By Leslie Linsley

Author of “Nantucket Island Living”

January 2025

March is the perfect time to become a house inspector. Assess your home for a carefree summer. Walk through your house with pad and pen. Make a check list with two columns: one for easy DIY projects, another, for things that require hiring someone. Then prioritize the list by importance.

My friend Liz just had her powder room wallpapered with a bold geometric pattern that has a Moroccan vibe, and covered walls and ceiling for a cocoon-like feeling. A bold print in a small room is dramatic. Farrow & Ball’s wallpaper patterns are as sensational as their paint colors. Lotus is a white-on-white pattern that’s bold but elegantly subtle. (Samples in Home Furnishings). Add a new toilet and faucets, mirror the wall behind the sink or find an interesting, oversized hanging mirror. Let Shamona or Donna in the Home Furnishings Showroom help you find a new window treatment. I’m partial to shutters because you can adjust the light and ventilation, but more importantly they always look like they belong in a Nantucket home. Select accessories and towels in shades of color found in the wallpaper. 

Lighting might be one of the most important elements in the look, use and feel of a home. I have the annoying habit of adjusting the lighting when I visit friends. Lighting creates a mood. Assess each room and try the lighting at different settings at different times of day and evening. The lamps in my dining room are on one switch and set exactly where it best flatters food and people.  A small, dimly lit table lamp in an entryway is welcoming. I  like a small lamp in the powder room, on a kitchen counter or tucked into a bookcase. Lighting connects rooms and can be adjusted for a seamless transition or a dramatic change in mood, depending on the intent. Finding the right lighting is trial-and-error, easily perfected. When rooms are used for only one purpose, like an office or a dining room, once you get the lighting right, you can set it and leave it there without constantly fiddling with the setting. If you’re building new, all lights should be on separate dimmers if possible. 

When we built our house, we designed the placement of windows and doors so the rooms would be filled with natural light in all seasons. Now, thirty-five years later I am enormously grateful for that decision. Placement, size and style of windows and doors is a big consideration for a house improvement project. Spend some time in the Window and Door Gallery for inspiration. Aside from natural light, artificial light from various light bulbs and different types of lighting fixtures can enhance mood and use of space. (See Dirck’s column)

Painting is an easy project. Pick up a bunch of Benjamin Moore and Farrow & Ball color samples from Marine's Paint Dept. for inspiration. Refresh a room with a new paint color on one wall. I’ve done a lot of painting and faux finishing. Sponging is the easiest way to add texture and if you do a section and don’t like the results you simply paint over it. Start with a small project like an occasional table, or plant stand. It might be too soon to repair, stain and water seal your deck, but if you assemble the materials now you’ll be ready for warmer weather.

Paint-Can Tip:

When I open a new can of paint, I use a long nail to hammer holes evenly spaced around the inside rim. The paint drips back into the can when you swipe the brush against it. Another trick - slide a heavy rubber band across the middle of the open can. Wipe the brush against the band each time you dip it into the paint. Neater for replacing the lid! 

Antidote for March Madness: Make the most of these last weeks of winter!