LIVING NANTUCKET

Renovations for a Healthy Home

Thu, 30 Apr 2026 20:31:32 GMT

By Leslie Linsley

Author of “Nantucket Island Living” (Stewart, Tabori & Chang)

May 2026

Thoughtful renovation is not only about updating finishes or refreshing a floor plan. How a home feels is as important as how it looks. Wellness spaces are now being thoughtfully woven into the everyday experiences of a home. From steam saunas to private fitness spaces these environments are designed as personal retreats for slowing down and connecting with the Nantucket experience. Homes should feel effortless yet intentional. Spaces should flow naturally from indoors to out. Outdoor areas have the potential to function as fully realized living environments as an extension of indoor spaces.

Materials for newly built homes are selected not only for beauty, but for performance in our demanding island environment. Nantucket living is about balancing luxury

and livability. For example, large openings that lead to patios or decks blur the lines between inside and out creating homes that respond to the seasons. Pools, outdoor kitchens, fire pits, integrated audio, and landscape lighting transform exterior spaces into destinations. A thoughtful renovation considers daily routines and responds to the realities of island living. Renovating on Nantucket isn’t just about aesthetics. Materials must withstand sun, salt, and humidity while systems must meet current codes and anticipate future needs. These upgrades improve comfort, durability and long-term value.

Exterior fixtures and hardware take on constant exposure to sun, salt, and as we experienced this winter, often freezing temperatures. Durable materials like brass and copper are ideal especially left in natural finishes that develop a graceful patina over time. Today’s homes are integrating wine storage in more intentional ways. Rather than hiding collections away, these spaces are designed to be part of everyday living. Wine storage has stepped into the spotlight. Glass encased, well-lit displays add visual interest to dining areas, or in reclaimed spaces. My son-in-law had a small office closet turned into a wine bar with shelves above for glasses. Creative uses of space, perhaps for a wet bar, support effortless entertaining. A designated coffee bar in the kitchen is another enhancement for ease when having weekend guests in the summertime.

One of the most powerful ways to transform a luxury home into a smart and healthy home is through lighting. Intelligent lighting controls can transform your property from special to spectacular inside and out, improve everyday tasks, increase comfort and convenience, add safety and will benefit health and wellness. Imagine a home where lighting is thoughtfully programmed to respond seamlessly to the flow of your day. Arrive home in the evening to a welcoming glow, setting the tone before you step inside. Move through a warmly lit foyer to the kitchen where the prep island and countertops are lit from ceiling fixtures while undercabinet LEDs make the backsplash glow beautifully. Retreat to a softly illuminated bedroom that gradually dims interior lighting to your preference. Lighting control has become an increasingly recognized benefit of health and wellness.

Incorporating motorized shades further optimizes the impact of lighting by automatically raising and lowering shades during certain times of day and year, balancing natural and artificial light that facilitates energy savings and creates privacy with the touch of a button. The holistic approach extends into the design process. Every selection performs impeccably within the light filled spaces and demonstrates why intelligent lighting is more than a technical upgrade. It’s a thoughtful investment in how a home feels, functions and evolves over time. Before the season begins and we all become intoxicated by island activities and the demands of everyday living, take stock of what home improvements could improve your island living experience and create a plan going forward. Taking one baby step at a time often leads to big improvements for a healthier, well-functioning home. Several years ago, when I added a small back porch to my home, I never realized what big returns it would provide. Now I wonder how I ever lived without it.

Photo by Kit Noble

Fate or Destiny?

Mon, 30 Mar 2026 16:37:46 GMT

By Leslie Linsley

Author of “Nantucket Island Living” (Stewart, Tabori & Chang)

April 2026

Everyone who lives on Nantucket hears stories that start with, “When I first visited the island, I got off the ferry, walked around town and knew right away, this is where I belong.”

I write newspaper columns that have appeared in many desirable places throughout the country, where people first went to vacation and later bought homes there, much like in this community. I don’t think there are too many places that have this effect on one’s psyche. Is it fate or destiny to find the place where we feel a connection? It’s a big decision to buy a home on Nantucket, the strongest being a desire to be part of the community. Every homeowner I’ve interviewed for my magazine articles and books about this island said the same thing when asked why they chose Nantucket. “This is a community like no other, I just related to it.” They swear they were destined to be here. After renting for a season or two, many buy a vacation home on the island.

Once that decision has become a reality, it’s a commitment to keep that home in good working order. As families grow and lifestyles change, our homes become part of our island experience. Sometimes we settle in and overlook opportunities to upgrade our houses to keep pace with the way they are used for our changing lifestyles. Now and then it’s a good idea to check out new materials and products that can improve our houses. For example, toilets. A few years ago, I replaced the toilets in my bathrooms with the sleeker, and higher versions. Everyone has something in their home that is dated or slightly annoying and could use an improvement. It might be the addition of a bedroom to meet the needs of a growing family. Or, something simple like replacing shower heads or kitchen cabinets. And, after this nasty winter, it might be time for new garbage receptacles.

What makes these projects worthwhile is not just efficiency, but the sense of order they create. The most satisfying home improvements are often the smallest ones. They quietly refine the way a house works—and when a home works well, it feels calmer, more gracious, and far more enjoyable to live in.

A well-lit kitchen, a graceful entryway, shades that glide open at the touch of a button—these are the small enhancements that quietly elevate everyday living. Vacation homes benefit most from improvements that make a house feel effortless the moment you arrive. You want to walk in, unpack and begin enjoying your time on the island the minute you arrive. You want to share your home with guests. You want everything to be in working order. Small upgrades can dramatically improve comfort for you and guests without requiring a major renovation. Replace old blinds with clean, modern shades. Automated window treatments from Hunter Douglas are especially useful in vacation homes. Cordless or remote shades instantly elevate a room and add to the convenience of coming and going. Vacation homes are about living outside whenever possible. Small improvements include:

Outdoor lights along your entry walkway
A portable fire pit
Comfortable outdoor cushions
A weatherproof storage bin
A signature scent: Many beautiful homes have a subtle scent that becomes part of their identity. Check out the diffusers and candles in Housewares.
A tiny, shingled shed—just large enough for tools, pots, and a worktable—feels perfectly at home on a Nantucket property and keeps garden life organized.
Cedar-lined closets keep clothes fresh when the house is closed for the off-season.
Zillow reports that 50% of today’s home seekers are asking for a home library. It’s an easy building project to createsimple floor-to-ceiling bookcases in a living room or hallway to showcase books, shells, and art. Add beadboard backing and soft lighting for that classic Nantucket feel.
Celebrate the arrival of spring with a vase (Housewares) filled with daffodils.

Is March Madness A Myth?

Wed, 04 Mar 2026 13:35:12 GMT

By Leslie Linsley

Author of “Nantucket Island Living” (Monicelli)

March 2026

Is March Madness A Myth?

March is an optimistic month. March is a bridge from winter to spring. It gives us time to do house projects, refresh bedrooms, air out musty closets, and fix what needs to be done to guarantee a relaxed spring/summer season. A well-loved home does not wake abruptly — it unfolds. Use this month wisely so you won’t be burdened with an undone “to do list” when the warm weather arrives. I took a baby step and bought new garden gloves for a basket I intend to fill with hand tools.

Last fall,to commemorate their 50 ^th daffodil flower show, the Nantucket Garden Club initiated a community wide project to plant 50,000 daffodil bulbs along the Milestone Rd. Many local businesses contributed to this amazing project and Dave Champoux’s crew planted the bulbs as he has done since the late ‘70’s. It always amazes me how, year after year the daffodils arrive exactly on time for the antique car parade, the first celebration of the season.

March is the month for intention. There’s still time to paint that room you didn’t get to last year, and for dealing with small annoying repairs before our attention is pulled outdoors. March marches out quickly so make the most of it. My daughter is painting a small home office with Benjamin Moore’s classic Cedar Key . It’s my go-to color for a sophisticated, neutral with a touch of gray that adds character. It always looks current and provides a good background for modern or traditional furniture as well as artwork. It’s stood the test of time for me. I save experimentation with bold colors for my powder room, a constant source of creative expression.

Make a good impression with clever upgrades. Trending now is the use of boat hardware, like rope cleats for kitchen cabinet and drawer pulls. This easy DIY project makes a clever impact with an island vibe. For practical and good-looking accents in the kitchen, mudroom, or bathroom, strategically hang gold or silver hooks in the shape of scallop shells, anchors, or a whimsical brass mermaid, found in Hardware .

Buying the best quality bath towels is a good investment for a quick refresh. They perform well, last longer, provide a practical and good- looking way to add color and richness in the bathroom – and they exude luxury. This season Sferra, Robshaw and Matouk all introduce the subtlest. most appealing colors for bed and bath. Because a powder room is often used by guests it’s perfect for self-expression. Mine is a revolving art and photo gallery, with a narrow shelf for displaying knickknacks, shells and beach stones. The paint color is Farrow & Ball’s Elephant’s Breath. This dark shade of gray is unexpected and a good background for the framed artwork. The room is further enlivened with burnt orange hand towels that can be changed with the seasons. Dramatize a powder room with wallpaper and, for a cocoon-like ambience, cover the ceiling as well as walls. Don’t limit yourself to small prints. I once used a large floral print paper (ala designer Mario Buatto’s over-sized cottage roses). It was sensational.

Home Furnishings has a vast array of wallpaper samples. While in the department you can’t overlook the stack of stunning area carpets, meticulously curated by Manager Mike Flanagan . Without doing another thing, these finely, handcrafted carpets absolutely elevate the importance of a room.

A well-loved home awakens slowly as we become aware of what’s needed to maintain a Nantucket lifestyle. Wisely parcel out time in March to get ahead of the coming season. Tiptoe into the “almost springtime” month with small repairs and replacements.

Last fall I added a second outdoor shower. It was a small luxury that should provide big returns this summer when guests arrive. Reorganizing my mudroom shelves is an ongoing project with the final goal of “perfection.” This means a concerted trip to Housewares for the sole purpose of assessing all the practical items available for organizing everything neatly, and making things you use most often, easily accessible.

Think about your family’s activities and design a storage area accordingly. My other daughter had a cabinet designed to fit an area on their screened-in porch to hold beach gear so it never gets dragged through the house. Look for unused or underused space for specific storage. For example, reclaim one side of a coat closet for built-in shelves to hold outdoor games, beach towels, etc. Put hooks on the backs of doors.

If you still believe in March madness there’s an antidote for it: A do-it-yourself project is known to relieve stress, enrich time at-home, promote quality time with your kids, improve your home and turn March into a productive month. I find that every aisle in every department at Marine Home Center provides stimulation for creativity, and I guarantee you’ll come away with at least one idea for improving your home and the way it serves your needs. Then check out the Window and Door Gallery across the street for innovative ideas you didn’t know were possible. It’s March. Make the most of it.

A Quick Home Refresh

Tue, 27 Jan 2026 20:55:48 GMT

By Leslie Linsley

January 2026

February is a quiet month. Winter has settled in, spring is a daydream away, and spending more time indoors magnifies every little thing that needs tweaking in our homes. Nantucketers are house proud. Interior design on Nantucket is low key, understated and unexpectedly comfortable. We decorate with intention and keep our homes in good working order. February is the perfect time to take inventory.

I like to simplify my environment as a prelude to the coming months.

After putting away all the holiday decorations I feel an irresistible urge to repair and refresh and reclaim a little breathing room. Editing is immensely liberating. A beautifully appointed home doesn’t need more things—it needs the right things.

Walk through each room of your home with a discerning eye. There’s a particular kind of elegance that reveals itself when we strip away the extraneous and edit out the things that have outlived their purpose. Rooms become intentional, even rejuvenated. Simplicity, at its best feels uplifting and a little luxurious. The kind of luxury that whispers rather than shouts: fresh linens, polished wood floors, a beautifully set table, your morning coffee in a cup you really love. Intentional living isn’t about having less; it’s about having more of what matters. Now, with your list of what needs attention, leisurely walk up and down all the aisles of MHC, including those that are unfamiliar. I do this at least once a month, even the aisles with items I know nothing about. I take pictures as I go along so I won’t forget what I uncover. I can’t believe how many new gadgets and products, or ideas to improve my home I discover. It’s an education and a stimulating way to spend an otherwise blah February day. And it will definitely give you food for thought.

Small Repairs/Big Rewards

1. Small projects feel achievable in a short month, and it feels good to tackle the annoying jobs we keep putting off. Things like tightening or replacing cabinet knobs, painting baseboards, stair treads and molding trim. Replace an old showerhead, fix squeaky doors. I just polished all my brass doorknobs and front doorknocker – small but satisfying endeavor. Check out the door knockers and consider a new paint color for the front door.

2. Brighten the winter days with warm LED bulbs, add dimmers, update lamps and lampshades. Low lighting from a small table lamp delineates a cozy area. Replace knickknacks with a few framed, current photographs and a curated pile of books. Hang a mirror to reflect natural light. February needs sparkle.

3. Hibernate In Comfort: As you walk through each room, ask yourself what one thing would make it more comfortable. Consider crisp new bed linens from Sferra or Matouk . Amazingly, they have the ability to transform bedrooms into serene havens of luxurious relaxation. The perfect Valentine gift: John Robshaw’s heavenly soft organic pillow shams in springtime pastel patterns. Tuck in a bar of Italian soap and a delicately scented candle. (Housewares)

4. Kitchen Refreshers: New drawer organizers, under-cabinet lighting. Upgrade small appliances. Set a romantic Valentine’s table with lots of soft pink candles and table linens.

4. Entryway Rehab Before Mud Season Arrives: Add washable rugs, a boot tray for the coming parade of wet shoes. Redesign this small area to be inviting with a new paint color or wallpaper. For a perfectly subtle island vibe in your entryway, I’m crazy about Benjamin Moore’s 2026 serenely subtle coastal colors. I’m thinking this would be a nice upgrade to my powder room. Add new hand towels in the same palette. You’ll almost smell the ocean!

5. Modernize Your Window Treatments: Battery operated window coverings are the latest in sophisticated modern design – clean lines, whisper-quiet operation and zero cords. Motorized window treatments take the work out of manually adjusting blinds and shades throughout the day. It’s a wonderful little luxury to be able to program your customized window treatments to open and close at different times, based on your needs and the weather or temperature outside. With PowerView Automation from Hunter Douglas you can do all this with your mobile phone, iPad or voice activation. Check Home Furnishings for styles and samples and learn more. This is one of the best ways to upgrade your home without lifting a finger. Marine does all the measuring and installation.

6. Winter White is Welcoming: Different shades of green in a white room is refreshing, even dramatic. Remove as much color as possible. Use only green plants, white flowers with green leaves, and pots of herbs. Add accents with the soft seafoam “Nantucket Name” pillows found in Home Furnishings.

Easy Kid-Friendly DIY Valentine Decorations

1. Use a heart-shaped cookie cutter and a red marker to make a border of red hearts on plain white paper or linen napkins. Tie each napkin with a red ribbon.

2. With a red marker draw little red hearts all over white hard-boiled eggs.. Set in a basket or pretty bowl.

3. On a blank card or construction paper, arrange and glue red & white buttons (any size) in a heart shape.

4. Paper Garland: String tiny envelopes across a window or mantel. Slip little messages or small drawings into each one.

Where did the year go?

Mon, 22 Dec 2025 16:18:15 GMT

By Leslie Linsley

January 2026

With the holidays behind us it’s a good time to assess everyday practical things that need replacing. I’m more about decorating tips, so this unfamiliar attitude prompted me to carefully walk the aisles of Housewares to see what new products I should consider. My cookware is definitely in need of an upgrade to better and safer materials. With a little research I discovered that when nonstick pans are scratched or used at high heat, PFAS, forever chemicals, escape into the air or our food.

Surprisingly I learned that the best pots and pans are made of materials our grandparents used; cast iron and stainless steel. Ceramic and enameled cast iron are good options. When buying new cookware, read the labels and look for PFAS-free products. The Frieling fry pans are made of silicone-free ceramic and stainless and the line of Cuisinart pots and pans are all great looking and PSAS-free. The RIO collection of ceramic nonstick pans is also well designed and clearly marked PSAS-free. These products were inspiring. The Lodge cast iron, seasoned skillets promise you’ll “taste the natural difference of just iron and oil.” High quality cookware seems like a good investment. The quality of their coatings is better and therefore less likely to leach into the food. And, it will last for a very long time.

When did you last replace your handheld can opener? I found the wall of small cooking gadgets mind-boggling, with things I didn’t know I had to have. I laughed when a friend gave me a hand-held jar opener and said, “This is one item you will wonder how you lived without.” Turns out she was right. I use it almost every day. Experts say, “Get rid of your plastic spatulas and mixing spoons made of toxic materials. Stainless steel utensils are safe but can scratch ceramic and nonstick surfaces. Wood and bamboo are recommended as better options and the products are good-looking, standing in a crock on my counter..

Feed the birds! Repel the deer! Walking through Housewares to the Garden , I was distracted by the variety of bird seed for every species we find on the island and was reminded that my bird feeder has been empty for too long. Right next to these bags was a shelf filled with bottles of spray deer repellent. How had I not known about this product? The label promises that spraying my hydrangea bushes will insure their return in all their splendor next summer. Last year the deer devastated my Arborvitae. Never again and these products are all environmentally friendly.

A few helpful items to consider for keeping cozy and efficiently warm this winter: a Vernado whole room space heater that’s small, compact, and energy saving. The ceramic Lasko heater is sleek, and provides 1500 watts of warmth with auto thermostat control. Like so many products we don’t think about until we need it, snow shovels have improved since you probably bought the one you own. The new versions are lightweight, made of durable poly, with reinforced edges and a stainless-steel handle. The description promises that it pushes and scoops snow with ease. Now, if they could only invent one that automatically does the job!

