The expansion of a 1965 rancher offered the perfect opportunity for a retired couple who’d previously owned a hotel on the Eastern Shore to craft an abode that better suited its prime location. Set on a plot of land overlooking Leeds Creek just off the Miles River in Easton, the house was blessed with tranquil vistas. A renovation by builder Scott Cronshaw of Cronshaw Carpentry raised the roof in both the dining and living areas, while new windows capture the river views. Katie Carlin Interiors designed a graceful, vaulted ceiling treatment with exposed rafters, then dressed the dining room in clean-lined furnishings with a Danish Modern air. “A sheer, sculptural pendant and minimalist table, both from DWR, were intentional selections to enhance the home’s natural light,” she explains. “By anchoring the lofty volume with a deeply saturated Solo rug, we brought the essence of the waterfront inward.” The result is a room “rooted in New Traditionalism” that’s coastal-leaning in its blue-and-white palette, but not too literal.

Carlin incorporated some of the owners' existing pieces and artwork to ensure the space would feel storied and personal. “We wanted the home to be as warm and inviting as the clients themselves,” she shares. “They have lived such vibrant lives, and we wanted the design to be a reflection of those experiences.”

Interior Architecture + Design: Katie Carlin, Katie Carlin Interiors, Annapolis, Maryland. Builder: Scott Cronshaw, Cronshaw Carpentry, Easton, Maryland.