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Inside the Ocean House

Designers open the door to style at an iconic seaside resort

When you drive around the curvy, hydrangea-lined road to arrive at the Ocean House resort in Watch Hill, Rhode Island, for a moment you can focus on only one thing: the view. From the front drive or the wraparound porches or the croquet court or Seasons restaurant, that expanse of deep-blue water is always in the background. And thanks to the $140 million restoration of the grand Victorian hotel, the view inside the luxury property rivals the beauty of the natural setting.

In addition to 49 guest rooms, the hotel features private residences, all decorated by noted designers. As part of a Designer Show House event, these residences opened their doors to the public to raise funds for non-profit organizations. The Show Your Cause event ends on June 22, but some of the special homes on the property can still be visited. Some of the residences are available to guests this summer and a few are also for sale. Here's a sneak peek inside the stylish oceanfront interiors.

Design by Iliana Moore

With its Anglo-Indian style, this residence combines dark mahogany with white linen and Indian dhurrie rugs for a British Colonial feel. "Last November, Deb Royce and I took a trip to India and this is an homage to our trip," says designer Iliana Moore. While in India, Moore visited the Tea Plantation in Darjeeling, where she bought all of the linens including the handmade, beautifully detailed bedding. The living room, with its many windows overlooking the ocean, blends choice antiques, including a late-19th-century mahogany drop-leaf table and chairs, with newer furnishings, such as the Madeline Weinrib rug. Original works of art—Shaw & Nodder English 18th-century sea-life prints and a 1921 painting by Susan Makepeace Larkin Wales—as well as one-of-a kind shell lamps are the sea-inspired touches that finish the space. 

Design by Hilary Heminway

A Stonington, Connecticut-based designer who grew up spending summers in Watch Hill, Hilary Heminway describes her style as 'chameleon.' "It's all about the client," explains Heminway, who studied Fine Art at Boston University and the New School and is assisted in her work by Stephanie Seidel, who has a background in design. "When you get lucky enough to do a project like this, it's like painting a picture," she says. Heminway started with a few key pieces for this residence and built from there. The custom, round weathered table, above left, is from Furn & Co. and the walls get their rustic sensibility from a Noblis faux-bois wallcovering, a paper Heminway says she always wanted to use. The sofa and ottoman, center, are from FDO in Boston and covered in a Studio 534 fabric, while the cloud-inspired painting in the living room is by local artist Constance Kilgore. Tableware is from Juliska.

Design by Peter Niemitz

This welcoming space designed by Boston-based Peter Niemitz, who also designed all of the guest rooms at the resort, is filled with inviting seats at every turn. "It's a relaxed, seaside style without getting cute or cliche," says Niemitz. "It's a little more urban and sophisticated in feel." In the master bedroom, above left, Niemitz turned a small alcove into a cozy reading nook. Outside, the decor is intentionally simple with striped cushions and ceramic garden stools to keep the emphasis on the view. The breezy, elegant living room (above right) showcases an eclectic mix of styles from a chair upholstered in Ikat and a "tree" lamp to French chairs and a woven cotton rug from Tibet.

 Design by Lisa Ballou and Susan Loney of Art Design Interiors; Art Selection by Cade Tompkins

In this spacious residence, the color palette sets the tone, with a departure from the classic beach-front blue. Providence-based designers Ballou and Loney chose salmon and green as the dominant hues. "We were interested in making sure the design works year-round," says Ballou. "We strive to find a middle ground between traditional and more contemporary." Besides the chic palette, what ties this space-for-all-seasons together is the art, curated by Cade Tompkins. All of the pieces pick up on elements of nature. In the living room, a stone fireplace becomes even more of a focal point with the Jamie Allen painting hung above it. In the brightly colored entryway, a zebra rug makes a contemporary statement, punctuated by the Passion Flower by Karen Moody Tompkins and etchings by Nancy Friese and Serena Perrone.

 Designed by Cindy Rinfret

The Watch Tower, as this residence is known, offers four levels of some of the most phenomenal views anywhere. Says Greenwich-based designer Cindy Rinfret, "The architecture is so strong and the views are so strong, that I didn't want to compete with the outside. The all blue-and-white color scheme makes it more seamless." Huge, circular windows evoke a ship and a wooden spiral staircase leads to the 6-by-20-foot widow's walk above, which is accessed by a ladder. In the main living area, left and right, Rinfret chose wing chairs covered in a Kravet fabric and she upholstered corner windowseats to provide plenty of space for reading and beach watching. Ocean themes are played out with charts of the local waters on the bathroom walls and a gallery of sailing photography. "There is a suggestion of shells and seaside, but I didn't want it to be overly nautical," says Rinfret. "I wanted it to feel like the person who furnished it likes to travel."