LND26_ISSUE_LR by HappeningInTheHills

The

ANNUAL DESIGN ISSUE

INTERIOR DESIGN GISSLER.com | 212-228-9880

860.274.7903

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CT / MA / NY

EDITOR’S LET TER

Good Company

Mary Beth Lawlor PUBLISHER AND EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

ELCOME to our annual design issue, which is really a celebration of the people who make the homes around here so special. Litchfield County has a remarkable concentration of designers, architects, artisans, and makers, and every year we could easily fill these pages twice over. We start at the table, which feels exactly right for the season, with pages of Thanksgiving tables photographed by Jim Henkens. From there we get a peek into Jou-Yie Chou’s home, a partner at Post Company, and highlight the brilliance of sculptor Mark Mennin and his new book. On Our Radar is packed with people worth knowing, from Abby Bangser, who has brought her Object & Thing gallery to New Preston, to furniture designer Richard Wrightman, Susannah Anderson of Anderson Seat Works, our cover star - perfumer and psychotherapist Ash Compton, and Lisa Gralnek on design and sustainability. In EATS we are thrilled with the Daniel Boulud residency at the Mayflower Inn in Washington, and Art News takes us to Kenise Barnes Fine Art in Kent. And of course, the annual Design Guide is here, our directory of the builders, designers, kitchen and bath pros, antiques dealers, and craftspeople doing beautiful work all over the county. Keep it close for the next time you’re dreaming up a project, I’m sure the right person is just down the road.

HAPPY T H A N K SGIVING !

2 • LITCHFIELD • NOV I DEC 2026

The Inside Scoop 1 Middle Street Manor Christienne Gerlinger turned an 1815 house a block from downtown New Milford into a Gilmore Girls–inspired short-term rental, and two of her rooms have already gone viral on Instagram. Lorelai would approve, provided the coffee’s strong.

2 Reader’s Choice Voting opens soon for our annual Readers’ Choice awards. Vote for the restaurants, shops, and people you love most, and look for the winners in our Readers’ Choice issue in the new year. Vote at litchfieldmagazine.com

3 New Shop in Town Sarah Lee, owner of Hays Worthington in New Preston, has purchased the old Privet House location and is busy renovating. Rumor has it she’ll open before the end of the year, and we can’t wait!

4 Holiday Sip & Shop Join us on the Litchfield Green on Friday, December 11, from 5 to 7 pm for a festive evening of shopping local, a little bubbly, and plenty of good cheer. Follow us on Instagram for the details. @litchfieldmagazine

5 Jam Food Shop Lee Kennedy’s beloved Sharon deli and specialty grocer, known for its sandwiches and grab-andgo dinners, is moving into its very own shop at 19 Main St. in Salisbury. Lucky Salisbury!

CONTENTS

More Is More, Beautifully

ASH COMPTON Kent psychotherapist Ash Compton turns memory, place, and desert grasses into Fray Ardens, her perfume line.

BY CLEMENTINA VERGE

ANDREA DERWIN For more than three decades, R. Derwin Clothiers has kept Litchfield in cashmere. Andrea Derwin’s secret is that she knows every client.

B Y T R OY M C M U L L E N

DESIGN GUIDE The designers, builders, and makers shaping how Litchfield County lives, in their own words.

hanksgiving is when the table becomes a blank canvas. Schuyler Samperton starts hers with an antique paisley cloth and 19th-century antler candlesticks, while Philip Gorrivan, Martha Fish, Sarah Worden, and Joanna Seitz bring heirloom china, pheasant feathers, and Mexican pottery to the room. Five tastemakers share how they set the season’s most anticipated table. 4 • LITCHFIELD • NOV | DEC 2026

DESIGN GUIDE LISTINGS Our directory of the region’s trusted designers, builders, and craftspeople for every room, roof, and acre.

ON THE COVER Ash Compton of Mood Psychotherapy Photograph by Rana Faure

PHOTOGRAPH OF SCHUYLER SAMPERTON BY JIM HENKENS

EXPANDING CARE WHERE IT MATTERS MOST Nuvance Health is now Northwell. We're here to Raise Health for all. That means more doctors closer to you and enhanced facilities for a healthier tomorrow. Learn more at Northwell.edu/CareForAll

CONTENTS

2 EDITOR’S NOTE Publisher and editor-in-chief Mary Beth Lawlor introduces the annual design issue

14 LOOKING BACK

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The Seth Thomas clocks of Thomaston and Henry Siddons Mowbray’s mural at the Gunn Memorial Library

BY ALEXANDRA MAZZA

25 ON OUR RADAR Ash Compton, Richard Wrightman, Upcycle Modern, Susannah Anderson, Lisa Gralnek, Dugazon, Abby Bangser, Gay Talese, Andrea Derwin, George Criollo

45 DESIGN GUIDE The makers shaping how Litchfield County lives, in their own words

73 DESIGN GUIDE LISTINGS Trusted resources for every room, roof, and acre

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84 JOU-YIE CHOU When the designer is the client, a Lakeville Cape becomes home BY CLEMENTINA VERGE

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93 THANKSGIVING Five tastemakers set the holiday table

104 MARK MENNIN The sculptor who makes granite feel tender, in his new monograph, Observances BY JAMES SALOMON

107 OUT & ABOUT NWCT Arts, Gunn Library’s Booked, Savor Litchfield

110 EATS Daniel Boulud pulls up a chair at the Mayflower Inn

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BY CHARLES DUBOW

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120 ART NEWS Cool & Collected 2026 at Kenise Barnes Fine Art

HOLIDAY GIFTS TO HELP YOU NAIL IT RIGHT THE FIRST TIME

WHO WE ARE

BRENDA TATE PORTRAITS

Rana Faure PHOTOGRAPHER

Faure finds inspiration in photographing the people and places that make the region home. Formerly with Getty Images and Seventeen, she tells the stories in this issue through her lens, from psychotherapist Ash Compton’s intuitive botanical perfume line, Fray Ardens, to Susannah Anderson’s seat-weaving studio, Anderson Seat Works.

Michelle Madden WRITER

Madden is a Webby Award-nominated writer. In this issue, she visits Upcycle Modern, a delightful stop in Kent where a flea market and an upholstery shop make a perfect couple. She also profiles Lisa Gralnek, a design and sustainability executive who has dedicated her career to moving sustainability off the sidelines and into the spotlight.

203-819-2613 BrendaTatePhotography@gmail.com www.brendatateportraits.com

Troy McMullen WRITER

McMullen is an Emmy-winning journalist for ABC News and a former reporter at The Wall Street Journal. Here, he offers a sneak peek at The Coupe, a new wine bar set to open in Bantam, and visits R. Derwin Clothiers, Andrea Derwin’s boutique for timeless, well-made style.

Your Residential Roofing Specialist

Protection, Performance & Curb Appeal

Supervised By The Owner

Christopher Stella WRITER

Stella is a writer, photographer, woodworker, and marketer. In this issue, he explores how place and heritage inform Richard Wrightman’s furniture designs.

Clementina Verge

8 • LITCHFIELD • NOV | DEC 2026

WRITER

Verge teaches literature at Central Connecticut State University. For this issue, she speaks with craftswoman Susannah Anderson about the art of reclaiming a seat and preserving a personal legacy, and with psychotherapist Ash Compton about the persistence of memory, shifting landscapes, and their power to shape us.

Mary Beth Lawlor PUBLISHER / EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Ken DeLago DESIGN DIRECTOR

Vanessa Hammond OPERATIONS MANAGER

Alicia Pascale PRODUCTION MANAGER

Steven Lombardi WEBSITE MANAGER

Zandria Oliver PRODUCTION ASSISTANT

Alexandra Mazza EDITORIAL ASSISTANT

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Frances Chamberlin, Charles Dubow, Michelle Madden, Alexandra Mazza, Troy McMullen, Maria Mostajo, James Salomon, Christopher Stella, Clementina Verge CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS Rana Faure, Jim Henkens, Ryan Lavine ADVERTISING SALES Jill Lawlor: 860-931-7787 jill@litchfieldmagazine.com DISTRIBUTION Man in Motion: 203-515-2288 We welcome input about this and future issues. Please address letters, queries, and ideas to info@litchfieldmagazine.com. TO ADVERTISE email: jill@litchfieldmagazine.com or call us at 860-931-7787 Go to www.litchfieldmagazine.com/subscribe for a one-year subscription or send $40 to: Happening in the Hills LLC PO Box 95, South Kent, CT 06785 860-931-7787 Litchfield Magazine is a publication of Happening in the Hills LLC. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced without permission of the publisher. L ITC HFIE L D MAGA ZIN E.COM

NOV | DEC 2026 • LITCHFIELD • 9

F E E D B AC K

COVER

The Education Issue

“Beautiful.” @JULIELAPLACA

KATIE RE SCHEIDT

67 Portraits: Painting Remembrance for KBW

“A breathtaking, powerful, and moving exhibit.” @WENDYKINGPHILIPS

“This is beautiful and heartbreaking all at once. Grateful this work exists.” @ARTISTMARKETINGMAGIC

“What a beautiful tribute.” @CHUDNEYLROSS

DAVID LEITE COOKIES

David Leite Reveals Secrets to the Perfect Chocolate Chip Cookie “I love Leite’s Culinaria— so cool to find out that he’s a local!” @GOOD_NATURED_COMPANY

JOSEPH ROBERT GLUSE ARCHITECT , LLC

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TOPSMEAD

Topsmead: A Legacy Preserved in Time “Topsmead is so special. What a gift to Litchfield!” @MANDYGANDT

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SKIFF MOUNTAIN

Skiff Mountain Farm

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10 • LITCHFIELD • NOV | DEC 2026

VACATION HOME RENTALS

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look ing back

BY ALEXANDRA MAZZA

Today, The Old Clock Factory Hums On as an Industrial Park. 14 • LITCHFIELD • NOV | DEC 2026

HEN THE CLOCKS fall back this November, spare a thought for Thomaston, the town whose name is synonymous with American timekeeping. Long before it became Thomaston, the area was known as Plymouth Hollow. It was first explored in 1657 by a Farmington hunting party that found what it thought was a lead mine at a spot called Lead Mine Brook, though no fortune came of it. Henry Cook settled the region around 1727, and by the late 1730s, 14 families called it home. In 1739, they split from Watertown and Waterbury to form Northbury Parish. The town’s true turning point arrived with clockmaker Eli Terry, who pioneered the mass-production of clocks in the early 1800s. In 1813, fellow clockmaker Seth Thomas

The Town That Sold Time

bought a mill in Plymouth Hollow and established the Seth Thomas Clock Company. The business expanded steadily until the town incorporated in his honor in 1875 as Thomaston (literally, Thomas Town). Into the 20th century, the Thomaston Knife Company, Plume & Atwood, and the Hallden Machine Company joined the Seth Thomas Clock Company as downtown’s industrial backbone, anchored by the 1884 Town Hall, Opera House, and the Morse Block. Today, the old clock factory hums on as an industrial park, the Naugatuck River winds past preserved brick buildings, and the town, which marked its 150th anniversary in 2025, keeps ticking along—fitting for a place that was keeping perfect time a full century before daylight saving even existed. ■

THOMASTON HISTORICAL SOCIETY

Tick, Tick, Thomaston

look ing back

PHOTO CREDIT: PHILIP DUTTON

HERE IS A STUNNING jewel in Washington, but you have to look straight up to see it. “The Myth of Proserpine,” painted in spectacular detail by Henry Siddons Mowbray in 1914, covers the domed ceiling of the Gunn Memorial Library. Mowbray, known early in his career as an Orientalist painter, became a champion of the American Renaissance and its classical style. He moved to Washington full-time in 1907 and lived in a house built for him by his friend Ehrick Rossiter, the noted architect who designed many Washington homes in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The two collaborated on several projects, including the library. Spanning 29 by 13½ feet, the mural tells the classical myth of Proserpine in four triangular sections. Pluto abducts Proserpine into the underworld; her mother, Ceres, presides over vine and grain; Mercury returns Proserpine to Ceres; and the final section overflows with fruit and flowers. “The room is always open and is a quiet workspace,” says executive director Audra MacLaren. “You can look up from the circulation desk and see a portion of the mural above.” Just off the Green, St. John’s Episcopal Church holds a Mowbray triptych at the end of the chancel. St. John is the central figure, flanked by two angels holding symbolic churches, with four more saints on each side.

gunnlibrary.org stjohnswashington.com

Mowbray Mural Graces Gunn Library’s Domed Ceiling BY FRANCES CHAMBERLAIN

The Mural Tells The Classical Myth of Proserpine In Four Triangular Sections. NOV | DEC 2026 • LITCHFIELD • 15

West Wind Hill, A Masterfully Crafted Estate Spanning 391 Acres in Kent, CT OFFERED AT $7,400,000 | 6 BEDS | 5/3 BATHS | 10,549 SQ FT Set on a plateau with panoramic, protected views this Stone & Shingle residence is reached by a private, gated drive that winds past old stonewalls, open meadow and a serene pond. Special features of the home include reclaimed chestnut floors, hand-detailed millwork, banks of French doors and windows, a paneled library, chef’s kitchen with a massive stone hearth, billiard room, media room and a wine cellar with tasting room. A stone and gunite pool and pool house with full kitchen, plus two stone barns complete the grounds.

