On Second (Third and Fourth) Thought...
All the latest updates at Kemble Cottage, plus an invitation to Ask Me Anything
Before I start…buckle up. A lot has changed. As I’m sure you’ve noticed, accompanying me on my personal design journey pretty much guarantees whiplash, and Kemble Cottage is in the middle of a big reset. The most recent changes are both aesthetic and functional, refining the spaces to work for how my family lives.
The kitchen is where the biggest shift has happened. We’ve changed the overall direction, both in layout and palette, and it now leans into an orangery feel. (Special shoutout to Ateliers Jacob, who has worked tirelessly to iterate on this kitchen with us until it’s perfect.) We’re adding a bay window with very slim mullions to maximize glass and bring in as much natural light as possible. I want the kitchen to feel more connected to the garden and less like a contained interior room.
The palette has also been refined. We’ve returned to greens and blues, which feel consistent with the geography of the house and more at ease with the lushness of the exterior. The kitchen was also feeling a bit wood-heavy, so the floor has shifted to a glossy brick tile from Fireclay laid in a parquet pattern, or maybe a limestone, which introduces structure and a bit of polish without losing warmth. The counter stone has returned to my initial pick of Quattro Stagioni honed marble. Is anyone surprised I landed back where I started?
The caterer’s/prep kitchen is becoming much more functional. It’s likely keeping its Lulworth Blue color drench (I say with 10 percent confidence), but it will now operate as a true working kitchen with the addition of a steam oven, a full-height wine column, and more prep space. We’re also considering a swinging, diner-style door with a small window cutout, which would make the space feel both practical and a bit more informal. It will also serve as the snack spot for the family room next door.
Elsewhere in the house, I’m flip-flopping between two hardwood styles, both by Wellborn + Wright: a lighter French oak that feels more cottage, or a slightly red-toned oak that is more elegant. Any initial thoughts from the peanut gallery?
We’re also looking at the garden-level root cellar, which is currently giving horror movie. That said, it has great potential. We’re exploring using it for wine storage and root vegetables, leaning into that slightly raw, cellar-like quality rather than over-finishing it. Done well—and Fajen & Brown always does it well—it could feel very modern homesteader. I plan to have a vegetable garden and am manifesting abundance, so I’ll take all the storage I can get.
Our garden level has taken on new importance. After my dad passed, we made the decision to fully equip that level for my mom to use long-term (she’s not fully convinced yet but…manifesting!). It will now include a small but mighty kitchenette with a fridge/freezer, cooktop, dishwasher, and microwave from Sub-Zero Wolf—everything she might need on a daily basis, but also useful for casual moments like movie nights. It also now has easy exterior access. The goal is to make the space comfortable and complete so she naturally spends more time with us.
And a gym! We swapped the locations of the gym and family room on the garden level so the family room is dark for movies and sleepovers, while the gym has windows and a garden view (and I will actually feel like spending time there). Shout out to Yuri from Ateliers Jacob for the suggestion!
Space planning is now well and truly underway across the house, which is always the sticking point for me. I’m focusing on how to use each area more efficiently and flexibly. That includes maximizing sleepover space in the lower-level family room (obviously), adding a door to the playroom so it can also function as a guest room, removing a tub from my older daughter’s room because she is fully a tween and totally over baths, and continuing to refine kitchen storage so it supports daily use without feeling overbuilt and McMansion-y.
At its core, this phase is about making sure every space has a purpose and supports the way we live day to day, and I’m still figuring it all out.
I’d love to hear what you’re working through in your own homes. What’s not quite clicking yet? I’ll be hosting another AMA in the Substack subscriber chat on May 13 from 6 to 9 PM EST, so leave your design quandaries in the comments or join the open chat next Wednesday (don’t worry, I’ll send a reminder!).
P.S. If you’re attending the D&D Spring Market in New York and are interested in hearing more about Substack as a storytelling tool, please join me on May 14th at 3 PM in the Marc Phillips showroom (inside the D&D Building). I’d love to see you there!
The elegance of the darker wood sample on right for the win
My vote is for darker flooring- looks more expensive and timeless IMO