TEXTURE AND CONTRAST TEAM UP IN THIS CONTEMPORARY SEASIDE HOME
GRAB A SEAT:
INSIDE MR. TUNA’S NEW SPOT ON MIDDLE STREET +
36 HOURS EXPLORING THE BOOTHBAY REGION
Photo Rich McKinnon
Francois Gagne Photographer
Architecture Banks Design Associates
Carlos Gamez de Francisco
Rick Hamilton
Emily Blaschke
AUGUST 2024
54 Perfect Perch
A design team and client create a new build with old-world charm on Prouts Neck by Sophie
Donelson
Photography by Jeff Roberts
62 Space for All
A spacious shingled house on the coast of Biddeford fits right in by Katy Kelleher
Photography by Irvin Serrano
70 Making it Home
A couple customizes their new house— and finds their place in Maine by Katherine Gaudet
Photography by François Gagné
ON THE COVER:
Yarmouth-based interior designer Leandra Fremont-Smith’s aesthetic choices perfectly complement the dramatic elliptical stair at the entry of this Prouts Neck home built by Eider Investments.
Perfect Perch, page 54
Cover photography by Jeff Roberts
24 DESIGN WIRE
News designed for you
27 TURNOUT
MH+D and Moss Galleries at the Electric Greenhouse
28 RECIPE
Lobster Noodle Salad with Sweet and Sour Sauce
32 UP CLOSE
Formerly an inn, this Colonial Revival on Little Cranberry Island is filled with treasures from near and far
36 DESIGN LESSON
Banana Leaf Pattern
40 STYLE ROOM
Designed by Gil Schafer, this glazed Long Island porch is a summer sanctuary for entertaining
50 SPACES
A well-known Portland sushi joint finally finds its forever home
78 DESIGN FIELD TRIP
From art galleries to harbor cruises, the Boothbay region has much to offer every type of traveler
86 SHOWCASE
Donald Moffett’s environmentally charged work at the Center for Maine Contemporary Art in Rockland
EDITOR’S NOTE 17 CONTRIBUTORS 22
READERS’ INSIGHTS 26
WE LOVE MAINE.
Maine Home+Design highlights the work of Maine’s architects, builders, interior designers, artists, and craftspeople. We cover homes from the inside out, as well as the people who live in them and work on them, with high-quality writing and photography from our staff and team of regular contributors. We capture a range of styles from traditional to modern—and everything in between. In every issue, we uncover architectural masterpieces, home design inspiration, compelling artwork, profiles, retail shops, upcoming exhibitions, a portrait of a town, and the latest design trends and industry news. We cultivate a community of supporters and contributors who are doing the highest quality, most innovative work on homes in Maine today.
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WRITERS | Chenda Cameroun, Sophie Donelson, Katherine Gaudet, Katy Kelleher
PHOTOGRAPHERS | Jenn Bravo, Catherine Dzilenski, François Gagné, Jeff Roberts, Irvin Serrano, Jessica Webb
DIRECTOR OF BUSINESS & PARTNERSHIP DEVELOPMENT | Karen Bowe
ADVOCATE MEDIA USA
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF & PUBLISHER | Crystal Murray
SENIOR DIRECTOR, CREATIVE DESIGN & PRODUCTION | Shawn Dalton
CIRCULATION SUPERVISOR | Tiffany Marshall
Maine is experiencing a heatwave right now. You know, the kind when you feel a little delirious? I’m dreaming of the physical and mental relief of jumping without abandon into the lake, ocean, or swimming hole. All three of the homes featured in our August issue are a stone’s throw from the water and the homeowners are happily reaping the rewards today. Perhaps even more interestingly, all three homeowners wanted their homes to embrace Maine’s calm through architecture, interior design, and landscape design.
As you flip through, you’ll notice these homes do not have that dramatic layering of textiles and wallpaper like many of the summer homes we showcase in MH+D (Up Close, page 32). I was surprised when interior designer Leandra Fremont-Smith first showed me the home featured on our cover (Perfect Perch, page 54). FremontSmith has the gift of creating whimsical colorful, patterned interiors. I love the boldness of her approach. I might have even stopped by her studio today for a wallpaper recommendation for my powder room (I needed the reassurance I was on the right track). “This project taught me a lot about playing with neutrals,” FremontSmith tells writer Sophie Donelson. “Look closely, though, and her firm’s signature hallmarks are still there: thoughtful trims
on the upholstery, a handful of personality-full printed textiles on window treatments and cushions, dashes of unexpected color like the pale orchid powderroom vanity, and a brass lighting scheme that adds a cheerful glint throughout the home,” reveals Donelson. I love it; it has restraint, but all the elements of style, and I think you will love it too.
This is our last summer issue of 2024 and we’re making it count. Associate editor Becca Abramson recently spent 36 hours in Boothbay Harbor discovering great art, architecture, and ice cream (Design Field Trip, page 78), and she has pulled together the perfect itinerary for you. Win over your summer guests with Luke’s Lobster’s noodle salad (Recipe, page 28), and if you’re in Portland, visit the new Mr. Tuna on Middle Street (Spaces, page 50). I’ll be hopefully cooling off in a nearby swimming hole and narrowing down my wallpaper selection, one of which is on page 36. Enjoy!
Danielle Devine Editor
ddevine@mainehomedesign.com
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Bouquet II, Queen Anne’s Lace, Little Long Pond, oil on canvas, 36” x 36”
Stefan Elliott
CONTRIBUTORS
JESSICA WEBB is an event and lifestyle photographer located in South Portland. When she’s not taking photos, she’s most likely running after her two boys on one of Maine’s lovely beaches, enjoying one of Portland’s many bakeries, or seeing some live music. Turnout, page 27
SOPHIE DONELSON is a design journalist and speaker whose work celebrates the connection between people and their homes. Previously editor-in-chief of House Beautiful magazine, Donelson has authored several books, including Uncommon Kitchens: A Revolutionary Approach to the Most Popular Room in the House. Home for her is Montreal, with much family time in southern Maine. Perfect Perch, page 54
LEANDRA FREMONT-SMITH has a passion for creating beautiful, traditionally inspired spaces infused with splashes of color and pattern. Her energetic approach helps clients discover their true style, while ensuring that each space is practical, inviting, and reflective of their personalities. Perfect Perch, page 54
JEFF ROBERTS is an architectural and interior design photographer based in Maine. He enjoys riding bicycles of all kinds, shucking oysters while out in nature, working on his old farmhouse, and traveling to distant lands in search of interesting street food and new adventures. Perfect Perch, page 54
IRVIN SERRANO is a seasoned photographer who enjoys creating images for the architecture, interior design, construction, and hospitality industries. Delivering images of the highest quality and exceeding his clients’ expectations is paramount to him. A native of Mexico City, he has fallen in love with the state of Maine. Admittedly a fly-fishing addict, Serrano can be found near the water when he’s not behind the camera. Space for All, page 62
TIFFANY MARSHALL leads the circulation department at Advocate Media and Advocate Media USA. For the past five years, she’s worked with several publications, including Maine magazine and Saltscapes magazine. She lives in Abercrombie, Nova Scotia, Canada, with her partner, Jeremy.
DESIGN WIRE
BY BECCA ABRAMSON
Built in 1855 for carpenter Richard Evans, the Evans-Cummings House, known colloquially as the GINGERBREAD HOUSE, is a landmark Victorian-era residence in Norway, Maine. After undergoing historic preservation over the past several years, the home has reopened to the public with an art exhibition called If You Lived Here, You Would… Presented by DRIVE BY SPACE, the exhibition features work by artists Michelle Grabner, Valerie Hegarty, Alex Jovanovich, and Adam Payne. According to a press release, “If You Lived Here You Would… is a consideration of the home’s past that offers a glimpse into its potential future through a selection of sculptures, paintings, drawings, and mixed-media pieces—brought to western Maine for the very first time—by a group of internationally recognized and acclaimed artists.” The exhibition is on view through the remainder of the summer.
The latest two-in-one appliance from FISHER AND PAYKEL is a major triumph for those who have high ceilings or prefer a streamlined, contemporary kitchen aesthetic: the 36-inch INDUCTION COOKTOP WITH INTEGRATED VENTILATION eliminates the need for a bulky range hood thanks to a ninespeed fan that removes odors, smoke, and steam. Previewed at the 2024 KITCHEN AND BATH INDUSTRY SHOW in Las Vegas, the sleek glass cooking surface, which uses induction technology to heat only the cookware and not the entire cooking surface, is more energy efficient than traditional gas and electric stovetops. Featuring precise touch-and-slide temperature controls and four different cooking zones, the elegant appliance is a game changer for the future of kitchen design.