Steve Pener

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A Nose for the Unconscious Kent Psychotherapist Ash Compton Turns Memory Into Perfume BY CLEMENTINA VERGE

PH OTO GR A PH BY R A N A FAU RE

NOV | DEC 2026 • LITCHFIELD • 25

E OFTEN IMAGINE how a new home, landscape, or relationship could provide a fresh start. Yet changing our surroundings does not necessarily change what lies within us. ¶ For psychotherapist Ash Compton, that distinction sits at the heart of her practice. Based in Kent, she works with creatives, highly sensitive people, and those navigating trauma and the uncertainties of contemporary life. “We bring our complexes, histories, relationships, defenses, distresses, and ways of making meaning with us,” she reflects. “There is a deep distinction between changing your environment and changing your inner relationship to your life. We may move somewhere beautiful and discover that we are still inhabiting the same inner landscape.” A cultural ecologist as well as a psychotherapist, Compton moves among Jungian psychology, environmental grief, systems thinking, communications design, and personal history. Her work looks beyond what is immediately visible and considers the emotional, relational, and environmental forces that shape how we experience the world. That interest in the invisible extends naturally into another medium: scent. Compton is also an olfactory artist and the creator of Fray Ardens, a perfume line exploring memory, imagination, and relationships to place. Scent can arrive before a thought. It forms an unusually intimate connection with memory and emotion, returning us instantly to a person, a season, or a place we thought we had left behind. For Compton, fragrance is not simply about reproducing what a place smells like but about translating the experience of being there into another sensory language. As a child, she had color-grapheme synesthesia, a blending of sensory associations. In creating fragrance, she began asking not simply what something smelled like but what it might look, sound, or feel like. That sensibility is evident in Nouveau Ranch, from Fray Ardens’ first collection, Mythopoesis. Created while Compton was living in Marfa, Texas, the fragrance emerged from long walks along ranch roads and a fascination with the grasses of the Chihuahuan Desert. Blue grama grass, her favorite, barely has a scent. Rather than attempting to reproduce an aroma that was scarcely there, Compton asked a more imaginative 26 • LITCHFIELD • NOV | DEC 2026

THE COUPE IS COMING

refueling in style

“Scent can arrive before a thought.” question: What would this grass smell like? Working from visual impressions, sounds, journals, and memory, she created a translation between senses, a way of turning a place into something that could be carried. The idea becomes particularly poignant as familiar landscapes change. Compton’s work in environmental grief recognizes that losing a landscape can be both ecological and deeply personal. Places hold memory and shape identity; when they change or disappear, something within us may shift too. Her psychotherapy, environmental work, and perfume-making ultimately circle the same territory: the invisible patterns, associations, and atmospheres that shape experience before language arrives. The inner anchor, then, is not immunity from change but the ability to remain in relationship with what changes—to grieve without becoming immobilized, to remember without becoming trapped, and to carry something beautiful forward when the original place is no longer there. Like scent, the things that shape us may be invisible, but no less real for being so. moodpsychotherapy.com

long-abandoned gas station in the heart of Bantam, an eyesore for 16 years, is getting an ambitious second act. Litchfield’s Hayley Schmid is reimagining the property as The Coupe, a modern wine bar that pairs the site’s industrial bones with contemporary warmth. It is set to open in December. “Architecturally, most of the industrial elements have been preserved,” says Schmid, a former studio manager for the ceramic lighting and furniture studio Dumais Made. She has enlisted noted Litchfield architect Clifford Cooper to turn the neglected structure into a sleek space with exposed beams, expansive glass, and the original overhead garage doors. “We’ve kept the storefront, and the outside will look kind of like a polished version of what it was,” Schmid adds. The venue sits on Bantam Rd, just across from Arethusa Farm Dairy, and will serve wine, beer, and locally farmed small plates. Dumais Made, Bantam Tileworks, and the wallpaper and textile design studio TWENTY2 are all contributing to the interior. Expect warm wood tones, a wooden bar with a zinc top, and plenty of eclectic seating, all designed to create “a really approachable, comfortable space to hang out in,” says Schmid. “It’s been a long road and a challenge,” she explains. “But the community has been so incredibly supportive every step of the way.” —TROY MCMULLEN

Designed for Discovery Richard Wrightman creates furniture that’s meant to move in Litchfield County B Y C H R I S T O P H E R S T E L L A

ICHARD WRIGHTMAN’S STUDIO sits along the Farmington River in New Hartford, in an 1840s mill that once spun canvas for boat sails—fitting, for a designer who reinvents campaign furniture. “I love things aligned with exploration and travel,” says Wrightman. “I was first drawn to French modern design, but some of my first pieces had a campaign or safari feel to them, and I realize that’s the direction I want to move toward.”

That design sensibility has roots in Wrightman’s childhood. His father was in the military, and the family moved constantly—between Europe and Los Angeles, through Copenhagen, Greece, and Germany. Among their belongings was a 19th-century campaign bed and chest of drawers. “Whenever we would move, I would have to take them apart and put them back together again,” he recalls.

He began at Fairchild Publications before moving into fashion, then product design, in New York. A line of lamps made from found French kitchen objects earned a write-up in The New York Times and led to a fabrication apprenticeship at Product & Design, giving him the grounding to open his own studio in Long Island City. Campaign furniture has been called “luxury under NOV | DEC 2026 • LITCHFIELD • 27

canvas,” designed for officers who wanted home comforts transported to the field. But Wrightman never wanted to simply resurrect the past. “I didn’t want to produce period campaign furniture,” he says. “I wanted to put a modern twist to it, so I brought back the iconic Roorkhee chair from the 1890s, but wanted to make it the most luxurious version of the chair I could.” That distinction defines his 130-piece collection, 70 percent of it campaign inspired, built from hardwoods like black walnut, white oak, teak, and wenge, with English bridle leather armrests and pebbled leather seats. The pieces are named for real and fictitious travel writers, giving each a sense of history. Wrightman has stepped back from the workbench but stays closely involved in the process. “I no longer 28 • LITCHFIELD • NOV | DEC 2026

“I wanted to give campaign furniture a modern twist.”

consider myself a maker. I’m more of an art director,” he says. “But I frequently get off my chair and go downstairs to see what’s going on, and I talk to my crew.” It’s a habit that says as much about him as any finished piece. “I think the most important thing is staying true to yourself and your values,” he says. “I still want to be able to touch everything that goes out the door.” Wrightman moved his studio from New York City to New Hartford in 2021—a shift that changed only where he finds inspiration. “In New York, I was always looking at shops, showrooms, and industry shows,” notes Wrightman. “Here I’m removed from that, so I find myself looking to antique shops for inspiration.” The tradeoff is worth it. “Whenever old friends ask how country life is, my reply for years has been: Living here feels like one long weekend in the country,” muses Wrightman. “After five years, I still feel the same way.” richardwrightman.com

The Apprentice

How One Man Followed His Hands to Find His Vocation B Y M I C H E L L E M A D D E N

HEN YOU FIRST walk into Upcycle Modern in Kent, the whimsical fusion of vintage finds and custom upholstery shop, your eyes are pulled in a myriad of directions. There’s the “Mona Lisa” on a decorative pillow, a buttery-smooth glass carafe sourced from Milan, and a tree trunk that pulls open to reveal two not terribly utilitarian shelves with a Chrysler Building peeking out the top. You don’t go here if you’re looking for white plates. But it’s the back room, just big enough to hold a seven-foot couch, where Michael Jacoby, the owner of Upcycle Modern, works his upholstery magic. “Playroom in the front, workshop in the back,” is how he describes it. In addition to custom work, he travels to Europe twice a year to source fabric for items he sells in the shop. Jacoby was first introduced to upholstery in high school. His family lived in a wealthy suburb of Los Angeles, where they were the only family that wasn’t. “I wanted a car, and the only way I was going to get one was to work,” he says. So at the suggestion of his sister’s boyfriend, he got a job at an upholstery shop, and after four years he had saved enough to buy a 1972 MGB convertible. He reupholstered it in green tweed—a rookie mistake for a convertible, he would come to realize.

After high school, he went to film school and worked in LA and later New York City, toiling away making minidocumentaries for ad agencies, only to feel completely hollow. Then Covid hit, and he and his partner retreated to their home in Kent. It was there that he had his aha moment:

“I’ve been happiest working with my hands.”

the time he had been happiest was when he was working with his hands, in a shop, with wood, thread, and fabric—in other words, as an upholsterer. So at 50, he set out to become an apprentice. He joined The Upholstery Shed in New Milford, learning the intricate details of setting springs and lining up fabric. He realized how much he enjoyed “shop culture”—the colorful characters, the laughter. After five years, his boss told him, “Michael, you’ve learned everything there is to learn. It’s time to go.” And like a bird being nudged out of the nest, he was off. His work is now sought after, due in large part to his handcrafted precision. “It’s a lot of math and measuring. You have to be fastidious,” he says. In Europe, there is still great respect for the trades; in America, however, Jacoby’s vocational path is rare, and there are few opportunities to even learn the craft. Jacoby recalls that several of his colleagues during his high school apprenticeship learned the trade while serving time in prison. “I see glimmers of hope that it might grow,” he says. “Like a Brooklyn hipster baking bread, people now think it’s cool that I reupholster.” As we wander the shop, Jacoby points out a table artfully laid out with retro designer bags. “This collection was curated by an intern of mine,” he says. And so the apprenticeship begins. upcyclemodern.com

PH OTO GR A PH BY R A N A FAU RE

NOV | DEC 2026 • LITCHFIELD • 29

PH OTO GR A PH S BY R A N A FAU RE

The Chair Weaver Restoring Heirlooms, Preserving Stories B Y C L E M E N T I N A V E R G E

N A STUDIO tucked along a quiet Norfolk road, restoration unfolds one stitch at a time. For artist Susannah Anderson, seat weaving is more than craftwork—it is an act of preservation, honoring the memories woven into every chair she restores. Known for her annual exhibitions at The Art Barn in Norfolk, Anderson began weaving when her inlaws passed along a pair of deteriorating Mid-Century Modern chairs. The frames had remained beautiful, but the seats had collapsed with age. Instead of discarding them, she decided to learn to save them. “I thought, surely they deserve another life,” Anderson says. After watching online tutorials and long days of practice, she became skilled in traditional weaving methods and eventually founded Anderson Seat Works, “chair repair with care.” Better known as chair caning, the ancient craft—originating in Egypt—threads natural or synthetic fibers through drilled holes to form durable seats and backs. Today, only a handful of people in the region do this work. Danish cording, holeto-hole caning, daisy patterns, fiber rush, rattan vines from Southeast Asia—the process is meticulous. A single chair can require several days of weaving, binding, and finishing. Yet for Anderson, this labor is meditative and rewarding. “There’s something very satisfying about working with my hands,” she says. “Watching the patterns emerge, seeing the materials transform. It’s solitary work, but really joyful.” Her appreciation for craftsmanship began early. Her father, an architect, trained her eye for structure and intricacy, shaping her decades-long career as a scenic painter for theater productions across the country, including Hartford Stage and Seattle Opera. But scenic painting also prompted a professional turning point. Years working around industrial paints and solvents caused health challenges she linked to prolonged exposure to fumes. Leaving that

“I didn’t even know there had been a West Winsted in Connecticut.” Anderson believes furniture absorbs the emotional imprint of the people who used it. The worn armrests, the softened edges— signs that this was someone’s favorite seat. “Buying new might be cheaper,” she acknowledges. “But this is about saving a story. Someone’s loved one sat in that chair. Maybe a grandfather built it. Restoring it honors that family’s history.” One recent restoration held particular emotional weight: a widow brought Anderson her late husband’s chair. It became usable again, the repair an act of remembrance. New seating, Anderson notes, can

“Chairs have secrets.” environment healed her, but also prompted her to reconsider her creative process. That’s when she remembered the chairs. Today, Anderson restores heirlooms that many owners thought were beyond saving. A Hitchcock chair with worn arms. A French bentwood chair with mother-ofpearl details. A century-old piece bearing a handwritten note inside its frame: “Made in West Winsted, May 23, 1911.” “Chairs have secrets,” she laughs.

extend a chair’s life by decades, carrying it into another generation. In an era of mass production, this testifies to patience, handcraft, and human connection. Beyond chair restoration, Anderson continues to paint landscapes, portraits, and pets. Whether holding a paintbrush or threading cord, her work remains the same: creating beauty one detail at a time. andersonseatworks.com NOV | DEC 2026 • LITCHFIELD • 3 1

Built to Last For Lisa Gralnek, Good Design Is Responsible Design B Y M I C H E L L E M A D D E N

HE FIRST THING that strikes you about Lisa Gralnek is her posture. She carries herself with absolute confidence. So it is no surprise that when she talks about design and sustainability, you come away utterly convinced there is no other way we should be designing. Nor is it surprising to learn that she speaks three languages, has lived in six countries, and has just released a TEDx talk on resilience. Gralnek is U.S. managing director and global head of sustainability and impact at iF Design, the prestigious German nonprofit known for giving the

32 • LITCHFIELD • NOV | DEC 2026

“Design is also about adaptation.” only international design award with sustainability fully embedded in its primary jury criteria. Its jurors include design heavyweights such as the chief design officers of Mattel and Kia. Recent winners include a package that skips glue and tape in favor of a self-locking design that tears once opened, making tampering obvious, and the Grand Ring at Expo 2025 Osaka, built with a fusion of modern construction techniques and traditional nuki joints like those found in Japanese temples.

Gralnek is also a business member of 1% for the Planet, giving one percent of her gross revenue each year to nonprofits such as Steep Rock Association. She created the podcast series “Future of XYZ,” which features luminaries such as Nick Foster, former head of design at Google X. Design and sustainability are in her blood. Her great-grandmother, Frances Vaughan Finletter, was one of the first female professional landscape architects in the country. Gralnek grew up on a California clifftop and spent summers by the sea in Maine, in a cottage with no electricity. From a young age, she was acutely aware of her connection to nature and her impact on it. So a prestigious career in sustainability and design was inevitable, and educating others comes naturally. She points out that vegan leather, often touted as the environmentally friendly choice, is usually made from plastic. “Sustainability must be a full value-chain consideration, from material choice to end-of-life disposal,” she says. At Adidas, she created a virtual shoe “sample” as an alternative to mailing thousands of single shoes to retailers, all destined for landfills. (Some 92 million tons of textile waste end up in landfills and incinerators each year, by the way.) For Chobani, she helped add a “rip-strip” to the yogurt label, making it easy for customers to remove the label before recycling so sorting machines can read the number on the cup instead of sending it to the incinerator. “The issue,” Gralnek says, “isn’t how can we design more sustainably, but how can we not help to sustain the only thing that is sustaining us—which is our planet.” As we part, Gralnek is about to hop on a call with the director of the Climate Risk Lab at MIT to discuss urban resilience. “Design is also about adaptation,” she says, “adapting to our new climate reality and ensuring that what may come our way, we are designing to handle it.” ifdesign.com Hear Gralnek’s TEDx talk, “Give Yourself Some Grace,” at bit.ly/3VRGdZ8

Set the Table, Sharon Style Our Favorite Finds From Dugazon’s Well-Traveled Shelves 1

1 RarIl Buco Pienza Decanter in amber, $160 2 Vintage Silver Serving Pieces $45-95

John Derian 6” Coaster $110 4 Il Buco Bevagna Place Setting soup bowl $50 side plate $54 dinner plate $63 5 Antique Candlesticks wood and brass $125 - $395 6

John Derian Footed Urn 10.5” Pinwheele $1,350 7 Charvet Editions Bon Appetit Napkins set of six $144 NOV | DEC 2026 • LITCHFIELD • 33

Objects of Interest Abby Bangser Brings Contemporary Art and Craft to New Preston B Y M A R I A M O S TA J O

BJECT & THING’S NEW permanent gallery in New Preston marks a milestone for founder and creative director Abby Bangser. Launched in New York City in 2019, Object & Thing began as an exhibition platform designed to reimagine the traditional art fair, focusing on work at the fluid intersection of contemporary art, functional design, and craft. Bangser’s deep expertise in the international art world laid the foundation for the concept. An art history graduate of the University of Chicago, she previously served as artistic director of Frieze Art Fairs and founding head of the Americas Foundation of the Serpentine Galleries, and held key roles at the Dia Art Foundation, LACMA, and the Guggenheim Museum. She also serves on the advisory council of Philip Johnson’s Glass House and curated a section at Frieze London this October.

34 • LITCHFIELD • NOV | DEC 2026

“Where craft meets modernism.”

