Required Reading: A Glimpse Inside "The Maine House"

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“Maine is not a teardown”: This is the adage that guided photographer Maura McEvoy, art director Basha Burwell, and writer Kathleen Hackett to travel over 3,000 miles all over the Pine Tree State—spanning “dozens of fingers of land, ferrying across bays and reaches, braving dubious dirt roads, and strolling seaside towns,” they write—to capture Maine’s standout houses, from coastal shacks to inland farms, cottages to cabins.

The result is The Maine House, out this month from Vendome. These are houses with character and history—and the book is an affirmation that time-worn, lived-in spaces top preciously decorated interiors, that memories add meaning, and that nothing can replace old, original bones.

Take a look at one of the 30 homes in the book, located on an island off the coast.

Photography by Maura McEvoy via The Maine House.

this weathered, shingled maine home has been in jim terry&#8\2\17;s family 17 — Above: This weathered, shingled Maine home has been in Jim Terry’s family since 1917, when his grandparents built it. Preserving it has become a family affair, with the clan hand-dipping grey shingles for the siding and even rallying to (somehow) shore up the foundation by hand. Family, too, often fills the house, with overflow guests camping on a nearby island.

the entryway is flanked, in very maine fashion, by stacked logs and hanging lif 18 — Above: The entryway is flanked, in very Maine fashion, by stacked logs and hanging life preservers.

the house&#8\2\17;s original wall color—an intriguing, weathered blu 19 — Above: The house’s original wall color—an intriguing, weathered blue-green—is unchanged. Jim’s grandmother “specified the stain herself—a mix of Prussian blue, yellow ochre, linseed oil, and turpentine,” according to *The Maine House.*

a turn of the century rush chair remains, too. 20 — Above: A turn-of-the-century rush chair remains, too.

the wood clad kitchen is fitted with ad hoc cotton curtains in lieu of cabinet 21 — Above: The wood-clad kitchen is fitted with ad-hoc cotton curtains in lieu of cabinet doors, sewn by Jim’s wife, Maudie.

blue has become the house&#8\2\17;s motif, inspired by the unusual tint of 22 — Above: Blue has become the house’s motif, inspired by the unusual tint of the walls. Here: a corner of the library.

the house has original fir walls; maudie has taken on painting floors over the 23 — Above: The house has original fir walls; Maudie has taken on painting floors over the years.

a blue balcony overlooks the living areas (and a charming model sailboat). 24 — Above: A blue balcony overlooks the living areas (and a charming model sailboat).

the house has nine bedrooms, each with a name: the blue room, the green room, a 25 — Above: The house has nine bedrooms, each with a name: the blue room, the green room, and the bird room, for example. Hanging chalkboards mark which is which.

the family, over time, has collected all manner of fittings in variations of bl 26 — Above: The family, over time, has collected all manner of fittings in variations of blue-green.

Required Reading A Glimpse Inside The Maine House portrait 7 27 — Above: The view.

the book is available via bookshop and other retailers; order here. 28 — Above: The book is available via Bookshop and other retailers; order here.

For more Maine houses, see:

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Frequently asked questions

What is the Maine House Book by McEvoy, Burwell, and Hackett about?

The Maine House Book is a guide to designing and living in a timeless Maine home.

Who are McEvoy, Burwell, and Hackett?

John M. Burwell Jr., Margaret Watson McEvoy, and Jamie Hackett are architects who have designed and renovated many Maine homes.

Is the Maine House Book a design guide or a memoir?

The Maine House Book is a combination of both. It offers practical design advice and also tells the stories of Maine homes and their owners.

What kind of homes are featured in the Maine House Book?

The Maine House Book features a variety of homes, from historic Cape Cods to modernist cabins.

Is the Maine House Book only relevant to those living in Maine?

While the book focuses on Maine homes, the design principles and stories are relevant to anyone interested in architecture and home design.

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