Interior Design Issue
Interior Motives
February, 2017 | By: Rebecca Falzano and Brittany Cost
We invited more than 60 interior designers across Maine to submit their projects for consideration for this year’s Interior Design Issue roundup. When we work on stories like these, we purposely steer clear of using words like “best”—after all, when it comes to spaces, “best” can’t be measured and is entirely too subjective to mean much. Instead, we found that the projects that rose to the top were timeless rather than trendy, inspired and intentional, and further, each offers a glimpse into both the homeowner’s personality and the designer’s philosophy.
4. Designer: Emily Ennis Mattei // e4 Interior Design
A Transitional Space With Coastal Flare
Since the homeowner grew up in a mid-century modern house and now lives full-time in an antique colonial, she craved a transitional weekend home that would give her the best of both worlds. Situated on the edge of Casco Bay, the home provides plenty of room for large family gatherings and comfortable furnishings, including a hanging bed. Ocean views from almost every room ensure that guests (and residents) can spread out to find their solitude. Working with Island Cove Building and Development, designer Emily Ennis Mattei transformed the space with eclectic, nautical details and a bright, modern color spectrum. On the shingled sun porch, a hanging twin-sized bed makes leisure time luxurious, and assorted Asia West mirrors above the bench punch up the space. Works from Art Collector Maine make their mark on various walls, such as an oversize landscape painting by Allen Bunker in the dining room. The homeowners purchased the house without any furnishings and had only a handful of accessories they wanted to incorporate into the design: a hand-painted accent pillow, a small framed water color, and a trio of floor candle sticks. Mattei admits that “one of the biggest challenges was how best to fully furnish the space on budget, while considering good quality and, of course, great design and detailing.”