Object & Thing has since grown to present collaboratively curated, sitespecific exhibitions in historic architectural landmarks, including the private homes of modernists Robert Dash (Sagaponack, NY), Jack Lenor Larsen (East Hampton, NY), Gerald Luss (Ossining, NY), Eliot Noyes (New Canaan, CT), and James Rose (Ridgewood, NJ). These projects put contemporary craftsmanship in dynamic dialogue with Mid-Century Modernism and regional design history. The decision to open a brick-and-mortar space grew naturally from Bangser’s connection to the area after she bought a cabin on nearby Lake Waramaug. In August, Object & Thing settled into a 500-square-foot former village pharmacy in New Preston that later housed a beloved kitchen store. Custom white oak shelving designed by Teague Costello of Teague’s Path displays work by core artists, available for immediate purchase, including Megumi Shauna Arai, F Taylor Colantonio, Carol Leskanic, Jim McDowell, Kiva Motnyk, and Frances Palmer. Outside, a riverside garden designed by Pom Shillingford of Salisbury hosts sculpture installations and community gatherings, and will soon be home to hands-on workshops. The gallery opened its first season with a solo exhibition by Ariel Dearie, highlighting her largest brass work to date, a Calderinspired “bed ornament” with handhammered poppy leaves. In October, vessels by Japanese ceramicist Yuki Ueda took over the space. Their textured, blistered, and peeling surfaces are built from layers of clay sourced from his native Shigaraki and honor the idea of impermanence. This winter, Bangser will present Taosbased ceramic artist and chef Johnny Ortiz-Concha, who handcrafts dinnerware from micaceous clay he digs himself from the same deposits his Tiwa ancestors used for generations, then pit-fires it under full or new moons. With this permanent venue, Bangser aims to bridge international curatorial rigor and local heritage, creating a serene haven for object-based design alongside community programming. object-thing.com PH OTO GR A PH S BY R A N A FAU RE

The Art of the Drive

Two Triumphs, One Legend, Tops Down

AXEL DUPEUX/REDUX

OR NEARLY SEVEN DECADES, Gay Talese has kept his white 1957 Triumph TR3 in perfect order. He met Nan in 1957, bought the car in 1958, and married her the following year. Nan, now his wife of 67 years, and two growing daughters eventually called for something roomier than a back seat fit for two cats, and along came a 1974 Triumph Stag. Both white convertibles live in Roxbury, where the couple began spending weekends in 2007. On an ideal Saturday, Talese would take one or both through the winding Connecticut hills, tops down, past deer, horses, and farm animals, happily free of Manhattan’s congestion. Often the destination was the public tennis courts down the street, where Talese, a formidable player, pulled up in his tennis whites with his Prince rackets and tennis bag in tow. Even in mid-January, the sound of those engines roaring to life could bring back summer. At 94, he is ready to pass both Triumphs on to their lucky new owners. Pricing is available upon request. catherine@ctalese.com

Those engines bring back summer.

Home • Kitchen • Curios Home • Kitchen • Curios

Interiors by KLM

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www.interiorsbyklm.com Kristen Meissner 860.248.0618

NOV | DEC 2026 • LITCHFIELD • 35 -

Anchored in Style Andrea Derwin Keeps Litchfield Dressed, and Its Secrets B Y T R OY M C M U L L E N

OR ANDREA DERWIN, true style has never been about chasing transient trends. As the owner of R. Derwin Clothiers—the stylistic anchor of Litchfield for more than three decades—she has always focused on quality clothing and the value of a personalized shopping experience. “Nothing is more important than maintaining relationships with the clients and shoppers who come through our doors,” says Derwin, a fashion industry veteran whose intuitive eye for timeless elegance has long defined Litchfield County style. “We’ve been here long enough to know that styles come and go, but offering a genuine shopping experience remains.” R. Derwin Clothiers’ origins are as quintessentially New England as its owner. In the ‘70s, Andrea’s husband, fashion executive Richard Derwin, fell in love with Litchfield’s scenic charm and opened his shop inside a converted 19th-century dwelling. Richard arrived in Litchfield County with a storied fashion career. After a stint at an upscale menswear store in Los Angeles—where his clientele included Fred Astaire, Cary Grant, and other Hollywood luminaries—he became an executive with Bloomingdale’s in New York. He was credited with bringing in the Ralph Lauren Polo line and forging close relationships with Lacoste, Cartier, and other global brands. As his retail operation expanded in Litchfield, Andrea joined the business as Richard’s partner and transformed the boutique’s women’s offering by grounding it in genuine client intimacy. “I walked into the store and looked around and saw that there was nothing there that I would want to wear myself,” says Andrea. “It took a few years, but we just started expanding with better quality and better fashion and designing things and buying from certain vendors and making sure that the quality was there.”

36 • LITCHFIELD • NOV | DEC 2026

An enduring style rooted in personal connection.

After Richard’s passing in 2021, Andrea took the helm. She honors the shop’s original vision while reinforcing the deep sense of family craftsmanship that still underpins R. Derwin Clothiers today. Her philosophy rests on knowing the individual client and personalizing the retail experience. “I can remember what somebody bought in our store 20 years ago,” says Andrea, who counts Daniel Day-Lewis, Philip Roth, and Nancy Kissinger among her notable clients over the years. “That’s just my passion for what I do.” The boutique has carved out a unique niche in the county with impeccably woven Scottish and Italian cashmere. There is also a strong focus on private labels, broad color ranges, suede and leather, and a curated collection of American-made clothing and accessories. A walk through the shop these days reveals fine textiles, upscale outerwear, and vibrant knitwear for men and women, along with European sportswear. Yet Andrea says the boutique is far more than a retail address. “I have a very strong connection to Litchfield and our surrounding community,” she says. “I’ve been a fixture here for so long, and it’s really been such a privilege to serve this community.” rderwinclothiers.com PH OTO GR A PH S BY R A N A FAU RE

Built to Outlast Us All A Master Mason With a Heart of Gold

“Walls built to stand for centuries.”

OR MORE THAN 30 YEARS, Jorge “George” Criollo has been shaping the Litchfield County landscape one stone at a time. From his base in New Preston, Stonewalls by George builds classic New England stone walls, boulder and drylaid walls, patios, walkways, steps, pools, and chimneys, along with the excavation and site work that comes before them. Criollo hand-selects native stone for each project, drawing on techniques passed down through generations, and he is on-site for every job. The result is work that clients describe as art, and walls built to stand for centuries. stonewallsbygeorge.com NOV | DEC 2026 • LITCHFIELD • 37

I miss the good times. I’m ready to make new friends. Every year my circle gets a little smaller, and so does my social life. I want to meet new people, have more laughs and share new experiences. What’s my move? Let’s talk about community. Call us at 475-242-0425 or scan to learn more.

It’s your move. Let’s talk about it. Call us at 475-264-5574 or scan to learn more.

Antiques bought, sold & consigned MONTHLY AUCTIONS

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LITCHFIELD MAGAZINE X GREENWOODS

GREENWOODS COUNSELING & REFERRALS, INC. Where Human Connections Make all the Difference BY MAR JOR I E MALPI EDE

GUTTER CREDIT GOESHERE

t a recent weekly clinical meeting, the team at Greenwoods Counseling & Referrals headed outside their Litchfield office to welcome a special guest. There, they met a small alpaca led by her owner, a Greenwoods client beaming with joy to share her emotional support animal with the team who had helped change her life. This story is less about cuddly animals and more about the safety and gratitude people feel when they have a very different kind of mental health care experience—the kind of experience Greenwoods delivers every day. At Greenwoods, clinicians are trained in a variety of specialties, but they are selected for a quality that cannot be taught: the ability to connect with other human beings. From its open-door policy to its long-term relationships, Greenwoods meets individuals and families where they are and stays with them throughout their unique journeys. “At a time when mental health care can feel transactional, Greenwoods is relational,” says John Simoncelli, the organization’s executive director. “We care about the whole person, the whole community, and the healing power of lasting connections.”

P H O T O G R A P H B Y WA NAM LTEEG ROHEESRHGETR E

Cecilia Gallo, Hiring & Special Projects; Ian Parker, Director, Youth Mental Health Program; Marisa Johnson, Director of Development; John Simoncelli, Executive Director; Jason Kersten, Clinical Director

Simoncelli, a licensed clinical social worker and licensed alcohol and drug counselor, oversees Greenwoods’ three main programs: Assessment, Referrals & Counseling; Youth Mental Health in private and public schools; and Community Outreach and Recovery Navigation, called CORN. Together, these programs serve individuals and families facing a range of mental health and substance use challenges—those struggling with addiction and trauma, people navigating divorce and grief, and anyone, young and old, managing anxiety, depression, or burnout. Because access to care is central to Greenwoods’ mission, financial assistance is the organization’s first funding priority—cost is never a barrier to the care someone needs. Greenwoods was founded in 1992 by the Rev. W. David Dobbins Jr., who brought the Litchfield community together

to help anyone in need. While Greenwoods has grown to become a recognized leader in community mental health, the principles on which it was founded are as strong today as they were more than 30 years ago: when an individual struggles, the community struggles; relationships are key to successful clinical interventions; and no one is turned away. Perhaps the best example of these principles in action is the Greenwoods CORN team. Led by four women—Sarah, Toni, Julia, and Jamie—CORN connects with social services, emergency responders, and partner community organizations to reach people struggling with addiction. Instead of judgment and deliberation, the team

responds with compassion and immediacy. When a family feels desperate about a loved one not yet able to accept help, or when a person takes that first step toward treatment and a new life, the CORN team shows up where they are, with whatever they need. “It takes a special kind of human to really see the humanity in others, and that is who we attract here at Greenwoods,” says Simoncelli. Jamie Campanella, Greenwoods’ Torrington site supervisor and the CORN team’s lead clinician, was one of those who stepped outside that day behind St. Michael’s—her client, alpaca in tow, had come to say thank you. At Greenwoods, the work doesn’t end when a crisis passes. Sometimes it comes back around, on four legs, led by someone whose life has changed. greenwoodsreferrals.org J UN LY O /VA|UD GEUC S T2 0 20 22 66• •L ILTI TCCHHFFI IEELLD D • 4 471

Starting on November 20, our store in Morris will be open Friday– Sunday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Holiday hours will continue through December 20. You’ll find more information at WhiteFlowerFarm.com/visit.

130 Greenwood Ave • Bethel, CT (203) 790-8823 • johnfultonjewelers.com B R I D A L • C U S T O M D E S I G N S • R E PA I R S • A P P R A I S A L S

Join us for our Annual Whiskey Tasting on Black Friday, November 27th from 5-8 pm.

LITCHFIELD MAGA ZINE X DESIGN

The MAKERS, DEALERS, AND BUILDERS SHAPING the talent behind the rooms

L ITC H F I E L D C OU NT Y 45

LITCHFIELD MAGA ZINE X DESIGN

a li e

Well Collected C R A I G L O N G H U R ST O N M I X I N G E R A S TO C R EAT E R O O M S W I T H C H A R A CT E R A N D S O U L

a painting bought 20 years ago, or a much-loved table can become the starting point. Sometimes something simply needs moving, reframing, reupholstering, or seeing in a new context. A home should ultimately belong to the client, not the designer. You talk about buying less and choosing well. How does that influence your work? I’d rather a client buy one excellent piece that they’ll keep for 20 years than a few pieces they’ll replace in five. When buying new, I look for good design, quality, longevity, and sustainability.

O R I NT ER I O R DES I G N ER

Craig Longhurst, the most interesting rooms aren’t created all at once. They evolve, bringing together antique, vintage, and contemporary pieces with pieces already owned and loved. It’s an approach that shapes both his interiors and his everchanging gallery in Kent. What does “a life well collected” mean to you? It’s really about allowing a home to reflect a life. Our own homes are filled with an eclectic mix of art and objects we’ve collected on our travels, each carrying a memory of a place or time. The best

“ T H E B E ST R O O M S S H O U L D N ’ T L O O K AS T H O U G H E V E RY T H I N G A R R I V E D O N T H E SA M E T R U C K . T H E U N E X P E CT E D I S O F T E N W H AT M A K E S A R O O M I N T E R E ST I N G .”

proportion, material, form, and the relationship between pieces. A Georgian chest of drawers can look completely at home beside a modern chair because each allows you to see the other differently. The unexpected is often what makes a room interesting.

rooms shouldn’t look as though everything arrived on the same truck: something inherited, a vintage chair, contemporary art, or an object discovered along the way. These things give a room personality. I’d rather someone think, “What an interesting home,” than know exactly when it was decorated.

When entering a client’s home, do you look first at what should change or what should stay? Both, but I’m very interested in what is already there. A chair inherited from a parent,

How do you bring together things collected over a lifetime with pieces from different periods? For me, it’s less about period and more about 46

How does your Kent gallery reflect your approach to interiors? The gallery has become increasingly personal. I mix antique and 20th-century pieces with contemporary furniture, art, and objects rather than presenting one particular period or style. In the gallery, I choose what I love and feel deserves to be there; in a client’s home, I help create a collection that feels entirely their own. Is a room ever really finished? I don’t think the best rooms are. There comes a point when the design work is complete, but then life should take over. A painting is discovered, something is inherited, a chair moves rooms. That evolution is what makes a home personal. Good interiors should leave room for the next chapter. CRAIGANTHONYLONGHURST.COM

LITCHFIELD MAGA ZINE X DESIGN

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Swedish Obsession T H E STO RY O F F R I E N D S H I P, D E S I G N , A N D A S H A R E D S W E D I S H PA S S I O N

L EI S H VA N B REEMS

began with two young antiques dealers exploring their shared Swedish heritage on a visit to Rhonda Eleish’s family in Stockholm. Guided by her great-aunt Ingvor Gullers, a renowned textile and dollhouse collector and antiques advisor to the Swedish royal family, Rhonda and Edie van Breems immersed themselves in Stockholm’s antiques and art world, then returned again to study with craftsmen in Småland and Dalarna. What struck them most is how naturally Scandinavians live in balance with their surroundings, filling elegant homes with antiques and sustainable design—the subject of their three books on Swedish interiors, and the cornerstone of stores now in New Preston, Roxbury, Westport, and Nantucket.

mangle boards, plus a garden room of pots and antiques among Scandinavian boxes and bridal trunks. Open Thursdays through Saturdays, it’s well worth discovering.

What’s something from this past year you’re especially proud of? A dream came true this year with our Antiques Barn in Roxbury, a 15-minute drive from New Preston, holding treasures from Sweden, Finland, and Denmark spanning the 18th century to Mid-Century Modern, including rare Norwegian handcarved marriage tokens and

What does your ideal client relationship look like? Our ideal client is an active, collaborative partner in the

“ O U R I D EA L C L I E N T

project. We love the synergy that grows from it—the creative mind works best when open to conversation that feeds the soul. What’s something people might not know about Eleish Van Breems? We’re a multichannel retail and home design business, also home to a boutique design firm, Eleish Van Breems Interior Design, specializing in full-service residential projects.

I S A N ACT I V E ,

How would you sum up your design philosophy in three words? Timeless good design.

C O L L A B O R AT I V E PA RT N E R I N T H E P R O J E CT.”

What’s on the horizon for Eleish Van Breems? A small group of paintings by American PostImpressionist painter William Henry Singer will be on view at New Preston. Singer spent decades in a remote Norwegian village painting fjords and glaciers before his death just before Norway’s liberation in World War II. His work is stunning.

What sets Eleish Van Breems apart from other antiques dealers? We love makers of all kinds, from Danish master cabinetmakers of the past to up-and-coming designers and potters. We’re lifelong learners and storytellers, and the thrill is sharing our discoveries with clients.

What do you love about being part of the Litchfield County community? Litchfield County is home to the most vibrant, caring community we know, with real appreciation for what makes this area special, from the arts to nature to its historic towns. We love being here.

