Designed for Life
Working with Cara Fineman of DAG Design was a dream come true for the Housecraft team.
When we launched Housecraft Books, we knew the first house we wanted to document was our friend Cara Fineman’s Dover home.
Cara founded DAG Design in 2013, pivoting from a career as a civil rights litigator. In the past decade, she’s honed a style that is chock full of color and pattern, expertly marrying coastal elements with a whimsical bohemian flair. A house designed by Cara is layered, colorful, and takes subtle cues from the natural environment.
And while folks can see her amazing portfolio of work here, she’s never photographed her own space: the house in which she and her husband have raised three kids, lived with their beloved pets, and packed with important artifacts that tell their family’s story.
We’ll admit—at first, she didn’t quite “get it.” But, she was willing to give us a shot. We told her to tidy up a bit, get a manicure, and leave the rest to us.
Working with Historic New England, we were able to track down the original blueprints of the Royal Barry Wills home. We spent time learning about the art she’s collected on her travels, in order to preserve the stories behind those pieces for her children to have in future years. We discussed the color saturating her office, the makers of her favorite wallpaper, and how it took her longer than you might expect to design her own kitchen. Using photos from her collection, we documented the kids as they grew–and most importantly, their bedrooms, in photos that read like a time capsule for the future.
The results blew her away.
She’s since asked for copies for her children and relatives. It was especially meaningful as the book was photographed shortly before her two daughters went to college.
Now, Cara doesn’t just “get it,” she’s tapped us to photograph and create books about her mother’s South End apartment and her uncle’s art collection.
“I never expected to be so moved by seeing my house and family photographed and preserved in this book. The photography is excellent, and the design of the book is also so dynamic and engaging. I keep one on my coffee table, and have set aside three for the kids. I’m so happy I’ll be able to give this to them when they’re older.”
Photos by Lyndsay Hannah Photography
