room belonged to Dunn’s mother.

A custom white pigment dye with an oil finish brightens the kitchen’s oak floor.

The dining room illustrates Dunn’s passion for stripes; note the ceiling, rug, curtains, and even the mirror’s subtle detailing.

A mix of prints in cobalt and sky enliven the master bedroom.

The family room is a friendly riot of blue and green.

A seagrass rug and Maine Cottage fabrics invite casual luxury into the master suite.

Shiplap cabinetry wears Benjamin Moore’s Blue Suede Shoes and leather pulls.

The kitchen island’s heavy marble top is offset by translucent pendants and a pillowed-tile backsplash.

Plush lounge chairs swivel to face the ocean or accommodate TV viewing; shibori-dyed pillows boost the coastal effect.

The dining room’s azure rug and artwork hint at the home’s beachfront location.

The kids’ room’s swing chair ranks as the most popular seat in the house.

The onetime dining area is now a bright, airy sitting room that feels like an indoor-outdoor space despite being fully enclosed.

Not surprisingly, everyone wants dibs on the down-filled daybed in a lounging area near the kitchen.

The family room is made for comfort with a stylish ceiling and a commissioned Sophie Treppendahl triptych depicting a slice of beach life on Pleasant Bay—including cameos of the family dogs.

“She has a great aesthetic,” says Wagner of the homeowner, who helped select the fabrics in each room, including the robin’s-egg accents in this bedroom suite.

At the end of a long day on the lake, a circle of custom-made club chairs beckons the adult members of the family. “We get the kids to bed, and it’s a nice way to say, ‘We did it,’ ” the homeowner notes.

The wife had seen a photo of a blue-painted banister and knew she wanted it replicated for her own home.

The cottage-chic theme continues in the master bedroom, part of the suite that occupies the entire second floor.

A powder room is shipshape in crisp navy and white.

The mahogany dining table the husband grew up with is right at home here, illuminated by a wrought iron chandelier with recycled glass drops.

Blue accents give the mostly white kitchen continuity with the rest of the space.

Exterior walls reinforced with steel meant the first floor could be one wide-open space incorporating the living, dining, and kitchen areas. A reclaimed wood ceiling adds a rustic note.

Shiplap walls and plenty of rich blue tones, including the royal blue of the banister, nod to the watery location.

In this bedroom, the sweet blue tones get an energetic boost with a framed pareo by Manuel Canovas.

The kitchen’s forty-inch countertops accommodate the taller-than-average family.

Vivid blues dominate the palette throughout the house, as in the Madeline Weinrib rug that grounds the family room.

A set of paintings by Deborah Quinn-Munson are a focal point on the divider that separates the reading room from the family room on the opposite side.

Lofty ceilings give the great room, which is divided into this reading room and a family room/dining area, its airy feeling.

The midcentury design favored by the owner is manifest in the gracefully curved desk in the office.

The vibrant watery-blue accents of the living room take a more dominant role in the dining room.

The wife wanted to see the ocean while she worked, so the kitchen was filled with windows. To get extra storage without upper cabinets, shelves were run across the windows.

A window seat nestles between the living room fireplace and shelves filled with vintage local knickknacks.

The different tastes of husband and wife—his New England traditional, hers California modern—blend nicely in the living room.

The master bath’s barnacle-like mirror frame and wave-patterned floor tiles reference the home’s coastal location.

The bunk room’s nautical touches include rope sconces, anchor-print bedding, and a line-and-cleat detail.

Patterns in a guest room mix and match, from florals on the wall to stripes and plaid in upholstery and pillows.

A space-age ball chair is a playful addition to the bunk room.

A chandelier strung with tiny bits of turquoise is framed by the angled ceiling in the master bedroom.

The kitchen joins in on the colorful fun with wallpaper (protected by glass) behind the range and inside the glass-front cabinets. The white wall faces the property line, so the high windows let in the light while allowing for privacy.

A combination of benches and transparent chairs surround the concrete-slab dining table.

Bold stripes of blue, green, and turquoise in durable, stain-resistant outdoor fabrics make for a bright, easy-care sitting area.

A rope railing is the final seafaring touch for the stairway painted in two glorious shades from Benjamin Moore—Caribbean Blue Water on the wall and Adriatic Sea on the treads.

The calm palette continues into the master bedroom.

Traditional elements find a home in the bright, sunny kitchen.

The peacock-blue butler’s pantry is always visible, so del Toro decided it should be delightful and surprising.

Limestone floor inserts in the casual dining area lend a garden-room feel.

With its tufted sofa and English armchairs, the living room is a perfect setting for the owners’ antiques. A glass-top coffee table with a driftwood base counters the formality, says interior designer Brian del Toro.