BIRDSAFE MAINE, a partnership among MAINE AUDUBON, the UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN MAINE, and the PORTLAND SOCIETY FOR ARCHITECTURE, launched the inaugural BIRD SAFE AWARDS to recognize companies, educators, designers, architects, and other individuals in Maine doing their part to protect birds from accidental window strikes.
L.L.BEAN, MEMIC, SADDLEBACK MOUNTAIN, and BIGELOW LABORATORY FOR OCEAN SCIENCES received awards for Corporate Excellence; YARMOUTH ELEMENTARY SCHOOL and Dr. Perlut at the UNIVERSITY OF NEW ENGLAND received awards for Educational Excellence; and representatives from SIMONS ARCHITECTS, ALISBERG PARKER, DAVIES TOEWS ARCHITECTURE, REDFERN PROPERTIES, JUNIPER DESIGN AND BUILD, and GOLOGIC were recognized for Excellence in the Design Community. “Our award winners are working on the cutting edge of green architecture, designing innovative solutions for a problem that kills as many as one billion birds in the United States each year. These winners were not required to act, but rather listened to the wishes of their employees, students, clients, and advocates. We’re grateful for their work and look forward to a brighter future for Maine’s birdlife,” says Nick Lund, advocacy and outreach manager at Maine Audubon.
GOVERNOR JANET MILLS signed an executive order this spring with the goal of increasing the number of women in Maine’s male-dominated construction industry. In the executive order, Mills outlines strategies for the recruitment, training, and retention of women in the construction workforce, including grant opportunities to incentivize hiring women, connecting construction businesses with women in apprenticeship and trade programs, collecting and sharing data from contractors and subcontractors in the state, and surveying organizations (including contractors, staffing agencies, and labor unions) to determine what barriers are preventing women from working in the industry. “Women are a crucial part of Maine’s workforce, and they should be welcomed and embraced in every sector of our economy, including those traditionally dominated by men, like the construction industry and the trades. This executive order will create pathways for more women to enter and succeed in these important jobs at a time when our state and the industry needs them most,” Mills said in a statement. Women currently make up about 15 percent of Maine’s construction workforce, which is slightly higher than the national average of 11 percent.
PHOTO: COURTESY MAINE AUDUBON
In preparation for the 2024 SUMMER OLYMPICS in Paris, CHATILLON ARCHITECTES embarked on a multiyear restoration and renovation of the GRAND PALAIS DES CHAMPS-ÉLYSÉES, a dramatic Beaux Arts palace originally built for the 1900 World’s Fair. Referencing archival documents like the original building design by architects Henri Deglane, Albert Louvet, Albert Thomas, and Charles Girault, the team from Chatillon reconnected the building’s three main spaces, removed partition walls to reopen inaccessible spaces to the public, reinforced the nave’s ornate cantilevered balconies, and added modern-day technology throughout the building. Nearly 50 companies, more than 200 subcontractors, and around 900 site staff worked together on the project, which will undergo a brief pause as the building’s massive atrium hosts fencing and taekwondo competitions during the Olympics. The Grand Palais’s full rehabilitation is expected to be completed in 2025, at which point the building will host artwork from the CENTRE POMPIDOU as the modern art museum undergoes construction.
Lauren Goodman, the Montreal-based designer behind sculptural furniture firm STUDIO LAUREN GOODMAN, is known for transforming local waste into elevated, unique objects. Her latest series, called FRESH CATCH, showcases carefully deconstructed lobster traps salvaged from the coast of Maine that have been organically rearranged and welded back together to form upcycled chairs, shelves, and side tables. “Material exploration is one of the driving forces behind my practice,” Goodman says. “I’m interested in concepts like renewal and repair. I like seeing beyond the material in front of you to expand its potential.” Having spent summers in Maine with her family since childhood, Goodman knew exactly where to look when she first considered working with a single waste stream. “Derelict traps and other fishing gear can be devastating for ocean life, and just getting them off the shores and out of marine ecosystems makes a positive impact. The lobster trap itself is such an iconic symbol for so many, especially in New England, and the opportunity to transform this otherwise unwelcome material into a functional piece of furniture is really invigorating,” she explains.
The historic steamship KATAHDIN, the star exhibit at the MOOSEHEAD MARINE MUSEUM in Greenville, is celebrating its 110th birthday this year. Affectionately known as Kate, the boat is undergoing significant preservation efforts led by the BOOTHBAY HARBOR SHIPYARD so that it may continue to share the steam boating and marine heritage of the Moosehead Lake Region with visitors. A multiyear fundraising campaign called KEEP KATE CRUISING set an initial goal of $2 million and received $500,000 in federal funds for restoration, including a new upper deck, fantail deck, and side decking. Kate, which still cruises the lake five days a week and hosts nearly 8,500 visitors each year, is listed on the NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES
Visitors to Portland’s BACK COVE TRAIL will spot some new animal friends this summer: a pair of 20-foot-tall egrets performing their distinctive mating dance. The bamboo sculpture called Dancing for Joy (By the Will of the People) is a temporary public art installation by internationally renowned artists Donna Dodson and Andy Moerlein of THE MYTH MAKERS. According to TEMPOART, the nonprofit organization that commissioned the sculpture, “The collaboration between Dodson and Moerlein [grew] out of a mutual love of the wild: Dodson takes inspiration from the mysterious nature of birds that spark her imagination, and Moerlein takes inspiration from events in the natural world that leave visual marks and strike a narrative chord in the artist. Although monumental in scale, their ephemeral bamboo sculptures are temporary in nature. Made from natural materials, they are site specific and respond to their local audience.” Dancing for Joy will be on display until 2026. MH+D
PHOTO: SALLY FERRAND
PHOTO: PETE
FITZ OF BUOY MEDIA
Nothing says “summer” more than exploring the great outdoors— and here in Maine the opportunities are endless. With 12 state park campgrounds and nearly 200 additional licensed places for sleeping under the stars, the Pine Tree State is an excellent place to camp whether you choose a tent, RV, or one-of-a-kind glamping experience. This month, we asked our readers:
Where is your favorite place to camp (or glamp) in Maine?
Acadia National Park —@cove_end_neh
Stephen Phillips Memorial Preserve —@capitula
Topsl Farm —@mrsafranky
Fortland —@girlthatdesigns
Grafton Notch Campground and Lamoine State Park —@alliicat
PHOTOS: PETER FRANK EDWARDS
MH+D and Moss Galleries at the Electric Greenhouse
An exclusive viewing of new work by artist Charlie Hewitt
MH+D partnered with Moss Galleries to host an exclusive group of design VIPs at nationally acclaimed artist Charlie Hewitt’s Electric Greenhouse in Portland. Guests enjoyed light bites and refreshments provided by Experience Maine Culinary while being among the first to see the debut collection of Hewitt’s one-of-a-kind carved ceramic wall sculptures. Inspired by biblical motifs, the colorful ceramic pieces feature a muted palette compared to the brightly lit neon signs Hewitt is known for. Stay tuned for a full feature on Hewitt’s unique gallery space in our upcoming September issue!
“Moss Galleries was honored to cosponsor this intimate event with MH+D showcasing Charlie Hewitt’s diverse art mediums to the designers and architectural community of Greater Portland. It was a lovely evening filled with insights into Charlie’s ceramics, sculptural pieces, and iconic marquee signs.”
—Elizabeth Moss, owner of Moss Galleries
Maine artists Katarina Weslien and Charlie Hewitt 2. Goat cheese and beet skewers make the rounds. 3. Louisa Donelson, artist and designer; Amanda Cleary, Woodhull; Shannon Richards, founder of Hay Runner; and Elizabeth Moss, owner of Moss Galleries 4. Lauren Donovan, assistant director at Moss Galleries 5. Leandra Fremont-Smith, founder and principal designer at Leandra Fremont-Smith Interiors, and Danielle Devine, MH+D editor 6. Guests enjoy small bites provided by Experience Maine Culinary. 7. Jared Levin; Karen Bowe, MH+D director of business development and partnerships; and Jen Levin, owner of Chilton Furniture 8. Hewitt’s work on display at the Electric Greenhouse. 9. Charlie Hewitt explains the inspiration and process behind his newly unveiled ceramic wall sculptures. 10. Attendees pose with Hewitt’s iconic Hopeful sign. MH+D
1.
