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coastalhg.com Autumn 2016 9
Autumn 2016
Contents
Featured Homes and Gardens
64 BE MY GUEST
Well-designed baths make guests feel right at home
74 NATURALLY TIMELESS
Integrating a home with its surroundings
84 THE BEAUTY OF BROADTURN FARM
Not your ordinary flower business
64
84
74

10 Autumn 2016 coastalhg.com
On the Cover
Classic and contemporary elements find a perfect
balance in interior designer Roberta Garrison’s
timeless kitchen. Cover photography by Rob Karosis,
story by Allison Knab.
Lifestyle
28 ASK THE EXPERTS: BATHROOM DESIGN
Tips and trends from the pros
33 ROOM WITH A VIEW
A renovation focused on the sea
39 TALENT: BRIDGET KEEFE
Making movie magic behind the scenes
46 FAB FOUR: FUNCTIONAL FAUCETS
Innovations in bathroom technology and design
In the Garden
49 A FRESH LOOK
Welcome fall with new container plantings
55 IN TUNE WITH NATURE
A landscape designer creates an insect haven
The Good Life
93 CABINETRY WITH CLASS
A local contractor uses sustainable, reclaimed wood
96 CHOCOLATE BARK
An easy, festive treat for any occasion
101 CABERNET FRANC
The friendliest wine around
104 BOOK SMART
Great books for giving
12 From the Publisher
14 Editor’s Welcome
16 Contributors
19 On the Scene
22 Seasonal Events
107 Resource Directory
109 Advertisers Index
110 Sources
111 Lasting Impression
Contents Departments, Autumn 2016
33
49 55
In Every Issue
46
96

From the Publisher
It’s hard to believe that the holidays are just around the
corner. Fall has been really beautiful and the foliage was
outstanding this year. It makes me appreciate living on the
Seacoast in northern New England. With all the beauty
and traditions, the holidays are magical.
We’ve had our gift shop, Trends, in downtown Exeter
for more than 32 years, and every holiday season the town
comes alive with holiday tradition like a scene out of a
Norman Rockwell painting. The holiday open house after
Thanksgiving welcomes Santa Claus to town with a festival of trees, gingerbread
houses, strolling carolers, and folks shopping with their families. Kathy and I have
gone from our girls sitting on Santa’s lap to Santa selfies, but the tradition carries on
and it’s dear to my heart. I love being a part of the town and feeling the joy and
sentiment of the season; I hope you feel the same way about your community.
Enjoy the holidays with your family and cherish these special times—the days may
seem long as you live them one by one, but the years go by so fast.
Cheers,
Keith J. Lemerise, Publisher
Coastal Home magazine
155 Fleet Street | Portsmouth, New Hampshire 03801
603 766-1948 | keith@coastalhg.com | coastalhg.com
Follow us on Facebook and on Twitter
Coastal Home magazine is committed to environmental stewardship. We are a proud member
of the Green Alliance, and our magazine is printed locally by Cummings Printing (a Forest
Stewardship Council printer) on recycled, post-consumer paper using soy-based ink.
A Holiday Tradition

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Editor’s Welcome
In the South, where college football reigns supreme, everyone knows Vince
Dooley, who coached the University of Georgia’s football team to one
national and six SEC championships. One of the winningest coaches in
college football history, he led the Bulldogs for 25 years, then served as UGA’s
athletic director from 1979 to 2004. Yet it’s not his athletic pedigree that
enchants me—it’s his garden.
Yes, Coach Dooley is a fervent, flower-loving gardener with both a rose
and a hydrangea named for him. I recently visited his Athens, Georgia,
landscape, where he indulges his passion for woody and herbaceous plants.
The coach’s one-of-everything philosophy reflects his delight in seeing how
different plants thrive—or don’t—in his garden.
Just as Dooley’s trial-and-error approach teaches him which flowering plants
do best in his southern garden, so Stacy Brenner and John Bliss are discovering
the flowers that thrive at Broadturn Farm, their bloom-focused business in
Scarborough, Maine. In “The Beauty of Broadturn Farm” (page 84), writer
Tovah Martin and photographer Kerry Michaels show the farm in all its glory
and offer plant lists that you can use to grow a cutting garden of your own.
If you’re reading this issue for kitchens and baths, look at Therese
Ciesinski’s “Be My Guest” (page 64), which examines new and renovated
bathrooms in a Boothbay, Maine, estate. “Room with a View” (page 33) by
writer Denise Foley and photographer Rob Karosis describes a combined
kitchen, dining, and living room in Kittery Point, Maine; interior designer
Anne Cowenhoven unified the three areas, tying them into the ocean view
with her choice of effective colors, patterns, and building materials.
A tour of interior designer Roberta Garrison’s Exeter, New Hampshire,
home led to our cover story, “Naturally Timeless.” The story, written by
Allison Knab and photographed by Rob Karosis, shares the details of
Garrison’s stunning, newly renovated house. Her style is unique to the
Seacoast, combining European sensibility with contemporary flair.
This fall, join me in visiting these Seacoast homes and gardens. And don’t
forget the holidays—try the recipe for Stonewall Kitchen’s chocolate bark
(page 96). Easy and delicious, it’s great for eating and giving.
May this fall bring you peace and joy,
Penny
Fall, Flowers, and Football!
Penelope O’Sullivan, Editor
Coastal Home magazine
penny@trendsmarketing.com
coastalhg.com

Mike Bellamente is co-owner
and managing director of the
Green Alliance, a local
network of NH businesses and
citizens actively working
toward a greener future. Mike’s work has
appeared in Huffington Post, Grist, Sustainable
Brands, GreenBiz.com, and CR Magazine.
Therese Ciesinski is a writer,
editor, and public speaker.
While an editor at Organic
Gardening magazine, her
writing received a Gold and
six Silver Media Awards from the Garden
Writers Association. Ciesinski has also
written for Houzz.com, Cat Fancy, and
Green Scene magazines.
Katie Curtis writes a food
blog, thehumbleonion.com.
Her novel about an artist
from mid-coast Maine will
be released by Piscataqua
Press in 2017. She lives on the
New Hampshire Seacoast with her husband
and four children.
Denise Foley is the former
contributing executive editor
and editor-at-large of
Prevention magazine and co-
author of five books on health
and parenting. She is a founding editor at
irishphiladelphia.com, a photographer, and
freelance writer who works with Time.com,
Good Housekeeping, and Parenting.
JoAnn Actis-Grande is wine
editor for Taste of the Seacoast
magazine. She also writes and
conducts interviews with well-
known personalities. JoAnn is
a lover of food and wine and has traveled to
great wine regions from Napa to Cyprus.
jbellagrande@aol.com
For over 25 years Rob Karosis
has taken photographs of
people, places, and things.
Now focused on architecture,
he is the principal
photographer for many of the country’s
premier architects and designers. Rob
resides in South Berwick, Maine, with his
wife and three children. robkarosis.com
Crystal Ward Kent writes for
numerous regional magazines,
and her work appears in
Chicken Soup for the Soul and
Guideposts books. She is also
the author of Mainely Kids: A Guide to
Family Fun in Southern Maine. Crystal owns
Kent Creative, an award-winning agency.
cryskent@earthlink.net
Jonathan King and Jim Stott
founded and own Stonewall
Kitchen, a company in York,
Maine, that manufactures and
distributes fine specialty foods.
The company has nine retail stores and a
café and cooking school in York. More than
5,000 stores nationwide carry their award-
winning products. stonewallkitchen.com
Allison Knab is a
New Hampshire-based
freelance writer. Her work has
appeared in publications such
as The American Gardener,
The York Weekly, and Chicago Tribune’s
RedEye/metromix.com. When not writing,
she is in her yard, trying to persuade her
vegetable garden to grow.
In her newest book, The
Indestructible Houseplant
(Timber Press, 2015), Tovah
Martin is a cheerleader for
unkillable plants. Author of
many books including The New Terrarium,
she lectures on all things botanical. See her
schedule at tovahmartin.com or on
Facebook (Plantwise-by-Tovah-Martin).
Kerry Michaels is a freelance
writer, multimedia producer,
and photographer. Her credits
include 20th Century with
Mike Wallace and the award-
winning documentary, River of Steel. She is
an obsessive gardener and writes about
container gardening on her website,
containergardening.about.com.
Kristyn Lak Miller is a
freelance writer with a lifelong
appreciation for intelligent
design. In this issue, Kristyn
highlights bathroom sink
faucets. “With so many options, a faucet’s an
easy way to make a positive splash in your
bathroom,” she says.
Kristina O’Brien is a portrait,
lifestyle, and commercial
photographer in Yarmouth,
Maine. She has a particular
interest in imagery with a
coastal look and feel. Her work can
be seen in print and online at
kristinaobrien.com.
Katy Sternberger is a writer,
editor, and archivist. Besides
her involvement with Coastal
Home since 2010, she has
been a copy editor for Taste of
the Seacoast and an archivist at her local
libraries. Katy recently earned her master’s
degree in archives management from
Simmons College. StarWrite.org
Contributors

