A polished pearl

What started as a search for new furnishings turned into a full renovation of this treasure of a waterfront home.

Casabella Interiors transforms a dated Cape cottage into a semi-precious gem of a sanctuary

Wikipedia defines beachcombing as an activity that consists of an individual “combing” (or searching) the beach and the intertidal zone, looking for things of value, interest or utility. The day that a lucky Ohio couple vacationing on the Cape discovered a mid-century beach cottage perched above Cape Cod Bay in the seaside Sandwich neighborhood of Scorton Shores, they became world-class beachcombers. “Within a short amount of time, we realized we absolutely loved Sandwich,” she recalls. “As much as everyone is in a hurry to get farther down the Cape to other towns, we were perfectly content to enjoy this sweet village at the top of the Cape.” One day, as they considered putting down some semi-permanent roots, they saw a small cottage for sale with a heart-stopping view, and bought it that evening.

“My husband has a favorite song that has always been a part of our marriage,” the homeowner says. “It is ‘Lucky Enough’ by Scott Kirby, and he sings about being lucky enough to live on blue water. That day, we looked at each other and said, ‘Maybe now we are finally lucky enough.’”

The home had the benefit of only one previous owner, who built it in the late 1950s for their family as a summer vacation spot. As a result, it was a lovingly cared for home that had good, solid bones. “The previous owners had taken such good care of the home; it was a real treasure for us to find it,” she says. But the home did need furniture and a bit of updating to make it their own.

This is a husband-and-wife team who are not casual combers of these special shores, but well-prepared explorers and self-proclaimed aficionados of the Cape Cod LIFE “Best of” list. “Although both my husband and I spent summers coming to the Cape, we weren’t really familiar with the various businesses. So, we are always armed with the ‘Best of’ list for everything from dining to shopping recommendations. I actually owe finding Michele and Shannon at Casabella to Cape Cod LIFE. We used the list to find the best ‘Shop for the Home’ when we started to look for furniture and accessories.”