Designer Alfredo Paredes's Magical Holiday Home on Shelter Island, New York

2021-12-23 08:10:36 By : Mr. Benjamin Tang

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Now it's a year-round refuge for the whole family.

It was supposed to be a summer cottage outside New York City—but an enterprising couple turned it into the warmest winter home when it became their year-round home. "Growing up as a creative kid, I was always the first one in the house to start decorating for Christmas," says stylist and designer Alfredo Paredes, founder of Alfredo Paredes Studio and previously the Executive Vice President and Chief Creative Officer at Ralph Lauren. The same now goes in the Shelter Island, New York home that Paredes shares with his husband, Brad Goldfarb, and their two children.

“For me, it’s all about creating memories and embracing nostalgia,” Paredes explains. “Maybe it’s a product of being a Cuban American. My family had to leave everything behind when they came here.” Seeing his parents start from scratch made Paredes appreciate the value of family heirlooms, old photographs, and historic items. These are tucked into every corner and propped on every surface of the Shelter Island home.

The 1870 Victorian, formerly part of a hotel, was a real labor of love for the couple when they bought it in 2013. (The boiler had been inoperable for almost a decade.) But Paredes and Goldfarb looked beyond the disrepair and envisioned what it could be: a dreamy summer home right on the harbor of the state’s smallest—and thus quaintest—village. “We wanted to bring it back to life and update it, but maintain the sense of history,” says Paredes. They were able to save and restore the original wraparound screened porch so it could be used all year. The furnishings are a mix of traditional new pieces and well-loved antiques.

It was when his parents passed away, while Paredes was living in New York, that the designer realized he didn’t have his own collection of Christmas decor like the one he’d cherished so much growing up. “My Jewish partner, Brad, ran out and bought me a bunch of my own,” he says. From there, the couple began to cultivate new traditions, celebrating both Christmas and Hanukkah with their two young children.

The family of four relocated from New York City to their summer cottage full-time when the pandemic hit. That winter, they made sure the house felt alive with warmth and cheer, stringing garlands, hanging wreaths, and bringing in a big tree. “I like decorating for the holidays, but Christmas is the crescendo! Nothing compares,” says Paredes. “It brings back all sorts of childhood memories and warmth; it’s just a happy time.”

Burlap wallpaper by Ralph Lauren Home softens a collection of classic furnishings. Paredes favorite holiday candle from Cire Trudon sets the mood. Pendant: vintage. Picture light: Urban Archaeology. Art: Anne Packard, Packard Gallery. Armchair: Ralph Lauren Home in Bennison fabric. Secretary: 19th-century French. Desk chair: 19th-century Swedish. Wreath and garland: Terrain.

A beachy Christmas display welcomes visitors, as does Paredes and Goldfarb's daughter, pictured here.

Paint: Simply White (siding and trim) and Pearl (flooring), Benjamin Moore. Sconces and shell planters: vintage. Wreath and ribbons: Terrain.

Every corner of designer Alfredo Paredes’s Shelter Island, New York, home celebrates the season, including the stairwells.

Paint: All White, Farrow & Ball. Garland and mistletoe: Terrain. Console and chair: vintage. Lamp: antique, John Derian. Green pottery:Lail.

Shell ornaments from John Derian play off the beachy year-round decorations throughout the room. Layers of framed art flank a large Anne Packard piece on the mantel.

Christmas tree: Dart’s Christmas Tree Farm. Coffee table, books, and rug: vintage. Painting: Anastasia Egeli. Picture light and floor lamp: vintage. Chairs: George Sherlock in Bennison fabric.

A large round table encourages flowing conversations at mealtimes. A corner folding screen introduces dimension and doubles as a window treatment.

Folding screen, mirror, and chairs: vintage. Table, dishes, and glassware: Ralph Lauren Home. Rug: Sacco.

Glossy dark walls enhance the intimacy of the small space. They also bounce light, which ideal for any season. Paint: Duck Green, Farrow & Ball. Sconces: Thomas O’Brien for Circa Lighting. Faucet: Waterworks. Sink: Drummonds.

A night-sky Ralph Lauren Home wallcovering evokes the magic of the countryside in a child's bedroom. Prints, side table, and bed frame: 1930s vintage. Stuffed animals: John Derian. Blanket: Pendleton.

Light gray flooring sets the foundation for summery cheer and wintery feels.

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