J oshua Deaner almost didn ’ t buy the property that became his family ’ s swanky and inviting vacation home .
It was a little bit out of their price range and needed a lot of work to boot . ( The contemporary split-level was built in 1980 with the decor to match .)
But he loved the location , down a dirt path in quaint Little Compton , surrounded by 2.4 acres of verdant lawn , trees and shrubbery , and the garage would make the perfect studio for his fine art photography practice . Plus , his wife and teenage son already loved the tranquil locale .
“ We ’ d been coming to Little Compton for years and always just felt like it was kind of going back in time to this beautiful , quiet , serene area ,” says Deaner , a Providence-based artist and realtor . “ The air just smells different here .”
They bought the home in October 2018 and embarked upon a yearlong extensive renovation project , ripping out carpeting , tearing out dated cabinets and bathroom fixtures , painting walls in gleaming shades of white and hollowing out the main staircase to create an airy , museum-quality showpiece of metal and teak .
The shabby home that had sat on the market for six months morphed into a sleek haven of modern design , art , found treasures and fun pops of color , filled with all of today ’ s cuttingedge conveniences .
An avid collector , Deaner strategically placed antiques , family heirlooms and conversation pieces throughout the space . The door to the downstairs bathroom , for example , involved a fivehour roundtrip drive to Mongers Market in Bridgeport , Connecticut , while a ladder from his grandfather ’ s hardware shop shares space with a cobalt loveseat from Joybird .
126 RHODE ISLAND MONTHLY l AUGUST 2023