4 Game-Changing Design Lessons We Learned From This Historic Maine Inn

On the Penobscot Bay in Maine's Mid-coast region, a castle-like landmark with romantic features and a Queen Anne style sits seaside. The historic "Stone Castle by the Sea", was built in 1886 for Joseph Barker Stearns, a miner and inventor who deemed Camden the most beautiful place in the world. Now, thanks to founder Lisa Galano's full-service design studio studiocake, the Norumbega is open to the public in the form of an inn.

With a coastal grandmother theme in mind and the tricky task of transforming a space while maintaining historic integrity, the studiocake team got to work. They began by emerging themselves in Camden's culture, familiarizing themselves with the people, the landscape, and the energy.

Inside, each room, nook, and cranny is a new discovery. Even though each room is unique, with distinct pieces, there is cohesion in the element of surprise. There is a lot of interior design wisdom to take away from the complete space and all it's intentional details, including tidbits we can apply to our own spaces.

Here are 4 design lessons we learned from this historic Maine inn.

Honor the History

For Galano and her team, honoring Norumbega's history was at the top of the list of priorities. They approached this by "carefully considering the existing architectural details that give the project its character, and then delicately layering in contemporary touches to introduce a notion of modernity," she says.

Certain original elements will forever be charming and timeless. So, throughout the inn, original architectural details, intricate moldings, fireplaces, and floors, for example, are maintained as much as possible. These things will never go out of style. These details and the place's history were the initial inspiration—everything else was designed around them.

Combine Vintage With New

Galano describes the process of balancing vintage with new as "a delicate waltz". "One should not overwhelm the other," she says.

Vintage and antique pieces were selected that complemented the architecture. Modern elements refreshed the inn and gave it a boost of energy. Modern, checkered wallpaper pairs nicely with an original fireplace and vintage chair in one of the rooms.

Figure out how to create harmony throughout the space. This might be done by sticking to a color palette or repeating a texture. Mix vintage furniture with modern accessories and modern furniture with vintage accessories until you strike a balance that is also visually interesting.

Get Inspired by Your Location

The studiocake team accomplished the seemingly impossible task of creating something that fits in while being unique and distinct. It seamlessly fits in with the surrounding New England architecture but "separates itself as one of the more remarkable architectural marvels in the town," she says.

Camden is known as the place where the mountains meet the sea, and it only makes sense for this to play a role in the design. Norumbega's New England architecture "resembles a romantic, fairytale chateau nestled along its scenic stretch of Route 1 overlooking Penobscot Bay," she says.

Let the location of your home guide you through your design process. Honor windows, sunlight, and views by treating them like important design elements. Keep your location in mind while choosing accessories. For this inn, the coastal grandmother aesthetic, for obvious reasons, was a source of inspiration: airy, featuring natural textures and tones, and with little luxuries sprinkled throughout. The energy of Camden was embraced and then manifested into the space: idyllic, peaceful, vibrant, seaside.

Experiment With Prints

At the inn, each room has a different wallcovering. The same pattern is never repeated to ensure each room has a distinguishable personality. Wallcoverings vary from floral to checkered and from vintage-inspired to modern. The prints don't stop there, though. The studiocake team had no fear when it came to mixing patterns that one might expect to clash. For example, pairing striped wallpaper and a patterned rug works surprisingly well.

The cascading custom runners are one of Galano's favorite details. They cover all staircases throughout the inn and were hand-stitched on-site "to create a continuous pattern that carefully drapes over each step," she says.

In the penthouse suite, along the statement spiral staircase, there is a patch-worked runner featuring different colors, patterns, and shapes stitched together.

You wouldn't expect floral wallpaper, an exposed brick wall, and a striped rug to work together but the Norumbega proves us wrong and makes a good case for experimentation.

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