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IN NANTUCKET, A SHINGLE-STYLE SHELL IS FILLED WITH BOLD WOODWORK, MODERN BATHS AND LIVELY POPS OF COLOR

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NANTUCKET IDYLL (click photo for larger view)

The Shingle-style Nantucket house surrounded by an overgrowth of blue and white hydrangeas—an iconic Nantucket basket displayed in the entry way—is practically the symbol of this island retreat. A vigilant review board ensures that new homes stringently conform to its guidelines. When a Connecticut couple decided it was time to have a home on the island for their young family, they followed the rules for the exterior but had their own ideas for a totally new look inside.

When the homeowners asked architectural designer Louise Brooks of Brooks & Falotico to help them with this Nantucket home, it was completely empty—no walls, no floors, no rooms. But the couple had very different tastes; the husband leaned toward traditional while the wife wanted the quite the opposite—a fresh, new design to belie the home's traditional exterior. "Our concept for the interior millwork and finishes was an uncluttered, historically motivated look with a modern twist in the kitchens and bathrooms," says Brooks. She welcomed the opportunity to work with the blank canvas and found the homeowners very open-minded. Brooks designed all the finishing work in the house—the built-ins, millwork, moldings, walls, floors, windows and window seats—including the ingenious bar area with a flat-screen TV hidden above the glassware storage area.

Brooks was also happy to introduce new materials into the mix. The children's bathrooms feature molded-resin countertops—turquoise for the boys and hot pink for the girls. The custom concrete countertops, back-painted glass cabinets and stainless steel accents in the kitchen are ultra-modern and low maintenance. "This was an opportunity to use a variety of new finishes and products for a cleaner, fresher look," she explains.