Inside Coastal Living Magazine's 2017 Idea House in Newport, Rhode Island. Images property of The Entertaining House

A couple of weeks ago Coastal Living Magazine unveiled its 2017 Idea House in Newport, Rhode Island, built by Horan Building Company with A. Tesa Architecture and designed by Mark D. Sikes to benefit The Boys and Club of Newport County. I was approached by Modenus to attend and feature the home on behalf of Wellborn Cabinet, Inc.

The house was first revealed to a select group of guests, designers and participating sponsors and vendors at the end of June and is now open to the public until September. The home is currently on the market and listed for sale, though under contract - I can't say I'm surprised. I am honored to have been a part of the reveal.

"Wellborn Cabinet is honored to be a national sponsor at this year's Coastal Living Idea Home. Throughout the years, our partnership with Coastal Living has been a tremendous partnership and we are honored to be featured in many rooms of the home."

As always, there's no better way to be inspired than to visit a decorator show house, and there's likely one not to far from you. At the end you'll find my take-aways from The 2017 Coastal Living Idea House. (I happen to love that they refer to these as idea houses!)

This bay-front home with wood shingles, and clean lines resembles many of the newer coastal homes. It's presence, neither grand nor commanding nor humble and unassuming blends well into the landscape. The 5,000 square foot home, sits quietly out on Easton's Point with majestic views of the Atlantic and the famed Cliff Walk just beyond. It wasn't until I walked inside, however, that I saw a congenial home transform into something spectacular, decorated in a classic style and loaded with decorating ideas to awe and inspire.

Once inside you're immediately carried away in a sea of blue and white. I haven't the words to quite describe the interior - although casual by design, there's an air of sophistication in the décor - the selection of the fabrics, the positioning of the furniture, the way everything is pulled together with the various vignettes found throughout. The blue and white lend themselves to the coastal location, which at times is bold and powerful, and others calm and serene. The home, in my opinion, was created to entertain. From the open-plan sitting area and chef's kitchen, to the large and plentiful entertaining spaces including game room, pool area, outside kitchen, and generously sized third-floor deck.

The Idea House is like a richly woven tapestry, where different threads join together to create a beautiful story. In true Mark Sikes style, contrasting layers, patterns, textures and varying hues of blue and white join forces to create the most complimentary of settings. The home flows easily, smoothly - like a river with a gentle current from one space to the next, from the bottom floor to the upper level. The principle sitting area has a classic feel with timeless sensibilities, an air of sophistication in an otherwise casual setting.

It is centrally positioned with the kitchen behind it, sliding doors to the terrace and the pool on one side and sliding doors to the porch on the other with natural sunlight streaming in from both the east and the west, ensuring a well lit space throughout the day. From the main living area we wander over to the kitchen where the blue and white continues to play a prominent role.

The island, lower cabinets and oven stand austerely in a handsome blue, clean and understated. Above a crisp white reflects more natural lighting that pours in from the windows over the sink, off the butler's pantry and by the eating area (not visible from this angle.) In what is often the busiest room of the home, a sense of calm and order exists here. The cabinets, all provided by Wellborn, are the brand's Davenport Square Maple non-beaded inset and painted in Benjamin Moore's NY State of Mind, BM805. The upper cabinetry is shown in Davenport Square with a Maple Porcelain finish non-beaded inset. The beading and ceiling are painted in Farrow & Ball Wimborne White in Full Gloss.

The Butler's Pantry has a sleek sophistication. It's a small space and while many tend to shy away from all the activity in the room, Sikes proves that even small spaces benefit greatly from color and texture. The Cabinets, Wellborn, are Davenport Square Maple and painted in Benjamin Moore Blue Dragon and topped with Cambria countertops. The backsplash is Farrow & Ball closet stripe. The ceiling paper is Quadrille Home Couture, Medallions.

The hallways, dressed in a clean crisp blue and white stripe (Farrow & Ball's Block Print Stripe) have an almost river-like flow guiding you from one room to the next, neatly tying everything together. The simple geometric shapes (Kayce Hughes art) give the space a sense of calm creating a nice juxtaposition against the otherwise busy walls.

The first room I wandered into was this fantastic gingham bedroom. The bold check captures your attention from down the hallway. As you enter the bedroom, daybeds dressed in navy anchor the space with oversized pillows in a complementary pattern and the striped rug below. Pops of color appear in the assorted photographs and art.

