custom furniture, kitchens, and baths by fineartistmade

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The last to be harvested - slated for apple crisps.

The Old Apple Orchard

October 26, 2010

When looking to buy a new home in Maine, one feature our broker neglected to mention about this property was its grove of heirloom apple trees. We were pleased to discover them struggling amidst the white pine and ash that had sprouted up around them. This orchard had been pretty much been taking care of itself for who knows how many years - all the while faithfully producing apples.

 
a magnet for birds, bees, butterflies, hummingbirds and the occasional roving cat

My Perennial Garden (Part 2)

September 24, 2010

My garden was inspired in part by many I had read about or visited. One part English garden from my time spent in London (studying photography) and traveling through Europe; one part country garden from my Long Island and Maine experiences; one part California garden from years spent combing the state while assisting a friend who was a nature and wildlife photographer.

 
springtime

My Perennial Garden (Part I)

September 17, 2010

Off the back of the house, some fifty feet down a gentle incline towards Boyden Lake - nestled among survivors of an old heirloom apple orchard, on the edge of a field - within the remains of a rectangular stone foundation - resides my perennial garden. That it occupies this spot was a well laid plan; the significance of the location, on the other hand - was wholly unexpected.

 
Eastport and the Passamaquoddy Bay 1839, William Henry Bartlett

History in a Can

August 22, 2010

The Eastport kitchen renovation has come to a close, but the story isn’t over just yet. One more aspect of the home’s restoration begged for attention - its history. The question that most intrigued us now? Who had lived in this venerable old cape?

 
Visit our facebook page for a before & after album of this project

The Devil's in the Details

August 18, 2010

We never build the same kitchen twice, but the challenge is always the same - to create a space that is both elegant and functional. Serving not only the user's culinary and domestic needs, but reflecting sensitive and thoughtful values that elevate the spirit. Heady goals for a humble kitchen? Why not? We allowed this home to guide us; from trim to cabinets to finishing touches.

 
The Nile

Whats New

August 9, 2010

Our latest furniture and gifts news: learn the history of our Tradition of the New line, see our new gift items that are now 'live', learn about our 'item of the month' - the Golding Gourmet. Visit our new online fineartistmade etsy store - or locally at The Red Sleigh, in Perry. Shop handmade and local!

 
Sweetening it with a belt sander

Nuts and Bolts

July 28, 2010

There is a warmth and authenticity in custom handmade cabinets you just can’t get from the store-bought variety. With painting done, it was time to start building the cabinets for the Eastport kitchen. We could do the job in our shop, but establishing a workspace onsite has its advantages; one being a more fluid design process, another, the economy of convenience.

 
Mary Golding and her honeysuckle

The Honeysuckle Vine

July 9, 2010

Prominent in many old photos are Mary Golding's plantings, one had not been so lucky. A large climbing vine, on the south side of the house; between the dining room and kitchen windows. It's there as early as 1910 - as late as the 1950's - gone by the 1970's. Such a distinguishing feature - we thought of putting it back. Old photos however, gave us few clues as to what kind of vine it was.

 
Wildflower Cottage

Kendall Farm Cottages

June 25, 2010

Just a short walk across our north field and through a line of trees, you find yourself at one of Downeast Maine's best kept secrets - Kendall Farm. Two wonderful cottages, Watercress and Wildflower, built in the 1920's are maintained and rented by their current steward, Georgiana Kendall - who carries on a family tradition.

 
getting the original material ready for reuse

Trim

June 19, 2010

Beneath two subsequent kitchen renovations, the original hand-planed baseboard and chair rail had survived. It was difficult to remove them from the positions they had occupied for so many years, but this was not a museum restoration - this was somebody's summer home. The goal was to create a comfortable modern kitchen that preserved the 'spirit' of the old room.

 
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