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Textile designer and artist Serena Dugan renovated an Adirondack-style cottage on Shelter Island, repairing its foundation and rebuilding its stone fireplace while retaining the character that drew her to the property. House Beautiful’s home tour highlights the broad front porch, fitted with two hanging beds, as well as design choices that mix custom pieces, vintage finds and practical materials.
Dugan, a California-based designer and cofounder of Serena & Lily, first noticed the cottage as a small mark on a Zillow map while considering an East Coast vacation home. After a local friend urged her to see it, she flew out and visited at dusk. She recalled being struck by the porch, the water’s reflection and the stone fireplace, describing the setting as “a slice of life I need.”
The house required more than cosmetic updates. Dugan said the foundation needed major repair, and the fireplace had to be reconstructed. The project restored the fireplace using local stone to match the original, according to House Beautiful. Dugan said she worried that renovations might damage the house’s distinctive atmosphere, which she described as an “indescribable sense of calm.”
The porch became a defining part of the design. Dugan had hoped to fit a hanging porch bed into the space and ultimately installed two hanging beds, alongside rocking chairs. Inside, the family room was opened to the kitchen to create a larger shared living area. The home tour also describes custom lighting, vintage furniture and textiles, and fabrics and wallcoverings from Dugan’s own design line.
A Porch Designed for Gathering
The tour’s account shows how the porch and interior design serve Dugan’s stated goal of making the house a place for shared memories. The two hanging beds and rocking chairs make the porch usable for lingering, while the opened kitchen and family room connect the busiest indoor spaces. These are design choices described in the home tour, not evidence of how often the house is used or who visits.
The renovation also illustrates a balance between preserving an older home’s identity and addressing structural needs. Rebuilding the fireplace to match the original maintained a prominent feature, while foundation repairs addressed a problem that affected the building itself. For readers considering a renovation, the account distinguishes structural work from decorative decisions: the first was necessary repair, while choices such as lighting, furniture and finishes expressed the owner’s taste.
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From Zillow Listing to Renovation
Dugan had been thinking about buying a vacation home on the East Coast when she came across the cottage online. A local friend viewed it on her behalf and advised her to travel to Shelter Island. Dugan then saw the property in person and decided its setting and atmosphere justified the work it needed.
The finished home pairs elements tied to its original character with newer and personal touches. The dining room’s stone fireplace was rebuilt with local stone, while contemporary art, vintage pieces and Dugan’s own textiles appear throughout. In the kitchen, she selected Calacatta Macchia Vecchia marble despite the possibility of staining, saying she was comfortable with the surface developing a patina. House Beautiful also reports that matchstick blinds cost about $29 per window and were dressed up with brass cleats, an example of a more economical choice alongside higher-end materials.
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Project Details Not Reported
House Beautiful’s tour does not give the renovation’s overall cost, schedule or contractor details. It also does not specify the extent of the foundation work or describe any permits, inspections or construction timeline. The article presents Dugan’s account and the home’s design, but does not provide an independent structural assessment or disclose whether further work is planned.
The headline’s praise for the porch is a subjective design judgment, not a measured ranking against other homes. The source provides no information about the property’s current market value, ownership arrangements or whether it is available for public visits.
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No Further Work Announced
The source presents the cottage as a completed renovation and does not announce a next construction phase, sale or public event. House Beautiful’s home tour is the reported development; no additional milestone or follow-up date is provided. Any future plans for the property remain unknown based on the available report.
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Key Questions
Who owns the Shelter Island cottage?
The House Beautiful tour identifies Serena Dugan, a textile designer and artist and cofounder of Serena & Lily, as the person who renovated the home. It does not provide further details about ownership arrangements.
What work did the cottage need?
Dugan said the house needed major foundation repair and a complete reconstruction of its fireplace. The fireplace was rebuilt with local stone to match the original, according to the report.
What makes the porch distinctive in the tour?
The broad front porch has two hanging beds and rocking chairs. Dugan said she had hoped to fit a hanging bed in the space and chose two to suit its proportions.
Does the report give the renovation cost?
No. The tour mentions some individual choices, including matchstick blinds priced at about $29 per window, but does not state the total renovation budget.
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