East Coast Home + Design: Fall 2016

Written by Dorothea Craigen | Photography by William Waldron | Original Article

Block Island is a cozy little island about 12 miles from coastal Rhode Island in the Atlantic Ocean. The island offers a wealth of pleasures - including stunning bluffs and 17 miles of unspoiled beaches - and exactly why these clients wanted a rental summer house here, a utopia called “one of the last 12 great places in the Western Hemisphere by the Naturalizations Conservancy.

The chosen residence had spectacular water views all around was built in 2006, so the owners expected that little renovation was necessary. Upon entering the house, however, they learned they were completely wrong.

The newly built house was not constructed well and had a layout that made little sense. The challenge would be to redesign the layout to be accommodating to summer travelers while still maintaining symmetry with the calm of the surrounding beaches.

In 2010 the owners contacted Terri Ricci of the award-winning Terri Ricci Interiors, with whom they had completed many projects before. Terri worked in collaboration with a former colleague, architect Joel Barkley of Ike Kligerman Barkley, and local builder Jon Spier of Spier Construction.

Terri Ricci Interior Design East Coast Home + Design

Terri knew from the time she was in high school that her career would involve creativity. “I was always involved in set design for school plays,” she says, “and I was doing everyone’s makeup behind the scenes.” Her talent took her to the New York School of Interior Design, where she graduated and was afforded the opportunity to work alongside interior designers Sam Bartero and the legendary Naomi Left. This invaluable experience, in addition to her love for the “architect and designer relationship,” piloted her into a senior executive position at the Interiors department of Ike Kligerman Barkley, NYC. Here she spent more than 10 years building and maintaining interior design practices while working closely with the firm’s other departments and clients. At the height of her career, Terri opened her own interior design business, which is known for its elegance and simplicity. Terri believes the personalty of the home should echo that of the client.