Published in Maine Home + Design!

Maine Home + Design October 2013

cover photo Trent Bell

Maine Home + Design October 2013 p. 109

photo credit Irvin Serrano

When Maine Home + Design arrived on my desk this past week, I opened it with hopeful anticipation. I knew that there would be a spread of photos from the York Show House, but had no idea if one of my baths would be featured. Then I turned to the showcase section and saw this image! My heart took a little leap! The photographer, Irvin Serrano, captured my favorite corner of this Jason Wu inspired loo and it looks amazing in print! You can see a little sneak peek of Barbara Elza Hirsch’s screened porch on the left side of my almost full page. My Trio Design partners, Katherine Hawkins and Rosanne Palazola, are featured on pages 110 and 111. Pick up the issue (on newsstands now) and get the full story or view it online here.

Thank you Farrow + Ball (+ wallpaper installer Larry Mazoway), Brizo, Turkish Towel Company, Native Trails, Electric Mirror, Glenville Surfaces, Blue Peacock Home, and Designer Bath for helping me dress this tiny space with big time elegance!

Final pics from York Show House ...

“Syrena’s Bath” // 24th Annual York Decorator Show House

Yvonne Blacker for Trio Design // photo credit: Eric Roth

It’s hard to believe that the York Show House has been over for a month already! Time to post photos from my second bath in the show (first one here) and the rooms of my Trio Design partners, Katherine Hawkins and Rosanne Palazola.

– BATH BEFORE –

While my glamorous Petite Powder Room downstairs was influenced by the runway collections of fashion designer Jason Wu, my full bath upstairs was part of a teen girl’s bedroom suite, so it was a bit more whimsical in nature. Even so, I chose to incorporate elements of maturity that would allow this bath to age gracefully. Farrow + Ball Manor House Gray on the walls was the first step in transforming this originally powder pink room to a more sophisticated space. Farrow + Ball Pitch Blue on the cabinets and shelves (chosen to coordinate with the existing tile) added a youthful exuberance while still being on trend with current color palettes.

Since Katherine’s adjoining bedroom was mermaid-inspired, I had a custom shower curtain made out of a silver dance/swim fabric (something a teen girl might wear for a recital) that resembled shimmery mermaid skin, then had it trimmed with seaweed green ruffles. The pearl shaped sink with a custom sized glass counter  (a favorite showroom display piece of Katherine’s from Designer Bath) replaced the original formica counter. The built-in cabinet below, however, just received fresh paint and new knobs. An easy switch when renovating a bath. All new fixtures from Brizo’s RSVP collection (faucet and towel bars with Swarovski finials, robe hook, mirror, toilet tissue holder) added shapely sparkle. This bath suite collection added just the bit of designer glam that I was looking for ...

Brizo RSVP towel bar with Swarovski crystal finials

“Drawing on the influences of Art Nouveau, RSVP features a sensual design that follows the curves of a woman’s silhouette.  Adding a touch of ‘bling’ with genuine crystal accents, RSVP promises to be a conversation piece in the home.”

– Judd Lord, director of industrial design at Brizo

Below are a few photos from Katherine’s bedroom. I chose the colors for my bath to coordinate with the bedding she selected from Company C. The overall feeling of Katherine’s teen bedroom/hangout was one of being “under the sea.”

“Syrena’s Room” designed by Katherine Hawkins for Trio Design

bedding from Company C

Syrena’s closet styled by Katherine Hawkins // photo credit: Eric Roth
Benjamin Moore + Ralph Lauren paints from Home Decor Group

– TEEN BEDROOM BEFORE –

While Katherine felt challenged with a rather small bedroom to work with, my good sized bath was not without its own unique design dilemmas ...

BEFORE: An awkward location for a

mirror and medicine cabinet combination.

AFTER: since the medicine cabinet had to be reinstalled after the show per the homeowner’s request, I created a temporary diorama in its place.

Step 1: medicine cabinet removed

Step 2: freshly painted walls and niche with

wallpaper covered panels being tucked in place

(wallpaper from Thibaut)

Step 3: Katherine found this vintage-style mermaid illustration on tin, which just happened to fit within the niche (hung on string). A white frame and beach stone finishes it off.

Detail shots of Syrena’s bath ...

