ABOUT ME
I’ve always had a thing about old houses and buildings.
I "get" them and appreciate the story they tell. They’ve been my life’s passion, and now I am directing my energies to making them my life’s work. I believe we have to protect our old buildings and interiors because they relate the beginnings of the narrative of who we are as a people, Americans. Today though, we are more than stewards of these dwelling places; we inhabit them and make them our own – adding to the context of their ongoing history.
I want to help shape and preserve that story for future generations. And so I’m combining careers in the building and antiques industries to found North Hart Design. My intention is to help others restore and reinvent their older homes in ways that are true to the story these homes tell about our ancestors.
I am a purist in some things with old houses. I believe, for instance, in reusing the old materials existing in the house whenever possible, and when that is not possible, using appropriate recycled materials. As to the "reinvention" part of my work, I do know that we live in our homes differently than our forebears did. I also understand that to love your home as a home – and not a museum – it has to "work" right. While maintaining the integrity of the "old," I have an ability to integrate the "new" in a way that enhances the ambience to make a home more livable for today’s life.
I come at this work from not only passion but experience. I was a kitchen and bath designer for eight years and then moved on to establish own my own high-end tile and stone stores, The Tile Room in Nantucket, MA and Rochester, NY. While now under new ownership, those businesses, particularly the one on Nantucket, reflect my taste. Visit their web sites if you care to at www.tileroomnantucket.com and www.thetileroom.com.
Running these successful businesses taught me that you should buy the best quality materials you can afford – even if it means putting off part of your project until a later date. I also believe that good design is the key to any project. And design instincts are not so easy to find. I went into the kitchen design business out of necessity when I couldn’t find a kitchen designer who actually cooked! Similarly, I have nurtured a talent in landscape design and gardening, honing my eye to create pleasing natural exterior living spaces, to complement what’s going on inside.
The discriminating design sense I have developed over the years, I use every day to improve and reinvent my own living spaces. Over time I have bought, renovated (in the best sense of the word), and rejuvenated several old houses. The current one, a 1760’s Cape in Stonington, CT, I consider a gem of re-imagination.
This kind of work – this kind of life – is my abiding passion. If you are thinking about restoring or renovating your own old house, I would consider it a privilege to talk with you.