Lobst er Noodle Salad with Sweet & Sour Sauce
Growing up in Cambodia, Chenda Cameroun ate this simple noodle dish with sweet and sour sauce. Today, Cameroun works in the quality assurance department at Luke’s Lobster’s production facility, ensuring that each piece of lobster that’s been steamed and hand-picked is in perfect condition to be shipped around the world. The Luke’s team asked Cameroun to show them how to make this weeknight noodle salad with lobster instead of the typical ground pork, and the resulting dish is perfect for a warm summer evening in Maine.
Serves 4
SWEET & SOUR SAUCE
INGREDIENTS
4 cups cold water
2 cups sugar
1 cup fish sauce
1 cup vinegar
½ cup sweet chili sauce (optional)
1 carrot, shredded (optional)
½ cup peanuts, chopped (optional)
Chilies (optional)
INSTRUCTIONS
Combine the water, sugar, fish sauce, vinegar, and sweet chili sauce (if using) in a bowl and stir together. If desired, add shredded carrot, chopped peanuts, and chilies.
NOODLE SALAD
INGREDIENTS
1 pound lobster meat
1 package vermicelli noodles
Sweet and Sour Sauce (see above)
1 cucumber, sliced
2 cups chopped lettuce
Mint, for garnish
INSTRUCTIONS
1. To cook the noodles, place them in a bowl and cover with boiling water. Let soak for 3 to 5 minutes. Drain in a colander and refill the bowl with cold water. Return the drained noodles to the bowl and soak for 3 to 5 minutes to stop the cooking. Drain.
2. Place the noodles in a serving bowl and separate using a fork or your hands.
3. Pour the sweet and sour sauce over the noodles and add the lobster meat, cucumber, and lettuce. Toss, then garnish with mint. MH+D
UP CLOSE| THE MAINE HOUSE II
BY KATHLEEN HACKETT | PHOTOGRAPHY BY MAURA MCEVOY
The Woodlawn House
Formerly an inn, this Colonial Revival on Little Cranberry Island is filled with treasures from near and far
Of the almost 4,000 islands in Maine, just 300 were ultimately settled, and of those, 100 eventually became year-round communities, a number that has dwindled to just 15 today. “A place is always richer when families are being raised there,” says John Fondas, who knows something about island living. Born and raised in Spanish Wells in the Bahamas, he hadn’t connected with any place quite like it until he stepped onto Little Cranberry Island’s public dock more than two decades ago. “The lobster traps, the gardens, the lobstermen’s co-op, it all reminded me of home,” he says.
The Woodlawn Inn was in terrible shape, but its history—and history-making view—captivated Fondas and his partner, John Knott. From the front porch, one can see Bunker’s Ledge, where Frederic Church made Beacon Off Mount Desert Island, the painting that put Maine on the map as a tourist destination in the late 1800s. The inn’s 19 tiny bedrooms drew notable painters—Mary Cassatt among them— as well as the era’s rusticators, who made the trip from Boston, Philadelphia, and New York City. “We meticulously preserved the exterior and took only a few liberties with the interior architecture to make it more relaxed and open,” says Fondas of the gambrel-roofed Colonial Revival. Hints at the house’s former life are everywhere—the linoleum stair runner, the room numbers, the exit signs all remain.
And then they went to town. Or, rather, to sea. Like a pair of New England sea captains, they furnished the house with exotica [sic] that might have been brought back from excursions to the Far East. But Fondas and Knott, mindful that the best old vacation houses are those in which a motley mix of family cast-offs land, looked no further than their own cache; all of the furnishings came out of homes they had owned in the past. “It’s that grand recycling that makes these houses so idiosyncratic. They’re filled with bits and pieces of people’s lives,” says Fondas. For this pair, the principals of the textile company Quadrille, that includes miles of fabric and wallcoverings deployed with joyful abandon—just the way they like it.
Which is why, when summer rolls around and the sheets come off the furniture, the shutters are opened, and the pipes come to life, Fondas is content to stay right here. “I don’t want to be dancing on some Mediterranean island. I want to smell the soil, listen to the loons, and share the view with our friends,” he says. The rewards of island living, he finds, far outweigh the inconveniences. “You actually appreciate your bottle of water, your screwdriver, and your ballpoint pen.” MH+D
Excerpted from The Maine House II by Maura McEvoy, Basha Burwell, and Kathleen Hackett (Vendome Press, 2024). Reprinted with permission from the publisher.
(Clockwise from top) The house is filled with what Fondas calls a “very American mixture of different furniture styles, family hand-medowns, and the kind of China trade exotica [sic] that New England sea captains collected.” As an homage to the founding of America, a guest room is swathed in Independence toile, featuring Franklin, Washington, and Lady Liberty. The hallway wallpaper is based on a nineteenth-century French document that the couple found on their travels. Etched in Greek into the lintel over the Colonial Revival’s front door: “The sea shall wash away the ills of man.”
DESIGN LESSON
BY DANIELLE DEVINE
It screams summer while instantly transporting you to a tropical locale, but there’s a great debate among design enthusiasts about who designed the famous banana leaf wallpaper. Was it Dorthey Draper or Don Loper? Don Loper is often mistakenly credited as the designer because of his use of the iconic paper in the Beverly Hills Hotel. Here are the facts.
In 1941, Lucile Chatain, the daughter of Clifton W. Stockwell, who started the wallpaper and textile company CW Stockwell, returned from a vacation in the South Pacific with her husband Remy Chatain. Lucile had studied architecture and interior design at Parsons, and she had a great eye. She approached her friend and neighbor, noted illustrator Albert Stockdale, to create a tropical print representing her experience in the jungle. The result was Martinique®, a handprinted large botanical pattern installed like a mural in the showroom. Around the same time, interior and Hollywood costume designer Don Loper was tasked by the Beverly Hills Hotel to help with its redesign. When Loper visited the CW Stockwell showroom and saw the bold banana leaf wallpaper, he knew it belonged in the hotel—it was a perfect complement to the iconic pink facade. It’s believed that there are about five miles of banana leaf wallpaper and fabric throughout the Beverly Hills Hotel.
BANANA LEAF PATTERN
The print’s fame continued to grow. In 1984, restaurateur Brian McNally used Martinique® in his new Manhattan hot spot, Indochine, frequented by celebrities like Andy Warhol, Jean-Michel Basquiat, and Madonna. It was also used in the beloved sitcom Golden Girls from the 1980s: party girl character Blanche Devereaux’s bedroom was covered in the Martinique® banana leaf print wallpaper, and she even had a matching bedspread. In 2019, after the youngest Chatain’s death, West Elm and Serena and Lily veteran Katy Polsby (who also happened to be a family friend of the Chatains) took over as CEO and owner of CW Stockwell. “Our iconic Martinique® pattern is singular and sought after because it has universal appeal for its boldness, its whimsy, and its transportive spirit,” Polsby told Veranda magazine in 2021. “It is also one of the world’s most imitated patterns, largely due to the fact that—until now—it has not been made widely accessible in its authentic form.”
There’s no denying that the pattern looks very similar to Brazilliance by Dorothy Draper. Many believe Martinque® is darker in color and has a bolder design, while Draper’s is lighter and preppier. The defining difference, though, is that Draper’s paper includes clusters of grapes instead of the bananas used in Martinique®. MH+D
PHOTO: COURTESY OF CW STOCKWELL
Rain or Shine
Designed by Gil Schafer, this glazed Long Island porch is a summer sanctuary for entertaining
American architect Gil Schafer III is known for his keen ability to mix the traditional with the new, despite, as he jokes, being “deeply allergic to the trendy.” In Home at Last: Enduring Design for the New American House (Rizzoli, 2024), the final installment of his trilogy on “living modern” in classical American homes, Schafer highlights a collection of residences that are designed to adapt, evolve, and endure. Schafer explains in the book’s introduction that he has become a better listener—to both his family and his clients—and has realized that “the most indispensable quality of an enduring home is that it is adaptive to the evolution of life—the house can shape-shift, if you will, depending upon a family’s needs.”
