At MILTON, we believe that having the right talent is essential to building exceptional homes. Our Architect/Decorator, Marybeth Woods, is truly a wonderful talent. With over 15 years of experience in residential design, Marybeth takes traditional elements and fuses them with modern details to create crisp, elegant spaces. The result is homes that are functional, livable and enduring. We sat down with Marybeth to discuss architecture, innovation and her own unique aesthetic. 
What does architectural design mean to you? Architectural design to me means an integration of form and function, basically taking the needs of someone, their program and creating a unified composition that is pleasing to the eye. How do you ensure that client requests are met and that your unique design is preserved? I think that most good architecture is a marriage of several things. Usually there is a site or the house, then there is the client and then there is me. And I don’t think that anything is really successful unless you combine those three elements. So I think that everyone gets some of what they want. And that the total is greater than either individual piece. I think that their needs are met and my needs are met but then there is the site, the home that also dictates a lot. It’s a collaboration and combination. 
How did you decide to form a partnership with MILTON and how are your approaches complementary? I think that the partnership was just mutually beneficial. I think that we were at a point of time when design was starting to change. I think that MILTON saw that. The cookie cutter colonial McMansions were on their way out. A cleaner aesthetic was coming in. In this area, Fairfield County, we have a lot of young New York clients coming in that have a little more of a young, modern aesthetic. I think that MILTON saw that. I was looking to pursue that myself so it was a nice collaborating point. What does brand integrity mean to you? And how do you protect your brand? I don’t know how you protect it. I don’t worry about it. I just keep evolving and changing. And so what I do is constantly fresh and new. If you are on the cutting edge, then there is nothing to protect. People can imitate you and that’s fine (laughs) but I don’t really know how you protect it. 
How would you define innovation? Evolving, changing. For me, truly innovative design at this time is combining old and new. How do you take traditional colonial architectural forms and mesh them with contemporary clean lines that a lot of people want to see, and create something beautiful. And that’s innovation… take two things and you bring them together, integrate them and make something new. Click to view our portfolio.
Month: February 2024
Great Garage Ideas
For many of us, our garages serve primarily as parking spots and storage depositories. While we pass through these spaces multiple times a day, it is easy to neglect them from a visual perspective. Yet given how much focus we put on the right finish and attention to detail throughout the design of our homes, why shouldn’t we give our garages the same attention? At Milton, we believe that the perfectly outfitted garage is as beautiful on the inside as it is on the outside. You don’t need to be afraid to open the doors!
The most important step to a well organized garage is to get clutter off the floors. Bringing as much as possible up and into designated sections and systems conserves space and makes everything easier to find.
Cabinets are our favorite way to reclaim the serenity of a space. Custom built cabinets provide the cleanest look and greatest efficiency. We love natural woods for longterm performance and durability or the modern look of metal, like stainless steel.
A more casual alternative that provides fun flexibility for easy labeling (and relabeling!) can be achieved with chalkboard paint. Give your kids each their own cabinet and inspire them to put their things away.
Bikes deserve their own designated parking spaces. Racks are great to add vertical capacity and can be cleverly placed around a variety of space restrictions.
Want an immediate solution to tidy things up and hide some of the visual chaos? There is always the good old curtain trick!
For flooring, think easy to maintain, stain resistant, and durable. Yet there is no need to sacrifice beauty in the garage – pick a surface that adds style and complements the rest of your home.
Once you’ve allocated space for tools and all of the kids’ toys and equipment, don’t forget to leave room for your own favorite toys and hobbies – a gardener’s corner is a popular option.
The opportunities are endless. Car collectors may find inspiration in the Italian jewelry scion Nicola Bulgari’s garage bedroom, which overlooks a birds-eye view of his prized collection:
Or you can take creative liberties in an entirely different direction – who said a garage has to house cars? Check out this former garage that has been converted to a trendy but family friendly lounge. It’s your space – do what you want with it!
Anything is possible. Have fun dreaming, and let us know how we can help!
