Accent Magazine Blog

Meet the Designers - Update from Old York’s Decorator Show House

The Museums of Old York just announced their lineup of designers (both inside and outdoors) for their 2009 Decorator Show House. You’ll recognized some familiar faces and meet some new talent:

Back row, left to right: Debby Ronnquist, Valerie Jorgensen, Linda Hentschel, Patricia Finn, Chuck Hugo, Michael Jones, Janet Swanson, Margareta Claesson and Eric Anderson. Front row, left to right: Nicole Yee, Frank Hodge, Amy Thompson, Diane Hughes, Amanda Colosi, Sarah Duquette, Maya Travalgia, Michaele Boehm, Andrea Maher, Jen Spencer, Tom Dunn and Joyce Jordan. Not pictured: Anne Cowenhoven, Nichole Donovan, Annie Kiladjian, Jay Goldsmith, Georgie McGowan, Kacey Graham, and Christine McGill. Photo courtesy of Jay Goldsmith of Goldsmith Fine Portraiture.

Want to really meet the designers? Come to the annual preview gala on July 17 where you can meet the designers and enjoy food from the Green Monkey/Brazo, drinks, and live music! Accent will also be announcing our 2009 best of award winners so it should be an exciting and fun time. Tickets are $75 and can be purchased by calling the Museums of Old York at 207-363-4974.

In the six weeks leading up to the show house opening, you’ll also be hearing from the designers on Accent’s blog, where they will share updates on how their rooms are coming along, what inspires them, what challenges they face, and anything else that comes to mind. If you’ve ever visited a show house, I think you will enjoy hearing from the designers as they get ready for opening day on July 18. The list of designers and their rooms is below.

The Dooryard Garden
Maya Travalgia
Charles C. Hugo Landscape Design, LLC
P.O. Box 263
South Berwick, ME 03908
(207) 752-3046
www.charleshugo.com

Barn Patio
Tom Dunn/Jen Spencer
Stoney Brook Landscaping
138 Woodside Meadow Road
York, ME  03909
207-408-2705
stoneybrookllc@yahoo.com

Farmer’s Porch
Brian Howland and Margareta Claesson
Eldredge Lumber Company
627 U.S. Route One
York, ME 03909
(207) 363-2004
www.atlanticdesignctr.com

Powder Room
Nichole Donovan
Distinctive Tile and Design
1132 U.S. Route One
York, ME 03909
(207) 351-3300
www.distinctivetileanddesign.com

Annie Kiladjian
Annie K. Designs
www.anniekdesigns.com

Living Room
Sarah Duquette
Duquette & Company, Inc.
7 Lilac Lane
York, ME 03909
(207) 363-1827
www.duquetteandcompany.com

Reading Room
Diane Hughes
Diane Hughes Interiors
150 Lafayette Road
Rye, NH 03870
(603) 964-9543

Dining Room
Anne Cowenhoven
Accent & Design, Inc.
P.O. Box 352
York, ME 03909
(207) 363-7949
www.accentdesignmaine.com

Main Stairway
Jay Goldsmith
Goldsmith Photography
32 Cottage Street
Portsmouth, NH 03801
(603) 436-2343

Savannah’s Room
Joyce Jordan
Joyce Jordan Interiors
Shoppers Village, Unit 8
Hampton Falls, NH 03844
(603) 929-7700
www.joycejordaninteriors.com

Marjorie’s Room
Frank Hodge
F.D. Hodge Interiors
748 Tremont Street
Boston, MA 02118
(617) 267-8103

Family Bath
Amy Thompson
Standard of New England, LLC
100 West Road
Portsmouth, NH 03801
(603) 436-1400
www.standardne.com

Jim Wood
Signature Builders, Inc.
173C Dover Point Road
Dover, NH 03820
(603) 749-2188
www.signaturebuilders.com

Charlotte Rose’s Nursery
Andrea Maher and Michael Jones
Andrea Maher Interior Design
111 Seamist Lane
Wells, ME 04090
(207) 216-0287

Frankie’s Room
Janet Swanson and Georgie McGowan
Fiona’s Porch
7 York Street
York, ME 03909
(207) 363-6270
www.fionasporch.com

Secret Hideaway
Linda Hentschel
Renaissance Interiors
P.O. Box 142
North Reading, MA 01864
(978) 664-0064
www.renaissanceinteriors.com

Master Bedroom and Balcony
Nicole Yee
NY Interiors
62 Whipple Road
Kittery, ME 03904
(510) 326-5390
www.nicholeyee.com

