Naturally North Shore

This family of four has called Greenlawn, Long Island home for many years. Lawyers by training (she’s a Midwesterner, he’s an East Coast native), they run a specialized advertising firm and are avid boaters who value being close to the water. While they loved the strong architectural “bones” of their home, their daughters were growing - and it was time to rethink and refresh the interiors to better suit their evolving lifestyle.

Renovate the kitchen, carve out a dedicated bar area, and redesign the family room, breakfast room, dining room, and powder room - creating a tailored interpretation of coastal style that blends the home’s more formal architectural elements with an easy, relaxed sensibility.

The challenge was to honor the home’s substantial casing and trim while introducing color, texture, and materials that reflect the homeowners’ grounded, unfussy approach to living. A palette of ocean blues and sandy neutrals in the living room became the jumping-off point, inspiring a broader exploration of coastal tones used in fresh, unexpected ways.

We began by brightening the Brazilian cherry floors and softening the trim with warmer finishes and natural textures. In the dining room, creamy walls are framed by the rich flooring below and a dark painted ceiling above, creating a striking “ice-cream sandwich” effect. The kitchen is anchored by custom white oak cabinetry, warm in tone and intentionally understated.

In the family room, the original wood mantel was replaced with earthy cast stone, and watery hues were layered throughout for a subtle coastal nod. The breakfast room gained a dose of whimsy with striped café curtains and lanterns, while relocating the seating to the side, and introducing a green faux-leather banquette, dramatically improved circulation between the kitchen and dining room.

Just off the foyer, the powder room’s bold floral wallpaper softens the existing black-and-white checkered floor, adding personality in a compact space. And to streamline entertaining, a formerly overlooked area between the secondary foyer entrance and the living room, once used for toy storage, was transformed into a sleek slate-blue bar, equal parts functional and refined.

View the video tour of Naturally North Shore here.