Quick Takes With: Maria Berman and Brad Horn

“Weirdness and charm”: That’s how husband-and-wife duo Maria Berman and Brad Horn, who together make Berman Horn Studio, described the first project we covered of theirs, a quirky, color-filled farmhouse in upstate New York. That was back in 2017, and since then, we’ve marveled at the couple’s knack for creating mindful, architectural interiors that still leave room for playfulness. “Silly, thrifty, and not too serious” is how they think of their own Harlem flat, and their striking modern shingled house on the rugged island of Vinalhaven—a star of our recent Maine book—is filled with antiques and the occasional salvaged find from the town swap shop.

“Our design work is inspired by the simplicity and clarity of vernacular architecture of New England,” they write. “Each responds to the rich context of history and landscape that surrounds it.”

Today the Maine- and New York-based duo writes in with an above-and-beyond host gift, why they avoid “visual MSG”, and first thing they do in the morning (hint: it’s not looking at their phones). Read on….

You’re invited to dinner. What’s your go-to gift?

A pre-batched cocktail or mocktail to pass around. If it’s a special event, we try and find vintage silver or linens with the hosts’ initials.

What’s on your bedside table?

Books and magazines! Always too many. The early mornings are for looking at images and inspiration, and the evenings are for escaping into favorite stories. Also a few treasured photos. And a collection of little animal talismans that each have a particular meaning and can be used to center and ground the mind and as a meditative cue. Finally, lots of water.

What’s your desert island design/art/architecture-related book?

So many favorites! Hard to choose one, but John Singer Sargent Watercolors from the Boston MFA and Brooklyn Museum shows is an absolute treasure trove of his wondrous glowing works. We always think of Sargent as a portrait painter, highly polished and client driven, but the watercolors are small, intimate, and clearly painted for his own pleasure or as gifts for friends. They beautifully capture sunfilled days, travel, architectural elements, Venice, all forming a visual diary of his time. His mastery of the medium is truly inspirational.

Above: At Maria and Brad’s Vinalhaven house, shingled houses are connected by a modern, minimal screen porch the couple designed themselves. (See more of it in our book Remodelista in Maine.) Photograph by Greta Rybus.

What’s a film or TV show whose aesthetic has stuck with you?

The recent Shogun series. Such an incredible evocation of the mood of medieval Japan, with glowing landscapes and intricate costumes and textiles in every scene. In contrast to this, we just recently rewatched the first few episodes of the 1980’s Miami Vice and were struck by the focus on architecture and fashion. A highly designed mid-80s time-capsule.

What has been your best house upgrade?

Split system HVAC. Efficient and ever more necessary in New England’s warming summers.

A simple or budget-friendly design move you wish you’d known sooner?

Buying parts of Ikea furniture to incorporate into custom designs.

My favorite paint color for the bedroom is…

Forever and always Benjamin Moore’s Heaven. The palest lavender gray, which is almost imperceptibly a color, but makes the room feel like a glowing cloud. Serenity in a can.

My unpopular design opinion is…

There is never a single “right” design or decision. Thinking that there is brings so much unnecessary stress to the design process. Realizing that many different paths can all lead to happiness, comfort, and beauty allows the design to unfold organically without the pressure of fearing mistakes.

Above: A glimpse from the first story we ran on Berman Horn: ‘Weirdness and Charm’ in an Upstate New York Farmhouse. Photography by Rush Jagoe, courtesy of Berman Horn Studio.

Your design pet peeve?

We try to avoid “visual MSG”, which is something that grabs the eyes and provides visual stimulation but gives little lasting satisfaction or nourishment. We love things that are unexpected, thoughtful but with the effortlessness of something undesigned that can all come together to create a space which can make its own history.

Our go-to kitchen utensil is…

A fish spatula and a Cuisinart. The fish spatula because it allows total control when cooking in a pan. The Cuisinart because it does everything: grates, chops, slices, whips cream. My machine is 15 years old and going strong.

Three words that describe our design style:

Confident, playful, undesigned.

Above: Maria and Brad.

First design love?

Charles Rennie Mackintosh and the Glasgow School.

What item from your closet do you have on repeat?

Vintage high-waisted Levi’s.

Favorite design shop to visit (online or in person)?

The Gallery at 200 Lex in NYC is a whole floor of incredible antique dealers and always time well spent, whether shopping or just browsing.

What is the last thing you purchased for your house?

Another lamp! It’s a problem.

Something you’re coveting?

A large flat-woven rug by Marta Maas Fjetterstrom.

Above: Maria and Brad in Harlem. Photograph by Greta Rybus.

Thanks, Maria and Brad! Follow their work @bermanhornstudio and via bermanhornstudio.com. (They’re also members of our Architect and Designer Directory; head here for more.)