This coastal retreat by Barrie Benson was designed for sandy feet and sun-soaked days. The nature-inspired hues, use of restraint and easy flexible layout make the Figure Eight home feel like one big exhale.
- “We wanted it to feel just as good coming in from the boat as it does hosting a full house of friends and family,” Barrie tells Scoop.
Non-negotiables: The owner loves to cook, so a hardworking (but still beautiful) kitchen with the best views of the sound was essential.
- “Matt oriented the heart of the home—the kitchen and den—around those views so her family could gather, linger, and be together while she cooks,” Barrie says.
Approach: The magic behind this home is in the restraint. You won’t find heavy patterns or wallpaper; instead Barrie and her team leaned into subtlety, letting materials, scale, and small details do the talking.
In the details: “The main living spaces stay calm and textured through materials like rope, rattan, grasscloth, caning, white oak, and even crushed shells—letting those quieter tones and natural elements set the mood,” Barrie says.
- The team pulled colors from the sound, like soft blues and sandy neutrals, into the home to create an atmospheric sense of calm. In more intimate moments you’ll find sunset-inspired hues like red, yellow and purple.
Hunt for perfection: “We did a big sourcing trip to Palm Beach and found some incredible vintage pieces,” Barrie shares.
- It’s a layered mix that feels collected over time, from the Fornasetti vegetable plates in the dining room, to the Isabel Bigelow series and Thomas Hager tide pool photograph all subtly working to bring a sense of the outside in.
Design team: Barrie Benson Studio; Arcade Architecture/Matt Benson; Kingpost Builders/Adam Butler; and Avery Parcell (project manager/designer).
Explore this thoughtful escape from the city.
Photos by Paul Costello