Succulent arrangement by Laura Thomson Design

photo credit: Rosanne Palazola

shelves styled with items from Blue Peacock Home + my personal collections

black makeup towels from The Turkish Towel Company

photo credit: Eric Roth

framed canvas: “Meadow” modern art collage by artist Parvez Taj

accessories via Blue Peacock Home // tile work via Weaver Brothers of Lynnfield

sink, glass counter, faucet and mirror available via Designer Bath

window treatments and shower curtain via Acorn Interiors Design Center

I liked how this Duralee sheer so closely resembled the round sink bowl

flat fold roman shade in Molokini Natural from Thibaut

Farrow + Ball paints: Borrowed Light, Manor House Gray, Pitch Blue

ceiling painted in Farrow + Ball Borrowed Light, trim in Strong White

The Turkish Towel Company Zenith in Silver, Blue Ice, and White

my jewels and organic touches // other accessories via Blue Peacock Home

One of my favorite parts of designing a show house space is styling it. It comes very easily to me, setting up vignettes. I love taking on these types of projects for clients as well. Of course it helps when beautiful objects are donated to the cause. Thank you, Blue Peacock Home and The Turkish Towel Company!

generous sized storage basket and coral sculpture from Blue Peacock Home

Let’s take one last peek downstairs at the room Rosanne transformed for the York Show House. What used to be a dark mudroom is now a vibrant space with luxurious amenities to enjoy the salt water pool just outside the door ...

custom mesh window treatment by Rosanne Palazola

art via Tracy Finn // accessories via Blue Peacock Home

recycled coke bottle glass lighting via Lucia Lighting

console fabric: Duralee // design by Rosanne Palazola

photo credit: Eric Roth

photo credit: Rosanne Palazola

Poolside Portal shelves styled by Rosanne Palazola 

photo credit: Eric Roth

Benjamin Moore paint (shelves and walls) via Home Decor Group

art: Tracy Finn available via Lucia Lighting

Just as Rosanne helped me by fulfilling my framing requests for my two spaces and Katherine added art to my upstairs bath, I was able to leave a small mark in Rosanne’s Poolside Portal. I chose a poem by Ralph Waldo Emerson that I felt spoke to Rosanne’s design, the seaside location and the salt water pool just outside her room. I had Charles Trainer of Artistic License output my typographic treatment and then he installed it right on the glass door. He has helped me with many retail display projects at Designer Bath, and I knew this typographic treatment would easily solve the aesthetic problem of an interior window without a view.

POOLSIDE PORTAL: BEFORE

A handful of snapshots from York ...

with Rosanne at my mom’s summer cottage in York, Maine

the fourth person in our Trio team: Katherine with her husband Dave

Meredith Bohn in her living room




Barbara Elza Hirsch in her screened porch

Frank Hodge with Michael Nest in the Study // art by Frank Hodge

ombre wool carpet via Landry and Arcari // lighting via Hudson Valley

photo credit: Dave Hawkins

To see more photos from the York Show House,

visit my facebook album and Trio Design site.

– related post on the Designer Bath blog –

Summer’s End by Tracy Finn

While this may be the end of my York Decorator Show House updates, I do have another show house project waiting in the wings ... The Danvers Historical Society Designers Holiday Show House at Glen Magna Farms scheduled for December 2013. How could I possibly say no?!

A whisper of summer ...

Tomorrow is the last day of the York Decorator Show House in Kittery Point. I am feeling a little sad! It went by far too quickly and I did not get enough time up there to really enjoy the visitors who stopped by my two baths and the other Trio Design spaces. The time I thought I would be able to spend with the other designers was also not enough. We will have to make up for it tomorrow evening at the Closing Soiree and Secret Garden Party! Show house tours are ending a bit early on Thursday (call ahead to confirm exact time) so if you are planning your visit for the last day don’t go out for a long lunch first! I will be back later with more photos from the show, snapshots from summer design events, some completed project photos as previously promised, and a few special announcements ... 

York Show House Preview!

 with Katherine Hawkins and Rosanne Palazola of Trio Design

After months of traveling back and forth to work on our four spaces at the 24th Annual York Decorator Show House, my Trio Design friends and I celebrated with the other show designers at a special preview party gala on Friday night. We were all very happy to ditch our painting clothes, get dressed up, and celebrate with a round of bubbly ... the hard part is over!

The view from the guest cottage at Secret Cove

This was the first time that we got a chance to see all of the transformed spaces by the many talented designers who are part of this year’s show. Watching bits and pieces of the rooms come together during our weekly visits built up a lot of excitement! Stunning furnishings, luxurious materials, freshly painted walls in seaside hues, dramatic artwork and fabulous light fixtures, have all come together to tell a new story for this seaside home. The resulting spaces, with their special touches and designer style, show just what can be accomplished with a lot of planning, dedication, and real teamwork. Having beautiful resources available for our use, like paint and paper from Farrow and Ball, fixtures from Designer Bath and accessories from Blue Peacock Home for example, made the job that much sweeter. While I can’t show you what’s behind all of the closed doors, I can share some sneak peeks and gala photos ...

SNEAK PEEK: In Syrena’s Bath, a sea fan and ocean coral fabric from Thibaut was my starting point. I paired it with rich, chalky paint colors from Farrow and Ball (from top to bottom: Borrowed Light, Manor House Gray, and Pitch Blue). This full-size bath coordinates with an adjoining teen bedroom filled with thoughtful details selected by Katherine. When you see playful shades of purple and lavender combined with lots of silver sparkle, you will know you are in the right place!

SNEAK PEEK: my husband John in a Trio Designed space.

I couldn’t have pulled it off without him! xoxo

Rosanne and I worked with Mary Donovan of Landry and Arcari to select carpets for two of our spaces. Mary has been by our side for many design shows! Rosanne’s “Poolside Portal” is really fabulous and the new carpet she selected for the custom install is the perfect combination of practical and pretty.   

SNEAK PEEK: accessories in the Petite Powder Room

If you like “runway-to-room” design translations, don’t miss the Petite Powder Room that I decorated based on the aesthetic of fashion designer Jason Wu. It is just around the corner from the show house kitchen and at the end of the hall in Rosanne’s Poolside Portal. Thanks to my friends at Brizo, visitors to the show can see the Jason Wu for Brizo matte black collection in real life. The collection is super glamorous, as is the wallpaper from Farrow and Ball

My Brizo traveling companion, designer Barbara Elza Hirsch (on the right), has decorated a very elegant screened porch at Secret Cove. In it she features mosaic work by tile artist Ariel Finelt Shoemaker (on the left). Their design collaboration is beyond lovely!

SNEAK PEEK: a glimpse of Barbara’s screened porch with vintage accents

with Katherine, Michael Nest, designer Frank Hodge,

designer Helen Hanan, and Dave Hawkins

Frank Hodge and Helen Hanan have both designed unique interiors for the show. While Frank’s study is right next to Katherine and my space on the second floor, Helen’s guest suite is on the other side of the house. It was fun to be able to meet up at the gala and compare design notes, since we didn’t often get a chance to connect while busy working on our separate rooms.

Friends at the gala included artist Susan Siefer (whose gorgeous commissioned works of art grace the halls in one of the spaces designed by Meredith Bohn) and my Blogfest 2013 companion designer Linda Holt. Linda loves color as much as I do, and no we did not coordinate our outfits!

SNEAK PEEK: the master bedroom suite by Pat Finn

Pat Finn of Finn-Martens Design and I have worked on a number of design projects together over the years. Her work always impresses me with its good Feng Shui. Just walk into her rooms and immediately you will feel relaxed! Her Secret Cove master bedroom suite (bedroom, bath, and screened porch with hot tub)  is quite the “after” and includes a few pieces selected from the Designer Bath showroom along with a lighting favorite from my friends over at Dunes and Duchess.  

There are lots of other designers involved and more pictures to come, but do try to make it up to Kittery Point before the show ends on August 15th. It will conclude with a designer auction at a Secret Garden Party and Closing Soiree. Super fun!

While up Maine for the preview party, my husband and I took the kids to stay at my mom’s cottage near York beach. We couldn’t let the weekend go by without a quick visit to Nubble Light, Kittery Trading Post and the Weathervane for seafood. Now that the show house has opened, I am planning to enjoy lots more day trips and summer travel, starting with a quick visit this week to Memphis, courtesy of the oh-so-generous team at Brizo. Stay tuned for updates on my reunion with the Blogger 19 and a special day spent with Brizo’s chosen charity St. Jude’s Hospital. I am excited to see what they have planned for us, and am so looking forward to seeing all my design blogging friends who will be in attendance. Over 100 of us are Memphis-bound, so it should be quite an experience! Follow us at #blogger19 on twitter for real-time updates throughout the week. And if you make it to the show house while I’m away, tag your thoughts on twitter with #yorkshowhouse.

I’d love to hear what you think!