Design shapes our homes and the way we live. The layout of a living room transforms the way a family interacts; quality materials help us breathe better, and an artful detail anchors us in the present moment and reminds us to appreciate beauty, wherever we can find it. Our homes represent our lives in the private sphere, what is purely ours, and who we think we are. We want them designed well, the way we have designed our lives. And we want the same for our communities, for our schools, offices, stores, and restaurants. But what drives good design? In MH+D Inside Out, Maine Home+Design interviews builders, architects, interior designers, and makers from our community and gets inside some of the top minds in design. Read on for their stories, tips, and sources of inspiration.
Reflex Lighting Group, a lighting solutions provider based in the northeast, recently expanded into Maine. Erik Milles, a mechanical engineer and lifelong resident of the state, has recently been assigned to provide lighting specification support for residential and commercial projects … Continue reading
Fine artist and graphic designer Anneli Skaar was recently named as the new creative director at the Farnsworth Art Museum. Born to Norwegian parents, Skaar nourishes a lifelong interest in tundra territories, which often surfaces as the subject of her … Continue reading
Ben Block originally wanted to become a musician. As he searched for work, he started a job as a cabinetmaker, where his boss told him, “Be careful what you get good at.” Despite the well-intentioned advice, Block fell in love … Continue reading
When a family member asked Kate Lowry for help preparing a house for the market, she came up with the idea for a new business. “My wheels started turning,” Lowry says, “and I wondered if this was a service I … Continue reading
Interior designer Annie Stickney describes her aesthetic as “clean and natural with a sense of humor.” After 35 years as a nurse and several years working for Linda Banks at Banks Design and Simply Home, Stickney brings talent, truth, and … Continue reading
“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 … Continue reading
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 … Continue reading
A graduate of Rhode Island School of Design, Chris Blackburn owns Intrinsic Design, a furniture business that allows him to explore the intersections between art and craft, and create designs that offer his clients both an object and an experience. … Continue reading
Gretchen Boulos was simultaneously attracted to the corporate and art worlds. She found both in commercial design, a career that is structured and focused, but also involves left-brained thinking. “Every project allows me to be creative in my solutions,” she … Continue reading
“Beauty comes in many forms,” interior designer Penelope Daborn says. Growing up in East Africa, she learned to love the way the light enriches earthy colors like greens and ochers. In India, she appreciated saturated jewel tones, and in New … Continue reading
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