After looking at all these practical products I was yearning to get back to what I call “the fun stuff,” which I found at the end of the pots and pans shelf. Beautifully designed, every-day practical, perfect size, ceramic coffee mugs with chunky handles like you find in an old-fashioned diner-only upscale. The cups, plates, and bowls are a beautiful shade of soft seafoam, perfect for our Nantucket homes. I began to envision them as the inspiration for a beautiful dining table set with the Sferra linen placemats and napkins tied with contrasting ribbons and one perfect white Calla Lily in a bud vase at everyone’s place. Clean, sophisticated and practical.

This led me to Home Furnishings where Donna and Shamona were quick to point out their favorite furniture and rugs. “Sit down! Donna commanded as she pointed to one of the two large, gray and white striped upholstered, wood-frame chairs. You don’t say “No” to this force of nature who has, for many years, been designing interiors for Nantucket homeowners. I did as I was told and instantly had an “Ahhhh” moment. “See!” she grinned with satisfaction. I could have stayed in that chair for the rest of the day. Good looking, practical and comfortable- – a winning combination. Now that she had my attention, she pointed to the adjacent room where dozens of rug samples were on display. “We now sell bound remnants in all sizes, made from leftover pieces of custom-cut carpeting,” she said. This opens up a whole new area of possibilities for homeowners.

January is the perfect month to refresh a room with paint. The trend in 2026 is away from neutrals and toward cozy, grounded and nature-inspired. Hot green colors from Farrow & Ball are Dibber, Reduced Green and Sap Green. Benjamin Moore’s color of the new year is Silhouette, described as “refined elegance.” It’s a nice antidote to yesterday’s neutral look and a great way to embrace the new year. Here’s to making your New Year truly New!

Celebrate In Island Style!

Tue, 25 Nov 2025 17:27:19 GMT

By Leslie Linsley

Author of Christmas on Nantucket (Globe Pequot)

November 2025

The island’s community spirit is most evident during the holiday season. Nantucket looks like an old-fashioned Christmas card, devoid of the commercialism seen on the mainland.

In this quiet season, Nantucket homes are beehives of creative activity. Entertaining is part of island life, and the community becomes extremely social during the holidays.

Traditionally influenced by the Quakers, who were part of the island’s early inhabitants, Islanders hang a simple wreath or pine branches on their front doors. A festive mood is easy to create with a few branches of greens tied with a bow, or a wreath encircled with scallop or mussel shells. A wreath created with dried hydrangea blossoms is popular and easy to make.

I start decorating for Christmas as soon as the trees arrive in front of Housewares. Their scent is positively intoxicating. My book, “Christmas On Nantucket” (Globe-Pequot) features the homes of many creative islanders, each with a unique flair for entertaining and decorating their island homes. Influenced by the natural beauty of the island, the following ideas will help make your home holiday-ready in true island style. Everything you need is available in Housewares where the shelves are stocked with trimmings that include island-themed ornaments and our popular scallop tree lights ( be advised: they go super fast!!) as well as ‘top of the line’ cookware, and everything needed for hosting in the casually elegant Nantucket style, admired throughout the country.

Quick, Easy & Elegant Decorating Ideas

1. I love the simplicity of half a dozen miniature trees covered with lots of clear lights. You might add small red balls on one, another, gold and silver, and one decked with costume jewelry from a Christmas bazaar. Line them up as a table centerpiece.

2. Cover mantels, tops of bookcases, a china cabinet, with boughs of greens. Add a string of lights or battery operated candles for mood lighting.

3. Fill a lightship or scallop basket with white and red Poinsettia plants.

4. Fill a wooden bowl with pinecones. Intersperse with branches of berries from a walk on a woodsy trail.

5. Nostalgia is trending with interior designers. Set your table with things you cherish. Make each place setting different.

6.Group white candles on a silver tray to reflect the glow. Surround with silver balls.

7. Got A Minute? Fill a glass hurricane lamp or vase with a strand of lights right out of the box. Place on a table in front of a mirror in your entryway.

8. Fill a Nantucket lightship basket with tissue. Top with greens. Then arrange apples, pears, Pomegranates and pinecones on top. Tie a red bow to the handle and insert a cinnamon stick under the bow.

9. For my book, island designer George Davis used Magic Markers and 1-inch squares of paper to create signal flags that spelled “Merry Christmas.” He strung them across the mast of a ship model on a sideboard.

10. Create an island-vibe wreath with cleaned scallop shells and a hot glue gun to attach. Add a burlap bow. Hang off to the side of your door on the gray shingles.

11. For a holiday buffet, cover the table with leafy greens like spinach and kale and place the plates on top. Sprinkle with cranberries. Add red votives at random.

12. For family get-togethers or reminders of families not here, arrange framed family photos on tabletops. Intersperse with greens. Or set a baby picture at each person’s place to provoke “remember when” conversation.

13. “Don’t skimp on tulips!” is the credo of an island friend whose holiday parties are memortable. She lines her mantel with a lavish bed of greens and lays lots of red tulips on top, spilling over the edge. “It’s so joyously decadent”, she says happily.

14. Debbie Lilly gifted me a bag of paperwhite bulbs that I put in different containers. You only need stones, (I used sea glass) and water and these delicate flowers will blossom by Christmas and beyond. Zero maintainance.

15. The front window of Housewares is filled with glasses for all occasions. Take stock so you’re prepared. Place a few cranberries in the bottom of champagne flutes.

16. Peggy Kaufman, the founder of the Nantucket Lightship Basket Museum fills her collection of baskets with Poinsetta plants and groups them together on a table.

17.Partially fill a glass vase with cranberries and another with dried green peas. Add water and fill with red and white tulips.

18. For the kids: Create a skating scene on a mirror. Arrange dollhouse figures on the “mirror pond.” Surround with fluffy quilt batting for snow and dollhouse size trees. Spray paint branches white and arrange in the “snow.”

19. When I was craft editor at Family Circle Magazine, for the holiday issue we decorated small trees with sewing elements. Tie red and green buttons, and green and red spools of thread to the branches, Wrap the tree with a red measuring tape “garland”, Use pinking shears and cut scraps of Christmas fabric into squares.

20. I’ll be signing my book at Mitchell’s Book Corner from 11-12 on Saturday of Stroll weekend. Please stop by to say hello. Happy Holidays To All!

Is Your House Holiday Ready?

Wed, 29 Oct 2025 17:02:40 GMT

By Leslie Linsley

Author of Christmas on Nantucket (Globe Pequot)

November 2025

Is Your House Holiday Ready?

When the days grow shorter and the air turns crisp, we begin to turn inward. It’s the perfect time to tackle small, satisfying projects that make your home more welcoming. The season is about comfort, connection, and the simple joy of being home.

Does Your Home Respond to Your Needs?

As the light changes, so does how color behaves in your rooms. A freshly painted wall can be transformative. What needs fixing or replacing? What small changes are possible?

I have a little den that I call my winter room. It mostly goes unused in the summer. It’s time to get it cold weather ready. It’s a little, step-down room at the end of a hallway, designed to feel like the inside of a boat; small, intimate and cozy. It’s filled with personal things: favorite books, family photographs, nostalgic treasures. The wrap around sofa holds many pillows, one orange (I love this rich color), and another, wrapped with an heirloom Hermes scarf. The room provides the perfect place for an afternoon read. A corner wood burning fireplace was built with old bricks retrieved from a renovated ‘Sconset house. But I noticed wallpaper peeling, a window that should be replaced and the ceiling could use a coat of paint.

Part of my work is reading public relations pieces that promote the latest home improvement products, and then imagining how to creatively use them in Nantucket homes. This morning, I perused the always dependable Benjamin Moore’s introduction to their 2026 paint colors. Paint is the ultimate home re-fresh, even if it’s just painting stair risers, molding, or the front door. Choosing the right color can be difficult. Start with how the room is used.

Design a cozy corner that’s peaceful and personal with built-ins or a bookshelf that wraps around 3 walls. Benjamin Moore’s ‘ Color of the Year’ is Silhouette, a deep, muted brown with charcoal and violet undertones that instantly creates an enveloping atmosphere.

For a room you want to stay neutral, the perfect enhancement color is Swiss Coffee . It’s a timeless creamy white that can be used on trim and ceilings for a refined look. Narragansett is a deep, rich green that’s perfect in an historic house, but also lends that historic character to a newer home. It delivers an extra bonus, providing a rich background for holiday decorations. A wood paneled wall cries out for this color.

Small Fixes, Big Impact

Walk through your house as if you’re seeing it for the first time. Notice little things. Cabinet knobs, drawer pulls, and doorknobs are like jewelry for your home. Change or simply polish doorknobs, tighten loose drawer pulls, oil squeaky hinges, and paint scuffed baseboards. I got a new carpet for my living room last year and couldn’t believe how cohesive it made the room look. It’s also a good time to replace “past its prime” furniture or add something new while there are still some great pieces on sale. Polish wooden furniture and silverware as the background for holiday entertaining. These little tweaks easily rejuvenate a home.

Add architectural interest.
Add a feeling of “old New England” character and craftsmanship with crown molding or beadboard in a powder room.

Refresh your lighting.
Fall and winter light can be unforgivingly dim. Replace old lampshades with linen ones, add dimmers for mood, install a statement fixture over the dining table. Layer your lighting with table lamps, sconces, and candles. Replace cool bulbs with warm, soft-white ones for an inviting glow that flatters everyone (and everything) in your home. Put Dawn to Dusk bulbs in your outdoor fixtures. Tip: A small table lamp with a pink bulb belongs in every powder room.

Reimagine your entryway.
Create a welcoming vibe with a mirror, small bench, basket for shoes, a few hooks or coat rack, vase of fresh greens and a small lamp on a table painted a fun color. Tip: Paint the mirror frame red, - hot accent color for 2026!

Decorative Ideas

Design a gallery wall of photos with a theme. Collect nature’s bounty for fall tablescapes: pumpkins, gourds, a basket of pinecones, autumn leaves (press them flat) and scallop shells while they’re plentiful. Tip : Clean shells in boiling water with a drop of Clorox for 3 minutes. Use as place cards or to make Xmas tree lights.

Calm Before the Celebration

A well-prepared home feels peaceful and welcoming. The other day I was in my daughter Amy’s house and, unthinkingly remarked that it could use a few nostalgic things for character. She has good taste. The furniture and paintings are of good quality and style. She pointed out that when you have kids it’s easier to have a clean palette. I get that. Modern, simple, timeless and effortlessly adaptable is easy to live with. But whatever your home style might be, when it comes to the holidays, nostalgia never goes out of style. Assemble all the things that remind you of past holidays, friends and family, and create a loving Thanksgiving table. You can’t overdo a good thing. In fact, that’s what Thanksgiving is all about. And a little reminder, you can never have too many candles. Stock up on fall colors while they last.

The Quiet Hours

Fri, 26 Sep 2025 17:23:49 GMT

By Leslie Linsley

Author of “Nantucket Island Living” (Stewart, Tabori & Chang)

October 2025

As the days get shorter and cooler, time at home matters most. Transitioning into fall is to slow down and embrace the season. Rearrange furniture to respond to more time indoors. Create a wall of framed family photographs. Add a few accessories, one new piece of furniture, a new rug, exchange or rearrange artwork, or reimagine the use of each room.

Last week I had a friend for dinner and told him I wanted to rearrange artwork. This led to an after-dinner activity of not only changing art, but rearranging furniture for intimate gatherings. The result was familiar but fresh. By eliminating some of the decorative objects, it left room for imagining what could respond better for cooler weather. If you’re putting accessories away, take pictures of each item before sealing the box. Take stock of items for entertaining and setting a table that encourages lingering. I’m in love with my battery-operated candles that remotely turn on and off.

There is nothing quite like a restorative bedroom, a place where you shut out the noise of the day. This mood is created with color, texture, lighting, accessories and furniture; the most important being the bed. A new mattress is a good place to start. Crisp new sheets and a fluffy comforter with a soft blanket folded over the end, will absolutely transport you away from the day’s overload. Treat yourself! Sferra, Matouk, John Robshaw and Peacock Alley bed linens provide nothing less than elegance and comfort. Top off the atmosphere with a ‘soft as a whisper,’ scented Archipelago Kashmire candle on the night table or in the bathroom. Experience that “Ahhh” moment when you automatically close out the day with your “PowerView Automation” custom window treatment from Hunter Douglas. Get the facts from Donna or Shamona in Home Furnishings.

Does your house reflect your personality?

Kathy and Tom Ayars live in a charming cottage where they often entertain in the rose-filled garden. The interior décor perfectly expresses their creative, Joie d’vive lifestyle, filled with lots of color, patterns and arrangements of interesting “finds.” Tom is a wallpaper hanger and created a sophisticated focal point on one divider wall in the living room with Braunschweig and Fil wallpaper in a red and yellow pattern. An ornate mirror reflexes the opposite wall filled with artwork and Nantucket memorabilia. (Check out the wide selection of wallpaper samples in Home Furnishings.) Kathy says, “Every time we return to the cottage it makes us happy.”

It's a small thing often overlooked, but new lamps are a game changer. Home Furnishings has an outstanding front window display with a modern take on traditional designs. For accessories, the small sea foam bud vases in Housewares have interesting shapes Use them to line a shelf or to create a centerpiece on the dining table. Let the color dictate the placemats and napkins.

The Perfect Linen Closet

It’s a small but impactful space. Create as many shelves as will fit the space, with about 10-12 inches between each one. When stacking linens leave a few inches above the stack for air circulation.

1. Paint the inside of the closet in a soft pink like “Benny” Moore’s “Marry Me” (I thought the color name justified the intimate use of a nickname.)

2. There’s something old-fashioned wonderful about shelf paper with a feminine pattern. Find Contact paper in Housewares or use leftover wallpaper.

3. Organize sheets and pillowcases by size or room. Fold into neat, evenly matched piles.

4. Fold and stack large bath towels. Put hand towels and washcloths for the primary bathroom on the left, others on the right. If you can separate them by shelf, put primary up, the rest below.

5. Put one child’s bedding and towels on left, second child’s bedding and towels on the right.

6. I like to tie the pile of guest towels with 2-inch wide, ivory, satin ribbon and tuck a bar of delicately scented Italian soap from Housewares, or a sprig of dried lavender under the ribbon. Same for sheets. Everything’s easy to take out and the linens have a faint delicate scent.

7. Keep an extra blanket and pillows in pillow protectors on the top shelf.

Use the area under the bottom shelf for extra pillows, bulky sweaters, a duvet in a storage box (Housewares).

September: Nantucket’s Best Kept Secret!

Tue, 02 Sep 2025 16:21:37 GMT

By Leslie Linsley

Author of “Nantucket Island Living” (Stewart, Tabori & Chang)

September 2025

A saying becomes a cliché when it’s been repeated so many times it’s lost its originality. But some cliches prove their worth and deliver what they promise, no matter how many times you say, or hear them. September may not be a secret, but it really is the best month to be on Nantucket.

Nantucket has everything money can’t buy. It’s that intangible feeling you get as the ferry rounds Brant Point and you’re on your way home after being away. It’s access to miles of open conservation land and free beaches in every direction. It’s being surrounded by connection. Our history is rich and our community enriching. When you’re here you have a sense of belonging. Where else do people boast about how long they’ve been coming to a place? And if you own a home on Nantucket, you want to keep it in good working order and make it function as best it can so you can relax and enjoy the privilege of being here.

Fall offers a new beginning. Assess small repairs that can be done now and what needs ordering so you aren’t disappointed in the spring. Check out new products for upgrading the look and maintenance in window treatments, floor coverings, windows and doors, lighting and more. Improvements to consider: Enlarge your deck, create a bookcase wall, add a window seat or a bench with cubbies and hooks in your mudroom. Before the memory of summer fades, rethink areas you use most, finding ways to make your home function better for next season. Buy one new piece of furniture to make a statement in your living room or bedroom. Protect your outdoor furniture and replace what’s needed so you’re on top of things next season.

Taking Stock & Stocking Up

If you’ll be on island for the holidays , think ahead for a well-stocked kitchen, from cutting board to candles, napkins to tablecloths. Stay equipped with the right pans, knives and essentials for setting a celebratory table. Just a handful of the “right” tools will keep your inventory purposeful, streamlined and long lasting. Reminder: measuring cups, spoons, mixing bowls, and baking pans for cookie making with the kids.

Refresh a room with a new paint color. This fall Benjamin Moore and Farrow & Ball introduce shades of green inspired by nature. A good accent color for a living room wall is Saybrook Sage from Benjamin Moore. The influence is taken from dune grasses, and provides a subtle, sophisticated and refreshingly contemporary look. This color also provides a rich background for wood furniture in a dining room. Farrow & Ball’s Dibber 312 is a muddy green named after the hole-making tool for planting seeds. An interesting color for a library or a kitchen with a farmhouse vibe.

It's a Win Win Project!

Does your home respond to your needs as it once did? What small changes are possible?

1. Add a cottagy feel to a plain room with beadboard or wainscoting. This nod to Nantucket’s boatbuilding past feels both historic and current. Paint the boards bright white or a coastal shade like Benjamin Moore’s Icy Blue .

2. Extend the life of your deck with a coat of paint. Whale Gray from Benjamin Moore is a soft, neutral gray that pairs well with our weathered shingles.

3. An alternative is Benjamin Moore’s Woodluxe , a line of oil- and water-based exterior stains to protect your deck, fence, outdoor furniture, and any exterior wood surfaces.

4. In Key West, where I go in the winter, the ceilings of porches are painted pale blue. This is thought to trick bees and insects into thinking the ceiling is the sky, driving them away from porch sitters. The idea has made its way north and Benjamin Moore’s Clear Skies is the perfect color for this. Create a sitting area with a built-in bench, a colorful cushion\and pillows, and a hanging plant.

5. Make a kitchen look larger, lighter and more contemporary by replacing upper cabinets with open shelves. Style them with white dishes and baskets. I have large blue and yellow banded mixing bowls along my top shelf.

