Newport, a seaside city located in Rhode Island’s Narragansett Bay, is famed for its historic mansions, rich sailing history, and pristine sandy beaches. The picturesque New England coastal city is home to Wall Street veteran, company director, financial advisor, and yacht racing team owner Charles Kenahan. Kenahan and his wife, Carla, are Rhode Island natives and long-time Newport residents.
The couple purchased their current home, built in 1888 and tucked away in a quiet spot along the southern shore of Newport, in 2013. They also purchased an adjacent lot that would later become home to an accompanying carriage house, subsequently christened Camp Carla.
Affectionately named after Mrs. Kenahan by the couple’s loved ones, Camp Carla represents a home-away-from-home for visiting family and friends.
The Birth of Camp Carla
With four growing children, Carla and Charles Kenahan began planning the carriage house, which would ultimately become Camp Carla, soon after purchasing their main home in 2013. They did so in anticipation of the arrival of their future grandchildren and the increasingly large family gatherings likely to accompany them.
Carla and Charles called in a local architect who presented them with several design options. Charles recalls that these included an addition to the main house and numerous separate structures. However, he and Carla were adamant that, whatever the outcome, it must look like it had always existed on the site of the existing 19th-century cottage.
Compatibility with both their property and those of their neighbors was paramount. Given the 125-year history of their primary home, the couple decided against adding to the existing property in favor of a separate carriage house. At that moment and having already purchased an adjacent lot to build on, the future Camp Carla was born.
Every Inch the Historic Newport Home
Despite being built from a concept, Wall Street veteran and yacht racing team owner Charles Kenahan says it was imperative that his family’s new architect-designed carriage house and its garage looked like they had always existed on the site. The resulting property undoubtedly met that ideal, perfectly complementing the Kenahans’ main home and the surrounding neighborhood.
Almost 2,200 square feet of indoor living space provides abundant versatility and flexibility. Whether for entertaining or as a hangout for younger family members, the living area, Kenahan says, embodies the very essence of Newport. That includes taking inspiration from the nearby beach and reflecting the company director’s passion for sailing.
Inherently welcoming with shiplap-finished walls, nautical blue accents, and cozy furniture, Camp Carla feels like every inch the historic Newport home. Characterful and a testament to local craftsmanship, an overwhelming sense of family is ever-present thanks in no small part to Carla and Charles Kenahan’s carefully considered decor choices and other special touches.
Celebrating Versatility and Craftsmanship
Elsewhere, Camp Carla’s open-plan kitchen is equally beautiful and practical, with discreet storage, shallow shelves, and copper fixtures to catch the eye. Upstairs, two bedrooms with vaulted ceilings are flooded with light through their vast east- and west-facing windows.
The impressive carriage house’s master bathroom further celebrates local craftsmanship. Its vanity is painstakingly carved from a 200-year-old heart pine slab within which sits a vintage sink.
Meanwhile, the property’s garage—with its heated, epoxy-finished, rustic stone-look floor designed to mimic local historic carriage houses—doubles up as additional entertaining space alongside Camp Carla’s main living area. In summer, with the garage doors open, the space feels like an enclosed patio, ensuring the carriage house’s versatility all year round. The exquisite details perfectly created by skilled workmanship earned the contractors affectionate nickname for the project, “The Jewelry Box”.
Camp Carla was featured in a 2019 edition of Newport Home magazine. Back issues of the edition are available from the magazine’s publisher.
