Minimalism Is Out, Murals Are In – Tour Corey Damen Jenkins’s Cohasset Garden Room, Where Humor Meets History

Actual art feels almost beside the point when the wallpaper is doing the storytelling – especially in a collected, cross-referential project like Corey Damen Jenkins's Garden Room in Cohasset, Massachusetts. The garden room, wrapped in a sweeping nature mural, nods to the surrounding South Shore landscape and the home’s maritime provenance in a way no framed piece could compete with.

‘When we first laid eyes on its idyllic landscape and ambling waterways, we knew it would be the perfect fit for our project,’ Corey says of the Iksel mural that became both muse and anchor for the entire room. ‘I always aim to cast “lead actors” in our designs, and this mural was one that the family fell in love with, so we made careful choices to pull together a concept that garnered full support from all the supporting actors in the room.’

The most notable of whom was color, which acted as the picturesque scene's closest collaborator. Notice the auburn and caramel tones in the mural's architectural detailing find near-mirror echoes in the warm woods, blue velvets, and textural upholstery throughout the space.

‘It was important to us that we retained as much of the home’s provenance as possible,’ Corey says of the property, originally built in the 1850s by a sea captain. ‘The dining room’s fireplace is original to the house, as are the headers over the doors and windows.'

'Too often, we see many of these historic motifs ripped out in renovations because people don’t value them highly,' Corey continues. 'I feel it’s best to preserve those elements as a point of pride for the homeowners to enjoy. It also makes for great storytelling when friends and family visit.’

Despite the heirlooms – an antique mirror, a rowing helm from Oxford University’s 1927 team, crest intact – nothing about the garden room feels stuck in the past. The modern counterpoints, such as the sleek, glass-topped coffee table or blooming monochromatic chandelier, help, of course. But the real source of its vitality lies in something subtler: Corey’s orchestration of pattern through size, scale, and symmetry.

‘Various patterns can be different sizes and shapes, but they should still complement one another like various instruments in a symphony,’ he explains – a crucial principle when the room is, quite literally, swathed in pattern itself. This way, details like the plaid accent chair and graphic rug feel animated, not at odds with our main character, the mural.

But perhaps even less conspicuous are the easter eggs Corey threads throughout the space – the 'extras,' the blink-and-you’ll-miss-them details that have become something of a signature for the New York–based designer.

‘I love a subtle wink-and-nod to something fun or humorous in a room, especially if it’s an inside joke that only the family really knows about,’ Corey says. ‘Perhaps it’s something silly, or maybe it’s a shared love for something cool, different, or even unexpected.’

Here, that moment takes the form of a brass octopus – a sly nod to the home’s maritime story and a small, serotonin-boosting surprise amid the refinement.

‘These little moments of joy remind us that interior design doesn’t always need to take itself so seriously,’ Corey adds. Even a room with as much history as this one ‘can also have heart and an understated sense of humor.’

Which naturally prompted the question – one his work here all but answered for him – is he glad to see minimalism on the outs?

‘Frankly, yes!’ Corey says without hesitation. ‘Minimalism has its place in the world of design, and for certain clients it may make more sense as their preference. However, it brings me great joy to see the world opening up again to embracing vibrant color and realizing the power that it can bring to our human experience.’

So yes, the garden room is memorable for several reasons: details like the carefully calculated plaid, the unexpected octopus, and the rejection of minimalism more generally all play into the magic – but ultimately, those are still the minor actors.

Recall why they got cast in the first place. If you’re after the same sense of sweep, story, and joie de vivre, your own cinematic journey may begin right where Corey’s did: with a mural.

Shop the Look

In case it wasn’t clear, mural walls are the new accent wall – and rooms like this make a case for decorating all four. Designers are leaning hard into this painterly, atmospheric change. See what the fuss is about.