Seaside Dreams
The current owners of this Ipswich, Massachusetts, summer house came to it unexpectedly. Thus, when they approached interior designer Kim Macumber, it was almost complete — they didn’t even have the opportunity to pick their own finishes.
The team at Kim Macumber Interiors were able to give the home personality and make it theirs using colors and patterns that subtly evoke the seashore. The team also wanted to maximize the use of space, crafting a layout that took advantage of its abundance of windows overlooking Plum Island Sound. The colors were kept soft with a neutral base so as not to overcrowd the interior. Although the house is only 1,500 square feet, it feels much larger.
The team used pops, traces and hints of color in fabric and art to give the home a sense of vibrancy. You’ll find this technique used in surprising ways. For example, suggestions of soothing orange are hidden throughout the bedroom — on the custom-painted nightstands, the painting above the headboard, even the Eastern Accents luxury pillowcases. There’s a touch of it in two of the most prominent paintings: on the border between sand and sea in the Tim Beavis seascape (page 36) hanging opposite the rattan bed, and in the docked boat (page 38) found in a work by Newburyport artist Ron Emmerling. You’ll find it echoed in the living room on the ottomans, customed with Thibaut fabric. These sunset hues speak of Atlantic twilight and emphasize a feeling of tranquility.
style editor and set design
Lysa Pelletier
Anchor Artists
Boston, Mass.
photography
Kevin Harkins
Lowell, Mass.
interior design
Kim Macumber Interiors
North Hampton, N.H.
(508) 397-5576
KimMacumberInteriors.com
additional furnishings and accessories
Acorn Home & Design
Andover, Mass.
(978) 273-9717
acorndesigncenter.com