Tour a Cozy Midcoast Maine Home Perched on the Rocky Waterfront
There’s a feeling of fortune in knowing someone who has extended an invite to their house at the end of one of midcoast Maine’s peninsulas. Just off Route 1, beyond a scene of lobster shacks and nautically themed shops, there are evergreen-tree-lined dirt roads that lead to incredibly striking landscapes. Rocky outcrops covered in bright green moss suddenly appear between fragrant pines and spruces—often with a bald eagle or two soaring above. No matter the side of the narrow promontory on which said home is perched, the light, wind, and sounds of water present themselves with glory.
Which is all to say, it’s easy to see why anyone would catch a glimpse of the area and want to own a small piece of it. That was exactly the case for one family of five, who were captivated by a retreat in Harpswell, despite having no roots in midcoast Maine. Not long after, they called up interior designer Nina Farmer to make the home feel like a real getaway from their primary residence.
Despite the house’s proximity to the ocean and the feeling the property possessed of seeming to almost float on the nearby water, the desired directive was to eschew a typical beach look in favor of a comfortable, colorful, and more textured aesthetic.
“I [designed the family’s primary home], so it was nice that I had a familiarity with them,” says Farmer, who is based in Boston. “They wanted [the space] to feel very approachable and homey and like a real getaway. The husband is from Scotland, and one of the things that he really liked was that the landscape reminded him of home…with the foggy weather pattern that can roll in and out.” Without heavy-handedness, Farmer incorporated plaids, flannels, and varied textures that spoke to the husband’s memories of Scotland as well.
From the beginning, the owners knew that they were going to do some work to the property, so Farmer analyzed the space and decided on the smallest amount of changes that would make the house more functional and inviting while showcasing the breathtaking exterior view. “We did some layout changes to the second floor,” says the designer. “That was one of the bigger parts of a construction project, as we moved the primary suite to a different location. The first floor pretty much stayed as is; it was really in the finishes, fixtures, and furniture that we made our mark.”
The view from the back of the home showcases the huge rocks on the coast, so Farmer chose to incorporate the stone tones—bits of pink and gray—along with evergreen hues to create a connection between the house and the surrounding landscape. “I really wanted the house to feel very collected. A goal of ours in general is for projects to feel like they’ve been done over a period of time rather than the year that we spend on them,” says Farmer. “One of the big things that we lean upon is vintage pieces, because I always find that a little patina in different places of origin and different centuries really does give you that feeling.” Moving from room to room, spotting the 1940s French dining chairs or the Italian bamboo stools, it’s clear this isn’t just another waterfront home. Even the art on the walls, primarily works by Maine artists, imbues this Harpswell abode with just the right mood.
Art: Kelly Carmody/Sloane Merrill Gallery1/10In the living room, golden hues warm up the space, as seen in the Nickey Kehoe Spindle Back Viewing Settee covered in patchwork plaid from Kettlewell Collection and the A. Rudin 809 lounge chairs covered in Loro Piana wool. A 1970s Roger Capron Mambo ceramic coffee table can also be seen. Kelly Carmody’s The Window Seat, from Sloane Merrill Gallery, sits on the mantle.
Art: Joyce Grasso/Portland Art Gallery. Bibby Gignilliat/Portland Art Gallery. Brenda Cirioni/ Portland Art Gallery.2/10A selection of paintings from the Portland Art Gallery hang on the wall, including Joyce Grasso’s Afternoon Delight; Brenda Cirioni’s Kintsugi III, and Bibby Gignilliat’s Sparkle. The pair of midcentury bamboo stools add a bit of texture to the living room, along with the vintage Saporiti sofa, pillows covered in Loro Piana fabric, a carved wooden stool, and sculptural brutalist side tables.
3/10“We painted the ceiling this deep red tone, which you get from different perspectives in the space depending on where you’re standing,” explains Farmer. “At some angles, the beams really hide the color and then at others it kind of peeks out.” The floors, walls, and beams are all painted in Farrow & Ball’s White Tie. The pop of color is Benjamin Moore’s Mars Red. The game table is a vintage Swedish piece, the chairs are 1920s Art Deco Thonet armchairs, and the rug is from Steven King Decorative Carpets.
4/10“We painted the ceiling this deep red tone, which you get from different perspectives in the space, depending on where you’re standing,” explains Farmer. “At some angles, the beams really hide the color and then at others it kind of peeks out.” The floors, walls, and beams are all painted in Farrow & Ball’s White Tie. The pop of color is Benjamin Moore’s Mars Red. The game table is a vintage Swedish piece, the chairs are 1920s Art Deco Thonet armchairs, and the rug is from Steven King Decorative Carpets.
5/10“I wanted the kitchen to feel like it had its own sort of joyous moment to it, and that it felt like a real draw,” says Farmer. “So that led me to feel like the color should be really saturated and joyful and different from the white surfaces surrounding it.” The designer often builds a room around a rug, so when she found the Swedish carpet in the dining room, its pops of yellow inspired her to paint the open kitchen Benjamin Moore’s French Horn. The Strap stools are from Thomas Hayes Studio; the funnel pendant light is by Natalie Page.
6/10The primary suite’s bamboo lounge chair and Angel Pazmino sofa offer perfect spots to relax. A Nickey Kehoe tufted bench sits at the end of the bed while a chandelier by Rupert Nikoll hangs overhead.
Art: Kelly Carmody/Sloane Merrill Gallery7/10Another view of the primary bed, where a Nickey Kehoe frame is upholstered in a rich wool and linen fabric by De Le Cuona and a Rubini Squares lamp sits atop a brutalist nightstand. The artwork, Kelly Carmody’s Seashells, from Sloane Merrill Gallery, gives a moody nod to the seaside’s proximity.
8/10In the primary bath, rich tones and vintage touches continue thanks to one 18th-century oak dresser covered in Belgian Bluestone, bold Belgrave iron sconces, and shiny Waterworks fixtures.
9/10Since the primary suite doesn’t have any windows, Farmer wanted to give the space its own palette while referencing the colors from the landscape in a different way. “The whole concept in the shower was that it was more about an art installation than a tile installation, because we didn’t want it to be a pattern,” the designer says. The balanced but random design—made with Clé zellige tiles—echoes the colors in the bedroom too.
Art: Timothy Powers Wilson/Sloane Merrill Gallery10/10The fern green throw calls to mind the flora outside, and the bedside chests, walnut headboard, and Kai Klinge table lamp add an element of age that Farmer wanted present in the home. Timothy Powers Wilson’s Threshold, also from Sloane Merrill Gallery, hangs above the bed.
