ISLAND LIFE: “I love Jamestown because of its quaintness, beauty, and proximity to Newport – my boyfriend and I love taking the ferry. I’m a big fan of strolling Beavertail and so is my dog, Alfi! It’s fun to go to the village and support the local establishments,” says Fredette.
MIX MASTER: “Using vintage and reinvented pieces not only ensures that a room will transcend current trends, but it’s also more environmentally friendly than buying all new,” advises Lee Chartier. Fredette agrees: “A lot of my outdoor decor is hand-painted and the bamboo dining room table was a Facebook marketplace purchase that I restored.”
COASTAL CUES: According to Fredette, Adirondack chairs are a seaside must-have.
After graduating from Emory School of Medicine in Atlanta, Amanda Fredette returned home to North Kingstown and stayed with her parents while plotting her next move. “My mom is an amazing cook and I was getting treated like a queen so I was in no real rush to move out,” Fredette admits with a laugh. However, before long she began a nightly ritual of looking at property listings which led to attending open houses. Nothing was catching her eye until she spotted a special little cottage in Jamestown. “My mom and I went to the well-attended open house and I thought it was too good to be true,” she retells. That evening Fredette returned with her dad just as the owner was getting home. “We had an opportunity to chat. She was sweet, sincere, and shared how much the home meant to her. She could see in my eyes how much I loved everything about it, and the rest is history.”
Fredette describes her style as Palm Beach meets New England, citing a love of the bright, colorful style and island vibe. To achieve this look in her new home, she turned to Lee Chartier of Inside Style in Wakefield, who had also done work for her mom. “It was such a fun experience to work with a mother/daughter duo. This has happened a number of times over the years and we always enjoy working with families,” says Chartier.
“When Amanda first showed us pictures of the home, we knew we could help her completely transform it,” says Chartier. “We loved the natural light and its view of the Jamestown Bridge and the Bay.” Noting that the house had good bones, most of the changes made were cosmetic: paint, refinished flooring, light fixtures, and new furnishings. Chartier met with Fredette and discussed a color palette that reflected her personality and style. “One of Amanda’s inspirations was a patterned coral and blue fabric that we used for pillows,” notes Chartier, who incorporated the colors in accents to the neutral furnishings throughout. “Chinese Chippendale dining chairs that were custom-painted in blue are truly the stars of the room.”
Discussing her sensibilities, Fredette explains, “I tend to gravitate toward soothing colors combined with a little pop, and Lee was very helpful in selecting my color scheme,” she says. “I love bright colors and unique pieces. I wanted to feel like I was always on vacation and I do.”
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