Decorating & Design
Hot Take: Carol Reed Shares Her Modern Approach To Maritime Design
Updated on January 8, 2024
Rooms that blend a modern approach and Maritime character are interior designer Carol Reed’s signature. “East Coast design is naturally unpretentious while reflecting craftsmanship,” she says. Carol runs her interior design firm on Nova Scotia’s South Shore, where she lives. She’s currently renovating a contemporary oceanfront home in St. Margaret’s Bay and her own 1850s Gothic fisherman’s house.
Scroll down to discover her latest design preferences and predictions!
Carol recently restored the kitchen and pantry in this circa-1784 Dutch American home in Shelburne, N.S.
Atmosphere You Like To Create In A House: A feeling of warmth, calm and comfort.
Into: LED lighting. It’s finally won me over. I recently used it in a project to illuminate a cathedral ceiling, and the effect is like daylight spilling in. Try the Hue White Ambiance starter kit by Philips.
Over: I don’t like to label anything as “over” or out. If something is done well and its owners love it, it’s always “in” in my books.
A corner vignette from Carol’s guest barn features an antique Nova Scotia pine cabinet, a classic Windsor chair and vintage Maritime finds.
Choose One Room In The World To Redecorate: Any vacation flat in Edinburgh, Scotland. I’d go modern and luxe, with a dose of crisp linens and handsome tweeds, then I’d scour secondhand shops for vintage accents.
Item In Your Home That Most Reflects Your Personality: A coffee table made by my late brother. It was built a few years ago with salvaged boards from our house and an old wood beam we found washed up on the shore outside. It reflects everything I love and value most.
If You Could Buy Only One More Thing For Your Home: The Artemide Tizio 35 table lamp; it’s timeless and functional.
One East Coast Maker To Know: MacAusland’s Woollen Mills in Bloomfield, P.E.I. I use the blankets in my home, my clients’ homes and gift them for special occasions.
House & Home July/August 2022