“I want you to see the Portland I love,” Anna S. of the blog Instant Portland declares. And it is such a treat that today, my Old Port boutique made that list. In Your Own Personal Design Consultant: Nicola’s Homes, Anna proves to be a kindred spirit with a very discerning eye. So many of the beautiful objects she singles out from our selection are my own personal favorites!

Anna also mentions browsing my winter Garnet Hill line – and that she was able to pick up a few pieces she loves on sale. So true! As Garnet Hill sells out of pieces like the popular Grace Flannels and Old Port Quilt, I still have a few in the shop. And they are all on Last Chance Sale, so if Anna has piqued your interest, you should definitely stop by. And remember – even if you can’t make it into downtown Portland, you can always shop our collection online.

“Bedding, cookbooks, art, pillows, glasses, toys, sweaters, rugs, tea sets, even a top hat – it’s all here. Every item is clearly selected as much for its high quality as for its physical beauty, and — perhaps the best part — I feel like every item would fit well into any style of home.  And if you find yourself to be inspired, or perhaps need some inspiration, at the back of the shop is a design center staffed by friendly and knowledgeable designers who can help you find exactly the right pillow or a farmhouse table or perhaps just help you talk through a particular design challenge.”   Anna S., Instant Portland

Anna’s blog is a savvy insider’s view into so many of the unique shops and eateries that make this city such a special place to live. I appreciate her commitment to buying locally and her glowing writeup was the perfect start to a frosty January day! The next time she’s in the store, I hope she comes back to the Design Studio to say hi.

For the past couple of months, the Nicola’s Homes crew has been making plans into reality on my latest design/build project on 30 Maeve’s Way. For those who aren’t local, Maeve’s Way is a neighborhood named after my daughter, and located a short hop from Casco Bay on the Cumberland Foreside, just north of Portland, Maine. Projects like this are personal favorites, where I get to see my ideas take form, from initial sketches to plans to reality. Granted, it requires a lot of focus, but it’s immensely gratifying when the dust settles, and everything comes together. At this point, 30 Maeve’s Way is already well underway. The exterior and landscaping are largely complete and the interior is taking shape. Over the next several weeks, I’ll share some photos and stories of work in progress, to give you a sense of how things are coming together.

As a designer, I’ve always been drawn to materials that make spaces feel warm and inviting. And few materials provide that warmth more effectively than reclaimed wood and stone. In this first photograph, taken from the kitchen, it’s tough to miss the impact of the antique timbers used for the dual purpose of structure and beauty. From a purely visual standpoint, the beams define the living space, making it feel both warm and familiar. As the process moves forward, I’ll choose furnishings and fixtures that play off the structural aesthetic of the beams to bring the room together.

Like the old barn beams, the fireplace surround is also made of reclaimed material. Crafted of three granite foundation stones from the original house on the property – which we moved and renovated, and now sits at the entrance to Maeve’s Way – the scale of the fireplace anchors the room, and will serve as a natural gathering place for the family that eventually calls it home.

The second photograph shows still more reclaimed materials in the main entrance to the house. From the simple sophistication of the antique leaded-glass interior window to the ornatereclaimed shoulders, these details add a sense of tradition to offset the home’s contemporary, open-space design. By incorporating the shoulders, we’ve broken up doorways that wouldotherwise feel too open, lending a sense of intimacy that helps to make the home feel more familiar and inviting.

To learn more about 30 Maeve’s Way, send me an email. I’d be more than happy to share details about the property, and even to arrange a walk-through. And staytuned. I’ll be sharing more details as the project moves forward.

Gayle showcased my work on her wonderful Vintage Farmhouse blog and it was so well received by her readers – and a wonderful surprise to find while browsing. Thank you, Gayle! And for all you other vintage farmhouse lovers, her blog is a treasure trove of inspiration – and a great read.

A sense of belonging, comfort and familiarity that’s both personal – and universal. Now, in my brand-new Nicola’s Home online store,  you’ll find everything you need to create the home you’ve always imagined. And because I want you to feel truly at home, I’m offering a very special grand opening discount – 30% off all online purchases through January 16, 2012.

Start shopping!

I knew from the very first paragraphs it was a book I needed in my life:

We have forgotten what enough feels like … We live in a world seduced by its own unlimited potential. We are driven by a presumptive grandiosity that any economic, social, or political limitations can seemingly be overcome with more speed or technology. But for us, as human beings, our limitations remain constant, eternal, fully intact. Rather than feeling large and omnipotent, our own very limited, human days are likely to feel more cramped, overgrown, and choked by impossible responsibilities. At worst, we feel powerless; no matter how strong our hearts, or how good or kind our intentions, each day the finish line seems farther away, the bar keeps rising, nothing is ever finished, nothing ever good enough. So we work and add and never stop, never back away, never feel complete, and we despair of ever finding comfort, relief, or sanctuary…

If this resonates with you, you’re not alone. I cried when I read it. For the last twelve years – ever since I started my own business – I have been unable to stop. To rest. To let go of the idea that at any given moment, I need to do MORE.

