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Photography by BRITTANY AMBRIDGE

Patrick Mele

transforms a 19th-century Connecticut seaport home into a thoroughly modern residence for his design-savvy parents.

Photography by BRITTANY AMBRIDGE

An antique portrait above the mantel reinforces the home’s vintage New England charm.

Photography by BRITTANY AMBRIDGE
Photography by BRITTANY AMBRIDGE

stark contrast  After stripping the house of timeworn fixtures and finishings, Patrick’s first order of business was to infuse its vintage lines with color. “I’m drawn to strong, expressive shades,” he explains. Though he first painted the house’s common rooms either black or white, he then broke loose in riotous color—not with the sort of muted hues one often associates with traditional interiors, but with a bold, urbane palette that ranges from vivid fuchsias and daffodil yellows to soulful ceruleans and citrines. “Patrick’s point of view is so sophisticated and informed,” Patricia says. “He gives us the confidence to think outside the box as we continue to decorate our home.”

Photography by BRITTANY AMBRIDGE

A round dining table makes efficient use of tight quarters, in addition to making a dramatic statement.

Photography by BRITTANY AMBRIDGE

Combining comfort and functionality, the kitchen’s antique oak table is paired with gleaming subway tiles and sleek industrial light fixtures.

Photography by BRITTANY AMBRIDGE
Photography by BRITTANY AMBRIDGE
Photography by BRITTANY AMBRIDGE
Photography by BRITTANY AMBRIDGE

Though the living room’s design influences run the gamut from Regency to Victorian, they’re unified by Patrick’s finely tuned sense of form and color.

Photography by BRITTANY AMBRIDGE
Photography by BRITTANY AMBRIDGE
Photography by BRITTANY AMBRIDGE