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With an Eye on the Past
A 19TH-CENTURY DAIRY BARN TAKES ON A
NEW LIFE AS A SOPHISTICATED AND ROMANTIC COUNTRY RETREAT.
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When
the sun rises over Little Compton, Rhode Island, the scenery is
almost too picturesque to be real. The combination of country
homes, stone walls, farmland, woodlands, marshes and beaches is
stunning. So much so that when a farmer- tilling the same soil
that has been in his family since the 17th century- suddenly looks
up from his work, the beauty startles even him.
LEFT: GOTHIC STYLE LEADED
GLASS WINDOWS WERE SALVAGED FROM A RECTORY IN LITTLE COMPTON AND
INSTALLED IN THE KITCHEN AND LIVING ROOM |
Brett Carlson, who grew up in Pennsylvania and has
lived in Wisconsin and California, first discovered Little Compton
several summers ago while visiting a college friend. Needless to say, he
fell in love with the bucolic New England hamlet. In 1995, while living
in California, Brett purchased a home in Little Compton. But not just
any ordinary home-rather, a 19th-century dairy barn that had been
converted into a 2,500-square-foot residence and was situated less than
one mile from the Atlantic Ocean. Even though Brett was excited about
relocating to the East Coast, he had one hurdle to clear. He had to
convince his fiancée, Stacy, to leave her job at a San Francisco-based
architectural firm and move to Rhode Island. Stacy, who grew up in
Arizona and had been living in San Francisco for eight years, was not
opposed to the idea.
In fact, she had
always dreamed of changing careers and opening a store. Her
grandparents had once owned a retail store in the Midwest and she
often thought of following in their footsteps. Fortunately for
Brett, Stacy viewed the move as an opportunity to fulfill a dream.
By 1998, the couple officially increased the population of Little
Compton from 3,336 to 3,338. They also became the proprietors of
Lou Lou's Decor, a quaint shop located in nearby historic Tiverton
Four Corners that specializes in high-end European country
furnishings and accessories such as imported linens, pottery,
glassware, lamps and artwork.
RIGHT: MORE THAN TWO DOZEN
DAIRY COWS USED TO RESIDE IN WHAT IS NOW A FORMAL LIVING ROOM.
STACY CARLSON DECORATES WITH AN ABUNDANCE OF PILLOWS, BELIEVING
THEY ADD DIMENSION TO A ROOM'S DECOR. |
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