While he believes architecture should always endure, Schafer recognizes that decorative schemes are ever-changing. The glazed porch of this Long Island compound, which Schafer designed for a sociable couple, is just one of many entertainment spaces on the property, which also includes a pool pavilion, guesthouse, greenhouse, nightclub-style basement, spa, badminton court, and entertaining barn. Decorative stone tile and wicker chairs invite guests to relax in the brightly lit room, which features an antique stone mantel found for the owners by interior designer David Netto. Grasscloth shades and potted plants bring the outdoors in, while an abstract brushstroke painting above the fireplace adds a contemporary touch to the informal gathering space. Create your own summer sanctuary with these nine finds. MH+D H+D
ON A ROLL
A well-known Portland sushi joint finally finds its forever home
“
Our lease in the Portland Public Market was coming to an end, and we knew we didn’t want to renew, so we had been looking for the perfect space for a while. We’ve wanted a restaurant on Middle Street for a long time— it feels like the restaurants here stay open forever—so when we saw the opportunity to join the neighborhood, we reached out right away to learn more and signed the lease not long after.
“Working with Woodhull on the buildout was an extremely smooth and professional process. Teaming up with contractors can be difficult, but working with their group was a breeze, and we’re thrilled with how everything turned out. The interior was designed by Mey and Company, which we’ve worked with previously at Bar Futo. We wanted to incorporate our updated branding by Family Brothers into the restaurant, so the new fonts and colors guided our design. Carrie Dessertine is so talented, and we love that she’s local and has a team of all women working with her. She helped us bring our vision to life: we wanted something light and bright, and she infused the space with pops of pink and purple that added a touch of femininity to balance the masculine Mr. Tuna name. It’s fun and colorful, and most importantly, it brings our personalities into the space.
“All the millwork was done by Patrick McDonald of Northern Pines, and we picked maple because it’s a light, natural wood that works well with the natural lighting in the space. It gives off a clean, organic, sustainable vibe that pairs nicely with the sustainable fish we source for our dishes, and the bar face tiles are the color of tuna. The space is much smaller than Bar Futo, so it’s a bit more intimate. The counter seats offer an interactive experience because the sushi bar is exposed. Guests sit right in front of the chefs and can have conversations with them, which is really fun. It’s like they’re in on the action.
“When we were in the Public Market, we couldn’t control the feeling of the space because we were operating alongside other businesses. Now we’re able to have full control over the aesthetic and bring our energy and vibe to the space. We’re so happy to be here, and it feels like the evolution of Mr. Tuna has finally come to fruition. All our hard work and everything we’ve done has led us to this moment—it really feels like it was meant to be.”
—Jordan Rubin and Marisa Lewiecki, co-owners of Mr. Tuna, Bar Futo, and Crispy Gai MH+D
Perfect Perch
BY SOPHIE DONELSON
PHOTOGRAPHY BY JEFF ROBERTS
A design team and client create a new build with old-world charm on Prouts Neck
Afew winters ago, at the time of year when whipping winds send ice crystals into every crevasse, from keyholes to tree bark, a gentleman appeared at a site on the southern coast of Maine, the location of his future home.
He was there to meet an architectural designer to figure out how high the house should sit in order to capture the best views. He was there in dress shoes, having come straight from work in Boston, but that didn’t stop him. He instinctively jumped atop the railing of a frozen wooden deck and peered out, balancing as he took in Saco Bay, Richmond Island, and beyond.
“I was watching him, just scared to death he would slip,” admits his designer, Trevor Watson. “But it
worked—that’s how we ended up setting the elevation.”
Watson, who at the time was the design lead for Eider Investments, a design-build-maintain company based out of Prouts Neck, knew that this element of the project was critical to get right. (He now holds a similar position at Knickerbocker Group.) Even for an Eider house—and there are many—this one’s location is exceptional: the eastern coast of the peninsula, with both bay and ocean views as well as frontage to protected wetlands. With three rewarding exposures on an already coveted slice of waterfront, it felt crucial to maximize the benefits of the rarified location with the enjoyment of a future family home. The site is among the rarest and most sought-after slices of the eastern seaboard—no pressure!
Watson was soon joined by interior designer Leandra
On a peninsula due south of Portland is a coastal cottage-style home with nods to the region’s shingle-style tradition (opposite). The outdoor seating areas were designed to take in views of both Saco Bay to the south and the open Atlantic to the west.
The elegant elliptical stair is a centerpiece of the home but doesn’t interrupt the open and airy nature of the first floor (above). The home has an array of thoughtful textiles, rugs, and upholstery—a strong suit of Leandra Fremont-Smith, the interior designer.
Fremont-Smith and noted landscape design firm Mitchell and Associates, charged with shaping the outdoor spaces as well as protecting the adjacent wetlands. Together, the team launched into the rapid-fire design and construction schedule necessary for a summer cottage that ultimately would allow one Boston-area family to slow way down.
The collaboration yielded Spindrift, a stately shingled home with contemporary design sensibilities and modern conveniences—an underground garage, for example. On Prouts, with its rich artistic and architectural heritage, there’s a high bar for residential elegance, and the team took on the task hungrily. But there was a step before that: navigating the famously challenging bylaws of the Prouts Neck community.
In order to partake in the rich offerings of the peninsula—there are four private clubs (one boating, one
bathing, and two tennis) for its roughly 200 families— it’sprudent to adhere to the community association’s guidelines, which include no major building during the high season. “And June 15 comes around quickly,” says Watson. That means no hauling of lumber or windows, no flatbed trucks, and no major disturbances for a quarter of the year. “But the truth is, those rules are less about noise and inconvenience and more about the kids,” explains Watson. Indeed, like other special communities in coastal Maine, Prouts Neck is a place where children roam freely, on bare feet and on bikes, moving from beach to club and back home again.
The architectural designer’s first assignment was working with the homeowner to determine what the flavor of the home would be. “With a coastal cottage like this, you have two options,” Watson explains. “There’s
Open the front door and you’re greeted with the ocean (opposite). Prioritizing strong views is a hallmark of houses by Eider, the design-build firm the clients chose to create Spindrift. The pendant is from Visual Comfort.
The exterior covered porch has extraordinary views of the Atlantic (above). The sofa and chairs are from RH, the coffee table is by Janus et Cie, and the side tables are from Williams-Sonoma.
the subdued elegance of John Calvin Stevens, Maine’s most famous architect, or the more whimsical Emersonian architecture prevalent in Bar Harbor. The style of Stevens is more muted, which is appropriate for Prouts Neck.” Stevens designed an estimated 18 houses here, and each offers an invitation to enjoy the lush and craggy New England landscape from inside and out, via broad porches and banks of windows. Unsurprisingly, Stevens was also a landscape painter and a crony of Winslow Homer. (In the 1880s Stevens designed the painter’s still-standing home studio as well as houses for the artist’s two brothers; payment for at least one house came in the form of a painting.)
An embracing of the landscape was paramount in the planning of Spindrift. In laying out the outdoor living
room, porches, picture windows, and primary-suite deck, Watson heeded the path of the sun as it arches over the south side of the property and then sets over the front door. When you come through the front door you’re given the best view in the house: a sweep of the beaches and out to Richmond Island. “These houses are showpieces—they’re works of art—and you want people to feel amazed,” adds the designer.
Alongside highlighting the site’s best exposures, the design team also minimized its challenges. Smartly, the wall closest to a neighbor isn’t an expanse of windows but a handsome shingled exterior opposite a gas fireplace inside, thereby preserving both comfort and privacy.
Many interior layout decisions were made in chorus with Fremont-Smith, a Yarmouth-based interior designer
(Opposite, clockwise from top left) Gentle Gray paint from Benjamin Moore adds a whisper of color in the kitchen’s adjacent butler’s pantry. The primary bathroom suite is clad in Calcutta marble tile. Fremont-Smith used a soothing orchid paint for the vanity in the powder room. The wallpaper is from Schumacher’s Celery Kemble collection; the vanity’s stone was sourced from Morningstar Stone and Tile. In the mudroom, millwork keeps family belongings in check. The Annie Selke rug is from Bradford’s Rug Gallery in Portland.
Classic was the directive for the kitchen, but the twist is warm brass-tone details in the hood, hardware from Rejuvenation, and Visual Comfort lighting (above). The barstools are from Serena and Lily.
with projects from South Florida to Northeast Harbor. Fremont-Smith was handed an unusual-for-her challenge: her able partners—color and pattern—weren’t welcome on this jobsite. Her portfolio points to a body of work that reconciles Northeast prudence with a joie de vivre typically seen closer to the Tropic of Capricorn. But this project, with its warm, collaborative team (both homeowners and professionals), pushed her to channel her creativity down a new, more subdued path.
