Summer Love

An Orleans getaway strikes the right balance between coastal elegance and family friendly.

BY LISA H. SPEIDEL

First came love (of each other and the Cape). Then came marriage (with a wedding at the Wequassett Resort and Golf Club in Harwich).

Then came the purchase of a small summer cottage in nearby Orleans. When kids entered the picture, it was time to scale up.

While there is purposely no overly formal space in this Orleans house, designer Erin Gates sought to create a room that “still had the capacity to feel like a proper dining room.” Side chairs from Maine Cottage—a modern take on a Windsor—flank a table from Arhaus.

Smitten by Orleans, the couple found a house overlooking Little Pleasant Bay. It had everything a young family could want in a summer retreat: a quiet neighborhood, a big yard to romp in, access to the beach and boating. The only issue? The 1980s spec house needed some serious TLC.

With the able team of Erin Gates Design and Hutker Architects by their side, the couple embarked on a gut renovation, reimagining the layout for today’s family—and future generations. The heart of the home is an open