What is Eleish Van Breems best known for? Our blend of Scandinavian antiques, Mid-Century Modern, and contemporary furniture, lighting, accessories, tableware, and gifts. New Preston carries Verellen, Thayer Coggin, and Sossego, all selected for good looks, sustainability, and craftsmanship.

Is there a piece of advice or a saying you live by? There’s a Swedish saying, “Borta bra, men hemma bäst,” which translates to “Away is good, but home is best.” We strive to make your home your happiest, most special place. EVBANTIQUES.COM

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Layered Living

P H I L I P G O R R I VA N O N C R A F T, C O M M U N I T Y, A N D W H AT ’ S N E X T

What does hitting this milestone mean to you, and what’s next for the firm? After 25 years, I feel more energized by design than ever. We have several new projects underway, including country houses and New York residences, and I continue to explore the ideas behind Authentic Interiors— particularly the relationship between history, collecting, travel, and the way we live today. I’m also launching a wallpaper collection with Scalamandré— the samples are being shipped to the showrooms now as I write this, very exciting!

H I L I P G O R RI VA N DES I G N

grew out of its founder’s lifelong fascination with houses, architecture, objects, and the stories they tell. Philip Gorrivan began his career in publishing before moving into finance, but art and design were always enduring interests. Twentyfive years ago, he made the leap professionally, and the firm has since grown into a multidisciplinary practice working on residences, country houses, city apartments, and hospitality projects throughout the U.S. and abroad. What has remained unchanged is his belief that a great interior should feel deeply personal rather than simply decorated. What sets Philip Gorrivan Design apart, and what are you best known for? I think of myself as a storyteller through interiors, mixing periods, color, pattern, art, and antiques for rooms that feel collected over time. We’re known for personal, layered spaces built with a comprehensive, detail-driven approach. Who is your ideal client, and how do you like to work with them? My ideal client is curious, engaged, open to the process, and loves design. They don’t necessarily know exactly what they want at the beginning— that’s often part of the fun—but they appreciate craftsmanship,

“ M Y I D EA L C L I E N T I S C U R I O U S, E N G AG E D, O P E N TO T H E P R O C E S S, A N D L OV E S D E S I G N .”

quality, and the idea of creating something lasting. The best projects are true collaborations built on trust.

construction, collaborating on architectural plans, millwork, lighting, and finishes. Many clients return to us for multiple homes, so the relationship continues for years.

What’s something people might not know about your business? Although some may associate us with decoration, we’re involved at a much deeper level, often from the earliest stages of

How would you describe your philosophy in three words? Authentic. Layered. Personal.

What do you love about being part of the Litchfield County community? Litchfield County has a remarkable sense of place: its history, architecture, landscape, and the balance between sophistication and rural life. My house in Washington has become an important creative refuge, and the community of artists, designers, and writers here is endlessly inspiring. There’s a real respect for beauty, preservation, and authenticity. Is there a design-related quote or piece of advice you’d like to share with our readers? “Don’t decorate a house simply to make it look finished; allow it to tell your story. The best rooms contain something of where you’ve been, what you love, what you’ve inherited, and what you are still discovering. A home should evolve with you; it should never feel as though it arrived all at once.” P H I L I P G O R R I VA N . C O M

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Made to Last A M E I C O B R I N G S E N D U R I N G ST Y L E A N D G L O B A L P E R S P E CT I V E TO N E W M I L F O R D

MEICO WAS FOUNDED

in 1995 by Peter Kahane, who arrived in the U.S. two years earlier from Switzerland to manage Larsen Carpets, licensee of designs by Jack Lenor Larsen. Kahane later launched his own distribution company, finding early success distributing designer Tibor Kalman’s work for M&Co. Today, AMEICO represents an eclectic range of products—lighting, home décor, personal accessories, chocolate, incense, and more— from manufacturers and artisans across Europe, Asia, and Australia. The company is well known in the design industry for its architectural, decorative, and hospitality lighting collections, available through its New Milford showroom, online, and through a nationwide network of design stores.

expansion of our footprint in New Milford—in both space and team size. We own two buildings here, both on the National Register of Historic Places: our showroom in the SNET Telephone Exchange Building at 29 Church St., built in 1917, and the C.F. Schoverling Tobacco Warehouse at 1 Wellsville Ave., known locally as the Flatiron Building, built in 1897 and purchased in 2016 as our shipping and receiving warehouse. We outgrew that space this year and moved operations into a new facility, freeing up the Flatiron Building for other uses. We’re exploring turning it into a community space dedicated to product and graphic design.

to learn that our nationwide sales network now numbers more than 2,000 points of sale. What do you look for in your relationships with clients? We’re proud to have sustained long-term relationships with our clients, some dating back more than 30 years. Integrity, an innovative and varied product collection, and a sensible, pragmatic approach to these relationships have served the company well. What’s something from this past year you’re especially proud of? We’ve had a few particularly good years of business, leading to an

“ W E VA L U E P R O D U CTS T H AT A R E S U STA I N A B L E A N D M A D E TO STA N D T H E T E ST O F T I M E .”

What makes AMEICO different from other companies in the design world? AMEICO values products that are sustainable and made to stand the test of time, and we support that with excellent customer service from our team in New Milford and our salespeople on the road throughout the country— core principles all too often overlooked in today’s world of fast, cheap commodities.

What made New Milford the right home for AMEICO? Kahane moved from Greenwich Village to Bridgewater following the birth of his first child, and New Milford proved the perfect home for the office—a welcoming community with good restaurants for staff and visiting designers, close to nature, yet close enough to reach New York City for business meetings and trade shows. In 2012, he acquired the long-neglected building at 29 Church St. and spent two years restoring it to historic preservation guidelines. A passion for local history, the people of New Milford and Litchfield County, and the beauty of the area has kept the company happily rooted here. How would you sum up your company philosophy in three words? Sustainable, dependable, inspiring. What’s on the horizon for AMEICO? An exciting new addition to the AMEICO family this year is Helle Mardahl’s lighting designs—a collection of brightly colored, mouth-blown glass lights from Denmark. We’ll debut the collection at the upcoming BDNY fair in New York and install a selection in our showroom this fall. We’re also proud to be an authorized UL-certification workshop, meaning our international lighting products can now be certified for commercial use in the U.S. and Canada.

What’s something even your regular customers might be surprised to learn about the business? Our wholesale customers across the country are always intrigued to hear that we have a showroom and gallery in New Milford, and our Litchfield County customers are just as surprised

AMEICO.COM

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Meets the Garden H OW S O N I A B O D I E D E S I G N S B R I N G S T H E O U T D O O R S I N

“ EAC H S I T E H AS I TS OW N B EA U T Y A N D STO RY. O U R R O L E I S TO S H A P E A N A R R AT I V E I N H A R M O N Y O N I A B O DI E DES I G NS

believes a home expands beyond its walls. The full-service design studio treats interior architecture and landscape as one cohesive design, shaping light-filled spaces that draw on the character of each site and the lives of the people who inhabit them. “We view interior and exterior spaces holistically, weaving them together to create harmonious environments that nurture a deeper connection to the natural world,” explains designer Sonia Bodie. That approach brings in abundant natural light and integrates a home with its surrounding landscape. Equally fundamental to her process is understanding who will be living, playing, and working in those spaces. Bodie’s work is inspired by place. “Each site holds its own inherent beauty and story—we see our role as listening to that

W I T H I TS I N H A B I TA N TS.”

To tie the two rooms together, the studio designed custom cabinetry for the kitchen and painted the existing cabinetry in the butler’s pantry to match, creating a cohesive space for cooking, entertaining, and living. The pantry was reconfigured to include a walkin pantry and an alcove for a custom walnut dry bar, a focal point visible from the living room, front entry, and kitchen. From there, the scope grew. “Opportunities emerged to improve the flow between rooms and strengthen the connection to the outdoors,” Bodie says. Working within the existing footprint, the project expanded to include the front entry, living room, powder room, den and library, side entry, and a courtyard behind the kitchen. That work is being completed now.

story, revealing its character, and shaping a narrative in harmony with those who inhabit it,” she says. By honoring a site’s intrinsic nature, Bodie creates spaces that feel authentic and deeply connected to their surroundings. That philosophy comes to life in a current renovation for return clients. The project started as a redesign of a small, dark kitchen and butler’s pantry that felt isolated from the rest of the house. Bodie opened the kitchen to the adjoining breakfast area and added a wall of windows over the sink to complement fullheight windows across the room, creating an airy gathering place at the heart of the home.

The line between indoors and out is deliberately blurred. Layered outdoor spaces, including an intimate courtyard for dining and entertaining, serve as a continuum of the interiors, and sightlines draw the eye into the gardens beyond. Natural, tactile materials and work by local artists and New England makers reinforce a connection to the regional landscape. For Bodie, it all comes back to the natural world. “We believe well-being is enriched through connection to the natural world,” she says. Her goal is to create spaces rooted in history, place, and culture—homes that feel both timeless and alive. “When interior and exterior come together in harmony, a house becomes more than shelter. It becomes a place that nurtures the people who live there and gives deeper meaning to the place they call home.” SONIABODIEDESIGNS.COM

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American Antiques G A RY S E R G EA N T O N C R A F TS M A N S H I P, P R OV E N A N C E , A N D T H E A RT O F C O L L E CT I N G

What’s your guiding philosophy when it comes to collecting? “Keep it simple.” I hope to give my clients the ease and comfort of building a collection they’re proud of, in a remarkable environment to live with and enjoy. My other philosophy is to “buy beautiful things”—beauty sells.

A RY S ERG EA NT O PEN ED

G. Sergeant Antiques 54 years ago, mentored by dealers already decades into the trade, cutting his teeth at shows including the American Folk Art Show and the Brandywine River Museum Show. He opened his first gallery in Rumson, New Jersey, in 1980, then settled in Woodbury in 1996.

What’s new or on the horizon at G. Sergeant Antiques? We’ll be featuring more high-quality pieces at today’s market values. This is a great time to invest in pieces that were wildly priced over the past few decades.

What sets G. Sergeant Antiques apart from other dealers in the field? I emphasize originality, provenance, condition, and form above all, while giving equal weight to each client’s needs and preferences. What range of services do you offer clients? Our services range from curatorial work and restoration to placement and market assessment, along with one-on-one consultations for collectors and museums.

“A LWAYS B U Y F R O M A N I N F O R M E D P O S I T I O N A N D R EAC H F O R

What’s a project from this past year you’re especially proud of? Shortly after COVID, I assembled a group of the finest American antiques of historical importance, achieving recordbreaking prices for pieces by noted cabinetmakers including John Townsend, John Goddard, John and Thomas Seymour, and

Why Litchfield County, and what do you love about it? Litchfield County has a wealth of educated, informed buyers who understand the essence of collecting and know quality when they see it. People come from far and wide to visit, and they love connecting with the Connecticut “vibe.”

T H E B E ST YO U C A N A F F O R D.”

Thomas Affleck, among others. Who is your ideal client, and how do you like to work with them? My ideal client is someone who appreciates fine craftsmanship and is willing to work in tandem with me. Building a collection from an informed perspective takes time, and it should reflect the client’s interests while remaining a cooperative effort between both parties.

What’s something people might not know about your business? I like to keep clients informed of new discoveries and shifting market preferences. My aim is to build a strong client-dealer relationship centered on each client’s interests.

What advice would you give someone building a collection? Always buy from an informed position—gather as much information as possible, and reach for the best you can afford. Buying quantity is far surpassed by buying quality. Buy what you’re passionate about, but do it with an eye for beauty and enjoyment. Collecting should be fun. GSERGEANT.COM

LITCHFIELD MAGA ZINE X DESIGN

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Kitchen Timeless

L AYO U T, L O N G E V I T Y, A N D H O N E ST A DV I C E F R O M T H E P R O S

OR MORE THAN 15 YEARS , Litchfield Hills Kitchen & Bath has shaped how Litchfield County cooks, gathers,

and lives at home. At their showroom above the East Aspetuck River, we asked the team about layout over trends, honest budgets, and why they are ready to say goodbye to the all-white kitchen.

You’ve been at this since 2009. What’s changed most about what clients want? Clients are more informed, and most arrive already inspired, but they still want a space that feels personal. Above all, they want beauty, function, and lasting quality. How do you keep a renovation from feeling generic? We begin by understanding how the client lives, what they love, and what belongs in their home. The architecture, routines, and personal style guide every decision, so the finished space feels uniquely theirs.

How do you know when a client’s budget and wish list don’t align? We compare the project’s scope with the client’s expectations during the initial consultation and address cost early. From there, we establish priorities and identify thoughtful alternatives.

What trend are you seeing everywhere right now that you wish you weren’t? All-white kitchens can feel cold or predictable. White works beautifully when balanced with warmth, texture, and contrast, such as natural wood, richer colors, and layered materials.

“ W E B E G I N BY U N D E R STA N D I N G H OW T H E C L I E N T L I V E S, W H AT T H E Y L OV E , A N D W H AT B E L O N G S I N T H E I R H O M E .”

What’s the biggest mistake people make before they ever call you? Buying appliances or materials before creating a complete plan. Early choices can restrict the layout and create unexpected costs, while involving a designer from the beginning helps everything work together. Your showroom sits above the East Aspetuck River in New Preston. Does the setting influence how clients think about design? Absolutely. The river creates a peaceful setting where clients can slow down and enjoy the process. It also reflects Litchfield County’s natural beauty and inspires spaces that feel refined, comfortable, and timeless. What does a finished project look like when everything went exactly right? It looks beautiful but feels effortless. The storage works, the layout improves daily life, and every detail feels intentional. The best projects seem as though they always belonged in the home.

What’s the one decision that makes or breaks a kitchen? The layout. Beautiful finishes cannot compensate for poor function, so we prioritize flow, storage, and how the homeowner uses the space before choosing colors and materials. Where do Litchfield County clients tend to splurge, and where do they pull back? They invest in cabinetry, countertops, and fixtures, the elements they use every day, and prioritize craftsmanship and materials that age well. We balance the budget with hardware, lighting, and decorative details that can be updated later.

Someone’s been dreaming about a new kitchen for three years. Where do they start? Begin with a consultation and an honest conversation about goals, budget, and timeline. Bring inspiration, but also identify what isn’t working now. You don’t need every detail figured out. We can help shape the plan. L H K I T C H E N B AT H . C O M

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Considered Surprise N E W YO R K D E S I G N E R S W H O F O U N D T H E I R O Z H E R E

ideas that surprise and excite them. One client told me after her project was completed that she loved it when I would say, “You know what would be really great...?” because she knew something great was coming. What’s something people might not know about your business? We’re not snobs. We’re very particular in the process, but we’re quite open and flexible, mixing the high and the low. How would you describe your approach in three words? Context first, imagination second. That’s four, but who’s counting?

What’s new or coming up? A wonderful oceanfront project that will be a few more years in the making. It’s inspired by the hotel Borgo Egnazia in Puglia, Italy. The interior and exterior are a seamless design of creamy plaster, rusticated stone, and weathered oak, creating a very private family compound.

STA B L I S H ED I N 1990 , William McIntosh Design is a New

York firm led by William McIntosh and Martin Raffone, who joined forces in 2016. Both partners oversee every project from start to finish, blending architecture and decorating into bespoke interiors that express their owners’ personality and the character of their place.