Autumn 2016
Volume 7, Number 3
PUBLISHER
Keith J. Lemerise
keith@trendsmarketing.com
EDITOR
Penelope O’Sullivan
penny@trendsmarketing.com
ART AND CREATIVE DIRECTOR
Marsha A. Jusczak
marsha@trendsmarketing.com
ADVERTISING ART DIRECTOR
Jo Donoghue DeCenzo
jo@trendsmarketing.com
WEB PRODUCER
Sheri Burgoon
sheri@trendsmarketing.com
CONTRIBUTING WRITERS
Mike Bellamente, Therese Ciesinski,
Katie Curtis, Denise Foley,
JoAnn Actis-Grande, Crystal Ward Kent,
Jonathan King, Allison Knab, Tovah Martin,
Kristyn Lak Miller, Katy Sternberger, Jim Stott
CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS
Rob Karosis, Kerry Michaels,
Kristina O’Brien, Penny O’Sullivan, Jim Stott
COVER PHOTOGRAPHY
Rob Karosis
COPY EDITOR
Katy Sternberger
PROOFREADERS
Katy Sternberger, Janet Taylor
ADVERTISING SALES/MARKETING
Keith J. Lemerise | 603 234-0394
BlakeLee Greene | 978 317-5846
Sheri Burgoon | 603 498-4305
HOME OFFICE
155 Fleet Street, Suite 201
Portsmouth, NH 03801 | 603 766-1948
DISTRIBUTION AND SUBSCRIPTIONS
Coastal Home magazine is available by
subscription and at select newsstands
and retail locations. Subscriptions are
$19.99 per year, $29.99 for 2 years.
To subscribe, please send a check or
money order with your name and address to:
TRENDS MARKETING GROUP
Attn: Subscriptions
PO Box 2078
Hampton, N.H. 03843
or subscribe online at coastalhg.com
Coastal Home magazine is published by
Trends Marketing Group
© 2016 by Trends Marketing Group
All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or part is
prohibited without the publisher’s written permission.
ROBKAROSISPHOTOGRAPHY
PKSURROUNDINGS.COM • 603.817.6347 • 20 WATER STREET • SUITE #2 • EXETER, NH
F I N E K I T C H E N S & I N T E R I O R S

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SceneOn the
out and about on the coast
SURFACE MEDICAL ESTHETICS
Right: Surface Medical Esthetics, owned by
Tara Delle Chiaie (left) and located on Lafayette
Road in Hampton, New Hampshire, held a
grand opening. Local community and business
leaders attended.
GEORGIA GARDEN CONFERENCE
Far right: Editor Penny O’Sullivan visits with famed
horticulturist Michael Dirr, author of the seminal
Manual of Woody Landscape Plants, during a
garden communicators’ conference in Georgia.
HUNGRY FOR HOPE
This fundraiser for Safe Harbor Recovery Center
was held at One Harbour Place, owned by Renee
Plummer and her company, Two International
Group. The event had food from 20 restaurants
and international wines and beers. Right: John
Akar, co-owner of Cava Tapas & Wine Bar, came
up with the idea of the fundraiser. He, Plummer,
Safe Harbor director Sandi Coyle, and John Burns,
hold a donation for $30,000. | Far right: Coyle
(center) and a friend celebrate with Tammy Joslyn
(right). Photo by Ioanna Raptis/Seacoastonline.
COASTAL WINDOWS HABITAT BUILD
Above right: Coastal Windows & Exteriors
provided a new roof for a Habitat for Humanity
North Shore Critical Home Repair project in
Peabody, Massachusetts. | Below right: The
Beverly-based company donated more than
$20,000 in materials for a new roof, windows,
and a new deck. | Far right: Peabody ward
councilor Peter McGinn, Coastal Windows
owner Stephanie Vanderbilt, and homeowner
Charlene Cruz. Photos by Jordan Garry.
STRATHAM CELEBRATES 300 YEARS
Right: The marching bands in Stratham,
New Hampshire’s 300th Birthday Parade
included the New Hampshire Pipes & Drums of
Manchester, New Hampshire, a nonprofit
organization fostering the advancement of pipe
band music. | Far right, above: The 1716 Town
Hall Meeting float won second place in the float
competition. | Far right, below: A Fyfe and
Drum corps from Massachusetts performed
colonial music in the parade.

October 1–January 16 | Mount Washington:
The Crown of New England
Featuring the work of Hudson River School artists such as Thomas
Cole, Winslow Homer, and George Inness, this exhibition at the
Currier Museum of Art explores the Mount Washington region.
Paintings, prints, vintage photographs, and illustrated guidebooks
document the artistic and historical context in which New
Hampshire’s most iconic scenic landmark became a national and
international symbol of the American landscape, a center for
scientific study, and one of the country’s most popular tourist
destinations. Check the museum’s website for hours and admission
prices. Manchester, New Hampshire | 603 669-6144 | currier.org
October 6–December 31 | Art Books of Henri Matisse
This exhibition at the Portland Museum of Art presents four art books
by French artist Henri Matisse. From the 1930s to 1950s, Matisse
produced a dozen book projects, using a variety of printing
techniques that reveal his dynamic relationship with literature,
creativity, and visual expression. Consult the museum’s website for
hours and admission prices. Portland, Maine | 207 775-6148 |
portlandmuseum.org
October 13–16 | New Hampshire Film Festival
Since its debut in 2001, the NHFF honors the art of independent
filmmaking with this gathering. Students, professional filmmakers,
screenwriters, industry experts, and avid moviegoers from around
the world converge for film screenings, workshops, and networking
events across historic Portsmouth, New Hampshire. And there is
nothing like dinner and a movie: be sure to experience some of the
city’s best restaurants. Check website for ticket pricing and event
schedule. | 603 647-6439 | nhfilmfestival.com
October 21–23 | Fall Orchid Sale
Visit the historic Lyman Estate Greenhouses to celebrate the colors
and scents of orchid-blooming season. Hundreds of plants are for
sale, including cattleyas, laelias, oncidiums, and phalaenopsis, and
staff are on hand to offer expert advice on these adaptable
species. Attendance is free. Garden and Landscape members
receive a 15 percent discount on purchases at the greenhouses.
9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily. Waltham, Massachusetts |
617 994-5913 | historicnewengland.org
October 22 | Introduction to Decorative Arts
Learn about decorative arts from Historic New England’s experts
with this in-depth workshop. Curatorial staff present lectures on
furniture, textiles, ceramics, jewelry, and glass and describe the
history, craftsmanship, and changing methods of production. Also
receive a tour of the collections storage area. Box lunch included.
Registration required. $45 Historic New England members, $70
nonmembers, $50 students. 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Haverhill,
Massachusetts | 617 994-6678 | historicnewengland.org
October 22 | Ghosts of Winter Street Cemetery
Visit the Winter Street Cemetery for a chance to meet some of
Exeter’s famous and infamous former residents, including characters
from the Folsom, Smith, Emery, and Gilman families. Space is
limited to 18 people per tour; sign up early online. $5 members,
$7.50 nonmembers. There are three tours, at 2 p.m., 2:30 p.m.,
and 3 p.m. Exeter, New Hampshire | 603 772-2622 |
independencemuseum.org
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WRITTEN BY KATY STERNBERGER
November 4 | Best of Taste Bash
Celebrate and sample the best food and drinks that the Seacoast
has to offer at Taste of the Seacoast magazine’s sixth-annual bash,
held at Wentworth by the Sea. Readers went online earlier this year
and voted for their favorites in over 75 categories, including
alfresco dining, clam chowder, cupcake, sushi, and winery.
Discover award-winning food and enjoy a fun evening with friends,
family, and coworkers. A portion of the night’s proceeds, including
a silent auction, will benefit the New Hampshire Food Bank. Tickets
are available online for $69; VIP admission is $99. 7 p.m. to
9:30 p.m. New Castle, New Hampshire | tasteoftheseacoast.com
November 5 & 6 | NH Open Doors
More than 150 New Hampshire artists, craftspeople, cultural
organizations, shops, lodgings, businesses, and restaurants will
open their doors to showcase the best of the Granite State. The
event is presented by League of NH Craftsmen, a nonprofit
organization that promotes craft education. Check the website for a
statewide list of events and an interactive map that helps visitors
plan their self-guided tour. | 603 224-3375 | nhopendoors.com
November 5–13 | Christmas at the Fells
Partake of the holiday splendor during this one-of-a-kind Christmas
showcase at the historic Fells estate on Lake Sunapee. Professional
interior designers, floral artists, and talented volunteers will bedeck
the house according to this year’s theme of “Let It Snow.” Gifts
created by local artisans will be available in the holiday boutique,
a café will serve gourmet lunches, and Father Christmas will greet
children. Advance tickets $18; tickets day of the tour $23; children
$5. 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Newbury, New Hampshire |
603 763-4789 x3 | thefells.org
November 10–19 | Restaurant Week Portsmouth
and the Seacoast
During this week of culinary creativity, nearly 50 of the finest
restaurants in the greater Portsmouth area offer special three-course,
prix fixe meals. Check online for participating restaurants and their
hours and menus. $16.95 for lunch or $29.95 for dinner.
Portsmouth, New Hampshire | 603 610-5510 |
restaurantweekportsmouth.com
November 12 | Beginning Orchid Growing Workshop
You do not need a greenhouse to grow orchids. Learn the essentials
to help you achieve success on your windowsill. The greenhouse
manager at the Lyman Estate Greenhouses will teach you the best
methods for selection, lighting, watering, fertilization, and repotting.
Registration required. $20 Historic New England members, $25
nonmembers. 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. Waltham, Massachusetts |
617 994-5913 | historicnewengland.org
November 18–December 4 | Sea Festival of Trees
At this fourth-annual event, view a maze of sparkling trees
decorated by local businesses and organizations. Also enjoy the
unveiling of a giant gingerbread house, an arts and crafts show,
workshops, shopping, ice skating performances, and visits with
Santa. Admission is $5; children under 2 are free. Check website
for times and special events. Blue Ocean Event Center, Salisbury
Beach, Massachusetts | 978 462-2512 | seafestivaloftrees.com
ALL EVENTS ARE ACCURATE AS OF PRESS DATE. PLEASE CALL OR CHECK
WEBSITE FOR UPDATED LISTINGS, TICKET PRICES, AND TIMES.
- A FULL-SERVICE DESIGN STUDIO -
Roberta Garrison, ASID
Certified Interior Designer
www.interiorsbyroberta.com . 858-263-6561 . Exeter, New Hampshire