6. No island home should be without an outdoor shower. Build it now for a summer game changer. I just added a second one!

7. Add island charm all “Sconset cottages have with a trellis or garden arbor. Plant roses in the spring to grow up the side of your house or over the arbor.

Savoring the Last Month of Summer...

Tue, 22 Jul 2025 15:25:11 GMT

By Leslie Linsley

Author of “Nantucket Island Living” (Stewart, Tabori & Chang)

August 2025

It’s August. It’s too hot to do any house projects. But it’s a fine time to take stock of your home, and plan what needs attention. Decide what building projects, repair jobs large and small, and replacements you want done by next season. When you run to Marine for a forgotten something, take an extra minute to check out new products in Home Furnishings and Housewares for inspiration. Rugs, window treatments, wallpaper and some furniture are special orders or custom made to your specific needs. Avoid frustration by making these decisions now so you can fully enjoy your reimagined home when the new season begins.

At the beginning of the summer, I went to the opening of the renovated African Meeting House and adjoining house on the property. Its simplicity, influenced by a Quaker sensibility, is nothing less than elegant. The subtle high gloss paint colors used throughout the house are reminiscent of our earliest island homes; warm cream, soft mustard, cloudlike seafoam, providing a calming oasis from the outside world. While savoring the gift of August, mull over the idea of a new color scheme that can change a look, a mood, the character of your home. Our lifestyles often change as families grow, and our homes reflect how we live. Create the unexpected, something seductive, a sense of surprise with color, patterns, design. Find inspiration in the lush gardens all over the island.

Imagine opening the front door to a beautifully wallpapered entryway, or an unexpected paint color. The easiest way to revitalize a living room or the bedrooms is with a new hue. Many friends of mine are redoing a powder room with bright, bold wallpaper (include the ceiling for a cocoon-like feeling). It’s a small room with big possibilities. Get inspiration from the wallpaper samples in Home Furnishings.

I just finished a project and love the results. I created a “vision board” in my office by. covering one entire wall, floor to ceiling, with 12-inch square cork tiles. Now I don’t have to keep stick-up notes everywhere and it looks terrific. The rest of the room is painted with a new color from Farrow & Ball , Naperon No. 315 , described as Terra Cotta. I call it “paper bag.” It matches the cork. Made in Dorset, England. Farrow & Ball paint is produced the old-fashioned way, in small batches using high levels of rich pigments and real ingredients—not synthetic fillers—which give the colors a velvety depth and life. Favored by interior designers, the colors are rich and nuanced, never flat or garish, and they somehow manage to look just as beautiful in daylight as candlelight. It’s my go-to when I want a touch of quiet luxury—especially in those soft coastal tones that feel right at home on Nantucket.

Pull colors from a painting or an object in the room for accents. An unexpected touch of pink adds youthfulness. A pairing of blue and brown infuses an historic environment with a contemporary feeling. Throw pillows in striped fabrics look sharp and graphic without overpowering. It’s very pleasant to sleep in a white bedroom. But neutral sands soften a minimal look.

Door Prize: First Impressions Matter!
As Nantucket’s one stop shop for all your building and home improvement needs, cutting edge products are always on Marine’s radar. Fine Paints of Europe is a Vermont based company is an importer of Dutch paint products that are like the Rolls-Royce of paint—sleek, elegant, and uncompromising in quality. The color depth is extraordinary. The white is so pure it makes everything else look dingy. And because it’s a high-performance, oil-based paint, it goes on like cream and lasts like memories of Nantucket summers. Europeans have always viewed the process of painting as a capital investment and believe that the appearance of a finish reflects its true underlying quality. For homeowners who appreciate craftsmanship and want their walls to feel dressed in couture, this is the secret sauce.

Their marine grade coating, in Nantucket’s approved historic colors, provides high durability as well as a brilliant and striking finish for exterior doors. They also have a wide variety of colors for kitchen cabinets and interior doors. As part of Marine’s referral services, they work hand in hand with two certified, on-island professional painters, trained to apply these paints.

If you’re like me, you’re beginning to imagine everything that needs to be fixed, changed, added or spruced up in your home. Getting a jump on next season will be its own reward as you smugly pat yourself on the back next spring and look forward to a carefree summer.

Hooray, It’s July!

Mon, 30 Jun 2025 18:06:06 GMT

By Leslie Linsley

Author of “Nantucket Island Living” (Stewart, Tabori & Chang)

July 2025

Time for backyard games (badminton anyone?), picnics on the beach (with that new Father’s Day Yeti cooler) and relaxing expectations of “home neatness”. Summertime brings out the kid in all of us. And while Nantucket has become quite sophisticated, we have not forgotten how to experience the simple pleasures of small-town living. We’re reminded of this when everyone comes together for the 4 ^th of July parade on Main St. A visitor to the island once remarked, “I almost cried watching grown-ups participating in the water dunking event with such abandonment and glee. It is such a pleasure to share in these simple celebrations with my children.”

It's July and our only concerns are having enough beach towels for our guests and replacing rusty beach chairs with new ones from Housewares. July gives us permission to slack off. But you’re relaxing in your new beach chair, surrounded by the smell and sounds of the ocean, eyes closed, do a little “house dreaming.” What small improvements could make your home look and function better for your lifestyle? A Nantucket style home contains something unexpected, an element of surprise in a room. Inspiration is simply seeing something ordinary in a new light, or from a different perspective.

A few years ago, we added a small porch to the back of our house. It provides a nice transition from being away and coming home. A porch is an extension of indoor living but can be treated as a room that’s fun and carefree. Use colorful weather-treated cushions and throw pillows, flowering potted plants, casual furniture, even a “kitchy” sign.

Create a private outdoor spot with a small table and chair for your morning coffee, a place to read or have a chat with a neighbor. Porches are places where time can still be measured by the rhythmic back and forth of a wicker rocking chair, and how much lemonade has been consumed. Garrison Keillor once said, “The porch is our viewing platform and observation deck…. The bridge of our ship.” What the outdoor café is to Parisians, the porch has been to so many Americans. An old Nantucket activity was called, “Watching the Pass.” Imagine your perfect porch while relaxing at the beach and make it a reality in the fall.

There are many new products designed to enhance the look and ease of living. One such product is custom window treatments by Hunter Douglas called “PowerView Automation.” You can automatically control your window treatments with the press of a button, a tap on your mobile device, or your voice. You can program your shades or blinds to lower or rise at scheduled times to give your home a lived-in look when you’re away. Visit Shamona in Home Furnishings to learn more.

Paint is the most effective form of flattery. Use the subtle colors of the island for inspiration. Benjamin Moore’s “Sailcloth” is an interesting shade of white and works well in both natural and artificial light. "Atrium White" with a hint of rose (think rose-covered ‘Sconset cottage), provides an “easy to live with background” for almost any furnishings. Lovely in a bedroom.

Many shades of gray imitate the subtle illusion of Nantucket fog. Farrow & Ball’s "Down Pipe" is rich with a contemporary feel and a good color for a home office. "Mole’s Breathe" creates contrast for woodwork or ceilings.

"Dimpse" is a cool, blue-gray for a contemporary, minimally styled interior. Pair it with "Pavilion Gray" for an urban feel. "Elephant’s Breathe" has a hint of lilac, very edgy with warmth. "S kimming Stone" and "Charleston Gray" make a nice combo. Pick up color chips or small sample bottles in Marine's paint department.

Nothing says Nantucket style like a blue and white color scheme. It exudes summertime freshness and never goes out of style. Take inspiration from our periwinkle blue hydrangeas, known among locals as Nantucket’s official flower. (Bring a petal to Marine's paint department for a perfect match). As we sail into summer relax and savor every minute. And, when summer becomes a memory, make your dreams for home improvements come true.

The Rewards of Waiting!

Thu, 29 May 2025 17:48:14 GMT

By Leslie Linsley

Author of “Nantucket Island Living” (Stewart, Tabori & Chang)

June 2025

The Rewards of Waiting!

June is finally here and there’s lots to celebrate: Father’s Day, the summer solstice, graduations and many weddings on Nantucket. There’s something fresh and full of promise about June—the light lingers longer, the garden begins to show off, and the island is bursting with optimism as a new season begins. Get your home guest-ready by making it feel light and lived-in, where you can kick off your shoes and sip a glass of lemonade topped with a sprig of mint from your own garden!

Edit, Replace, Restore

Simplify your lifestyle and live more intentionally. A simple lifestyle can symbolize freedom and serenity at home. Go through each room eliminating things that have lived past their prime and upgrade where necessary. Take stock of garden tools, table linens, sheets and towels, and cookware, The grill that you promised yourself to replace last year is a great Father’s Day gift, with delivery and setup included. From Cuisinart’s Gourmet Collection, the Programmable Espresso, Cappuccino and Latte coffeemaker are prefect for a celebratory breakfast with fresh baked Morning Glory muffins from Wicked, or blueberry muffins from Nantucket Bake Shop. Kid’s gift to Dad Idea: Start a summer memory jar with a clear container to hold little souvenirs from a beach walk.

Freshen Up the Front Entryway

As I walked around my neighborhood, I noticed author, Nancy Thayer’s house on Orange Street has a new coat of paint in an attractive grey/blue historic color with a shiny silver knocker and new numbers set above it. Her historic home brightens my corner and made me take a fresh look at my own door. A new doormat, a pot of bright flowers on each side of the door and voila! An instant mood booster every time you come home.

Simplify the Guest Room

Pamper guests with luxurious Matouk and Sferra sheets and towels in their soft island palette. Add a hydrangea blue cotton throw at the end of the bed. Think ahead to who’s coming. It might be wise to buy a sofa bed or an inflatable mattress before the season’s in full swing. Found space: Store winter bedding in an under-the-bed storage bag. Clear a drawer or shelf. Fill a little basket with toiletries—someone always forgets their toothbrush and leave a note with the WiFi password.

Entertaining With Ease

The best gatherings feel a little imperfect and relaxed. This is achieved with careful planning so you can be a guest at your own get-togethers. Be inspired to create a table setting based on the bright colored napkins and placemats in Housewares. Tip: a centerpiece with individual pots of herbs and candles to match. Housewares is overflowing with new cookware, unbreakable glassware for outdoor parties, pretty dishtowels (great for a barbecue) large tray (a must!). I was reminded that I need a lobster pot and several claw crackers and while I’m thinking of summer evenings, I added a blender for making Margueritas. The summer solstice is a reason to host a simple dinner cooked on your new grill and toast the longest day of the year with friends. The 28” lightweight, portable table that folds into a bag, makes impromptu beach parties so do-able. You’ll wonder how you lived without it.

Deck The Deck

My flowerpots are filled with blue and yellow flowers to match my outdoor cushions. An abundance of planters in different shapes, sizes, colors and textures fill the outside area of Housewares. Hard to resist. I always have sprigs of basil, parsley, or mint in a glass Mason jar on my kitchen counter. Just in: A new version of the popular gurgling fish pitcher. Stunning for a bouquet of early bloomers or a house gift. I was overjoyed to find touch to turn on/off, Glow Led Table Lamps - perfect on my deck or for a sunset picnic on the beach. Tip: Leave a stack of beach towels in a brightly colored Scout bag by the door.

DIY Projects

My friend Peggy refreshed all her outdoor plant stands with bright white spray paint to hold blue and white pots of blue flowers. Transform an old side table, wicker or wooden chairs with a shiny or matte finish. I love the spray milk paint from Magnolia. Sage green is soft and blends with the surroundings. I am seriously considering having a pergola built over my outdoor dining area with strings of fairy lights for a romantic setting. Maybe next month’s home building project!

May We Come In?

Tue, 29 Apr 2025 18:50:37 GMT

By Leslie Linsley

Author of “Nantucket Island Living”

January 2025

May is not only the month of Mother’s Day, but the weather is finally warm enough for outdoor activities, patio entertaining and the prospect of summer visitors. Is your house ready? After the long winter it was time for an extensive trip through each department of Marine. Ciara McAuley, Marine's Marketing Coordinator, and I walked the aisles as she pointed out new products and the latest redesign of each department. If you haven’t been in lately, prepare to be creatively stimulated! Each department is fully stocked with the best of the best in all product lines and the redesign is stunning, well-lighted, and exceedingly accessible. We started in Home Furnishings where I immediately wanted to replace all my furniture. It’s easy to imagine any of the upholstered sofas and chairs in a newly built home or to update an early Nantucket home for a modern lifestyle. If you had to choose one thing to replace, what would it be? The new selection of room size rugs is mighty tempting!

My interest was in maximizing storage space in every room. I was totally impressed with the open and accessible tool department where Ciara pointed out the expansive line of product for getting organized easily and with style. The white wood strips with evenly spaced hooks in different lengths for a mud room or inside a closet or bedroom door seemed extremely practical. Best of all, easy to install with the provided screws and a screwdriver. My kind of rainy day project! The line of white wire shelves from Closet Maid are the stuff dreams are made of. In just one weekend, I could solve a lot of storage problems, enabling me to breeze into summer feeling rather proud of myself. Reminder, make a list of problem areas in your home before “tripping through the aisles.” It was easy to visualize perfectly organized, unused spaces with an over-the-door-shoe rack, wire corner shelves, a rack for spices, and a holder to neatly store a broom and cleaning products. A five tier, adjustable shelving unit was perfect to hold all my crafting supplies, or I could use several along one wall in my basement. Each shelf holds 250 pounds, good for heavy tools or cans of paint. I was distracted at every turn with products like Magic Mesh, a hands-free screen door you install in minutes! I bought lots of 3M Command stick-up hooks to chorale unsightly wires, and self-stick felt pads to finally resolve the problem of my wobbly kitchen stools.

We did a quick check of the Plumbing department and suddenly realized how sexy I could make my bathroom and outdoor showers with a lovely rainfall spray shower head. And btw, when did you last replace your garbage cans? All of the above was just a lead-in to my fave department – Housewares! Nothing lets your guests know you value comfort and style like a beautifully outfitted bed and bath. Yellow and blue butterflies are the latest Schumacher design from Matouk sheets. Just a thought: Nothing beats luxurious bedding as the ultimate Mother’s Day gift. Add the softest hydrangea blue blanket for a guest bedroom with Nantucket style written all over it. Tip: shelf-lining paper and Dash & Albert rugs have been relocated to this area with bathroom accessories- so sensible.

Throughout my shopping expedition, I found that the relocation of many items makes it much easier to find practical as well as aesthetic needs for putting a look together. Suddenly a box with a picture of a mattress and the words “Dura-Beam Deluxe elevated premium comfort air mattress” caught my eye. Super easy to inflate. Absolutely worth having for the unexpected guest whose ferry will inevitably be cancelled, or the overflow of family on a holiday weekend. Elevate an air mattress with all the comforts derived from good sheets, pillows and comforter, and don’t forget the mattress pad.

I was looking for a weatherproof door mat and found one that’s washable, resistant to saltwater and quick drying. However practical, my aesthetic sense drew me to a fish shaped mat outlined in blue by Librett. It’s as durable as the other, and while not as large, I liked the fish best. What can I say? Good design always wins my vote.

Everything's Coming Up Yellow!

Thu, 27 Mar 2025 18:54:27 GMT

By Leslie Linsley

Author of “Nantucket Island Living”

January 2025

It always amazes me that the daffodils know exactly when to arrive in time for Daffodil weekend. Attend to repairs in and around your house now to insure a carefree summer. Every year at this time I have all the “questionable” boards on my deck replaced so I can check that project off my list. Consider expanding an existing deck to make it more usable for your lifestyle now. A section of my fence needs attention, and my bathroom could use a fresh coat of paint. Do your baseboards and stair treads need a touch up? Refresh your kitchen or bathroom with new fixtures.

This is the best time to buy a new gas grill from the Garden Department is when it is filled with new arrivals. Imagine the gatherings you’ll have so you can pick the perfect one. Don’t forget the grilling utensils. Free delivery and assembly is an appreciated perk.

Refresh your front door with one of Benjamin Moore’s historic paint colors. Then, for a surprisingly affordable price, add a handmade Cape Cod onion lantern and a new architectural doorknocker for a finishing touch.

Start the season with new garden tools like trowels and clippers and especially a new pair of garden gloves! Don’t forget bird feeders and seeds.

Yellow is a happy color and Farrow & Ball’s Dayroom Yellow is a refreshingly vibrant color for inside a closet or kitchen cabinets. More subdued colors for a bedroom or bathroom are Sudbury and Hay. Citron No. 74, Dorset Cream No. 68 and Yellowcake (very lemony!) are fresh and of the moment.

Spray painting is the easiest way to turn ordinary, slightly worn pieces into new and spectacular. Last spring, I spray painted my wicker chairs yellow and added new yellow and blue cushions. The entire area came to life. Transform ordinary items for holding daffodils, such as paper buckets used for mixing paint, an old toolbox to hold potted plants, terra cotta pots, a reed basket, even an old coffee or tea pot. The Magnolia milk paint with a matte finish in a spray can is positively elegant. Island florist extraordaire, Michael Molinar offers this idea for a Daffodil Weekend picnic. Spread a bright yellow slicker on your table or tailgate. Make short-stemmed bouquets of daffodils to fit in the pockets and place the picnic fare or a basket of daffodils in the center of the slicker. Be creative with yellow containers for the food.

Take stock of drinking and wine glasses, as well as dishware and anticipate your needs so you get enough of all sizes. The line of cookware from Staub offers top notch performance. Replace or add to what you have, along with new knives and a cutting board. Make summer meal prep easy with this year’s versions of small appliances, located in the front room of Housewares.

One step up and you’ll be engulfed in all the things you need for a well-appointed bedroom. The Signoria Firenze bedding from Tuscany and their sumptuous towels are beyond luxurious for making guests (and yourself) feel totally pampered. The down pillows from Peacock Alley and a cloud soft Sferra blanket or a cotton and linen weave John Robshaw duvet are transformational. Add a cotton robe in white or hydrangea blue, a bar of scented soap and a delicate bouquet of daffodils in a good-looking toothbrush cup (see the marble line of bath accessories in Housewares). Wastebaskets often live past their prime. Add a new one to your list.

