A Home Makeover for Mom

Over the past decade, designer Tyler Karu and her mom, Candace, a writer, have invested in and renovated seven properties together. But none have felt as special as their most recent collaboration: a forever home for Candace on a wooded waterfront lot in York, Maine. The cottage was built in 1964, and though the roof was sound and the floors could be salvaged, the rest needed a total rehab. “After a certain age we can all use a makeover, and this place was no exception,” Candace says. She asked Tyler to oversee the design, and Tyler’s partner, contractor Kyle James, managed the renovation. “It was truly a family affair,” says Tyler. She chose quiet colors to keep the focus on her mom’s extensive art collection — and the surrounding landscape. “We agreed on the concept right away,” says Candace. “My style can veer into eccentric, but as a writer, I have always valued having a good editor, and Tyler is the best.”