For a full decade, Lance and Tracy Isham discussed renovating their classic, shingled cottage on Cape Cod that has been in Tracy’s family since the 1940s. Why the foot-dragging? “For years,” says Tracy, “I didn’t have the heart to make changes. It still felt like my mother’s house. It was vitally important to retain the feeling of home for the whole family.”

Nonetheless, their extended family and post-retirement lifestyle (the two use the place as home base) demanded the structure’s overhaul. The goal was a seamless renovation, blending old with new to conjure up a fresh attitude for year-round living without marring the summerhouse spirit.

Seen here is the sunroom, perfect for morning coffee and naptime for Lucy
(“We call her Lucky Lucy,” says Tracy).

Design:
Architect: Douglas E. Dick, LDA Architects, 222 Third St., #0222, Cambridge, MA 02142; 617/621-1455,
lda-architects.com.
Interior designers: Michael Cox and Mary Foley, Foley & Cox Interiors Inc., 5 E. 20th St., New York, NY 10003; 212/529-5800.
Contractor: Craig Ashworth, EB Norris & Son Inc., 138 Osterville W. Barnstable Rd., Osterville, MA 02632; 508/428-1165.

Photographs by Bruce Buck
Text by Sandra S. Soria
Produced by Jenny Bradley

Sources:
Wicker sofa, coffee table: owner’s collection.
Sofa fabric:  Sunbrella, sunbrella.com.
Pillows: antique.
Hanging hurricanes: Lars Bolander, 212/924-1000, larsbolander.com.