With structural changes complete, Merida and Perkins focused on the home’s furnishings. “Because this is a getaway, we made the décor fun and carefree, both coastal-inspired and city-sophisticated in our signature Tidewater style,” says Merida. The family room’s geometric-patterned carpet—a playful take on a picnic tablecloth—introduces vibrant red into the mostly blue-and-white palette on the main level. Striped, solid, and Greek key-trimmed accent pillows add further touches of red to the white sofas and navy swivel chairs.
In the dining room, pops of red continue in a painted breakfront and on the woven rattan chairs’ seat cushions. To balance the fiery color, Merida and Perkins chose a textural and practical-for-the-climate vinyl wall covering with a trellis pattern in sand and white hues. Decorative accents include classic blue-and-white chinoiserie.
The sitting room, situated across from the dining room’s open casement, offers a slightly more formal space. “We drew its feel and palette directly from the water outside,” says Perkins of the interplay of blues and the patterns that incorporate a sense of movement. At the far end of the room, they placed a desk in a window for either homeowner to work at, if needed, while still enjoying the views.
When it came to the bedrooms, the designers toned down the color. “We didn’t want the whole house to read red, white, and blue,” says Merida. “It would be too trite and expected.” The reds turned into corals and tangerines, and the blues became aquas and teals. The bedrooms also incorporate organic elements, such as the 3-D stacked-wood wall on one side of the master bedroom.
With the project complete, the couple has had plenty of opportunities to both relax and entertain. And perhaps Merida sums up this colorful getaway best: “It just feels like summer.”
