Tour a Designer's Easy, Breezy Cape Cod Studio
Elyse got hooked on making scarves after buying an old hand-knitting machine on eBay. She made her first sample here at Seapine Studio, which is the name she’s given this one-room retreat on her family’s property in Massachusetts.
Photography by Hornick Rivlin
Elyse Maguire is the fashion world’s latest “knit girl.” After working for major brands like Altuzarra and Rosie Assoulin, the Parsons School of Design grad decided to turn her obsession with textiles into her own eponymous business. Her whimsical but totally wearable creations go with everything and feel right for dressy city nights or laid-back country days. That versatility may be due to Elyse’s dual residency: She lives in Brooklyn but does most of her knitting in a cedar-shingle cabin in Chatham, Massachusetts, on beachy, beautiful Cape Cod.
Elyse sketches on paper before finessing her designs digitally.
Photography by Hornick Rivlin
The structure, formerly an artist’s studio, always had good bones. Windows and a set of large French doors let in tons of natural light (and fresh ocean air), while Shaker-style shelving around the interior is perfect for displaying artsy ephemera as part of her ever-evolving 3-D mood board. To put her own stamp on the simple space, Elyse went antiquing in the area for local treasures, scoring a vintage rug for coziness and color underfoot and a reclaimed-wood coffee table. A green leather Crate & Barrel couch ties nicely into the earthy, eclectic scheme, reflecting Elyse’s boho-Brooklyn-meets-preppy–New England style.
"My spring line was inspired by the texture of windblown sand and the colors of the sky at my favorite local spot, White Crest Beach," says Elyse.
Photography by Hornick Rivlin
But the studio’s best asset might be its lack of distractions. “When I’m here, surrounded by nature, I notice things,” says Elyse. “The colors of the flowers outside, the patterns the sun makes on the floor—I channel all of that into my collections.”
Photo courtesy of Elyse MaGuire
Every surface in the studio gets used, including the windowsills, which hold art supplies organized in jars and tins.
Photo courtesy of Elyse MaGuire
Trellises cover most of the studio entrance. Elyse keeps window boxes filled with flowers for a pop of color.
No tying needed with Elyse’s signature Little Knotty Scarf in Buoy Blue with Seaside Fringe ($115, elysemaguire.com).
Photography by Peter Ardito
In addition to scarves, she also offers beach towels and candles inspired by the Cape.
