There are countless details that Essex-based designer Kristina Crestin, principal of Kristina Crestin Design, loves in the Little Neck cottage she worked on with Benjamin Nutter Architects, from the gorgeous view of Pavilion Beach to the custom millwork throughout.
But one small detail stands out for her: a custom pegboard in the mudroom, which doubles as a pantry, utility closet, and linen closet with hidden shelving and a built-in bench. The board is great for hanging wet towels after a day at the beach but also has movable pegs to make the most of the small, multipurpose space.
“I liked the flexibility, versus designing it once and then it’s built and stuck that way forever,” reveals Crestin. “The ability to meld the interior architecture and aesthetics with the function in there made me so happy.”
This pegboard might be small but it’s emblematic of the kinds of clever, double-duty details that earned the project numerous accolades, like HGTV Designer of the Year 2020 in the “Living Large in Small Spaces” category and the BRAGB 2019 PRISM Gold award for “Most Creative Use of Space.”
The homeowners elected to build a new cottage on family property where they could spend easygoing summers with their kids. But because of the neighborhood’s strict building rules and the cottage’s small footprint, the team was tasked to do a lot with a little.
“The architect was a master at figuring out how, on this sloping grade by the ocean, to get all the living spaces into a small footprint,” says Crestin. From there, it was up to her to “think cleverly” about the best ways to design for maximum impact, usability, and comfort.
For instance, the cottage’s main living area is a combo kitchen, living, and dining space with gorgeous ocean views through windows along several walls. It’s also where everyone would be spending most of their time eating, cooking, and hanging out. “It needed to fit all the kids and people who might be around,” describes Crestin.
However, there wasn’t a lot of room for a long dining table. Instead, the designer’s creative solution was an L-shaped corner banquette in a bump-out between the kitchen and living room. A custom table perfectly fits the space. “It was such a game-changer to get in so many seats,” she notes.
That same clever use of space is evident elsewhere in the cottage, like the kids’ bedroom, where floating platforms, rope ladders, and big closets allow four kids to sleep bunk style and still have plenty of storage.
Overall, the cottage gives off a coastal vibe thanks to bright pops of blue and turquoise against airy whites and decorative elements like wall-mounted oars and mesh light fixtures that recall fishing nets. Shiplap creates a cottage feel while other elements, like poured concrete kitchen counters with a seamless waterfall edge by Premier Builders, lean more modern.
The result is a comfy, cozy space that’s bright, airy, and stylish, with plenty of functionality to help the family make the most of summer beach living. “It’s a very clean interior,” Crestin says, “but I think the decorating gives it that jewelry.”