Budapest Post

Cum Deo pro Patria et Libertate
Budapest, Europe and world news

How Berman Horn Used Color to Create a Bright Retreat in Maine

How Berman Horn Used Color to Create a Bright Retreat in Maine

Architect Maria Berman discusses the importance of selecting a front door color—and why some coastal color trends never go out of style.

Even if Berman Horn Studio’s Maria Berman didn’t tell you she had a background in fine art and art history, her passion for color and light that hints at the depth of her knowledge. And that expertise is on full display in her own vacation home, which she shares with her husband and architectural partner, Brad Horn.



Maria Berman and Brad Horn of Berman Horn Studio.

From the outside, this New England cottage blends demurely into the landscape, with its quiet, artfully weathered cedar shingles and moss-green door. But on the inside, a floor-to-ceiling, white-on-white palette gives the home an attention-grabbing glow-it’s truly a work of art, inside and out. Here, Berman shares the color decisions behind the couple’s home away from home, featured in the March/April 2020 issue of Dwell.



White interiors make the home feel light and airy, even on gray winter days in New England.

How did you choose your colors for this project?


We were really inspired by the natural kind of colors that we saw in the environment. In Maine, the plants are very stunted because the soil is so thin and very acidic-so you have a lot of lichens, you have a lot of rocks, you have a lot of moss, and you have a lot of ferns. We really wanted the outside of the house to speak to that and be a part of the landscape. And that’s where this idea of the outside gray came in-and also the Benjamin Moore Webster Green HC-130 door.

Was it an easy decision to land on the green for your front door?


The front door of a house is always a big decision. There are so many directions to go in. It’s kind of like if you had a first date with a house-the doors are the first impression. But clients often say, "Do I really want to be the person with the yellow door?" It identifies them to their neighbors and their community. In an urban environment, a vibrant, bright door is so easily identifiable within a sea of gray and brown-but the idea of a bright door in the country…it didn’t work. It was too strong. The whole environment just called for this green.



The green door takes its cues from the Maine landscape.

What about the interiors?


We focused on how reflections work. If you have a room that’s painted white, and you have a red brick building across the street from you, your room will look very pink. If you have green fields in front of you, or the blue ocean, they’ll also look very different. We might try the same color in many different locations, and that color will never look the same way twice. So, there was a lot of sampling from Benjamin Moore’s Off White Collection to get to the exact shade that works for the specific surroundings of this house. We went with an off-white called Silver Satin OC-26 for the entire interior. We like to keep walls, ceiling and trim consistent, and in this case the floor is the same.

I also think a lack of color brings out other colors. The paint color is almost an absence, because it allows everything else to speak more loudly. In other projects, you might want a color that has opinions. But here, the paint is quiet and allows everything else-the sky, and the green, and everything else-to have a voice.

When I think about Maine, I think about white clapboard houses… what is it about this place that draws people to white?


In the wintertime, you only have daylight from 8:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m, more or less. These bright whites are a way to gather in whatever drops of light you can. There’s also a typical reflectivity that comes from coastal culture-boats have those glossy painted surfaces. Glossy painted floors are also a way to deal with the maritime humidity.



The home’s glossy white floors (painted with deck paint) are low-maintenance and highly reflective.

What’s the biggest challenge of working with a white-on-white design?


You really have to keep the Swiffer active. We have two orange cats. My husband and I looked at each other and were like, "Next time, the cats are white." It really does encourage you to stay tidy though, in a way that’s more pleasurable than wood floors. I love the glossiness of the floors, and seeing the reflection-seeing the light bounce in and around the space. It’s like you’re within this glow of light. We used a Benjamin Moore deck paint, and it’s bulletproof. Nothing sticks to it-you just wipe it clean, and it’s good to go.



Soft white walls, floors, and ceilings allow the views of nature to pop.

How does a room’s lighting-natural or otherwise-affect your paint color choice?


Oh, so much. We almost always choose our paint colors in natural light. The ideal way to choose is on an overcast day-not dark and gloomy, but in a neutral, gray light. We look at options in artificial light, and in daylight, and find a color that works well with both…though daylight is not the same in any one place.

You’re so passionate and knowledgeable about color and light!


Well, I have a background in fine arts and art history. So, I know paint and color and how it sets a mood. If we think about Vermeer paintings, they have a kind of streaming light. These scenes are like a dream, and they exist in this glow of beautiful light…which I think is what everyone wants, even if they don’t know it.

