They looked for a place on the water for years, trying to find the perfect spot for their family of five. “We raised the kids in a suburban neighborhood, and with our youngest about to graduate from high school, we wanted a home that would entice the kids back,” explains the owner of their hunt for a generational home base.
Eventually, they found the perfect spot: an oceanfront home in Essex that had been recently renovated. It didn’t require structural improvements; inside, it was crisp and white. “My husband and I have dreamed of a home near the water for years. It’s really a dream come true for us,” admits the wife.
With their dream in reach, the owners turned to interior designer Suzanne Schultze, founder of Suzanne Schultze Design, to awaken the blank slate with cohesive style. “We wanted the views to be the star and everything else to play a chic yet supporting role,” she notes. “We wanted to achieve ‘coastal calm.’ ”
From the get-go, Schultze’s goal was to keep the interior feeling modern and coastal. “These clients had been living in an antique. This home is more transitional, almost modern, with really clean lines,” describes the designer. “We kept it bright and airy and brought colors in from the outside.”
Since gathering with friends and family was a top priority, Schultze paid special attention to the family room, where treatment-free windows frame views of the marsh and ocean beyond. To ensure plenty of seating, she opted for a large sectional by Rowe. “It’s super deep and plush. We wanted to be able to fit at least six people comfortably,” she explains. The Nomad Snow fabric by Crypton is high-performance woven chenille that fits the interior aesthetic and is easy to clean.
“It’s not a huge room, and the sectional fits perfectly and really maximizes the area,” says the wife. “Everyone can sit comfortably but the room never feels cramped.”
Schultze, inspired by the horizontal layers of the marsh and ocean just outside, recommended a striped wool rug from Williston Weaves. “It runs the length of the family room and echoes the views outside,” says the designer. More stripes grace the upholstered swivel chair from Room & Board and the natural stone on the fireplace surround.
The glass and travertine coffee table from Bernhardt maintains Schultze’s design scheme of light and airy. “We avoided putting anything super heavy in that room,” she asserts.
For the dining area, a Room & Board table is modest in size but easily extends to accommodate a large crowd. Yet another subtle nod to the sea, glass bubbles cascade from the existing light fixture above.
Upstairs, the primary bedroom suite enjoys a beautiful ocean backdrop. “In keeping with our theme of coastal calm, we didn’t want the furnishings to take away from the views,” says the owner. An upholstered bed from Bernhardt with nailhead trim and a plaid wool rug add subtle warmth while remaining neutral.
Ultimately, the home feels serene but still anchored in its coastal setting. In fact, the completed project has inspired the homeowners to embrace a more minimalist approach to their lives. “It’s forcing me to get rid of the stuff you accumulate while raising kids,” says the wife, adding, “I love how the house looks when it’s clean and clutter-free. It’s very freeing.”