Fit To Be Tiled

Here at The Maven, we're all about renovation — two of us have been restoring an old farmhouse for the last six years, and the third has a bid in on an Arts & Crafts-style home. "Fixer-upper" is a laughable understatement for the farmhouse and a fairly accurate description of the Bungalow-on-steroids.

While we're a little tired of the dust, the surprises (rotted sill, electrified squirrel) and the less-than-stellar R-value of wavy-glass windows, there is an upshot. We've found some of the best craftsmen and craftswomen, suppliers and salvage sources in Maine.

Kim Walker of Heirloom Tileworks in Sullivan is one of them. We first discovered her high-relief tiles, which feature Maine-inspired botanical and nautical motifs, at SevenArts Gallery in Ellsworth. There, they were displayed as small, beautiful accent pieces. On a larger scale, they are the perfect complement to a turn-of-the-century home or a higher-end new build. They're gorgeous in a backsplash or a bathroom, and they really shine as a fireplace surround.

Though we never expected to find Arts & Crafts-style tile made in Maine, Heirloom Tileworks is the type of surprise we've come to appreciate — unlike ice dams and hornet nests — after six years of renovation.

For more information, visit Heirloom Tileworks online.

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