The Good Home receives “Best of Houzz Award 2016”

The Good Home ~ Interiors & Design

Awarded Best Of Houzz 2016

Over 35 Million Monthly Unique Users Nominated Best Home Building,

Remodeling and Design Professionals in North America and Around the World

January, 2016 – The Good Home ~ Interiors & Design of Gorham, ME has won “Best Of Customer Service” on Houzz®, the leading platform for home remodeling and design. The Good Home was chosen by the more than 35 million monthly unique users that comprise the Houzz community from among more than one million active home building, remodeling and design industry professionals.

“Anyone building, remodeling or decorating looks to Houzz for the most talented and service-oriented professionals” said Liza Hausman, vice president of Industry Marketing for Houzz. “We’re so pleased to recognize Lisa J Hincher, voted one of our “Best Of Houzz” professionals by our enormous community of homeowners and design enthusiasts actively remodeling and decorating their homes.”

Follow The Good Home ~ Interiors & Design on Houzz http://www.houzz.com/pro/thegoodhome/_public

About Houzz

Houzz is the leading platform for home remodeling and design, providing people with everything they need to improve their homes from start to finish – online or from a mobile device. From decorating a small room to building a custom home and everything in between, Houzz connects millions of homeowners, home design enthusiasts and home improvement professionals across the country and around the world. With the largest residential design database in the world and a vibrant community empowered by technology, Houzz is the easiest way for people to find inspiration, get advice, buy products and hire the professionals they need to help turn their ideas into reality. Headquartered in Palo Alto, CA, Houzz also has international offices in London, Berlin, Sydney, Moscow and Tokyo. Houzz and the Houzz logo are registered trademarks of Houzz Inc. worldwide. For more information, visit houzz.com.

The Good Home receives Best of Houzz 2015 Award

 

The Good Home ~ Interiors & Design Receives

Best Of Houzz 2015 Award

 Over 25 Million Monthly Unique Users Rated Top-Rated Home Building, Remodeling and Design Professionals in the United States and Around the World

 January 18, 2015 – The Good Home~ Interiors & Design has been awarded “Best Of Houzz” for Customer Satisfaction by Houzz, the leading platform for home remodeling and design. The Good Home was chosen by the more than 25 million monthly unique users that comprise the Houzz community from among more than 500,000 active home building, remodeling and design industry professionals.

 The Best Of Houzz award is given in two categories: Design and Customer Satisfaction. Design award winners’ work was the most popular among the more than 25 million monthly users on Houzz, known as “Houzzers.” Customer Satisfaction honors are determined by a variety of factors, including the number and quality of client reviews a professional received in 2014. Winners will receive a “Best Of Houzz 2015” badge on their profiles, helping Houzz users around the world who discover and love a professional’s work to learn even more about that business’ popularity and satisfaction rating among their peers in the Houzz community.

 
“Houzz provides homeowners with a 360 degree view of home building, remodeling and design industry professionals, empowering them to engage the right people and products for their project,” said Liza Hausman, vice president of industry marketing for Houzz. “We’re delighted to recognize The Good Home ~Interiors & Design among our “Best Of” professionals as judged by our community of homeowners and design enthusiasts who are actively remodeling and decorating their homes.”

 About Lisa Hincher:

The Good Home’s owner, Lisa Hincher, moved to Maine with her family over 10 years ago from New York, where she owned her own business, Decorative Painting and Design.  Lisa’s experience in the design field is extensive.  In addition to interior design, Lisa has been a buyer and merchandiser for a home decor store in Portland, as well as working in other design based retail stores.   Lisa’s unique understanding of window treatment design, upholstering, and furniture construction make her the perfect person to advise homeowners. Lisa personally works closely with each client from the initial consultation through project completion.   This close collaboration and hands-on involvement ensures great attention to detail and satisfaction with the finished product.

