And, it is a cottage in the same sense that the mansions in Newport are cottages: It is large, with maybe 12 big rooms and 12-foot ceilings, a palatial center hallway and wonderful Victorian colors. Unlike the Newport mansions, this one is wood framed and covered with clapboards.

James and Isabel Hammond moved in two years ago, into the house that has been in Hammond's family since it was built around 1866. It was the last of five houses that an ancestor built for his nephews.

Isabel Hammond said it has character but not pretention, and the view is perfect, especially when the sun comes up over the water. ``It's all peace and quiet,'' she said.

While the house needed some work as all old houses do, there was no need for demolition and rebuilding, because the structure was intact. Structurally sound, as building inspectors might say.

But that didn't mean there was time to be idle.

``We decided a Victorian house should have Victorian colors, so we painted the outside a blue,'' said Isabel. That is unusual for any exterior, but situated high on a large undulating lot with the sea three-quarters of its border, it works, especially since the house was originally white.

Inside, Isabel continued with Victorian colors. The library she painted purple (that's Victorian?) with sea green trim. Sounds weird, but it too, works, and, she added, ``We are finding that we are spending more and more time in the library.'' In fact, all the rooms are painted dark or bright, and with many huge windows, there is enough light to make the colors vibrant and exciting rather than overpowering or depressing.

That library is a godsend, with its wall-to-wall bookcases. ``We have 1,000 books,'' she said, adding that somehow she has to winnow out a few. ``At my stage in life, if it cannot be used, give it away.''

Another room is painted orange, more properly carrot, a color chosen by Michael, one of the Hammonds's sons. That room had some fine old original wallpaper, but it was too far gone to save, said Isabel, although some remains under the stairway.

And there is original wallpaper, still being made in France, in the dining room.

``We will keep that,'' Isabel said.

The Victorian colors continue upstairs: dark blue, dark green, and dark gray. And, the bright natural light in the house make those colors exciting.

One big project, other than all the painting, was to sand and refinish the floors, which are fir, unusual for such a house. Nicely refinished, the ``ordinary'' fir rivals the beauty of the finest oak floors.

And, the slate roof has to go, Isabel said. ``It's just too expensive to redo, and the slates tend to fly off in storms, a hazard to anyone walking the grounds.''

The house was full of furniture, but, as Isabel put it, the furniture went when they moved in. Replacing it was not a big problem, because the Hammonds collected many pieces from all over the world.

James is a banker who did most of his work in Latin America, with trips to Asia and back to New York as well. In fact, he met Isabel in New York, although she was born in Bogota.

Between them, they traveled the world, picking up furniture and art, more than enough to fill the Victorian cottage.

There are English pieces, pieces from other parts of Europe, and pieces from Asia, including a remarkable Chinese marriage bed, all enclosed with heavy wood carvings and gold leaf bas-relief figures of men and animals.

There is also plenty of art, an international collection of oil paintings, prints, woodcuts, and etchings. And, on the dining room mantel, large china figurines of the Eight Immortals stand guard, Chinese gods who do good deeds.

The art continues outdoors, where a wrap-around deck presents wonderful views of the sea from three sides. The deck roof was removed years ago, bringing the light of the outdoors right into the house.

In one section of the yard, which is enhanced by huge boulders, there is a ceramic pagoda, brought from China by James's great aunt.

There is also a granite pagoda, from China, and in mid-yard, for all to see, a ship's bell, which Isabel says may be from the clipper ship Cleopatra's Barge.

And, tucked away in a corner, is a half-sized figure of a coolie, very old, made of cast iron and painted.

Isabel said the house is an ongoing project, and there is plenty still to do, including adding to the garden.

In fact, she said, Nicholas, another of the Hammonds's three sons, is determined to make the rocks bloom. And, he will.