a cottage makeover
by Gayla, Coco Blanca
My good friend Ann Scully bought Oakland’s cottage three years ago after a long search. They fell in love with the location on the Tred Avon River in Easton, MD. The house was originally built to be a dance hall for the main Oakland House. Ann and her husband Tom loved the open space that the original dance hall provided. Although the house was the perfect location and the space was great it needed a little updating. They turned to the well known Jack McCarty of Washington, DC. He is known for keeping the integrity of an old house but making it much more functional for a modern and active family. He has done a fabulous job.
Ann collaborated with her good friend and interior designer, Judy Sheehan for furnishing the house. The house is fresh, bright, comfortable and gorgeous. It makes me feel good to be here. I feel like I could curl up on the sofa and read for hours, and check out the beautiful view of the River from the living room every now and then. We at Coco Blanca give it a big nod! In fact Ann found a few items in this gorgeous house at Coco. Some of the art is done by her friend Francis Seeger, from Alexandria who for years painted at the Torpedo Factory.
Ann and Tom are all about friends and family. The Scullys may not have dances but they are very generous with sharing their home and are making their own history in this lovely house only yards from the river. I’m so lucky to be her friend!
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- About the boutique
Using the soothing color palette of a coconut by the sea—whites, neutrals and splashes of turquoise—Coco Blanca has created a trademark look. Her lifestyle boutique offers expert solutions for home design and women’s fashion—blending a clean, fresh, sophisticated, feel-good style.
210 South Union Street
Alexandria, VA 22314
703.535.8002
1 Comment
Hi, I happened upon this article when looking for my grandfather’s Easton Home. And this is it. Arthur R. McKinstry (retired Episcopal Bishop of Delaware) and his wife, Isabelle, lived in this “cottage” from around 1955 until 1965. At that time the Liveley family lived in the house to the left. We had many family gatherings (there were 5 children and ultimately 13 grandchildren) there and we have a number of pictures of those events. It is amazing to see the house and those heart pine floors, the lawn down to the river.