“ I love mixing cool and funky with nice and refined ,” he says . “ But I didn ’ t want this to be so stuffy with a $ 3,000 credenza that nobody could really put their feet on . But I also wanted something that wasn ’ t just going to IKEA and buying boring things . Sometimes you don ’ t have to spend more money if you can put the time and sweat into it and have a good eye .”
The clean , European-style kitchen has a full island with seating , plenty of light , a gourmet Bertazzoni stove and — perhaps coolest of all — a sheet metal backsplash that will change over time as it ’ s exposed to water and air .
“ So as it gets wet , it kind of tells a story and over time it evolves ,” Deaner says .
The adjacent dining room — which has seating for ten — flows into the open living area , where guests can gather with cocktails and nibbles and move easily from one space to another . And with four bedrooms — including a master bedroom with soaring cathedral ceilings — there is plenty of space for family and friends to gather , especially during these fleeting summer months .
A downstairs play / TV area is the perfect spot for kiddos to hang during a rainy day , with board games and toys , loads of room to run around , a chalkboard and a fifty-five-inch TV . Deaner enhanced the backyard with a new fire pit area , spacious deck and propane grill .
The family takes full advantage of the property in the summer , staying for weeks at a time , hitting the beach , enjoying the fresh air and ample yard , taking nature walks or just chilling and listening to music on the turntable . They ’ ve even celebrated New Year ’ s Eve there for the past four years .
When they ’ re not using it , the property is available for rentals on Airbnb at littlecomptonmodern . com . Deaner hopes to someday pass the home along to his son , so he can make the same sort of memories with his family that the close-knit Deaner clan is making now .
“ Just the thought of him coming here with his friends or his family and having those memories of , ‘ Oh yeah , my dad used to do this or that ’ here ,” he says . “ That ’ s really exciting for me .” 🆁
128 RHODE ISLAND MONTHLY l AUGUST 2023