November 26 | Lighting of the Nubble
Do not miss the annual lighting of the Cape Neddick “Nubble”
Lighthouse. Delight in cookies, hot chocolate, music, and a visit
from Santa Claus. 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. Sohier Park, York Beach,
Maine | 207 363-1040 | yorkparksandrec.org
November 27 | Santa Parade and Tree Lighting
In this Newburyport, Massachusetts, tradition, Santa and Mrs.
Claus arrive at the boardwalk by US Coast Guard boat and
parade through town to gather in Market Square. Enjoy local
marching bands, carols, and a tree lighting around 4 p.m. Start
your holiday shopping and dine at one of the area restaurants.
3:30 p.m. to 5 p.m. | 978 462-6680 | newburyportchamber.org
December 1 | Vintage Christmas in Portsmouth
Presented by the Music Hall and Strawbery Banke Museum,
Vintage Christmas offers old-fashioned holiday merriment throughout
the month of December. Beginning with a tree lighting and holiday
parade, other festivities include the 37th-Annual Candlelight Stroll at
Strawbery Banke on Saturdays and Sundays, holiday shows at the
Music Hall, pop-up markets, vintage trolley rides, and ice skating
daily at Puddle Dock Pond. See website for dates and times.
Portsmouth, New Hampshire | vintagechristmasnh.org
December 1–4 & 9–11 | Christmas Prelude
Now in its 35th year, this annual holiday extravaganza features
craft fairs and art exhibits, tree lightings, fireworks, holiday fare,
caroling, walking tours and trolley rides, and Santa’s arrival by
lobster boat. Enjoy lodging, dining, and shopping throughout
Kennebunk and Kennebunkport, Maine. See website for more
information. | 207 967-0857 | christmasprelude.com
December 2 | Holiday Celebration at Folsom Tavern
Imagine what it was like to celebrate the holidays during the
Revolutionary War at the American Independence Museum. View
colonial-era décor, speak with reenactors, try handmade crafts, and
listen to carolers from Portsmouth Christian Academy. Free
admission. 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. Exeter, New Hampshire |
603 772-2622 | independencemuseum.org
December 2 | Home for the Holidays
The Sarah Orne Jewett House Museum and Visitor Center will host
a holiday open house during South Berwick’s festive Home for the
Holidays event. Enjoy live music and historic family Christmas
cards, shop for gifts, and make a traditional pomander ornament to
bring home. Visit other businesses along Main Street for more food,
crafts, and family-friendly activities. Free admission. 5 p.m. to 8
p.m. South Berwick, Maine | 207 384-2454 |
historicnewengland.org
December 3 | York Festival of Lights
Watch York Village come alive with lights. Enjoy a holiday parade,
fairs, caroling, gingerbread houses, visits with Santa Claus, church
suppers, and more at various places and times around town. The
parade is at 4:30 p.m. York, Maine | 207 363-1040 |
yorkparksandrec.org
December 3 & 4 | Button Factory Open Studios
The Button Factory decorates its hallways and studios for this festive
annual holiday shopping experience. Nearly 70 artists and
craftspeople, including painters, sculptors, bookbinders, metalsmiths,
and furniture makers, will open their workshops to display and sell
unique items. 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Portsmouth, New Hampshire |
617 756-9164 buttonfactorystudios.com
Seasonal events
www.edwardjones.com
Nancy G Andrew
Financial Advisor
.
448 Lafayette Rd
Hampton, NH 03842
603-926-0727
Get on track. Stay
on track. Let's talk.

ALL EVENTS ARE ACCURATE AS OF PRESS DATE. PLEASE CALL OR CHECK
WEBSITE FOR UPDATED LISTINGS, TICKET PRICES, AND TIMES.
December 4 | Exeter Area Holiday House Tour
Get inspired by the stunning, festive décor throughout each of the
homes on this third-annual holiday house tour, which benefits
Womenade of Greater Squamscott. Tickets may be purchased
online or from local businesses. 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. Exeter, New
Hampshire | 603 502-3805 | exeterareaholidayhousetour.com
December 9–11 | Christmas by the Sea
Ring in the Christmas season on the beach at this ever-popular
annual event featuring tree lightings, decorated shops, food tastings,
visits with Santa Claus, and more in the quaint village of Ogunquit,
Maine. | 207 646-2939 | visitogunquit.org
December 10 & 11 | 20th-Annual Inn to Inn
Holiday Cookie and Candy Tour
Eleven festively decorated inns tucked away in the White Mountains
will open their doors for this sweet holiday event that features
cookies and candies, collectible recipe cards, holiday decorating
ideas, and a keepsake ornament. Tickets are limited; either
purchase tickets for $30 (between December 1 and 7) or reserve a
lodging package for guaranteed admission. Self-guided tour from
11 a.m. to 4 p.m. each day. | 800 338-1356 |
countryinnsinthewhitemountains.com
December 31 | Portsmouth First Night
Celebrate New Year’s Eve in Portsmouth, New Hampshire. The
festivities include live music, dance, ice sculpture, a fireworks
display, and much more. 4 p.m. to 12 a.m. | 603 433-4398 |
proportsmouth.org
January 6 | Art ’Round Town
Organized by Kennedy Gallery and Custom Framing, Art ’Round
Town is a gallery walk through downtown Portsmouth, New
Hampshire, that celebrates the diverse artists of this historic
community. Galleries from around the city participate in this event,
which recurs year-round every first Friday of the month. 5 p.m. to
8 p.m. | 603 436-7007 | artroundtown.org
January 14 & 15 | Houseplant and Begonia Sale
Introduce some color into your home during the winter months. This
new exotic houseplant sale at the historic Lyman Estate Greenhouses
features begonias and gesneriads. Choose from lipstick plants,
goldfish plants, flame violets, streptocarpus, and more. Attendance
is free. Garden and Landscape members receive a 15 percent
discount on purchases at the greenhouses. 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.
daily. Waltham, Massachusetts | 617 994-5913 |
historicnewengland.org
January 20–February 19 | Winter Wine Festival
Excite the senses and savor the experience at one of New
England’s premier wine festivals, held at the Wentworth by the Sea.
Events for connoisseurs and novices alike include grand vintner’s
dinners, food and wine pairings, rare vintage tastings, celebrity
chefs and winemakers, Sunday brunches, and educational
seminars. Check website for times, prices, and special hotel room
rates. New Castle, New Hampshire | 603 373-6566 |
winterwinefestival.com
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At Ferguson Bath, Kitchen, & Lighting
Gallery, you can see, touch, and compare
top-selling bath, kitchen, and lighting
products in our state-of-the-art showrooms.
Our product experts help bring your vision
to life by providing product knowledge and
world-class customer service unmatched by
anyone in our industry.
Manufacturers offer water-saving
showerheads, hand showers, faucets, and
toilets that use significantly less water than
industry standards. The Kohler San Souci
touchless toilet features a wave-over flushing
sensor to help cut down on the transference
of germs with no handle to touch. The
innovative AquaPiston technology delivers
a 1.28-gallon flush, a savings of nearly
16,500 gallons of water per year.
Freestanding tubs can be a beautiful focal
point. Digital showering systems turn a
shower into a personalized hydrotherapy
experience, and you can save your favorite
temperatures and shower head combinations
or play music from your favorite handheld
device. Steam showers give you a spa
experience of lounging in a steam room
within the comfort and privacy of your own
home. Proper lighting is also essential.
Purchasing materials online without a
consultation. Customers think this saves
money; however, many times they do not
purchase all of the additional parts needed
or the parts they do receive are defective. In
the end, they may spend more money and
time correcting problems. Use a professional
installer—often a product warranty is
extended when the installation is completed
by a licensed professional.
Lifestyle | TALKING TRENDS
Linda Cloutier
Linda Cloutier
Kitchens & Baths
603 964-2959
lindacloutier.com
Frances Hodges
Frances G Hodges Interiors
603 986-2245
francesghodgesinteriors.com
I believe that people’s lives are improved
when they’re surrounded by things that
inspire and compel them. Inspiration comes
in many unique forms, some tangible, some
intangible, and as a designer my top goal is to
create environments that reflect the tangible
aspects of my client’s inspiration and
encourages the intangible aspects to flourish
and grow.
Energy and water efficiency are emphasized
in green bathroom design, but much of the
environmental impact of construction is
hidden in the production methods used to
make your building materials. Selecting
sustainable building materials sourced from
environmentally responsible manufacturers
can reduce the carbon footprint of your
renovation. This is an example of how
working with an expert can really pay off!
A luxury bathroom should cater to specific
desires so the components vary greatly, but
they all share the central celebration of
relaxation and indulgence. The desire
for a long, steamy soak should revolve
around a magnificent bathtub. Here in
New England, heated floors and towel
bars are a prerequisite.
Identifying your priorities in advance is sure
to produce the best outcome! Every
renovation holds enormous promise and also
often requires some compromise along the
way. If you know your priorities ahead of
time, you will know which of your
expectations are negotiable and which are set
in stone. That will help you create a space
that delivers on the promises that matter
most to you.
Nancy LaRocque
Ferguson
603 436-3550
ferguson.com
A bathroom should be designed with calm,
warm colors. Colors can be introduced
through tile, painted walls, accessories, or
window treatments. Bathrooms can be very
expensive; you don’t want to get caught in
a trend and five to 10 years later feel you
need to remodel. Keep it simple. Powder
rooms are a great place to have fun as that
is the room people see the most.
With all the lighting, tile, towel warmers,
and heat lamps, there’s not a lot that
is green.
A luxury bath has a spa feeling, which goes
hand in hand with keeping it calm with
warm colors. It also needs to have a soaking
tub. Who would not like to end their day
in a tub with a glass of wine?
Hide your toilet if possible. If you can’t find
a way to hide it, place a half wall or a linen
cabinet next to it. And placing a washer
and dryer in a bathroom is not always the
best idea.
WHAT IS YOUR DESIGN PHILOSOPHY?
TELL US ABOUT TRENDS IN GREEN BATHROOM DESIGN.
WHAT ARE THE COMPONENTS OF A LUXURY BATHROOM?
ARE THERE MISTAKES TO AVOID WHEN RENOVATING A BATHROOM?
ASK THE EXPERTS: Bathroom Design

