Expert Advice

How to Separate Space in an Open Floor Plan

Partner Post: Houzz

The open floor plan — championed by early modernists Le Corbusier, Mies van der Rohe, and Walter Gropius, among others — is as relevant today in home design as it was in the early 20th century. But modern life still requires, at varying times, functional, aesthetic, visual, and auditory isolation. The following examples explore the […]

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Your Doorway to an Inspiring View

Sponsored Content: Marvin Design Gallery by Eldredge Lumber

New Englanders — especially those living in Maine — are passionate about their vistas. Whether your home overlooks Casco Bay, Sebago Lake, or the mountain vistas of Western Maine, the view is definitely the main attraction. So, framing that view and seamlessly connecting your inside space with the beauty right outside your door is key when building […]

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Going Gray (Or Is It Blue?)

Sponsored Content: Penelope Daborn Limited

Falmouth decorator Penelope Daborn shows how to use a fashionable color with a split personality. Growing up in Kenya, India, and England, decorator Penelope Daborn developed an awareness of the way various colors read and interplay that has become second nature. The rich, earthy shades of East Africa and vibrant jewel tones of South Asia […]

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Is it Time to Let Basements Become Extinct?

Partner Post: Houzz

Should we build basements at all? In light of our evolving energy codes and a genuine interest in doing the right thing environmentally, it’s a question architects are frequently asking themselves and their clients. To properly answer the question, it helps to understand the true purpose of a home’s foundation. Fundamentally, the foundation is there […]

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History at Your Feet

Sponsored Content: Bradford's Rug Gallery

Is an antique or vintage rug right for you? Bradford Ross of Bradford’s Rug Gallery in Portland takes the floor to help you decide. Twenty years ago, a refugee from Afghanistan helped Bradford Ross find his life’s work. The man imported rugs from his home country and sold them to the owners of the carpet […]

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Is an Ethanol Fireplace Right for You?

Partner Post: Houzz

The trend toward energy efficiency in building has forced innovation on a variety of fronts, and the fireplace, with its historically poor energy performance and high particulate emissions, was a prime target for reinvention. A traditional fireplace flue bores a hole in a home’s roof, where heat loss is rapidly promoted, and the burning of […]

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Sea Change

Home Building

Height requirements and insurance premiums are rising along with the water levels in Maine’s flood zones. We asked architect Kristi Kenney how homeowners can prepare for the next round of regulations. For many, the Maine dream culminates with a waterfront home. But surging water levels effected by climate change can add challenges to owning a […]

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Have Your Flat Roof and Your Snow Too

Partner Post: Houzz

As the snow begins to fall here in Maine, I’m reminded of just how much our building technology has evolved from the primitive hut informed solely by functional necessity to our modern abodes informed by convenience, luxury and nearly infinite choice. The very notion of shelter is linked to the image of a roof over our […]

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