Back when Molly and Michael Young rented a charming Colonial cottage for their nuptials on Nantucket, Massachusetts, they couldn’t have dreamed that one day they’d be saying “I do” to buying it. “When we were making our wedding plans, we came across this adorable jewel box, and we loved it right away,” Molly says. “It had so much character, and it served as the perfect central meeting point for all our friends and family throughout the week.”
Ten years and four children later, the Youngs were outgrowing a different home on the island (“We had a baby sleeping in a closet,” Molly says). So when Molly spied an online listing for their four-bedroom, four-bathroom marital retreat, she didn’t hesitate to contact the owners directly to let them know they had a buyer. “I don’t even think I texted my husband first,” she says. “I just knew that it was meant for our family.”
Like many properties on Nantucket, the circa-1998 house came fully furnished, which allowed Molly, a designer and co-owner of Connecticut-based BY Interiors, to slowly evolve the rooms to better reflect both her style and her family’s needs. She rotated out existing furnishings for new finds from both her favorite sources and Facebook Marketplace, repurposed other pieces, sprinkled in some family treasures, and rolled out a lot of wallpaper. “My husband gets a little wary when he sees me with a measuring tape, for good reason,” she says. “I managed to get wallpaper in seven rooms. If there was beadboard or paneling, it precluded me from getting wallpaper on there. Otherwise, no wall was safe!”
Now that the home is wholly their own, Molly says she can’t imagine summer without the sound of the back door slamming a hundred times a day. Neither can the kids: “My youngest two think we’ve always been here because it’s in all our wedding photos.”
Take a tour of their dream family home below:
Weathered Shingles
The Nantucket Historic District Commission allows only a few approved exterior paint colors. Here, the homeowners chose Gardner Green, a dark, almost black shade of green (from the Nantucket Historical Collection) for the front door and shutters.
Hand-painted Accents
Featuring crisp white walls and a blue-and-white painted floor, the light-and-bright entry remains well equipped with island-life provisions. The whimsical whale wall hanging was crafted by a local artisan.
Located just off the entry, a built-in desk area and pretty chair make it possible to access stellar views while getting down to business.
Get the Look:
Office chair: by Coley Home
Wall paint color: White Dove by Benjamin Moore
Coastal Colors
In the living room, Molly leaned into her surroundings with sandy-hued grasscloth wallpaper and layers of calming blues via gingham fabric on the generous sectional as well as a floral rug. Though she wasn’t initially a fan of the original plantation shutters, she’s made her peace with them. “They’re chipped and falling apart in some places, but it’s charming how the sun comes through them crookedly,” she says. “They’re also a nice contrast to the fresh paint and the more ‘designed’ rooms.”
Get the Look:
Wallpaper:“Woodrow” by Thibaut
Sectional: “Miramar” by Serena & Lily
Sectional fabric: “Classic Gingham” by Perennials
Quilt: Garnet Hill
Pillow fabrics: “Beatriz” by Schumacher and “Titania” by Sister Parish
Rug: L&M Custom Carpets
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Shipworthy Ceiling
Designed to make the space feel like the hull of a ship, the dining room’s magnificent mahogany ceiling is complemented by a scenic mural by Nantucket designer Audrey Sterk. New floral seat cushions and slipcovers, grasscloth chandelier shades, and a woven rug add soft color and texture.
Get the Look:
Wall mural: “Nantucket Panorama” by Audrey Sterk
Seat cushions and slipcovers:“Harper” by Leah O’Connell Textiles
Rug: Stanton Carpet
Pretty & Practical Upholstery
A back den with an open-door policy requires easy-breezy furnishings such as a comfortable roll-arm sofa, a coffee table with an upholstered top, and a pair of spindle chairs, as well as nautical-themed artwork by Mary Maguire.
