Finding Your Home’s Personality: Where Story Meets Style
Featuring El Conejo Compound
By Mary Elizabeth Narine
Great design doesn’t begin with Pinterest boards or paint swatches. It begins with people. Their habits, their humor, their histories. At Narine + Co., our work is rooted in collaboration, and our best spaces are always the ones where personality leads the process.
One of our most joyful transformations to date? El Conejo Compound — the creative, soulful Jersey Shore retreat designed for Carol and Jon.
A House Full of Stories (Waiting to Be Told)
When Carol and Jon first walked us through what would become El Conejo Compound, they saw beyond the peeling paint and dated finishes. They saw potential — for creativity, community, and color. What they wanted was a space that honored who they were: a couple who hosts generously, lives artfully, and laughs often.
Our design challenge was to give that personality a physical form. And it all started with conversation.
Step One: Listen Closely
We began, as we always do, by asking questions:
What do your days look like?
Where do you spend the most time?
What makes you feel at ease?
What’s something you love that you’ve never seen in a house before?
From those conversations came a clear vision — not for a themed aesthetic, but for a feeling. One that was playful but classic, nostalgic but modern. A home that was deeply personal without ever feeling precious.
Layered With Meaning
Throughout the home, we prioritized objects with origin. Carol and Jon brought stories to the table — literally. Bunny trinkets collected over time. Framed covers of The New Yorker, Jon’s favorite magazine, displayed salon-style in a hallway that now stops guests in their tracks. These weren’t just design moments — they were declarations of identity.
Mary Elizabeth's role was to frame them — sometimes literally — within a balanced palette and layout. She guided decisions about how to incorporate heirlooms without clutter, where to invest in custom cabinetry, and how to juxtapose vintage with fresh finishes.
Color With Character
The design evolved in layers, like any good story. But one bold move came early on: a mauvey pink kitchen — soft but confident, cozy yet contemporary. It became the heart of the home, and a daily reminder that color can be both grounding and expressive.
In the bedrooms, rich, earthy tones mingle with layered textiles and light-filtering drapery. Each space has a distinct rhythm, tailored to its function but tied together by tone and intent.
The Design Process: Equal Parts Vision and Dialogue
Mary Elizabeth didn’t arrive with a set lookbook — she built one with her clients. The process was marked by shared Pinterest boards, hands-on walk-throughs, and lots of back-and-forth on finishes, hardware, and fabric swatches. There were moments of decisiveness, moments of debate, and moments of “what if?” that sparked unexpected brilliance.
That’s the Narine + Co. approach: Design not for the client, but with them.
Final Thought: A House With Heart
El Conejo Compound isn’t just beautifully renovated — it’s unmistakably Jon and Carol. Every corner carries intention, every finish has feeling. And that’s what we mean when we say “design with personality.”
When you trust the process — and invite your story into the room — the result is more than a house. It’s a home that reflects who you are and who you’re becoming.
Inspired by this transformation?
Let’s design a space that feels like you. Contact us today!