 Follow The Good Home on Houzz http://www.houzz.com/pro/thegoodhome/_public

About Houzz

Houzz is the leading platform for home remodeling and design, providing people with everything they need to improve their homes from start to finish – online or from a mobile device. From decorating a room to building a custom home, Houzz connects millions of homeowners, home design enthusiasts and home improvement professionals across the country and around the world. With the largest residential design database in the world and a vibrant community powered by social tools, Houzz is the easiest way for people to find inspiration, get advice, buy products and hire the professionals they need to help turn their ideas into reality. Headquartered in Palo Alto, CA, Houzz also has international offices in London, Berlin and Sydney. For more information, visit www.houzz.com

 

 

 

2015: The start of a new year and lots of new projects

The New Year is off and running at break-neck speed!  It’s already mid-January, and I am still trying to remember to write the correct date on everything!!

I’m really excited about this year and looking forward to working on new projects in the coming months.  I had a wonderful 2014 and am so thankful to all the great people that helped make my first year in business incredibly rewarding in so many ways!  Cheers to you all and to fun and exciting ventures this year!

My latest project is transforming a rarely used sunroom into a bar room.  The clients had a really great idea of what they wanted:  an inviting hang out space for both friends and family with a rustic/industrial vibe. They like warm, dark colors and rustic wood accents.  This project has been a lot of fun and the clients are so great to work with!  They make decisions and get it done faster than I can even keep up some days!  There are a lot of unique pieces and accents going into the space to give it the feeling and look they want.  I love hunting for those pieces and love it even more when the client is just as excited as I am to use them in the space. One of those things are the custom Tequila Bottle Sconces made by Heirloom Lamps.  They are so cool and the perfect touch!

Here are a couple sneak peek photos of some of the elements we will be incorporating:

 

Two of these leather swivel chairs will be placed in the seating area
This rug from Dash + Albert is so fun! I love the pattern and colors.
This Edison bulb light fixture is the feature light for the vaulted ceilings.
This light fixture will hang over the bar
Moonshine Lamps made these Tequila Bottle Liquor Sconces that will be placed on the wood feature wall behind the bar
The fun, whimsical pattern of these drapes add a bit of softness to the industrial, rustic space.
This warm grey wall color sets the perfect backdrop for the space.

 

There will be much more to come when the room is complete!

Hope you enjoyed this sneak peek at one of my latest projects!  If you haven’t already done so, please hit the “follow” button to see all my projects in 2015.  And as always, feel free to comment on this or any of my projects.  I love hearing your feedback and comments or how you like to Design*Decorate*Delight in your own space.  Happy 2015!

~Lisa

 

 

 

Dressing your Chandelier for the Holidays

When decorating for the holidays – don’t forget the chandelier! Whether it’s located in the  entry or dining room, it deserves a little adornment.  It doesn’t need to be expensive or elaborate.  A few small touches can make a big difference to the overall look and feel.  I’m going to show you an inexpensive way to dress a plain dining room chandelier with just a few supplies:

  • Chandelier shades – purchased at Lowes
  • Black velvet ribbon
  • Fabric adhesive
  • Scissors
photo of simple chandelier
This plain chandelier needs a little sprucing up for the holidays.

Here is the “how-to” info:

For a little extra holiday feel, I wrapped a berry and twig garland around and added some fresh boxwood.  A simple, inexpensive and easy DIY project you can complete in about an hour!  What more can you ask!

photo of chandelier
The finished project! A berry and twig garland was wrapped around the base of the light and fresh boxwood sprigs are woven into it.
photo of berry, twig and boxwood garland
Berry, twig and boxwood garland accent the new velvet trimmed shades and complete the holiday dressing!

Check out these additional photos for more inspiration.   All images -Pinterest

Photo from HGTV
photo from Real Simple

I hope you enjoyed this DIY holiday project!

I love this time of year and decorating for the holidays!  The visual transformation in my home puts me in the holiday spirit. For a few short weeks, we bring trees into our homes,  display collections of snowmen, Santas, elves,  serious or silly decorations and enjoy every minute of it.  It really is an opportunity to Design*Decorate*Delight in the fun of it all!  I wish you the happiest of holidays!!  Take some time to push aside all the hectic, craziness these few weeks add to our lives, and remember to enjoy the people you share the holidays with!

~Lisa

Photo credits: The Good Home and Pinterest

Rustic Maine Lakehouse – Part 2 of 4 – The Great Room

In this second installment, the Great Room is featured.  This is the main gathering place in the home and is often the scene of many group activities.  Friends often gather to sing and play guitar, have a glass of wine and just visit and play games.  While the room had to function as a place to entertain many people, the homeowners wanted it to feel comfortable and cozy when it was just them.

