When Nova Scotia-based designer Laura-Lea Fisher purchased her three-bedroom cottage on the province’s picturesque South Shore, she set out to design a space that was a shift from her modern sensibility. “I’m a modernist and my homes have always been very clean and highly designed, but I wanted the cottage design to be a departure from how I typically live,” says Laura-Lea. “I think that a space should be a reflection of its location.”

Her master bedroom, of course, would be the ultimate sanctuary. Laura-Lea wanted the space to be relaxed and welcoming and exude the eclectic charm of a family cottage without feeling cluttered or old-fashioned. “The Cape Cod look is gorgeous and people love it, but it’s just not me,” she says.

Fresh country bedroom

To create a fresh, coastal vibe, Laura-Lea painted the walls white and filled the bright, breezy space with white furniture and crisp summery linens. Everything looks white, but then there are these very subtle variations in colour like the soft lavender the cool blue-grey of the lamps,” she says. “Your eye reads it as white even though it isn’t.”

Get the look

The embossed wooden dressers, patterned rug and inherited family heirlooms add just enough fun and whimsy for a modernist on vacation. “I’m not really a knick-knack person, but all the little charms and mementoes I’ve collected have ended up here – there’s a real sense of history that I love.”

1 Caroline bed frame. Pottery Barn, $1,664.
2 Madison duvet set in Dawn Mauve. Sears, $180.
3 Ceramic lucite base table lamp with Fondine fabric shade in Lily Glaze. Union Lighting and Furnishings, $280.
4 Chalet nightstand. Urban Barn, $399.

Colour palette
Try using a soft lavender and dark lilac as accents in an all-white room to create your own fresh country feel.

1 Lavender Mist 2070-60 paint. Prices vary, benjaminmoore.ca.
2 Dark Lilac 2070-30 paint. Prices vary, benjaminmoore.ca.
3 Ivory White CC-130 paint. Prices vary, benjaminmoore.ca.