J.T. Loomis says: Initially, our clients hoped that an existing building on their property — a structure that accompanied the 100-year-old farmhouse that has been their summer home for nearly 40 years — could be rehabilitated to afford them more living space. We determined a new structure would more easily meet their needs, but it must remain rooted in the traditional style of the region. Collectively, we arrived at a concept that is a modern interpretation of New England farm vernacular: a gabled building with a connected screened porch and observation deck. The design also establishes a hierarchical relationship between the prominent white-clapboard farmhouse and the less-adorned, shingled outbuildings.

Project Architect:
J.T. Loomis

General Contractor:
Michael Westphal Builders

Landscape Designer:
Atlantic Landscape Construction

Lighting Designer:
Peter Knuppel Lighting Design

Structural Engineer:
Becker Structural Engineers

Rick Farnsworth, of Wright-Ryan Homes, and Heidi Lachapelle say: We set out to create a casual, comfortable home that centers around family and entertaining — the great room is the greatest expression of that. By implementing a symmetrical floor plan, we were able to highlight the room’s beautiful architectural details, including built-in shelving, reclaimed white-oak beams with an oil finish, and a Rumford fireplace crafted from local granite and accented with a red-oak mantel milled from timber cut down on the property. Wright-Ryan’s millwork shop built the shelving and window seats, which are sized to allow for wood storage underneath. Granite slabs that match the hearth line the storage compartments. There is a rich mix of vintage and new furniture and fabrics, with the showstopper being the 17-foot-long antique rug that grounds the room.

General Contractor:
Wright-Ryan Homes

Interior Designer:
Heidi Lachapelle

Architect:
Kenyon C. Bolton III & Associates

Fireplace stone:
L.P. Murray & Sons

Mantel:
A. Whitman Craftworks

Ben Block says: We transformed a sitting room in an 1820 brick home into this kitchen for a young couple who moved from San Francisco to Hallowell. It would have been a travesty to disturb the original wood floor and coffered ceiling, so those remain intact, but we hid a non-functioning fireplace and chimney behind an English-inspired, hand-painted terracotta tile range surround, and created a larger opening into an adjacent playroom/mudroom. We aimed for simple but elegant with the Shaker-style cabinetry, painted Farrow & Ball’s Pigeon and accented with Himalaya White granite countertops, and worked in some brass and walnut, including the custom farm table island.

Kitchen Designer & General Contractor:
Ben Block

Countertop Contractor:
Morningstar Stone & Tile

Leandra Fremont-Smith says: Hedgefield is a Shingle-style home whose eastern turret and wraparound porch pay homage to the circa 1888 Kimball House Inn that once stood here. My main goal was to introduce cheerful, bright interior and exterior schemes that reflect the beauty of the surrounding gardens and nearby ocean. An English Beatrix Farrand–style garden featuring a series of outdoor rooms with vibrant perennials, cutting beds, vegetables, and rose arbors dominates the landscape. Lunaform planters, made in Sullivan, flank the stairs leading to the back lawn. The porch provides a place for the family to retreat for dinners and to enjoy the garden on summer evenings. I had the wicker furniture painted a custom dark green and upholstered the cushions in playful Quadrille fabrics in blues and greens that reflect the interior color palette.  

Interior Designer:
Leandra Fremont-Smith

Architect:
Christopher Glass

Landscape Designers:
Gardens by Design, Erika Lindquist

Kathleen Vanden Brink says: Facing retirement and future aging in place, we sold our home of 37 years and kept the small building we owned next door that housed our business office. Moving the business out for several months and renting living quarters, we undertook a project that turned the office building into a home with one-floor living and an upstairs family/guest room and office for my husband. To add visual interest to the exterior, we incorporated a patterned roof that recalls variegated slate shingles on historic buildings, shutters and brackets that seem consistent with cottage-style architecture, and a palette we like — there are so many white houses. While the project was underway, I had a brain aneurysm and stroke. Our design for aging in place was implemented just in time and enabled me to return home.

Architect:
Silverio-Architecture + Design

General Contractor:
Taylor-Made Builders

Susan Crater says: The openness of the plan drew me to this design. Painting the ceiling and walls one crisp white color creates a great contrast with the warm floors and the illusion of more height. It feels fresh and airy, without losing the original character of a 1920 house.

Eliza Crater says: I love how the white walls make the slate fireplace stand out. They have also created a nice contrast between the cool slate and warm wood floors. While the space feels modern, elements such as the Oriental carpet and original wood floor add character. 

Ashley Krulik says: We bought our 1865 West End fixer-upper last year. Some would call it a tear-down, but we saw it as an opportunity to raise our son in a neighborhood we love and hone our DIY skills. Every room needs work, but we tackled the master bath first, so that, when we’re covered in paint and plaster dust at the end of the day, we have a little sanctuary to retreat to. Working nights and weekends, we completed the project in eight months. The design reflects the era of the house, with a few modern nods. We incorporated vintage pieces, such as the pedestal sink found on Craigslist and rug from my parents’ basement, as much as possible. My favorite touches are the large subway tile wall and super-functional Shaker peg rail — you can never have enough places to hang things!

Annabelle Selldorf says: I love the simplicity of this space; the owners have stuck to solid materials of quality and used them appropriately. The white tile and green-painted wall wonderfully complement what I assume is the original wood floor. It has a vintage feeling that is not kitsch. Everything is deployed sensitively with an eye toward practicality, particularly the peg rail, with its nod to the Shakers. I also love the placement of the curtain rod — why block all the light in the room with a long curtain? This way you get both privacy and light.

Lee Lee says: Our garden is a cornerstone for a network of living seed libraries that span the Blue Hill Peninsula. We are cultivating a network of land stewards to grow native plants from which we harvest seeds to use in the restoration of shared and public lands. We also help local schools establish native plants in their gardens and work with students on creative projects that embrace an understanding of ecologic systems. Set on three acres by the ocean, the garden spreads across five distinct ecology zones: ocean headlands, a small saltwater pond mud flat, open forest, wet meadow, and a red-maple fen. Currently, we are growing plants to restore a series of new fish passages along the Bagaduce watershed. Our collaborators include the Blue Hill Heritage Trust, the Open-Air Arts Initiative, and the Penobscot Alewife Committee.

Loi Thai says: So many unique trees, shrubs, and plants call Maine home. It’s our responsibility to protect, preserve, and promote these native plants that, in addition to being beautiful, provide food and habitat for wildlife. This garden of native flora and its accompanying seed library ensure that the many species that inhabit the local landscape will continue for generations to come. As an avid gardener in Down East Maine, I find that compelling!

Landscape Designers:
Lee Lee, Peter Thatcher Leonard & Thatcher Gray Leonard