York Town News
A contemporary look at a classic...
Hillside Cottage: the 17th Annual OYHS Decorator Show House
By Rose Safran
Local resident Diane Hughes (right) of Diane Hughes Interiors and her niece, interior design intern Amanda Colosi, pause for a moment beside the mantel in the parlor of Hillside Cottage, the 2006 Old York Decorator Show House. Hughes designed and decorated the parlor and foyer of the home, while her colleague Elaine Jackson oversaw the transformation of the guest bedroom on the second floor of the house. Meanwhile, Anne Cowenhoven of York's own Accent & Design transformed the family room, seen here from the staircase, to blend the history of this 19th-century Victorian with the best in modern amenities. For more photos of this year's Show House, visit our photo gallery.
Photos by Jennifer L. Saunders
Phyllis Giordano of the York-based Painted Treasures created "Carolyn's Bedroom" for the 2006 OYHS Decorator Show House, using as her theme colors, light and the items that would make a pre-teen girl feel right at home.
Photo by Jennifer L. Saunders
See more photos
The Show House is ever-popular among residents who search for new home decorating ideas from a wealth of original concepts as well as among visitors who enjoy seeing some of the latest interior design ideas and home furnishings in an interesting coastal setting.
Selected for this year's special event is Hillside Cottage, a classic three-story 19th-century shingle-style "cottage" with over 20 interior and exterior living spaces that challenged area decorators searching to find appropriate furnishings.
Located in the prestigious York Cliffs section of Cape Neddick on Agamenticus Avenue, offering seasonal views of the Atlantic, Hillside Cottage has undergone a total decorating re-thinking by skilled New England-based designers who have refurbished it with contemporary ideas while respecting its 1899 structure. Antiques mingle with the latest designs in kitchen appliances, woodstoves, fabrics, furniture, carpeting - both outdoors and indoors. Additionally, many of the furnishings come from locally-based vendors, tempting visitors to come away in a buying mood that they can exercise, for most contents are for sale.
Entering the estate from its veranda, decorated for the event by Fotene Design Inc., the subdued color scheme and updated classic look prevailing in many - but not all - of the rooms is immediately apparent in the soft beige, brown and subtle soft deep red touches as well as in such updated features as a bamboo chest and modernist brown-wicker along with the contemporary look of the outdoor dining area.
Just off this veranda is a martini deck equipped with furnishings and accessories from York's Fiona's Porch and Kennebunk's Redefine Design, which offer a colorful contrast to the quieter look in the adjacent veranda.
But it is the foyer and living room that set the stage for the brown-beige color scheme tending to prevail throughout, this time highlighted with touches of green.
York's Joanne Campbell of Powderhouse Gallery is represented in the wall décor.
Interior designer Diane Hughes of Cape Neddick and Rye, N.H., who mixes a modern rug with strong oval forms in the foyer with a more subdued living room carpet, both from Landry & Acari, said, "I wanted the room to have a metropolitan look."
And indeed it does. Had I closed my eyes to the lovely Maine exterior, I could have imagined myself in a comfortable spacious urban apartment.
But not for long, for moving to the equally livable dining room, I encountered, above the fireplace a painted mural with lobster, crab and other crustaceans and buoys in its design, hand-painted by Jane Considine of Falmouth.
Additionally, more area-specific concepts dwell on the stairs and second floor landing where portraits of beach houses painted by Cape Neddick's Patricia Shaw prevail.
The "Landing Loo," created Meg Orlansky of North Andover, Mass., moves us away from the shore to a hand-painted mural of a lakeside-mountain setting that might have been inspired by New Hampshire's nearby Lake Winnipesaukee.
Also downstairs is the family room, truly a mix of the old and new, and again carrying out the subdued color theme. With a dominant slick circular stainless steel woodstove against a tile-backed wall as centerpiece, Anne Cowenhoven of York's Accent & Design mixes contemporary club chairs and a bow-front period chest from R. Jorgensen's Antiques set on a rare needlepoint-pettipoint, cross-stitch area rug, and adds accents through works of art by area artists including York's Roz Fedeli and others selected by York's Mary Harding.
Delightful, practical, and appropriate to the house with its remarkable transformation is the French kitchen (this writer previously saw the kitchen space in its original state) created by Paula Daher of Andover, Mass., and inspired by the Cote d'Azur.
With French limestone flooring and stained concrete counters, which replicate the look of soapstone, French antiques in table and chairs and French fabrics with tones of dark mustard, taupe, olive green and raspberry this is a work-live-in kitchen.
It leads to a breakfast deck - also by Fiona's Porch and Redefine Design - overlooking the estate grounds where French wire chairs and table invite relaxation with a cup of coffee, newspaper in hand. Beyond is a small evening garden with a central fire pit designed by York's Stoney Brook Landscaping.
Back inside, on the second floor one can't help noting the "Necessary Room" where, again, the joining of old with new is reflected in a footed Victorian-style tub along with a contemporary vanity cabinet installed by the Cape Neddick Building Company, selected by Portsmouth, N.H.'s Amy Thompson of Standard of New England.
As expected, the second floor accommodates the master suite, which consists of a bedroom beautifully appointed by Portland's Penelope Daborn with Thomas Moser's splendidly designed cherry furniture, a needlepoint rug and Edward Christiana art as well as a traditionally inspired sitting room by Nancy Howard and Mark Engelhardt with Ethan Allen selections.
The second floor also has a spacious, comfortable library that carries the prevailing neutral brown theme, this time arranged by David Cyr of DMC Interiors of North Andover, Mass., through a strong statement with sofa and chairs set with double-cane side paneling.
Both the second floor guest bedroom and the adolescent girl's room - "Carolyn's Bedroom" - break away from the dominant neutral tones, the former by Diane Hughes Interiors with a yellow and black theme (a black-painted Iron bed), and a charming converted closet with a touch of whimsy - and the latter, Carolyn's hangout, Phyllis Giordano of Painted Treasures in York, through a colorful green, pink and lavender mix (think Maine's lupines), complete with a mermaid image on the wall and purple background in a painting of The Nubble.
On the third floor, there's an interesting photo nook planned by Linda Payne-Sylvester consisting of turn-of-century York, Ogunquit and Kennebunk photographs made from 4 by 5-inch glass plates by E. A. Babb.
Also here are other contrasts found in the maid's "shabby chic" bedroom with matching floral-printed comforter and robe planned by Appledore Arbor of North Hampton, N.H., and the adjacent Nanny's Retreat with its brown tones and peacock-appointed fabrics created by The Taylor'd Room.
Then, there's the nursery from Finnian's Moon with its star, castle and moon motifs; there are sculpted stars on the crib finials!
There is also a boutique offering a wide selection of decorative items brought here by The Willow of Exeter, N.H.
Hillside Cottage, the 17th Annual OHYS Show House, will remain open for visitors beginning with the preview gala this Friday, July 14, through August 12.
The gala features a chance to meet the designers who transformed the historic estate into a showplace while partaking of a delectable display of fine food or dancing to the music of Straight Lace.
Tickets are $60 per person and reservations are required.
Regular tour hours begin on Saturday, July 15, and continue on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Thursdays from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. and on Sundays 1 to 4 p.m. It is closed on Tuesdays.
The house is located on Agamenticus Avenue off Shore Road in Cape Neddick and onsite parking is provided.
Tickets to the Hillside Cottage Show House are $20 at the door and are good for a $2 discount off admission to all the Museums of the Old York Historical Society.
All proceeds benefit the Museums of Old York.
For more, visit www.oldyork.org or for tickets to the events, call 363-4974.