Function comes first. After carefully listening
to our client’s needs and habits, the
bathroom is designed to meet their choices,
such as tub or shower bathing. Lighting is a
key element I include in bath design, as the
illumination levels create the overall
ambience of the room, enhance specialized
grooming tasks, eliminate glare, and
accommodate safety. Windows are a real plus
to gain natural light.
Repurposing materials for accents, such as
wainscoting, shelves, and hardware, is my
favorite way of adding “green” to a bath.
All plumbing fixtures are engineered today
to be water conservative, so we are certainly
contributing to the effort to be aware of
water usage. Using humidity-controlled
exhaust fans or fans on timers so they are
not accidentally left on when not needed.
A generous-sized shower with a shelf for the
morning coffee, recesses for shampoos etc., a
bench to sit on or prop a foot on for washing,
and excellent lighting. Mirrors and medicine
cabinets with anti-fog devices. A TV built in
to watch the news. A compartmentalized
WC area. A bench or chair in a sitting area.
Making the walk spaces too small in between
fixtures. Using downlighting over a vanity as
the sole source of grooming lighting creates
ghoulish shadows on your face. Ventilation
is a must to remove moisture generated
from showering.
INTERVIEW BY KATIE CURTIS
Janice Page
PKsurroundings
603 817-6347
pksurroundings.com
As an interior designer, I become an
integral part of the home’s philosophy, if
you will. As I design, I am considering the
roots and architecture of the home, the
client’s needs and wants, and their personal
style. Once I have a feel for these items, I
create classic, proprietary design with
beautiful materials of high quality and
unsurpassed installation.
As a company, we use materials with low
VOCs and local sources whenever possible,
as well as quartz countertops with
Greenguard, contemporary-looking
reconstituted wood veneers, refurbished
items such as a beautifully detailed frame as
a mirror or an accessory that suggests the
past, and water-based finishes on select
cabinetry. We also donate existing
cabinetry to Habitat for Humanity.
Luxury baths include natural materials and
finely tailored amenities to fit the client’s
storage needs, as well as a steam shower,
custom-size tile showers, a rain head,
additional shower jets, well-appointed
plumbing fixtures, a freestanding tub, and a
towel warmer. We also use a few reflective
pieces, such as a chandelier and mirror or
crystal hardware, as well as a touch of
nature with a few wooden accessories.
Start with a list of the issues that need to
be resolved within the existing bath space.
A list will get the process started with a
realistic approach and help your designer
understand your specific needs. A common
mistake is looking at images of spaces that
are bigger than what you have in reality. A
professional can give guidance on materials,
construction, and great bath design.
Kathlyn G. Box
Accent on Kitchens
603 964-1771
accentonkitchens.com
WHAT IS YOUR DESIGN PHILOSOPHY?
TELL US ABOUT TRENDS IN GREEN BATHROOM DESIGN.
WHAT ARE THE COMPONENTS OF A LUXURY BATHROOM?
ARE THERE MISTAKES TO AVOID WHEN RENOVATING A BATHROOM?
F I N E K I T C H E N S & I N T E R I O R S
NatRaePhotographyRobKarosisPhotography
Glamourous...
& GREEN Design
20 WATER STREET • SUITE #2 • EXETER, NH
603.817.6347 • PKSURROUNDINGS.COM

781.983.0304
55 Pleasant Street, Newburyport, MA
Essential Oils ~ Soy Candles
Lotions ~ Organic Soaps
Bath Salts ~ Sugar Scrubs
Spritzers ~ Lip Balms
Bath Accessories
Wrapped Gift Sets
for all occasions.
All products made with
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A tasteful
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47 Pleasant Street, Newburyport, MA | Prettyintheport.com | 978.462.1280
Visit us at 31R Pleasant Street, Newburyport, MA.
978-462-2650, ivylaneshop.com, Instagram ivylaneshop
Ivy Lane offers the most current and
popular home décor and furnishings,
both old and new, including hand
painted and upcycled furniture, vintage
and antique pieces, seasonal décor, and
lighting. Also offered are artisan
curated succulent gardens, jewelry,
soaps and candles, and exceptional
customer service. Choose Ivy Lane for
affordable design services and custom
furniture painting. Ivy Lane - regional
retailer of American Paint Company’s
Chalk & Clay Paints, Rachel Ashwell’s
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46 Pleasant St., Newburyport, MA • 978 462 0020 • amywilliams.net
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46 Pleasant St., Newburyport, MA• 978 462 0020 • amywilliams.net

Saltwater Yoga Studio is the
hottest studio in town! We offer
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Consignment at its best for price and selection!
Will become your only place to shop!
Big News from
Voted Best Consignment Store in Newburyport, 7 years in a row.
COOL, NEW & RESALE STUFF
We are closing our 14 Pleasant
Street location and expanding
to a double storefront at 141
Bridge Road (right over the
bridge), Salisbury! We will
maintain Pandora's Box II on
19 Inn Street, Lower Level
in Newburyport.
You can shop the $5 Rack,
$2 Bin and gently-used and
new clothing, shoes, purses,
and jewelry at either location.
Our new shop in Salisbury will
also feature small household
goods and small furniture.
TWO Great Locations!
Please visit our location, we look forward to seeing you soon!
Olde Newbury Antiques
Please visit our location, we look forward to seeing you soon!
We Feature a Healthy Mix of Antiques - Browse on in!
Furniture & decorative smalls: 18-19th century • Curated mid-century
modern - 20th century accent furniture & accessories • Looking to buy
single items to entire estates: gold/silver jewelry, flatware/tableware, US
coins/currency-single cents to entire collections, porcelain signs, oil cans,
antique furniture & smalls, oriental rugs and even classic automobiles.
978-417-9466 - oldenewburyantiques.com - 10 Pleasant Street
Pleasantries on Pleasant Street, Newburyport

124 Broadway, PO Box 669
Dover, NH 03821
• 603.742.2020
• 800.649.6457
dfrichard.com
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Lifestyle | KITCHENS
WRITTEN BY DENISE FOLEY
PHOTOGRAPHED BY ROB KAROSIS
PRODUCED BY MARSHA JUSCZAK
Room with a View
A renovation focused on the sea
David and Mary Jean Labbe’s shingled home in Kittery Point, Maine,
started its life as a beach cottage on stilts in the 1950s, overlooking the
Atlantic. Though not waterfront, the house has unobstructed views of
the sea, including the “haunted” lighthouse on Boon Island and the
Isles of Shoals six miles offshore. This prime vista is the result of an
eighteenth-century family cemetery and two-plus acres of common
ocean-front land that sit across the street directly in front of the house.
Until recently, however, you could not see the entire view from the
first floor. Though the cottage had been renovated several times by
previous owners who replaced the stilts with a foundation and added a
second floor with two bedrooms, the magnificent water view was only
fully visible upstairs. To Mary Jean, it was akin to owning a masterpiece
and hiding it in a closet.

Clockwise from top left: A black “Eddy” pendant
chandelier from Hubbardton Forge hangs over
the Shaker-style Thos. Moser table | The colors
of sand, fog, and sea echo throughout the living
room, dining area and kitchen. | A new wall of
windows gives the Labbes an unobstructed
ocean view on the first floor.

“The kitchen had two little windows but a wall blocked
the water views,” explains Mary Jean, a realtor with Legacy
Properties Sotheby’s International Realty. “You couldn’t see
the ocean at all from the living room. As a realtor, I tell
everyone, ‘Don’t block the views. That’s why we live here.’”
It took them nine years, but the Labbes—he is an
executive with a large outdoor retailer—finally brought the
ocean view inside. They worked with award-winning interior
designer Anne Cowenhoven of Accent & Design in York,
who recommended taking out the wall between the living
room and kitchen and installing banks of tall windows. Today,
the entire front of the house welcomes in the sea view, which
is visible from anywhere on the first floor: kitchen, living
room, and the four-season porch on the east side of the house,
turning the entire downstairs into one large, airy room.
But Cowenhoven also brought an echo of the water view
inside with paint, materials, and furnishings that have made
the living space at one with the ocean.
The first thing she did was introduce a palette of colors
reminiscent of “Maine sea fog” to the interior, with hints of
sand and water everywhere, from the rippled glass doors on
the kitchen and dining room maple built-ins to the “sandy”
porcelain tile in the four-season porch. The sheers in the
living room are the color of the Atlantic outside, with a
repeating ripple like flowing water, set off by a sandy-gray
carpet and a set of four swivel chairs upholstered in an
undulating herringbone pattern. The moldings, once a typical
clamshell pattern common in older Maine cottages, now have
sleek, clean lines and are as white as a whitecap. The glass
tiles in the kitchen, painted white on the back, glow seafoam
and gray, depending on the light outside.
“It’s all about the water,” Mary Jean says.
Even the curved, wedge-shaped maple kitchen island, the
work of the Webhannet Company, the custom cabinet and
millwork division of Chase Construction of North Berwick,
which did the renovation, was designed to allow every seat to
face the ocean, although that meant the long sides of the
island were not equal.
With the new windows, the view from the kitchen is like
art in motion, Mary Jean says. And it is literally framed—
Chase ran a panel of the same maple as the cabinets over the
windows to the ceiling, an unusual touch. “I wasn’t sure about
it but I love it,” Cowenhoven says. “I’d rather see that than
just a strip of blue paint there.”
Though Mary Jean has a dedicated office at the back of
the house, she admits she does not use it much anymore. “I do
a lot of my work with my laptop on the kitchen island and I
can sit there and watch the beautiful sailboats go by. When
the sunlight shines off the cliffs of the Isles of Shoals, it’s
just stunning.”