To help achieve that goal, I created different seating areas throughout the space.  The high ceilings give the room a look of great expanse with a beautiful wall of windows overlooking the lake.  This wall provided an incredible opportunity to build a custom window seat that spans a 22 foot distance.  It provides plenty of seating when guests are visiting, or the perfect place to curl up with a book on a rainy summer day or sit with a cup of coffee.  The custom table also provides a great place for games and puzzles.  The matching distressed leather sofas provide comfortable seating for the family.  This is a great place to sit and relax, especially when they want to enjoy a fire in the gorgeous stone fireplace.  We had two fabulous focal points in this space, and wanted to make sure both could be enjoyed!  The red chairs swivel so that they can be a part of a smaller, intimate seating group facing the fireplace, or can turn out to look at the lake views.  I designed custom barnboard and iron shelves for the long wall to house photos and family items.  The talented guys at Tim Hill Fine Woodworking made the shelves, the mahogany window seat and antique barnboard and iron game table.  A fun, ripple pattern rug, a few accessories and some throw pillows help to finish off the space.

 

Loft view of the Great room showing custom built-in window seat, game table, seating area and custom shelving
Custom designed reclaimed barn board shelves with open iron work brackets with rustic detailing
View to the lake showing the custom built-in window seat with indoor-outdoor fabric cushion and camp photo gallery.
Stone fireplace with reclaimed barn beam mantle and birch log candleholders
Alternate view of the window seat with small section of reclaimed wood and iron shelves
Alternate view of Great room with distressed leather sofas, red swivel chairs, stone fireplace and barn beam mantle and custom designed and built reclaimed barn board shelves with iron brackets
Rustic, custom reclaimed barn board game table with iron base
Overall view of the Great Room with distressed leather sofas, stone fireplace and barn beam mantle and rebar and barn board railing system

 

I hope you enjoyed this latest posting! Please follow me if you wish to continue receiving these and other updates.  With the holidays quickly approaching, whether you are setting a holiday table or taking on a large project, remember to enjoy the season and those around you and Design*Decorate*Delight in the process!

~Lisa

Rustic Maine Lake House – Part 1 of 4- The Kitchen

I had an incredible opportunity to work with some awesome clients this summer on their new Lake House here in Maine. It’s always fun to start with a blank slate!  My clients wanted their house to have a rustic, lakeside look, but one that reflected their personality and lifestyle.  I wanted to give them a space that was rustic, yet refined and felt comfortable and inviting from the moment you entered their home.  I hoped to create spaces that could comfortably house large numbers of guests for eating, entertaining, playing guitar and whatever else the summer festivities could bring.  And…last but not least, it had to be kid and pet friendly and stand up to wet bathing suites, high traffic and constant motion. Phew…. No small task.

Additionally, my clients live out of state, so we had to meet and then collaborate the entire project long distance via phone calls and emails.  It was a challenge, but we all jumped in feet first and in the end everyone was thrilled with the outcome!

This first segment, features the kitchen – the heart of the home. I was told large gatherings are often held here, and sometimes quite spontaneously.  I wanted spaces for guests to sit, linger and enjoy themselves. The  island was already great for serving guests and casual eating, but we definitely needed a defined dining area.  I worked with Tim Hill of  The Tim Hill Design Company to collaborate on creating a custom live edge dining table built just for the space.  Another live edge slab was split down the middle to create two benches.  I designed an “X” pattern for the iron base for both the table and benches.   The pieces turned out incredible! The finished table really highlights the wood grain and colors of the slab.  It is rustic and organic, and absolutely beautiful.  I fell in love with it!   This lake house kitchen can now easily host 16-18 people in a moments notice!

Rustic live edge dining table with steel “x” base
Full detail of the live edge dining table with iron “X” base and coordinating split slab benches with same iron base design
Detailing on the live edge custom dining table and bench
Beadboard island with granite countertop and wood and metal barstools
Custom Live edge dining table with steel “X” base and matching split slab benches.
Beadboad cabinets and island with granite counter tops, metal and wood barstools and live edge table with split slab live edge benches
Kitchen wood and metal barstool in the rustic theme of the house

I hope you enjoyed seeing this space!  The next segment will feature the Great Room!

