Joy No. 64: Waterfront Views - American Idyll

A Seattle couple’s comfortably quaint 650-square-foot Vashon Island getaway serves up slipcovered, salt-weathered charm and relaxed Sunday suppers overlooking Puget Sound.

- Laura Kostelny

Ted Kennedy Watson has led a very colorful life. The Washington-based style guru is a former tennis pro, an author (Style & Simplicity: An A to Z Guide to Living a More Beautiful Life), a lifestyle blogger (tedkennedywatson.com), and a popular “purveyor of fine goods,” thanks to two Seattle locations of his namesake store, Watson Kennedy (watsonkennedy.com).

The need for color extends far beyond Ted’s vibrant shops—all the way to the shores of Vashon Island, Washington (population: 10,624). That’s where he and husband Ted Sive escape to WestWard, their 650-square-foot weekend retreat that’s nestled away on three private acres. Ted named the place shortly after buying it some 20 years ago—something he heartily recommends. “Everyone should name their house—big or small! Name your apartment, for goodness’ sake. It personalizes it and makes it yours,” he says.

While christening the place was a breeze, getting it up to the couple’s style standards was not. “We bought it from the former mayor of Seattle, and while I hate to make it sound terrible, it was in need of some serious love. Everything was very dark—the cabinets, the paneling,” Ted says. But the couple was inspired by the “major” flagpole left behind (“It’s 35 feet tall,” Ted says), so when they started redoing the property, they opted to keep the Americana theme—and the rich red exterior—already in place.

In order to set the stage for all the red, white, and blue, Ted needed to lighten things up. Fortunately, his husband is a consultant who works with architectural and construction firms, so it wasn’t much of an undertaking to add French doors, which brought in tons of natural light. They also painted all the dark, knotty pine— from floor to ceiling—a crisp, bright white.