“Reorganizing a space always starts with a trip to Goodwill to donate what clients no longer need,” Chris Holdredge says. Holdredge and his wife, Heather, own Tailored Living of Southern and MidCoast Maine, a business that designs and installs custom storage systems for homeowners. In this installment of MH+D Inside Out, they explain how a clean, clutter-free space can transform a daily routine.
Brian Fairfield has come a long way since he was a kid, when he used to smash rocks at his school bus stop searching for “diamonds.” He now owns Maine Stonework, a company that specializes in properly-built drystone walls and custom fireplaces. In his interview with MH+D Inside Out, he explains why he views himself as a craftsman first and an artist second.
Like color, a room can typically withstand a little more pattern than one may think,” writes Meg Braff in The Decorated Home. “I always encourage pushing the proverbial envelope a bit.” In this cheery space, patterns range from a zig-zag rug to animal print pillows to ikat draperies. For a similar look, pair a modern geometric rug—hand-tufted in India and GoodWeave- certified—with leopard print pillows in picnic green, then accessorize with a swirly brass candelabra and textural porcelain lantern. To mix and match prints, keep the color palette consistent and vary size and scale. “And most of all,” warns Braff, “never let your pattern choices get too serious.”
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This story-and-a-half cottage illustrates a common design problem for properties with north-facing views: how to bring sunlight into the principal living spaces? In this case, the living area and bedrooms are strung along the north side of the house to capture views of Stonington’s Crockett Cove filtered through a lovely stand of spruce, while the support spaces face south. The solution uses the stairwell as a light scoop that allows the winter sun to penetrate deep into the center of the house. The stairwell also creates a chimney effect for natural cooling in the summer by drawing breezes across the ground floor and venting them through high windows.
