When it came to transforming an 1890 North Fork home into a functional and inviting weekend escape for a Brooklyn-based family of four, Nina Carbone understood the assignment. The homeowners sought out the interior designer for her historically-conscious approach and characteristically relaxed style. “The house carried a deep sense of history and an automatic warmth,” says Carbone. But, a black and white palette and a rambling floor plan left plenty to be desired. The clients, seeking a different feel from their more minimalist space in the city, yearned for color, comfort, and quirkiness in their Long Island abode.
Carbone spearheaded a renovation within the home’s existing footprint, making updates to reflect the family’s practical needs alongside their wish to brighten the space while retaining its original cozy charm. Carbone carved out a new mudroom and extra closets and increased the number of sleeping spots (pull-out sofa and bunk beds to the rescue!) so guests don’t feel crammed in. Throughout, Carbone utilized a light touch and her signature penchant for an “undone” look—implementing layers of contrasting textures, warm hues, and durable furnishings to create an environment that feels loose, lived-in, and rich in character. Ahead, the designer shares how she turned this 19th century gem into an enduring retreat to be filled with family memories for years to come.
Charting the color palette:
Because of the big farmhouse-style porch, the front of the home felt dark. I didn’t want to fight the light, I wanted to lean into it. So, we created a cave-like, cozy parlor off the entrance with a steely gray theme. Then, as you move towards the back of the house, the rooms become brighter and whiter. We folded in some sea glass tinted blues and greens and a yellow marigold hue. There’s a natural flow to the chroma and paint schedule.
KATE S JORDAN
Playing up texture:
We added zellige tile to the living room fireplace, Firceclay tile to the kitchen backsplash, grasscloth wallpaper to the dining room, and vintage textiles throughout. I wanted to create interest in smaller moments, to string pattern play across the house in a loose way, and ensure that color and texture weren’t only upholstery-based.
Paring down pays off:
We went back and forth on drapery in the living room. We ultimately decided against it for budget reasons, but then we realized it would’ve been too much anyways, it would’ve felt too heavy. There was a lightness and a joyfulness about the house that we didn’t want to tamp down. We put that money towards the tiled fireplace instead. It was a good pullback that worked in our favor.
Piecing the kitchen together:
We found this freestanding unit from McGee & Co. that was the perfect color. We didn’t want to add more built-ins—we were never going to be able to match the existing cabinetry and it would’ve felt like overkill. So, we decided to go less expensive and higher character here. It became our storage savior.
Keeping the quirks:
We kept the existing hardware on all the doors, even though it was mismatched. Same with the floors. To us, those quirks reiterate the lovely feeling of being in an old home.
Making more budget-friendly choices:
The kids’ spaces were all about [getting our] bang for our buck. We used a Room & Board bunk bed and a play table from West Elm. Whatever kids are into is so temporary, so we didn’t care to dump money into things that might be transient. In the parlor, another family-oriented room, we didn’t want to add too much furniture, instead ensuring there is plenty of open floor space for playing.
Maximizing room for guests:
There is a small guest bedroom downstairs, but we wanted to be able to sleep more people. So, we did a Pottery Barn pull-out sofa in the parlor and bunk beds in the atrium. Each space had to be multi-purpose. And because the dining room isn’t huge, we chose to emphasize the outdoor dining area and take advantage of the patio to entertain bigger groups of friends.
Hacking heats up:
The exposed radiators posed a problem with two young kids. Instead of splurging on custom millwork boxes, we found prefabricated raffia sheets on Amazon and inset them into a simple paint-grade box that we made. We [also] ordered the fabric for the sink skirt in the powder room from a woman on Etsy for $30. Then we purchased a tension rod from Amazon, and voila, an affordable custom design solution!
