LETTER FROM THE EDITOR-November/December 2010

by Susan Grisanti

The Comfort of Home

A home is something beyond the sum of its parts. There is a character that exists within a structure and around the elements that make up its design—beyond the materials of the fireplace, the arrangement of the kitchen counters, the placement of the entry. Our homes are where we find a soft place to land after the rigors of the day. It’s the space that is our place.

Through my work, I am exposed to architectural theory, and have been surprised by how much of the premise is imbued with spirituality. Designers create beyond angles and dimensions. They consider life and comfort.

In March 2008, we printed the plans for a Whitten Architects project on Roque Bluffs in our Drawing Board department. I was so taken with the deliberate, simple beauty of the design that I boldly asked if I might keep the drawings to frame and hang on my wall. They have hung in my office since then, along with other works of art that remind me of an intentional life. It seems only fitting that this month’s story, One with the Land (page 80) is the first home to come full circle from The Drawing Board to a feature story.

This issue, the Architecture issue, is another full circle of sorts for the MH+D team. We began working on our first themed issue inspired by the world-class artistic talent in Maine—and produce a special art issue every April. In tackling architecture as a theme we are back to what we have done all along, but in a new way. For the first time, we take a comprehensive look at architectural styles—and fully explore the architecture being so adeptly designed across the state.

As always, I hope that you find some inspiration on our pages.

Susan Grisanti
Editor-in-Chief
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