My style may look haphazard at times, but it is harmoniously collected,” explains Boston-based decorator Katie Rosenfeld. Her sleight-of-hand approach is cleverly revealed in a circa-1908 vacation home in Narragansett, Rhode Island. “It’s an unusual and very special property for the area,” says Rosenfeld of the classic New England shingle-style house, nestled on 10 acres of farmland but still within the coastal town. When it came to planning the house’s interior, Rosenfeld leaned into a bucolic mindset while still nodding to the shore beyond to strike a just-right balance between land and sea.
In the entry, a Morris & Co. wallpaper introduces a botanical spirit without being too fussy. A vintage runner from Landry & Arcari and accessories like the Bunny Williams lamp and a blue umbrella stand add more vibrant color.
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Rosenfeld conjured farmhouse charm in the powder room with a period-perfect Adelphi Paper Hangings wallpaper, a vanity skirted in a Malabar black-and-white gingham, and an OriginalBTC wall lamp.
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The living room's small-scale striped botanical wallpaper by Rose Tarlow has a tea-stained background brings a sense of age to the space. The furniture—including a vintage Thonet rocking chair in a Jane Shelton fabric, Charles Stewart swivel armchairs in a Carlos Garcia fabric, and a John Robshaw Moroccan side table—enhance the collected-over-time feel. The ceiling bays were painted a custom blue to match the wallpaper.
Read McKendreeThough picturesque, the farmhouse required a head-to-toe renovation that required going down to the studs. “We didn’t need to add to the footprint, but we reworked the entire floor plan,” explains Rosenfeld. “We wanted there to be a sense of nostalgia without it being like a time capsule.” The original millwork and trim were a very dark oak; the team painted it in in Farrow and Ball’s School House to highlight the architecture while bringing it into the here and now. “Where we could, we also left the walls in their bumpy, lumpy condition on purpose,” says the designer. “If something provides authenticity and charm then we generally work with it when possible. Even when we decided to lacquer the butler’s pantry, we kept the original walls and let the imperfections shine through; lacquer is a historic paint treatment, and we wanted to reflect that.”
The reimagined kitchen takes a page from English design with Georgian-style wood lower cabinets and cream-painted uppers, and a custom work table instead of an island. A checkerboard painted floor and Hector Finch pendant reflect the farmhouse mood. “The red backsplash was a last-minute long shot and they went with it!” says Rosenfeld. Mosaic House tile; roman shade in a Décors Barbares
fabric; vintage runner, Landry & Arcari. Wolf range.
“We kept the original walls and lacquered them a moody blue that highlighted the imperfections," says Rosenfeld, who opted for Farrow & Ball's Hague Blue. "I wanted there to be some curiosity as to whether it was old or new,” says Rosenfeld. Ceiling fixture, Visual Comfort.
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For a family that loves backgammon, Rosenfeld added a custom Ming-style game table in the living room. It’s wrapped in burlap to add a coastal note alongside the Elizabeth Eakins block-print fabric on Lee Industries chairs. Visual Comfort chandelier with custom shades. Landry & Acari vintage Turkish rug.
Read McKendreeRosenfeld also honored the early-1900s spirit of the house by employing wallcoverings that reflect its history, such as her client’s favorite block prints and a Federal-style stars-and-squares pattern from Adelphi Paper Hangings that now wraps the powder room. A classic Rose Tarlow wallpaper in petite subtle stripes for the living room has a tea-stained background. “I wanted it to look a little bit faded, like you inherited Grandma’s house and that paper was still there—not dingy, just old.”
Some of the wallpaper choices took a bit more convincing: “Although my client resisted outright floral patterns, I got her to take a chance in the dining room with one that feels a bit old-fashioned,” says Rosenfeld of the Jasper print. “The room is right off the porch so I wanted it to have a garden feel; to that end, we also included the wicker planter and a verdigris lantern.”
Since the dining room is right off the porch, Rosenfeld evoked a garden-like atmosphere with Jasper floral wallpaper, a Coleen & Company verdigris lantern, and Mainly Baskets wicker pedestal and urn. Century Furniture table; chairs, Hickory Chair.
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“I call this the gentlemen’s lair,” says Rosenfeld of a guest room. “It has elements of New England colonial, but the animal print carpet throws it off a bit.” Trim in Farrow & Ball's De Nimes outlines the Jasper wallpaper, while plaids and tweeds add sophisticated comfort.
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A striped Cathy Nordström wallpaper, Daltile mosaic tile floor, and Victoria + Albert freestanding bathtub feel crisp and elegant in a masculine bath highlighted by Vanity & Co.’s campaign-style chest in oak. Sconces, Visual Comfort.
Read McKendreeThe designer also dialed into the home’s legacy by introducing weathered Turkish rugs chosen for their age and quirkiness, along with painted floors in the kitchen. A fine collection of midcentury art, ranging from Americana and nautical motifs to floral still lifes and landscapes, plays into the understated ease of the spaces. The timeless furnishings give the impression that the owner raided the attics and basements of family members to fill the vacation home with borrowed treasures. Antiques, reproductions, and flea market finds meld with abandon and all finishes are welcome—painted, wicker, bamboo, weathered oak.
Schumacher’s Hive Bloom, a geometric floral wallpaper, grounds the primary bedroom without overwhelming the space. The Century Furniture wicker bed and painted bamboo Vanguard dresser add textural warmth. Curtains in Schumacher's Savannah Performance Linen with Cecily Tape trim. Visual Comfort lamp with custom Namay Samay shade.
Read McKendreeWhile most of the upholstery is new, nothing feels run-of-the-mill—a neutral sofa would have been amiss in Rosenfeld’s imaginings. “I really don’t use solids! Something may look solid from far away, but on closer inspection, you will see that it is textured and often multicolored,” she says. “We wanted an ode to the farmhouse that wasn’t too precious or stuffy Victorian and that doesn’t take itself too seriously!” The result is a decidedly relaxed and supremely inviting retreat—just the place to soften the edges of everyday life and embrace a simpler mood among the fields and ocean breezes.
The same Schumacher print continues into the primary suite's bath. “I adore this pattern—it’s happy yet serene and coexists very peacefully in historic rooms,” says Rosenfeld. The double sink vanity is from the designer’s line, Vanity & Co., and the sconces are Visual Comfort.
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