Create an Easter centerpiece with yellow dyed eggs or plump lemons in a lightship basket. When coloring eggs, leave them in the dye bath for different lengths of time for a variety of shades. Fill a container with a bed of scrunched up newspaper, then a pretty dishtowel or linen napkin (Housewares) and set the eggs or lemons on top. Cut one lemon in half or puncture with holes to release the fragrance.

Happy Daffodil, Easter and the arrival of Spring, all wrapped into the long-architectural awaited month of April.

Photo by Donna Elle Designs

Getting Ready for Spring

Mon, 24 Feb 2025 15:51:57 GMT

By Leslie Linsley

Author of “Nantucket Island Living”

January 2025

March is the perfect time to become a house inspector. Assess your home for a carefree summer. Walk through your house with pad and pen. Make a check list with two columns: one for easy DIY projects, another, for things that require hiring someone. Then prioritize the list by importance.

My friend Liz just had her powder room wallpapered with a bold geometric pattern that has a Moroccan vibe, and covered walls and ceiling for a cocoon-like feeling. A bold print in a small room is dramatic. Farrow & Ball’s wallpaper patterns are as sensational as their paint colors. Lotus is a white-on-white pattern that’s bold but elegantly subtle. (Available for special order). Add a new toilet and faucets, mirror the wall behind the sink or find an interesting, oversized hanging mirror. Let Shamona or Donna in the Home Furnishings Showroom help you find a new window treatment. I’m partial to shutters because you can adjust the light and ventilation, but more importantly they always look like they belong in a Nantucket home. Select accessories and towels in shades of color found in the wallpaper.

Lighting might be one of the most important elements in the look, use and feel of a home. I have the annoying habit of adjusting the lighting when I visit friends. Lighting creates a mood. Assess each room and try the lighting at different settings at different times of day and evening. The lamps in my dining room are on one switch and set exactly where it best flatters food and people. A small, dimly lit table lamp in an entryway is welcoming. I like a small lamp in the powder room, on a kitchen counter or tucked into a bookcase. Lighting connects rooms and can be adjusted for a seamless transition or a dramatic change in mood, depending on the intent. Finding the right lighting is trial-and-error, easily perfected. When rooms are used for only one purpose, like an office or a dining room, once you get the lighting right, you can set it and leave it there without constantly fiddling with the setting. If you’re building new, all lights should be on separate dimmers if possible.

When we built our house, we designed the placement of windows and doors so the rooms would be filled with natural light in all seasons. Now, thirty-five years later I am enormously grateful for that decision. Placement, size and style of windows and doors is a big consideration for a house improvement project. Spend some time in the Window and Door Gallery for inspiration. Aside from natural light, artificial light from various light bulbs and different types of lighting fixtures can enhance mood and use of space. (See Dirck’s column)

Painting is an easy project. Pick up a bunch of Benjamin Moore and Farrow & Ball color samples from Marine's Paint Dept. for inspiration. Refresh a room with a new paint color on one wall. I’ve done a lot of painting and faux finishing. Sponging is the easiest way to add texture and if you do a section and don’t like the results you simply paint over it. Start with a small project like an occasional table, or plant stand. It might be too soon to repair, stain and water seal your deck, but if you assemble the materials now you’ll be ready for warmer weather.

Paint-Can Tip:

When I open a new can of paint, I use a long nail to hammer holes evenly spaced around the inside rim. The paint drips back into the can when you swipe the brush against it. Another trick - slide a heavy rubber band across the middle of the open can. Wipe the brush against the band each time you dip it into the paint. Neater for replacing the lid!

Antidote for March Madness: Make the most of these last weeks of winter!

February is the Month of Love!

Fri, 31 Jan 2025 13:52:40 GMT

By Leslie Linsley

Author of “Nantucket Island Living”

January 2025

There are two things I can’t live without: Flowers and books. It’s the dead of winter and nothing makes a home come alive like fresh flowers. They remind us that spring is around the corner and since it’s the month of love, remember your Valentine with a bouquet. According to a charming little book, “The Language of Flowers”, red tulips are a declaration of Love while a bouquet of red and white roses are a symbol of Unity.

This month Dirck Van Lieu tells us how to build a cold frame garden which you’ll find outside of Housewares for inspiration. A fun winter project in anticipation of spring. This is the perfect time for small projects to improve your home. For example, add an extra shelf in a closet, put a strip of pegs on the inside of a closet door for hats and scarves, turn a closet into a designated, out of the way office with a wall-to-wall shelf for the desk and a storage unit beneath. Add shelves above. Close the door to hide your workspace when not in use.

February is a good time to declutter and organize seasonal clothes. Housewares has every size and style storage bin to turn this into a satisfying activity. Some of the larger plastic bins come with retractable wheels for sliding under a bed to hold extra blankets, for example. Nothing beats a pantry, no matter how small, for holding dry goods and laundry supplies. Is your mud room or entryway doing all that it can to serve your storage needs? Look for unused spaces to reorganize things like bed linens and towels. For example, I put up a deep shelf over the toilet in my bathroom to hold large bath towels that took up a lot of space in my linen closet. When we live in a house for several years, we often don’t re-evaluate how we use it. Look for areas that can be reclaimed for other purposes. What about a built-in wine refrigerator or wine rack?

Rearranging furniture can reveal a new and sometimes better way to use our spaces for different seasons. Winter is a time for more intimate seating. Create small areas within an open floor plan.

Looking toward spring, enlarging your deck might offer more opportunities for outdoor entertaining? A room with a view can be further improved with an expanse of glass from sliding doors. Visit the Window & Door Gallery for inspiration from new innovative products you might not have thought possible. Sometimes we live with inconveniences we’ve stopped noticing, like a powder room door that hits the sink or toilet seat when open. A sliding pocket door is an easy solution, and the new ones slide inside the wall with a gentle touch. An easy “why didn’t I think of that?” improvement.

Use books as a decorating tool. Pile several on a low table to raise the height of a lamp or vase of flowers. Choose books for their subject matter, color, size and design of their jackets. Pile books on a small chair, display curated books for display on a shelf, arrange decorating books on a coffee table with other objects. I have a shelf of books arranged as my autobiography, beginning with my favorites from college and continuing through different stages of my life. It’s become an ever-changing project. Add a little bookcase in your bedroom, place a poetry book on a stool in the bathroom. New bathroom accessories along with lovely smelling soap, lotion, hand towels from Housewares and a bouquet of flowers is the perfect refresh and a basket filled with love for your Valentine. Create a powder room gallery with framed family photos. Consider a new (maybe daring) paint color like Benjamin Moore’s Stained Glass CSP-685 (a deep green/blue) in this room. Or cover the walls and ceiling with a large floral print wallpaper so you feel like you’re in a garden when you open the door. Check out the array of samples in the Design Showroom.

Bring springtime to your bedroom with new pillow shams in a hydrangea pattern. The variety of blue and white prints from Lulu dk or the elegant floral prints from Schumacher found in Housewares are sensational. Add a delicate bouquet of fresh flowers on your side tables. Check out Housewares and Home Furnishings for creative containers to hold flowers from now until the cold frame garden you built with Dirck’s directions begins to bloom.

Winter is here. Is Your Home Ready?

Fri, 20 Dec 2024 16:39:33 GMT

By Leslie Linsley

Author of “Nantucket Island Living”

January 2025

It’s time to check every nook and cranny to be sure your home is tightly sealed for the coming months. But aside from regular maintenance, there are small DIY changes you can make to update your home. Sometimes we stop seeing our spaces when we’ve gotten used to the way we live. But it’s fun to tweak small areas for visual impact and to make your home function better. Think ahead so you can use the winter months to make improvements before the outdoor projects beckon.

Easiest upgrade ever is to your kitchen! Replace cabinet knobs and pulls. You’ll be surprised at the variety to choose from in Hardware. Install a new faucet in the kitchen and bathrooms. Has your ceiling fan seen better days? Upgrade a boring fan with a new modern version. If you haven’t visited the new Window & Door Gallery in the old appliance building you’re in for a treat. It will give you some ideas for upgrading and improving your home. Change out window treatments for an instant new look. Custom window treatments can add Nantucket country charm while sleek blinds can modernize a room. Check out the slew of options in Home Furnishings.

New lighting fixtures are another way to quickly transform any room. My daughter moved into a new home and used an old dining set from a previous home. The existing lighting fixture over the table was dated. It was functional, but not quite right for the new look she wanted. The table was solid wood and acceptable, but the chairs were too clunky. By buying new, lighter chairs with a white frame instead of using the old dark ones, and replacing the light fixture with a modern version, the dining area instantly took on a cleaner, neater, modern look, that made a better visual statement.

Another quick project is to break up endless cabinetry in the kitchen with a wall of open shelves. In this way you can arrange interesting bowls, containers for holding dry goods and a small plant for interest and practicality. New kitchen lighting over the island is another easy upgrade.

Swap out your showerhead for a spa experience. Add new knobs to the cabinets and introduce upscale, bathroom accessories. When did you buy new wastebaskets? It’s a win-win for an easy, affordable upgrade. A new window treatment provides a small change for a new look. For a total upgrade, frame windows and doors with premade crown molding. Add wainscoting in a dining room with beadboard below and a new paint color above. Or, for a dramatic change, add wallpaper. Check out the sophisticated offerings in Home Furnishings and then choose one of the Farrow & Ball's paint palette. Think green for areas that require tranquility. Aquamarine or Ambleside are soft, muted shades. For cozy, warm areas I suggest their Puck or Mid Azure Green . Just painting the area above or below the wainscoting is easier than painting the entire room. Green Stone is soft and subtle, Kitchen Green is bright and bold. Pick up the paint chips to compare.

New carpeting on your front hall staircase can be custom cut and installed for a perfect fit and a new look. And when was the last time you replaced house numbers to the exterior of your home? Just saying! One little item such as this and a new doormat are practical, easy and inexpensive upgrades. A new outdoor lighting fixture finishes the look. Or perhaps it’s time for a new door to add welcome curb appeal. Again, visit the Window & Door Gallery for inspiration. Or you might choose a new color for the front door!

My winter project is going to be my pantry. I intend to organize everything into pretty pantry bins from Housewares and label each one. If you don’t have a pantry, which I think is one of the most important things to have in a kitchen, convert a closet into an orderly place for dry goods and paper products. Turn an underutilized area of the kitchen into a pantry with open shelves for visibility and easy access. Installing a unit with adjustable shelves allows you to customize the shelf height to suit your needs. A pantry keeps clutter off the kitchen countertops.

If you have a designated laundry room or mudroom, find a way to add a floor to ceiling shelving unit, or narrow shelves to create storage space for pantry items. Need more room in the powder room? A pocket door will provide extra space AND the new ones gently close.

Plan to do over one thing in the coming months. It’s so much easier to make a house improvement New Year’s resolution than keeping to a diet! Just a thought.

Happy New Year to All!

Pictures: Leslie Linsley Enterprises

Christmas on Nantucket

Fri, 22 Nov 2024 17:20:32 GMT

By Leslie Linsley

Author of “Christmas On Nantucket” (Globe Pequot)

December 2024

Christmas on Nantucket is magical. The island looks like an old-fashioned Christmas card. Hanging a wreath on the front door is a Nantucket tradition dating back to the Quakers. Doorways, like fences, unify island homes and passersby enjoy this display of holiday spirit. The front entry into Housewares is brimming with fresh wreaths and trees of all sizes and the scent alone will have you humming “Jingle Bells.”

Aside from your main tree, consider a smaller tree in your entryway and go all out with a Nantucket theme. Housewares is stocked with locally made strands of scallop shell lights in different lengths. Hang a wreath in each window with a scallop ornament hanging in the center. Shop early. They go fast. Add lots of clear fairy lights.

For an easy, fun project, use a glue gun to attach cleaned scallop shells randomly around your wreath. The new toile quilted throws and plaid blankets are perfect to wrap around the base of the tree or use as a lovely, soft tablecloth. Add a holiday touch with one thrown over the sofa for chilly evenings. If there’s one perfect gift for everyone on your list, this is it!

There’s still plenty of time to assess your house for the holidays. Consider painting a guest room with Farrow & Ball’s Pea Flower , the color of our picture perfect, blue hydrangeas. Sardine is a soft, sophisticated, grayish green – quietly dramatic for a dining room or entryway. My choice of white this month is F&B’s Au Lait . Walking around town I’ve noticed that handmade Cape Cod onion lamps on each side of front doors add instant character and curb appeal. (Electrical Department) .

Quick and Easy Decorating Tips:

1. Create a row miniature trees on top of greens down the center of your dining table or mantel piece. Wrap each with a string of tiny battery lights. Place a polished crabapple or ornament between the trees.

2. Switch out throw pillows for the red and white holiday pillows.

3. Nothing is more classic than a Nantucket Lightship basket filled with red or white Poinsettia plants. Small and large in Housewares .

4. New arrival in Home Furnishings! Elegant little lamps for a table in your entryway, put two on a dresser or tucked into a bookshelf. Great style for a great price! Ask Donna Sinclair if you don’t see them. While there, test drive the new furniture and check out the variety of window treatments for an instant upgrade.

5. Every guest bathroom deserves a Michel Design Works White Spruce Home Fragrance Reed Diffuser . Perfect housewarming gift along with the jazzy holiday cocktail napkins. All found in Housewares.

6. The little gadgets that make our lives more efficient are good stocking stuffers. One wall of Housewares is devoted to colorful mixing spoons, small kitchen knives, a fold-up citrus juicer, measuring spoons and things you never knew you needed. Wrap them all up and gift them in a coveted Cuisinart pot.

7. Recycle your terra cotta pots from summer plants and fill with miniature trees to place on either side of your front door.

8. For a buffet: Cover the table with lots of leafy greens like spinach and kale. Place platters of food on top. Scoop out red and green cabbages and fill with a dip. Surround with cranberries.

9. Start Amaryllis or Paperwhite bulbs now and they’ll bloom by Christmas ( Garden Dept. ) and while there, check out the grills and fire pits for a sensational family gift.

10. Everything should sparkle at Christmas time. Polish the silver ( Housewares ) check glasses and order Sferra linens in Christmas colors.

11. Nantucket caterer Kendra Lockley shared her sugar cookie recipe in my book, “A Nantucket Christmas”. When her daughter was little, they made giant cookies and put each one in a cellophane bag tied with holiday ribbon and an attached card for all the teachers. All baking needs are stocked in Housewares .

On Saturday of Stroll weekend, I’ll be personalizing my Christmas book at Mitchell’s Book Corner from 10:30 – 12:00. Stop by so I can wish you a very merry Christmas on Nantucket in person.

Pictures: Leslie Linsley Enterprises

Is Your House Ready?

Mon, 28 Oct 2024 20:09:44 GMT

By Leslie Linsley

Author of “Christmas On Nantucket” (Globe Pequot)

November 2024

It’s fall. It’s getting cooler. It’s time to come inside. Your home should feel welcome as soon as you walk through the front door. There should be a place to hang your coat, sit down and take off your boots. Treat your entryway as a little gallery.

Benjamin Moore just announced a new paint color for 2025, Cinnamon Slate 2113-40 . It’s a mix of heathered plum and velvety brown - quietly elegant. Arrange art on the walls, add a mirror, framed photographs. Time for a new floor mat? Check out Tahiti Mats custom size rugs and runners from 100% jute (Housewares.)

I have a small mirror on the back of my front and back doors for a quick check before going out. Add soft lighting with a small table lamp. Just for fun, create a surprise photo gallery inside a closet door.

Getting organized for winter usually begins with putting summer clothes away. Housewares is brimming with everything you need for winter storage including the cedar sachets I bought for my sweater drawers (lovely scent!) and the lavender from Sonoma for sprinkling in the linen closet-heavenly! The lavender diffusers are perfect for the powder room or a hostess gift.

Rearranging furniture enlivens a room. It’s all about the details: vases, candleholders, handcrafted objects, throw pillows, wall sconces, a new chandelier are easy, inexpensive refreshers. If you decorate with the things you love, your home will always be interesting. Make an arrangement of related objects in size, shape, color, and material. Remove one item, then another until you get the right mix. If your house is basically neutral, introduce color with collectibles.

With Thanksgiving around the corner, imagine the parties and family get-togethers you might be hostiing. “ Cooking and baking is on everyone’s mind at this time of year, ” Bed and Bath specialist, Lili Grace said as she showed me the new Cuisinart pots and pans. “ They’re top of the line and worth every penny. ” With the right equipment, I imagined becoming a decent cook. Lili then steered me to the aisle filled with baking pans. “ USA Pans ,” she said, “ produce commercial bakeware designed for success. ” The non-stick silicone cookie tray pan got my attention. It has a fluted surface with an easy-to-grip handle that made me think I could bake perfect cookies without burning them, as I often do. A few other items like the utility cutting board made me realize it was time for an upgrade. I was beginning to believe I could make a perfect pie using Mrs. Anderson’s pie crust shield that prevents pie crusts from burning. The non-stick silicone baking mat takes the place of parchment paper and it’s reusable. Whoever Mrs. Anderson is, I decided she must know her stuff, promising that dough items bake to a perfect golden brown every time! According to Lili, the natural, sustainable, bamboo, tapered rolling pin is the choice of professional bakers.

Every year when I set the Thanksgiving table, my entire family from past generations goes into the mix. Everyone has something that reminds them of their childhood even if it’s just the mundane bowl your mother or grandmother used to serve the vegetables for everyday dinners. It’s a time for “remember when…”. During the year I make a feeble attempt at decluttering, but the things that matter are still intact in the boxes marked with their contents. As I take stock of these things, I wonder if de-cluttering isn’t all it’s cracked up to be.

