Her interior designs offer a nuanced take on the coastal aesthetic
Photos by Michael J. Lee
Somewhere along the way, coastal New England stopped being just a place and became a cultural marker. Long defined by fluffy, sky-blue hydrangeas, weathered cedar shingles, canvas totes and lobster rolls, the lifestyle found its way into interior design and, over the years, manifested in crisp, white shiplap, seagrass rugs, and navy stripes on everything from decorative throws to patio furniture. Rooted in our collective nautical heritage, it’s an aesthetic that’s become iconic, and not going anywhere anytime soon.
But for interior designer Desiree Burns, coastal design doesn’t have to be so literal. At her eponymous firm, “coastal” is loosely defined. “Our signature aesthetic does lean a little bit coastal, but it’s not nautical. At all. You won’t see that anywhere in the portfolio, even though we live in New England. And I think that’s really what makes us special and sets us apart from other coastal designers,” says Burns. “I think that’s also influenced by my time in L.A. Typically, our projects have a little bit more of a West Coast/Californian coastal feel, and Mediterranean coastal, versus the typical nautical, New England coastal.”
Burns splits her time between Boston and her home perched above Newport’s Goose Neck Cove. She spent the latter half of her college years and much of her 20s in Los Angeles, giving the Northeast native a broader perspective on what coastal design could look like. Describing her personal design pillars as “organic, modern, and very earthy,” Burns works with clients to bring spaces to life via thoughtful color palettes, layered textures, and pieces that merge vibrancy and personality.
She first considers the exterior aesthetic of a residence and what renovations may be planned, she says, as well as existing furnishings that are committed to the spaces. “Just narrowing the scope of work depending on what we’re doing,” Burns says. Getting to know what the client is inspired by gets the ball rolling, she explains, and helps people best articulate how they want their space to feel. For Burns, that starting point also ensures both parties — designer and homeowner — are aligned and on the same page.
Next comes brass tacks: functionality. While vision is essential, a home isn’t an abstraction; it’s a place that has to function day to day. “How are they going to live in the space? Do they have pets? Kids?” asks Burns. That’s when the conversation turns to flow, durability, and practicality, and how the space needs to support everyday life. In and around Newport, she’s found her clients typically lean toward a coastal vibe, but that can actualize in a variety of ways. For a client on Middletown’s Indian Avenue, for example, just a stone’s throw from the Sakonnet River, that meant bringing the outdoors in with a neutral palette — soft gray walls that echo a foggy New England sky, natural fiber rugs, comfortable, sand-toned sofas, natural wood tables and chairs with clean lines, and meaningful artwork throughout. The result is a modern space that still feels warm and inviting.
“Artwork is a really great way to personalize space,” says Burns. “I’ve found that oftentimes, clients have artwork passed down from generations.”
In a home she designed in the heart of Newport, she juxtaposed the simplicity of white furnishings on the main floor with eye-catching wallpapers in different spaces, rattan light fixtures, and gold finishes. But a color scheme need not be uniform to feel cohesive; only intentional. One bedroom in the home, for example, shifts the palette with floor to ceiling navy extending across the walls, trim, radiator, window frame, and closet door. Juxtaposed by white bed linens, it’s pillows and a throw blanket that bring all the elements together, while a bohemian-inspired, wood-beaded chandelier adds a contemporary but whimsical touch.
She wanted the home she and her husband own in Newport to feel as though they are “on vacation every day,” Burns says. Their initial renovations were minor and mostly cosmetic, save for removing a few walls to marry the kitchen and the living room. “Like you’re walking into the hotel lobby, and you sit down and have a coffee — that’s kind of the vibe that I wanted the living room to feel,” she describes.
The reimagined kitchen traded existing purple walls for airy white ones anchored by natural wood base cabinetry and gold fixtures. A functional island allows for additional seating, while a pair of palm leaf pendant lights gently sways in the salty breeze. “I got those in Nantucket. I was on vacation over the summer, just staying there for the weekend, and got them at a little boutique named Nomad and brought them home with me,” she says, laughing. “I was like, ‘I cannot leave these behind.’”
The pendants are just one example of the designer’s ability to prove that organic and glam can harmoniously coexist. Rattan pieces, for example, can be found throughout the home, adding another layer of natural but elevated style. “I just love rattan,” Burns says. “It has a really great way of grounding a space and bringing visual interest with its texture. Honestly, it goes with anything, so I find myself throwing it in.”
Just steps from the kitchen island is a wet bar that exemplifies the couple’s joie de vivre. Ideal for entertaining, its arched nook adds architectural interest while wood shelves display bottles and chic glassware. The real scene-stealer, however, is the bar’s vibrant wallpaper, featuring Monstera leaves, leopards, and a toucan.
“I wanted to keep things kind of light and airy, again, to get that ‘you’re on the beach, on vacation, somewhere on an island,’ feeling. And we incorporated a lot of tropical vacation-type of artwork,” Burns shares. “We used a lot of places we had actually been to — pictures of Italy and the Greek islands — some of our favorite travel destinations.” While everyone’s spaces are deeply personal, Burns says people can capture a coastal feel without being literal. “I think it’s really in material use [like] color palette. light greens and blues pick that up really beautifully, and incorporating the use of different organic materials, like wood coffee tables and jute rugs, things like that.”
“There’s a really beautiful way of weaving in coastal without being pinstripes and navy. I don’t think there’s a formula,” says Burns. “I don’t really love to follow rules. I think you just do what you love and design what you want to wake up to every day.”
