Q & A with Herbert Acevedo

By Paula M. Bodah

The couple who summer in the Provincetown house featured on the cover of this year’s New England Home Cape Islands called on friends Herbert Acevedo and Kevin Miller of Shor Home to help them make their dream home the paradise they knew it could be. The interior designer (Herbert) and the architectural designer (Kevin) were delighted to bring Christopher and Dominic’s dreams to life. We asked Herbert for a bit of insight into how the design duo made that happen.

In the story, you say “It’s a cottage on the beach, but this was not going to be a normal beach cottage.” How does your design make the interior beachy but not stereotypically so?

The living room is a good example: it reflects the beach location with its awning-striped roman shades, bleached pine floors, and nubby textures in the rug and upholstery fabrics, as well as the breezy color palette with its sandy neutrals with splashes of blues. What elevates the space are its sophisticated elements, like the luxurious silk and linen fabrics from Duralee and Lee Jofa and the refined and detailed Hickory Chair furnishings.

Photography by  Keller + Keller

Dominic says he’s more “fancy and Old World” and that Chris favors a more structured, contemporary look. Can you point to a space that illustrates the way you addressed their different preferences?

The entry employs both aesthetics favored by Dominic and Chris. The cabinet is a new piece with a midcentury modern vibe reflecting Christopher’s taste, while the leather-upholstered Amsterdam chair with its traditional profile and nailhead detailing is clearly Dominic’s infusion. The color palette of the two pieces ties them together. Mixing eras and styles is fun and so much more rewarding in the end.

What’s your own favorite spot in this house, design-wise?

I love the vibe of this house as a whole but my favorite room has to be the master bedroom. I gleefully hunted for the perfect antique bedside tables and enjoyed mixing the crisp modern and traditional fabrics—who doesn’t love blue and white! It all came together to create an elegant but unpretentious and restful respite from the hectic world this creative couple inhabits. And the view to Provincetown Harbor is sublime!

Speaking of the view, you and Kevin made sure to capitalize on the home’s beautiful location.

Yes—we opened up the dining area to the outside by adding two French doors that stand on either side of the fireplace, bringing in nature and that glorious Cape Cod light. The star pendant is especially pretty at night, hovering over the handsome octagonal table. The drapes are the same linen stripe we used for the roman shades in the living room; they add a soft note to the rustic whitewashed brick fireplace surround. The old fisherman painting and flanking brass outdoor sconces recall the storied history of Provincetown.