7 min readFor Jess Weeth, the Rehoboth Beach community in Delaware isn’t a convenient escape from everyday life; it's the glue that holds together both her family and her firm. With deep roots in the area, the Weeth Home designer has found a home for herself, her creativity, her life’s work—and now, her parents.
Certain homes feel less like a design project and more like a love letter: to a family, to a sense of place, and to the rituals that make life feel full. For Weeth, the Henlopen Acres home she reimagined for her parents is exactly that kind of property. Perched just a thousand feet from the Delaware shoreline, it's the sort of place that shines during every season, where you can catch the Fourth of July parade drift past from the upper deck, watch the autumn leaves fall, and gather together around a fireplace come Christmas morning. And now, after an extensive gut renovation, it finally looks the part.
“This house is the quintessential, all-American family house to me,” Weeth says of the 7,800-square-foot home, which her parents purchased in 2010. “It welcomes the patter of little feet, but has the old soul of a home from a past generation. Even the grand spaces feel cozy and layered, and it is imbued with nods to the coast in subtle ways.”
Much of that ambiance is a credit to Weeth and her eye for what could be. When she first took on the gut renovation, the home had all the makings of a confused beach house, with a maze-like third level that was dissected via an immovable elevator shaft. “The whole idea of doing a renovation really started because the previous kitchen felt both outdated and cramped,” says Weeth. “It was a narrow space, with an undersized island that always felt a bit dark. We wanted to bring in tons of natural light, create spaces where families could gather and eat, and leave ample room for cooking and storage.”
Tapping long-time collaborator Unique Kitchens & Baths—where Weeth has a cabinetry line inspired by the East coast—the designer set out to make the most of a choppy, T-shaped layout, eventually landing on two distinct but adjoining cook spaces that were born out of necessity but shaped by ingenuity. One is geared toward entertaining, with a coastal blue color palette and an island that orients towards the sea. The other, more in line with an English style, is where the hard work happens, with a furniture-like island that offers plenty of room to prep and serve.
“We knew we wanted to work with Unique Kitchens & Baths to bring the space to life,” Weeth says. “Having worked with Tanya over the years was integral to being able to tailor specific door styles to the look and feel of the house; it became a true partnership that helped us nail the soul of the house.”
The sunlit kitchen was only the beginning, though. Throughout the home, Weeth layered in the kind of bespoke details that reward pause: carved marble fireplaces sourced from a craftsman in Turkey, a pantry that reveals itself like a hidden room, a breakfast nook ceiling vines overhead like a secret garden. While the road to the finish line wasn’t without its drama—a near-catastrophic floor delamination just before move-in tested everyone's resolve—the finished home bears none of those scars. What remains is a tribute to a community Weeth has loved since she was a young child, and a home that possesses all the markers of an heirloom to be enjoyed for generations to come.
FAST FACTS
Designer: Jess Weeth of Weeth Home
Builder: Dewson Construction
Stylist:Courtney Favini
Location: Rehoboth Beach, Delaware
The Space: A four-bedroom, four-and-a-half-bathroom home across 7,800 square feet
KITCHEN
Separate spaces are fit for entertaining and cooking in equal measure.
The blue and white portion of the kitchen serves as the entertaining space, designed to have a dramatic symmetrical focal point with the vaulted ceiling over the island and sweeping views with the picture window that faces East to the ocean. “This space is meant for casual meals at the counter, or lingering with a crossword on the small settee near the windows; however, occasionally it’s the stage for holiday cookie baking,” says Weeth.
There are minimal appliances on this side—just a dishwasher, refrigerator drawers, and an oven. Instead, the attention is on speciality details that get better the closer you look, including beautiful stone splashing, reeded millwork, and walnut countertops peeking from the blue hutches that flank the sink wall.
Around the corner, set apart by a wall clad in Phillip Jeffries grasscloth, is the hardworking cooking kitchen, thoughtfully filled with appliances and practical storage. Beautiful in its own way, it incorporates warmer hues, glossy subway tile reminiscent of a restaurant kitchen, and an arched window that leads to the screen porch beyond. “Having the space of two kitchens meant we had ample space to meet the functional needs, but we also had a unique challenge in making sure these spaces felt distinct,” explains Weeth. “In the cooking kitchen, we leaned into an old-world feeling with the rich stained island, creamy cabinetry and trim, and glossy tiled walls.”
