Testimonials

From the people that matter most. Our clients.

“I told Louise that she ‘Hurlbutted’ our house,” says the husband of the Canadian couple. He knew her work from her Kennebunk store and from having seen friends’ homes. From the start, he liked her sense of style but also her manner. “Louise is a tremendous doer. Once it is decided where a project is going, she gets it done. She is amazingly efficient.” Typically, Hurlbutt would put together proposed furniture, fixtures, and appliances for the couple to choose from. Over time she got an increasingly better sense of their tastes and was able to present to them largely what they liked. “I’ll give you an example of one thing she did, and I didn’t even ask for,” says the husband. “I am a lawyer, and she took the trouble to find old casebooks from Maine and put them in our library, so I can read about old Maine law.”

Now, the husband adds, “I’d be comfortable telling anyone to get their house Hurlbutted.” He laughs at turning Hurlbutt’s name into a verb. Yet there is no real synonym for the neologism. It means, simply, that a house designed by the Hurlbutt team is refined and comfortable, handsome, and relaxed, a place to which one wants to return, season after season.

—Quote from Maine Home+Design article “Once More to the Beach”

“The attention to detail and professionalism by the designers at Hurlbutt Designs was very much appreciated. We love the colors that they chose throughout the home and they were invaluable for pulling together the right palette of fabrics, carpets, window treatments, and walls. The exterior paint shade they suggested is well suited to the area and, given the style and age of our 1928 house, made a dramatic improvement. In addition, given the history of the home, it was very important to us that we retain many of the charming elements while integrating an updated look, and Hurlbutt Designs helped us do that. In fact, I cannot think of one thing we didn’t do from their suggestions!”

—J. BENNETT

“I found Hurlbutt Designs after a family member recommended them. Their team is easy to work with and decisions are made quickly. Everyone pitches in to help when necessary. Working with them is a collaboration and the client’s ideas and desires are incorporated into the final plan.” —J. Turner

—J. TURNER

“We were extremely impressed with the level of expertise and dedication of the Hurlbutt team—even with a complex, one-year-plus long project. Anyone who thinks that designers are simply fabric samples and paint chips hasn’t been in the trenches with Hurlbutt doing the nitty-gritty of full-scale design work. From plumbing to hardware to lighting to spacial conceptualizing and much more—these professionals really get involved. They were lifesavers for my wife and me as we were often hundreds of miles away when work was being done. We love how they integrated what we wanted to keep from our previous residences, including some unusual antiques and a lot of art, into a sophisticated but still consciously Maine home. The house feels sophisticated, interesting, crafted, and elegant—but not at all stuffy or pretentious.”

—M. HOWARD

Hurlbutt Designs is a problem solver, finding creative solutions to every design and renovation challenge. They take the time to get to know the client as well as the house they will be decorating, so when they present design options they are always on the mark. They are pleasant and fun to work with, always professional, conscious of one’s budget, and complete the work on a timely basis. Our finished rooms are warm, welcoming, relaxed, and beautiful. The end result is lovely and feels like me. ” 

—M. BETE