In the absence of vibrant hues, Fremont-Smith turned to texture and contrast to imbue the home with warmth and character. The floor stain, a shade of walnut that the interior designer describes as the palest of the darker hues, plays a critical role in grounding diaphanous paint colors, and a grasscloth wallcovering in the den adds depth in a way that paint can’t. Chevron-pattern shiplap creates an expansive entryway ceiling that adds interest and integrity the second you cross the threshold. “This project taught me a lot about playing with neutrals,” she says.
“I thought a lot about the winter and how, even if there isn’t color, to still make it feel warmed up,” says FremontSmith. Her team landed on a spectrum of whites and creams in keeping with the client’s request for tranquility and timelessness. “Still, I shy away from beige and gray,” FremontSmith explains. “Especially in cooler light, it can look dingy.” Instead, a chalky off-white—Slipper Satin from Farrow and Ball—fit the bill. “It had never been my go-to color, but in the sun-filled parts of the house, it felt right.”
Look closely, though, and her firm’s signature hallmarks are still there: thoughtful trims on the upholstery, a handful of personality-full printed textiles on window treatments and cushions, dashes of unexpected color like the pale orchid powder-room vanity, and a brass lighting scheme that adds a cheerful glint throughout the home.
The kicker is, those decorating final touches happened at the onset of peak season, past the date that a box truck could make a few efficient trips for an all-at-once installation. Instead, Fremont-Smith and her team repacked dozens of items and sent them off to Prouts Neck, piecemeal, in passenger cars. And as those cars, slowed to the requisite pokey (and safe) 25 miles per hour, made their deliveries to this elegant rock, kids were already playing outside in bare feet and on bikes. In time, two more would join: new neighbors from a perfectly perched house called Spindrift. MH+D
The “Pink Office,” as it’s dubbed, is adorned with custom fabric shades in Carissa by Colefax and Fowler (opposite, top). The spool chairs are from Ballard Designs, and the rug is from Simply Home.
The living room offers ample space to relax (opposite, bottom). An F. Lipari painting hangs to the left; a painting of Penobscot Bay by Jean Wiecha from Moss Galleries is over the fireplace.
The terrace is dinner-ready with a Marino dining table from RH and dining chairs from Janus et Cie (left, top).
To take in the view up the southern coast, a perfect escape: a firepit and some weatherproof Adirondack chairs from Polywood (left, bottom). Mitchell and Associates oversaw the landscape design.
SpaceAll for
A spacious shingled house on the coast of Biddeford fits right in
BY KATY KELLEHER
PHOTOGRAPHY BY IRVIN SERRANO
It was easy, explains Mary Bridger,* for the extended family to gather at a rental home when the kids were young, and the grandkids nonexistent. “We started coming to Maine around 15 years ago,” she says. “We did Ogunquit, Prouts Neck, and Biddeford Pool. We were familiar with the area, but we hadn’t thought about building a summer home.” Back then, they were able to put aside two weeks a year, wrangle the schedules, and get everyone in the same place. But, as her kids grew older and their lives grew more complicated, the task became near impossible. “The concept of two weeks together just fell apart,” she says. “We realized that we needed a place where people could come and go when they wanted.”
For the Bridgers, the idea of doing a new build was daunting. Their house in Concord, Massachusetts, was old and needed only occasional fixing and renovations. “We thought we would just buy something. But we couldn’t find a place big enough or situated correctly,” says Paul Bridger.* Over the years, the couple had noticed a piece of land for sale in Biddeford right by the water. They rode by it on their bicycles, but for a long time they didn’t bother to inquire. It’s common, explained Paul, for lots like this to sit idle. “There are so many various easements on properties,” he says. “Being close to the marsh, you can’t put in a septic.”
Yet the desire to reinstate the annual family tradition grew stronger, so they started looking for solutions. With a bit of finagling, they were able to convince the neighbors to agree to stop pumping their waste through the lot. “I got together with all the interested parties and told them, ‘How about I build you a new septic system,’” Paul recalls. “It was the key to unlocking the land so we could build a sizable house. We have seven grandchildren, and six of them are boys. It’s very active.”
Designed by architect Jessica Jolin at Mobile Studio Design and constructed by Bowley Builders, the Bridgers’ Granite Point vacation home was made to suit their wild and crazy summer schedules and their wild and crazy young relatives. “They came to us with the mission of building a home that all families could enjoy at the same time for many years together, in a style that multiple generations could appreciate,” says Jolin. “They wanted a timeless coastal feel, natural materials, and pockets of space where they could be either social or private, both inside and outside.” The early drawings were for two-story structures, but as the process progressed Jolin realized she could squeeze in
*Names have been changed to protect the clients’ anonymity.
(Opening spread) With mahogany railings and wave detailing in the shingles, this beachfront home pays subtle tribute to the grand cottages of the nineteenth century while still feeling utterly modern.
a third story, which became the kids’ space. Three en suite groupings make up the second story, and the first floor contains the communal areas (kitchen, sunroom, living room) and the owners’ suite. “It’s designed so people can be at the beach, or be on vacation, while other people are working.” Jolin adds, “It’s one of the larger houses we’ve ever designed.”
It feels big, but it doesn’t feel too big, say Paul and Mary, thanks to the thoughtful layout and impeccable construction. “The number one priority was ample space,” says Jolin, “but we were also able to splurge on some material selections.” On the exterior, Jolin opted for cedar shingles to “integrate seamlessly into the vernacular of the neighborhood.” Because of the site ordinance and setbacks—the Shoreland Overlay Zone line runs through
the property, meaning the front and back of the house had to abide by separate sets of rules—Jolin and her team had to be precise about what went where. “Calculations were completed down to the individual bluestone stepping stones,” she says. Because the parcel of land was a corner lot, every side of the house needed to appear equally presentable. “It’s a busy little neighborhood, and we had to be conscious of that,” says Geoffrey Bowley. “The house is not tucked back on a five-acre parcel out in the woods. You have to be conscientious about that with your mechanics and your utilities. There’s no back of the house to hide things. Just about every side is observable.” To welcome visitors, Jolin created a side porch and entrance that opens into the “sand room,” which the Bridgers can use for everyday comings and goings.
The second-floor balcony features a short privacy wall and cable railing topped with mahogany (opposite). Made of TimberTech materials, the outdoor space is “very durable,” says homeowner Mary Bridger.
Architect Jessica Jolin of Mobile Studio Design says the sunroom is probably her favorite space in the house. “I feel like our secret weapon in design is daylighting. If you can get light from three or four sides, the room sings. No matter what you put in it, how big it is, it sings,” she says.
Located next to the laundry room (so guests can grab towels easily) and an outdoor shower (for kids to rinse off their sandy feet), this practical addition helps keep cleaning to a minimum.
In addition to the side porch entry, the house has a street-facing entrance and a water-facing door. This final portal is located underneath the standout feature of the exterior: a dramatic, curved second-story deck that overlooks the ocean. “The builders really embraced the execution there,” says Jolin. The deck features carved mahogany railings that sit atop a wall that is half cedar shingles and half cable railing, so that “the people from the street can’t tell what color your flip-flops are, but you can still see out to the ocean.” For Bowley’s crew, this element was a welcome challenge. “Anytime you build anything where you are trying to take a straight piece of wood and develop a curve, it gets tricky. That goes for
any home,” Bowley says. “In this instance, we took larger pieces and then cut the curve into them.” To create continuity, the front door is also made from mahogany, subtly contrasting with the cool-toned shingles and the white trim. For the patios and walkways, landscape architect David Maynes chose bluestone, which he calls “a good budget option.” He says, “We floated paving and larger plantings so that it felt more like a ledge. We didn’t want it to feel like a paved walkway, but an organic ledge. We were conscious of being cost effective.” Surrounded by native grasses and successional plantings, the house looks at home on the peninsula, and not too polished.
Of course, this was the intention. “Informal” was one of the keywords the homeowners gave to their team of architects and craftspeople at the beginning of the process. This is particularly evident inside, where stone, wood, and simple forms dominate. The overall look is
The homeowners sourced bedroom furniture from Pompanoosuc Mills (above). “All the bedrooms are white oak and have the same furniture in them. The owners’ suite we did in walnut,” explains Mary.