Please feel free to share your comments or tell me what you think of the space. If you enjoyed this segment, and want to see future segments, please follow me.

Take care and remember to Design*Decorate*Delight in your projects!

~Lisa

 

**All photo credits to Liz Donnelly of Portland Photo Co.

Decorating Inspiration: For the Love of Orange

 

I don’t know if it’s the crisp fall air, the kids going back to school, or all the fall mums and flowers sprouting up, but every September, I renew my love of all things ORANGE!  There’s just something about it I can’t resist.  Decorating with orange can be fun and whimsical or very sophisticated depending on what colors you pair it with and how you use it in your home.

 

Now is the perfect time of year to bring in a few pieces or accents and really switch up your space.  Summer colors are packed away and the vibrant, warm tones of orange truly help usher in the fall weather.  You don’t have to buy the pumpkins or fall decorations you see in the stores to add touches of fall color to your life.  Below are some inspiring accents and ideas on how to bring orange into your home!

 
 

Pillows = Instant Change

Patterns can be fun, sophisticated, traditional or super contemporary. 

 

Lorca Linen pillowSource: One Kings Lane
Flame Pillow Source: One Kings Lane
Motif Embroidered Pillow Source: One Kings Lane
Orange, Aqua, Grey Pillow Source: Pinterest
Orange Aqua Grey Suzani pillow Source: Pinterest

A single chair or small accent piece can add a pop of color and a fresh look

Orange wishbone chair Source: Pinterest
Abigail Medallion Chair Source: One Kings Lane
Jodi Pouf Source: One Kings Lane
Orange aqua purple ottoman Source: One Kings Lane

Accessories are a fun and practical way to change your room from season to season

Orange round mirror Source: efurnituremart.com
Brahms Mount Herringbone throw Blaze Source: Brahms Mount
Orange chevron tray Source: One Kings Lane
Ana Candles -Orange striped tapered pillar candles Source: Pinterest
Talia Table Lamp Source: Arteriors
Thibaut Waterbury fabric Source: Thibaut Design

I hope you enjoyed this blog and got a little inspiration for your own home! Make sure to follow my blog for more ideas and projects.

Have a wonderful Fall, and however you choose to welcome the new season, remember to Design*Decorate*Delight in the process!

~Lisa

Bedroom on a Budget

Bedroom on a Budget

One of the best parts of my job is that you never know what your next project will be.  The scope of each project and the people involved are what makes it so interesting!  For a recent project, I was hired to help a lovely client redo her Master Bedroom.  She loves DIY projects and we were working within a strict budget.  Great information for me! It’s always best to know your parameters when you start out.

Information in hand, we set out to make a huge transformation. The bedroom was really outdated and she was ready for a total overhaul.  She wanted bright and cheerful, reminiscent of a tropical theme, but not cliché or overdone.  I wanted her bedroom to have the tropical colors she desired, be bright and airy,  but sophisticated – definitely a grown-up space!

The overall transformation was incredible and the client couldn’t be more happy! She put in a lot of hard work and time painting and wallpapering.  That effort makes the finished space even more rewarding when its complete.

This is what we did:

  • Painted the walls and trim – done by the client
  • Created a grass cloth wallpaper feature wall – hung by the client
  • New carpeting
  • Painted the dresser and bookshelves with an ombre effect – done by the client
  • Purchased new hardware for the dresser
  • New bedding, pillows and window treatments
  • Constructed a headboard and purchased a larger mattress set
  • Added pendant lighting and table lamps
  • Added new accessories and minimized existing accessories
  • Framed vacation photos for the feature wall

Before and after photos:

This space needs an update! Dark paint colors and outdated carpeting and window treatments need refreshing
The transformation from dark and dated to bright and airy is remarkable!
Looking into the bedroom, you can see why we needed to brighten up the space. It was dark on a sunny day!
The newly arranged sitting area in the room! A pendant light adds a pop of color and visual interest. More lighting was also added on the bookshelves and dresser. Similar scale artwork mirrors each other on opposite walls. The space is now light, bright and airy feeling.

The before and after photos show the old dated wallpaper and border and the new grasscloth feature wall, new headboard, bedding and pillows and framed vacation photos.

