In this modestly-sized, 1920s bungalow in Westerly, Rhode Island, the dining room is the hub of the home. “As the access point to both the screened porch and the deck, people are in and out of here all day,” Kaitlin Smith, owner of Kaitlin Smith Interiors, says. “You see the dining room as soon as you walk in, so it sets the tone.” As such it needed to feel welcoming and impactful. Smith retained the existing nickel gap paneling, acknowledging its family-friendly and summer-home appropriate aesthetic. It proved the perfect backdrop for color and pattern. “The fun, preppy vibe is inherently relaxed, formal enough for entertaining.”
1 Distressed, robin’s-egg blue chairs with hand-woven rush seats and backs are comfortable, lightweight, and easy to maintain. “We didn’t want all wood tones or upholstery,” Smith says.
2 The American black walnut farm table by Cranston-based Kingston Krafts is as functional for craft projects and puzzles as it is for sharing meals. “I have a small business too, so I like to support local,” the designer says.
3 “The fun of a long table is setting it with collected pieces,” Smith says. The tablescape mixes old and new, including iconic Bordallo Pinheiro cabbage plates, bamboo cutlery, block printed napkins, various candlestick holder styles, and a vintage ceramic pitcher as a vase.
4 Smith added a chandelier from Hudson Valley Lighting overhead, a challenge given the low ceiling height and exposed beams that offer little leeway for hiding wires. The traditional brass piece is slender and compact but still has presence.
5 The Sister Parish linen drapery fabric, a handprinted floral modeled on a vintage English textile, mimics the colors outdoors.
6 The Enchanted Home wicker urn from Smith’s seasonal shop, Highpoint Home, in Watch Hill, fills an empty corner with live greenery. The piece plays off the scalloped wicker valances from Mainly Baskets Home inherited from the prior owners.
Marni Elyse Katz is a contributing editor to the Globe Magazine. Follow her on Instagram @StyleCarrot. Send comments to magazine@globe.com.