(Opposite, clockwise from top) The first floor features the communal spaces, including open-concept living, dining, and kitchen areas. Each of the four en suite bedrooms features an ocean view, a king-size bed, and a solid wood desk. The second-floor kitchenette is conveniently located off the family room and near the deck.
classic coastal with a modern twist, as evidenced by the stacked stone fireplace and the shiplap on the staircase. The couple was “prodded” to go in a streamlined and contemporary direction when it came to lighting and cabinet fixtures. “We’re both in our mid-70s, and we’ve lived in the same house in Concord for 45 years,” says Mary. “It took a little time to get used to the modern choices.” But, Paul adds, they’re glad they were flexible. “I like how the first floor feels Zen-like,” he says. As the house ascends, each floor gets more casual than the last. The second-floor bedrooms all feature white oak flooring and walnut furniture. A kitchenette allows guests to cook their own meals after hours, and the deck has proved a great success during family gatherings. The third floor
is where the grandkids go to play and, Paul jokes, is “all designed around Ping-Pong.”
“We didn’t want anything frou frou,” says Mary. With smart appliances (controlled by both the homeowners and their son), the Maine house is “low-maintenance, easy, and secure.” So far, it’s held up beautifully to the winter storms, and their grandkids have no complaints about spending their summers by the Atlantic. “We knew we were building a house in a good location, but for me, the joy is about having a lot of family here, together, in this big open space,” says Paul. “And being in this neighborhood. It’s a very friendly, relaxed neighborhood, and we love walking around. On the family side, and on the local side, those are joyful things.” MH+D
The walnut dining table was custom-made by Huston and Company to “fit the whole family,” reveals one homeowner (opposite).
While Jolin typically likes to maximize natural light in a stairwell, this house had the staircase located in the center of the home (above). “We did that so we could put the bedroom and hanging-out spaces around the perimeter. We tried to be thoughtful about what spaces were in the core,” Jolin explains. Light comes in through the home office as well as the nearby rooms.
MAKING IT
HOME
A couple customizes their new house—and finds their place in Maine
When a New York couple decided to move to Maine in 2019, they dreamed of building a home exactly suited to their family. They had spent nearly 25 years making spaces their own in Manhattan and East Hampton, as well as drawing inspiration from their European travels, and they knew what they liked. But the building process was going to take time, and they were ready to move. “It was a conscious decision to leave the lifestyle in New York City,” says the wife. “We wanted to be near family, and have a more autonomous life, where we could own our businesses.” The husband came upon a home for sale with a lot going for it—especially its quiet, private location in an elegant neighborhood on the southern coast. It wasn’t perfect. “I didn’t like the interior,” he says, but that didn’t stand in the way: the home was soon theirs, and they began planning a renovation immediately.
The couple hired Chris Herlihy of Polestar Design to carry out the renovation. Herlihy had been project manager when the home was built, so was deeply familiar with every detail of the design. The home was unusually primed for renovation, says Herlihy. The original owners, he says, “had a dream, an ecological vision, and a budget, but the three did not align. I recommended that they move forward with the design of the dream and then scale or phase the project to meet the budget. When the design was complete,
BY K ATHERINE GAUDE T PHOTOGRAPHY BY F RANÇOIS GAGN É
the family realized that they could have everything they wanted if they scaled back the interior finishes and left a couple of spaces completely unfinished. This was done without compromising the ecological vision and the use of durable materials on the exterior of the building.”
That meant there was space ready for reconfiguring, like an unfinished area above the garage, and lots of potential for upgrading the interior finishes. The new owners, with the help of Polestar Design, set about remaking the space into one they would love, with elevated finishes, lots of light, and a flow that suited their family.
“We needed to make Maine our home, and part of that was customizing the house,” says the wife. “It was such a drastic change. We had the need to nest, because it was the next chapter in our lives. It was about really making it feel right for us.”
The kitchen, at the center of the family’s life, was a
priority. “We love to cook,” says the husband. “For us, preparing meals together is an expression of love, a special time to connect with our family.” The original kitchen was large, with a convenient butler’s pantry, but they didn’t like the aesthetic—it had knotty pine floors and faux-brick features, rather than the clean, elegant look the couple preferred. The couple took the opportunity to create a kitchen exactly suited to the way they would use it. They had new cabinets custom designed specifically for their collection of cookware. “The detail within the cabinets is more important than the cabinets themselves,” says the wife. “They are really well thought out for ideal cooking conditions.” A large butler’s pantry was redone, with a wall oven (adjusted to the wife’s height), a second dishwasher, and customized open shelving that allows easy access to two stand mixers—one is reserved for bread making—and a variety of pots, pans, and platters.
(Opening spread) Creating a welcoming entrance was a priority in the renovation. A crushed-stone loop driveway replaced a “sea of asphalt” and enabled the introduction of trees near the entrance.
By opening up the kitchen and adding windows, the renovation brought light and airiness into the home (above). The homeowners worked with Tavia Douglass of M.R. Brewer to customize cabinets exactly suited to their kitchen needs. An oversized island is topped with extra-thick Carrara marble with storage access from both sides and striking X-bracketed panels on the ends. “The look they captured is fitting of the architecture of the house and their personal taste. It will stand the test of time,” says Douglass.
(Opposite, clockwise from top) The fireplace surround was inspired by a “mammoth mantel” at the Hôtel Crillon le Brave in Provence; the homeowners found the vintage andirons at Bonny Read in South Portland. The butler’s pantry was reconfigured with open shelving and grab-and-go storage; “It’s for all those things you want readily available, but not in the public space,” says Douglass. The home is well designed for the flow of family life, including a generous mudroom with space for boots, bags, and jackets.
The connection between the kitchen and dining area was opened up, and a small island was replaced with an oversized one, designed by the husband to incorporate plenty of storage. “There’s no dead space,” he points out, opening a touch-latch cabinet door. It’s topped with a spectacular 2-inch-thick slab of marble. “We pored over dozens of high-resolution pictures from a quarry in Carrara,” he says. “Finally, we found the perfect veining.” Once selected, the 2,000-pound slab was shipped from Italy, finished by the Paul White Company in Portland, and carefully moved into the house. “I couldn’t be here,” says the wife. “It was nerve-racking!”
Additional significant changes were made to the second-floor bedrooms and baths. The owners wanted their bedroom to be a true suite, with a sitting area, sleeping space, dual walk-in closets, and a spacious bath. They removed a small office to enlarge the space, replaced small windows with much larger ones, and added a fireplace, which they elevated so that it could be enjoyed
from the bed during bedtime stories. The flow of the children’s bedrooms and bathroom was also changed: the rooms were widened, closets were added, and the rooms were joined through a shared bathroom. “We know the girls need to grow into their spaces,” says the wife. “Entering into the bathroom from the hallway—that wasn’t going to work.” A guest suite was added over the garage, and a space in the eaves became a playroom where the girls can freely strew their dolls and toys. “I’m pretty tidy,” says the wife, “but in here, it’s their space. They can make a mess and blare their records.”
With the exception of new and enlarged windows, the home’s modern-farmhouse exterior was left mainly untouched. The landscape, however, was a different story. “It was a sea of asphalt, a pretty harsh arrival,” says landscape architect Josh Tompkins. There was little division between the driveway and the house, so delivery trucks “felt like they were coming into the room,” says the wife. The homeowners envisioned something like a European
Dark-stained millwork by M.R. Brewer creates a cozy, warm mood in the den, where the family likes to watch movies (opposite, top). Opposite the TV is a built-in desk designed for a parent to work alongside the children—which proved inspired when the family needed to homeschool in 2020.
The owners’ bedroom (opposite, bottom) was expanded so that it could accommodate a sitting area.
In the owners’ bedroom (above), enlarged windows link the space with the trees outdoors.
motor court, with crushed stone instead of asphalt and a more inviting entrance. Working within the constrained space, Tompkins created a “graceful” loop driveway with a sizable island in the middle, enabling several deciduous trees to be planted. The addition of trees, says Tompkins, softens the building’s facade and smooths the transition between architecture and landscape. They also offer a more abstract benefit: “The seasonality of trees can bring that fourth dimension: change over time,” he says. “If you bring them front and center, they can really add some mystery. Putting them close to where you’re coming and going from the house lets you appreciate that sense of change.”