Master bedroom before photo – dark colors and outdated wallpaper
New bedding and throw pillows complete the ensemble. A friend helped the homeowner make the new headboard with storage. It sets off the grasscloth accent wall beautifully

I rearranged the layout at the opposite end of the room.  We added new panels to the windows, uncovered the fantastic vintage chair, so you could see it, added a pendant light and bright table lamp and hung different artwork the client already owned.  These changes better define this part of the room and give it more purpose.

This space needs more lighting and a better overall layout
New sheer panels, a bright warm turquoise paint color, new carpeting, freshly painted shelves, new lamp and art really brighten up the space and create a welcoming nook.

Since new furniture was not in the budget, we totally revamped the existing dresser.  It received a fresh coat of soft, creamy white paint, and the homeowner painted the drawers in an ombre effect.  I selected new hardware that gives the dresser drawers a more substantial feel and adds a little sparkle. The brushed nickel pulls really add another element to the dresser.  The difference is fantastic!!

The dresser needs a pick-me-up and some new accessories.
The dated dresser has new life with an ombre paint effect on the drawers and beautiful, polished nickel drawer pulls.
New, high quality pulls add a hefty feel to the drawers. Like jewelry to an outfit, hardware is the finishing touch to the dresser!

The homeowner told me she doesn’t like all walls the same in her room.  Sounded like a perfect opportunity to me to make a feature wall! The grass cloth wallpaper adds a bit of sophistication to the bright colors throughout the room and anchors the newly built headboard and larger mattress set.  We selected a few of her favorite vacation photos and she had them enlarged.  We hung them in floating frames over the bed. New bedding and pillows and a few of her existing accessories complete the look

New bedding really stands out against the grasscloth wallpaper feature wall. A few accessories on the nighstand and headboard complete the space.
Grasscloth Accent Wall- the natural grasscloth paper with turquoise background made a beautiful backdrop for the floating frames and tropical photos
This feature wall now has beautiful grass cloth wallpaper with a turquoise background, a larger bed with headboard, new bedding and floating black frames with photos from the homeowner’s vacations

A last minute addition to the project was the installation of these paneled closet doors, which replaced louvered bi-fold doors.  It was a great decision!

New paneled closet doors give a more sophisticated appearance than the old bi-fold doors previously installed.
The ombre paint effect was repeated on the homeowners existing bookshelves. A new lamp adds some needed light to the corner
Ombre painted drawers and new hardware update the existing dresser
Benjamin Moore Maritime Blue 667
Benjamin Mooer Oceanic Teal 669
Benjamin Mooer Gulf Stream ^70

 

This project was a great collaboration between myself and the homeowner.  Once she had approved my design proposal, she got straight to work doing her DIY projects.  I think she did an incredible job and I hope she will enjoy her new bedroom!  In this project, I truly believe both the homeowner and I worked together as a fantastic  Design*Decorate*Delight team!

Let me know what you think of this project!  And if you like seeing these projects, be sure to Follow my blog so you won’t miss out!

~Lisa~

Furnishing a Rustic Style Lake House

I’m working on a fun project furnishing a newly built lake house for a family before they arrive for the summer. The home construction was recently completed and the finishing touches are being made. The clients love the rustic look, so I used that idea as my inspiration The timeline is tight, but I think we just might be able to pull this off!! The house is empty, so I am starting from scratch on both the design and the pieces I have to work with in the home.  The family loves having family and friends over all summer long, so I had to come up with a design and floor plan that works for large groups, yet still feels comfortable and inviting when its just the immediate family.  

We have several custom built pieces going into the space that provide the rustic style and feel they so desire.  Reclaimed barn boards and antique pine are just two of the materials being used to create desks and tables.  The project will be completed mid-June, but in the meantime, here’s a sneak peak at a few photos of  what we are planning. Can’t wait to see it come together!

Kingston sofa
Kingston Leather Sofa – available at http://www.backattheranchfurniture.com
Lee Chair fabric option 2
Great Room Carpet, Swivel Chair fabric, Window seat Sunbrella pattern and leather sofa option
Raymond micro hooked
Office area rug – Dash + Albert Raymond Micro Hook Rug http://www.dashandalbert.com
thill table
Reclaimed barn boards -will be used to make a built-in desk
HGTV Home Table Lamp
HGTV Home Table Lamp – a more contemporary twist for the barn board desk in the homeowner’s office area

Furniture has been ordered and custom pieces are under way.  Now, to finish up all the last minute details.  Its really exciting to be a part of making this newly built house a home for this family.  I can’t wait for them to see it all in June. 