Cowenhoven’s color palette served a second purpose: to
create a calm, uncluttered oasis for the busy couple. Mary Jean
wanted “a coastal home but not a Maine cottage,” so the
colors had to be cool and subdued. She also wanted a
contemporary look, unusual for a home that, from the outside,
looks like the poster child for Maine traditional.
“They wanted it to feel very modern and light, but the
house itself had a shingle-style look to it, a lot of green and
orange oriental rugs and heavy traditional furniture,”
Cowenhoven says. I said, ‘to accomplish your dreams for this
house, you will need to change everything. Orange is not a
peaceful, calm color.’”
They also wanted it to be largely carefree. With two
rambunctious yellow Labradors, they did not want to worry
about keeping things neat and tidy, so all the furniture fabrics
were “Lab tested.”
“We brought the fabric samples into the house and had the
dogs lie on it to see if the hair showed on the fabric,”
Cowenhoven says. “It’s there, you just can’t see it,” Mary Jean
says, laughing.
The Labbes made some structural changes, including
reinforcing joists that were meant to hold up a cottage, not a
two-story home, and moving a load-bearing wall in the dining
area a few feet back. The latter was Cowenhoven’s idea to
accommodate the one piece of furniture the couple owned
that was going to survive the transition: a large, Shaker-style
dining table handmade by Thos. Moser, the Maine furniture
maker known for simple, elegant designs. It also allows
generous space for Mary Jean’s mother, who uses a walker, to
navigate the downstairs when she visits.
Over the table, which commands the spot between the
kitchen and living room, hangs a black, “Eddy” pendant
chandelier by Vermont-based Hubbardton Forge that
resembles a swirl of water with six glass tubes that the
manufacturer describes as “buoys,” though the resemblance is
only abstract. Cowenhoven echoed those tubes with the
votive-like mesh lights that dot the kitchen ceiling. She also
pulled the color of the dramatic chandelier into the charcoal-
gray granite kitchen countertops as well as the modern, off-
center gas fireplace filled with beach stones and the wall of
bench seating in the living room.
“Anne has a phenomenal way with color,” Mary Jean says.
“I’ve never seen anyone who can pull color together the way
she does. The house has an ‘ahh factor’ when you walk in. You
get this immediate relaxing feeling.”
The Labbes consider this their forever home, as indicated
by the feature hidden in the generous kitchen pantry. “We
had the builder create a door inside, which can eventually be
opened up to the office that we can use as a bedroom when
we’re older, so we can age in place,” Mary Jean explains.
“We’re staying.” n
FOR A LIST OF SOURCES, SEE PAGE 110
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100 West Road, Portsmouth, NH
603.436.1401
www.PortsmouthBathCo.com Like us on
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Above: Sun and sea are part of
the home’s look, from the bank of
windows in the living room to the
sandy maple cabinetry and
wave-like herringbone pattern on
the chairs. In the gas fireplace a
mound of beach stones makes
the look complete. | Far left: The
glass of the maple built-in in the
dining room has a wave-like
pattern. | Left: Maple cabinetry
flows throughout the downstairs.
| Below: A traditional entry
belies the home’s modern interior.

RobKarosisPhotography
ECOLOGICALLY CONSCIOUS HOMES
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HISTORIC RENOVATIONS
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ECOSOUNDBUILDERS.COM
PORTSMOUTH, NH

Bridget Keefe
Making movie magic
behind the scenes
LIGHTS! CAMERA! ACTION! Long before a director says these iconic
words, the set production team layers in elements large and small to create
the essence of a movie’s story line and characters. Led by a production
designer, the set designers, set decorators, art coordinators, and prop
masters work for months to create the look of each set. They coordinate
not just the color scheme and furniture choices but the smallest details,
including the photos on the nightstand, the post-it notes on the desk, and
the shopping list or kid’s art on the refrigerator. Thanks to their craft, a
movie’s look and tone are shaped, and hints about the characters’ lives are
woven throughout the film.
Bridget Keefe is a production designer, who conceptualizes the lives of
movie characters. Originally from Stratham, New Hampshire, she grew up
on the Seacoast, attending Exeter High School. After studying and
working in Florida, Chicago, and New York, she now makes her home in
Amesbury, Massachusetts, and specializes in northern New England film
sets. She worked on films such as Moonrise Kingdom, The Judge, and RIPD
with actors such as Robert Duvall, Robert Downey Jr., Kate Winslet, Ben
Affleck, and Bill Murray.
WRITTEN BY CRYSTAL WARD KENT
Lifestyle | TALENT

“I love theater and minored in that in college,” she says. “I
had dreams of acting and was always curious about the behind-
the-scenes work as well, but my start in film wasn’t planned.”
Keefe was living in New York City when she was offered the
part of an extra in The Box, a small, independent film starring
Cameron Diaz. “I went thinking I could pick up a few dollars.
During my stint, I spoke with the set dressers, who mentioned
that they would be working on another independent film in
Rhode Island and needed help. Was I interested? I said ‘yes,’
even though I’d never done this work before.
“My dad has always told me to say ‘yes’ to whatever is
offered and things have a way of working out. So, when she
asked if I had a car, had tools, and knew how to use them, I said
yes when really the answers should have been no! I borrowed
my brother’s car and my dad’s tools, and he gave me a crash
course in carpentry.”
Her first job did not go well. She made mistakes measuring,
hung artwork wrong, and missed many details, but she showed
up, worked hard, and survived. This film, Tell Tale with Josh
Lucas and Brian Cox, premiered in 2009, and Keefe knew she
had found her calling.
“The challenges vary depending on the film,” says Keefe,
now a successful production designer. “If it’s a big-budget
picture, then money may be no object in terms of creating the
set, but you have to deal with more layers of people. This can
impact what you want to do creatively. If it’s a small
independent film, then that means there is usually little
money, so you have to scrounge to find the design pieces you
want, and the working team is very small. You’ll wear multiple
hats and put in long hours, but it is rewarding because such a
big piece of you is in the film.”
Keefe’s work begins with reading the script. She “sleeps on
it” for a day or so and reads it again. Then she meets with the
producer and director to better understand their vision for the
film. Once she is officially on board, she hires a team (set
decorator, art buyer, and art coordinator) and begins delving
deeper into the film’s characters. She and her team flesh out
backstories for the main characters that in many cases will
never even be mentioned in the film.
Previous page, left: Keefe on set. | Above right: This bedroom,
designed for a moody teenage girl, is from the movie Welcome
Home. | Below right: The living room appeared in the Lifetime film,
The Wrong Car, which was released earlier this year. | Facing
page, above: Keefe transformed the rooms of a former school into a
police station, including the memos and mug shots, which featured
film crew members. The scene is from The Last Poker Game, starring
Martin Landau and Paul Sorvino. | Below left: The dining table is
from Welcome Home and had to be reset continually as the scene
was filmed. Keefe keeps many extra food settings ready to go as
needed. | Center: Keefe and her dog, Miles Davis, who travels with
her. | Center right: Keefe on the set of The Zookeeper with a 10-
foot python. | Bottom right: The kitchen from The Wrong Car.
e x p e r i e n c e t h e l a n d s c a p e
portsmouth, new hampshire
www.terrafirmalandarch.com
blog: www.outinthelandscape.com
603-430-8388
t e r r a f i r m a
l a n d s c a p e a r c h i t e c t u r e

SPOTLIGHT on Newburyport
4 Market Square, Portsmouth, NH, 603-433-4211
41 State Stree, Newburyport, MA, 978-465-1330
Specializing in
custom designs and
on-site repairs
Featuring
platinum, gemstones,
and diamonds
Come by or visit us at www.etsy.com/shop/Kayajewelers
Celebrating family love stories for 25 years
PhotographybyLaurenHallion
West Newbury, MA . 978.462.5346 . LaineJonesDesign.com
the architecture of
LAINE M. JONES DESIGN
award winning residential designs

“I ask myself, who were these people 10 years ago, five
years ago, three years ago?” she says. “What was their
childhood like? Did they travel? What are their hobbies?
Where do they work? What items might they have
accumulated over the years? All of this detail helps us layer in
the furnishings of their homes and workplaces.”
For a recent Lifetime movie, Keefe created bedrooms for
two sisters. She imagined the backstory of the younger sister as
that of a cheerleader who was active in school, had won
competitions, and was very girly. Her room was done in pink
with feminine touches and featured actual trophies with the
character’s name on them. Keefe saw the older sister as
moodier and so created a room with stacks of books to show
her love of reading, scattered notebooks filled with poems she
wrote, and placed her guitar in a corner.
According to Keefe, some directors care more about the
technical aspects of the film and give the art department free
reign, while others, such as Wes Anderson, are more involved
in set details. In either case, Keefe does her best to “get into
the director’s head.” She creates vision boards of possible
looks, textiles, art pieces, and other elements for each set. This
board will evolve multiple times as ideas are weighed. Once
looks are approved, Keefe’s team will scatter to various shops,
flea markets, and secondhand stores to procure needed items.
The other challenge facing Keefe’s crew is the location.
She has had to empty out a decaying Victorian mansion and
turn it into a family home, transform a former school’s interior
into a police station, and work similar magic in a range of
other settings. What makes the transformation work is a
design that mimics everyday life.
Keefe recently completed work on The Last Poker Game in
Newburyport, Massachusetts. Her familiarity with the area
enabled her to recommend locations such as Atkinson
Common, the historic Grog Restaurant, and Newburyport’s
lovely downtown, all of which are showcased in the film.
Produced by Long Road Films, The Last Poker Game features
Oscar-winner Martin Landau, actor Paul Sorvino (Goodfellas),
and actress Maria Dizzia (Orange Is the New Black).
Sorvino gave her work a thumbs-up. “Our backstory for his
character was that he was all about family, he was proud of his
Italian heritage, he loved opera and art, and he favored a
certain kind of poker chip,” she recalls. “We did his room up
with an Italian flag, an old record player and opera records,
family photos, and a few nice pieces of art. When Paul saw it,
he said it was the best set he had ever been on! I will be so
proud to see my name on the credits along with members of
this legendary cast.”
Next for Keefe is a contemporary thriller, Altar Rock, set in
Nantucket. “It’s fun playing with different genres,” she says.
“Production design is a form of self-expression. You get to pour
a little of yourself onto each set and into characters through
their homes, their offices, their cars, or whatever is being shot.
It keeps my life fresh and interesting, and it’s endlessly
satisfying to help bring a film’s vision to life.” n
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Lifestyle on the Seacoast
CHM_Autumn2016

