Many families have been coming to Boothbay Harbor’s Spruce Point Inn, year after year, for decades. The design team wanted to embrace the 1892 resort’s enduring appeal while giving it a facelift for today. Inspiration was taken from the inn’s sense of history—it was once was a private fishing and hunting lodge and notable summer guests have included a U.S. Vice President and Senator—as well as its incredible location poised among 57-acres of pine forest and the Boothbay Harbor coastline.
The design team began by identifying existing pieces to incorporate and then gave them second life with either a fresh coat of paint, updated upholstery, or simply by swapping around elements such as pairing a table lamp with a different shade. We paid homage to the inn’s storied past by spotlighting pieces such as an original painted wood sign that now hangs next to the reception desk and a pair of original blue-rimmed dinner plates that decorate a dining room wall. We also created distinct jewel-box moments, such as in the ladies’ room, which is updated with a Carrara marble countertop, a custom silk taffeta vanity skirt, and lobster wallpaper, while the men’s room features toile foxhound wallpaper—a nod to the inn’s hunting lodge past.
Taking inspiration from the resort’s name and its wooded location, we added touches of deep spruce green throughout, from the custom decorative latticework built on site in an entryway to the contrast welting on the cushioned wicker chairs in the lobby. Bold patterns, such as houndstooth and tartan wool carpeting, and rich textures, such as deep red velvet drapery—which frames the ever-changing views of the ocean like a stage—appear in the dining spaces.
Adding to the collected-over-time look, we repurposed and framed vintage nautical flags from the inn’s collection and hung them above guest beds, and brought in contemporary pieces, such as navy-blue leather swivel bar chairs, that feel as though they’ve always been there. Rounding out the eclectic mix are leather director’s chairs, brass travel trunks that serve as side tables, and a custom brass picture rail that showcases a mix of art pieces—from a print by a local artist to a vintage painting of a sea captain.
It was important to ensure that the many returning guests would love and embrace the updated look, and to keep the project to a tight timeline so that it didn’t interrupt the busy summer season. The result is a happy mix, one that’s inspired by old and new and of Maine’s woods and coast. The look is relaxed and fun: classic coastal style balanced with historic charm, easy elegance, and a sense of whimsy—and most of all, is firmly rooted in Maine.
