Ana Donahue Interiors
Written and Photographed by Nancy Clover
Does a decorator seem like an extravagance?
That is what I thought until I was going crazy picking out tile for a back splash. My counter tops are busy, and the cabinets are boring so what do I chose for the tile? The tile stores made me dizzy with choices.
I had strolled by Ana Donahue Interiors store on Main Street multiple times but this trip I crossed the threshold. I was greeted by the lovely Lillian Francescucci Di Maria. Lillian curates the colorful and eclectic storefront. The store is part gift shop and part design studio. It is a feast for the eyes, comfortable and has all price points. Ana has a separate space on West Foster St. for design work.
Lillian has been doing design work for over 30 years and was so easy to talk to. I was afraid she might be condescending about my inability to pick out something as simple as a back splash but instead was approachable, warm, and inviting. We arranged for an in-home consultation. The cost was $195, which seemed steep but her counsel on the tile and many other personal decorating tips was priceless.
At my condo, Lillian made a perfect suggestion for the tile on the backsplash. She also had other fantastic ideas. When we moved to Melrose, we took a lot of furniture from the Methuen house and just put them in spots as a place keeper but after 7 months, we just sort of got use to how it was laid out without really thinking about the set up. Lillian looked around and advised us on simple changes that would help with the flow.
I was also struggling with where to hang our pictures and Lillian had great ideas on how to make it more cohesive.
Taking Lillian’s advice, we immediately got rid of a lamp, changed out the end table, reduced the size of my desk by a file cabinet, got rid of some unnecessary clutter, curated our bookshelf, and hung some pictures.
My daughter has a new apartment in Melrose and will be taking some extra furniture that will free up space in our home but will be perfect in her new place.
My only complaint is I wished I had consulted with Lillian and Ana Donahue Interiors earlier.
