For a dining room situated along the waterfront in Chestertown, Maryland, a notable designer and architect infuses the space with color and family heirlooms.

When designing the ideal dining room for entertaining for a couple in Chestertown, Maryland, architect and designer Cathy Purple Cherry, took cues from the clients’ penchant for color and nostalgia. “The clients loved traditional furniture and patterns [think the “Coastal Grandmother” trend], but also wanted to incorporate fun pops of color and a mix of patterns throughout the house,” explains the Annapolis–based principal and owner of Purple Cherry Architects. “The use of blue fabrics reinforces the stunning water views, while a delightful lime green–patterned chair brings in the touch of whimsical color that the clients envisioned. The rug and silverware are vintage family heirlooms that were lovingly passed down through generations.”

Cathy Purple Cherry, owner of Purple Cherry Architects. Photograph by Elyse Cosgrove

To further customize and define the space, Purple Cherry created a coffered ceiling adorned with a center medallion. “It utilizes stepped crown molding for an elegant, traditional, and emotional feeling,” she adds. “The space is projected forward from the home’s rear façade, which allows it to connect to a large, covered brick porch with a beautiful mahogany ceiling. The perimeter of the covered porch includes recessed motorized screens hidden into the trim to effortlessly create a screened-in porch in the warmer months.”

1. Rug, family heirloom, clients’ own 

2. Marbella Amador Dining Table, Century Furniture, centuryfurniture.com 

3.  Everhart Dining Armchair, Vanguard Furniture, vanguardfurniture.com 

Upholstered in “Pagoda Garden” in Green, thibautdesign.com

4. Coffered ceiling millwork design by Purple Cherry Architects, purplecherry.com Benjamin Moore’s “Chantilly Lace”

5. Denison Chandelier, Arteriors, arteriorshome.com

6. Addison Upholstered Side Chair, Woodbridge Furniture, woodbridgefurniture.com

#31 Canvas Tape by Samuel & Sons, samuelandsons.com

For more information, visit  purplecherry.com