Boston Globe Magazine, July 2018

Teodora and Joseph Porta knew they would make an offer on their home in Freeport, Maine, before they even stepped inside. Perched on a bluff with unobstructed views of Casco Bay, the 3,500-square-foot split-level house sits amid spacious patios and lush plantings situated far closer to the coast than current zoning allows. Says Joseph Porta, “We felt connected to it right away.”

One problem: It wasn’t for sale. The owner, a real estate developer who had shown the couple another property, spent summers there himself and was reluctant to let it go. Undeterred, Porta wrote him a letter about what it would mean to them to settle down and raise a family there. They’ve since closed on the house, tied the knot, and had a daughter.

Drawn to Portland-based designer Tyler Karu’s use of color and textiles, Teodora contacted her to turn the high-ceilinged foyer into a “wow” space. From there, Karu slowly transformed the home into a refined refuge that suits the well-traveled pair. “The interior didn’t reflect who we are,” Porta says. “We wanted to feel the same way about the inside as we do about the outside.”