Interior: Salt in the Air, Home in the Heart

Some rooms don’t need a full redesign—they just need a little care, a little intention, and a whole lot of heart to help them grow into what they’ve always wanted to be.

This space belonged to a mother and her two young sons, newly settled in a small northeastern coastal town she had long dreamed of calling home. The sea ran in her family’s blood—her father and grandfather had both worked on fishing vessels—and though her path had taken a different course, she wanted the sitting room in their new place to echo that legacy.

She already had a few meaningful pieces she hoped to keep: a tall potted plant that had survived several moves, a weathered wood sign that read AHOY with a painted anchor, and a chunky knitted stool her youngest son refused to part with. These weren’t just objects—they were touchstones. And instead of tucking them away, we used them as the foundation.

We brought in a white loveseat with clean lines and soft navy stripes—simple, comfortable, and perfectly coastal without being too themed. Off to the side, a matching ottoman gave her eldest son a cozy spot to pluck away on his ukulele. The boys made it clear they preferred the floor, so I layered two rugs for comfort and charm: one a thick, woven neutral, the other lighter, printed with soft navy swirls that felt like waves in motion.

A rustic wooden coffee table sat in the center of the room, topped with a few small nautical accents. Nothing too bold—just quiet nods to a life spent near the water. The anchor sign found its place, the knitted stool stayed where it belonged, and the plant stood tall in the corner, catching the light that poured in from the windows.

This wasn’t a grand space. It didn’t need to be. It was real. A room full of stories just beginning, laughter echoing off the walls, and a mother who had finally brought her boys home to the coast she loved. A soft little harbor where life could settle in.