Bright, Bold, and Beachy

The ladies behind D2 Interieurs are anything but shy when it comes to their personalities or their designs. They are bold, fresh, and colorful—making them the perfect designers for this beach house. 

The clients—a well-known local news personality, her husband, and their two young children—moved to Westport, CT from the city and were open to anything. And like all of the designs the D2 Interieurs team creates, this one had to be functional, child-friendly, and beautiful. 

“The vibe was definitely a relaxed, modern beach house with infusions of color,” say D2 Interieurs owner Denise Davies and creative director Kerri Rosenthal. “In a beach house, all the rooms should have a casual and relaxed feel. In the formal living room, in lieu of crowding it with furniture, we opted to do two Barcelona chairs and a custom ottoman in front of the fireplace. The client frequently has a glass of wine here at the end of the day. We [were] also able to push the design envelope a little more with a beach house.”

Throughout the design, you’ll find thoughtful placement of color. The palette was inspired by the ocean, but there are a lot of neutrals to work with, too. 

“If you look closely, all the ‘bones’ of the rooms are neutral,” say Davies and Rosenthal. “Color is infused through accessories and artwork. That way, if the client should ever want a little refresh or [wants to] change the pillows according to the season, it’s a quick fix!”

One of the designers’ favorite elements of the home is the custom front door, which they painted the perfect blue. When you open it, your eyes go directly to the Ikat wallpaper in the kitchen. 

“We wanted to give [the house] a beachy-retro vibe, like Palm Springs in the 1970s,” say Davies and Rosenthal. “I think we achieved it with [this] wallpaper and the Slim Aarons photograph. The wallpaper was the starting point for the rest of the house.”

Another favorite is the porch swing. It was the first thing the client requested—before the couple even had a bed. 

One challenge the design team had was blending the husband and wife’s very different styles. 

“The wife is from Kentucky and is a bit on the traditional side, so the bedroom is a true reflection of her,” say Davies and Rosenthal. “The husband is from the East Coast and has a more modern aesthetic, so the living room is more his style. The rest of the house is a true combination of the two of them.”

Another key in the success of this design is the artwork. In addition to being an interior designer, Rosenthal is a well-known modern artist. The team often uses her work, in addition to other pieces. The blue abstract in the living room is by Linda Colletta; the painting in the bedroom is a vintage piece from First Dibs. 

“We are constantly pushing ourselves to be different and not use the same pieces over again,” say Davies and Rosenthal. “We would never want a house to look like the designer just left the building.”