The Rockaways neighborhood of New York is a unique place and one that many New Yorkers don’t know a lot about. Its mix of vintage and historic cottages, just steps from the Atlantic, has lured locals to beachside living for over a century—and a locale only a subway ride away from Manhattan.
Luckily for designer Jenny Kirschner, she has been able to work on a number of homes in the historic area over the years, including this family’s summer residence (having already collaborated on work at their primary residence in the past). Although the house is a light-filled ethereal space now, that wasn’t the case upon first glance.
“We had to essentially rework this home from the inside out,” says Kirschner. “We were brought on before the architectural plans had been brought to fruition, so we were part of that process. We work alongside architects to do a lot of the interior architecture.”
Another challenge was to make sure this summer home felt different than their primary residence, particularly when each features predominantly blue color palettes.
In the main hall off of the foyer, a ceiling fixture from Pelle adds a dramatic note.
In the foyer, a mirror by Jonathan Adler hangs above a console from 1stDibs.
In the living room, a custom Quintus sectional and a vintage sectional from 1stDibs flank a coffee table by Indo, also scored from 1stDibs.
Chairs by Richard Wrightman surround a custom table in the dining room. The cabinetry is custom by JDK Interiors.
The island and countertops in the kitchen are by Artistic Tile. The pendants are custom by The Urban Electric Co., and the backsplash is by Ann Sacks.
Chairs from Design Within Reach and a custom bench by JDK Interiors surround a table from Wüd in the kitchen dining area.
A bedroom’s nightstand is from Volk Furniture and also features a throw from Safavieh.
The vanity and mirrors are from Broadway Kitchens & Baths, and the sconces are from SkLO.
Custom bed frames by JDK Interiors are covered in a Pavoni fabric from Sutherland. The curtain fabric is from Schumacher.
“We had to try to find ways to really differentiate the two homes and the color schemes working within the same color palette,” says Kirschner. “The primary home has a much cooler palette of blue tones running throughout. It’s just like what I would think of, like icy blue and powdery blue, whereas this home has, for the most part, a lot of blue that has green in it, and then we tried to mix in even more warmth.”
As for her starting inspiration, it came from a unique source.
“I find a lot of inspiration in going to the stone yard,” says Kirschner. “I know a lot of designers start with rugs. I tend to start with marble, because most of my clients are willing to use natural materials, and you just find so many unusual colors and patterns. You find these unusual mixes of colors, and then you can pull inspiration from that.” The kitchen island’s dynamic cipollino marble was her first selection, and much of the home’s palette emanates from that.
“The marble looks like foamy waves crashing up. It just feels so oceanic,” says Kirschner. As for the rest of the house, ease and elegance go hand in hand, and pattern—often subtle—continues to show up in judicious ways. “I love texture, so I encourage the use of wallcovering wherever I possibly can,” says Kirschner. “And the clients do entertain quite a bit, so they wanted something that was very comfortable and easy, but yet buttoned up and tailored, because that’s their taste.”
