Splendid Summer's in Newport

A peek at how the residents of Newport, Rhode Island, spend their summer seasons

- MARISSA MOLDOC

When you think of Rhode Island, do you picture elegant social events and grand estates? If so, you're not wrong ... but you only know half the story.

In their new book, A Newport Summer, author Ruthie Sommers and photographer Nick Mele give a glimpse of how Newport's residents live.

In the introduction, Sommers reveals that going to Newport is like stepping back in time.

When she first visited her husband's parents' summer "cottage," she expected the interior to match the stylish exterior, but she discovered something much different.

"To my surprise, I was greeted by the antithesis of chic décor-a shell-pink-applianced kitchen with dated, faux-marble countertops, condensation gathering on the past-its-prime refrigerator, its surface peppered with timeworn family photos," she writes.

Although some might scoff at the outdated furnishings, Sommers immediately fell in love with them.

She discloses that Newport's residents don't get excited about new, novelty objects, because they cherish their history.