PANTRY
Bepoke vent hole cutouts lend a touch of charm.
For Weeth, the pantry went from a puzzle to the kitchen's most striking feature. Though it was impeded by the same elevator shaft that kicked off the whole renovation, the designer found a pocket of space that could be used behind the elevator—and decided to make use of every inch. “Shallow shelving and produce drawers line the back wall, while we tucked deep shelves in the right and left pockets to store kitchen appliances out of sight.”
BREAKFAST NOOK
A peek-a-boo ceiling detail draws the eye up.
Originally part of an outdoor screen porch, the breakfast nook got reclaimed by the interior during the renovation and transformed into a sun-filled eating space tucked right off the kitchen. At the center, a custom dining table and oversized banquette offer seating for extended family, while a wallpaper-covered ceiling combines with stained fretwork overhead. “We asked our incredibly talented friend, Maggie Austin, to create the diamond–shaped rosettes with a shell motif, which beautifully finishes it,” says Weeth. “The ceiling is a detail that you don’t actually see until you’re nearly in the space, so it becomes something like an easter egg when you discover it.”
DOWNSTAIRS LIVING ROOM
Moody blue paint echoes the nearby coastline.
Clad in millwork and wallpaper, this tonal, enveloping blue den is a magnet for lounging on rainy summer afternoons. “Kids can do puzzles, color, or read in the seating nook in the back, while the oversized sectional and cozy lounge chairs leave ample room for watching movies,” Weeth adds.
LIVING ROOM
A once-formal space gets a family-friendly upgrade to be more welcoming to sandy feet.
The home’s main living room—located on the third floor alongside the kitchen—used to be buttoned-up, with stark white upholstery that wasn’t exactly welcoming to casual family hangs. “When imagining how the new house would function with growing grandkids and family gatherings, we wanted to make the most of the grand space while still making it feel incredibly livable and layered,” says Weeth.
She chose new furniture geared towards both comfort and beauty, anchoring the main seating group with a custom five-foot coffee table. “We joke that it’s so sturdy, you could literally dance on it,” she laughs.
MUDROOM
A custom built-in organizes beach gear out of sight.
A true first-level mudroom off the garage, this space was designed to withstand everything a four-season locale can throw at it, from sand in the summer to snow in the winter. “We were able to raise the ceilings and enclose the ductwork in beautiful millwork beams in what was once a dark and gloomy space,” explains Weeth. Drawers at the base of the built-in hold a mix of beach towels and sandy shoes, keeping the room feeling tidy even in peak season.
PRIMARY BEDROOM
Subtle nods to the coast keep this retreat grounded.
Rather than a bold pattern, it was all about textures and sweet details for the primary suite. “The custom lamps from Becky Aubry with the shell detail and the trio of framed vintage shell prints give a nod to the coast, while the striking piped bed from Bunny Williams Home helps anchor this otherwise light and airy space,” adds Weeth.
DESK NOOK
Coordinating toile wallpaper and fabric adds old-world charm.
In a bound-to-be-busy generational home, every inch matters. To make the most of a hallway nook in between the kitchen and dining room, Weeth crafted a bespoke desk for WFH meetings and homework sessions. Coordinating wallpaper and fabric from Lewis & Wood lends a romantic feel.
KIDS ROOM
Vintage nautical prints nod to sailing vessels seen on the Chesapeake Bay.
Designed as a sleepover spot for Weeth’s boy-girl twins, this bedroom fits within the dialogue of the rest of the home while keeping a firm hold on childhood magic. Reupholstered vintage rope beds serve as the backdrop to fun textiles, while Pendleton blankets nod to their dad’s upbringing in the Southwest.
KIDS BATHROOM
A coastal favorite blue and white palette comes to life in this sweet washroom.
Located down the hall from the twins’ room, this fresh and crisp bathroom features floral stripe wallpaper and v-groove cabinets alongside hand-painted sconces. “The door style for the vanities was something we designed for our collection with Unique Kitchens & Baths, and I loved seeing this come to life as a vanity,” says Weeth.
About the Designer
Jess Weeth is the Founder and Principal of Weeth Home. Based in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware, Jess has developed a unique aesthetic inspired by East Coast heritage and life by the water. Alongside her team, she designs homes meant to be lived in and loved. She believes that every house requires equal parts functionality and beauty, and works collaboratively alongside clients and trusted partners to bring her tailored designs to life.