What makes your business different from others in your field? First, we don’t have a signature look, and we never repeat ourselves; the work is truly bespoke. Second, we are both involved in every project from beginning to end. Third, we are versed in both architectural design and interior decorating, making us a true one-stop firm. What products or services are you best known for? We are known for producing highly customized, total works. We have designed entire properties, from how the house will be situated on the property

to the house itself, the interiors, and the landscape. We often design much of the furnishings, and terrific craftspeople we have worked with for many years create one-of-a-kind lighting fixtures, tables, seating, even door hardware.

“ I F YO U T H I N K I T ’ S E X P E N S I V E TO H I R E A PROFESSIONAL, WA I T U N T I L YO U H I R E

What’s a project from this past year that you’re especially proud of? We renovated and furnished a classic ’80s Hamptons beach house, all cedar-sided angles and curves, in a record

A N A M AT E U R .”

ten months. Who is your ideal client, and how do you like to work with them? We are fortunate to have clients who are generally very open and trusting. They want us to lead the design and present them with

Why did you choose to be part of the Litchfield County community? It’s beautiful up here! We had been looking at properties in upstate New York, and one day decided to drive into Connecticut. It was like going to Oz! Everything was so green and lush, and the houses were so handsome. We rented for a summer in Kent and began looking for a house of our own that following September. Is there a design tip you’d like to share with our readers? “If you think it’s expensive to hire a professional, wait until you hire an amateur.” WILLIAMMCINTOSHDESIGN.COM

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Local Enough to Know You H I G H L A N D P R O P E RT Y M A N A G E M E N T H A N D L E S E V E RY H O M E D E TA I L

How did your business get its start, and what’s the story behind it? Highland Property Management grew out of successful partnerships with custom home builders in Litchfield, Fairfield, and Westchester counties. After signing up for our services, the homeowners quickly saw the benefit of having secured a home management partner that was familiar with their home and property, whether it was a fulltime or secondary home. Word quickly spread to their friends. Today the company serves new and established primary and secondary homeowners, helping navigate the details involved with managing a home. How does Highland Property Management set itself apart in the field? We do not believe that one size fits all, so we customtailor management programs to meet each homeowner’s unique requirements. Our broad subcontractor base lets us respond proactively and immediately. It could be a simple plumbing or electrical fix, securing ongoing HVAC services, or a bathroom remodel–we do it all!

What’s a lesser-known fact about Highland Property Management? We are a larger company than many realize. While our Litchfield County team is truly local, we also manage a large portfolio of properties in New York and a growing portfolio in Virginia.

What does your ideal client relationship look like, and how do you approach it? Our ideal client relationship becomes one that is built on trust, open communication, and a mutual commitment to forming a longterm partnership. We get to know our clients, their homes, and what matters most to them.

What do you love about being part of the Litchfield County community? We love the closeknit sense of community in Litchfield County. Our local team has lived, worked, and raised families here for nearly 40 years. We know the people and the area, and we understand why so many agree that this is such a special place to call home.

What’s a project or moment from this past year you’re especially proud of? We are especially proud of the many small remodeling projects we’ve completed for our clients this year while continuing to provide the day-to-day attention to their home and property that they rely on.

What’s new or on the horizon that you’d like readers to know about? As our business grows year over year, we have focused on improving our administration and technology, working with a small, local tech company to help us serve our customers. What’s the common thread in how you manage such a wide range of properties? Every home and property we manage is unique, but our approach remains the same— consistent oversight, attention to detail, and personalized care. HIGHLANDPROPMGMT.COM

How would you describe your approach in three words? Proactive. Responsive. Experienced.

“ W H E N O U R C U STO M E R S AS K I F W E C A N H E L P, W E S I M P LY SAY Y E S.”

What is Highland Property Management best known for? We are best known for our longterm homeowner relationships and our relationships with talented, licensed, insured, local subcontractors. When our customers ask if we can help, we simply say yes. We either selfperform the work or secure the right subcontractor, guide the process, and get the work done.

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Beautiful Restraint J A S O N VA N WA R R E N B L E N D S T R A D I T I O N A L TA ST E W I T H M O D E R N EA S E

What’s something people might not know about Ellsworth Home? We take on all kinds of projects. Our favorite is a project from soup to nuts, but we also welcome large-scale renovations, design/build, and strictly interior design. We welcome the variety.

FT ER WO RKI NG

for firms in Boston and New York, Jason VanWarren set out on his own, drawn to a niche blend of traditional and modern taste. Becoming a full-time Sharon resident proved the perfect moment to launch Ellsworth Home, now working across the Northwest Corner, New York City, and beyond.

How would you sum up your design philosophy in three words? Edited. Timeless. Comfortable.

What sets Ellsworth Home apart from other design firms? I like having my hands in every aspect of a project. We start with a client wish list that gets them thinking about both the practical and aesthetic sides, then dive into everything from architecture and interiors to construction management and landscape design, pulling in trusted vendors to get the best results. What is Ellsworth Home best known for? We’re probably best known for our transformative work: finding the house nobody wants and figuring out how to make it the house everyone wants. I love the challenge of reinventing how people see their homes so each one truly reflects how they live. When my husband and I buy for ourselves, we look at a house, then go to lunch. If I can’t solve the plan on a napkin, it’s a no-go.

What’s on the horizon for Ellsworth Home? We have a new build starting on Music Mountain, set in the woods with a striking view. Stay tuned.

“ I L OV E T H E C H A L L E N G E O F R E I N V E N T I N G H OW P E O P L E S E E T H E I R H O M E S S O EAC H O N E T R U LY R E F L E CTS H OW T H E Y L I V E .”

What’s a project from this past year you’re especially proud of? We completed a large project for a young family in Lakeville. The house is unrecognizable from what we started with, the product of great clients and a great team of craftsmen. The best feeling is watching clients use the house and appreciate every detail we fussed over, no matter how small.

What does your ideal client relationship look like? I love when people really want to participate in the process. It takes time and their input to get it right, but that’s what makes it their house, not one prescribed to them. Our best results come when a client stays involved and lets us guide them through it, accepting that no project is without challenges, though solving them often makes it better. 55

What drew you to the Litchfield County community, and what do you love about it? We wanted a spot close to New York City and the rest of New England. I grew up in southern Maine and wanted somewhere that felt the same way, with a real variety of residents: school families, weekenders, retirees. We love how that mix brings so much to our community. Is there a quote or piece of advice you live by? As William Morris said, “Have nothing in your houses that you do not know to be useful, or believe to be beautiful.” ELLSWORTHHOME.COM

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Under One Roof S O L I M I N E C O N T R A CT I N G O N D E S I G N , C R A F TS M A N S H I P, A N D G I V I N G B A C K

O L I M I N E CO NT RACT I NG

has grown from a passion for quality craftsmanship into a truly full-service, family-run renovation company. Beyond construction, the New Milford-based firm also offers interior design, cabinetry, plumbing, and restoration services, guiding Litchfield County homeowners through nearly every stage of a project, from first sketch to finished space. What makes your business different from others in your field? What sets Solimine apart is bringing the entire renovation experience together under one roof: design, project management, craftsmanship, and in-house plumbing, all as one team. Since renovating is a big investment, our goal is to keep homeowners comfortable, informed, and confident throughout. What products or services are you best known for? We’re best known for kitchen and bathroom renovations, home additions, and full home transformations, especially turning an outdated kitchen into something beautiful and functional. Our Design Center, offering cabinetry from Fabuwood, Wolf, and Plain & Fancy, along with countertops and tile, has become central to our identity.

homeowners with their own contractor, DIYers, and anyone needing help choosing materials, and we also offer handyman and water restoration services.

the community to nominate someone who could benefit from a basement renovation, with partners like The Home Depot Foundation and Roger Electric. It’s a reminder that construction can improve someone’s quality of life, not just their house.

How would you describe your approach or philosophy in three words? Listen. Design. Deliver. We listen to understand our clients’ needs, design spaces that balance beauty with functionality, and work to deliver results that reflect their vision. Great design begins with listening.

Who is your ideal customer or client, and how do you like to work with them? Our ideal client values quality, thoughtful design, and a collaborative process, and doesn’t need to know exactly what they want walking in. Some of our favorite projects begin with, “I know this isn’t working, but I have no idea what to do.” We love getting to know our clients and encourage open communication throughout.

What’s new or coming up that you’d like readers to know about? We’re continuing to grow our design services and expand what our Design Center at 188 Danbury Rd., New Milford, can offer homeowners, making professional design and quality materials more accessible, whether someone is undertaking a full renovation or working with their own contractor.

What’s something people might not know about your business? A lot of people don’t realize you don’t have to hire us for a full renovation to use our design team. Our Design Center helps

What do you love about being part of the Litchfield County community? There’s something special about Litchfield County: small-town charm, beautiful architecture, and a strong sense of community. We love the character of the homes here and value relationships that go beyond a single project. Is there a design-related quote, tip, or piece of advice you’d like to share with our readers? “Don’t just design a space for how you want it to look. Design it for how you want to live.” A beautiful room means little if it doesn’t function for everyday life. Think about how you actually use your space and what frustrates you about the layout. Trends fade, but a space designed around your lifestyle lasts. SOLIMINECONTRACTING.COM

“ W E D E S I G N S PAC E S T H AT B A L A N C E B EA U T Y W I T H F U N CT I O N A L I T Y.”

What’s a project, product, or moment from this past year that you’re especially proud of? Our Basement Giveaway means a great deal to us: we invited 56

LITCHFIELD MAGA ZINE X DESIGN

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Forever Home C R EAT I N G H O M E S T H AT H AV E S O U L A N D A STO RY

H EN YO U ST EP

into Samantha Gale Designs Vintage Farmhouse Home Store, you immediately feel the spirit of Litchfield County— refined yet grounded, creative yet timeless. Gale grew up on a mountaintop here, a country girl at heart whose path took her through Maryland and Boston before bringing her back home to Connecticut. With a fine arts background and a lifelong passion for design and all things belonging to the past, she founded her namesake studio and shop 13 years ago. Since then, she has been creating interiors and collections that reflect both her artistry and her deep connection to the place she calls home. For Gale, design begins and ends with how people feel in their spaces. “Your home is where you create your own world—a safe space that should bring joy, comfort, and inspiration every day,” she says. “Helping a house feel like a home is incredibly rewarding.” Her process always starts with visiting a client in their home. “Each consultation is personal and unique. That’s where inspiration flows, where I can see how someone moves through their day. No two projects are ever the same.” Gale's approach is layered, nostalgic, and intentionally imperfect. “Homes have souls and energy. To me, the home itself is the real client, and I listen closely as I design.” She incorporates vintage finds,

“ YO U R H O M E I S W H E R E YO U C R EAT E YO U R OW N WO R L D —A SA F E S PAC E T H AT S H O U L D B R I N G J OY, C O M F O RT, A N D I N S P I R AT I O N E V E RY DAY.”

meeting the present. She often repurposes existing furniture, custom-upholstering cherished family pieces so they can be used and loved again. “There’s nothing better than seeing someone sit in the same chair where memories were made—and watching it live again, ready to tell new stories.”

textured textiles, and colorful patterns, each element adding another chapter to the story. “Designing a home is like making a bed—each addition is another layer of warmth. A home should evolve with the people inside it, reflecting their lives and rhythms, not chasing trends.” Her Vintage Farmhouse Home concept embodies this philosophy of the past

Beyond her design studio, Gale runs a brick-and-mortar store that is central to her vision. “It’s more than a shop—it’s a living showcase of my designs and imagination,” she explains. Visitors are invited to experience the feeling of a layered, nostalgic home firsthand. The store is a blend of furnishings, accessories, and art, thoughtfully arranged to create warmth and intimacy. “People walk in and instantly connect. They see and feel what I love most: cozy, storied spaces full of character.” Many of those who find her shop become longtime clients and friends, drawn to her ability to translate that atmosphere into their own homes. Gale's ideal client is not defined by budget but by appreciation for story and soul. She works on projects big and small, from single rooms to entire houses. “Everyone deserves beauty in their lives,” she says. “It doesn’t matter if it’s a full renovation or just refreshing one corner of a space—every project matters.” Ultimately, Gale sees her role as part guide, part storyteller. She creates spaces that are warm, layered, and personal— places that welcome you home. “When a space comes together, it can be a powerful path to happiness. That’s the privilege of this work: helping people live beautifully, surrounded by comfort and meaning.” SAMANTHAGALEDESIGN.COM

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Built to Work

ST E V E B E R G E R O F M O D E R N S U P P LY O N W H E R E F O R M M E E TS F U N CT I O N

How would you describe your approach or philosophy in three words? Knowledge. Quality. Service.

displays. There’s value in experiencing a product before investing. O DERN S U PPLY

is a secondgeneration, family-owned business that has served New Milford and the surrounding area for decades. What began as a plumbing supply house has grown into a destination for luxury kitchen and bath design, offering decorative plumbing and lighting alongside the technical expertise of a full-service wholesaler. What makes your business different from others in your field? We combine a full-service wholesaler’s resources with a luxury showroom experience, letting clients see, touch, and operate products firsthand. Our staff understands what’s behind the wall and what you see, ensuring design functions properly.

Who is your ideal customer or client, and how do you like to work with them? Our client values quality, design, and guidance. We work with homeowners, designers, architects, builders, and plumbers across Litchfield County, preferring early involvement to balance aesthetics with functionality.

What’s new or coming up that you’d like readers to know about? We’re continually evolving the showroom with new products, finishes, and working displays. We’re expanding decorative lighting and introducing new kitchen, bath, and wellness products that combine new designs with convenience and new technology.

What’s something people might not know about your business? Many don’t realize we’re a fullservice wholesaler, with a parts counter, inventory, and delivery trucks, a rare mix of design and technical expertise. We don’t just know what looks beautiful—we understand how it works.

“ T H E B E ST K I TC H E N S A N D B AT H R O O M S A R E P L A N N E D F R O M B OT H S I D E S O F T H E WA L L , WITH DESIGNER,

Why did you choose to be part of the Litchfield County community, and what do you love about it? New Milford and Litchfield County are home. We love the area’s appreciation for architecture, craftsmanship, and design, and its strong community. As a family-owned business, we value relationships with homeowners and trade professionals. Is there a design-related quote, tip, or piece of advice you’d like to share with our readers? Choose plumbing fixtures early in design. The best kitchens and bathrooms are planned from both sides of the wall, with designer, builder, plumber, and fixture specialist involved early. A great space should function as beautifully as it looks, and feel right for years.

BUILDER, PLUMBER, A N D F I X T U R E S P E C I A L I ST I N VO LV E D EA R LY.”

What products or services are you best known for? We’re known for luxury decorative plumbing, including faucets, sinks, tubs, showers, toilets, and accessories, from Dornbracht, Graff, Perrin & Rowe, Crosswater, TOTO, Bain Ultra, California Faucets, Rohl, and Zip Water. Beautiful lighting from Hubbardton Forge, Hammerton, Visual Comfort, and Hudson Valley Lighting. What’s a project, product, or moment from this past year that you’re especially proud of? We’re proud of how our showroom keeps evolving, with new displays including an operational sauna, Zip Water faucets, and the latest TOTO 58

MODERNPLUMBING.BIZ

LITCHFIELD MAGA ZINE X DESIGN

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Everything in Between H OW D AV I D EA STO N ’ S P R OT É G É R U N S A O N E - STO P S H O P

they’re looking for, and that’s where we guide them, getting involved in every aspect of the process, from vetting contractors and permitting to project management, budget supervision, purchasing, delivery coordination, and installation. We’re a one-stop shop, with a vetted team of contractors, plumbers, electricians, painters, and millworkers.

