Dan & Sarah’s Bright Modern Cottage

Sarah Rainwater
Sarah Rainwater
published Aug 3, 2010
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Bedroom with green walls, white bedding, decorative pillow, framed plant artwork, and a bedside lamp.
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Name: Dan & Sarah Herchenroether
Location: Newport, Rhode Island
Size: 1,176 square feet
Years lived in: 1.5 years

Dan used all his experience as an architect and whole lot of elbow grease to transform a small cottage on a quiet street away from the tourist hustle and bustle of Newport, Rhode Island from drab and dated (think tons of wood paneling) into a sweet and contemporary family home.

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Dan and Sarah created a space that is restrained and tasteful, reusing and preserving many elements from the original house and furnishing it modestly, but thoughtfully. Bright colors and small luxurious details like a curvaceous yellow tiled bathroom add moments of excitement that don’t overpower their relaxed minimalism. Even their six-month-old son’s small bedroom feels roomy and uncluttered. The couple’s home feels perfectly suited to its locale of Newport, a city rich with history and tradition that is still one of the coolest places in the state to hang out.

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Apartment Therapy Survey:

Our style: Industrial / Modern / New England traditional / Arts & Crafts

Inspiration: Existing details that I saved from the house and Newport’s boating community

Favorite Element: 1st floor bathroom

Biggest Challenge: Keeping the kitchen floor clean (light porcelain tile shows all dirt)

Biggest Embarrassment: The exterior vinyl siding and no kitchen tile back splash

Proudest DIY: The counter tops (wood and concrete)

Best advice: When renovating an existing home try to keep and highlight some of the existing character. Also try to salvage existing building materials. I used my wood lathe for cabinet door infill and old growth wood from existing studs in the breakfast bar and bookcase counter tops.

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Resources of Note:

Hardware: Ikea

Furniture: Overstock

Lighting: Ikea, Forecast, Access, Seagul

Rugs and Carpets: Ikea

Tiles and Stone: Daltile, Waterworks, UDTG

Window Treatments: Ikea

Beds: Overstock

Artwork: Keith Herchenroether

Paint: Sherwin Williams

Flooring: Existing Oak hardwoods sanded and refinished with a cherry stain and clear semi gloss poly coat.

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Thanks, Dan & Sarah!

Images: 3,10,13,14, Dan Herchenroether; All others, Sarah Rainwater

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