There is nothing more refreshing than a table set with all white and touches of green. Use white linens and chinaware (Housewares) and lots of white candles. Use a green apple at each place setting to hold a place card set into a knife-edge slit. For a centerpiece, fill a large glass vase halfway with dried peas or brussels sprouts and water to hold a bouquet of mint, rosemary and other herbs. The new oversized farmhouse pitchers (Housewares) are perfect for holding a bunch of sunflowers or white roses on a sideboard. Collect scallop shells to hold votives for a “Nantucket “ themed table and mussels or scallop shells make beautiful Nantucket style wreaths for your front door.

Hint: For a jump on Christmas , holiday decorations are already on dis play in Housewares and they’re better than ever!!

Pictures: Leslie Linsley Enterprises

October: A Transition Month

Wed, 25 Sep 2024 17:22:23 GMT

By Leslie Linsley

Author of “Nantucket Island Living” (Stewart, Tabori & Chang)

October 2024

In October of 1492 Columbus “sailed the ocean blue” and discovered America. But it took until 1971 for Columbus Day to become a federal legal holiday, now celebrated on the second Monday of October. This is also the month of goblins and witches and all things Halloween and the month when we still hope for one more beach day before putting summer things away. Get a head start on the cool days ahead by organizing a “to do list” for when you’re ready.

Feeling crafty? Create a Halloween display with a sophisticated spin. Use spray Krylon to paint a group of pumpkins colonial blue, mustard, barn red, and cream and then coat them with a Walnut Wood Stain ( Minwax ) to get an antique look. It will last all fall and the deer won’t eat them. For a contemporary look, choose one of the pastel milk paint colors from Magnolia & Co. to spray on white miniature pumpkins (middle aisle to right of Main Entrance). Carve a hole in the top for inserting a votive candle and line them up down the middle of your table. Transition from summer to Autumn with placemats, napkins, candles, and centerpieces in fall colors. Reminder: order the Sferra Linens for your Thanksgiving table before it's too late. And while you’re in Housewares go through every aisle with a check list for all your cooking, baking, and serving needs, especially if you’ll be returning to your island home for the holidays. Don’t get caught short without the right size turkey platter, and essentials like a turkey baster and a gravy boat. Housewares has all the little cooking gizmos you didn’t know you needed. It’s a fun browse for upgrading your basic tools.

The change of seasons gets us thinking of comfort food. A few years ago, I invited a group of friends to dinner. However, I’m not creative in the kitchen and these friends are all gourmet cooks. So, I created a meal around the theme of a “Diner Dinner” . The menu included meatloaf (a recipe of Bill Blass’s), mashed potatoes, carrots and peas and chocolate pudding for dessert. The table was set with chunky plates, dishtowels for napkins (the green and white striped from Housewares – soft and fabulous!), basic diner salt and pepper shakers, etc. It started a trend and for several years thereafter, we gathered in January at alternating houses for the same diner dinner. The others made exotic versions!

It's scallop season. Celebrate with a themed family dinner. Fill a basket with scallop shells for the centerpiece and light them up with a strand of tiny battery lights. Use scallop shells as place cards. The kids can do this with Magic Marker . For candleholders: fill glass vases one third with sand, shells, dried peas, or tiny pebbles and place a fat candle on top.

Instant Room Changers

1. Home Furnishings has expanded the lamp display, offering an exceptional variety of styles and sizes for a fresh, clean Nantucket style. While you’re there, have a look at the latest window treatments from Hunter Douglas and Hartmann & Forbes . Marine will measure, design, and install your custom treatments. It’s a surprisingly easy way to dramatically refresh your home.

2. Make a statement with one piece of furniture. For example: The gray sectional in Home Furnishings is comfortable, practical, and handsome. You can arrange sections to suit your needs and room. No waiting. Have it “white glove” delivered NOW! And there’s much more!

Almost Free Ideas

1. Brighten up your white kitchen island with a mixing bowl filled with polished green and red apples. For table décor: gourds, garlic bulbs, and artichokes.

2. Mahogany-colored chestnuts are shiny little jewels. Gather and fill a basket or bowl.

Tip: There’s a tree in front of The Homestead at 115 Main St.

Please stop by Mitchell’s Book Corner on Sat. October 12 from 10:30-12:00 when I’ll be signing my book, “Christmas On Nantucket.” Love to see you and hear your ideas.

Pictures: Leslie Linsley Enterprises

Easy Tips To Update Your Homestyle

Mon, 26 Aug 2024 20:15:12 GMT

By Leslie Linsley

Author of “Nantucket Island Living” (Stewart, Tabori & Chang)

September 2024

It’s a known fact: September is Nantucket’s best kept secret.

It’s also time to assess your home and make a “To Do” list of things to repair, replace, get rid of, or change. Take stock of small, overlooked areas that could use a paint touch up: windowsills, baseboards, and stair risers. This is one of the easiest ways to improve your home.

Families grow with new summer experiences each year. Does your house still respond to the changing needs of your family? Look at each room with a critical eye. Eliminate things you no longer see. Rearrange what you have. Personalize an area with a display of framed family photographs taken this summer.

A new paint color instantly changes the look of a room. Farrow & Ball No79 Card Room Green is a sophisticated interpretation of green/gray for an accent wall in the living room. FYI: wallpaper is making a comeback and F&B’s line of papers proves how timeless it is. (Sample books in the Design Showroom) Tip: Another strong statement: a large mirror on the accent wall. (Design Showroom).

Benjamin Moore’s Blue Nova 825 is an exciting color that decorators are recommending. It’s an intriguing blend of violet and blue that instantly elevates a room. Good for furniture as well.

Add color with fabric, replace a worn piece of furniture, consider new window treatments, A sensational rug is a room game changer. Visit the Home Furnishings Design Showroom for inspiration and let Design Consultant, Dana Jungherr help with a plan.

Here are some ideas for small DIY upgrades:

Strategically placed vintage finds and handmade items add character and speak volumes about the homeowners.
Create a focal point with an imposing piece of artwork. Choose a dominant color from the painting for throw pillows, flowers, and accessories.
Before closing your house for the season, prepare for next year. Replace used bath and beach towels from Housewares. Refresh bedrooms with luxurious Sferra or Signora Firenze bed linens. A much appreciated “gift” to find upon your return.
If you’ll be enjoying your summer home for the holidays, go through Housewares to fill in with everything you’ll need. Order your table linens now from the exquisite line of Sferra colors.
For a centerpiece: Fill a lightship basket with dried hydrangea blossoms or a pot of fall colored Chrysanthemums. Add candles in fall colors.
Take a baggy with you on that last beach walk and gather shells to make a centerpiece, or for Christmas crafting.
Tip: clean in boiling water with a spoonful of Clorox for 3 minutes. Sun dry.
A table lamp provides a special kind of lighting. Create soft seductive or intense lighting wherever needed. You can also move a lamp around to get the effect you want, both from lighting and the lamp itself as a decorative accessory. Bonus: No electrician needed. Expanded display in the Design Showroom.
Now relax and ease into Autumn with a new home style to reflect your personality and the coming seasons.

Pictures: Leslie Linsley Enterprises

August is a gift to share!

Mon, 29 Jul 2024 14:40:08 GMT

By Leslie Linsley

Author of “Nantucket Island Living” (Stewart, Tabori & Chang)

July 2024

Sharing your Nantucket home with family and friends can be a lot of fun, but not when all the work falls on you. Many friends say they spend all their time running to the market, picking up wet towels or doing laundry. I’ve lived on Nantucket long enough to know, the key to happy hosting is relaxed planning. Make a list of things going on around town as well as a flexible schedule.

Tip: Assign a job to even the youngest guests. This creates an environment where everyone is on vacation together and you aren’t the “host.”

Pre-arrival, send an email with a schedule - no matter how loose, and ask guests what they most want to do. You might add: “I have a Yoga class from 8-9 am on Saturday morning. You’re welcome to join me, but feel free to be lazy and sleep in. Coffee will be made by 7:30 a.m. help yourself to anything in the fridge.” Make up a pretty tray of baked goods. Include a fresh loaf of Portuguese bread. Find small appliances like a 4-cup coffee maker or a French press in Housewares.

Some Tips:

- Remove personal items from surfaces in the guest room to make room for your guest’s things.

- Clear out one drawer and make space in the closet. Add new hangers (Housewares), a scented bar of soap to freshen unused dresser drawers, and new fluffy towels - rose pink or hydrangea blue (Bed & Bath). A fold-up luggage rack is essential.

- For the guest bathroom: Fill a basket with small bottles of shampoo, conditioner, moisturizer, toothpaste, and suntan lotion.

- Put a Nantucket scallop shell nightlight (Housewares) in the bathroom. And btw , check out the expanded selection of lamps on the front wall of Home Furnishings. They’re modern and classy and provide the perfect refresh for any room.

- In a pretty container: a copy of the Inquirer & Mirror, N magazine, and information about what’s happening around town. Add a water bottle, some fruit and a little box of chocolate covered cranberries or fudge from Aunt Leah’s .

- Leave books about Nantucket or by local authors on the nightstand.

- Michael Molinar , owner of Flowers on Chestnut, suggests a tight bouquet of tea roses on a bedside table, as well as a lightly scented candle. (Housewares).

- Take guests on errands with you. It’s a good way to show them the island and experience everyday island life. Include the library, post office, and the farm for fresh corn and tomatoes.

- A tour of downtown should include the boats in the harbor and the Saturday morning Farmer’s & Artisan’s Market. Take The Wave bus to ‘Sconset for the Bluff Walk and lunch on the porch at Claudette’s . Plan for a sunset supper at Madaket beach. The portable Weber Beach Grill Q1200 (Garden Center) is small, compact, light and incredibly easy to take anywhere you want to set up a cookout.

- Everyone needs alone time, so you don’t have to be always “on”. If you have a regular tennis game don’t alter your plans, work around them. You might say, “ I play tennis from 4-5 on Saturday so let’s meet for a drink after that.” This frees the guest to do something without you for an hour.

- Prep for meals as best you can so everything seems easy. Include your guests with something like making the salad or setting the table for a joint activity without fuss. In your pre-email you might say, “ We’ll have dinner at home when you arrive on Friday evening, and I’ll make reservations for all of us on Saturday night.” Or order fully cooked lobster dinners from Sayle’s . Comes with everything ready to pick up.

- A day on the beach means sand comes home with you. I use my Dirt Devil Compact Power cordless vacuum in the car every day! Good for sand dragged into the house as well (Housewares).

August is a gift. Make the most of it and keep your cool. When your guests leave you want to say “ That was fun. Let’s do it again next year!” And really mean it.

Pictures: Leslie Linsley Enterprises

It's All In The Details...

Fri, 21 Jun 2024 20:10:02 GMT

By Leslie Linsley

Author of “Nantucket Island Living” (Stewart, Tabori & Chang)

July 2024

Summer is finally here and the living is easy. With beach picnics, barbecues on the patio or deck, sharing island life with out-of-town guests, extending evening gatherings around the fire pit, lingering after dinner with casual conversation that lasts until the candles are burned low, giving yourself permission to be lazy. With a little bit of pre-planning you can enjoy the luxury of being on vacation in your own island home. And btw, the new fire pits in the Garden Center are super good-looking. A great way to extend evenings under the stars.

Company’s Coming!

To guarantee a summer that everyone remembers as “the best summer ever!” take stock of what you’ll need before we’re in full-blown summer mode. Visit the newly imagined Home Furnishings Department and replace old beach chairs with jazzy Telescope , easy to transport over the dunes, beach chairs. Fill a good-looking laundry basket from Housewares with rolled up, ready-to-grab, sumptuous Matouk beach towels, the ones with the statusy ACK monogram. Make sure everyone has their own waterproof Scout beach bag in a different color scheme.

Must Have: A portable Yeti cooler, comes in all sizes. For picnics on the beach or by the pool, the Lucite “glassware” is unbelievably superior to any others in looks and feel, at an affordable price. I introduced the flute glasses in last month’s blog when I used them for serving Mimosas and holding votives.

Your guest bedroom should be a welcoming retreat. A good mattress is the first step. Take a test drive on the carefully curated selection on the second floor of Home Furnishings where manager, Mike Flanagan is a fountain of information to help you choose the right one. Impress your guests with the ultimate pampering -Italian sheets from Signora Firenze – every bit worth the investment. When did you last buy new pillows for the guest room? You may want to keep the super comfy Peacock Alley pillows for yourself. Add a John Robshaw duvet cover and your guests will sleep until noon. As I was leaving the Bed & Bath Department, a stack of not-yet-on display Periwinkle towels caught my eye behind Bed & Bath Specialists, Lili Goldberg’s desk. There isn’t a better color for a Nantucket home, and I knew if I didn’t get them at that moment, they’d be gone the second they went on the shelves. I don’t need new towels, but remembered what my grandmother told my grandfather each time she brought home a new pair of shoes. He would ask if she needed them. “What does need have to do with it?” she’d state emphatically. I may have to repaint my bathroom to go with the towels. Benjamin Moore’s Summer Blue is the perfect background. It’s also a happy color for inside the linen closet.

All In The Details!

Entertaining island style is casually elegant and so easily achieved when you set the table with placemats and napkins from the new Sferra line. The gray/green sea foam or periwinkle blue are the perfect reflection of the ocean and hydrangeas - just right for a Nantucket setting. For a July 4 ^th party add red with food, like a bowl or cherries or strawberries. For picnics and barbecues I like to elevate everyday items by using them in creative ways. For example, the striped, soft cotton dishtowels make pretty and perfectly practical napkins. Tie each one with elegant ribbon and tuck a sprig of fresh mint under the tie, or pull the towels through the gutsy wooden, knot-shaped napkin rings (Housewares). An easy, affordable detail.

Create a quintessential summer table with a centerpiece of 3-4 hydrangea blossoms in a Lightship basket. Then use the color of the petals and green of the leaves to create a stunningly beautiful Nantucket table. It’s hard to imagine a prettier symbol of our island. Add lots of candles to encourage lingering conversation long after dessert has been consumed. Pick the scent you love best. They’re all refreshingly subtle. Save one for the powder room.

Nantucket is a patriotic place. Treat houseguests to a walking tour of town so they can take pictures of the flags flying outside private homes and public buildings. Look for flags on Nantucket’s earliest homes, on Wharf cottages laden with roses, and flags proudly displayed on the brick mansions on upper Main Street. Different size flags and flag poles are available for your own home near the check-out counter in the main building. And while you’re at it, welcome guests with a handsome and practical doormat. I didn’t know how much I needed this item until my daughter gave me one for my back door. Now the sand stays outside when I return from the beach.

Happy Summer!

A SEASON OF POSSIBILITIES!

Tue, 28 May 2024 18:53:54 GMT

By Leslie Linsley

Author of “Nantucket Island Living” (Stewart, Tabori & Chang)

May 2024

June is when we ease into summer and embrace new experiences. Summers on Nantucket are inspirational. It’s where memories are made. Our lifestyles change and minimal tweaks keep our homes looking fresh and interesting. Move artwork or collections around, change furniture placements, create ambience with a table lamp on a kitchen counter. The big front window in Home Furnishings has been replaced with a wall of perfectly proportioned, hard to find table lamps. Update with a new paint color. Starry Night is a sophisticated navy blue from Benjamin Moore – dramatic in a hallway or kitchen with bright white trim.

I found Mike Gonsalves, the “Master Mixer” in Marine's Paint Department , to show me the new Magnolia Home Spray Paints Ciara McAuley, Marketing Coordinator, was raving about. He introduced me to Chris Trapp, the Paint Manager, who enthusiastically led me to where the newest products by Joanna Gaines (host of the HGTV Fixer Upper show) were displayed. You’d think we’d discovered an array of new ice cream flavors. The matte finish, called “chalk” is like early American milk paint, but the colors are as subtle as a summer breeze. Revive outdoor chairs with “Rainy Day,” the softest shade of seafoam, to match Sferra table linens. Elevate an al fresco meal with an unexpectedly elegant table setting. Btw: Sferra has 101 colors to choose from. Samples in Bed & Bath.

June is when we celebrate Dads, which led me to the Garden Center. I’m crazy about the colorful little Weber grills, but if you want to give a mega gift, the Genesis is beyond impressive! Let the kids fill a basket with accessories like a grill brush, Instant-read thermometer, a griddle spatula, serious tongs, potholder mitt, and a red striped apron. A sunset cookout at Madaket beach is a no-brainer with Weber’s Traveler, a one-handed, set-up and fold grill.

As I left the Garden Center, the Jiffy Greenhouse Kit caught my eye. “I could start a vegetable garden,” I thought. The seed packets were seductive. I had visions of summer salads with my homegrown veggies. I wondered how long it would take to grow my own corn. I moved on to a more promising endeavor: Creative Table Settings.

We enjoy leisurely meals with friends and family and being on vacation at home. Setting a beautiful table lets guests know they are celebrated and sets the stage for memorable conversation. Candlelight makes us linger longer.

1. Start with a color scheme. I love the crispness of green and white; a white orchid in a lightship basket for a centerpiece, oversized green and white dishtowels for napkins paired with placemats made from corn maize and matching napkin rings.

2. Combine old and new. My grandmother’s ornate silver sugar bowl holds an herb plant.

3. Group champagne and water glasses (Housewares) to hold votive candles.

4. Use food, such as fruit and veggies for table “props.”

5. Tuck a sprig of fresh herbs under each napkin ring.

6. For country casual, fill a large white pitcher with wildflowers to complement your table linens.

Many years ago, on a trip to London, I found the perfect example of good design. We stumbled onto a shop, noticeable only by a little curve top door, like the entrance to a hobbit house, set into a white stucco wall. Beside the door, were black stenciled letters in lower case that spelled “egg”. Inside, every object was a different shade of eggshell; a delicate, porcelain bud vase holding a single branch, ivory-colored napkins tied with boat rope, an alabaster paper weight on top of a stack of handmade papers. I’m often asked, “What shade of white should I paint my rooms?” A collection of eggs from different cartons is inspirational.

No two eggs are the same, but so perfectly imperfect, the way a room should be. Introduce an element of surprise. Things might seem to have landed in unanticipated places, when in fact, they were carefully considered. You might adjust an object, ever so slightly on the coffee table, add a book with a cover that picks up a color in the fabric, a flower arrangement, or a painting on the wall. Every object works together to create a personal space that makes visitors wonder, “How did she/he do that?”

First Impressions Matter!

Mon, 29 Apr 2024 21:39:46 GMT

By Leslie Linsley

Author of “Nantucket Island Living” (Stewart, Tabori & Chang)

May 2024

Whether your house is new or historic, your front door can benefit from a refresh with one of the exterior paint colors that reflect the surroundings of the island. The “Historic Nantucket Collection,” approved by the Historic District Commission, features 12 paint colors especially for island homes. It was time to change the "Folger Red" color of my front door. I considered "Cobblestone" or "Gardner Green", but "Quaker Gray" won out and it’s perfect with my weathered shingles and gray/green trim. To see all the available colors, pick up the brochure at the paint counter where the paint experts can advise you if you’re unsure. They’ve had a ton of experience mixing the exact color you want and knowing what colors work with different house styles.

Once painted, the door knocker is a detail that matters. It announces your style to all passersby. Check out the display of island themed brass door knockers in the Hardware Department. I love the Nantucket Lightship half basket because you can arrange flowers in the open top and change the bouquet with the seasons. The scallop shell, anchor, or fish tail are classic if you’re looking to make a less feminine statement.

When it comes to details that add character, bathroom faucets and fixtures offer a perfect, uncomplicated decision to make for a room that matters. Last year, I replaced an old shower head with a jazzy rain shower head. It was so easy and made such a difference in looks and showering experience.

Ease Into Summer

With the summer season approaching, Marine wants to make your life easier. Services you may not know about include:

Free grill assembly and delivery (Garden Center)
Custom roller shade cutting (Housewares)
If you bought a grill at Marine and it has a problem, MHC offers warranty and non-warranty grill repair at your home
Got a problem but don’t know what you need to solve it? MHC will do everything possible to get it for you. Simply ask.
Marine may no longer sell appliances, but they repair and service all appliances bought at Marine.
Custom cutting of glass, mirrors, and plexiglass.
You want to match a paint color with a color in your fabric? Marine's Paint Dept. staff are totally on it. Bring them a blue Robin’s egg, a vase, a flower, a photo of a painting in the room. Paint expert, Barry says, “Nothing is impossible.”

A Calm Retreat

Groucho Marx once said, “Anything that can’t be done in bed isn’t worth doing.” I totally agree. When you need a break from the chaos of daily living, a perfectly calm bedroom will slow your pace to island time and remind you why you’re here.

Showcased on the second floor of the furniture showroom, Mike Flanagan, Home Furnishings Manager, has made mattress browsing easy by narrowing the choices down to the best of the best! All you need to do is test them out.
While some rooms must dress for public appearances, your bedroom is a private oasis, providing a pause in your day or a welcome retreat at day’s end. Like a good painting, the best bedding (my vote: Italian made Signoria Firenze ) is a good investment for a relaxing, end-of the day feeling you get to enjoy every single day.

Tip: A spectacular Mother’s Day gift that says,” You are truly special!” Making a bed with this bedding is never a chore.

Lighting is super important. A pink bulb is “just right” soft where you don’t need a reading light.

Window treatments are as important for looks and light control. Let Dana, in Home Furnishings help you decide which of the many options provide the look and feel you want to achieve.
Eliminate the guess work. While there are 157 Benjamin Moore shades of white paint, when I asked what’s the most popular, I received a resounding, “Chantilly Lace.” Another soft neutral that I like is Ballet White. Sweet Dreams and Happy Mother’s Day.

PC: Donna Elle Design

Spring: A Time To Refresh!

Fri, 22 Mar 2024 19:12:19 GMT

By Leslie Linsley

Author of “Nantucket Island Living” (Stewart, Tabori & Chang)

April 2024

April is finally here, and with it an opportunity to make small tweaks for spring and to uncover new use of spaces. Assess what can be refreshed, even reconsidered, and replaced. A pretty teapot or Mason jar brimming with Daffodils, brings an out-of-the-way space to life and is too intoxicating to ignore. While familiarity seduces us to return to the traditions we love most, there are new products on the market that help do them better. If you’re just arriving to open your vacation home, get rid of the closed-up musty feeling of winter in closets and drawers with the new shea butter soaps from Michel Design Works . The scent of Wild Hydrangea Blossoms will remind you that summer’s on the way. Big bonus: The packaging is gift-worthy gorgeous!

Don’t underestimate the power of scents when suggesting a mood. Who isn’t craving a room that exudes springtime fresh or the promise of summer? Also check out the sophisticated line of candles, reed diffusers and room sprays, from Apotheke in Housewares. The Sea Salt Grapefruit scent is “just right subtle,” to give your home an amazing infusion of a breeze of salty air.

The natural beauty of the island influences Nantucketers’ innate ability to entertain with a style that is elusive, unfussy, relaxed, welcoming and ultra-comfortable. If you plan well, sharing your home with friends and family will be effortless. Daffodil Weekend means lots of parties. Whether it’s a tailgate or an at-home brunch, make the occasion a true celebration with the right “props”. The colorful Scout Bags to hold your picnic accessories are on sale while they last. Consider buying more than one for summer beaching.

Check out the redesigned Garden Department to get a jump on your summer needs, beginning with your outdoor grill and utensils. FYI, the purchase of a gas grill come fully assembled with free delivery. Replace garden tools like trowels and clippers and a new pair of garden gloves, a must! Don’t forget bird feeders and seeds.

The newly imagined departments are now fully stocked with a boatload of new products, carefully curated to enhance decorating and entertaining unique to the island. For example, Sferra’s new line of tablecloths, placemats, and napkins in an array of gorgeous colors, come in different sizes and dimensions. Yes, the same company that makes those luxurious bed linens, so you know we’re talking quality.

Home is where time matters most. Reorganize your kitchen space with new utensils that are as good looking as they are useful. And if these things are within easy reach, the prep work won’t seem like work. The right pans, knives, and cutting boards, for example, are the tools we find ourselves reaching for day after day, and therefore, regard them to be worth investing in. Just a handful of high-quality pieces will keep your inventory lean, purposeful, and long-lasting and will be an incentive to declutter. Housewares buyer, Lili Goldberg is positively over the moon about the new line of top-notch performance cookware from Staub and can’t wait for your reaction.

At the end of the day, who doesn’t crave a sumptuous bedroom? It doesn’t get much better than Signoria Firenze bedding made in the hills of Tuscany. This line of sheets and towels is positively seductive and just might rival the quality of Matouk. Woven from the world’s finest cotton, then dyed and finished with Italian innovative techniques, these Tuscan-made products exude an air of elegance and uncompromising quality. Spoiler Alert! Your houseguests may never leave.

No Strings Attached!

Tue, 27 Feb 2024 17:03:17 GMT

By Leslie Linsley

Author of “Nantucket Island Living” (Stewart, Tabori & Chang)

March 2024

March is a great month for indoor projects. Organize just one kitchen or bedroom drawer when you’re in the mood, It takes no time and the results are enormously satisfying. Be prepared with shelf liner and a new pair of scissors from Housewares. Replace old potholders and dishtowels.

I recently strolled through the store to check out the redesign progress, My first impressions was that each department looks brighter, showcasing the products to their best advantage. The carpet samples and window treatment options in Home Furnishings are expansive and readily accessible. With so many new products and building materials available, I wondered how a homeowner makes educated decisions when decorating a new home or simply refreshing a room.

To learn more, I reached out to Design and Sales Consultant, Dana Jungherr, and Michael Flanagan, Home Furnishings Manager, for advice. Their extensive knowledge and how they deconstruct the thinking behind each design element is impressive. Here’s how our conversations went:

How do you advise a new homeowner when making a decorating plan?
Dana: “The first thing I ask is, ‘Have you chosen a color scheme, beginning with the interior paint.?’ We’re now seeing a trend toward beigy tan and taupey tones. They’re warmer than the cool grays, especially if you’re using your home beyond the summer months. These shades offer an interesting neutral for introducing color in fabrics, rugs, and as a background for artwork.”

If you can’t decide on a color, try this simple process of elimination. Pick a bunch of color samples you like. Eliminate your least favorites until you’re left with two. Then you’ll know the right one.

Continuing my conversation with Dana, I asked about window treatments.

Dana: “Shutters have always been perfect for all types of Nantucket homes. Hunter Douglas has the most variety of styles designed for different types of windows. Consider where your home is located (how much privacy do you need?) and how the rooms are used (an office needs different light than a bedroom, for example).”

The current variety of shades is impressive - both practical and style worthy, contributing to a sustainable design. Some are motorized, others hand-lifted for a gentle rise. If you still have shades with cords, it’s time for an upgrade. No longer manufactured, they date a room. New window treatments offer the easiest home improvement, so it's worthwhile to visit the showroom and have a chat with Dana.

Q: “What about flooring?”
Dana: “ Luxury Vinyl Tile, (LVT), is also known for its more popular luxury vinyl planks that come in different widths and lengths, and in a variety of wood tones. The material is comfortable to walk on and good for any room. The large tiles, 18x18-inches or 12x24 inches, offer many choices. Some look like natural stone or concrete. It’s scratch resistant, waterproof, cleans with a damp mop, AND, easy to install!.”

Q: "What about adding color to a room?"

Dana: “Color can be introduced in the furniture fabric, rugs, accessories, or artwork. Our library of fabric samples is vast. Any fabric can be custom ordered, but the most practical way to buy a piece of furniture is to choose from the fabrics offered by the company.”

Home Furnishings Manager, Mike Flanagan is passionate about the high-quality rugs he’s been curating for years. He says, “Choosing a rug might be your most important design decision.” A beautifully crafted rug makes a statement. It defines the room. It adds quality and character, as well as color and pattern, and sets the stage for every choice that follows. A well-crafted rug can be as significant as fine artwork. Its quiet luxury speaks volumes about good taste, which defines Nantucket’s heritage..

March is a good time to shop leisurely. New products are beginning to fill the showrooms. It may seem like there’s lots of time, until there isn’t, and we say, “Where did the time go?”

There's Romance In The Air!

Mon, 29 Jan 2024 15:11:00 GMT

By Leslie Linsley

Author of “Nantucket Island Living” (Stewart, Tabori & Chang)

February 2024

According to current home style publications, glamour and a touch of femininity is an appealing direction for this year’s look in home décor. At the start of a New Year, I get the urge to refresh my home and a new paint color is an easy fix. This year it’s my walk-in closet.

The color of the moment is pink, from blush to berry. Pink can infuse a room with vibrancy or serenity, depending on the shade. Benjamin Moore’s "Raspberry Blush" is perfect for a dash of excitement on one wall, in a dining room, or in a hallway. To create a sense of calm, Farrow & Ball’s “Shallot” should be called Perfect Pink. And if you want to tiptoe into pink, F&B’s "Middleton Pink" is as classy as its name.

Not quite ready for pink walls? Introduce pink with a variety of accessories like candles, hand towels, placemats and napkins. Or, paint the inside of a linen closet, then fill with the plush petal-pink towels from Bed & Bath. You’ll smile every time you open your closet door. Add pink accent pillows in the living room and a plethora of the palest pink pillows on the bed. Treat your home to bouquets of fresh pink flowers all winter. Be creative with groupings of pink accessories on tables.

Give your Valentine a winter pamper basket of luxurious hand creams, Italian soaps and a 100% Mulberry silk eye mask (black for him, ivory for her) and pillowcase (all available in Bed & Bath).

Gray/green walls with dark gray, almost black doors and stair treads are trending. Very Old World glamorous for rooms with printed fabrics and beautiful objects, a den filled with books. An interesting change from off-white and gray. The era in which F. Scott Fitzgerald wrote The Great Gatsby, was the first in which interior design was featured. This influence made houses glamorous, fun, and sophisticated.

In the film version of “Gatsby,” made in 1974, the interior designs were monochromatic, with everything from the paneled walls to the woodwork painted in the same creamy white. One room flowed into another, creating a feeling of expansiveness. To achieve this look in your Nantucket home, use Benjamin Moore’s "White Dove" with its hint of gray, and "Swiss Coffee" , a warm and classic shade of white for trim and moldings. This color palette allows the surrounding views to be part of the interior.

Benjamin Moore’s 2024 Color Of The Year, "Blue Nova" , could not be more “of the moment” for both historic and new built Nantucket homes. A winter ocean best describes this color.

In a more current version of the film “Gatsby,” the 1920’s décor includes lots of chrome, mirrors and glass. Bold colors were used in combination with black or green, reinterpreted by Farrow & Ball in a lively version called "Arsenic" ! For drama, paint the woodwork with their "Pitch Black" . I used F&B’s "Down Pipe" , a rich gray, in my powder room. it’s the perfect background for pink hand towels, a delicate, rose-patterned teacup filled with rosebuds, a bar of pink soap and framed black and white photos on the walls. Could be framed botanicals in shades of pink.

Ready for a refresh, but not a drastic change? Farrow & Ball’s "Dimpse" is a soft, twilight gray. Paired with black or navy doors, it’s reminiscent of those Gatsby rooms, proving that what was old is new again, if one waits long enough.

Cozy Up Your Home For Winter

Thu, 28 Dec 2023 21:06:03 GMT

By Leslie Linsley

Author of “Nantucket Island Living” (Stewart, Tabori & Chang)

January 2024

How often have you coveted something luxurious for which you couldn’t justify the price tag? This is me when it comes to bed linens. I love nothing more than getting into an exquisitely made bed with crisp sheets and pillowcases, a down comforter and lots of pillows. January is Annual White Sale and the perfect time to splurge on bedroom comfort! Lili Grace, Bed and Bath Specialist, in Housewares has assembled all those gorgeous items to make your bed and bath the most comfortable place you want to be in the coming months.

Most in-town shops are closed for the winter, but Marine is always open. A good antidote for a gray day: A leisurely stroll through all the departments - especially with Marine’s new make-over in progress. The easy-to-view carpet samples, for example, are truly impressive. Make a list of what you think you’d like to change in your home, what needs upgrading and what you’ll need in the spring.

Jot down ideas as you walk through each department.

January is a “getting organized” month. We have the urge to purge the accumulations of last year and Housewares has what you need: new hangers, shelving units, storage bins, bathroom accessories that serve up instant, easy and affordable gratification.

Upscale interior design magazines have recently featured rooms with country accessories that add character to modern homes. The following ideas will make your rooms warm and welcoming for the chilly months ahead.

Make a sofa or favorite chair even more comfortable with a quilt or wool blanket folded over the back. Add some patchwork pillows, or my Nantucket Name pillows from Home Furnishings in your favorite colors.
Arrange treasured memorabilia that can then be packed away in the spring for streamlining.
Lightship baskets can’t be beat for their beauty and historic reference. As an accessory they speak volumes about your taste and connection to the island.
Blue and white banded bowls, and creamware arranged on open shelves contribute old-fashioned warmth to a contemporary kitchen or dining room.
A patchwork-quilted wall-hanging makes a big impact and cuts down on noise in a stair or hallway. A nice winter DIY project.
Wherever you need a fresh coat of paint and a warm glow, like a dining alcove, think peach. Suggestion: Benjamin Moore’s Paradise Peach or Peach Nectar, Farrow & Ball’s Dutch Pink for a warm-tone.
Rearrange your furniture into small, intimate groupings. Consider changing the way you use each room.
Place a small table lamp on a kitchen counter for ambience.
Make a room look inviting with books piled on a chair or side table, have a jigsaw puzzle in progress, leave a game board on the coffee table.
Create a romantic ambience with lots of candles in interesting holders. Group them everywhere and light at dusk.
Make your house smell winter cozy with the scent of pinecones and pine needles in a basket or bowl. Simmer cinnamon sticks on the stove.
Create a wall of memorabilia around a fireplace or in a hallway with selected awards, framed certificates, and photographs or prints of historic landmarks. If you do it well, more is definitely better! A powder room is the perfect place for an art gallery.
Create a reading area with a comfy chair, a small table, reading light and a pile of books you intend to read.
A contemporary home needs something from the past; an old rocking chair, an antique picture frame, or an inherited family treasure.
Enjoy the winter. Spring will be here in a blink.

Getting Ready for a New Year

Thu, 30 Nov 2023 19:24:52 GMT

By Leslie Linsley

“Christmas On Nantucket” (Globe Pequot)

December 2023

A Few Holiday Ideas...

The other day I needed a shot of “retail therapy” and what better place to spend an hour than in Housewares discovering new versions of the everyday items we all take for granted and rarely replace, or even knew existed. A bright green Avocado slicer,

for example! These little kitchen tools make perfect stocking stuffers. I never thought a pot scraper could be sexy. But with a bright orange or green grip handle, this item became gift worthy, especially since it also works as an icing spreader! Colorful mixing spoons and spatulas, easy grip knives, a mini meat thermometer and a bright yellow fold-up citrus juicer - absolutely had my juices flowing. But the one item that stole my heart was the “almost real looking” black Labrador doorstop. Totally irresistible. Just goes to show how shopping without an agenda can reveal the unexpected.

The fresh trees have arrived and their smell is positively intoxicating. How is it we never tire of that reminder of the season? Whether you’re celebrating here or off-island, Housewares has all the fixings for a Nantucket- themed Christmas. And the most popular item for this is the locally made, scallop shell tree lights in 3 different lengths, as well as scallop ornaments by islander, Maika Johnson. Shop early - they go fast. Houseware shelves are bursting with tree lights (a new item: lights that are synched through your phone!), exquisite glass ornaments, and candles, soaps and lotions with delicious holiday scents. I couldn’t resist the pots of red Poinsettias for my holiday table. They looked so good, I went back for more to line my steps! When picking up your fresh tree or door decor, remember, these items go fast so don’t wait.