AG CR EAT I VE B EGA N

organically for Cobus Gauche after 15 years of working alongside renowned interior designer, the late David Easton. While renovating his own newly purchased Litchfield County home, a neighbor asked for help with theirs. Word spread quickly, and the phone hasn’t stopped ringing since. That was 12 years ago. What makes your business different from others in your field? We’re a small, local business, here full time. Beyond design and decorating, we offer full project management, since many clients are weekenders and we act as their daily on-site eyes and ears, so to speak. We use local vendors, artists, and craftspeople, and treat every project as if it’s our own, staying conscious of budgets and deadlines. What products or services are you best known for? David Easton taught me about the “Trinity of Design,” the idea that interior, exterior, and landscaping all go hand in hand. With every new project, I ask how to redesign the property’s DNA to fit the homeowner’s lifestyle, from the driveway to the front door, through the house, and out back. When those spaces work in tandem, you get a warm, welcoming retreat.

“ O U R I D EA L C L I E N T I S O P E N TO T RY I N G S O M E T H I N G N E W A N D E XC I T E D TO WO R K C L O S E LY W I T H U S O N S O M E T H I N G P E R S O N A L .”

What’s something people might not know about your business? Decorating is a small part of our business. We get calls to redecorate a room, and we enjoy that, but we really love getting our hands dirty and uncovering a house’s hidden potential, moving walls, reimagining spaces, and updating aging kitchens and bathrooms. How would you describe your approach or philosophy in three words? Functional. Comfortable. Beautiful.

What’s a project, product, or moment from this past year that you’re especially proud of? Repeat business is always a good sign, and I’m proud that most of our work comes from word of mouth, and we tend to stay in the family. Just recently, a client asked us to oversee the renovation of a house they bought for one of their children nearby.

Why did you choose to be part of the Litchfield County community, and what do you love about it? There’s a lot to love about living and working in Litchfield County, with four true seasons, fall colors, cozy winter fires, spring’s first green, and summer dips in the lake under the most incredible blue skies. Best of all, we get to work with some of the most talented, friendliest people in our community.

Who is your ideal customer or client, and how do you like to work with them? Our ideal client is open to trying something new and excited to work closely with us on something personal. They don’t always know what

J A G C R E AT I V E . C O M

LITCHFIELD MAGA ZINE X DESIGN

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Wood Box Beams T H AT PA S S F O R A N T I Q U E T I M B E R S

What’s on the horizon for Barn Beam Company? My wife, Kathy, and I will be personally delivering our handcrafted box beams throughout New England. Deliveries run Thursdays and Fridays, and we typically stay the weekend to explore what New England has to offer.

AVI D DI L L O N WAS

a design builder for 15 years, specializing in construction with reclaimed timbers. When he found it difficult to locate beams in the sizes and quality his clients wanted, he began replicating them in new wood as box beams. Today he heads up a team at the Barn Beam Company of New England that recreates the texture and color of reclaimed timbers.

What do you love about being part of the Litchfield County community? I love the country feel and the sense of community here. It’s also a great central location, since our business serves all of New England and down to Maryland.

What is Barn Beam Company best known for? Handcrafted wood box beams with a rustic reclaimed or smooth contemporary look, along with expert design consultation.

Is there a piece of advice you live by? It’s often said that one’s potential is limited only by imagination. The same is true of our design process, where we work closely with clients to give them the exact look they want.

What makes your company different from your competition? All of our beams are created specifically to fit the particular project, and unusual shapes and sizes are fine with us. We can make beams up to 30 feet long in one piece. We provide expert installation or guide your carpenter on the best way to install them.

BARNBEAMCO.COM

“ I T ’ S O F T E N SA I D

What’s a project from this past year you’re especially proud of? This year we completed several projects for a builder in Lincoln, New Hampshire, providing beams for an entire village of Swiss chalet-style ski homes. Who do you most like to work with? We prefer to work with architects and builders, but we also work directly with homeowners.

T H AT O N E ’ S P OT E N T I A L I S L I M I T E D O N LY BY I M AG I N AT I O N .”

What’s something people might not know about Barn Beam Company? People who see our beams assume they’re solid timbers, whether antique or contemporary, which tells us we’re doing our job well. How would you sum up your approach in three words? Great customer service.

LITCHFIELD MAGA ZINE X DESIGN

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Long Game C L A S S I C T U R F O N C R A F TS M A N S H I P, D U R A B I L I T Y, A N D D O I N G I T B E T T E R

What makes Classic Turf different from others in the field? At Classic Turf, our passion is building the world’s most durable and longest-lasting tennis and basketball courts, running tracks, and athletic fields. We pioneered post-tension concrete courts in the Northeastern United States, and we keep finding new ways to do it better. What we deliver for families, organizations, and communities is the result of this commitment to excellence— and we pour our expertise, sweat, and skill into every project. What is Classic Turf best known for building? Classic Turf is best known for building the longestlasting, lowest-maintenance, and most durable tennis courts, pickleball courts, basketball courts, running tracks, and multisport courts in the industry.

What made Litchfield County the right place to call home? We choose to be part of the Litchfield County community because our business is based here, and many Classic Turf employees live in Litchfield County as well. The county’s history, nature, and beauty are unmatched, and we’re still within close driving distance of major hubs like New York City and Boston.

Who is your ideal client, and how do you like to work with them? Our ideal client is someone who is as passionate about their project as we are. From major universities to parks and recreation departments to homeowners in Litchfield County, we enjoy working with anyone who cares as much about their project as we do. What’s something people might not know about your business? We build hundreds of new courts each year, from Maine to Florida.

How would you sum up your company philosophy in three words? Build the best!

What’s new or on the horizon for Classic Turf? Classic Turf was recently acquired by Tarkett Sports, a global flooring leader, and that partnership has us growing and building more courts than ever. Even so, wherever we build up and down the East Coast, we always prefer working in Litchfield County. Is there a piece of advice you live by? Our founder, Tumer Eren, always says, “Make today better than yesterday!” CLASSICTURF.ORG

“ W E E N J OY WO R K I N G W I T H A N YO N E W H O C A R E S AS M U C H A B O U T T H E I R P R O J E CT AS W E D O.”

↓ Middlebury College, Middlebury, Vermont

What’s a project from this past year you’re especially proud of? We build hundreds of courts each year, which makes it difficult to pick just one project we’re most proud of. A few we were especially honored to complete: tennis courts at Carnegie Mellon University (2025), a running track at the University of Hartford (2025), tennis courts at Middlebury College (2025), tennis courts at Trinity College (2026), and tennis courts at the West Side Tennis Club in New York City (2026), a former site of the U.S. Open.

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They Build It T WO WO O DWO R K I N G S H O P S, O N E S H A R E D D E VOT I O N TO C R A F T

are also involved with Custom Furniture & Design, where Mike Lent runs the facility full time, handling sales and design, CAD drawings, and customer relationships from concept through production. “If it can be made out of wood, we can most likely build it,” says Scallon. Candlewood’s work ranges from custom kitchens, baths, and closets to architectural millwork and one-of-a-kind cabinetry, pairing traditional hand carving with modern CNC technology and custom finishing. Custom Furniture & Design shares that philosophy. “There really isn’t a standard product,” he explains. Both shops rely on highly skilled craftspeople, including

A N DL EWO O D VA L L EY B U I L DI NG began with a layoff.

In 1996, Thomas M. Scallon was working as a carpenter’s apprentice when he was unexpectedly let go just before Christmas. He didn’t like having his livelihood in someone else’s hands, so he went out on his own with a cabinet installation business.

Builders in Westchester County gave him opportunities to take on increasingly larger projects, and Candlewood grew into a full-service building company. Around 2006, the company turned its attention to custom cabinetry and architectural millwork, a specialization that has driven its growth ever since. Today it operates from a roughly 20,000-square-foot facility in New Milford. Custom Furniture & Design was founded in 1989 by Bob Paradis. Scallon met him in 2001, when Paradis was considering retirement and Scallon was interested in purchasing some of his woodworking equipment. The two hit it off,

and a conversation about buying tools became a discussion about keeping Paradis’ business and craftsmanship going. Candlewood ultimately purchased the shop. The two remain separate businesses that complement one another, giving Custom Furniture & Design greater resources while it retains the character of a custom cabinetry and specialized furniture shop. Scallon remains actively involved in Candlewood’s projects and customer relationships. Ara Yapoujian serves as head estimator, field coordinator, and project manager, and Mike Walsh oversees day-to-day shop operations and production. Both

Candlewood team members who have been with the company for more than 20 years. “The more custom, the better,” says Scallon. A recent favorite is a custom, handcarved tabernacle for St. Joseph Church in Brookfield that will hopefully remain in the church for generations. The team also particularly enjoys designing highly customized kitchens, including radius kitchens in Warren and for the famous roundhouse in Wilton. Timeless work, he says, begins with proportion, quality materials, and craftsmanship rather than a particular style. The shops are highly selective about wood, routinely rejecting material that might be considered acceptable elsewhere because the grain, color, or character isn’t right. “Quality is often found in the details you don’t notice immediately,” Scallon says, likening it to the stitching and fit and finish of a truly high-end automobile. “It’s the accumulation of hundreds of small details that creates the difference.” Clients can be as involved as they would like and are encouraged to visit while their project is being built and to inspect it before it leaves for finishing. If a grain pattern on a door doesn’t look right, it can be changed before it ever reaches the home. “Custom work should be collaborative,” says Scallon. The goal is that clients know exactly what they’re getting and are excited to see it installed.

“IF IT CAN BE MADE

O U T O F WO O D, W E C A N

C A N D L E W O O D VA L L E Y B U I L D I N G . C O M

P R O B A B LY B U I L D I T.”

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LITCHFIELD MAGAZINE X SPRINGROOT

ACUPUNCTURE AND THE RITUAL OF REST Quieting the Mind and Centering the Spirit A Q&A with Rachel Beth Dorfman, L.Ac., of SpringRoot Acupuncture in Woodbury

In our culture, burnout is not uncommon. Is this something you see in your practice? Absolutely. We live in a fast-paced area of a fast-paced country, and things don’t seem to be slowing down. For many, restorative selfcare is put on the back burner or seen as optional. It’s often the first thing sacrificed when more is asked of us. The moments of passive mental and physical rest we used to get during a car ride, a walk, a meal, or before bed are now few and far between. Prioritizing nourishment for the spirit and soul can feel like a luxury, but it’s actually so important for our overall health. Patients say they access a sense of deep rest during our treatments. I’ve often described that experience as “facilitated meditation.”

GUTTER CREDIT GOESHERE

We often confuse sleep with rest. From a holistic perspective, why can someone sleep for eight hours and still wake up profoundly fatigued? If a person spends their day in a state of high stress, their sympathetic nervous system (fight-or-flight) stays active even while they rest. They might be asleep, but under the surface it’s like their body is running a marathon. Their muscles remain tense, cortisol levels stay elevated, and the brain never enters the deep sleep cycles where cellular repair occurs. In Chinese medicine, if a person’s underlying reserves are depleted by overwork, emotional stress, or

PHOTOGRAPH BY NAME GOESHERE

poor nutrition, sleep alone cannot bring recovery. It’s like plugging a phone with an aging battery into a charger. It may show a full charge, but it drains quickly because the battery can’t hold it. Research shows that humans require seven types of rest: physical, mental, sensory, creative, emotional, social, and spiritual. Sleep alone will not cure sensory overload or relieve emotional fatigue. Acupuncture treats the physical, emotional, and spiritual bodies simultaneously, making it an incredible modality for true recovery.

How do treatments at SpringRoot go beyond being “just” a medical treatment? Our goal is to offer quality, attentive, personalized healthcare in a meditative environment. We’ve all received medical treatments in sterile settings, and for some, that can even induce anxiety. Our patients often say their treatment begins the moment they walk in the door. The sense of SpringRoot as a quiet, peaceful, even sacred place prepares their body for repair before they get on the table. Framing acupuncture as a ritual acknowledges that healing the physical body requires calming the mind and nurturing the soul.

For the person who finds it difficult to slow down, can treatments help quiet a hyperactive mind? Acupuncture is an incredible tool for calming overactive thoughts and creating clarity in times of overwhelm. We also use modalities like ATP Resonance BioTherapy® and moxibustion therapy to address underlying exhaustion and depletion. So often, when the body is brought into balance, a sense of overall peace is restored. With 25 years of experience, we meet people where they are and give them a soft place to land. It’s an honor to provide a space where healing unfolds. springrootacupuncture.com

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LIKE FAMILY, AROUND THE CLOCK

ane Hutchison built Abbey Road Family Care around a simple belief: every client deserves care that feels personal. As a family owned agency, Abbey Road takes the time to truly get to know each client, understand what matters to them, and stay closely involved in their care.

How do you choose the right caregiver for each client?

Before I think about which caregiver might be right for someone, I want to know who that person is. What brings them joy? Do they enjoy going to farmers markets, watching sports, or even going to the casino? What is their personality like? Then we look for a caregiver who we think will genuinely connect with that person. When someone is spending hours every day in your home, you should enjoy their company.

Inside Abbey Road Family Care

facility. We found her an aide who had also been a teacher and, amazingly, loved sailing too. When you saw them together, they looked like mother and daughter. What happens when a family calls at two in the morning?

We answer and figure out what needs to happen. There is no answering service. That could mean calling 911, alerting a family member, or finding another aide. Our families know they have someone they can reach 24/7. When something goes wrong, especially in the middle of the night, they shouldn’t feel like they are dealing with it alone.

Why do your caregivers stay with you for years?

I think it is because we treat our aides like family too. We know about their families and their lives. If someone is having a difficult time, we try to help. When we interview caregivers, I love hearing someone say they feel called to care for people. You can teach someone skills, but you can’t teach someone to care. When do clients start to feel like family?

Sometimes I think it begins during the very first phone call. You might have a son calling because his mother is very ill, and you can hear the stress and worry in his voice. As a mother of three boys myself, I have a lot of empathy for that. Over time, you share stories, solve

problems, and go through very difficult moments together. A bond naturally starts to form. What should families know before making that first call?

There are hundreds of home care agencies in Connecticut, and it can be overwhelming. Ask questions. How do they choose their caregivers? Who will you speak to if there is a problem? A caregiver can look perfect on paper and still not be the right match. For us, it is about finding someone you would feel comfortable having in the home of someone you love. abbeyroadfamilycare.com

What match worked because of a shared connection?