I had a very, very good friend who approached life very differently. He was successful, but he enjoyed that success, every bit of it, all the time. He was always teasing me, telling me to slow down, have fun. I needed to hear that. I needed him. And then, in October of 2011, I lost him. He lived every day as if it were his last and his best and in the end, that is what took him from me. In all my grief I’ve had to sort through where he went wrong, but I keep coming back to what he did right. He celebrated his life every day. In his memory, I mean to do the same.

So in 2012, I resolve to be more grateful. (For my family, for my beautiful daughter Maeve, for my friends – the greatest blessings in a very blessed life.) I will trust my inner voice. (It does not lie if I listen well.) I will accept my outward appearance. (I am so loved, exactly as I am.) I will make sure everyone I admire, love and look up to knows that I do, each and every time I see them. (It is not a given that I will see them again.) And I will accept compliments from others. (They are sincere. There are things I do well.)

Here’s to truly living – and truly loving – our lives in 2012.

And remember, just a few more days until you can shop my pieces online!

Thank you, Erin, and all your wonderful community for your sweet words. To read the entire post, and to spend some time browsing Erin’s other finds on House of Turquoise, click here!

This has been a rainy spring – slow to start, gardens and lawns blurry visions through wet windows. Last week we finally had a wonderful string of crisp and sunny days, and I drove past one of my favorite summer sights – a clothesline pinned with sheets snapping in the breeze. So many colors and patterns filtered with light, all those fresh-washed linens billowing like sails. And I thought, I’m going to have a sale.

My seasonal collection of bedding and decorative pillows features all the best trends (lattice prints, French knots, crisp greens and warm corals) and timeless details (the finest materials and most exquisite comforts). And best of all? Now through July 4, 2011, all bedding and decorative pillows are 15% off at the Nicola’s Home design center and retail boutique in Portland, Maine’s Old Port. This even includes my spring and summer lines for Garnet Hill!

So stock up your linen closet. Prepare for house guests, open your cottage or camp, or just tuck yourself into a brand-new bed with summer-ready sheets, duvet covers, quilts, blankets, throws, bolsters, accent pillows and more. Visit us at 215 Commercial Street this holiday weekend and let our design team help you make up your perfect bed!

Quilts—vintage and modern—were one of my very first design obsessions, and my love affair with all things pieced continues today. My ever-growing collection of vintage quilts is a treasure trove of inspiration, and one I dug into when I created my popular Picnic Quilt for Garnet Hill. The blend of sunwashed seersucker and ticking stripes is impossibly soft, with just the right amount of weight for a Maine spring, summer or fall. And the hand-tacking with golden thread? Like pollen dancing in drowsy, late-afternoon sun. I just can’t get enough.

And so I took a few of the quilts we had on the floor at my Nicola’s Home boutique and design center, and created a year-round indoor picnic by using the quilts as upholstery fabric for a handsome, inviting sofa and chair set that you’ll want to snuggle into year-round. I gave the quilts to the master craftsmen at CR Laine, who create bespoke furnishings of exceptional quality. Bench crafted, hand tailored and just … beautiful. I kept checking in on their progress, and they always indulged me with photos!

(Looks like fun, doesn’t it? Remember, the Nicola Home Design Center can custom-create upholstered furnishings for anyone, using found fabrics as inspiration, or as actual upholstery materials. Cutting into vintage fabrics can seem like a sacrilege, but quilts in particular were made to be used as much as admired. When time has not been kind to the entire quilt, playful projects like these can give them new life. If you’re holding on to a treasured quilt, curtain or embroidery, bring it to our design experts to explore the possibilities.)

Finally, the finished Picnic Quilt set arrived. Come visit the store to see them in person, or email our design consultants for more detailed measurements and photos! I think they would be inspired accents in a little girl’s room or a sweet baby’s nursery – this styling will grow with your little ones, as the color palette is quite sophisticated. The Picnic Quilt sofa and chair would also be quite at home in a cottage-inspired living or guest room, and would add a splash of summer to any cozy corner in your home.

Like all my pieces, this set was designed and built to be a new family heirloom … and quilts, like anything homestead, is very on-trend for fall 2011. An indoor picnic, all year round—thanks to my Nicola Home Picnic Quilt from Garnet Hill!

Our doors are flung open wide at 215 Commercial Street in Portland, Maine, welcoming locals and travelers alike.