When architect Jessica Jolin works on spec house, she identifies in the blank canvas something innately spectacular. The Oak Ridge project in Kennebunkport is a prime example, a highly original modern home that belongs among its neighbors in Goose Rocks Beach.
As principal architect, Jessica leads the team at Biddeford-based Mobile Studio Design. Since founding the firm in 2017, Jessica draws upon her background as an architect to lead the team in a design build, a test kitchen for them to experiment with the fixtures and splurges they have been dreaming about. With the Oak Ridge house, Jessica’s all-female team designed, estimated, and served as general contractor for the home before putting it on the market.
“Sitting behind a computer day after day just isn’t enough for me,” said Jessica. “I really have a passion for design build and getting out in the field.”
“These are side projects where we can explore various ideas outside of our client’s projects,” she added. “For the past 15 years, every time I see a super inexpensive faucet or light fixture that I love, I hit print or save it. When we get a client like a kindergarten teacher on a tight budget, we’re able to pull from successes from these spec projects. If the wood vanity purchased online is of good quality, then we feel good about recommending them to clients.”
Jessica and her team tried out high-value fixtures and furnishes, all with an eye to different budgets. To this end, she mixed custom cabinetry with ready-to-order vanities. Through it all, a well-defined vision presided over the home.
“We wanted an elevated, contemporary take on the Maine vernacular that would fit into the neighborhood with surprising, contemporary moments inside,” said Jessica.
She set out to create unity throughout the house. The home sits in a peaceful wooded area a few miles from the ocean. White cedar shingles dress the exterior. To maintain a feeling of retreat, Mobile Studio Design added a gorgeous fire pit for the future homeowners to while away crisp evenings. To integrate the rustic vision outdoors with the more contemporary aesthetic inside, Jessica referenced wood from the exterior for accents indoors. In this way, she integrated concepts and played with color, all with a well-articulated statement of purpose.
The team got to flex their vision in the kitchen and open-concept first floor. Leveraging her know-how as an architect, Jessica practiced design techniques to brighten and modernize the space. The ceilings on the first floor are almost nine feet high, and her thoughtful use of color allowed them to lift the space even higher.
“We painted the ceiling the same colors as the walls and the trim so your eye doesn’t stop where the walls meet the ceiling,” said Jessica. “That continuity makes the room feel so much taller.”
Bold tones throughout the home introduce something unexpected. Gray-green cabinets in the kitchen offer a suave contrast against the white subway tile. The Sherwin-Williams Granite Peak mudroom cabinets pop against the surrounding neutral walls, and in the primary bathroom, a darker gray is balanced by natural light and white birch trees out the window. In all of these spaces, the colors sit within the home’s clean aesthetic, yin and yang, surprise and calm.
The stairs were another place where the team got to play. Working closely with Ventura Staircase & Woodturning, they eliminated the skirtboard trim and allowed the sheetrock to run right into the white oak treads and risers. Prioritizing “clean trim” has an arresting effect.
Just as the opportunity for aesthetic exploration invigorated the team, so too did their collaboration with a wide array of local partners. The design is a who’s who of southern Maine vendors. Ryan Crosby Construction installed the stunning cabinets. Distinctive Tile & Design supplied and installed the tile. South Berwick-based Howe Building Company supported with rough carpentry, and plumbing fixtures came from The Portland Group in Saco.
When staging the house, they focused on using local furniture (including several stylish pieces from Chilton) as well as art by craftsmen and artists from the Biddeford and Kennebunk area. Stem & Vine supplied flowers to help make this spec house truly spectacular.
“We love showcasing the local furniture and art because the real estate showings bring a lot of people through the doors,” said Jessica. “Local artists receive visibility, and that’s really important to us.”
“We’re all about using people from Biddeford,” she added. “Through staging, our all-female team shaped a narrative for a house that did not yet have a family living in it.”