THE LUXE LOOK
Wash your hands of ho-hum bathroom sink
faucets. “We’ve moved way beyond the old-
fashioned lavatory faucet, with handles labeled
‘hot’ on one side and ‘cold’ on the other,” says
Rand Hinman, director of the Ultimate Bath
Store in Concord, New Hampshire. “In today’s
marketplace, there are some really tremendous
options, reflecting all kinds of styles and price
points from 100 dollars to thousands or more.”
Representing the high end of the budget
spectrum, the first 3D-printed faucet has
intricate geometries and concealed waterways
that give the impression that water appears by
magic. “This kind of faucet is a piece of art,”
Hinman says. “It’s a bathroom centerpiece that
makes a statement.”
Vibrato Bathroom 3D Faucet
DXV by American Standard, dxv.com

SECRETLY SUSTAINABLE
Some statements are made subtly, like
the growing number of bathroom sink
faucets that appear conventional and yet
meet the EPA’s WaterSense criteria for
reduced water usage. “These faucets
prove you can introduce great style to
water conservation,” Hinman says.
“People are very conscious about the
environment and how much water they
use, especially as more and more of the
country faces a water crisis. Eco-friendly
faucets allow homeowners to access
water as they normally do in their
bathrooms while they protect natural
resources and benefit from a reduced
water bill.”
90 Degree Chrome Two-Handle Low
Arc Bathroom Faucet
Moen, moen.com
ALWAYS ADVANCING
Increased water conservation is just one
of the many innovations in faucets.
“Technology plays a very important role
in bathroom sink faucets,” Hinman says.
“For instance, some have LED lights with
colors that change based on the water
temperature—those with small children
or grandchildren will appreciate that the
faucet indicates whether the water is
extremely hot or cold. There are also
touch faucets that allow customers to
preset their ideal water temperature and
then turn the water on and off with just a
touch or a wave of the hand.”
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BEYOND BOLD
Once the water temperature is right,
many people wash their hands on
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demands attention. Hinman says, “With
something like a waterfall faucet, it’s
about an experience. Pausing to take in
the sight and sound of falling water is
inspirational and soothing; it puts people
in the right frame of mind.” With so many
faucet options, Hinman cautions against
sticking to one category. “Before picking a
default style, explore what’s out there,” he
says. “A bathroom sink faucet is an easy,
impactful way to display personality.”
8" Widespread Single-Handle
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WRITTEN BY KRISTYN LAK MILLER
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Welcome fall with new container plantings
By the time summer has lost its sizzle, so too have many container plantings.
Fall’s cooler temperatures make it the perfect time to replace spent or tired
plants with fresh ones. Changing out containers is one of the easiest ways
to bring your home in tune with the season, and the variety of plants and
planters means there is no end to the design possibilities
What’s in now: texture and more texture, in the form of foliage rather
than flowers. The look is monochrome with a hit of accent color for an effect
that is sophisticated and modern. What’s out: bright color and lots of flowers.
Although for some it is not fall without chrysanthemums, this year consider
trying something different.
WRITTEN BY THERESE CIESINSKI
In the Garden | PLANT PALETTE
a fresh look

“There’s so much interesting plant material out there.
Don’t be afraid to move away from the traditional fall plants
and mix it up,” says Beverly Fowler. A floral designer for more
than 30 years, Fowler and her daughter, Jordan, own Sage
Market and Design in Newburyport, Massachusetts, a
combination shop, home design, and custom floral design
business. Fowler calls Sage’s style “modern coastal.”
“Mixing a lot of colors has gone by the wayside; now it’s
green and textures and a little pop of color,” Fowler continues.
“Tropicals and succulents are popular right now. We do a lot
of tropical plantings for summer using plants such as elephant
ear. They can look good into fall, so we layer in an under
planting of succulents or flowering herbs to change the look.
We don’t use mums at all.”
When choosing containers and plants, take cues from a
house’s architecture and surroundings. The main entryway is
the most popular place for fall planters, so let the entrance
influence the design. Take the house’s style as well as the
colors and textures of the walls, doors, windows, and
hardscaping into account. It can help to photograph the
locations where you want containers so that you can refer to
them at the nursery.
While the autumn sun is not as strong or as high in the sky
as in summer, a plant’s need for sun or shade will affect its
growth, so think about how much available light there will be
in the location you choose.
When deciding on plants, go for a single specimen per pot,
which is trending right now. If you prefer a mix, one plant
should be the focal point. Add another for height or mass, or
one to trail from the pot, but do not overdo it. Busy
combinations of four or five plants put together look dated.
Look for plants that can handle light frosts, such as
sedums, some agaves, and phormiums. Of course, if the
planters are on a porch or beneath a roofline they will be
protected. Also consider wind, which can quickly dry out the
soil and the plants. Tender blossoms will shred and small-
leafed plants desiccate in windy areas. Ornamental grasses are
often a good choice here.
Fowler recommends choosing large, deep containers. They
hold more soil so will not dry out as quickly and will not need
watering as often. Fowler uses fiber clay pots, which are lighter
and hold moisture better than clay. Unlike ceramic, they can
be left out all year without cracking. Be sure any pot you use
has drainage holes or be prepared to drill some.
Previous spread: Gold and red Heuchera and Peperomia fill a
black metal planter. | Facing page, clockwise from above left:
One example of modern coastal style is this rope wreath circling a
pot of boxwood and birch poles. | A serene container grouping
of ornamental grasses and mint. | A single blue Agave mulched
with river rocks. | This textural mix includes ornamental grasses,
ferns, rosemary, and thyme. | Next page, clockwise from above
left: Tall red Dracaena and ‘Sunset Velvet’ Oxalis pop against gray
clapboards. | A restrained palette of green and white creates
holiday drama. | Feathery grass in a windy corner. Heather and
kale add fall color.
e x p e r i e n c e t h e l a n d s c a p e
portsmouth, new hampshire
www.terrafirmalandarch.com
blog: www.outinthelandscape.com
603-430-8388
t e r r a f i r m a
l a n d s c a p e a r c h i t e c t u r e

PLANTS TO TRY
There is a world of plants perfect for fall container plantings.
Many of them, including the shrubs, can stay outdoors in a
protected area through the winter if the container is frost proof.
Some perennials, like coral bells, can be planted as long as the
ground is not frozen. Others, like ornamental cabbage and kale,
are annuals and should be composted at the end of the season.
ARCHITECTURAL SHAPES:
Agave, Sedum, Sempervivum
ROUND OR OVAL LEAVES:
Begonia, Coleus, Coral bells (Heuchera), Ornamental
cabbage, Ornamental kale
GRASSES OR GRASS-LIKE:
Black mondo grass (Ophiopogon planiscapus ‘Nigrescens’),
Carex, New Zealand flax (Phormium), Ornamental grasses
HERBS:
Creeping thyme, Lavender, Prostrate rosemary, Rosemary
SHRUBS:
Arborvitae, Boxwood (Buxus), Cotoneaster, Smoke tree
(Cotinus coggygria), Weeping blue Atlas cedar (Cedrus
atlantica ‘Glauca Pendula’)
MULCH WITH:
Blue river rock, White river rock, Mood moss (Dicranum
scoparium), Pinecones

The care and feeding of fall containers is pretty much the
same as in summer. For most plants, use a good container soil
mix with moisture control; never use garden soil, which holds
too much water and can drown plant roots. Succulents do not
need a mix with moisture control. They require excellent
drainage and need a special cactus mix that does not hold too
much water. Fowler mixes Osmocote, a time-release granular
fertilizer, into all of her soil mixes.
And you do not need bags and bags of soil. “We don’t fill
containers from bottom to top with soil; it’s not usually
necessary and it’s a waste,” Fowler says. “A trick we use is false
bottom planters. I use the plastic pots the plants came in, turn
them upside down, put them in the bottom of the planter, and
fill soil around them.” Containers need less soil that way, and
it does not affect the plants’ root systems. In areas where it is
very windy, load containers with rocks first to stabilize them.
Even with fall’s cooler temperatures, the wind and sun can
dry out the soil mix, so stay on top of watering. Check
planters every other day for moisture; even daily if it has been
sunny and hot. Succulents do not need frequent watering, but
check them regularly anyway. Containers in a sheltered area
out of the rain will need more consistent watering. As for
ongoing care, not using a lot of flowers means not needing to
deadhead. For textural fall arrangements, watering is the only
to-do on the list.
If you do not know the kind of look you want nor have
time or inclination to mess with pots and plants, call in a
designer. They can provide the design, containers, and plants
and do all the work. Designers have resources all over the
country for containers and plant material, often unavailable
to the public. Plus they have lots of experience in how to mix
and match.
But a designer is not necessary, just a desire to experiment.
“People shouldn’t be afraid to play,” Fowler says. “Go to a
good local garden center and see what’s there. Try out
groupings: get one tall plant, then one for color, then an herb.
We love working with herbs in the fall, especially plants such
as rosemary. It can take cold temperatures so it will last until
we have a hard frost.
“Go online and Google different plants. Go on Pinterest
or Instagram, type in ‘fall plantings’ and you’ll get lots of
ideas. You don’t have to go down that traditional road.”
And think big. Use the containers to make a design
statement. “There’s nothing worse than seeing a house with a
big entryway and tiny containers,” she says. “They just get
lost. If you have a large entryway, use the space. Do something
grand. Make an impact.”
Four Container Recipes:
• Agave with blue river rock mulch
• Rosemary topiary with trailing, flowering herbs
• Lavender with mood moss
• Succulents with ornamental grasses n
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A landscape designer creates an insect haven
When Thomas Berger first saw Kittery, Maine, it was love at first sight. “This region
has everything,” the landscape designer says. “There’s the ocean, it’s not far from the
mountains, and there’s plenty of work.” He first discovered the area’s charms in
1999, a few years after coming to the United States from Berlin, Germany.
It was in Kittery that Berger discovered a diamond in the rough—a one-and-a-
half-acre property just a stone’s throw from Portsmouth, New Hampshire. “Basically,
it was a dump,” he admits. “It was all scrap metal, garbage, asphalt, and concrete
buried in invasive plants.” But the price was right and he somehow recognized the
land’s potential. It took years of tender loving care to transform it, but when he was
finished, Kittery loved Thomas Berger just as much as he loved the region. After all,
the landscape designer brought beauty to one of the city’s saddest eyesores.
Thomas Berger has always worked with the land and he has spent a lifetime
tackling difficult missions. Before he came to this country, his work was primarily
agricultural. He met his former wife, Charlotte, in Africa where they were both
volunteers. He was working with the German volunteer service, and she was in the
In the Garden | DESIGN
WRITTEN BY TOVAH MARTIN | PHOTOGRAPHED BY PENNY O’SULLIVAN
PRODUCED BY MARSHA JUSCZAK
IN TUNE WITH NATURE

