Michelle Chase, owner and lead designer for the new Bangor kitchen and bath design business Anchor Design Co., says her biggest inspiration is her father, who also was a kitchen and bath designer, in southern Maine. Like father, like daughter.
“I used to clean the displays and file paperwork on weekends. I loved playing with the design software on the computer. It was just really fun to use this cool visualizer program and watch the huge blotter printer create a picture on paper from what the plans looked like,” said Chase.
After college, earning an associate certification in kitchen and bath design in 2007 and then working as a designer in both New York and Maine, Chase decided to follow in her father’s footsteps and open her own business. Now, a long-held dream is coming true, as Anchor Design Co. has its grand opening this weekend, March 19 and 20.
Chase offers those interested in a kitchen redesign, or in building a kitchen from the ground up, a chance to make turn their most productive room in the house into a contemporary, easy to use, comfortable space. Until Anchor opened, there was little option for those in the Bangor market looking to work with an independent kitchen and bath showroom and designer.
“I want to help people turn their kitchen vision into a room that they live in and love,” she said. “Everyone should have a room they live, especially one that they spend so much of their lives in. I focus on that — how do you use your kitchen? What types of things happen in there? How many people are in there at once? Today, a kitchen is like command central in a house.”
The 3000 square foot space, located at 1010 Stillwater Ave. in Bangor, was completely renovated over the course of three months by Jon Blair of Blair Builders, turning a formerly empty space into a bright, clean, inviting showroom. Clients will have a full array of countertops, hardware, decorative accessories and decorative tile to choose from when designing their kitchen — as well as cabinetry for laundry rooms, home bars and bathrooms. Anchor has partnered with Maine Heritage Timber out of Millinocket to provide the wood for the cabinetry, using wood reclaimed from Maine’s riverbeds.
“These pieces are amazing, and made here in Maine,” said Chase. “I love the story that goes along with their reclaimed wood, and to be able to have a piece of that in a home is pretty special.”
There are three parts to the kitchen design process. First, browsing what Anchor has to offer clients and picking out what you want. Second, Chase takes what you’ve chosen and the dimensions of your space, and creates a design pattern and estimates. And then, third, taking Chase’s design and marrying it to reality and budget.
The best feeling is when you talk with clients after the project is complete, and they are just beaming with excitement over their new kitchen,” she said. “I love the feedback, and love hearing how much they are enjoying the new space. Really, that’s what it’s all about. Makes me smile every time.”
Chase relishes the idea of being her own boss, and being able to spend time outside of work with her partner, Alan, and two children, Zoe and Griffin.
“I would never be able to do this without the support I have at home,” she said. “[They have] been cheerleaders from the beginning.”
For more information, like Anchor Design Co. on Facebook, or call them at 573-1035.
