We are heading up to the beautiful coast of Maine for today's episode! Our guest is Laura Keeler Pierce, the founder and principal designer of the New England-based interior design firm Keeler & Co., and the co-founder of Rusticator, a curated home furnishings shop located in Seal Harbor, Maine.

Laura sits down with Caroline, Taryn, and Liz to discuss her signature aesthetic, which masterfully blends historic New England charm with modern, updated livability. She shares how growing up moving from city to city shaped her design eye, the inspiration behind the "rusticator" lifestyle in Acadia National Park, and her approach to designing incredible commercial spaces like the reimagined Claremont Hotel.

Quick Decorating Takeaways:

Respect the Architecture: When working with older, historic homes, Laura believes in maintaining the architectural integrity while infusing it with modern character. Don't fight the bones of the house—embrace them, and let the history of the home inform your material and fabric choices.

The "Rusticator" Lifestyle: Inspired by Mount Desert Island's iconic summer cottages, Laura recommends looking for "first-generation heirlooms." These are timeless, well-crafted, sturdy pieces that can handle everyday life (and sandy feet) but still bring a sense of tailored elegance and deep comfort to a space.

Mix Classic with Contemporary: A room shouldn't feel like a museum. Laura creates warmth by layering classic, traditional patterns (like Sister Parish or William Morris & Co.) with fresh colors, vintage bamboo pieces, and contemporary art to keep the room feeling spirited, welcoming, and deeply personal.

What You’ll Hear on This Episode:

00:00 Welcome & Introduction to Laura Keeler Pierce

02:00 Growing up surrounded by "sawdust and custom draperies"

06:00 Balancing a heritage design sensibility with modern living

12:00 The foundation of Keeler & Co. in Boston and Maine

18:00 The story behind Rusticator in Seal Harbor and the island lifestyle

25:00 How to source timeless furnishings and everyday heirloom pieces

32:00 The design process for reimagining the historic Claremont Hotel property

38:00 How a sense of place and local nature influences interior color palettes

45:28 Closing thoughts and where to visit Rusticator in person

Also Mentioned:

Keeler & Co. | Website

Rusticator (Seal Harbor, ME) | Website

The Claremont Hotel

Follow Keeler & Co. on Instagram: @keelerandco

Follow Rusticator on Instagram: @rusticatorshop

Shop Ballard Designs

Please send in your questions so we can answer them on our next episode! And of course, subscribe to the podcast wherever you get your podcasts so you never miss an episode. You can always check back here to see new episodes, but if you subscribe, it’ll automatically download to your phone.

Happy Decorating!

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices