When Daniel King and Meghan Lavery first saw their home in Maine, they were at an appointment in Portland. The listing popped up, and they were instantly enamored with its midcentury modern bones. They called the broker right away and were the first people to tour this Harpswell house. “We loved that Harpswell was accessible to Portland,” says Meghan, “but that it was also a working fisherman town near the midcoast.” It is an Acorn Deck House built by William Berkes in the late 20th century, whose architecture is notable for post-and-beam construction and tall, angular ceilings.
The couples’ offer was accepted, and they started renovating at once, touching every room and almost every detail. They kept the mahogany-framed windows, ceramic floor tile, and original, structural beams. These beams, made of Douglas fir, had been covered up by plaster and were revealed when they peeled back the ceilings. The couple fell in love and left them exposed. In 2008, a fire had caused damage in the home, including one of the beams. “You can see the charring on the exposed beam in the living room,” says Daniel. “It’s pretty. Tells the story of the home.” As for all the interior mahogany, it defies the stereotype of shiny and outdated wood—this mahogany has patinated over time for a gorgeous, lived-in look.
Meghan and Daniel had a unique edge going into this home renovation project—one that explains why they have such an eye for unhurried and antique beauty latent in a historic home. They are the owners of Home Union, a furniture and design store originally based in New York. With their move to Maine, the business moved with them. The midcentury modern bones of this house drew them in, knowing it would serve as a great background for their extensive furniture collection (of course, the owners of such a business would have an envy-inspiring collection!). Enter any room, and there is a story for the decor found there.
In the living room, a woven texture paddle light, an Uchiwa, hangs on a wall adjacent to the floor-to-ceiling windows. These lights were created by German designer Ingo Maurer in the 70s. The same light can be found in the beige-toned primary bedroom. “The Uchiwa were one of the first things I ever bought,” says Meghan. “I found them in Germany, but they wouldn’t ship them back to the States. A friend of mine from London drove over to Germany, stayed at an AirBnB, and brought the Uchiwa lights back to London so she could send them to me.” These Japanese-inspired lights from Germany are a synecdoche of the blend of styles found in the room—and the house itself. The couple is drawn to Scandi, Japanese, Danish, Italian, Shaker, midcentury, and farmhouse looks. Throughout their room, they create a symphonic effect of aesthetics that sing out something distinctly Daniel and Meghan.
Moving to a small sitting room, a bright orange couch by Italian designer Alessandro Becchi makes a statement against a gray-green wall color. An elderly couple living in the Hamptons had listed the couch on Facebook Marketplace. They had acquired the couch while living in Italy and moved with it back to the States. It is an authentic Alessandro Becchi-designed Anfibio couch, and when Daniel saw the low price of the listing, he jumped. “I have always loved this sofa,” he says. “I needed to have it. There was a bit of a bidding war on it, but I essentially said there was no price I wouldn’t pay.” One trip to the Hamptons later, and the couch was theirs.
The kitchen, too, has its own mood and purpose. Built-in shelves in the stead of upper cabinets display Meghan’s extensive ceramic collection. A raw soapstone island countertop has striking veins running through it, reminiscent of Maine’s old farmhouses. The dark color adds a nice contrast to the warm, white Caesarstone countertops around the sink and prep area. “When designing the kitchen, and our house in general,” says Meghan, “we wanted every choice to be something we’ll still love in 10 years. We stayed away from ‘trendy’ design and tried to create a meaningful kitchen with earth tones, textures, and tile.”
Though their house adopts a neutral color palette, it could not be further from boring. Daniel jokes: “If you found this place and we weren’t here, you’d think the homeowners were crazy collectors.” The malleable backdrop of their Deck House is the perfect container for their lifestyle and passions. Their combination of influences is a style onto its own self—something that couldn’t be hurried or replicated, just like the charred beam standing proudly in the living room. Just like the patience of an aging home.
