MARINE MAKEOVER

Essex Heritage tapped HGTV reno pros Kristina Crestin and Jonathan Knight to breathe new life into the assistant keeper's house at the historic Bakers Island Light Station.

- By Alexandra Pecci

Board and batten walls, bamboo porch furniture, well-loved board games, and kitschy nautical touches combine to make the perfect, cozy island getaway.

How do you revamp with a limited budget an off-the-grid, 150-year-old house on an island, where the only transportation is a single boat that sails once a week for only part of the year?

Old meets new in the living room, where a new rug, curtains, and cushions spruce up found and vintage pieces.

The answer is with a ton of creativity, imaginative thrifting, generous volunteers and donors, and the incredible vision and talent of HGTV reno pros Kristina Crestin and Jonathan Knight.

That was the challenging—but fun—assignment that Crestin, of Essex-based Kristina Crestin Design, and Knight, the pop star-turned house flipper of New Kids on the Block fame, were tasked with when Essex Heritage needed help refreshing the assistant keeper’s house at the historic Bakers Island Light Station.

A nautical flag and ships models give a touch of seafaring nostalgia.

The preservation organization tapped the hosts of HGTV’s “Farmhouse Fixer” to breathe new life into the cottage, located off the coast of Salem, which it offers for overnight stays to members from June through September.

Although the 1873 Gothic revival cottage was cute and functional, its rustic vibe was less “cottage chic” and more “cottage tired,” with sparse Ikea furniture, barely any color or personality, and a dated kitchen, complete with orange-toned wood cabinets.