Three Designers in Nantucket

Because it is summer, because an island is where everyone longs to be, because I have much more design information about it, and because I have finally torn myself away from Pinterest and Tumblr, Nantucket is where I will be today.  From Victoria Hagan's design, we'll move onto Constanze von Unruh's; we will revisit Eugenie Voorhees's, and end with a Gourmet week-end.

Let's start with Victoria whose family barn we viewed last posting.  The following home appears in her lovely book, Victoria Hagan: Interior Portraits, written by her sister (if you do not own this book, you really should.)  Images are also available on her website victoriahagan.com, which is where these images are from.  (So, you don't really need me at all, but perhaps you'd miss my pithy commentaries.)  In the entranceway, hydrangeas, a portrait of a sea vessel, and a knotted rope all so subtlely indicate we are on Nantucket.

See if this house reminds you of Diane Keaton's in Something's Gotta Give - the rug, the windows, the arrangement of sofas.

Not the artwork so much, but the furniture and colors.  Do you see what I mean?

The white paneling and soft blues are so nice in the dining room.

The kitchen is only slightly reminiscent of the film but still the similarity is there.  

In the film, Keaton's and Jack Nicholson's bedrooms were much more interesting than either of these, but these are guest rooms.

Now to the really soft blues of the beautiful master bedroom.

Soo pretty (even though I am not into pretty.)

I could have a party in this master bath.  Love the light from the windows, but don't remember the film's master bath.  I am not inferring in any way that the film influenced Hagan's design.  I am suggesting that wonderful beach houses have similarities.

Onto, a more contemporary interior in Constanze von Unruh's Nantucket home.  (The following images were taken from Living in New England, by Elaine Louie, photographed by Solvi Dos Santos.)  Her design is a bit similar to  Jacobsen's design with all the white, but not as spare.

Again white interiors, but the stripes and seagrass are a real design change.

Aga ranges are popular in England, but unique here in Nantucket.  Von Unruh believes the heat it consistently emits dries out the humid New England weather.

Below, Tom Dixon's cantilevered rush chair is paired with a French wood table "of unknown provenance."

I wish I had more images of this home.  Alas, that was all that appeared in the book, however if you go to Andreas von Einseidel's website, more of his photographs of the house can be seen with watermarks, like the ones below.

A little annoying, but still we get to see more images.  His website has many beautiful homes that you should check out, if you do not mind being a little annoyed.

Now, onto another Voorhees home on Nantucket also seen in Living in New England .  This section of the book confused me a bit.  In it, Voorhees expresses her dismay over the "sprawl" of overbuilding on Nantucket, of taking an old house and by "tearing out the guts and rebuilding it, 'destroying' the original.  What's left is a replica."  I really applaud her sentiments, but I thought she and Jacobsen had done that very thing to the two previous homes we saw she and Jacobsen so beautifully "rearrange."   Whatever!  Here is her most "untouched" home on Nantucket.

It has the feel of the barn she "redid" two years later, but this home is definitely more "untouched."  I like them both.  See what you think.

"All the amenities of home, but few extras."

Voorhees "finds white the most comforting color" and uses it all her Nantucket homes.  Such a simple room compared to the others we've seen of hers.

Her outside shower.

Ladder leading to the sleeping loft.

Below, the sleeping loft.  Now, don't get me wrong, I am no helpless princess, but I could stand about one week in this, her untouched home, whereas I could spend forever in her other two Nantucket homes.  One night ascending and descending that ladder would be enough.  What do you think, dear reader, am  I being a wilting violet?

Ok, enough primitive, let's gaze for a minute upon what Gourmet believes is a relaxing country week-end.

First, Saturday lunch with friends, family and the beach.

Simple luncheon fare of which even Ina Garten, my favorite cook, would approve.

Saturday night's "dinner out."  Rustic, but not primitive.

With a beautiful and oh-so civilized tablescape.

And delicious food that says summer.

A perfect spot for Sunday breakfast before heading home.

With a healthy breakfast tucked away.

So, another post on Nantucket ends.  I fear I may have appeared judgemental in this one but that was never my intention.  I just loved several of these homes more than others.  Was I wrong?
Till next time,
b