American Peace Corps. They moved back to Berlin together
where Berger took a job in the head office of the volunteer
service. But when their daughter, Martina, was born, they
decided to raise her in the United States. Knowing that he
would have to start afresh if he left Germany, Berger interned
with a landscape design company in preparation for his move
to America. In 1995 while living in Portsmouth, he started
a business, Green Art, with an emphasis on masterful,
craftsman-quality masonry.
Meanwhile, he was working on creating a home for his
family. The first order of business was to build a house—a feat
that Berger accomplished by hand with the help of his ex-
father-in-law. Improving the landscape took much longer.
Initially, Berger’s concept was to operate a nursery that would
supply his clients. His focus was on miniatures—including
rock garden plants, alpines, and conifers that would
complement his artistic stonework and the troughs he
designed. Diminutive plants are in sync with everything he
does, and working with the land brought out the collector in
his personality. But he quickly discovered that maintaining a
nursery took on a life of its own and kept him from pursuing
landscape design. As soon as the nursery vanished, his garden
started to take shape.
At first, it was just a matter of repurposing the land. The
former greenhouse was no longer needed. But rather than
losing the structure altogether, he stripped it down to a
skeleton, covered it in lattice, and planted trumpet vine and
three different edible grapes to drape overhead and provide
shade. The space was reinvented as a dining alcove. Then, he
began to work on the overall layout. Rock gardens evolved to
profile the alpines and dwarf conifer collection, and a
woodland garden became part of the ambience in a shady
niche. He added elements as time allowed, wedging projects
into time slots between working on the properties of his clients.
He worked on the garden in the evenings and on weekends.
The garden had evolved light years from the original
rubble, but it did not come together until Berger installed a
water feature. “I knew that I wanted a reflecting pool to serve
as the centerpiece,” he says, and that is how the rectangular
pool came into being. It was not just any pool—he opted for
a natural version with a gravel filtering system planted with
Previous spread, left to right: Berger incorporates a mountain goat
by friend Katrin Stock into the garden. | The limestone castle, in
front of his sculpture honoring St. Francis, is called the “spider
house” due to its occupants. | Wine and Roses weigela smothers
the sculptor’s The Rose Lady. | The artist stands beside his “hotel”
for solitary bees. | This spread, clockwise from top right: Behind
Berger’s gilded apples stand Cotinus ‘Golden Spirit’, bird’s nest
spruce (Picea abies ‘Nidiformis’), and Scabiosa columbaria
‘Butterfly Blue’. | Trumpet vine and three varieties of grapes cover
a former greenhouse. | On a stone table and bench that he
made, Berger displays Still Life, a sculpture of a fish, lemon, and
bottle. | Milkweed beetle eats only milkweed. | Tree frogs breed
in the pond, then head for the garden. | A milkweed bug on
Asclepias ‘Ice Ballet’. Insect photos by Thomas Berger.
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the curious
climber
“Unlike most little boys, I never
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Brian Turner
Crew Foreman

NEW ENGLAND LAND ARTISAN | STRATHAM, NH | 978-265-5570 | NELANDARTISAN.COM
At New England Land Artisan, stonework is our
foundation and horticulture is our roots. We offer
landscape construction and horticultural services,
specializing in authentic New England dry-lay stonework.
We have an insatiable desire to create and build. Starting
with a concept of mind and spirit, the design process is
embraced and driven by optimism and constant
inspiration. The result is thoughtful and expressive
outdoor spaces, and objects that have true purpose.
Whether you desire a beautiful sculpture, walkway, wall,
patio, stairs or any stone feature — with care, craft and 22
years of experience — we can create gorgeous and timeless
environments that beautify your home and landscape for
you and your family to enjoy for generations

Clockwise from left: The rock garden contains
sculpted castles and carefully installed rocks. |
In the miniature garden, Sempervivum ‘Lipstick’
spreads. | In Berger’s sculpture, Traveling with
Nature, passengers embark on a journey with a
fish carrying a burden. | His water spirit sculpture
is a fountain surrounded by Ligularia ‘Britt-Marie
Crawford’, Hosta ‘Stained Glass’, Darmera
peltata, and apple mint. | A granite fish accents
the semiformal garden. | Sempervivum
arachnoideum blossoms below Pinus mugo
‘Paul’s Dwarf’. | Sempervivum ‘Apache’ grows in
the rock garden with creeping thyme.

Dynamic lectures by nationally-renowned horticulturists
Terrific handouts . Gourmet food . Door prizes
Gardeners Marketplace . Garden gifts for all attendees
This symposium sells out every year. Register early!
Saturday, April 22, 2017
at the world-class Woodstock Inn & Resort in Vermont
Registration at
www.pyours.com/symposium
or call 207.502.7228
Special symposium room rates at
the Woodstock Inn . 866.592.9611
13th Great Gardens & Landscaping Symposiu m

swamp plants such as iris, Canadian burnet (Sanguisorba
canadensis), sedges, and ironweed (Vernonia noveboracensis).
The pool became more than a garden decoration. “It’s the
center of life here,” he says. “The birds bathe in the shallow
water and gravel, tree frogs are born in it, dragonflies breed in
it, insects of all sorts reap the benefits.”
Although Berger has always been intrigued by wildlife, he
never really focused attention on it until the garden showed
him the way. The vast quantities of insects that swarm onto
his property seeking water, food, sustenance, and a safe haven
amazed him. He realized the garden’s potential for nurturing
pollinators, beetles, dragonflies, and innumerable other things
that creep, crawl, flutter, and buzz. And he began to realize
that his land was ideal for insects. Sloped toward the
southeast and composed of the silt and sand common near the
ocean, “it’s just the sort of soil native bees like,” he says.
“They build channels in the soil.”
Bees were just the beginning. Soon wasps were making
tunnels, storing their paralyzed prey (crickets being a favorite)
for future meals. “It’s pretty brutal,” he admits. A multitude of
other insects joined the party. Meanwhile, he did his part and
began to play the good host. He set out “insect hotels,”
bundling dried hollow stems from phragmites reeds and
Japanese knotweed, utilizing the skeletons of invasive plants
that he was removing. “Solitary bees build nests in there.”
He laid out dishes of mud (“Now that roads are paved,
mud is hard for the insects to find,” he says) to aid in their
carpentry work, and he plants with insects in mind —
incorporating cattails and grasses with rigid stems in and near
the water for dragonflies to lay their eggs. He added a butterfly
garden behind the pond, entered through a pair of hornbeams
sculpted into an arch. It offers agastache, swamp milkweed,
liatris, dwarf Joe Pye weed, phlox, coreopsis, lupine, coastal
goldenrod, easy-care native roses such as Rosa virginiana,
sedges, and grasses for the benefit of butterflies in all their
stages of development.
Watching the drama of insects has become a favorite spare
time sport. It takes only a few minutes for a dragonfly to
emerge, unfold, and dry its wings. But to Berger, seeing this
performance is like viewing a ballet. “It’s quite a beautiful
transformation,” says the designer, who began to photograph
insects as a hobby. He developed a configuration of macro
lenses to photograph insects in their various habitats. His
backyard has truly taken on a life of its own.
The garden serves nature on so many levels and feeds the
soul of anyone who visits. In addition to his design/build work,
Berger is a sculptor. He honors his adopted home by making
the ocean and its creatures common themes in his work. His
sculptures lend a museum quality to the landscape, accenting
spaces and reminding visitors that they share the land with a
vast array of creation. What was once a blighted place is now
a diverse, vibrant landscape—not only for Berger, but also for
the myriad, many-legged creatures that enjoy it. n

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Be my Guest
Well-designed baths make guests feel right at home
Anyone who has built or remodeled bathrooms knows that
choosing the fixtures and finishes can be overwhelming. And
when multiple baths need attention, chances are good that it will
be the guest baths that drop to the bottom of the priority list,
after both the budget and design fervor have run dry. If walls
could talk, a guest bath is more likely to say, “We’ve fit you in,
but don’t get comfortable,” than “Glad you’re here.”
Not so the guest accommodations at the summer homes
Connie Prince and her husband, Florida State Senator Jack
Latvala, own in Boothbay Harbor, Maine. Here, the guest digs
are designed to be every bit as luxurious as those of the owners.
Over two years, Prince kitted out seven and a half baths
between the main house and guesthouse. She had remodeled
homes before and knew what she wanted. Moreover, working
with Sarah Steinberg of Steinberg Custom Designs in
Cumberland and contractor Adrian Keating of AJ Keating
Construction in West Bath, was a meeting of the minds.
WRITTEN BY THERESE CIESINSKI
PHOTOGRAPHED BY KRISTINA O’BRIEN
Last of a three-part series

