A Classic Rhode Island Home Rediscovers Its Color and Soul

The living room wall and fireplace mantle are painted a serene, dusty, mid-tone shade—“Polaris Blue” by Benjamin Moore. The green chairs atop the Stark rug are from Lawson-Fenning. / Photo by Michael J. Lee

This article is from the winter 2026 issue of Boston Home. Sign up here to receive a subscription.

Lee Sigal couldn’t wait to redecorate her new home. Her then-fiancé, now husband, Steven, had purchased the 1940 Providence, Rhode Island, fully furnished house a couple of years before she moved in. “The décor was fine—it was a gray neutral palette with Restoration Hardware furniture,” she recalls. “But it felt lackluster.” Adding to the dissonance were remnants of a previous owner’s Hollywood art deco style: black tile, a mirrored powder-room ceiling, and “wacky diamond wallpaper” that clashed with the otherwise sedate vibe.

Sigal envisioned a home with more personality, color, and flow. She turned to interior designer Dee Elms, who immediately saw potential in the property, which offered a snapshot of early modernist design with hints of deco flair. The bones were good, but the interiors felt disjointed and dark. “We worked to make it feel cozier and cohesive,” says Elms, noting that Sigal was open to mixing in contemporary furnishings. While a full renovation wasn’t necessary, fresh wallcoverings, paint, and window treatments brought warmth and character to every room.

The dining room’s Schumacher wallcovering is paired with trim painted a corresponding Benjamin Moore hue, “Blue Echo.” / Photo by Michael J. Lee

The dining room became a centerpiece of the redesign. A woodsy Schumacher wallcovering nods to the garden visible through the windows, creating what Sigal describes as an “ethereal feel, like sitting in a starlit forest.” At night, the room glows with intimacy. Though she initially wanted to remove the existing brick floor, Elms persuaded her otherwise; finished with a polycoat, it now gleams and underscores the room’s conservatory-like effect. “Now I love it,” Sigal admits.

The living room was reimagined with a cozy sectional, a redesigned fireplace surround in stone and wood, and layers of blue-toned fabrics. Dramatic draperies complete the transformation, making the space the home’s hub. In the kitchen, subtle changes—new hardware, woven stools, and a petite window seat with a café table overlooking the garden—gave the space fresh purpose. “We spend so much time there now,” Sigal says.

Her office, once an awkward pass-through near the entry where coats piled up on a bench, was reinvented as a small jewel box wrapped in wallpaper, with painted millwork and wall-to-wall carpet. “It was about making the smaller spaces feel intentional and cozy,” Elms explains.

Since the white kitchen cabinetry was in great shape, Elms left it as is, enlivening the drawers and doors with updated gold hardware. / Photo by Michael J. Lee

Once an awkward pass-through, Sigal’s new office sings with specialness and serenity. A Nicky Kehoe wallpaper sheaths both the ceiling and walls, while the new millwork is painted in Benjamin Moore’s “Kennebunkport Green.” / Photo by Michael J. Lee

In the primary bedroom, new nightstands and lamps with woven bases flank the bed. Emblazoned with a black and cobalt floral motif, the wallpaper gives the space a cozy, cocoon-like feel. / Photo by Michael J. Lee

Throughout, Sigal’s art collection became a defining thread. Elms worked with her to place each piece carefully, considering scale and color to unify the design. “She had a lot of great art,” Elms says. “Once everything found its place, the whole house came together.”

What was once a bachelor’s pad has become a multidimensional home fit for a family, equal parts dramatic and inviting. “It’s not modern and sleek or overly perfect,” Sigal says. “It has personality, texture, character, and color. It feels like us.” For Elms, the project was about honoring the house’s architectural history while celebrating the sensibilities of its inhabitants. “We created a layered, comfortable, and highly personal space,” she says. “Now the house has a soul.”

Interior Designer Elms Interior Design