Saco Biddeford Savings Bank at the historic John D. Carroll Block Building – Portland Maine

The Design Challenge: To create a commercial business lending office in Portland’s busy Commercial Street location.

The historic details of the 1850 mercantile building offered the unique benefit of original elements like exposed brick, rough hand hewn beams and beautiful wharf views. In order to maintain and emphasize these details while modernizing the banking space, we incorporated materials that would highlight, rather than hide the history. We chose darker woods and carpets inspired by old-world weavers, then added simple, functional furniture to support the clean lines of a business environment. We completed the space with a custom rug by local designer Angela Adams, which ties an aquatic color palette into the space, a nod to the nearby harbor and the downtown area’s historic waterfront culture.