To kick off Marine's 80th year and to get ready for the New Year, something exciting is happening. 2024 is about to explode with many innovative store updates, starting with the transformation of the appliance showroom space in Bayberry Commons. Imagine a spanking new Building Materials showroom where you can see the latest in windows and doors in a newly configured Design and Sales Showroom , conveniently located on the street level. Work is already in progress and it’s exciting to see all the activity going on as this space is transformed for easy access from Marine’s retail store, lumber yard and drive-through facility.

The staircase to the second floor has been removed and all existing major appliance inventory has been moved to the first floor with new sales and meeting space being constructed on the second floor. To answer everyone’s questions about appliance service, a resounding YES! Marine will continue to service major appliances. In fact the service department has relocated to the Bayberry Commons building next to Wicked Bakery.

Next, my “tour guide”, Ciara McAuley, Marketing Assistant walked me through to

the Hardware department which she told me will be expanding into the former carpet display. And that’s just the beginning. Home Furnishings is being redesigned for better access to a display of carpet samples and innovative window treatments. Work stations have been relocated for even better customer-friendly assistance. Television sets, air conditioners, dehumidifiers and small electronics will be more accessible in “The Cottage” (Home Furnishings) which is in the process of being reimagined.

And, let no department be forgotten, Home & Garden will be expanded with new windows facing Orange St. to become your one-stop shop for air conditioners, dehumidifiers and other small appliances. It’s really fun to walk through the store right now while all the rejuvenating activities are happening. But for those of you not particularly fond of change, have no fear, Marine is getting better as it turns 80!

So, don’t just take my word for it. Be part of the process. Check on the progress throughout the New Year!

Happy Holidays to all!

Holiday Preparation

Mon, 30 Oct 2023 19:57:32 GMT

By Leslie Linsley

“Christmas On Nantucket” (Globe Pequot)

November 2023

Whether you live on the island or will be spending Thanksgiving and Stroll Weekend in your vacation home, make it as comfortable and welcoming as possible. Imagine the parties and family get-togethers you’ll be hosting and make a list of things you need, from serving platters to extra seating. Do you have the right size tablecloth, enough placemats, and napkins (they don’t have to match), silverware, a turkey baster, glasses, candles and candlesticks, dishes, (all available in Housewares). Forget those flimsy aluminum roasting pans and buy an honest-to-goodness turkey pan you’ll use forever. This is the time to go overboard and bring out all your good stuff! Reminder to pick up silver polish.

The holidays provide a good excuse to upgrade your living or dining room with one dramatic statement. Michael Flanagan, Home Furnishings Manager, believes that a rug is the foundation of a room and has been sourcing and building an impressive inventory of rugs that belong in the elegant, upscale homes that have become a trademark of the island. His knowledge is impressive, and his enthusiasm is infectious when he explains how “the workmanship of the knotted wool and silk rugs we have in stock is flawless, and the variety of patterns and colors give homeowners plenty of options.” These rugs, like fine artwork, are a worthwhile investment and speak volumes about taste and sophistication. Like artwork and textiles, the patterns and colors of a rug infuse a room with personality. Visit the showroom and take advantage of Mike’s expertise. I just got a new rug for my living room and I can’t believe how the right rug absolutely elevated the look of the room.

Setting a festive table is a good excuse to bring out all the things you cherish and perhaps inherited to represent family members past and present. Everyone has something that reminds them of their childhood even if it’s just the mundane bowl your mother or grandmother used to serve vegetables for everyday dinners. It’s a time for playing, “remember when”. This is why we hold onto these things. I love to use a quilt as a tablecloth because it’s the quintessential symbol of hominess. A white mattlessé cover offers a more formal look when combined with white linen napkins tied with deep green grosgrain ribbon. Tuck a sprig of greens or dried lavender under each ribbon. Fill a third of a glass vase or bowl with dried peas or cranberries, insert a fat white candle and set on greens for the centerpiece.

A few more simple ideas for a festive fall table.

1. Gather shells, stones, greens from a nature walk to create a Nantucket themed centerpiece. Or use as place cards.

2. Scoop out the tops of granny apples, gourds or small pumpkins to hold votive candles.

3. Use Magic Marker to write each person’s name on a leaf to tuck under the napkin ribbon. Tip: Flatten leaves with a hot iron.

4. Use photographs as place cards. (Baby pictures of adults are always fun). Encourage everyone around the table to share why they’re grateful to be together on this beautiful island.

Refresher Tips For Fall

Thu, 28 Sep 2023 17:04:59 GMT

By Leslie Linsley

Author of Nantucket Island Living (Stewart, Tabori & Chang)

October 2023

Refresher Tips for Fall:

Feeling good in a room depends on lighting more than any other factor, especially as the days get shorter. Move lamps around until you feel the light is right. Upgrading table lamps will enhance and often change the look of a room. Check out the variety in Home Furnishings. Dimmers are important.

1. Rearrange furniture, removing and replacing things that no longer work. Change artwork.

2. Use the least obvious fabric color in a room for a new wall paint.

3. Benjamin Moore’s October Mist is a soft, silvery green, perfect for an historic home with dark beams and antique furniture. It creates a modern, upscale background with white trim and accents.

4. For a refined, softly elegant environment, combine creams, whites and pale beiges in a range of textures to avoid a spa-like monochromatism.

Reviving Furniture Tips:

Waxing is the simplest and most effective way to care for all your wood furnishings. Aside from furniture, I’ve always used Minwax Paste Finishing Wax on my decoupage boxes. It’s easy to use, provides a lovely sheen and protects the surface from damage, AND it smells good. Trewax Clear Paste Wax is another “go to” product I like.

1. Using a soft cloth work the wax into small, manageable areas, evenly rubbing the wax over the wood. Then let it settle for ten minutes before buffing. The timing is important. Too little and you wipe the wax off. Too much and the wax hardens, requiring more effort to buff it into a smooth finish. Tip: A little bit of spit on the cloth helps. (ie. spit-polished Army boots).

2. Fold cheesecloth or cotton rag into a square pad, better than paper toweling, and rub the wax into the wood with a circular motion or with the grain. You’ve buffed enough when your rag slides over the surface smoothly without any drag.

3. For chairs, wax the most grabbed areas on the arms.

4. To give hardwood floors a new lease on life, use Minwax Hardwood Floor Cleaner followed with Minwax Hardwood Floor Reviver.

5. For minor scratches and nicks on dark wood, Old English Scratch Cover has been a trusted product for over 100 years because it does what it says – nourishes wood. These products are all found in Housewares.

6. Once your wood shines, check for stains and soils on fabric. ForceField Fabric Cleaner is what the pros use.

October Mist , Benjamin Moore

2022 Color of the Year

Listen up Ladies...

Thu, 31 Aug 2023 19:53:40 GMT

By Leslie Linsley

Author of Nantucket Island Living (Stewart, Tabori & Chang)

September 2023

The other day a woman stopped me on Main Street , “I liked your tip about making a ”to-do” list in August, to deal with in Sept.” she said. Well, guess what folks? August flew by and here we are getting the kids ready for school, leaving the island, or tackling those repairs you put off. So…..

Listen up ladies!

How many times have you needed to hang a picture, or tighten a screw, a job too small to call someone in to do? Or you don’t have the right tools? Or can’t find the right size nail? Every woman needs her own toolbox outfitted for these little jobs you think you can’t do. Guess what? You can! Corey, the Hardware Department expert, kindly agreed to give me advice on how to outfit a lady’s toolbox for small DIY projects. I told Corey everything had to be lightweight, user friendly and fit into a metal toolbox I intended to spray paint pink with a can of Krylon from Marine's Paint Department. He patiently walked me through each aisle, making suggestions. Here’s the list:

1. A lightweight hammer 7 oz.

2. A combo Irwin 9 in. 1 screwdriver

3. A kit that contains picture wire, pliers, and wire cutter.

4. An assortment package of picture hanging hooks and nails.

5. A mini hack saw. Surprisingly useful when a dowel is too long.

That’s all you’ll need! Satisfaction guaranteed and so empowering!

I hate to be a downer, but we’re coming into hurricane season so stock up on batteries, check your flashlights, get a new smoke and carbon monoxide alarm, and secure or cover outdoor furniture. Get rid of everything you didn’t use this summer to make room for next season. Hang hooks, install stacking shelves, replace hangers, redesign your closets to be super-efficient, buy a new piece of furniture that serves as an accessory table with storage below. And the big round clothes hampers are perfect for corralling those incredibly sumptuous ACK beach towels and blankets. Christmas may not be on your radar, but do not leave the island without a heavenly blue ACK monogrammed bed pillow. It comes in gray too, but the soft hydrangea blue is “off the charts” perfect. You won’t want to give it away.

As my annual plants are wilting, I’m replacing small flowerpots with oversized pots to consolidate watering next year. The large, cobalt blue ceramic pottery outside of Housewares is 50% off so, good time to buy. I love a live tree in the house and these are perfect for a ficus. I imagine it flanked by the two beautifully crafted, wood frame chairs I stumbled upon in Home Furnishings, upholstered with an elegant, blue plaid fabric that made me want to redo my living room.

And btw, the pink toolbox is to announce its decidedly un-male ownership (there should be a miniature one for Barbie).

Time for a "To-Do" List

Mon, 31 Jul 2023 13:44:21 GMT

By Leslie Linsley

Author of “Nantucket Island Living” (Monicelli)

August 2023

Is it possible that summer is half over? To get the most out of August, put your mind at ease with a fall plan. Then put it aside and enjoy the last days of summer. Walk room by room and assess your home. Make a list of what needs fixing, replacing and adding for next season and keep in mind, there’s no substitute for quality, so replace what isn’t working with the best you can afford.

Shift out of neutral and reimagine a powder room, hallway or bedroom with a seductive paint color like Conch Shell from Benjamin Moore. This dusty hue, with a gentle dose of pink is “of the moment” in the design world. Add drama with Crushed Berry on the ceiling! The company’s Natural Linen offers a warm welcome and immediate feeling of calm in the entryway.

Nothing refreshes a room like a new window treatment and there’s a whole lot of options from Hunter Douglas. I was talking to island decorator Kathleen Hay this week about how the natural beauty of the island is so important when designing a Nantucket home. “A good designer will always consider the views as part of the interior,” she said, and your windows play a big part in this. Start by taking advantage of the design team in the Home Furnishings Department. Take notes and after that first visit, go through your rooms imagining how a change of window treatment might be the perfect refresher for next season. I love the dark wood blinds in my home office because I can totally control the light, air and a view of my garden - AND I can tweak the privacy factor to perfection. Great for a den because when closed at night, the room becomes all warm and cozy.

But first, let’s remember to make the most of remaining summer days: 1. Plan a spectacular end of summer beach or boat picnic with a catered clambake or picnic-to-go. 2. Be ready for next season by replacing over-used outdoor gear now. 3. Treat yourself to luxurious ACK monogramed Matouk beach blankets for recognition on your winter getaway. Like the Nantucket Lightship basket purses, an ACK monogram is an “insider” status symbol recognized worldwide.

There is one item I cannot live without. I keep the Dirt Devil Compact Power cordless vacuum in the car for quick, sand removal after the beach. And while you’re at it, check out the portable Bissell Spotbot Pet cleaner to get rid of tough pet stains. Now relax and embrace every beach day as if it’s the last one until next season.

Entertaining Island Style

Wed, 28 Jun 2023 14:10:42 GMT

By Leslie Linsley

Author of “Nantucket Island Living” (Monicelli)

July 2023

Island living is something we cherish and there’s no better place to spend a July day than on one of Nantucket’s beaches - whether it’s the ocean, the Jetties or a beach you’re lucky to find off a beaten path. When I saw the new Telescope beach chairs in Home Furnishings, I knew it was definitely time for an upgrade. They’re so classy in navy with white stars or bold red and white stripes! And, I absolutely had to have one of Marine’s exclusive Matouk luxurious beach blankets with our world-known ACK monogram. Fold them into a canvas Scout tote with matching stripes as a welcome gift for house guests or for a special party host.

Summertime is a gift, a time to entertain casually, to relax with family and friends, to have fun, to give yourself a pass on your usual “neat and tidy” standards. Extend the July 4th patriotic theme for entertaining throughout the month.

Group potted red geraniums in the center of the table and tie them together with a wide red, white and blue ribbon..Or put them into a striped Scout beach bag.
Remove the sticks from little American flags and string the flags on a clothesline to hang from tree to tree over your deck or lawn.
Choose food with the color scheme. Strawberries, watermelon, blueberries, a berry pie, cupcakes with white icing and red and blue sprinkles.
For a buffet table: Use a red sand pail to hold individually wrapped red or blue handled utensils (Housewares) with red, white and blue Sophist paper napkins tied with ribbons. Better yet, use the stars and stripes cotton/linen dishtowels as oversized napkins for a barbecue, or bibs for a lobster feast. Add Sophist gold-rimmed red, white and blue striped plates and bowls.
For a clambake: the lobster/anchor serving dishes are perfect along with lighhouse-shaped salt and pepper shakers (good hostess gift!). Reminder: Don’t forget claw crackers and other lobster accessories. Be sure to get enough.
MUST HAVE for a beach party! A red, white or blue Yeti cooler and I can’t say enough about the Weber Beach Grill Q1200; small, compact, light and incredibly easy to take anywhere you want to set up a cookout.

Presidential 4 ^th of July Facts:

Do you know how many U.S. Presidents were born on the 4 ^th of July?

Two signers of the Declaration of Independence, who served as Presidents, Thomas Jefferson, and John Adams, coincidentally died on the same day, July 4, 1826, which was the 50 ^th anniversary of the original signing. James Monroe, one of the founders, was the 3 ^rd President to die on July 4 ^th , 1831. And Calvin Coolidge, our 30 ^th President, was the only President, so far, born on July 4, 1872.

Photo by Leslie Linsley Enterprises

There’s Nothing Quite Like A Picnic

Wed, 31 May 2023 13:05:57 GMT

By Leslie Linsley

Author of “Nantucket Island Living” (Monicelli)

June 2023

On Sunday, while driving around the island, I listened to an NPR program bemoaning the lost art of Victorian picnics with elaborately set tables and over-the-top courses of food. Full staff required! Not your pb&j variety picnic by a long shot! I began to imagine a new spin on picnicking, Downton Abbey style – without the fuss.

In the Hardware Department, I bumped into Ciara McAuley, Marine’s Digital Marketing expert who designs the monthly newsletter. I shared my idea for a lavish picnic, and she was all over it. “Have you seen the Sophisti paper plates and napkins that look like linen?” she bubbled. “Perfect for an upscale picnic!” And off I went to Housewares where I was blown away. The sturdy plates, two sizes, simulate fine chinaware with elegant floral patterns, like hydrangeas on soft blue, or in rose pink with ruffled edges of gold leaf. Totally affordable to throw away or rinse off after the picnic! Forget paper cups! The solid plastic champagne and margherita glasses look like real glass. Perfect for poolside picnics. Add a pack of 24 colorful “looks like real” reusable and dishwasher safe flatware, and a beautifully shaped salad bowl with tossing spoons cleverly set into the wooden top. Put everything into a blue and white striped, waterproof Scout tote or a Yeti cooler. Grab a few Yeti cups for cold drinks and you’ve aced it.

An absolute MUST - the lightweight, On the Go flat top Blackstone grill has wheels for easy transport to any site. A bigger portable option, Weber’s propane 3 burner fold-up grill. A picnic at sunset on Madaket Beach anyone? Stay ‘til the end of the show and keep warm with The Ridge, an adorable little, portable fire pit by Blue Sky. The coolest (or warmest) invention ever!

Hint: June is Father’s Day month.

The following are some fun quotes about picnics you can share with your guests:

1. Nothing is better than a picnic.

2. Unless you are at a picnic, life is no picnic.

3. You bring your own weather to a picnic.

4. Life is a picnic on a precipice – W.H. Auden

5. A picnic is a state of mind and can be made anywhere.

6. Tea to the English is really a picnic outdoors.

7. When all else fails, a picnic will cheer you up.

8. If you have a picnic on a public site, placing a tuba in the middle of the table will insure privacy all around you.

9. Meghan Markle says, “I’m big on day dates. If you go for a walk, have a picnic lunch with a glass of wine, it doesn’t get better than that.

10. And from Kate Winslet, “ I’m happiest in the whole world going on a picnic with my kids, partner or big family gatherings. Then I know I’m doing good.”

11. He’s a couple of sandwiches short of a picnic.

12. A picnic is more than eating a meal. It is a pleasurable state of mind.

So do it up right and have a Happy Picnic Day!

Pre-planning For a Gracious, Relaxing Season

Wed, 26 Apr 2023 15:38:26 GMT

By Leslie Linsley

Author of “Nantucket Island Living” (Monicelli)

May 2023

The fun of owning a home on Nantucket is sharing it with friends and family. The goal is to make everyone feel at home in a beautiful setting, that reflects the natural beauty of the island. Begin by anticipating your guests’ needs so they feel welcome and pampered by the ambience you create, the amenities you provide, and the pre-planning you’ve done to make it seem effortless. Then relax and enjoy being a guest in your own home.

It’s time to refurbish, replace, and make sure everything’s in working order. Important reminder - check out the new grills and accessories while there’s a big supply. Don’t put this off.

Welcome guests to the island with a casual “arrival” dinner made from locally grown produce and seafood providers. Home Furnishings has interesting containers to hold bouquets of casually arranged island flowers.

