Cape Cod houses might be my absolute favorite. They're so unambiguous, understated, classic, enduring, charming, and—in the case of this lovely home—cool. I'm a freelance location scout for national home and garden magazines, and had the chance to see this home a few weeks ago. The owner, who's as cool as her house, said I could share it here with you. When she and her husband bought their Cape Cod a few years ago, it was an urban lakeside beauty on the outside, but a mauve-and-oak mess with "acres of ugly floor tile" on the inside. They stripped the interior to the studs and knocked down a few walls, then proceeded to lay new hardwood floors, replace the oak trim with white, paint the entire interior Benjamin Moore Grant Beige (a color inspired by their weimeraner, Morgan), and install a gorgeous new kitchen. The result is a fresh, interesting, "I could move in here tomorrow and not change a thing" contemporary Cape Cod. Enjoy!
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A classic foundation (generous baseboards, white trim, shaker cabinetry, dark oak floors, a harlequin backsplash detail) pairs with contemporary details (sleek cabinet hardware, a stainless vent hood over the Wolf range, Sub-Zero fridge, dual-zone wine cooler, modern light fixtures) to create a fantastic kitchen. |
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| Contemporary hardware in a classic Cape—love it! |
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| The homeowners' interior designer, Brian Ellingson, had the ingenious idea to create two traffic-friendly islands instead of using one long island. Each island has a separate function: one boasts tons of storage and houses a flat-screen TV visible for the family room; the other is accommodates three counter stools for casual meals. |
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| The view from the gathering room. |
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| Benjamin Moore Grant Beige HC-83 |
