During the early part of the pandemic, David and Wendy Greenfield spent time in the Ocean State, closer to their adult children. Because of pandemic restrictions, their daughter Laurel postponed her Newport wedding by a year, but she and her fiance Jeff were determined to marry. The Greenfields rented a house in Portsmouth and hosted a 20-person backyard wedding. “After spending six weeks in Rhode Island that summer, we decided that this was where we wanted to retire,” says Wendy.
The two bought a weekend getaway home just a stone’s throw from the serene Sakonnet River in October of 2020. The three-bedroom, three-bath single-family Colonial, built in 1976, was admittedly dated but the location sold them. “Tucked away in a small quiet neighborhood close to the water, we were able to see the potential of what we could do with the house,” explains Wendy. Two years later, when the Greenfields had retirement in their sights, they decided to keep the original footprint of the house and embark on a comprehensive renovation.
To execute their vision of a home that was “sophisticated while also being comfortable and welcoming to our guests,” the couple turned to all local talent: Newport-based Maloney Interiors, an interior architecture and design firm led by Ally Maloney Winzer, and Hurd Construction in Portsmouth. “Managing the complexities of a full-home gut remodel, along with all of the design decisions, from afar was too much for them to do on their own,” Maloney Winzer explains, as the Greenfields were still living full time in the Hudson Valley. Maloney Winzer managed
the logistics, budgets, and installations, allowing the Greenfields to take a breath while their vision came to life further north. The result is a completely reinvented home with a generous open kitchen and a newly added screened-in porch with a fireplace and heaters, enabling the Greenfields to enjoy it most of the year.
The home’s modern seaside farmhouse aesthetic blends complementary styles and colors throughout. “We knew we didn’t want the house to feel too beachy, so we went with ‘coastal chic,’ using turquoise, beige, and white to evoke the feeling of water and sand,” explains Wendy.
“We love living so close to the beach and exploring Newport, Jamestown, and Bristol, as well as having easy access to Boston where our daughters and grandson live,” says Wendy. “There is so much to do and see in Rhode Island and on Aquidneck Island.”
Ideas and resources for making the most of living in the Ocean State.
The Greenfields describe their home as a “modern coastal cottage,” and while they wanted to embrace the feel of a beach house, they also wanted a “year-round cozy feel” to the home. They found decor with a nautical nod at Yes! Gallery in Wickford and Ben’s Furniture in Newport, plus fashionable finds at Stalise, a boutique in Portsmouth.
The couple enjoys seeking out new food adventures together, and count Ida’s Restaurant and Pasta Vino in Middletown, Jax Diner in Portsmouth, and Venda Ravioli in Providence among their favorites. When cooking at home, they turn to local purveyors, including Aquidneck Meat Market in Middletown.
“Coastal design doesn’t have to be preppy, blue and white, or like anything you’ve ever seen before,” says Maloney Winzer. Learn more about her services and style at MaloneyInteriors.com.
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