There’s only one thing better than a good night’s sleep and that’s a GREAT night’s sleep. When did you last replace your mattress? And just as importantly – the one in your guest bedroom? The second floor in Home Furnishings is fully stocked with mattresses that deliver what they promise. I tried every one of them: Beauty Rest and Hemingway. Mike Flanagan, Home Furnishings Manager, seemed a little concerned that I might settle in for the night!

Every time I make my bed I marvel at how consistently crisp and luxurious my Sferra sheets look and feel. Add a down comforter, white duvet cover, and new pillows, soft and firm and you’ve got comfort covered to the max. Don’t settle for everyday bathroom accessories. It’s an easy upgrade that really makes a difference. Spruce up your bathrooms instantly with gutsy marble bathroom accessories that include a round wastebasket, toothbrush, and makeup holders. Another thoughtful guest amenity (found in Bed & Bath) and new this season, classic seersucker bathrobes in the softest pink or gray and white stripe. Pink is the perfect color to inject yesterday’s trendy gray and white color scheme with an “of the moment” look. I like the feminine touch of “barely there” pink towels mixed with sumptuous white and gray ones. Navy blue makeup finger towels inscribed in white – an absolute MUST for the guest bathroom. You’ll be sorry if you don’t buy half a dozen.

Remember Mother’s Day!! Fill one of the “not your every day” laundry baskets or the exquisite blue and white island shopping bag/ beach tote from Dash & Albert, with MHC’s line of pure white Nantucket soaps, body wash and lotions for ultimate pampering. And not to be missed - At last, a really good, Laundry Spot Cleaner - Archipelago plant-based, non-toxic, fragrance free, essential item to keep in the laundry room. And, the final touch for the linen closets; bars of Italian Dolce Vivere natural soap for a subtle, scent-ual experience. Wrapped in exquisite floral paper they make perfect gifts. Add a few to the Mother’s Day basket!

PC: Matouk

Spring Time on Nantucket...

Tue, 28 Mar 2023 20:30:27 GMT

By Leslie Linsley

Author of “Nantucket Island Living” (Monicelli)

April 2023

It’s finally spring and the daffodils have arrived in time to be joyfully celebrated. April is a reminder to check all your garden tools (when did you last buy clippers?), planters, and hoses so you’ll be ready to enjoy spring to its fullest. I like to start the season with new garden gloves. Don’t forget the veggie and flower seeds, pest control items and organic plant food. Outdoor lighting is an easy upgrade for romantic summer entertaining. Assess your outdoor furniture now so you’ll be able to take advantage of an unexpectedly warm spring day. Make your patio, porch or deck a place of retreat and new Nantucket memories will follow. Take care of all repairs now. Think about entertaining. This is a good incentive for one last decluttering pass. Remove old and tired accessories you’ve been looking at all winter, or pack them away until fall.

Lots of parties are planned for Daffodil Weekend so it’s a great excuse to set a pretty table. Whether it’s a tailgate party or an at-home brunch, all the “props” for dining in style are what make the occasion a true celebration. Be creative with interesting containers for daffodil arrangements and you have PRETTY with no fuss.

Spring is the ideal time to repaint. Consider a soft yellow, like Benjamin Moore’s Jicama (AF-315) for a guest bedroom or bathroom. It’s a subtle, rich and creamy color with a soft glow. Comprise a list of annoyances: a “past its prime” outdoor table, the squeaky door to the pantry, old lamp shades, and attend to each thing now for a stress-free summer.

The buzz word for entertaining this year is “casual.” Start with yellow daffodils and orange tulips for a spring theme. A beautifully set table, no matter how simple, makes guests feel special. Find creative ways to display daffodils by wandering through the different departments of Marine Home Center with an open mind, looking for non-traditional containers to hold flowers.

The following are some suggestions:

1. Fill a pretty pitcher with an arrangement of yellow daffodils and add some tall sprigs of Forsythia.

2. A large Mason jar filled with daffys on a kitchen window sill will brighten your day.

3. Fill a pretty tray with miniature daffodil plants.

4. Oversized glass goblets are perfect for short-stemmed flowers and reveal the green stems. Group or line them up in the center of a dining table. Or place one in front of each place setting. Alternate yellow and green placemats. Use floral print napkins tied with yellow grosgrain ribbon.

5. Stuff an ice bucket with as many daffodils as possible. Then insert sprigs of mint, rosemary and thyme between the flowers.

6. Turn one of the colorful waterproof tote bags found in Housewares into a container to hold potted daffodil plants and place in the middle of your dining table or on a side table in your entryway. A great hostess gift as well!

7. For individual bouquets use small cream pitchers.

8. Another use for an old-fashioned, silver tea server, creamer or sugar bowl.

Happy Spring!

Daffodil Festival

Photo Credit: Leslie Linsley Enterprises

The Joy of a Streamlined Closet!

Tue, 28 Feb 2023 13:50:22 GMT

By Leslie Linsley

Author of “Nantucket Island Living” (Monicelli)

March 2023

It’s March! Soon the garden will beckon. So let’s tiptoe into spring with a real morale booster – a newly designed clothes closet. The words storage bins, baskets, wire shelves, new hangers, lovely, scented sachets, and pretty shelf paper always excite me. Check out Housewares for baskets in different sizes and shapes. Be creative and find items not for their intended use to corral odds and ends and make them easily accessible. Take a picture of your shoes, put them into plastic boxes and tape the picture to the front of the box for easy access without opening each one.

Begin by emptying your closet and, as you do so, try on each item of clothing to put into one of three piles: “keep”, “throw away”, and “donate.” No waffling. Force yourself to be decisive. Get rid of the skinny jeans you haven’t worn in three years! If you lose weight you can reward yourself with new ones. Keep editing. Each time you do this it will feel like shedding pounds. (Not a reason to keep those jeans!).

An empty closet always screams out for a fresh coat of paint. Pick a color that makes you smile, maybe one you wouldn’t use anywhere else. I like Benjamin Moore’s Hawthorne Yellow- very cheerful. For a more subtle color; Benjamin Moore’s Sea Salt (a fog gray with a great Nantucket vibe!) or a seafoam shade like Beach Glass, Shoreline, Harbor Haze or Whispering Spring (love the descriptive names).

Buy new clothes hangers especially for each garment. Absolutely do not keep the wire hangers you bring home with your shirts from the cleaners! Use wooden or padded hangers for jackets, blouses and dresses. Put bulky sweaters in same size storage containers on the shelf above. A peg rack or evenly spaced hooks on the inside of the door is the best way to access belts, purses, and scarves. Separate out of season clothes in a hanging zippered clothes bag. Arrange all clothes by color with items that go together. Be creative with storage items like Mason jars and office supply holders. tin paint buckets - great for socks, scarves, etc. Affix labels to the front of each. Check out the kitchen area for modular containers as well. If there’s room above the hanging rod, add a shelf. Finally, slide a fold-up step ladder in one side for easy access to top shelves. Happy almost spring!

Get rid of what you never use. Be ruthless.

Tue, 31 Jan 2023 14:02:21 GMT

By Leslie Linsley

Author of “Nantucket Island Living” (Monicelli)

Winter puts me in a mind to declutter, repair, replace and reassess my home, starting with the kitchen since it’s the most used room in the house. When was the last time you emptied out the “junk” drawer? Eliminate and reassemble everything you want to keep into modular plastic containers. Take out every day mixing spoons and bowls, a whisk, spatula, carving and paring knives, cutting boards, colander, grater, garlic press, scrub brush. Do you own a small berry colander? I use this size more often than the big one. Take stock of things like the paper towel holder, garbage bins and anything you use daily. Check all expiration dates on spices and packaged food in your pantry and replace those that are outdated. Get rid of what you never use. Be ruthless. Commit to only one drawer at a time. In this way the project is doable and will give you immense satisfaction. Move on as time permits.

On a wall in the front room of the Housewares Department at Marine you’ll find mind-boggling, redesigned, upscale, utilitarian, and affordable items to make meal prep efficient and enjoyable. You’ll wonder how you lived without them. It’s the easiest way to spruce up your kitchen, especially when assembled into a new container on the counter. Replace potholders, dishtowels and drawer inserts for holding everything in a clean, new, tidy way. Line your drawers with new Contact paper (In the right far corner of what I call the “step up” room.) Such a satisfying project for a winter day. Replace sponges, scrub brush, paper towel holder, and garbage bins. Check out the new versions of small appliances. You’ll be surprised by the upgrades since you last bought these items. While not the most romantic gift, a set of new cannisters filled with small, gift-wrapped kitchen doodads is a creative Valentine’s Day present for the cook in the family. Add a new cookbook and some red roses!

More easy decluttering ideas to come in my March blog.

It’s Winter and time to hibernate in style.

Fri, 30 Dec 2022 15:45:03 GMT

By Leslie Linsley

Author of “Nantucket Island Living” (Monicelli)

For a good night’s sleep, nothing beats crisp, luxurious sheets. January is traditionally white sale month and the perfect time to treat yourself to a little TLC. The Bed and Bath Department is well stocked with those beautiful linens that everyone covets. Start the New Year with a bedroom, and bath makeover - quick, easy, and enormously satisfying. Take stock of your linen closet and make your bedroom and bath as luxurious an oasis as possible with new towels and lovely, elegant bedding. It’s effortless to create a new look with patterns or colors, although I find it hard to veer away from pure white, ivory and cream – so soothing at the end of the day. I can’t think of anything more uplifting than a sumptuous new down comforter or duvet cover in snowy white. New bed pillows are guaranteed to add to the comfort factor. Don’t overlook the guest bedroom. For color you can’t go wrong with blue and white. It is the most beautiful and never tiresome color scheme, reflecting the natural beauty of the island.

When did you last buy a mattress? Making over your bedroom from the bottom up is so easy and Michael Flanagan, Manager in the Home Furnishing Department, is crazy about the exquisite rugs he bought for his department. You can’t miss them piled high on display. He says, “They are beautifully made from woven natural material and the colors are soft and sensuous and a great way to introduce color, texture, pattern and elegance into a white or soft-hued room.

Maybe you remember my signature Nantucket Name pillows from my former store at Zero India St. Now I love seeing them in different sizes and colors on the beds and sofas in the Home Furnishings Department of Marine. It’s the easiest way to refresh your living room if you’re not quite ready for a complete makeover. And if your bedroom could use a refresh with paint, I love Benjamin Moore’s Cedar Key, a nice soft greige that’s a cross between gray and beige with a bit of attitude.

If you have old photo albums (remember those?), sort through photographs from past generations, choose a selection to have matted and framed. Black and white photos look good in silver, black or white frames for grouping on a bedroom or bathroom wall. Family photos belong in private places, not spread all over the house. It’s winter and time to hibernate in style.

Holiday Decorating Nantucket Style

Wed, 30 Nov 2022 15:21:03 GMT

By Leslie Linsley

Author of “Nantucket Island Living” (Monicelli)

Nantucket is a special place where the spirit of an old-fashioned Christmas is celebrated. Hanging a wreath or a sprig of evergreens on the front door is a traditional early American custom and the shelves in Housewares are overflowing with everything you need to express your creativity. Outside, the scent of freshly cut trees is positively intoxicating! The following are quick and easy decorating ideas.

And don’t forget to visit the Festival of Trees at the Whaling Museum for a ton of inspiration!

For an authentic Island-theme, wrap your tree with strands of scallop lights. Lili Grace, in Housewares, has gone all out, stocking the shelves with locally made strands in different lengths, as well as scallop shell ornaments to hang on branches. The ornaments are perfect as napkin holders too. Tie with ribbon and clusters of gold or silver jingle bells. Brighten a dark corner with a basket filled with a bunched-up strand
For a classic Nantucket centerpiece use a Lightship basket to hold one large or 3 small red or white Poinsettias. Add Colonial Candles in hunter green and cranberry red, Sensational on a wooden table!
Dress up the mantel or side table with greens, glass balls and a strand of scallop lights.
Fill clear glass containers with gold and silver balls and insert a delicate strand of battery-operated mini lights-60 clear lights to a strand.
Create a scene on a bed of greens with framed family photographs that tell a chronological story. Add pine scented ornament sticks (located on an end shelf.)
For an all-white décor, use fluffy quilt batting on a mantel with red balls on top - like finding cherries in the snow!
Fill 1/3 of a clear glass vase with cranberries, add water and insert lots of red and white tulips or fresh pine branches. Fill another with tiny Brussels sprouts. Add greens and lime green candles,
A crafty hostess gift: Decorate a paper paint bucket to hold a Poinsettia.

Quick Tip: Traveling with little ones for the holidays? Pick up a plastic box with divider sections for nails and such, in the tool department. Fill each section with tiny snacks like Cheerios, mandarin oranges, etc. Happy Holidays!

It’s All In The Details!

Mon, 31 Oct 2022 18:28:16 GMT

By Leslie Linsley

Author of “Nantucket Island Living” (Monicelli)

Before the holiday season begins in earnest, it’s a good time for a little household assessment. Maybe you need a new appliance, or time to clean the old one. I was up for a fun shopping trip and decided to go aisle by aisle at Marine Home Center, to see what I needed. Starting in Housewares I first checked out what was new in cleaning products and small appliances. Sometimes we live with things that are past their prime, like my dishrack, but never get around to replacing.

As soon as I imagined entertaining for the holidays, candles, turkey platters, roasting pans, casserole dishes and even a new dishwasher were on my radar. I found myself lingering over the new and improved cleaning products. I was so excited to find the best furniture cleaner I didn’t know existed. Hint: It’s in the Home Furnishings department.

Before a shopping trip, go through your home, room by room to see what needs fixing, replacing or overhauling. Imagine the parties and family get-togethers you might host. Take stock of everything you need from glassware to extra seating. Here are some suggestions to get you going:

1. Check out the amazing variety of area carpets. You might find the one to instantly refresh a room.

2. Be creative with an unusual centerpiece for Thanksgiving and choose candles from a myriad of fall colors. Idea: Press large leaves with a warm iron to place under the candle holders. Use acorns, chestnuts and branches to create a centerpiece in a basket or a pretty dish.

3. Treat overnight guests with fresh linens, new pillows and towels.

4. When did you last replace old dishtowels and potholders?

5. I fell in love with every small appliance I saw. How did I live without a French coffee press?

6. I got distracted by the beautifully wrapped soaps and bought them for stocking stuffers and hostess gifts. Why were these items not on my radar?

7. And finally, nothing refreshes a room like a new paint color. Check out this season’s new offerings. I’m thinking about Benjamin Moore’s Chantilly Lace for my bathroom. By the way, I DID get a new dishrack!!

The Secret's Out!

Sun, 02 Oct 2022 18:50:21 GMT

By Leslie Linsley

Author of “Nantucket Island Living” (Monicelli)

And you’re hearing it here first! A recent Wall Street Journal , Elle article announced, “This year it’s all about dramatic paint colors to make rooms feel special.” Farrow & Ball, the cutting-edge British paint maker has it covered! They just introduced 11 new colors already trending with top d esigners and homeowners “in the know.” These colors are absolutely perfect for an elegant Nantucket home, reflecting the island’s natural beauty and seamlessly connecting the interior to the environment.

Not ready to give up gray, a favorite in Nantucket homes for several years, try Farrow & Ball’s Eddy for a contemporary face lift. It’s a rich, but subtle gray with a hint of green. Stirabout is a warmer gray. Use it to create coziness in a family room. It will wrap you in a sumptuous hug. I use my powder room as an art gallery, filling the walls with an eclectic mix of local art and old black and white family photographs. I love the deep gray called Kittiwake - great background for artwork. It adds drama to a larger room, when used on one wall.

Tailor Tack is a blush of rouge, and Templeton Pink is a sophisticated darker shade that infuses a bedroom with a touch of luxury and romance. Use shades of this color in accessories like pillows and artwork. Introduce the color sparingly in other rooms for cohesiveness. Fresh pink flowers for example, on a living or dining room table are all you need. Marine can tint any Farrow & Ball colour.

Tips for fall accessories:

1. Bunch pots of chrysanthemums in a wicker or lightship basket and place in a corner of the room.

2. Fill a container with dried hydrangeas and place on top of an armoire or dresser. The soft dried-out colors provide a new look for these favorite summer blossoms.

3. Fill a wooden bowl with polished green and red apples, or lemons and limes. Add cinnamon sticks for scent.

4. Create a “tablescape” with things you love, like framed photos, a pretty vase, and a small stack of books.

5. Paint small pumpkins colonial blue, mustard, barn red, and cream. Coat them with a walnut wood stain for an antique look that will last all autumn.

6. Experiment with different furniture arrangements to cozy up for fall and winter.

The Cottage is a good place for inspiration!

Tue, 27 Sep 2022 16:34:45 GMT

By Leslie Linsley

Author of “Nantucket Island Living” (Monicelli)

The word “cottage” brings to mind many positive feelings: small and cozy, country style furnishings, perhaps a vacation home you remember with nostalic fondness. Marine Home Center has captured those feelings by creating a cottage-like environment within their Home Furnishings Showroom. It overflows with ideas for a reimagined elegant version of that style for today’s modern family.

As we move into fall our summer casual decorating scheme and entertaining style may need a bit of refurbishing. A visit to The Cottage is a good place for inspiration. Warm up your environment for cooler weather by setting a table with a “Fall On Nantucket” color scheme. Start in Housewares for new placemats and napkins and work your way through each department, using your imagination to set a table with the unexpected. This is a fun way to spread your creative wings. Consider a different placesetting for each guest, or make a centerpiece with mismatched objects that can hold small individual bouquets of fall flowers.

Create a vignette on a side table with three things. If your room is blue and white, enliven it with a small yellow container to hold a green plant. Fill a bowl of fall colors with fresh lemons and limes or avocados or pears with sprigs of leafy greens.

With shorter days we put lights on earlier. Keep everything low; not just the wattage, but the height of the lamps as well. Low lighting softens the furnishings in a room and is a quick and easy way to refreshen a room. Pink light bulbs are an old trick for creating a glow in the bedroom, powder room or dining room.