Deborah Cox's summer retreat on Long Island.

 The upstairs "dormitory" evokes childhood summers, with vintage schoolhouse lights, mosquito netting, and cast-iron beds. White dormers contrast with the original woodwork, which Cox oiled but left unpainted. Light-colored bedding gives the room its relaxing air. Cox says her 95-year-old father, Sil, prefers the barn to the main house for his naps.

 With the addition of dormers, a hayloft became a large guest bedroom for Deborah Cox's summer retreat on Long Island. The rest of the exterior, including the original barn doors, was left untouched.

 An inexpensive rattan pendant crowns the casual table, which is surrounded by mismatched chairs that have been painted glossy white for a unified look.

 The bare-bones kitchen -- there's no stove, just a refrigerator and sink -- is a pleasant spot for light meals.

 Deborah and Robert Cox bought the wicker furniture as newlyweds three decades ago. She refreshes the pieces every other year with a coat of white paint. Bright throw pillows pick up on the surfboard's vibrant hues.

 One of the barn's giant slider doors opens onto a bathroom, the first stop after the beach for Gemma, a yellow Lab, and Wicket, a wheaten terrier.

The downstairs bathroom features a double-wide shower with the same stone floors used throughout the barn.