Creating a tranquil home that honored stunning water views of Fishers Island Sound was at the heart of a Groton project by interior designer Cindy Kramer. The homeowners envisioned “a light and airy interior with a mix of light colors and woods that brought the outside in but still included some beach colors.” After seeing Kramer’s Instagram account, they reached out to the designer and felt an immediate connection. “Her design background is extensive and in looking at her portfolio, I loved everything I saw,” says the wife. “She got an idea of what I liked from the house as it was and built on that. We had not worked together before, but she was very easy to work with.”
Kramer, founder of C. Kramer Interiors, started by asking her clients for one word to describe how they’d like their home to feel. Their reply? “Serene.” So, she set out to update the summer home, and after a three-year full-home renovation, the once-dark home was transformed into a light-filled retreat. “I used the colors from nature to create a calm and peaceful feeling throughout the home,” says Kramer. “There is a very intentional simplicity that keeps the house airy, open and relaxed. This spoke to my client.”
The first floor now features an open layout. “My favorite element [of the home] is the main floor when you come in the door to the entry hallway, and then it opens up to the bright, beautiful main living area with an expansive view of the water,” notes the homeowner. Kramer’s inspiration for the interior design choices came directly from nature. “I wanted to give a nod to the surrounding environment without being too kitschy or coastal,” notes the designer. “My goal was to create this through colors, textures, finishes and accessories.”
The previous kitchen was very dark and blocked the views, according to Kramer. The new light-filled space—with custom cabinetry built by Jeremy Hill Builders—opens onto a deck overlooking the water. A built-in dining area is centered on a round dining table, one of the homeowners’ cherished heirlooms. The open-plan layout continues into the living room, where an RH sofa faces swivel chairs placed to capture the outside vista or to spin around and enjoy the fireplace.
For the top-floor gallery, Kramer worked with Mara Beckwith of Studio M to reframe some of the art, while Kimberley Pettey of Pinc! Home Furnishings reupholstered the vintage ottoman.
Visual Comfort pendants illuminate the kitchen island, the counter stools are from Williams Sonoma, and the tile backsplash is through Tile America.
The primary bath has a custom vanity built by Jeremy Hill Builders; the bath and sink faucets are Brizo through Sink & Spout.
In the primary bedroom, Mitchell Gold + Bob Williams swivel chairs flank a Palecek side table, while a Dash & Albert rug complements the Serena & Lily bed and bedding.
A vintage map of Long Island Sound is hung above an O&G Studio bench in the entry.
In the dining area, vintage chairs were painted in Farrow & Ball’s De Nimes, and the ceiling light is from Palecek.
In the third-floor bedroom, a nod to the coast is evident with a trophy sailfish mounted to the wall overlooking navy and white bedspreads. The Dash & Albert jute rug is through Annie Selke.
Thomas O’Brien sconces through Visual Comfort flank a Found mirror above a repurposed vintage console. The rug is from Prestige Mills.
Winfield Thybony grasscloth adorns the living room ceiling, while an RH sofa and swivel chairs are paired with rattan chairs from Balè.
Thibaut’s Pisces wallpaper adds flair to a guest bedroom, and the ceiling light is from Serena & Lily.
Fabricut wallpaper is used in a guest bedroom, where the dresser is a one-of-a-kind piece from the Resplendent Crow lacquered in Farrow & Ball’s Cabbage White, and the artwork is by Katharine Gates.
The primary suite, two guest bedrooms and a guest bathroom are located on the second floor. In the larger guest room, a gray and white wave wallpaper adds a touch of playfulness while custom Colefax & Fowler valances ground the room with a feeling of elegance. The smaller guest room is anchored by a wall of shiplap, and the remaining walls and ceiling are covered in Thibaut’s Pisces wallpaper. Shiplap lines the walls of the tranquil primary suite, and a sitting area at the foot of the bed is furnished with Mitchell Gold + Bob Williams swivel chairs in a white performance linen.
“Our bedroom is also a room that I love,” notes the homeowner. “It literally feels like you’re standing outside while you are in there—bright and calm with a beautiful view of Noank and Fishers Island.”
At the top of the stairs, an inviting seating area has a gallery wall displaying a selection of many prints, paintings and maps. “The homeowners’ art collection was so eclectic—creating the gallery wall was a fun way to incorporate different styles of art,” says Kramer.
The gallery space opens onto another bedroom with three beds. “On the third floor, ceilings and flooring were covered in that orangey shellacked pine. I had all of the wainscoting painted white, which allowed the water outside the windows to come forward,” says Kramer. “My clients wanted the space to function as a home office as well as extra guest accommodations. The bedding as well as the accessories are all simple, while keeping the views as the main focus. The sailfish had been left from the prior owners; I thought this room was the perfect place for it!”
