Project Reveal: The cottage on Nautilus
At almost the exact opposite end of the island than my first project reveal, the town of Loveladies is a quiet town on the north end of Long Beach Island.
I’ve always been fascinated by the name Loveladies and if you were too, here’s the scoop: in the 1870s, a life saving station was built in the area and they named it Lovelady after a wealthy Englishman Thomas Lovelady, who had previously named an island in the bay after himself. It became known as Lovelady’s Coast Guard Station, eventually becoming Loveladies.
Loveladies is mostly expansive homes, sprinkled with a few establishments like the Long Beach Island Foundation of the Arts & Sciences, Loveladies Tennis Club, and the Church of St Clare. It was here on one of the canal streets that I partnered with a local builder to bring a New England style new construction to life on the bay, from architectural plans to final furnishings.
Right off the expansive foyer is the light-filled, airy kitchen, with a large island. The clear glass pendants were intentionally chosen so the ample light coming through the wall of windows bounced and curved, allowing the fixture to be beautifully highlighted.
The backsplash is a gorgeous swirling blue, gray, and silver mosaic patter that reminded me of the ocean. I had originally picked out a different color of this, but didn’t quite feel it was the right color. I saw this version online and thought it leaned too gray - but in person, it was absolutely perfect. The island cabinetry is Benjamin Moore’s Hale Navy, complemented with these natural wicker stools.
Right off the kitchen is the dining area, with so much light coming through the windows I wonder if the stunning light fixture even needs to be turned on unless it’s dark! The entire aesthetic was intentionally casual, allowing for kids and grown-ups alike to come as they are, ready to enjoy a family-focused meal together right from the beach.
The living room opens up towards a wall of windows with expansive views of the canal, with various soft, comfortable seating. And insider secret: jute rugs are the perfect color to hide leftover sand.
The six bathrooms in this home really was a fun exercise in just how many coastal designs I could dream up. From inspiring concepts like sand dunes, shipwrecked, and mermaid, selecting the pieces to bring these spaces to life was my favorite part of the design process.
Is it a really a photoshoot if there’s not an errant dog toy that made it’s way into the shot? Coming up to the top floor, you’re greeted with another fireplace flanked by two bookcases, and this relaxing couch with a longer coffee table perfect for family game nights.
Similar to the bathrooms, I was given free reign to bring really fun concepts to life in each of the six bedrooms. Designing the feel of the rooms and selecting furnishings for the spaces while the build is in progress makes it so much easier to adjust and tweak things like adding an accent wall or feature if it would complement the design. Furnishing packages like this included everything from the rugs and furniture to bedding, accent pieces, artwork, and window treatments.
As a full scope design + furnishing new build, this house was created to bring generations together each and every summer to strengthen the family bond and connection to Long Beach Island.