After retiring, my uncle and aunt decided they wanted to devote a lot of their newfound spare time on this lobstering island at Mid-Coast Maine. My uncle’s family has been visiting the island for three decades, and as a couple they had been vacationing here since they were first married. Prepared to invest in another home, they embarked on an elongated search. While this home wasn’t just winterized and had hardly any coastal views, they fell in love with a piece of property about it on the water and surrounded by charming, mossy woods.
They purchased the house and also enlisted contractor Jon Levenseler to winterize the house, open the chambers and include windows to maximize views and let in the light. Additionally, the house has inspired new principles of art, scouting for antiques, boating — and provides new inspiration for a lifelong photography hobby.
The gambrel-roofed house was initially composed of a disjointed and disconnected house and addition. The renovations created continuity throughout the house.
An old floating dock now functions as a deck into the entryway. A clematis blossom covers part of the railing, and a seat provides a spot to remove swimming shoes before going indoors.
An antique cabinet and a photograph of my uncle as a young boy fishing with his grandfather on the island are the very first thing one sees when entering the house.
The lamp is constructed of local rock and can be bought via The Island Institute. It attracts a bit of the rocky coast into the house.
The remodeled kitchen includes expansive views of the backyard and magic woods. The sea lavender in the centerpiece as picked locally. Having spent several years living in Hong Kong and the Philippines, oriental rugs are a favorite choice for the couple.
An antique farmhouse table is a good spot for favorite antique finds. Using new skills honed at the Maine Media Workshop, my uncle played with favorite pictures of aunt and himself from when they first met and hung them here.
A wooden bowl full of stones found on the house increases the tablescape.
A big open room includes a dining room and a living room that enjoy views of the coast along with the warmth of a wood stove. The previous owners were not lovers of plain water views, therefore part of this renovation included adding a lot of windows.
The end tables came in Your Prison Shop in neighboring Thomaston (the prison is no longer there, but the store still is). The kilim pillow on the seat came from Etsy seller sukan.
A dresser scarf and glass lamp handed down through the family combine cork floats along with a bowl full of sand dollars.
The bowl is by local potter Tony Oliveri, and also the sand dollars were collected on an island throughout the channel.
Since purchasing the house, my aunt has discovered a love of searching for antiques locally. She refinished many of the pieces around the house.
A master suite upstairs gives a comfortable sitting room with great views of the harbor.
Glass lanterns and abedroom place passed down through the family, in addition to more of my uncle’s photographs, furnish the bedroom.
The guest room has an iron mattress and 2 spool side tables which received a fresh coat of white paint. My uncle took the black-and-white photographs on the island when he was in his twenties.
More photographs of neighboring buildings hang at the guestroom, along with an antique rocking chair.
The older nautical chart of this region helps the two plan their ship excursions.
Marimekko sheets, colorful quilts, a rag rug along with nautical sconces brighten up the room meant for grandchildren.
Comfy Adirondack chairs offer a view across the gardens.
Here is that opinion. Beautiful gardens planted by the prior owners have stirred a passion for gardening at the couple.
The view from the deck, living room, family room and master suite. A skiff moored off the stones provides access to the islands in the station.
Wooden buoys decorate a bridge on your house.
The side yard is a great spot for enjoying fresh local lobsters.
Large boulders dot the land and woods.They become covered in moss that trees and smaller plants grow out of them. These forests are filled with rare lady slippers and fairy houses. In fact, this is where I took images for this fairy house ideabook.
More inspiration:
Postcard from Maine
Rustic Chic
Modern Cabin Decor
Cozy Cabin Decor