Stunning Coastal Exterior and Interior Renovation

I am always intrigued by renovation. I especially marvel at exterior transformations and this beautiful home in New York is no exception. On a breathtaking piece of property on the Long Island Sound it was a perfect home for renovation. Above is the Before - a wonderful, quaint colonial.And here is the After: Notice the change in the roof lines - the original second story was expanded and a

A Coastal Dream by Catalano Architects

Houses by the ocean always seem to draw me in. I love the shingle style architecture - and no one does it better than our friends at Catalano Architects. This particular house has incorporated a lighthouse theme.Notice the "lighthouse" in this closer up photo. As usual, no detail was overlooked inside or out. You enter the home via a gorgeous cobblestone edged driveway. The back of the home is

A Maine Coastal Jewel By Linda Banks

Designer and architect, Linda Banks, has been creating some of my favorite coastal homes for many years. She just sent on to me one of her recently completed projects to share with you. Once again Linda has created a wonderful ocean oasis for her clients in Maine. On a spectacular property on the coast of Maine, Linda worked with her clients to create a shingled styled home from a new

Decorating with Giant Clam Shells

(Julia Cumes for the Boston Globe)We just returned from a wonderful trip to Sanibel Island in Florida. Like so many visitors to Sanibel our family got bitten by the "Shell Collecting" bug and we spent much of our time roaming the beautiful beaches hunting for shells. I am a big fan of using natural materials in decorating, especially shells, and one of my favorites items is the giant clam shell.