Hartstone Inn Camden Maine » Then and Now

Then and Now – Sunflower Suite

Hartstone Inn — Sun, 05 Sep 2010 15:08:44 +0000

Sunflower Suite Before

The Sunflower Suite is our largest guest room and is located on the third floor of the Hideaway building. When we purchased the Hideaway Inn in 2007, this third floor space was in pretty rough

Sunflower Suite After

condition, having been owner’s quarters since the building was converted into an Inn. After adjusting a few walls, eliminating some “dead space” and removing the matching yellow toilet and vanity (from the mid-1900′s), we stripped every surface

Sunflower Suite Jacuzzi

and started the 3 month transformation. We added a fireplace that is visible from 2 sides, a large jacuzzi tub, tiled in a large shower, fit the bathroom with twin pedestal sinks and faux finished the walls with plaster fleur de lis and a rag on paint finish.

This was an amazing transformation and the finished space exceeded our original expectations. This summer we installed a built in “split” AC unit in the space which is quiet and cools the large space down very well.

The sunflower suite is very popular with honeymooners or those seeking a larger, more secluded space.

Sunflower Suite Before

Sunflower Suite After

Then and Now – Paris

Hartstone Inn — Mon, 24 Aug 2009 11:23:53 +0000

Then and Now” is a series of photographs and stories we have created in our blog to allow guests to see the progress we have made here at the Inn since we took over in May of 1998.

Our first three installments in this series focused on the French Thyme Suite , the Dining Porch at the Hartstone Inn and the Garden Suite. This, our fourth entry in the series focuses on Paris, a room that has been transformed numerous times since 1998. When we purchased the Inn, Paris was known as “Room 3″ which we promptly changed to Magnolia (as we had just planted a magnolia tree in the front garden which the room overlooks). Last winter, the magnolia wallpaper came down and Mary Jo came up with a more modern “hip” design for the room with rich brown and gold tones that “evoke the classic style of Paris.” We couldn’t be more happy with the transformation. It was my first experience in painting stripes (no it’s not wallpaper) and the new green “Frog” tape works wonders. The picture to the right was taken in October of 1997, seven months before we bought the Inn.

Then and Now – Garden Suite

Hartstone Inn — Sat, 28 Feb 2009 20:07:57 +0000

Garden Suite After

: Garden Suite Before

Then and Now” is a series of photographs and stories we have created in our blog to allow guests to see the progress we have made here at the Inn since we took over in May of 1998.

Our first two installments in this series focused on the French Thyme Suite and our Dining Porch at the Hartstone Inn. This, our third entry in the series shows the Garden Suite, located in the back of the Hartstone Inn with a private entrance. When we purchased the Inn, the Garden Suite was named “Apartment 2″ and actually had a small kitchenette installed with a refrigerator, small stove and kitchen sink. The previous owners used to rent it by the day during the summer and by the month in the off season. One of my first memorable check in’s at the Inn was a couple who had reserved the Garden Suite and upon opening the door (full kitchen in sight) they said “but we don’t need all this.” Of course, they were looking for a comfortable and pretty room for a romantic getaway, and within the first couple of months Mary Jo had me removing appliances, refinishing floors and walls and creating her vision for the space. Now, upon check in, we get a much nicer first response!

Garden Suite Before

Then and Now – Dining Porch

Hartstone Inn — Sat, 23 Feb 2008 05:00:00 +0000

“Then and Now” is a series of photographs and stories we have created in our blog to allow guests to see the progress we have made here at the Inn since we took over in May of 1998.

Our second installment in this series focuses on our Dining Porch at the Hartstone Inn. When Mary Jo and I arrived in Camden, our first major project was to add the dining porch on to the Inn. The photograph above shows one of the early construction shots we took during the building of the dining porch. Notice the old garage door and asphalt driveway that used to “grace” the front of the carriage house. The photograph below shows the new “facade” barn door on the carriage house and the gardens and path that replaced the old asphalt driveway. And, of course, the remaining photograph shows the completed dining porch awaiting dinner guests at the Inn.

Then and Now – French Thyme Suite

Hartstone Inn — Fri, 28 Dec 2007 20:49:00 +0000

Mary Jo came up with a great idea for the blog. “Let’s show before (before we owned the Inn) and after (after renovation) pictures for the guest and common rooms at both Inns so guests can see the progress we have made.” Great idea, I thought..so here is the first “Then and Now”. We purchased the Hideaway Inn (formerly known as the Nathaniel Hosmer Inn) in March 2007. The French Thyme Suite is on the first floor of the Inn and has private entrances from the front and rear gardens.