Situated on a quiet island just outside of Portland, Maine, with views of the glistening bay and lush landscape, Waterfront Home is an enviable year-round holiday house designed by the New York-based studio GACHOT.
Boasting a bold and varied colour palette, a robust art collection, and a mix of vintage, custom, and contemporary furniture throughout, Waterfront Home is refined and relaxed—the perfect alternative to the client’s permanent residence on the Upper East Side of New York.
“We intended to create a relaxed yet sophisticated retreat for our clients, surrounded by the natural beauty of Maine. They wanted an inviting home, with spaces designed for casual entertaining,” GACHOT co-founder Christine Gachot says. “The home’s design evolved to promote flexible gathering, creating spaces that are just as inviting for larger groups when our clients are entertaining friends and family as they are for relaxing weekends spent together,” she adds.
In the kitchen, bright Rosso Alicante marble tops the central island, surrounded by distressed leather BDDW counter stools. In contrast, secondary islands are painted Farrow & Ball Picture Gallery Red, adjacent to a custom banquette with an upholstered seat in fabric with a similar warm red tone. A bronze and onyx Spider Six Arm chandelier by Achille Salvagni from Maison Gerard anchors the vaulted ceiling, and ‘Remembering the Lightness of Her Being’ artwork by Janet Taylor Pickett sits above the dining table.
The Future Perfect Angelo sofa system, Jan Vlug coffee table, Ipanema lounge chairs, Anello low table by Federico Peri from Nilufar, Affordances Limited Edition side table by Matter Made and vintage Orbitale brass chandelier by Silvio Piattelli.
Opposite the Grigio Marquina marble fireplace is a built-in desk with a top of the same marble. The furniture includes two Gio Ponti lounge chairs, an RW Guild sofa in salmon linen velvet, and a glass and walnut coffee table from Louis Vuitton with accents of cowhide leather and brass. A custom silk hand-knotted area rug from ALT for Living covers the white oak floor.
After collaborating with GACHOT on their existing home, the designers and clients had a much-loved reference point with which to work, particularly with how the art would be incorporated into the space. “Since we already had a great foundation of creative trust, the collaboration was enjoyable for all of us,” Gachot continues.
The home’s most-used entry is through the side of the property, where one is welcomed with contrasting shades of black and white in the painted door, shiplap walls and flatweave rug. Conveniently located nearby, the entry is the heart of the home—the kitchen. Its central island bench and secondary countertops encourage the client’s passion for a more social style of cooking and entertaining rather than formal dining experiences.
Throughout the home, Gachot’s use of colour and considered use of natural light and ventilation are a testament to the studio’s lean towards refined aesthetics and commitment to creating homes that embody a radical sense of place.
“There’s a vibrant play on colour throughout the house, with warm rose tones in the kitchen and lower-level powder room and deep greens in the lounge and first-floor powder room,” Gachot reflects. “The living room, primary bedroom, and bathroom are filled with natural light, while the study, media room, and office are defined by warm oak millwork,” she adds.
The study is a fully wood clad room. A custom sofa, vintage leather and metal coffee table, and custom area rug are adjacent to the millwork. A pair of vintage Jeanneret Easy Armchairs slide up to an Ambra Onyx and oil-rubbed bronze custom café table facing the corner windows.
Moving away from nautical-themed design references was a non-negotiable for the clients. Instead, the space is an ode to the owners’ lifestyle via its socially focused layout, guest room for overnight visits from friends and family, solitary study, and games room downstairs complete with an Angelo Mangiarotti ebonized oak game table. The details throughout all work together to celebrate the waterfront views, linking the surrounding landscape to the interior.
“The rift white oak panelling we chose for many elements of the home adds a warm, natural touch that fits beautifully within the Maine setting,” Gachot says. “The oak gives a clean, modern look with texture and depth. In the first-floor study, the wood elements, from the floors to the walls and ceiling, and furniture, create a calming atmosphere that embraces the natural landscape outside,” she adds.
A plush modular sofa by Dimoremilano faces the TV, while a custom corner bench and leather Soane chairs surround an Angelo Mangiarotti ebonized oak game table. The game room is equipped with a ping-pong table, next to which a custom white oak drink rail is complemented by Charlotte Perriand yellow sconces. Spanning the length of the ping-pong table is a vibrant piece by Walead Beshty.
In the primary bedroom, a custom walnut bed with an upholstered headboard and custom unlacquered brass wall sconces with white linen shades rests atop a custom silk and wool area rug by Jebara & Co.
