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.
“Most people build because they have that creative spirit,” says Ben Trout. As the president of Trademark, a full-service residential contractor, Trout has learned how to turn two of his childhood passions—drawing and building—into a lucrative career. Trout explains his … Continue reading
After framing houses in Colorado for a few years, Joe Seremeth found a passion for woodworking and clean craftsmanship. Now the owner of WoodLab, a Maine-based design/build company, Seremeth talks to Maine Home+Design about the importance of quality work.
Emily Ennis Mattei, the owner of e4 Interior Design, knows that the design of a space must work for the people who live there. To offer the best design solutions, Mattei comes to understand how her clients live, intimate details … Continue reading
“After 40 years of doing this, I have to admit I’ve matured,” John Whipple tells Maine Home+Design. According to Whipple, a partner at Whipple Callender Architects, trends may change over the years, but when a design evokes an aura of … Continue reading
After his father co-founded M.R. Brewer in 1987, Matt Brewer spent much of his childhood in the woodshop and learned the satisfaction of working with his hands. Thirty years later, he and his brother, Jeff, are poised to take over … Continue reading
When architect Carol A. Morrissette started her business, Residential Design Studio, during the recession in 2010, she was the sole proprietor. In order to combat the isolation and creative lethargy that she experienced, she began to meet up with a … Continue reading
Elizabeth Polansky had originally begun her business, the Styled Home, as an interior decorating firm, when in 2004 a realtor called to ask if she staged homes. Although Polansky had never before staged a house, she said yes, and thirteen … Continue reading
When Tyler Karu started her interior design firm almost ten years ago, the recession was in full swing. After spending years flipping houses for profit in a weak market, Karu’s company Landing Design is now focused on client-based projects. Karu … Continue reading
After working in Florida for several years, Dwight Herdrich moved back to Maine to grow his eponymous architecture firm and green-building construction company, Nordhauser Construction. Herdrich discusses his ongoing projects in sustainable and acoustic design, as well as his distinctly … Continue reading
CSI Builders has spent the last 23 years helping homeowners achieve their dream home. Rosenbaum sits down with Maine Home+Design to discuss his process of client consultation and the current trends in construction.
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