What style would you do – rustic, contemporary, traditional? I’d love to hear your feedback and comments. To see the finished project, make sure you follow my blog.

Last but not least, whatever you space or project, have fun while you Design*Decorate*Delight in the process!!

~Lisa

Master Bath Transformation

After living in their home for a few years, my clients decided to update their large Master Bathroom. They wanted the spacious room to be relaxing, and soothing with a spa-like feel.   The current space was very beige with heavy, dark wood vanities and mirrors. It also lacked storage for the everyday items that ultimately end up on everyone’s countertops. The homeowner had one specific request: find the blue glass tile she had seen years before and fell in love with for her shower. Easy, right?!!

In keeping with the budget,  I chose to keep several elements in the space that were in good condition and invest in areas that would make the most impact, solve our function and storage problems, and provide the end result they wanted. Here is my list!

Key Objectives:

  • Find the blue-glass tile the homeowner loves for the shower
  • Create storage for everyday items on the vanity
  • Improve the shower – deal with past water leakage issues
  • Find a way to make the vanity area blend with the rest of the bathroom
  • Create overall feeling of serenity and relaxation of a spa
  • Bring in artwork
  • Incorporate the gorgeous ocean views and colors outside the window into the newly created serene and calming space inside.

 Here are the before pictures of the Master Bathroom:

"Before" tub/shower area
“Before” tub/shower area
"Before" Shower
“Before” Shower
"Before" Vanity
“Before” Vanity
"Before" Vanity area
“Before” Vanity area

The “After” photos! 

Photo by Liz Donnelly
Photo by Liz Donnelly

A frameless glass shower with gorgeous blue/green glass tiles in a brick pattern, was just what the homeowner wanted! We also resolved all water and plumbing issues when tearing out the old shower. The same blue glass was added in a small accent detail around the tub decking and the original tub was set back in place.  A simple 4″x8″ cream porcelain tile set in a brick pattern completed the area.

362_flying point66-Edit

Mbath10 (2)For artwork, I hung a “flock” of white porcelain birds in a pattern as if they were headed out to sea.  The small Buddha is another accent used to reflect the homeowners personal style. A simple glass bottle, white orchid and dark stained seagrass baskets complete the look.  The baskets also double as storage.

Photo by Liz Donnelly
Photo by Liz Donnelly

I decided to keep the vanities and have them painted a soft creamy white. Paint along wih the new brushed nickel and glass hardware made a huge difference!!  The vanities and countertops were in great condition so this step saved money in the budget.  The mirrors were replaced with much smaller beaded, brushed nickel ovals.  I designed a custom walnut storage piece for the space between the mirrors.

Walnut custom cabinet - Tim Hill Fine Woodworking Photo by Liz Donnelly
Walnut custom cabinet – Tim Hill Fine Woodworking
Photo by Liz Donnelly

The same hardware was used on the new cabinet.  All daily necessities are neatly tucked away.  A few brushed nickel accessories completes the look and function for this space.

Mbath4

 A second, open shelf cabinet was designed to be hung across from the shower.  This piece brings the warm wood tones to this side of the room and provides additional, functional storage for the homeowners towels and accessories.

Photo by Liz Donnelly
Custom cabinets by Tim Hill Fine Woodworking

Last, but definitely not least important is the paint color! This color set the stage for creating the look and feel we wanted.  Paint can make such an amazing difference to a space.  In this case, it provided the soft, watery blue-green color that we used as the basis for our entire palette.  It changes throughout the day, but always looks serene and calm, just as its names states.

Benjamin Moore Serene Breeze 449
Benjamin Moore Serene Breeze 449

I hope you have enjoyed seeing this Master Bathroom transformation!  I would love to hear your comments or feedback.  If you are not already following The Good Home,  please do so to see all of my projects!

Think Spring and remember to Design*Decorate*Delight in your own home!

~Lisa

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