Many Vineyard homeowners wonder what the magic equation is for a smooth, successful renovation project. Michael Krumholz and Sheila Little found the answer after their June 2024 purchase of a home in Katama: teamwork. Everyone involved with the project had nothing but compliments about the tight team formed to accomplish the renovation and interior refresh to the 2,400-square-foot house – all in just seven months.
When Krumholz and Little, of Reading, Pennsylvania, first toured the four-bedroom, three-and-a-half-bath home with real estate agent Bonnie Pierce, of Wallace & Co. Sotheby’s International Realty, they saw that the space aligned with their goal of owning an Island home they could enjoy year-round. The Katama location appealed to them too: Krumholz’s Vineyard history began when his family started vacationing at the Mattakesett resort in the late 1960s, so the area holds sentimental
value for him.
But they also knew the house needed some work. Though well maintained over the years, many of the rooms were closed off from each other, particularly on the first floor, which made the spaces feel disjointed. With a blended family of six children and five grandchildren, they wanted their updated home to have more open space that would allow for people to spread out. They also wanted room to entertain family and friends.
To achieve those goals, Bonnie led them to T.C. Pierce Enterprises for discussions about renovations. The company, which specializes in building custom homes on the Island, is one that she knows well. It was cofounded by her father, Red Ward, nearly sixty years ago. (At the time, it was known as Gazaille & Ward Builders.) Her husband, Tom, now owns the company with their son, Taylor. She also suggested Vineyard Decorators in West Tisbury for interior design and Millers Pools & Spa for installation of an in-ground swimming pool.
With their contractors secured, it was time to start the renovation process.
One of the first tasks T.C. Pierce Enterprises tackled was to open access between a three-season sunroom and the kitchen by removing the two wide French doors that closed off the spaces from each other. The result is an all-season living area that flows organically from the kitchen and can also be accessed from the deck and front yard. The five vertically hung, multi-paned windows lining the length of each side of the room invite light in at all times of day.
Further enhancing the space are small electric lights hidden overhead in the beams, a strategy Krumholz designed for both aesthetic and practical purposes of providing overhead lighting rather than using lamps. Cozy couches, armchairs, and window seats further enhance the feel of a family gathering space.
The couple’s other renovation must-haves included adding a second-floor bathroom and in-ground pool, finishing the basement, and refreshing the first-floor powder room. To that list, the Pierces suggested expanding the deck – which would involve relocating an outdoor shower to the side of the house for better privacy – and carving out space for built-in drawers in a second-floor guest room to avoid adding a dresser that would take up floor space.
Early in the process, while construction was underway, the couple began to work with a Vineyard Decorators design team led by chief operating officer and creative director Sophia Brush. The decision to work with the business as both designers and furniture suppliers is one that Little described as the best choice she ever made. “I was pulling images from Pinterest, house.com, wherever else I could. But none of it was cohesive; I realized after the fact that none of it made any real sense,” she said.
Brush and interior designer Samantha Cavallaro gleaned what they could from Little’s internet finds. The result is a home with “mid-century modern vibes,” said Brush, with neutral colors and muted shades of blue and green. Natural, organic materials, such as rattan, wicker, jute, seagrass, and linen, induce a sense of calm. And high-quality, distinctive pieces of furniture, including an Eames chair that Brush found through furniture store Herman Miller, were added to create a reading nook in the formal living room.
“The real direction they gave us was craftsmanship,” Brush recalled of her work with Krumholz and Little. “I think craftsmanship is the most solid thread we used throughout the whole house.”
Leaning into that directive, Brush knew she needed to commission Collins Heavener of Marshall Farm Wood-Works on Chappaquiddick to create a distinctive dining table for the couple. Krumholz’s father was a woodworker who created notable pieces and whose skill is a point of pride for his son. “Because of our initial conversation with Michael, we knew that he would value the investment of the table,” Brush explained. “I think it was important that it wasn’t coming from off-Island, that we were sourcing locally for that table. We collaborate with local artists who can contribute to the home in a way that feels authentic.” Heavener worked with hand-milled planks of maple to create the long rectangular piece that is now a place for special family meals.
The affinity for quality woodwork shows up in other ways too. When renovating the kitchen, Taylor Pierce found the original red oak floors underneath the tiles and restored them while adding in new planks where repairs were needed. The rest of the house received new white oak hardwood floors throughout to further unify the spaces, creating continuity from room to room.
The unique wooden mantlepiece in the formal dining room also has its own story. Tom Pierce came across an interesting piece of driftwood on South Beach and was inspired to create a mantel for Little and Krumholz. “He sent me down to the beach so I could drag it up a path, over the dunes, and into my truck,” Taylor recalled with a laugh.
Other special touches found in the home include the couple’s art collection. Anyone entering through the front door is greeted by a playful and bold painting from Uruguay-born painter Santiago Garcia’s Converse series. They bought it at the Eisenhauer Gallery in Edgartown the night before their first meeting with the Vineyard Decorators team.
They also have Island photographer Alison Shaw’s Lobsterman’s Rowboat 2018 displayed in the kitchen; while Shaw’s photo Classic Aviators Biplane – an image of a red biplane against a white Katama Airfield hangar – dominates the wall of the newly finished basement family room. In an upstairs bedroom, Elizabeth Cecil’s Truck & Surfboard, a photo taken on a gray day at the Squibnocket Beach parking lot in Chilmark, prompts Little to share the story of her first, unexpected meeting with the photographer on an early-morning ferry to the Island. These pieces aren’t just decorative to the couple: Krumholz and Little speak excitedly about their personal interactions with the artists, including the chance to visit Shaw’s loft studio in Oak Bluffs.
Outside, the backyard also got a refresh. T.C. Pierce Enterprises created additional entertaining space by replacing the existing deck with one that now runs the full length of the back of the house. Its wood planks are offset by white painted railings that complement a lounge area and wooden dining table with seating for six that the Vineyard Decorators team sourced for the space. Just below the deck is a rectangular, blue-tiled pool built by Millers Pools & Spa.
Following their whirlwind seven-month renovation, the couple moved into their home in February 2025. Since then, Krumholz and Little have enjoyed hosting their children, grandchildren, and friends, as well as relaxing and reading in the reading nook. Thanks to the familiarity among their contractors, the clear communication and standards kept the project on schedule. But, more important, that openness and engagement helped the homeowners form strong relationships that make them feel rooted in their new Island home.
The Team
General Contractor + Builder: T.C. Pierce Enterprises
Interior Design: Vineyard Decorators
Kitchen Furnishings: LeRoux at Home
Pool Contractor: Millers Pools & Spa
Landscaping: Martha’s Vineyard Landscape Company
The main living room is furnished with items sourced through Vineyard Decorators, including a hand-knotted rug, rattan woven chairs, and round coffee and end tables. – Armhed Louis-Jean 
A statement Herman Miller Eames chair and ottoman add a mid-century modern touch to the reading nook in the formal living room. – Armhed Louis-Jean 
A guest bedroom features a framed image from Island photographer Elizabeth Cecil titled “Truck & Surfboard.” – Armhed Louis-Jean
This article appears in Fall-Winter Home & Garden 2026-2027.