The family moved into the home at the end of 2019, and within a few months their choice of renovation instead of new construction looked prescient. “When we left New York, it was so hard to leave,” says the husband. “We had friends from all over the world. Within a year, they had all left because of COVID.” While their quieter, slower life took some getting used to, the family came to appreciate it. The girls watched a family of foxes grow up in the yard and listened to owl calls at night. “It became a sanctuary for us,” says the husband. “Homeschooling during COVID in this setting was a wonderful experience,” recalls the wife. “We would frontload the instructional time, and then in the afternoons, we would do art projects and spend time outside. It really felt like our home. We still love the energy of the city, but this is absolutely where we want to raise our children.” MH+D
(Opposite, clockwise from top left) The bedrooms were enlarged by narrowing the upstairs hall. An upstairs bathroom was reworked for more convenient access from each of the daughters’ bedrooms. Enlarging the children’s bedrooms gives space for homework and play as well as sleep.
The owners’ bathroom balances classic stone herringbone tile with modern furnishings and fixtures. Every bathroom in the home was completely redone: ceramic tile was replaced with stone, radiant heat was added to the floors, and fixtures were replaced. Since many of the original materials throughout the home were in like-new condition, architectural designer Chris Herlihy donated them to Habitat for Humanity.
BY BECCA ABRAMSON
36 Hours Exploring the Boothbay Region
From art galleries to harbor cruises, this quaint coastal area has much to offer every type of traveler
SATURDAY
9 a.m.
We start our Boothbay adventure (and my husband’s birthday weekend) with a short walk through Ocean Point Preserve, part of the Boothbay Region Land Trust. The milelong Norman Van Horn Trail takes us through a wooded coniferous forest to the eastern shore of Tibbetts Pond and back to our car in the parking lot. Afterward, we stop at Color Field Coffee Company, a self-serve microroastery in East Boothbay run by artist Brad Betts and his son Sam. The roastery’s name refers to an abstract painting style characterized by large swaths of solid color spread across a canvas; examples of color field paintings decorate the tiny but adorable space.
12:30 p.m.
A quick lunch at Footbridge Brewery provides us with some much-needed sustenance to power through the plethora of art galleries and retail shops waiting for us in Boothbay Harbor. We start at Studio 53 Fine Art Gallery and browse works by the gallery’s owners, Heidi Seidelhuber and Terry Seaman, before visiting Gleason Fine Art down the street. At Sweet Bay, I spy miniature framed sea glass art that brings a smile to my face. The store’s collection of Erin Flett bags beckons me, but I resist, buying a candle at Seawicks across the street instead. We peek into Sea Bags and the Footbridge Shop before grabbing a scoop of cookie dough with rainbow sprinkles at Downeast Ice Cream Factory. While eating our treat and enjoying the beautiful weather, we walk across the Boothbay Harbor Footbridge, which was built in 1901 and most recently renovated in spring of last year.
3 p.m.
We take our time browsing the oyster-inspired pottery at Ae Ceramics before heading up the hill to our accommodations at the Topside Inn . We’re greeted with an elderflower-cucumber cocktail, a stuffed gougère, a warm towel, and sweeping views of the harbor from the highest vantage point in town. Innkeepers Mark Osborn and Buzz Makarewicz and general manager Leanne Cusimano show us around the space: fresh cookies await us in reception, the modest but glamorous BarOne is stocked and ready for the evening, and Virgina Shaffer of Lady Oyster is busy setting up an oyster and wine-tasting experience in the dining area. We have the luxury of
Inn’s main house from the sprawling lawn.
The inn’s newly renovated king room offers incredible views of the harbor.
1. A view of Tibbetts Pond from the Norman Van Horn Trail at Ocean Point Preserve. 2. The cozy sitting area inside Color Field Coffee Company. 3. Cookie dough ice cream from Downeast Ice Cream Factory. 4. A privately owned Bridge House sits in the middle of the Boothbay Harbor Footbridge. 5. Looking at the Topside
6.
7. Inside the Topside Inn’s private BarOne. 8. Purple lupines brighten the Boothbay landscape. 9. A giant troll named Lilja hides in the Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens.
10. Knickerbocker Group’s Juniper prefab pod makes the most of small living.
11. Sculptures made by local artists in the style of Mike Lewis at Down East Gallery.
12. Painter Brad Betts poses with a recent work of art.
staying in the Carriage House Suite, but Leanne tells us the newly renovated king room in the main house (originally built by Captain Cyrus McKown in 1865) is the place to be. Thought to be McKown’s primary bedroom, the second-floor corner room features scenic views of the harbor, a tiled and marble wet bathroom with a soaking tub and walk-in shower, dual vanities, dramatic lighting, and a navy blue paneled wall with a contemporary coastal chic aesthetic designed by the innkeepers themselves.
7 p.m.
Outside the inn, we spy a sculpture by William Royall, part of the Boothbay Region Sculpture Trail . Dinner is at the Thistle Inn Restaurant —one of several local restaurants recommended by the Topside team— where we enjoy French onion soup, steak tips, and a slice of carrot (birthday!) cake.
SUNDAY
9:30 a.m.
The Topside Inn is known for its curated sweet or savory breakfast buffet, and we’re excited to try it out. Today, we’re greeted with a savory spread: two kinds of seasonal frittata, a peach and tomato caprese salad, fresh blueberry muffins, yogurt and granola, and plenty of coffee and OJ. Afterward, we walk down the hill to Pier 8, where we board the 47-foot Novelty, also known as the Squirrel Island mailboat, for a one-hour narrated tour around the bay with Balmy Days Cruises
noon
On our way out of town, we have three stops to make. Up first, the Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens . I’ve only ever visited during Gardens Aglow, when the entire area is lit up for the winter holidays, so it’s exciting to see everything in bloom. The weather is spectacular, and we enjoy meandering through the gardens while laughing at the silly plant names we come across.
2:30 p.m.
Upon leaving the gardens, we stop at Knickerbocker Group ’s Boothbay office and meet Danielle Betts, president of the organization and partner of the aforementioned artist, Brad Betts. Danielle gives us a tour of Juniper, a 500-square-foot prefab pod designed and built by skilled craftspeople at the group’s in-house manufacturing facility. The energy-efficient, move-in-ready pod (which won a 2024 AIA Design Award) features a modern aesthetic with a kitchen, bathroom, living room, and bedroom. We say goodbye to Danielle and drive down the street to meet Brad at Down East Gallery, the antique farmhouse and barn where he showcases his own art alongside works from other Maine artists. Betts’s oil paintings primarily depict summer days in Maine— blue skies, billowing sails, and shimmering seas— which are the perfect summation of my weekend in the Boothbay region. MH+D
PHOTO: ERIN LITTLE
Image: Martha Diamond
AMY KEENAN
This oceanfront property offers stunning westerly views across Johns Bay, South Bristol, and Boothbay islands. The large deck is perfect for breathtaking sunsets, and the sloping lawn leads to terraced rocks at the water’s edge for observing lobster boats and sailboats. With classic Maine coastal architecture, the home combines a cottage feel with ample guest space. Features include cherry floors, wood-burning stoves, a great room with vaulted ceilings, and a granite fireplace. The 3+ acre lot allows for potential expansions. Nearby are Pemaquid Point Lighthouse, local restaurants, New Harbor, and Pemaquid beach. Perfect for creating lasting memories. Sold for $1,900,000
Located atop Art Hill overlooking the Kennebunk River, this 2022-built dynamic 4-bedroom/3.5- bath Contemporary Farmhouse offers convenient walkability to beaches, Dock Square, and Village amenities. The open floor plan features a bright foyer, comfortable en-suite guest room, fireplace warming the living room, sunlit dining room, and chef’s kitchen, mudroom with laundry and half bath. Upstairs find a sitting room, en-suite primary, two additional bedrooms, full-bath and additional laundry. Designer furnishings and art are included. Offered at $2,775,000
This antique Federal-style Colonial residence was built by Nathaniel Frost in 1799. Private and gracefully hidden up a winding drive with 20 rooms, 7 bedrooms, 5/1 baths, and 8 woodburning fireplaces all capturing the essence of a bygone era while proudly displaying today’s modern amenities and highest caliber energy efficient mechanical applications. The main house offers 3 ensuite bedrooms. Offered at $1,825,000
MARISSA HYLAND MARY JO CROSS
JACKIE WHEELWRIGHT
30 Main Street, 30, Rockport, Maine
Renovated waterfront cottage in Rockport Village offers modern comforts while retaining classic charm. Features include chef’s kitchen, first-floor bedroom, private deck with hot tub overlooking Goose River, and stunning views from multiple windows. Upstairs, find the primary bedroom with deck access, walk-in closet, and full bath. Shared yard with grass and fire pit. Ideal location for coastal living near beaches, harbor, restaurants, and cultural amenities. Offered at $1,300,000
207.449.9442 | jwheelwright@legacysir.com Chris Stone
| cstone@legacysir.com
10 Richards Way, Saco, Maine
This stunning Colonial in Richard’s Way, Saco, features 3 bedrooms, 3 baths, and room for expansion. The primary bedroom has a walk-in closet and heated-floor bath. Set on a 1.3-acre lot with a re-sodded lawn and irrigation system. The kitchen includes granite countertops and an island. A threeseason room leads to a deck and custom fire pit. Additional features: den, formal sitting room, finished basement, walk-up attic, central vacuum, Nest thermostat, security system, smart lights, and outdoor speakers. Conveniently located near downtown, the beach, and parks. Offered at $974,000
11 Mountain Arrow Circle, Camden, Maine
In-town Camden beautiful lot with a peek at Penobscot Bay! Hard to find a lot to build a beautiful home on? This is it! Lovely Mountain Arrow Subdivision offers amenities such as underground utilities, city sewer and water, cable, and tranquility. Walk to town for shopping or dinner, hike the trails to Mt Battie, walk to your boat moored in the harbor. It’s all there for you. Take a drive and walk the land. Offered at $410,000
2 Kinney Avenue, 2, Old Orchard Beach, Maine
Step into the sand from this beachfront condo on Saco Bay, just a walk from the iconic pier. This renovated two-bedroom unit features an open concept and a spacious deck overlooking the beach. The building has new siding, roofing, decks, rails, and stairs. Move-in ready—just bring your beach chair! Enjoy the central OOB location, one parking spot per unit, basement storage for beach toys, and a cement patio for BBQs. Walk or jog the 7 miles of sandy beach. The perfect getaway spot! Offered at $699,000
Rockabema Lake Lodge, Land & Water
A classic 1930's log lodge with a beautifully crafted stone fireplace. A 21st century addition adds space & ease of living. The property incorporates new technology to make living off grid a luxury retreat.
