Ina Made Me Do It
The story behind Haven House
Last year I read the (fabulous!!!) Ina Garten's memoir and watched the Martha Stewart documentary on Netflix all within the same month. While these two women are different in so many ways, they were each pushing me in their own way to find our place beyond the city. A creative haven for expanse, growth, and freedom. A home outside of the city became a moment of rebirth and a surprise second chapter for each of them. Martha with Turkey Hill in Westport, CT, and Ina with her first fine foods shop in Westhampton. Martha's confidence, grit, and DIY talent proved that I could and should do this now. Ina, with her resonant voice and lighthearted tone, spoke again and again about how joy, emotion, deep feeling, and intuition guided her choices.
What became clear is that Ina instinctively seeks fun - creating moments, meals, and spaces to delight herself and her guests. I was struck by her audacity to go for what felt right in her soul in every area of life. As a former workaholic and recovering perfectionist, I have a lot to learn about fun. I want more fun, and I really wanted to be able to walk into my backyard, clip herbs from a garden, and share handcrafted cocktails with friends. This is all highly ironic, as I haven't cooked regularly since we moved to the city almost 15 years ago, but I do love simple, artful cooking, and look forward to rekindling my creativity in this way. My mother kept lots of Ina cookbooks around, and I actually sat just in front of the icon on a flight to Palm Beach last year. She didn’t disappoint in her iconic crisp button-down and silk scarf. I only wish I had said hello.
Bellport Village and Brookhaven Hamlet, located on the south shore of Long Island, are known for their historic charm, scenic waterfront, and vibrant artistic community. We started traveling to Bellport when Sam was a baby and immediately fell in love with the village's quaint charm and laidback vibe. We immediately knew this was our special place, and after four years of shopping, we found a 175-year-old colonial in Brookhaven with an expansive lot and, in our backyard, a dock on Beaver Dam Creek leading out to the Great South Bay. It felt like a fairytale dream come true.
Every great house deserves a name, and in the spirit of Ina, it just felt like a FUN idea. Thus, Haven House was born.
My mom was a woman of incredible creative talents and was a "Martha" in her own right. She faux finished walls and cabinets, tiled the kitchen floor, and sewed curtains and pillows for all of our homes. She is the reason I chose interior design as my major before eventually changing to apparel and textiles. In the spirit of Martha and Jonnie Fay, I look forward to rolling up my sleeves, painting, crafting, and enjoying the slow evolution of this spirited space.
The magic of a historic house is in the traces of families’ pasts, and I want to honor the many lives and histories that have lived within these walls. My goal is to create a comfortable home full of elegance and joy, where colonial architecture meets the southern charm of my upbringing. My current scheming process involves lots of research, marrying historical references with contemporary curation, celebrating its history while making it all our own.
Influenced by early American colonial styles and English design, some historical references that I am excited to honor in Haven House include:
simple furniture made of local wood
clean lines and curves of the architecture, mirrored in the furnishings
hand-whitewashed furniture
handmade natural textiles like quilts and rugs
a muted color palette
Here is a peek at some of the paint colors I will be using. I will share room schemes in the coming months as we progress.
I am so excited to share all of my Haven House adventures with you. Stay tuned next entry for an in-depth guide to how I’m bringing warmth and personality to my white kitchen.