Nick Gagne has designed homes all over the country, from Jackson Hole and Aspen to Manhattan’s Upper East Side. But never had the Brooklyn-based “interior architect,” as he calls himself, taken on a project in his native state of Maine. That is, until recently when he designed his parents’ new home in Cumberland Foreside.
Nick grew up in Falmouth, and after leaving his family home in 2007 to pursue a degree at Rhode Island School of Design, his parents started to think about downsizing. Nick’s father, Roger, sought practicality and functionality, while his mom, Andrea, longed for a home with history, character, and gardens where she could putter among the perennials.
Their house hunt didn’t bear fruit until eight years later, when Nick, who was working and living in New York, spotted a listing in that he thought would suit them both. Turns out, he was spot on. The classic New England cape was designed by a German engineer in the ’60s and was still in tip-top shape–scoring points with his dad, and its former owner had given the three-bedroom home the feel of an English cottage, so it had potential for gardens galore–to Mom’s delight. The exquisite setting, which is both country and coastal, with a 13-acre field and water views, helped seal the deal for them both.
But the interior screamed for some decorative changes. For starters, the color palate was off. “Mom loves lots of white, neutrals, and a classic New England Shaker aesthetic,” says Nick, “so the home’s sumptuously colored, bright-orange walls, its terra-cotta and salmon tiles, and its dark-wood cabinets were some of the first things to go.”
Nick sought more than just a color fix. He also wanted to harmonize the home with its dazzling natural environment, which is omnipresent through the home’s many windows. “A neutral indoor palate–from walls to sofas to rugs –allows for adaptability in all of Maine’s changing seasons,” he says.
Nick sought more than just a color fix. He also wanted to harmonize the home with its dazzling natural environment, which is omnipresent through the home’s many windows.
With every project, Nick is also mindful of a sense of place and how his designs fit into their surroundings–not only the physical environment but also the vibe. “Maine isn’t the place for a show house,” he says. “It’s not the Yankee way, which is more understated.”
Pretense is not his parents’ way either. They love to entertain, but in a down-to-earth, put-your-feet-up kind of way with games and beer and dogs running around. “Baggy tweed” is how Andrea describes the casual, no-fuss feel of their home.It’s a look and feel that works for them in any season. “I might move from the screened porch in warmer months to the room with the fireplace in winter, but I don’t change pillows and all that. I didn’t want our home to look like a cottage that’s only lived in from Memorial Day to Labor Day.”
Whether in February or August, the neutrals complement her home’s remarkable light. “The light is what I love most about the house,” she says. “The sun comes up over the water and kind of wraps around the house.”