Prince trusts her style sense and that of her designer and
contractor. “I am not trendy,” Prince says. “I like updated
modern conveniences in my kitchen and baths, but I would
quickly get tired of trendy. I like classic. I look forward to
coming here and seeing rooms that are appropriate to the feel
and the age of the original 1920s house.”
Though the baths are all different, they are united by
Prince’s aesthetic: elegant and refined, with a touch of
sparkle—think glass accent tile—or a dash of whimsy.
Yet function always came first. “Everything is easy to use,”
she says. “I personally tried everything in every bathroom to
make sure it all worked. We even added a heat booster to the
one bath that was farther away from the water heater, so it
wouldn’t run out of hot water.”
Prince made sure to get it right the first time. “I want to
come here and enjoy my house,” she continues. “I didn’t want
to put in something basic and decide three years later to redo
it. This is a family home we’ll have for generations and I
wanted my children to love it as much as we do. And they do.”
The jewel in the crown of the guesthouse is the stunning
second floor bath, nicknamed the “Honeymoon Suite.” Siena
Silver Light travertine tiles flow to a dramatic claw-foot tub set
beneath a window. Above, a glass bubble chandelier floats from
a vaulted wood ceiling.
“It’s a long, narrow bath, and I wanted to minimize that
effect,” Steinberg says. “I wanted to draw people’s eyes right to
the tub and vaulted ceiling. We were so excited when we found
the bubble chandelier. It’s exactly what we wanted. It’s like
champagne bubbles coming out of the tub.” The Wanderlust
chandelier is from Fogg Lighting in Portland.
“Growing up in Kansas City, Missouri, my grandmother had
a claw-foot tub and I always loved it,” Prince says. “I’m not a
tub person, but I knew I would need a tub in one of the houses,
especially for the grandchildren.” Like most of the bath fixtures
in the two houses, the classic Iron Works Historic tub, model
K-710-S in white, is by Kohler.
“The shower is tucked away to the right when you first walk
in,” Steinberg says. “You don’t realize there’s a spectacular
shower there. There’s a separate toilet room, too, but you don’t
see that, either, because your eye is focused on the tub centered
on the window.”
“Sometimes people try to do too much with tile, mix too
many things, and it doesn’t look right,” Prince says. In the
“Honeymoon Suite,” “we did the 12-by-24-inch tiles with a
small border in the shower. The tiny, iridescent tiles draw the
eye so the big tiles aren’t overwhelming.”
Opening spread, left: The Wanderlust
chandelier crowns the “Honeymoon
Suite” bath in the guesthouse. |
Facing page, left: Glass knobs on the
master bath cabinetry evoke the
original style of the 1920s main
house. | Right: Beachy pebble tile
suits the guest home’s oceanside
location. | This spread, facing page:
The “Honeymoon Suite” bathroom. |
This page, far left: All bathrooms in
this spread are in the guesthouse.
Here, the colorful kids’ bathroom and
shower. | Steinberg chose the soft sea
colors of Bubble Listello tiles for a first
floor, handicap-accessible bathroom.

Facing page: The “Heavenly
Bodies” bath was named after the
blue and cream shower tile
mosaic. | This page, clockwise
from above: Penny rounds add
period detail while providing
interesting texture and a nonslip
surface. | Inside the back door of
the main house, the hard-wearing
pool bath does double duty as a
dog-washing station. | Right: The
Blue Bahia countertop determined
the color scheme of the “Heavenly
Bodies” bath. Bright blue glass
knobs are a fun touch.
The Siena Silver Light tiles and one-by-one-inch Creme
Brulee Blend accent tiles are from Old Port Specialty Tile in
Portland, and the Crema Marfil honed marble countertop with
ogee edge detailing is by Morningstar Stone and Tile in
Topsham. Both companies supplied tile and countertops,
respectively, for all the baths.
On the first floor of the same house, the kids’ bath has a
different feel. Adjoining a room with trundle beds designed for
children, its yellows and blues are a bit brighter than the crisp
whites and sandy beiges used in the other baths. The hand-
painted star tiles by Cider Press Tile in Keene, New Hampshire,
inspired the design and are a perfect touch of whimsy. Wall and
floor tiles are Crema Marfil marble. The recycled countertop is
Curava’s “Savaii.”
This is also the primary bath for guests during parties and
get-togethers. “This room is not serious and elegant, but fun
and durable,” Steinberg says. “It’s the perfect bath when you
think of summertime. Summer is about being casual and laid
back and on vacation. People are in shorts and flip-flops and
having fun. This bath reflects that.”
As with the kids’ bath, tile was the springboard for the
design of the guesthouse first floor en suite. The blue, green,
and gray border around the room is Bubble Listello tile in
Moonstone. The effect is sophisticated and of the period of the
original house. “The pale seafoam-green and white is a more
elegant, more adult take on the beach feel,” Steinberg says.
The room is large and handicap accessible, with a wide
doorway and a zero-threshold shower. Perfect Pebble Mosaic in
Flores Green on the shower floor lends a beachy vibe. The
mahogany cabinetry in this bath and the cabinetry throughout
the guesthouse was designed and built by AJ Keating
Construction. The countertop is Calacatta Oro honed marble,
and the floor and shower wall tiles are 12-by-12-inch Cavalli
honed marble.
In the main house, directly inside the back door, is the pool
bath. When Prince bought the house in 2012, this section was
unfinished and used as cold storage. She divided it into a bath
and a laundry room. It is not by accident that the room, with
its recycled glass countertop, walk-in glass shower with
Leonardo Genesy tiles, and Desert Sand floor tiles, looks sturdy
and durable. This is the designated bathroom for the swimming
pool and garden area, and, when necessary, the scrub down
station for Cooper and Parker, Prince’s dogs. The walls are
painted Benjamin Moore’s “Wales Gray.”

SARAH SAYS
Some design tips for bathrooms from Sarah Steinberg of Steinberg Custom
Designs in Cumberland, Maine:
• “Find one thing that you really like and build from that. If it’s a beautiful
mosaic tile and it’s expensive, then use just a little and design around it. Use
what makes your eyes light up, so you can say: I loved this the first time I saw
it, and every day when I see it, it makes me happy.”
• “What will the bathroom be used for and who will be using it? The bath that
is right inside the back door of the main house is the bath for the swimming
pool. It needed to be hard wearing, so we gave it an indoor/outdoor feel with
earthy, textural materials.”
• “For a ceiling with a lot of unusual angles, use soft, muted paint colors that
don’t draw attention to the angles. In the typical rectangular bathrooms that
most people have, however, fun colors and bright, whimsical accents can
make a plain rectangle more interesting.”
• “If you’re designing for guests, make sure you’re not using materials so high
maintenance that people hesitate to use the space. Everything should be easy
to maintain and keep clean. If you must have high-maintenance materials,
save them for your own bathroom.”
• “When it comes to tile, I’m a big fan of penny rounds. They add texture, fun
color, and keep people from slipping. They’re easy to use in virtually any
bathroom. People can find them anywhere, usually at a good price point.”
This page, above: Connie Prince’s master bath uses mirrors and glass to give a
long, narrow room an expansive feel. Light fixtures from Restoration Hardware.
Cabinetry by Wright-Ryan Construction. | Right: A walk-in double shower is tiled
in Crema Marfil marble. The bath fittings are by Rohl. | Facing page: The master
bath shower floor is Vihara half-inch square mosaic tile in Karuna Silk.

The upstairs guest bath is called the “Heavenly Bodies”
bath, after the name of the custom mosaic in the shower. The
blue-and-white color scheme was inspired by the Blue Bahia
countertop. Bright blue and soft beige penny rounds in the
shower and on the floor look casual yet align with the age of
the house. The blue bubble glass knobs are a fun touch. “The
trick to making a small bath interesting is in those little details
of tile and hardware,” Steinberg says. The bathroom cabinetry
in the main house is by Wright-Ryan Construction of Portland.
The walls are painted in “Muslin” by Benjamin Moore.
Prince’s own master bath was the most challenging of all
due to its odd rooflines and different ceiling heights. It was
originally a long cedar closet with a fireplace run and no
plumbing. Its present spaciousness is a combination of smart
construction and clever design tricks that rely on mirrors to
give the illusion of depth.
“I told Sarah I wanted classic with a bit of romance,” Prince
says. “We used every inch of space and it worked out perfectly.”
Even with double vanities and a makeup area in between, “The
bath feels light and airy,” she says.
Prince chose glass knobs for the bath cabinets to echo the
glass doorknobs on the doors in the main house. The wall color
is Benjamin Moore “Muslin.” “Jerry Rippetoe of TJ’s interiors
did all the window treatments,” she says. “He’s a master at
beautiful fabrics.”
The result is a room that is quietly luxurious, with the
serene hues of a beach at dusk. The floor, shower walls, and
countertop are Crema Marfil marble. The floor tiles are a
custom Djinn pattern mosaic. The shower floor and accent tile
is Vihara half-inch square mosaic in Karuna Silk. Rohl faucets
and bath fittings are from Redlon and Johnson in Bath.
By intention, every bath shares the warm, comfortable
aesthetic of Prince’s own master. One reason is because as a
designer, Sarah Steinberg notices the subtle messages living
spaces send. “Your guest accommodations tell people how long
you want them to stay,” she says. “It sounds funny, but when
you put a pedestal sink in a guest bath, it’s like saying, ‘If you
could just maybe make it one night, that would be great. I don’t
really want you to unpack.’
“What Connie has done says, ‘I’m glad you’re here; I want
you to have a wonderful time and relax. I want your bedroom
and bath to be so enjoyable that you want to stay.’ As a guest
you wouldn’t feel slighted in the least to be given any one of
these bedrooms or baths. That speaks volumes about Connie,
how she treats all her friends and family,” Steinberg says. n

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