Nemo Tile and Stone recently introduced two new styles to their tile collection. The first style, Aster, is a Moroccan-inspired line. These square tiles are covered with bold, geometric patterns in muted, washed-out tones to give a sense of aged elegance to any space. The other is Gramercy, inspired by the elegant Manhattan neighborhood. The hexagonal tiles come in a variety of solid and graphic patterns. Both collections are made of porcelain, which is an economical and easy-to-maintain alternative to cement tiles. They are resistant to humidity and difficult to scratch or break, making them perfect for flooring, kitchens, and bathrooms.
Furniture company Lexington Home recently collaborated with designer Barclay Butera Interiors to create a brand-new furniture collection, now available at Hurlbutt Designs in Kennebunk. This collection is perfect for coastal Maine, thanks to textures like raffia and wood-finish options such as Sailcloth—a light, whitewashed finish that shows wood grain. With over 35 pieces in stock, including wing chairs, consoles, cocktail tables, sideboards, sofas, lamps, and ottomans, Hurlbutt Designs is one of the first retailers in the country to offer this seaside collection.
Vivispectra Zoom is a versatile architectural glass that uses high-resolution photography to create large-scale features. A decorative interlayer is placed between two transparent lites of glass, or in between one lite of glass and a reflective background. Transform a space with an interlayer of nature and wildlife or a favorite high-resolution image. Each piece is manufactured to specification, cut to size, and ready to install. Available through Forms and Surfaces, the architectural glass is suitable for interior or exterior use.
Shipyard Brewing Company has announced plans to build Portland’s very first “brewtel”—a beer-themed hotel. Although not the first of its kind, the concept is still being shaped as Shipyard moves ahead with their proposal. The $65 million redevelopment plan includes a full-service brewery and pub within the 105-room hotel, a closed-circuit television station dedicated to beer and brewing, a parking garage, and an office building adjacent to it all. The existing brewery and tasting room will be renovated, but the remainder of Shipyard’s property will need to be demolished and rebuilt. Licensing for the building needs to be changed in order to set the plans in motion, but the company plans to capitalize fully on their two-acre India Street lot.
Westbrook and Portland are set to expand with a new development called Rock Row. The 100 acres off Larrabee Road and Main Street have been empty for years but are now being given new life. Originally, the land belonged to Blue Rock Industries, a company that has provided stone for the Maine Turnpike, Interstate 295, the Seabrook Station Nuclear Power Plant, and the main Portland Jetport runway. One hundred years ago, the quarry was just a gravel pit; in the plans, the quarry will be restructured as a pond for recreational use, and walking paths will line the perimeter. The development site will have three parts: residential, medical, and retail as the anchor for the space. The primary goal of the development is to meet the specific needs of the community in a sustainable way. In the next year, Market Basket will be the first retailer to open its doors in the new complex.
A new kind of delivery service, Roadie utilizes extra space in passenger vehicles to assist people packing up their homes. This allows fast, flexible, low-cost delivery for those that are moving, especially to a new state or across the country. Drivers who participate are rewarded with discounts at several businesses for a trip they were already planning to take. Roadie has recruited retailers, airlines, and grocers to make their goal of flexible delivery even more achievable. Since 2015 Roadie has delivered to customers in more than 9,000 cities across the United States. Since then an estimated 250 million vehicles have joined the cause, with over 4 billion cubic feet of available storage.
Zootility has created the world’s first utility necklace, TÜLRY, made with fashion and functionality in mind. Created in Portland, TÜLRY is great for those who need small tools on a regular basis but can’t carry them in pockets or bags. The use of geometry and gravity ensure that each piece stays on the necklace, even when in motion, and each tool is removable without taking the necklace off. TÜLRY is offered in four styles—14k plated gold, gold and stainless steel, rhodium, and rhodium and stainless steel—with the choice of up to 16 tool tips. Some of the tool tip options include a box cutter, a Phillips-head screwdriver, a flathead screwdriver, a bottle opener, a variety of different-sized hex keys, a micro screwdriver, and more. TÜLRY’s innovative and convenient design is customizable to fit individual needs.
Waterville Creates! has received a $75,000 grant to redesign the community’s central green space, Castonguay Square, located in the heart of Waterville’s historic district. The process of redesigning the space will begin in the fall of this year, with plans to complete the project by early 2019. A number of community workshops will be held to gain an understanding of how the park is currently being used and to determine what the collective vision for the park’s future may be. The grant comes from the National Endowment For The Arts through the “Our Town” program, which supports communities across the country by providing funding and helping people celebrate the arts wherever they are. WATERVILLE CREATES! is a leading arts and cultural organization, with a mission to support enhanced programming and operations for its community and bring awareness to cultural events and opportunities in surrounding areas.
