This Soothing Nantucket Home Has Us Longing for Summer Already
From Herman Melville’s 19th-century literary classic Moby Dick to memoirist Herman Raucher’s Academy Award-winning 1971 film Summer of ’42, Nantucket has long played a starring role in the lexicon of American culture, with its idyllic harbor and views that stretch out across the Atlantic Ocean.
For Houston-based couple Clare Casademont and Michael Metz, it’s been a three-act love story with the island that began as a series of memorable summer rentals in Siasconset. “We started coming here in 2000 when our daughter, Isabelle, was about four years old,” says Metz, a veteran energy trading executive. “Then we eventually bought a small house on the south shore in Surfside—an older part of the island with small houses and very unpretentious.” But the modest home always lacked sufficient entertaining space as well as the room to display pieces from the couple’s art collection.
“It was hard to have guests there—everyone was on top of each other,” says Casademont, a former journalist and retired social worker who serves on the board of the Menil Collection in Houston. “It was more like a cottage than a home. We couldn’t add on to it—and there was only so much I could do with the decor.”
About five years ago, the couple began looking in earnest for their next home and, despite making a few half-hearted offers that, thankfully, didn’t stick, nothing on the market inspired them. That is, until a “totally backward” property hit the market in the centrally located neighborhood of Monomoy. The classic shingle-style home, built in 1999, required a gut renovation to fit their lifestyle and to take full advantage of its unparalleled location.
“Like many of our clients on the island, Clare and Michael are people who believe in Nantucket and spend a lot of time here,” explains Andrew Kotchen, co-founder of the ELLE DECOR A-List architecture and design firm Workshop/APD which maintains a presence on the island, in addition to offices dotting the map from New York to Florida. “The home wasn’t that old; it had great bones and really great curb appeal. But the interior layout was incredibly customized for the previous owners and the whole house was [laid out] totally backward and didn’t make sense.”
Entrance
This classic cedar shingle-style home was built in 1999 and required a gut renovation to fit the clients' lifestyle and to take full advantage of its unparalleled location. That's where ELLE DECOR A-List firm Workshop/APD stepped in. “It’s without question the magic of the house,” the firm's Andrew Kotchen says about the home’s entryway. “It was about four feet wide originally, and we added about eight feet to stretch it out toward the water.”
Entry
In the foyer, a round bluestone-topped entry table from Galerie Half, a pair of Ayala Serfaty Shastool Date stools from Maison Gerard and a work of art by Pat Steir, sourced through Pace Prints in New York, create a welcoming vignette. The area rug is from ALT for Living and the Scarabe side chair by Laura Kirar is from Maison Gerard.
Living Room
“Originally this room was sliced up into three spaces, so we opened it up into one larger space to make sure you could see the spectacular view,” says Kotchen. “And the furniture here is not common for a second home—it’s far more tailored for how they live and feels as though it flows with the sculptural aspects of the home.”
A custom sofa by Workshop/APD has been upholstered in a Rogers & Goffigon textile and the Tombos coffee table from Altelier Stefan Leo is flanked by teak chair from Carlyle Collective and a restored vintage Italian lounge chair from Forsyth Art. Against the window is a Kevin Walz daybed from Ralph Pucci and a Cable side table from Alexander Lamont. The custom shaped wool rug is from Doris Leslie Blau.
Living Room
“The fireplace here was the only one we kept, and we wanted it to be a longer, more modern gesture than simply a compressed fire box,” explains Kotchen. “So, it becomes this element that extends through the living room, into the dining room and, eventually, to the kitchen.”
On the mantel of the custom designed marble fireplace is a small-scale sculpture by William Lamarley. Positioned directly in front are a pair of sculptural stools by Gio Ponti.
“I wanted to select artwork that reflected nature,” says Casademont. “Not in a literal sense like landscapes of nature, but like the two abstract watercolors over the fireplace by Joanna Pousette. They’re the color of the earth with blues, browns, greens and touches of red—we sometimes have red in the sky when the sun goes down.”
Dining Room
“We decided on a banquette as their primary dining space—it’s certainly not something everyone would be open to having,” Kotchen says. “But it’s super comfortable, faces due north to the harbor and they liked the idea of not having a grand dining table with 12 chairs that looked like something out of a showroom.”
The custom banquette and table are both by Workshop/APD, and the set of six #634 walnut dining chairs, circa 1954, are by Carlo de Carli for Cassina. On the white oak-paneled wall is a painting by Suzan Frecon. On the right side of the mantle is a painted bronze sculpture by Mark Manders from New York’s Tanya Bonakdar Gallery.