Sitting Room
Michaele Boehm and Kacey Graham
Boehm Graham
25 Darby Lane
Bedford, NH 03110
(603) 472-5830

Mudroom
Amanda Colosi
Diane Hughes Interiors
150 Lafayette Road
Rye, NH 03870
(603) 964-9543

Kitchen and Pantry
Frank Hodge
F.D. Hodge Interiors
748 Tremont Street
Boston, MA 02118
(617) 267-8103

Trophy Room
Patricia Finn
Finn-Martens Design
1 Bridle Path Lane
Beverly Farms, MA 01915
(978) 927-9959
www.finn-martensdesign.com

Family Room
Valerie Jorgensen
V. Jorgensen Design, LLC
241 Preble Street
Wells, ME 04090
(207) 251-0447
www.vjorgensendesign.com

In addition to the wonderful items brought in by the interior and landscape designers, items will be available to purchase through a boutique and at a juried art exhibit in the barn:

Boutique
Christine McGill
Christine’s Crossing
1000 Washington Road
Rye, NH 03870
(603) 964-6063
www.christinescrossing.com

Barn Art Exhibit
Debby Ronnquist
611 Haley Road
Kittery Point, ME 03905
(207) 439-3981

Add comment June 3rd, 2009

Shopping for the Home - in Portland, Maine

Old-fashioned brick buildings, cobblestone streets, and the salty ocean breeze in the air – this is Portland. As Maine’s cultural center, Portland is always changing, but great shopping is a constant. The diversity and vitality of the city’s residents make for a unique shopping experience, from fashion to home goods. Here are a few of my favorite shops in Portland that offer necessities – and indulgences – for the home.

Blanche & Mimi Home
184 Middle St. 207 774-3900

Walking into Blanche & Mimi is like stepping into a seaside cottage in southern France. The space is light and airy, and filled with beautiful, and sometimes odd, treasures. Owner Hilary Sinauer stocks her shop with new and antique pieces, including glassware, accessories, and furniture from around the world. On a recent trip, I spotted gorgeous vintage glasses etched with French hotel logos and Belgian linen kitchen towels with subtle red stripes around the edges.

Simply Scandinavian
75 Market St. 207 874-6768

At Simply Scandinavian, which is celebrating 10 years in Portland, you can find the best in Scandinavian design, like stunning Iittala glassware, Royal Copenhagen collectibles, and furniture by Stokke. The shop also has an extensive selection of colorful, boldly patterned Marimekko products, including bags, linens, and tableware.

Furniturea
75 Market St. 207 774-7472

Brian Haddock’s sleek modern furniture is the focus at the company’s first retail store, which opened in 2006. Located right next to Simply Scandinavian, Furniturea is colorful and bright, like an artsy loft apartment. With years of woodworking experience, as well as decades in the furniture business, Haddock has hit his stride with Furniturea, which manufactures each piece to order in their Portland workshop. Custom orders are also welcome, and with so many colors, materials, and styles to choose from, it is not difficult to find a piece that will live in your home for many years to come.

Oyster
2 Free St. 207 253-8008

Tucked between the Old Port and the Arts District, Oyster truly feels like a pearl in the middle of Portland. The small shop is overflowing with meticulously chosen goods, from Maine and beyond. Oyster sells an impressive amount of oyster plates, naturally, as well as other tableware from names like Arte Italica and John Derian. The handwoven blankets created in Maine are soft and comforting, and perfect for a picnic on the beach. You can always find a great selection of handmade jewelry and gift items like books of ocean themed poetry.

Add comment July 31st, 2008

Stuffing

Thanksgiving this year was a special one for me. Normally we do the traveling, it just seems to work out easier. I don’t like to ask our parents to travel during such a crazy time on the roads, but this year I’ve been laid up by some minor ankle surgery and the family was wonderful enough to come to us this year.  This was a big deal, our little house, just recently renovated, had never hosted so many people to dinner, and being as I can hardly stand much less cook, my husband (the vegetarian) would have to take on the turkey duty, which he did excellently and to rave applause. Our little house handled the influx of people well and all seemed to have a wonderful time.

Like everyone else though I’d spent the last few weeks worrying about the upcoming holidays, balancing with work etc. But being without one’s full faculties, even for a time,  certainly changes one’s perspective quickly. Nearly completely dependent on others, even for a short while, has made me remember just how many gifts we are blessed with in this short life. Not just my ability to get around, but the friends, family and wonderful colleagues here at ACCENT, who I am fortunate enough to have in my life when things go well and when things get rough.
I hope you are blessed with the same.
Happy Thanksgiving.

Kim

Add comment November 23rd, 2007