The lodge sits on an exclusive 1.5 miles of Spruce and Pine shore frontage on the very private and pristine Rockabema Lake and includes 220 acres, an island and an outlet dam to call your own.
Moro Plantation, Aroostook County, Maine MLS# 1592390 |offered at $1,250,000
SHOWCASE
BY LUCKY PLATT
Installation view of Lot 030323 (the golden bough), 2023, oil-based enamel on wood, steel hardware, and books
Lot 020421 (nature cult, beautiful blue), 2021, epoxy resin, urethane paint, and UV clear coat on wood and urethane support
Lot 062819 (nature cult, counterclockwise black), 2019, epoxy resin, urethane paint, and UV clear coat on wood and urethane support
Lot 081718 (the root remembers), 2018, epoxy resin, urethane paint, and UV clear coat on wood and urethane support
BEYOND THE CANVAS
DONALD MOFFETT’S ENVIRONMENTALLY CHARGED WORK AT THE CENTER FOR MAINE CONTEMPORARY ART IN ROCKLAND
At the entrance to Donald Moffett’s newest sculptural installation, NATURE CULT, SEEDED, is a signpost in playground chartreuse, stood up in a weathered watering can, with the notice “Vacancy” spelled out in twigs painted so heavily they’re more plastic than wood. Just behind is a birdhouse—the first of many—this one planted in a rubber tire bed filled with whole pecans.
What is this enigmatic, irresistible place of so many elegantly positioned birdhouses, perches, nests, and bird snacks? What is that achingly beautiful birdsong? Everywhere in the air of NATURE CULT, SEEDED is the sound of a male Kaua’i ’ō’ō, its call so distinct that the bird was named by Indigenous Hawaiians for it—’ō’ō being an onomatopoeic descriptor. The Kaua’i ’ō’ō has been extinct for more than 30 years. The very present, alive-seeming birdsong that fills the gallery is a mating call that will never be answered.
Moffett, born 1955 in San Antonio, Texas, has degrees in art and biology, and he rose to prominence in the late 1980s for his art and activism in response to the AIDs epidemic. More recently, he has found personal and political resonance in the environmental crisis and, especially with NATURE CULT, an interest in “reconnecting languages of science and art, which have become estranged in recent years.”
Lot 110123 (nature cult, houses), 2023, wood, acrylic, and steel
Lot 010624 (nest), 2024, wood, oil on linen, wood support, and steel
Moffett’s reverence for Toshiko Mori’s two-story skylit gallery at the Center for Maine Contemporary Art (CMCA)—a “rational, perfect space”—is apparent. NATURE CULT, SEEDED inhabits the space in harmony with the room’s inside/outside enormity. Golden Bough, the installation’s golden tree-form centerpiece, has been exhibited only once before, without the breathing room the work has here. This is a tree that holds things, a tree that someone or many people have taken care to enshrine in weather-resistant paint, and have literally fortified and preserved with prominent hardware that juts out like bird perches. There’s a mysterious ageless quality to Golden Bough; while most of the hardware feels new, one of its outcroppings has a rusted screw.
The CMCA installation is the eighth iteration of Moffett’s NATURE CULT, which the artist defined in a 2022 interview for Hyperallergic as “a worldwide movement, powerful and fictitious, that aims to protect the biological riches of our world through art and science.” The installation presents older and new work, including several of Moffett’s iconic epoxy resin works, which are
Installation view of Lot 010523 (chartreuse house), 2023, oil on wood, enamel, pecans, rubber, and steel
installed like sentinels on the walls surrounding Golden Bough. Their mirrorlike finishes could also be stand-ins for the artist, and they are certainly markers of time, as they are titled by the day, month, and year they were begun. One is hung at soaring bird height.
There are many surprises for the viewer that should remain just that: surprises. In other words, don’t read too much about NATURE CULT, SEEDED before seeing it. Maybe seek out what Moffett and the exhibition’s curator, Suzette McAvoy, refer to as “a core text” of the installation, The Water Will Come by Jeff Goodall (Simon and Schuster, 2017), or pick up a gallery copy to browse. For Moffett, the notion of cult has a “fearsome, even hairraising” quality, but it also has numbers and intensity embedded in it. Maybe it’s the perfect fiction, the perfect dream of a “huge collective buy-in, pulling us all in as we turn our attention to nature and its preservation.”
NATURE CULT, SEEDED will be on view at the CMCA in Rockland from May 25 to September 8, 2024. MH+D
Shutters on the Sound | Mt. Desert | 2.1± Acres | 181’± Ft. of Shorefront | $5.5M Scott McFarland | 207-266-4538 | smcfarland@landvest.com
332 Heath Road | Bremen | 7.5± Acres | 683’± Ft. of Shorefront | $3.25M Joseph Sortwell | 207-706-6294 | jsortwell@landvest.com
Landscape Installation & Site Work: Pinnacle Landscape & Design pinnaclemaine.com
Masonry:
F. DiDonato & Sons Masonry fdidonatomasonry.com
Tile: Miller Flooring millerfloor.com
Window Manufacturer: Andersen andersenwindows.com
Window Supplier: Hammond Lumber Company hammondlumber.com
WORKING WITH THE LAND
Athorough study of views, sight lines, and spatial adjacencies provides this Peaks Island house with striking views of Casco Bay from nearly every space. The house prudently takes advantage of southern exposure and passive solar design concepts. The central staircase acts as a meeting point on the second floor, with floor-to-ceiling windows looking out to the water, a reading nook with views to the trees, and two north-facing skylights that fill the space with a warm, ethereal glow.
The architect creatively navigated multiple site restrictions to take advantage of a buildable area while maximizing natural light, views, and privacy. The site’s location within a flood zone propelled the architect to design a pier foundation with a light touch on the land. A significant slope from the north side of the house to the south side works with the structure rather than against it: the most active entry is on the northern side (only a couple of feet above the natural grade), which eases the transition to the house for all. The land slopes nine feet on the home’s southern side, and the team took full advantage of this by turning two areas under the house into covered outdoor spaces with magical water views.
An essential element of LR/ARC’s work is to fit within the neighborhood context. This can be seen in the gabled form, weathering cedar shingles, and horizontal board siding. The interior common space was carefully curated to create distinct yet connected spaces for the kitchen, dining room, and great room. The limited and natural material palette in both the interior and exterior provides a warm and calming environment. MH+D
