Belgrade Lakes inn transformed into designer showcase

Old buildings are renovated all the time, but a special transformation has taken place in Belgrade lakes.

A group of Maine’s top designers have joined forces in a showcase, transforming Wings Hill, a bed-and-breakfast inn located in an 1800-era antique farmhouse on Route 27 in Belgrade Lakes.

The showcase is open to the public noon-8 p.m. through Aug 19. The $5 admission donation will benefit the St. Paul Retreat House in Augusta. Located in the donated mansion of former Maine Gov. John Hill, the 130-bed healing center offers many different kinds of retreats and counseling.

There also will be a gallery where local artists will have their work available for inspection and purchase.

Wings Hill is the third inn owned by Richard Hoffman. In the past, Hoffman has done all the work of his inns himself, but a chance visit changed his mind.

“After I sold my last one, I ran into friends in south Jersey who were putting together a showcase,” Hofmann said. “I decided that I would like to do one if I ever got involved with an inn again.”

Hoffmann started structural changes to the inn last fall, then turned the rooms over to the designers a few weeks ago.

The showcase features five bedrooms with private baths, two large common rooms, a dining room and adjacent tearoom, a large country kitchen with woodburning cookstove, a 100-foot long wrap-around screen porch and the grounds.

Eight people are involved in the renovations. Interior designers are Nancy Waldren of Frank Pomerleau Inc. in Augusta, Margaret Moore of Moore House in Bangor, Pam Leach of Downeast Design Resources in Gorham, Martha Webber of Birchwood Designs in Carrabasset Valley and Nancy Maken of Interiors in Waterville. The grounds were redone by Fred Wheeler Landscaping of Manchester. Doug Kilgour of Earthly Creations in Augusta supplied the interior plants. The entrance drive and parking area were done by Steve Ross Excavations of Rome.

Designer Moore of Bangor was responsible for one parlor, the dining room and adjacent tearoom, which she described as the core of the bed-and-breakfast.

Moore used pale colors to create a light, airy feeling for the rooms. She added that those colors were compatible with those used throughout the rest of the inn.

Taking her cue from the name Wings Hill, Moore incorporates the bird motif into her design, with birds in fabric, wallpaper and a tearoom mural. She included Chippendale, Sheridan, High and Country Victorian furniture in the room designs.

“I was working with the idea of people accumulating things through the generations,” Moore said. “Also, I thought of guests returning to the inn, and bringing gifts with them.”

Moore took three trips down to Belgrade Lakes while working on the project. It went pretty smoothly for her.

“Any old building has a few surprises, but you expect those things,” she said.

Further information is available by calling Dick Hoffmann at 495-2400.