a sense of place: designing our forever family home by the sea
Monday was one of the most exciting milestones in our renovation so far. We finally had the lighting installed above the island and dining table, and the moment we’d all been waiting for arrived: Beatrix, our blue range (named after Beatrix Potter), was brought into the kitchen. We were absolutely thrilled.
There are a few small adjustments to position Beatrix perfectly, and once that’s done I’ll share more photos of how she looks in her new home.
Our kitchen is still a work in progress, with a few finishes and details being finalized, but I wanted to show the new lighting and tell a bit of the story behind our design choices. I truly appreciate everyone’s excitement about Beatrix and the kitchen as it takes shape—it means so much to us.
This kitchen is deeply meaningful to our family in ways a photo can’t fully capture. Today I want to share how our history and memories have influenced its design and why this space feels like home.
Many of you who have followed our home projects know we’ve poured our hearts into every place we’ve lived. Those homes became part of our family’s story, and you’ve shared in that attachment—sometimes even feeling sad when we had to move on. That is the real power of home.
Leaving beloved homes is never easy because each space holds memories of seasons in our lives and becomes part of who we are.
My parents also left behind homes that mattered, including the house where I grew up, places our children remember, and our cherished family beach cottage. Each home has been a chapter in our lives, shaping memories and connections that we carry forward.
None of those houses were the “forever home” of my dreams, but each one left an imprint on our family’s story. For those chapters and the memories they hold, we are grateful.
We have countless memories tied to places we love—homes, islands, and coastal settings where we’ve spent time over the years. These places form vivid images in our minds of rooms and moments where meaningful family life unfolded.
Those memories shape our sense of home and influence what we want this house to be for our family going forward.
That’s why timeless design mattered so much when planning our kitchen.
We knew the decisions we made here would leave a lasting impression on our family, so we designed the space to feel warm, welcoming, and familiar—as if it had always been part of our story. We wanted the kitchen to be the heart of the home: a place where past and present meet and where future family moments will be made.
For those reasons I selected classic materials—marble, soapstone, and beadboard—that have enduring appeal. We also included display areas to celebrate seasonal decorating and to keep everyday life beautiful and lived-in.
Rather than view a smaller footprint as limiting, we embraced every inch intentionally. A dream or forever home doesn’t need to be large—homes come in all shapes and sizes. We made a conscious choice long ago to aim for a small, charming, “huggable” home, and living by the sea has always been a dream for our family.
The scent of salt air, sandy walks, boats in marinas, and ferry rides between islands are all part of the memories that make this place feel like home to me. It’s no surprise that island life resonates so strongly with us.
Our new home has a true sense of place.
It’s the connection to history, to stories, and to the landscape that draws us back—this sense of place gives our home meaning.
I’m excited to share how these spaces continue to evolve as we settle into our forever family home by the sea and build new memories here.
Thank you for following along with our home journey.
Do you have homes or places that are a meaningful part of your family’s story? I’d love to hear about them in the comments.
You can catch up on my remodeling posts in the remodel category on my site.