Samantha Pappas understands the power of home. The decorator recently completed an extensive renovation and expansion of her own Yarmouth residence, and the experience was far more transformative than she could have ever imagined. “The house started to feel small after my husband and I had our third child, so we eventually decided to gut it and create our dream home,” explains Pappas. “Then, a few weeks after moving out to begin construction, I was diagnosed with breast cancer. It totally rocked our world. I couldn’t believe that I had just torn my house apart and committed to such a huge project.” But committed they were, and in time Pappas actually began to view the timing as a blessing in disguise. “I was able to visit the house on the way to and from treatments and doctor appointments, which allowed my mind to focus on something other than being sick,” explains Pappas. “I found energy through my work and dreaming about how amazing being back in my space would feel.”

Rather than find an entirely new property, it was important to the couple—who relocated to Maine from Florida in 2015—that they remain in their beloved neighborhood and in the house that they had built not that long ago in 2017. In fact, it was the original construction project that pushed Pappas to launch her design career. “I actually studied civil and structural engineering, but I didn’t love working as an engineer,” says Pappas. “I’ve always been interested in art and design, and I fell in love with the process of building and decorating our house. After that I began helping friends and neighbors, and the business kept evolving in an organic way.”

After having lived in the abode for several years, the couple was clear on the main objectives for its latest incarnation: an additional bed and bath upstairs, a proper entry, a larger living room, and a new kitchen with plenty of storage. To assist with this, Pappas called on architect Kevin Browne, with whom she had worked on a past project. All in all, they added about 1,000 square feet between a cross gable upstairs, the newly built entry and adjacent living room, and the incorporation of an existing covered porch into the kitchen. “We rearranged the entire first floor with the exception of the primary bedroom,” explains Browne. “We moved the kitchen to the other side of the house and situated the living room where there’s more privacy and views. This opened up much more space for the dining area, too.” The stairwell also needed to be reconfigured as a result of tweaking the layout. “In order for the kitchen to function, we transformed what was a U-shaped staircase into a straight design and then collaborated with Samantha on the wood slat detail to conceal it,” says Browne. “It ended up being a cool feature.”

These strategic changes, according to Pappas, make a huge difference in how the house operates. “Previously we were forced to store so many items, from games to serving pieces, in the basement,” she recalls. “Now everything is readily accessible, and the entire home functions much better for our family. I love to cook and entertain, so my favorite place is the kitchen. There’s a 13-foot island with a 5-foot sink that’s perfect for prep, a custom coffee bar, and double the amount of pantry space from our previous kitchen.” If the family isn’t in the kitchen or having one of their daily dance parties, chances are they are hanging out in the new living room, complete with a fireplace, a pair of comfortable sofas to pile onto for movie nights, a large coffee table for playing games, a reading nook, and a piano. “I grew up playing piano, and now my daughter is taking lessons, so it was important that the new layout include a spot for that,” says Pappas. “It brings me so much joy and floods my mind with really fond memories.” Adjacent to the living room is the new entry, which is decked out with plenty of storage, a durable cement tile floor laid in a checkerboard pattern, and an unexpected pop of high-gloss purple on the ceiling. “Our old front door opened right onto the main living area, so there was nowhere for guests to drop their things,” recalls Pappas. “We installed two large coat closets as well as a bench with coat hooks above and cubbies below for the kids’ shoes.”

But the layout isn’t the only dramatic change. “My aesthetic has progressed,” notes Pappas. “There was a lot of white pre-renovation, but I didn’t want any white this go-around—and not only because I didn’t want to worry about my kids touching everything. I was influenced by the colors and textures of the outdoors and the serenity that comes along with that. There’s natural wood, dark blues, and earthy shades of brown and green as well as more unexpected pops of color, such as the purple found in the entry, inside the kitchen display cabinet, and on the powder room vanity.” Not to mention the floral touches on the walls of two of the bathrooms and on her older daughter’s bedroom ceiling. “She loves going to flower shops with me, making arrangements, and helping in our garden, so this ceiling is a fun nod to that,” explains Pappas, who chose a moody green for her son’s room and a soft peach for her younger daughter’s. Meanwhile, the primary bedroom on the main floor is a serene sage. “I like playing with color and pattern while maintaining a comfortable, calming feel. I don’t want my spaces to be overdone, but I don’t want them to be boring or stale either.”

It’s no wonder that Pappas has a way with palettes, given that she paints and creates mixed-media work in her spare time. “I’ve always enjoyed drawing and painting as a hobby,” she says. Some of her pieces are scattered throughout the residence, including a pair of paintings in the primary bedroom, a framed textile with quartz dominos representing her wedding anniversary off the kitchen, and a deer hide (her husband’s score) that she mounted on a textile above the piano in the living room. She also enjoys collecting works by other artists near and far. “The beauty of art is that it doesn’t need to match the interiors,” says Pappas. “If a piece speaks to us, it will fit. Art is something that you can continue to curate over time, and it adds another layer to a space.”

The furnishings are a mix of contemporary items, vintage finds, and a few select pieces that had been in the house before—namely, the custom dining table from Huston and Company in Kennebunkport with the children’s names and handprints underneath. Another sentimental detail is the rug in the kitchen, which Pappas purchased while visiting her sister in England years ago and that has found its way into each of her homes since. “I’m in love with how it all came together,” says Pappas. “When we moved back into the house I had just two chemotherapy sessions left, and I felt such a sense of calm and peace in my soul. It made me realize how important a well-designed space is. Waking up every day in a room that’s soothing and cozy gave me the mental strength that, in turn, helped me physically. I think the entire family sensed a much-needed breath of fresh air. And every time I walk into this home, cook dinner in my new kitchen, or have a family movie night, I feel like I’m healed more and more.”