GUTTER CREDIT GOESHERE

We had a client who was a former teacher. She and her husband had been looking forward to a sailing trip together when he suddenly passed away. She became very depressed, and her children were thinking about placing her in a

PHOTOGRAPH BY R N YA A MNE CGAORERSOHLELR E

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SCOTT POOLS The standard by which all other pools are measured. ScottPools.com | 203.263.2108 | est. 1937

LITCHFIELD MAGA ZINE X DESIGN

home desi n

Resource Guide

YO U R S O U R C E F O R E V E RY T H I N G D E S I G N - R E L AT E D I N L I TC H F I E L D C O U N T Y

ARCHITECTS

Peklo Design & Joinery, LLC 29 Pomperaug Rd., Woodbury 203-233-9258, Peklo-designjoinery-llc.ueniweb.com

Architecture Design Alliance 312 Danbury Rd., New Milford, 860-355-8955 Architecturedesignalliance.com

Peter Talbot AIA Architects 50 Bell Hill Rd., Washington 860-868-9408 Petertalbotarchitects.com

BKSK Architects 230 West 38th St., New York, NY 212-807-9600, Bkskarch.com Bristow Proffitt Architecture and Interiors 16 Main St., Salisbury 860-435-0530 Bristowproffitt.com

POP Architecture 215 Park Ave S, New York, NY 212-977-6775, Popdpc.com

POP ARCHITECTURE

Reese Owens Architects 18 Titus Rd., Washington Depot 860-868-4000, Reeseowens.com

POP Architecture creates distinctive homes where architecture and interiors are conceived as one—transforming complex properties through inventive design, rigorous execution, and a distinctly personal point of view.

Scot P. Samuelson Architect 41 Keeler Rd., Sharon 917-538-5037, Scotsamuelson.com

Timeless designs that evoke a sense of place and well-being—we focus on achieving a balance between practical aesthetics, efficiencies, and constructability, resulting in a space that is uniquely yours. Woodbury, 203-586-9843 jtjarchitects.com

Clifford A. Cooper, Architecture 41 Westover Rd., Litchfield, 860-309-0712 Cliffordacooperarchitecture.com Daniel Frisch Architecture 127 West 56th St., New York, NY 212-489-8941, Danielfrisch.com Demetriades and Walker 11 Brook St., Lakeville 860-435-0800 Demetriadesandwalker.com

T2studio brings a deeply considered approach to every project—architecture that works intelligently behind the scenes, feels effortlessly welcoming, and is built for how people live, work, and gather. 63 New Milford Rd. W, Bridgewater, 860-799-1619, t2stud.io

Kent, info@popdpc.com

JTJ ARCHITECTS

T2STUDIO

Gary Nurnberger Architect 1037 Main St S, Woodbury 203-263-4524 Garynurnbergerarchitect.com

Studio MM, PLLC 401 Krumville Rd., Olivebridge, NY 212-480-9168, Maricamckeel.com

JTJ Architects, LLC Woodbury, 203-586-9843 Jtjarchitects.com

T2studio 63 New Milford Rd W, Bridgewater 860-799-1619, T2stud.io STUDIO MM ARCHITECT

Julia Metcalf Architecture & Interior Design 73 East St., Litchfield, 484-416-0170 Juliametcalfdesigns.com

Studio MM Architect designs custom modern homes rooted in their landscapes. Led by Marica McKeel, AIA, our collaborative team guides clients through each step, creating homes shaped by how they live.

Martin Associates Architects, LLC 760 East Main St., Torrington 860-496-1233 Martin-architects.com

Vakota Architecture Roxbury, Greenwich, and New York, 212-655-9875, Vakota.com Wyrick & Associates 17 Old Barn Rd., Kent, 860-927-5220 Wyrickassociates.com ARTISTS

401 Krumville Rd., Olivebridge, NY 212-480-9168, maricamckeel.com

Milton Gregory Grew, AIA 241 Main St S, Woodbury 203-217-1074, Grewdesign.com

Stephen Lasar Architects 35 Calhoun St., Washington Depot 860-355-3765 Stephenlasararchitects.com

Patrick Scott Mulberry 79 Whitcomb Hill Rd., Cornwall Bridge, 860-672-0392 Patrickmulberry.com

Stone Fox Architects 1133 Broadway, Ste. 1126, New York, NY, 212-473-7900 Stonefox.us 73

Alicia Mordenti Artist Washington Depot Aliciamordenti.com George Hendricks Sculpture Woodbury Hendrickssculpture.com Iron Ore Art 308 Kent Rd., New Milford 203-893-1984, Ironoreart.com

LITCHFIELD MAGA ZINE X DESIGN

F+H Architectural Design & Consulting 6 Bee Brook Rd., Washington Depot 860-733-5151 Fharchitecture.com

Revolutionary Restoration and Building P.O. Box 2456, New Preston 203-948-5629 Revolutionarybuilding.com Rich Donegan Home Craftsman 860-567-2163

Hendricks Churchill 55 South Ellsworth Rd., Sharon, 860-364-2288 Hendrickschurchill.com NICOLE ALGER PAINTING A graduate of the Florence Academy of Art, Alger draws and paints portraits, landscapes, still lifes, and expressive narrative work. Open for portrait and landscape commissions.

R.S.M. CONSTRUCTION

John Milnes Baker 76 Spooner Hill Rd., South Kent, 860-927-4262 Johnmilnesbaker.com

R.S.M. Construction is a fullservice residential general contractor in Litchfield County specializing in architecturally designed houses, striving to build to a higher standard.

Kate Briggs Johnson, Architect P.O. Box 565, Norfolk 860-307-2693, Kbjarchitect.com Stone Architecture P.O. Box 183, Roxbury 212-645-0635 Stone-architecture.com

219 Litchfield Tpke., New Preston, 860-868-1279 rsmconstruction.com

Karen LeSage Paintings 15 Academy St., Salisbury 860-318-5236, Karenlesage.com

Tittmann Design + Consulting 12 Titus Rd., Washington Depot 860-619-0005, Tittmann.com

Danco Management P.O. Box 191, Washington 860-323-3832 Dancomanagement.com

Nicole Alger Painting New York, NY nicole@nicolealger.com Nicolealgerpainting.com

BUILDERS & SUBCONTRACTORS

Washington Depot 917-514-7551 nicolealgerpainting.com

Studio Shannon Blanton Litchfield County shannonblantonllc@gmail.com Studioshannonblanton.com

Deacon & Sons 461 Bantam Rd., Litchfield 860-567-8467

Alibozak Construction, LLC 3600 Winsted Rd., Torrington 860-567-3688 Alibozakconstruction.com

Green View Building & Design Company, Inc. 20 Everest Hill Rd., Cornwall, 860-672-0131

Susan Wakeen Fine Art 387 Torrington Rd., Litchfield 860-567-5402, Susanwakeen.com

Ellsworth Home 200 Sharon Mountain Rd., Sharon, 860-492-0500 Ellsworthhome.com

Savage Construction P.O. Box 194, West Cornwall 860-672-2300 Savageconstructioninc.com Solimine Contracting 188 Danbury Rd., New Milford, 203-778-9385 Soliminecontracting.com Source Construction Services New Milford, 860-488-0587 Sourceconstructionservices.com Steers Construction Roxbury, 203-948-0553 Steersconstruction.com

Havens Fine Homes 29 Rte. 37 Center, Ste. 4, Sherman, 860-350-3059 Havensfinehomes.com

AJF Designs 56 Thomson Rd., Bethlehem 203-266-7757, Ajfdesigns.com

Cynthia Bradfield Crier, AIA Kent, 860-592-0026 Cynthiacrier.com

R.S.M. Construction 219 Litchfield Tpke., New Preston, 860-868-1279 Rsmconstruction.com

Ground Breakers Litchfield County, 203-650-1954

RESIDENTIAL DESIGN

BBS Design 17 Buckboard Ln., New Milford 203-798-0066, Bbsdesignllc.com

Riga Construction 95 Main St., North Canaan 860-824-2426 Rigaconstruction.com

Horrigan Builders Roxbury, 203-770-2721 Horriganbuilders.com

OUR HOUSE

Iron Horse Builders 27 Kent Rd., Kent 203-733-5934 Ironhorsebuildersct.com

Our House is a full-service design and construction firm specializing in custom builds and renovations. From concept to completion, one experienced team manages every detail for a seamless, personalized experience.

NorthStar Building 417 North George’s Hill Rd., Southbury, 203-434-3817 Northstarbuildingct.com

77 Main St. N, Unit 101, Southbury 203-794-0304, ourhousellc.com

YOOS & COMPANY Yoos & Co. brings a modern approach to custom building, combining exceptional craftsmanship with professional project management, clear communication, and thoughtful execution to create distinctive homes throughout Litchfield County and beyond. 203-709-0907, yoosco.com

Our House, LLC 77 Main St N, Unit 101, Southbury 203-794-0304, Ourhousellc.com

LITCHFIELD MAGA ZINE X DESIGN

T & S Builders 106 South Kent Rd., South Kent 860-671-0578, Tsbuildersllc.com TC Builders Bantam, 860-567-8373 Thomas Custom Builders Goshen, 860-491-1448 UCE Fine Builders 111 Thomaston Rd., Litchfield 860-489-7273, Ucebuilders.com West Mountain Builders 30 West Mountain Rd., Washington, 860-868-7528 Westmountainbuilders.com Whitehall Construction Litchfield, 860-307-5704 Whitehallconstruction.com Yoos & Company 203-709-0907 yoosco.com BUILDING SUPPLIES Ace Hardware of Kent 18 Kent Green Blvd., Kent 860-927-4114, Helpfulplace.com Ace Hardware of Litchfield 348 Bantam Rd., Litchfield 860-567-8588, Acehardware.com B & B Mason Supply 110 Housatonic Ave., New Milford, 860-355-1571 Bandbmasonsupply.com Northeast Building Supply 203-366-4757, Northeastco.com Rings End 140 Danbury Rd., New Milford 860-355-5566, Ringsend.com Slatted 38 Bantam Lake Rd., Bantam 917-855-9445, Slatted.co Stockyard and Stockyard Rentals 7 Iffland Pond Rd., Litchfield 860-618-5100, Stockyard.supply Washington Supply Company 2 Calhoun St., Washington Depot 860-868-7395 Washingtonsupply.com

CUSTOM WOODWORKING

Woodbury Supply Company, Inc. 104 South Pomperaug Ave., Woodbury, 203-263-4441 Woodburysupply.com CERAMICS

Harvest Moon Timber Frame 198 East St., Morris 800-262-0004 Harvestmoontimberframe.com Haxo Woodworks 191 Melius Rd., Warren 860-318-5591 Haxowoodworks.com

The Alison Palmer Studio 48 Stone Fences Ln., South Kent 860-927-4680 Alisonpalmerstudio.com

Ian Ingersoll 422 Sharon-Goshen Tpke., West Cornwall, 860-672-6334 Ianingersoll.com

Bantam Tileworks 816 Bantam Rd., Bantam 860-361-9306 Bantamtileworks.com

CANDLEWOOD VALLEY BUILDING

Ben Wolff Pottery 279 Sharon Tpke., Goshen 860-480-7765 Benwolffpottery.com Cornwall Bridge Pottery 69 Kent Rd S, Cornwall Bridge 860-946-9679, Cbpots.com

Since 1996, Candlewood Valley Building has crafted custom cabinetry and millwork for kitchens, baths, and built-ins across Connecticut, every piece built in its New Milford shop and finished by hand.

DBO Home Sharon, 860-364-6008 Dbohome.com

458 Danbury Rd., Building A New Milford candlewoodvalleybuilding.com

Dumais Made 931 Bantam Rd., Bantam 860-361-6830, Dumaismade.com

Amelia Cabinet Company 174 West St. Yard, Litchfield 860-567-1717 Ameliacabinetcompany.com

Guy Wolff Pottery 1249 Bantam Rd., Bantam 860-567-5577 Guywolff.com

Keystone Contracting and Fine Woodwork Lakeville, 860-200-0054 Kinney Woodworking, LLC Kent, 860-927-3280 Kinneywoodworkingllc.com Metal Craft, LLC 607 Bantam Rd., Bantam 860-361-6767, Metalcraftllc.com Morrissey Woodworks 87 Malletts Ln., New Milford 203-731-1542 Morrisseywoodworks.com Simon Metz Woodworking Washington Depot Simonmetzwoodworking.com

Barn Beam Company of New England Litchfield, 860-484-4811 Barnbeamco.com

Jane Herold Pottery 54 Sharon-Goshen Tpke., West Cornwall, 845-304-8208 Janeherold.com

Bespoke of Winchester 27 Church St., Winchester, MA 781-570-2210 Bespokeofwinchester.com

Joy Brown Studio Kent, 860-927-4946 Joybrownstudio.com

Brown Millworks 45 Bantam Lake Rd., Bantam 860-567-7007 Brownmillworks.com

Milkhouse Pottery 30 River Rd., Cornwall Bridge 860-672-6369 Piccirillo Ceramic Tile 59 Hazel Plain Rd., Woodbury 203-263-0603

Candlewood Valley Building, LLC 458 Danbury Rd., Unit #6, New Milford, 203-775-9244 Candlewoodvalleybuilding.com

Water Street Potters 39 Water St., Torrington 917-952-9660 Waterstreetpotters.com

Custom Furniture & Design 601 Bantam Rd., Bantam 860-567-3519 Customfurnitureanddesign.com Custom Millwork & Design Group, Inc. 607 Bantam Rd., Bantam 860-417-6812, Cmdgrp.com

Williams Lumber & Home Centers 6760 Rte. 9, Rhinebeck, NY Williamslumber.com

CUSTOM FURNITURE & DESIGN For more than 35 years, this Bantam workshop has designed and built custom kitchens, luxury cabinetry, and bespoke furniture, every piece handmade with skill, precision, and close attention to detail. 601 Bantam Rd., Bantam customfurnitureanddesign.com

LITCHFIELD MAGA ZINE X DESIGN

St. John’s Bridge 27 Railroad St., Kent 860-927-3315, Stjohnsbridge.com Wainscot Solutions 48 Anderson Ave., #5, New Milford, 203-509-8120 Wainscotsolutions.com Woody Mosch Cabinetmakers 23 Wood Creek Rd., Bethlehem 203-266-7619, Woodymosch.com

CFK Interiors 6 Bee Brook Rd., Washington Depot 860-733-5252 Cfkinteriors.com

Jag Creative Jagcreative.com J.L. Fabbri Designs P.O. Box 3, Litchfield 860-459-4107 Jlfabbridesigns.com

Claire Smith Interior Design 70 Hilltop Rd., Sharon 860-294-1082 Csmithdesign.com

John Robshaw Textiles 5 Rte. 7, Falls Village 917-781-0130 Johnrobshaw.com

Craig Anthony Longhurst 27 North Main St., Kent 917-280-8878 Craiganthonylonghurst.com

K. KELLEY DESIGN Katie Baldwin Designs 20B Millerton Rd., Lakeville 860-596-4421 Katiebaldwindesigns.com

Davis Raines Design New Preston, 917-834-5926 Davisrainesdesign.com

Kent Interiors, LLC 21 Muller Rd., Kent 860-927-0123, Kentinteriors.com

Drake Design Studio P.O. Box 597, Lakeville 401-595-4530 Drakedesignstudio.com ST. JOHN’S BRIDGE Our focus is building custom cabinetry for your home, from simple to complex. We work with individuals, architects, designers, and builders, and we are happy to talk about your project. 27 Railroad St., Kent, 860-927-3315 stjohnsbridge.com

Maison Collab 18 Great Elm Rd., Sharon 646-581-6095, Maisoncollab.com

Dumais Interiors 931 Bantam Rd., Bantam 212-620-7720 Dumaisinteriors.com

The McKenzie Shoppe by K. Kelley Design 81 Main St., Sharon 860-397-5057 Themckenzieshoppe.com

Glenn Gissler Design New York and Roxbury 212-228-9880, Gissler.com Interiors By KLM Cornwall Bridge, 860-248-0618 Interiorsbyklm.com

K. Kelley Design creates warm, timeless interiors defined by a collected, layered approach. Spanning new builds, renovations, and decoration, our projects thoughtfully balance character, comfort, and an enduring sense of place. 81 Main St., Sharon hello@kkelleydesign.com

RT Facts 8 Old Barn Rd., Kent 860-927-1700, Rtfacts.com

Michael Trapp, Inc. 7 River Rd., West Cornwall 860-672-6098, Michaeltrapp.com

Ruthann Olsson Interior Arts and Design 20 John Curtis Rd., Norfolk 860-542-5095

P. Nicholas Interiors Woodbury, 646-708-4330 Pnicholasinteriors.com

Sabin Viehland Interior Design 101 Main St S, #2, Bethlehem 203-586-1114, Sabinviehland.com

Philip Gorrivan Design 333 Park Ave S, #4A, New York, NY, 212-228-8242 Philipgorrivan.com

Sarah Blank Design Studio Washington, 203-655-6900 Sarahblankdesignstudio.com

DESIGNERS Alison Kist Interiors Salisbury, 347-415-0054 Alisonkistinteriors.com Appletree Design Depot 27 Bee Brook Rd., Washington Depot 860-868-7410 Appletreedesigndepot.com

Put It Together 122 South Pomperaug Ave., #2B, Woodbury, 203-263-7836 Putittogetherllc.com DAVIS RAINES DESIGN

B+B Interior Space 917-627-3892 Bbinteriorspace.com Brian Streater Litchfield County Brianstreater.com Capasso + Co Watertown, 561-801-8655 Capasso-interiors.com

Rachel Eykyn Design 518-755-6230, Racheleykyn.com

Reimagine your home with Davis Raines Design. They provide personalized interior design, curated furnishings, kitchen and bath solutions, lighting, skilled trades, and project coordination to create your dream home interiors.

