Saybrook Coastal Chic

Saybrook Coastal Chic: A Design Journey

In 2022, after having lived in several different states, raised three children and spent over 30 years together, Bill and Diane Schofield decided to finally renovate their own dream beach cottage here in Old Saybrook. While contractors were hard at work doing demo and work on the inside of the cottage, the Schofield’s spent their time at Saybrook Home working with Senior Designer Molly to bring an inspiring, yet traditional design to their new home. Not something that happens overnight, the design process of an entire cottage requires many decisions to be made, lots of options to work, technical things to think through, and more. Molly’s time with the Schofields, however, was a true pleasure and a journey that was ultimately rewarding for her personally and professionally. Here’s a glimpse into the process from inspiration to installation. 

A Collaborative Process

Molly first brought the Schofield’s through the fabric room here in Old Saybrook.  Already splayed out across our work tables, Molly had assembled finishes, patterns, fabrics, printouts of furniture pieces, all grouped together by room. The Schofield’s had provided a tile sample of their kitchen counters and from there, Molly curated a color story she thought was best. During this initial presentation, Molly was able to read the Schofield’s reactions and pick up on important clues that would determine the direction of the project moving forward. Seeing how Diane and Bill reacted to certain things compared to others, helps to narrow focus and know exactly what to bring to the table for them.

Making Decisions

After giving Diane a few furniture ideas, Molly then brought the Schofield's to specific pieces of furniture on the floor to actually sit in and feel out. They discussed how each room would be lived in, if the Schofield’s wanted to sit or truly lounge. Finding options for the living room, Molly and the Schofield’s also decided on custom fabric for stools under the kitchen island and a complimentary fabric for chairs in the eat-in kitchen area. 

After talking over fabric choices for the kitchen and seating options for the living room and porch, Molly brought the Schofields to the rug department to flip through our piles of hand-knotted, one-of-a-kind area rugs for the great room. Aspiring for a casual feel to curl up and watch TV or lounge around to chat with family, Diane and Bill knew they would fall in love with the right rug when they saw it. With Molly’s artistic eye and the help of Rug Department Manager Jeff Irwin, the Schofield’s were sold on two beautiful rugs. 

Connecting with Molly

The Schofields found Molly through the Saybrook Home website. Impressed with her work and connecting to her style, Diane reached out. Reuniting like old friends, Diane, Bill and Molly bounced back and forth off of each other’s energy. It was an invigorating process, initiating a spirit that continued through to the completion of the project and has lasted through the years.

Today, Molly is working with the Schofields again to help them design their Florida home. Though most of the work has to be done remotely, presenting some interesting challenges, Molly’s dedication to bringing the Schofields’ vision to life has made the process as seamless as possible.

Molly's take on updated, coastal living on the Connecticut shoreline.  

To set up a consultation with Molly Dodd, click here.