AI Disclaimer: An advanced artificial intelligence (AI) system generated the content of this page on its own. This innovative technology conducts extensive research from a variety of reliable sources, performs rigorous fact-checking and verification, cleans up and balances biased or manipulated content, and presents a minimal factual summary that is just enough yet essential for you to function as an informed and educated citizen. Please keep in mind, however, that this system is an evolving technology, and as a result, the article may contain accidental inaccuracies or errors. We urge you to help us improve our site by reporting any inaccuracies you find using the "Contact Us" link at the bottom of this page. Your helpful feedback helps us improve our system and deliver more precise content. When you find an article of interest here, please look for the full and extensive coverage of this topic in traditional news sources, as they are written by professional journalists that we try to support, not replace. We appreciate your understanding and assistance.
Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Satirical Sketch Sparks Political Spouse Feud in South Korea
Indonesia Quarry Collapse Leaves Multiple Dead and Missing
South Korean Election Video Pulled Amid Misogyny Outcry
Asian Economies Shift Away from US Dollar Amid Trade Tensions
Netflix Investigates Allegations of On-Set Mistreatment in K-Drama Production
US Defence Chief Reaffirms Strong Ties with Singapore Amid Regional Tensions
Vietnam Faces Strategic Dilemma Over China's Mekong River Projects
Malaysia's First AI Preacher Sparks Debate on Islamic Principles
Meta and Anduril Collaborate on AI-Driven Military Augmented Reality Systems
Russia's Fossil Fuel Revenues Approach €900 Billion Since Ukraine Invasion
Alcohol Industry Faces Increased Scrutiny Amid Health Concerns
U.S. Goods Imports Plunge Nearly 20% Amid Tariff Disruptions
Italy Faces Population Decline Amid Youth Emigration
Trump Accuses China of Violating Trade Agreement
OpenAI Faces Competition from Cheaper AI Rivals
Foreign Tax Provision in U.S. Budget Bill Alarms Investors
Russia Accuses Serbia of Supplying Arms to Ukraine
Gerry Adams Wins Libel Case Against BBC
EU Central Bank Pushes to Replace US Dollar with Euro as World’s Main Currency
U.S. Health Secretary Ends Select COVID-19 Vaccine Recommendations
Trump Warns Putin Is 'Playing with Fire' Amid Escalating Ukraine Conflict
India and Pakistan Engage Trump-Linked Lobbyists to Influence U.S. Policy
U.S. Halts New Student Visa Interviews Amid Enhanced Security Measures
Trump Administration Cancels $100 Million in Federal Contracts with Harvard
SpaceX Starship Test Flight Ends in Failure, Mars Mission Timeline Uncertain
King Charles Affirms Canadian Sovereignty Amid U.S. Statehood Pressure
EU Majority Demands Hungary Reverse Anti-LGBTQ+ Laws
Top Hotel Picks for 2025 Stays in Budapest Revealed
Iron Maiden Unveils 2025 Tour Setlist in Budapest
Chinese Film Week Opens in Budapest to Promote Cultural Exchange
Budapest Airport Launches Direct Flights to Shymkent
Von der Leyen Denies Urging EU Officials to Skip Budapest Pride
Alcaraz and Sinner Advance with Convincing Wins at Roland Garros
EU Ministers Lack Consensus on Sanctioning Hungary Over Rule of Law
EU Nations Urge Action Against Hungary's Pride Parade Ban
Putin's Helicopter Reportedly Targeted by Ukrainian Drones
U.S. Considers Withdrawing Troops from Europe
Russia Deploys Motorbike Squads in Ukraine Conflict
Critics Accuse European Court of Human Rights of Overreach
Spain Proposes 100% Tax on Non-EU Holiday Home Purchases
German Intelligence Labels AfD as Far-Right Extremist
Geert Wilders Threatens Dutch Coalition Over Migration Policy
Hungary Faces Multiple Challenges Amid EU Tensions and Political Shifts
Denmark Increases Retirement Age to 70, Setting a European Precedent
Any trade deal with US must be based on respect not threats', says EU commissioner
UK Leads in Remote Work Adoption, Averaging 1.8 Days a Week
Thirteen Killed in Russian Attacks Across Ukraine
High-Profile Incidents and Political Developments Dominate Global News
Netanyahu Accuses Western Leaders of 'Emboldening Hamas'
Ukraine and Russia Conduct Largest Prisoner Exchange of the War
×