Wander through an adjoining Jack and Jill bathroom to what might be a girl's bedroom, reminiscent of a garden room or solarium dressed in blue florals and and blue and white trellis walls with blue botanical prints. Shall we call this room Blue Gardens, perhaps? Directly across the bed, two French doors open onto a nicely sized deck - perfect for enjoying that first cup of coffee or a glass of wine at the end of the day - with sweeping views of coastal Newport beyond.

(Click on the images below to enlarge)

The Master Bedroom, has a softer, gentler feel while incorporating the same layers of texture throughout. A variety of contrasting fabrics and textures marry well together to create a scene that, in this space, is tranquil and relaxing, a contrast from the two bedrooms I showed you prior. Throughout the home, we see Sikes' immaculate attention to even the most minute of details.
(Click on the images below to enlarge)

Another community space lives in between two of the bedrooms, bridging them together. Here, with light woods, light hues, clean lines and geometric shapes, the room offers a beachy California vibe. Directly across the couch another set of French doors offer up the Atlantic Ocean and the Cliff Walk as a powerful backdrop.

With the exception of the bathroom off of the mud room on the main level, the home's bathrooms tend to be simple and fuss-free. White (or pale) walls with simple trim balance out the business of the other spaces.

Below deck.... circling back around and back downstairs tothe lower level. To use the word basement to describe the area doesn't do the area any justice. Downstairs are the media and game rooms.

Contrary to how one might think of a basement, this space, although expansive, is warm and welcoming. A cozy seating area is created around a coffee table adds a touch of sophistication - a word not often used to describe basement spaces! A convergence of varying patterns and pillows create a very easy and lived-in feel.

In the adjoining space just beyond, lies the game room complete with pool table, chess, backgammon and card tables set up against a cozy banquet seem to juxtapose the the light, feminine-like paper. She'll want to call the area hers as much as he'll try to proclaim his man-cave.

Step outside to find a generously sized lap pool and several seating areas, perfect for relaxing and catching some rays, dining or gathering around a fire pit and making s'mores (not shown.) There's much I haven't shown you, but the house will be featured in the September issue of Coastal Living Magazine. For those of you who have questions of items you see photographed throughout the home, please do not hesitate to reach out to me for product information and details.

I've always found that show houses are great places to gather up ideas for one's own space, more so than flipping through the pages of my shelter magazines as they offer 360 degree views of a single space. It's a good way to see what's on trend, what styles have staying power, and how to give the classics an updated and freshened up look.

My takeaways from Coastal Living Magazine's 2017 Idea House:

Blue and white is a classic color combination that will always have staying power
The blue and white combination continues to be a popular choice among designers and can be used to create the most casual of spaces and the most sophisticated of spaces
Create vignettes in spaces to tell a story, whether it's a styled coffee table, desk or room
Mixing patterns - Florals, stripes, checks and plaids, for example - look gorgeous together
Mixing varying forms of one hue together creates depth and dimension
Mixing textures - wicker, leather, woods, ceramic, glass, for example - create a richer and more sophisticated space
Wallpaper has returned as a popular choice to dress up a room.
Fabric wallpaper is becoming a popular choice among designers
Patterns, whether on accessories such as pillows or rugs, on furniture or walls, are en vogue
A home can be both casual and sophisticated
Although a classic, wicker, both white and natural, are becoming more prevalent
Artwork doesn't need to be fussy, fancy or expensive - simple geometric shapes and photography (of all genres) are making a comeback
Plants and flowers are a must! Every room in the idea house has either a bouquet of fresh flowers or a plant
Details matter! From cabinetry to appliances - both large and small - to paint color and trimmings, the details all matter!

If you need any product information please do not hesitate to reach out to me and I will do my best to locate the source and vendor!

For those of you planning a visit to Newport this summer, I highly recommend you stop by for a quick visit. It's right on the beaten path and won't take you out of your way from any sight-seeing or eating!

316 Tuckerman Avenue, Newport, RI

* This was a sponsored post and written on behalf of Wellborn Cabinets, LLC. The ideas expressed are solely my own.

Inside Coastal Living Magazine's 2017 Idea House in Newport, Rhode Island

"Wellborn Cabinet is honored to be a national sponsor at this year's Coastal Living Idea Home. Throughout the years, our partnership with Coastal Living has been a tremendous partnership and we are honored to be featured in many rooms of the home."

My takeaways from Coastal Living Magazine's 2017 Idea House: