Zinzi Edmundson, the writer who calls Owls Head home with husband Jesse and sons James and Russ, declares swimming the top-ranked Maine pastime. The ocean is cold, but once you get over the shock, it has a minerality that feels amazing. The family lives a five-minute drive from the surf, turning each tide into a family ritual.
The entryway tells its own story. A fish-shaped doormat, left by the previous owners, sparked a debate when Jesse tried to replace it. “Everyone loves the fish,” Zinzi reminded him, and the quirky mat remained, anchoring the home’s playful vibe.
Family rhythm and coastal play
Life in the house revolves around the water and the kids. James, the older pre-teen, and Russ, the younger, share a love for poke bowls—yellowfin tuna, sushi rice, mango, and avocado sourced from a nearby fish market. The kitchen’s Benjamin Moore Alabaster White walls and Farrow & Ball Studio Green cabinets set a fresh backdrop for these meals. Even the simple act of swimming becomes a lesson in embracing the cold, then savoring the mineral bite of the Atlantic.
DIY mindset and repair tales
Maine’s small labor pool nurtures a strong “do-it-yourself” ethic. When a drawer gave way shortly after moving in, Zinzi dismantled a neighboring, intact drawer to understand its anatomy, eventually fixing the broken piece herself. The experience felt empowering, a sentiment echoed whenever she reaches for her air fryer chicken thighs turn crispy-juicy, tofu and frozen burritos emerge far superior to their microwave counterparts.
Originally, one wall served as an accent, but after painting the room white, it felt stark. Zinzi rescued the space by retrieving twenty photos and ephemera from old boxes, arranging them into a balanced gallery that livens the room without overwhelming it.
Design details by brand
The kitchen’s ambience is enhanced by a Fredericks and Mae candle holder and a Hay pendant. The dining table, a handcrafted piece from a friend, pairs with Hay chairs and Rejuvenation stools. A Jøtul stove provides both heat and aesthetic heft. Living-room comfort stems from hand-me-down Ikea sofas, refreshed with a Bemx cover, while a coffee table sourced from Urban Outfitters adds contemporary flair. An antique black chair and a Ken Price poster from LACMA complete the curated look.
Personal nooks and rooms
A quiet corner in the living room serves as Zinzi’s morning sanctuary: coffee, a notebook for The Artist’s Way pages, and the soft crackle of a fire in winter. The sunroom, eight feet from the forest edge, offers a view of wildlife—once a deer was spotted grazing on fallen pears.
Each bedroom mirrors the family’s personalities. James’s room features Portola Paints Duet walls, an Ikea bunk bed, a Nugget sofa, and a tin-can phone for vintage play. Russ’s space, painted Benjamin Moore Galapagos Green includes a Djeco mobile, a salamander poster, and a makeshift walk-in-closet turned bedroom—an arrangement the child proudly declared, “No, I like it here.”
The master suite, cloaked in Farrow & Ball Setting Plaster boasts a vintage gray lamp, a hand-painted jute rug from Revival, and a rocking chair reupholstered by Zinzi herself. A garland crafted by Russ after a family trip adds a personal touch, while pig-patterned pillowcases bring a hint of whimsy. When Jesse was away on a work trip, Zinzi surprised him by painting the entire room, a quiet gesture that said, “I care about us, too.”
Even the bathroom reflects a childhood memory: inspired by a friend’s tiny powder room, Zinzi chose Farrow & Bar Black Blue paint and Nickey Kehoe wallpaper, adding wide paneling with help from her stepdad, a house painter. The result feels intentional yet unpretentious, perfect for a Maine home far from Manhattan.
The garden, Zinzi’s longest-running hobby, mixes vegetables with edible flowers like nasturtiums and coconut daisies, turning the plot into a seasonal palette that feeds both kitchen and soul.