Kitchen
“The original kitchen was on the complete opposite side of the house and there was a lot of conversation about where we’d reposition it,” says Kotchen. “Now it doesn’t face the water, but what we did is create a magical garden on the south side of the house that they look out onto.” The three Carlotta barstools are from Nacho Polo’s Studio Twenty Seven, the custom travertine island by Workshop/APD and the Mobile Chandelier 8 is from The Future Perfect. “It’s the most spectacular garden,” says Casadamont. “Andrew said ‘why can’t you have two spectacular moments—the ocean and a garden,’ which was such a visionary design decision.”
Media Room
“I’d call this the bow of the ship,” Kotchen says. “It’s completely wrapped in windows and looks out over the pool to the harbor.”
A custom sectional by Workshop/APD has been upholstered in Holland & Sherry leather and a boucle textile from Rogers & Goffigon. The cocktail table is also custom from Workshop/APD, and the Aloe Loop area rug is from ALT for Living. Above the sofa is an oil on canvas by Etel Adnan.
Powder Room
The custom mirror by Workshop/APD incorporates a Slim End to End wall sconce from Articolo Studios. The vanity in honed Perla Venata marble is also by Workshop/APD. “In all our projects we always balance materiality, texture and tone, and here we did a sweet little customized sink and vanity," Kotchen says.
Stair
As soon as guests enter, they encounter a dramatic stairway. “We created these two glass and steel-framed thresholds on either side of [the entry] that juxtapose and refocus the home’s circulation," Kotchen adds.
Stair
Workshop/APD created dramatic, sculptural volumes that guests encounter as they ascend the staircase.
Upstairs Hall
What the architect describes as “sort of a gasket” is a windowed hallway that connects Metz’s study to the couple’s bedroom that was a second-floor addition. The rustic wood table was acquired through 1stDibs and the vase is by Judy Legerwood from 1301PE Gallery in Los Angeles.
Primary Bedroom
A relaxing retreat for the homeowners, the primary bedroom has sweeping eastern views that can be seen from the comfort of a custom king bed by Workshop/APD. Bedding includes a custom mohair throw from Lena Rewell Textile Studio Ltd., and bespoke pillows from Pat McGann Gallery. The leather side table nightstands are from BDDW and the Bruno table lamps are from Elan Atelier.
Primary Bedroom
“I didn’t want the art to compete with the beautiful harbor views,” says Casademont. “It had to be much quieter and not feel bold or splashy. I really love the [gallery] wall I created in here; it includes works by many Latin American artists [acquired] from Sicardi Gallery in Houston that reference nature.”
The custom desk is from Bradley Clifford Design, the Eleor chair is from De Merry Paris and the stool is an antique basket that belonged to the client’s grandmother. On the desk are a Nangis table lamp from Forom and a small sculpture acquired by the homeowners on a trip to Mexico.
Primary Bathroom
The tub and surround are clad in Stormy Grey travertine and the fittings are from Waterworks. “We have this beautiful rock sculpture by Polish artist Alicia Kwade hanging over the bathtub,” shares Casademont. “I love both the piece and the bathtub.”
Laundry Room
The entry point from the guest cottage to the main house serves as the all-purpose laundry and mudroom
Pool
Workshop/APD updated the home’s rear exterior and added a 60-foot lap pool and spa that was a “must have” for the clients who swim daily and spend much of their time outdoors. The new columns and round portico conceal the structure necessary to support the pool. On the mahogany deck are a set of Franck lounge chairs from David Sutherland Showroom.
A serious reconfiguration ensued—including the relocation of the kitchen and a second-floor bedroom expansion. “It was a complete, extensive renovation,” says Metz. “We opened up all the walls and took it right down to the studs.”
Gone went the“very compartmentalized” room layout. “We took down two chimneys that were blocking the views. When you walked through the front door you couldn’t see the water because there was a wall, so naturally that came down too,” explains Kotchen, who has been designing homes on the island for 25 years.
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“Andrew understands Nantucket and he understands contemporary [design] in Nantucket,” adds Casademont. “And while I carefully thought about the furnishings and placement of art, we wanted a beach house, not a museum, and he got that.”
The result is an airy, light-filled escape that embraces the couple’s love for art, design and the natural beauty that attracted them to the island all those years ago. “There’s a sense of serenity and calmness when you’re inside,” shares Metz. “Part of it is the location, but really it’s the house—it’s something that will stay in the family for a long, long time.”
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