Christmas is a relaxed affair in this New England home, which is a study in laid-back elegance
SITTING ROOM
Reclaimed beams were put in the rafters to bring character to this new-build home. Custom-made fireplace with a copper top by Whestone Workshop. Leather armchair, Dakota Jackson. Sofas, Cisco Brothers. Custom wall art, L'Oseraie de l'Île
KITCHEN
This space has a rich tapestry of textures and tones – from the shiny metal lights to the rich leather on the seating. Pendant lights, Allied Maker. Zellige wall tiles, Clé Tile. Polished stone worktops, Cumar. Counter stools, Thomas Hayes Studio. Wood appliance pulls, Finesse
DINING ROOM
'I like to take traditional decor, such as a Roman blind, but put a twist on it,' says the designer Mika. Custom dining table and wall hanging Slab by Jeff Soderbergh. Dining chairs, Frag. Pendant lights, Lowland Studio. Leather buckles and straps, Jay Teske Leather Co. Leather vase, Rane Leather Goods
ENTRANCE HALL
Authentic materials are important to Mika. ‘Incorporating materials like stone, linen, wood and leather means a house becomes an ode to craftsmanship.’ Bench, Jeff Soderbergh. Sculpture by Jonah Meyer, founder of Sawkille Co
When the designer Mika Durrell first met her client, she was inspired by how elegantly she was dressed. ‘She is a beautiful woman who dresses in luxurious creams and tans and cognacs; the colours she chooses speak of elegance, but also an inner toughness and spunk. I took that impression and transformed it into the palette for the house. That’s how personal projects should be: your house is a reflection of yourself.’ The home is a new build on Martha’s Vineyard belonging to Mika's client, her partner and their grown-up twin daughters, who were about to go to university when Mika took on the project in 2019. The brief was to create a cosy, elegant space for the couple to enjoy in the new phase of their life, while still being welcoming for the girls when they came for holidays. ‘They wanted a home that was unique, sexy and comfortable,’ says Mika.
Mika, founder of the design practice Able Moraine, knows Martha’s Vineyard well, having lived there most of her life; she knows the light and how it changes according to the vista, be it waterfront views in the living area or an outlook to wooded areas from the bedrooms. While to look at the home is to see a rich tapestry of textures and tones, it all starts from a base of white walls. ‘There are lots of deep colours, from chocolates to coppers, but the way they are distributed means that it allows for a light, calm feeling of serenity to flow,’ Mika says. ‘There is a formality to the design, but it’s not too rigid; there is an element of beachyness, but it’s with a twist.’ She describes how the sofas are white ‘like in a t