Get the Look:
Sofa, coffee table, and spindle chairs: all by Serena & Lily
Sofa upholstery fabric: “Holden” by Thibaut
Chair upholstery fabric: “Tarka” by Jane Churchill
Coffee table insert upholstery fabric: “Hor Seku” by Namay Samay
Artwork: Mary Maguire Art
Upper cabinets with glass fronts create division between the family room and the kitchen. Friends and family are encouraged to pull up stools to the teak countertop down below.
Get the Look:
Kitchen stools: Serena & Lily
Warm Woods
All the main elements of the kitchen—including the flooring, the cabinetry, and the teak countertops—remain true to the time when the Youngs initially stayed there. “It’s something I remember most from back then,” Molly says. “Everyone wants a huge kitchen these days, but this is the perfect size for us.”
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Cozy Corners
While the kitchen was already outfitted with brick flooring, Molly and her design partner, Jess Bauers (both pictured), updated the kitchen’s corner dining space with white paint and a new wicker-and-aged brass chandelier. But the star of the room is the new plaid-cushioned built-in banquette, which quickly became a favored perch for mini goldendoodle Rory and everyone else in the family. “I love having an informal family eating space that can also be used to play mahjong,” Molly says. “It’s not at all precious—the kids always have an art project going on, whether that’s friendship bracelets or kinetic sand.”
Get the Look:
Chandelier and sconce: both by Mitzi
Banquette fabric: “Boyd Check” by Schumacher
RELATED: More Breakfast Nook Design Ideas for a Stylish Start to Every Day
A Sea of Blues
The light-filled guest room is now home to a sea of blues, including a floral stripe on the shapely upholstered headboard and the window seat and bold stripes on the bedding.
Get the Look:
Headboard and window seat fabric:“Cabanon Stripe” by Schumacher
Bedding: “Beach Club Stripe” duvet cover by Serena & Lily
RELATED: Guest Bedroom Ideas to Create a Cozy Space for Company
Architectural Details
A transom adds old-school charm to a guest room, along with a shell-patterned wallpaper and a handsome checked textile on a stately bed frame.
Get the Look:
Wallpaper:“Appleton” by Sister Parish
Upholstered headboard: Serena & Lily
Headboard upholstery and bed skirt fabric: “Camden Check” by Schumacher
Stars & Stripes
A family of six with a steady stream of summer visitors requires a fun sleepover space, so Molly converted a ho-hum twin bedroom into the ultimate sleep-a-crowd retreat. She started with built-in beds topped with graphic cotton coverlets and shams and then sprinkled in some stars (wallpaper) and stripes (rug). A display of vintage tennis racquets—including one that belonged to Molly’s father—is a winning finishing touch.
Original closet doors with a school of fish—cod, bonito, bluefish, and striped bass—hand-painted by artist Karen Ward keep the room on theme.
Get the Look:
Coverlets: “Midnight Nova” by Pendleton
Shams:Serena & Lily
Wallpaper: “Big Trixie” by Hinson from Scalamandre
Rug: Fibreworks
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Nautical Nods
Nautical wallpaper makes a splash in the powder bath.
Get the Look:
Wallpaper: “Coromandel Coast” by Les Indiennes
RELATED: Powder Room Decorating Ideas That Add Storage and Style
Alfresco Furnishings
The exterior of the shingled backyard shed provides a place of honor for an American flag. Inside, it’s a catchall for bikes, floats, beach toys, soccer balls, and everything else that screams “summer!”
Every morning before making their way to the beach, the Youngs enjoy breakfast in the backyard dining area, where brick floors extend from the interior and a teak table and chairs are set up for cereal and coffee. They return to the scene and set the table for casual lunches and dinners, often with a selection from Molly’s collection of block-print tablecloths from India.
A Touch of Nostalgia
One of Molly’s favorite features of the house is the outdoor shower. “On a busy summer day, there are dozens of pairs of flip-flops piled up there and a handful of bathing suits hanging from the hooks,” she says. “There’s something really nostalgic about it.”
This story first appeared in the June/July 2026 issue of Country Living. Photographs by Annie Schlechter; styling by Raina Kattelson.
