“The great room is the center of the house, and the view is the focal point,” Merritt explains. “So we picked the great room chandeliers as the project cornerstone and designed around them.”

Her clients – an active east coast family with young children – wanted a functional modern home that embraced its setting. Merritt selected a light monochrome color palette echoed in textural layers of reclaimed wood, stone and textiles, using pillows and artwork to add playful pops of color. Contemporary lighting underscores a design theme of ‘modern rustic elegance’ throughout.