The library’s woodwork is painted a saturated shade of blue, the perfect foil for a collection of Chinese and European blue-and-white ceramics.

Fremont-Smith let herself go wild with color and pattern in the TV room, a space more for family retreats than public entertainment. A green-painted floor and blue-painted ceiling continue the home’s summery vibe.

Fremont-Smith successfully mixes patterns even in a small powder room, installing a bone inlay mirror against a bright Meg Braff wallpaper.

At the homeowners’ request, the kitchen cabinets were painted a vibrant peacock blue.

Metallic paper on the ceiling ramps up the glamour in the show-stopping dining room. Reider’s color scheme for the room, like the rest of the house, is based on neutrals energized with jolts of vivid color.

The vibrant living room centers on a round Ralph Lauren seagrass table with a glass top; the chairs are covered in a mix of Romo and Schumacher fabric to match the Stark Carabello carpet.

The dining room’s Saarinen table and chairs from Knoll serve up midcentury style beneath a contemporary chandelier. Light from an existing skylight floods the room, which was made even airier with the removal of a wall separating it from the kitchen.

Wallpaper, art, lighting, pillows, and furniture all act as layers of pattern in a bedroom by Diane McCafferty. Photo by Eric Roth.

An eye-catching mirror enhances light and makes the compact guest room feel bigger.

Nodding to the home’s traditional past, the living room’s decorative moldings remain.

A grid of lively Brooklyn street scenes greets visitors as they enter.

A trio of brass elephants trumpet their presence behind the mirrored bar.

The bar room’s decor is built around the artwork on the wall, with a complementary color scheme, traditional moldings, and an oval captain’s window.

To introduce architectural character into the bedrooms, each was given its own niche; the one in the master was embellished with lacy Weitzner wallpaper.

A circular rug from Surya echoes the shape of the family room in the addition. “It was important to the client that they have a great entertaining vibe in that space,” says designer Josh Linder.

Graphic Romo fabrics give energy to the guest room’s reading nook.

Blue and orange make a bold statement in the family room.

Irving brought the dramatic color into the family room, too, coating the bookshelves and window seat as a contrast to the room’s paler walls.

The keeping room is home to owner Ashley’s finds; she loves scouting for antiques and unusual pieces, like the blue leather wing chairs and animal-print ottoman, that bring personality to her rooms.

A library features traditional furniture covered in atypical colors and fabrics, along with bright metallic accents like the coffee table’s gilded treatment.

The foyer’s vivid colors, grasscloth walls, and literary references introduce visual refrains that appear throughout the inn.

Every guest room holds a writing desk, furthering the inn’s literary theme.

Bold graphics in the wallpaper and rug get a calming counterpoint in the solids Reider chose for the upholstered bed and draperies.

Barn doors slide aside to reveal a master bedroom with a Mediterranean feel built around the bold Phillip Jeffries arrowroot wallcovering.

Aqua Ann Sacks oversize glass subway tiles form the backsplash in the master bathroom.

A bamboo-inspired bed gives a hint of the tropics to a guest room.

The atmosphere is relaxed in the living room, with colors borrowed from a Cuban painting over the fireplace. A skirted table divides the room into two seating areas. A console table was turned into a bar to draw people into the living room.

Brass accents add a historic sheen to the kitchen, whose table extends out from a marble-topped island.

The color palette is established in the entry hall, thanks to an exuberant striped wallpaper from Stroheim that designer Lynn Morgan paired with the homeowners’ own console table and mirror.

Comfort was paramount in the family room, which features a custom ottoman covered in outdoor canvas. Patterned paper enlivens the back of the bookshelves.

To lighten the formality of the owners’ mahogany dining set, Morgan upholstered the chair backs in a blue zebra print and introduced a sisal area rug and clear glass chandelier.

The neighboring butler’s pantry was turned into a wet bar.

Blue is paired with orange in son Juan-Carlos’s bedroom, which once belonged to hockey great Max Pacioretty.

The master bedroom draws from a lighter seaside palette of colors and textures for a serene look and feel.

Builder Craig Ashworth rescued the corner cupboard from another home and installed it here, much to the owners’ delight, where it houses a growing collection of fragile oyster plates.

Lustrous antique silver lends character to the refined dining room.

The wife’s love of bold geometry plays out in the living room’s rattan chairs. A piece of art above the fireplace conceals the TV.

Wicker seating and a custom sideboard featuring panels made of birch rounds introduce an organic element into the dining room.

In the master bedroom, a tailored approach lends structure to the powder-blue easy chair, custom headboard, and bed skirt. French doors swing open for a view of the harbor.

The living room gets a nice punch of color from the oversized painting by Ben Georgia above the fireplace.

In the basement bunkroom, striped bedding and nautical details add up to a space made for grandchildren.