Of the several pristine, beach-ladened islands that extend from New England and New York, Nantucket is perhaps the most remote. Jotting off Cape Cod, this smaller and quainter outcrop has a strong seafaring character and maritime tradition, fishing and whaling in previous centuries. Though it counts among some of the costliest vacation and second home destinations in the United States, it remains less glitzy and more authentic than nearby Martha’s Vineyard or The Hamptons. During the 1960s and 70s, Nantucket was home to a thriving art and craft scene; creatives seeking out respite and renewed inspiration in a serene if sometimes rugged waterfront setting.
When tasked with the complete retrofit of the 1960-built Beachside Hotel, multidisciplinary New York practice Parts and Labor Design (PLD) chose to honor that history by introducing a sophisticated and cohesive scheme, all while ensuring it would still draw in a wide range of guests.
“The Beachside Hotel is a design-forward, family-friendly lifestyle hotel, appealing to everyone, not just folks with children but it’s very welcoming to them, which is unique for Nantucket,” PLD co-founder Jeremy Levitt says. “We wanted families, children, and parents to have an equally great experience.”
Preserving and even restoring much of the original white cedar shingle facade – the vernacular architectural style here – the firm also maintained the original layout of the multi-structure property, which centers on a courtyard lawn – reimagined by Miroslava Ahern Landscape Design Studio. There’s also a pool and various seating areas with choice views. PLD mostly set its sights on carefully revamping common spaces and guest room interiors. The use of locally sourced materials, quality finishes, and art from talents based nearby made all the difference.
The overall intervention renders in a warm earth-tone palette with hints of salmon-like orange and sea-foam green; a slightly Art Deco-esque articulation popular at the moment. Rattan, as well as mid-toned wood wall and ceiling paneling, brings in a beachy vide. Custom amoebic-shaped furnishings nod to the late mid-century modern period referenced. This comprehensive, leaning residential, approach is perhaps best evidenced in the lobby.
“It’s the main gathering point, almost like a living room for the hotel,” Levitt describes. “We designed a beautiful tile-clad fireplace that guests can congregate around as well as the main bar, which straddles the exterior wall, making it easy to access whether you’re inside or out.”
He, his partner Danu Kennedy, and their team outfitted the space with original art by Rhode Island-based talent Sean Spellman and Gayle Fitzpatrick. Brown-toned velvet seating is accentuated by Schumacher pillows. A one-off tiled coffee table developed under the auspices of PLD’s collectible design franchise Known Work is joined by custom seagrass-woven pendant lamps, mosaic vases by Maxine Metbo, and terracotta vessels by Diego Olivero Studio.
The checker-pattern terracotta tile floor continues outdoors as it interplays with wild grasses before enclosing the pool. Other common spaces include a game room; as well as areas that double as intimate dining rooms, yoga studios, and cinemas. “Some of this offering caters to children while being in ear and eye shot of their parents sitting and enjoying a cocktail at the pool,” Kennedy explains. “Each is outfitted with an eclectic mix of vintage and new artworks.”
A particular emphasis on textiles, celebrating the re-emergence of American craft in the 1960s and 70s, carries through the “mid-century modern beach house” inspired guest rooms, each with individual access outdoors and facing the courtyard. Patchwork quilts cover beds with headboards upholstered in plush linen. Context-referential tapestries, paintings, and drawings by the likes of Ron Abedra, Frank Wallace, and Alexandra Merker add to the domestic atmosphere. “What we’re looking to bring to this area is really a place that can accommodate families without compromising on design or experience,” Kennedy concludes.
What: The Beachside Hotel
Where: Nantucket, Massachusetts
How much: Guest rooms starting from $360
Design draw: A reimagined getaway on highly desirably yet remote Nantucket island that is both family-friendly and style-forward. Multidisciplinary New York firm Parts and Labor Design imbued the hotel with a sophisticated site-responsive outfit nodding at the locales history as a creative haven.
Book it: The Beachside Hotel
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Photography by Matt Kisiday.