Ro By Frecha Design 11 East Shore Rd. New Preston, 212-888-8620 Robyfrechadesign.com Robin Bell Design 83 Cobble Rd., #1503 Salisbury, 860-596-4169 Robinbelldesign.com

New Preston, 917-834-5926 davisrainesdesign.com

S.B. Long Interiors 917-692-1293 Sblonginteriors.com Sonia Bodie Designs 203-829-6345 Soniabodiedesigns.com Vanessa Brennan Interiors Connecticut and New York 917-443-3098 Vanessabrennan.com William McIntosh Design 27 West 20th St., #1100 New York, NY, 212-807-8030 Williammcintoshdesign.com

LITCHFIELD MAGA ZINE X DESIGN

FURNITURE Anderson Seat Works Norfolk, Andersonseatworks.com The Auction Barn, LLC 99 Railroad St. New Milford, 860-799-0608 Theauctionbarnct.com

SABIN VIEHLAND INTERIOR DESIGN Sabin Viehland’s bicoastal design studio crafts chic, turnkey residences in Litchfield County and beyond. Blending historic Connecticut charm with modern style, they expertly layer color, texture, and curated vintage finds. 101 Main St. S, #2, Bethlehem, 203-586-1114, sabinviehland.com

FABRICS & WALLPAPERS The Fabric Studio 33 West St., Litchfield 860-567-7736 Litchfieldfabricstudio.com

Black Swan Antiques 1 Warner Rd., Bridgewater 860-717-4463 Brown Millworks 45 Bantam Lake Rd. Bantam, 860-567-7007 Brownmillworks.com Dunes & Duchess 48 Anderson Ave., Unit #3 New Milford, 205-422-0084 Dunesandduchess.com

Thomas F. Kyasky Woodworking 442 Milton Rd. Litchfield, 860-567-4077

HTC Home 920 Bantam Rd. Bantam, 860-361-6299 Htchomestore.com

Troy Brook Visions, Inc. 38 Clark Rd. Litchfield, 860-567-2310 Troybrookvisions.com

Ian Ingersoll 422 Sharon-Goshen Tpke. West Cornwall, 860-672-6334 Ianingersoll.com

York Street Studio 333A Litchfield Rd. New Milford, 860-350-2100 Yorkstreet.com

J. Seitz & Co. 9 East Shore Rd. New Preston, 860-868-0119 Jseitz.com

HOME ACCENTS

Farmhouse Antiques & Design 495 Main St S Woodbury, 203-263-6400 Farmhouseantiquesct.com

John Celli Custom Furniture Designs 182 Pickett District Rd., #3, New Milford, 212-213-6999 Johncelli.com

G. Sergeant Antiques 289 Main St S, Woodbury 203-266-4177, Gsergeant.com

The McKenzie Shoppe by K. Kelley Design 81 Main St. Sharon, 860-397-5057 Themckenzieshoppe.com

GEORGE HOME

Mill House Antiques & Gardens 1068 Main St N Woodbury, 203-263-3446 Millhouseantiques andgardens.com Oakley Restoration & Finishing, LLC 30 South End Plz. New Milford, 860-350-6410 Oakleyrestoration.com

NORTHEAST FINE FLOORING DESIGN

Northeast Fine Flooring Design 280 Danbury Rd., New Milford 860-354-2600, Northeastffd.com

We offer expert product and design guidance, providing exquisite craftsmanship to transform your space. Fullservice flooring solutions include custom area rugs, stair runners, wide-plank hardwood, and hardwood refinishing.

Persian Rug Gallery of Woodbury 572 Main St S, Woodbury 203-263-5666, Woodburyrug.com

280 Danbury Rd., New Milford, 860-354-2600 northeastffd.com

FLOOR COVERINGS

The Hidden Acorn 385 Washington Rd., Woodbury 203-586-1223, Hiddenacorn.com

Jeffrey Tillou Antiques 39 West St. Litchfield, 860-567-9693 Tillouantiques.com

Schuyler Samperton Textiles 63 Old South Rd., Litchfield 323-655-6603 Schuylersampertontextiles.com

twenty2 wallpaper + textiles 259 Great Hill Rd., Naugatuck 888-222-3036, Twenty2.net

Studio Hill 507 Main St S, Woodbury 203-405-6500, Studiohillct.com

Eleish Van Breems 3 Southbury Rd., Roxbury 860-847-8608, Evbantiques.com

Lakeville Interiors 4 Old Middle St., Goshen 860-618-0182 Lakevilleinteriors.com

Sister Parish Design 7 West St., Litchfield 800-970-3366 Sisterparishdesign.com

Get Back, Inc. 27 Main St., Ste. 4, Oakville 860-274-9991, Getbackinc.com

Reworx 310 Watertown Rd. Morris, 860-417-2858 Reworxct.com Salisbury Artisans 80 Factory St. Salisbury, 860-671-9095 Salisburyartisans.com South Street Antiques 15 South St. Litchfield, 860-567-2411 Southstreetantiques.com

Since 2017, GEORGE has been a trusted resource for designers, enthusiasts, and collectors nationwide, featuring a sophisticated and eclectic mix of antique and vintage furniture, art, and accessories, and now offering a curated selection for gifting and entertaining. 4 Titus Rd., Washington Depot, 860-868-0323 georgehomect.com

100 Main 100 Main St., Falls Village 860-453-4356, 100mainst.com Ameico 29 Church St., New Milford 860-354-8765, Ameico.com CP Farmhouse 23 West St., Litchfield 860-361-9355, Cpfarmhouse.com Dugazon 19 West Main St., #2, Sharon 860-397-5196, Dugazonshop.com

LITCHFIELD MAGA ZINE X DESIGN

MILTON MARKET Milton Market is a modern-day general store at the intersection of beauty and utility, where life and interiors are most interesting when it’s all in the mix. Located in historic Cobble Court, Litchfield. 14 Cobble Ct., Litchfield, 860-361-6723 miltonmarketct.com

Eleish Van Breems Home 11 Main St., New Preston 860-868-0066, Evbantiques.com George Champion Modern Shop 442 Main St S Woodbury, 203-263-8442 Championmodern.com George Home 4 Titus Rd., Washington Depot 860-868-0323 Georgehomect.com

Pasquale et Maurice Home 1 Titus Rd., Washington Depot 475-316-9753 Pasqualeetmauricehome.com

Eagle Electric Washington Depot 860-868-9898 Eagleelectricservices.com

Pergola Home 7 East Shore Rd. New Preston, 860-868-4769 Pergolahome.com

High Wire Electric, LLC 387 Litchfield Rd., Unit B, New Milford, 860-799-6449 Highwireelectric.com

Plain Goods 17 East Shore Rd., New Preston 860-868-0280

Woodbury Electric Company, LLC Woodbury, 203-560-4638 Woodburyelectriccompany.com

Richard Wrightman Design 37 Greenwoods Rd., P.O. Box 153, New Hartford, 860-909-1201 Richardwrightman.com

Wright Electrical Company 14 Kinney Hill Rd., Washington Depot 860-868-7923

Samantha Gale Designs 18 Commons Dr. Litchfield, 860-993-3935 Samanthagaledesign.com

KITCHENS & BATHS Bryant Glass & Shower Doors, LLC 495 Bantam Rd., Litchfield 860-387-1314, Bryantglassllc.com

Upcycle Modern 10 Kent Green Blvd. Kent, 646-319-7965 Upcyclemodern.com

Candlewood Valley Building, LLC 458 Danbury Rd., Unit #6, New Milford, 203-775-9244 Candlewoodvalleybuilding.com Custom Furniture & Design 601 Bantam Rd. Litchfield, 860-567-3519 Customfurnitureanddesign.com

AV Electric New Milford, 203-948-9379 Avelectricllc.com

JC Merritt, Inc. 387 Litchfield Rd., New Milford 860-355-8238, Jcmerrittgc.com

Cagenio Home Technology 162 Baker Rd., Roxbury 860-619-2400, Cagenio.com

Joe Simpson Plumbing 167 Washington Rd. Woodbury, 203-592-2437 Joesimpsonplumbingct.com Kent Kitchen Works 10 Kent Green Blvd. Kent, 860-927-4855 Kentkitchenworks.com

J. Seitz & Co. 9 East Shore Rd., New Preston 860-868-0119, Jseitz.com John Robshaw 5 Rte. 7, Falls Village 917-781-0130, Johnrobshaw.com

Milton Market 14 Cobble Ct. Litchfield, 860-361-6723 Miltonmarketct.com Oliphant 29 West St., Litchfield 860-567-8199 Oliphantdesign.com

Bryant Glass elevates living spaces with custom showers, mirrors, and architectural glass— uniting artistry and precision to create luminous environments that reflect timeless elegance, craftsmanship, and understated luxury in every detail. 495 Bantam Rd., Litchfield, 860-387-1314 bryantglassllc.com

LANDSCAPE

HOME ELECTRONICS & ENTERTAINMENT

Home & Earth 641 Main St S Woodbury, 203-706-6348 Homeandearthshop.com

Marché 105 Main St., Falls Village 206-465-4498, Marche-ct.com

BRYANT GLASS & SHOWER DOORS

Litchfield Hills Kitchen & Bath 154 New Milford Tpke., New Preston, 860-868-2007 Lhkitchenbath.com

WOODBURY ELECTRIC COMPANY

Modern Supply 101 Danbury Rd. New Milford, 800-241-3184 Modernplumbing.biz

From emergency repairs to new installations and all things electrical, let the professionals at Woodbury Electric Co. handle it! For projects large or small, we can do it all!

York Street Studio 333 Litchfield Rd., New Milford 860-350-2100, Yorkstreet.com

Woodbury, 203-560-4638 woodburyelectriccompany.com

AB Landscaping, LLC 104 Gay St., Sharon 860-364-0142 Ablandscapingonline.com All Seasons Maintenance 594 Federal Rd. Brookfield, 203-885-0001 Allseasonsmaintenance-ct.com Charles F. Lewis Landscaping 13 Old Town Farm Rd. Woodbury, 203-263-4230 Designing Eden 8 West Meetinghouse Rd. New Milford, 860-350-5162 Designingeden.com Dirtworks 561 Seventh Ave., 11th Fl. New York, NY, 212-529-2263 Dirtworks.us Douskey Landscaping & Estate Care P.O. Box 2291, New Preston 860-318-5615 Douskeylandscaping.com Everything Botanical 253 Old Litchfield Rd. Washington, 203-525-2776 Everythingbotanical.com

LITCHFIELD MAGA ZINE X DESIGN

FSM Services New Milford, 860-355-1595 Fsmservicesinc.com Garden Paths Landscaping 100 Weekeepeemee Rd. Bethlehem, 203-266-5758 The Green Spot 354 Litchfield Rd. New Milford, 860-799-5102 Thegreenspotnewmilford.com Hilltop Property Maintenance 5 Hilltop View Ln. New Milford, 203-770-4483

Scott’s Nursery and Landscaping 322 Kent Rd. New Milford, 860-350-8295 Scottsnursery andlandscaping.com

Drakeley Pool Company 74 Hickory Ln., Bethlehem 860-274-7903, Drakeleypools.com

Sergio Landscaping, LLC 16 High St. New Milford, 860-248-0477 Sergiolandscapingservice.com Stonewalls by George P.O. Box 2306 New Preston, 860-868-0903 Stonewallsbygeorge.com

Innovative Lawn and Landscape 217 Field St., Torrington 860-605-4958, Innovativect.com

Yardscapes Landscape Professionals 18 Aspetuck Ridge Rd. New Milford, 860-350-2737 Yardscapeslandscape.com

John Spector Landscape Design Woodbury, 203-586-8541 Johnspectorlandscapedesign.net

LIGHTING

Johnson’s Masonry and Landscaping 253 Painter Hill Rd. Roxbury, 203-994-8197 Johnsonsmasonry andlandscaping.com

Dolphin Pools & Spas, LLC 400 Watertown Rd., Ste. 4, Thomaston, 860-283-5444 Dolphinpoolsandspas.com

DOBSON POOLS Those who give their all deserve a beautiful place to relax and renew. Dobson Pools has crafted elegant outdoor spaces for nearly 60 years. We look forward to developing and delivering your vision. —Brian and Julie Dobson Washington, 860-354-9227 info@dobsonpools.com dobsonpools.com

Bouyea & Associates 5 Green Hill Rd., Washington 860-868-4500, Bouyea.com

Distinctive Swimming Pools, Inc. 74 Bee Brook Rd., Washington Depot 860-868-3622 Distinctiveswimmingpools.com

i2Systems 355 Bantam Lake Rd., Morris 860-567-0708, I2systems.com

Group Works, LLC 50 Powder Horn Hill Rd. Wilton, 203-834-7905 Groupworksllc.com Litchfield County Pools 116 Housatonic Ave. New Milford, 860-355-8547 Lcpools.com Marquee Pools & Service 116 Davis Ave., Bridgeport 203-372-5554, Marqueepools.com Precision Pool & Aquatics 147 Danbury Rd., New Milford 203-998-6399 Precisionpoolandaquatics.com Robco Pools, LLC 678 Main St., Plymouth 860-283-8585

Meadowbrook Gardens 228 Danbury Rd. New Milford, 860-350-4200 Meadowbrookgardens.com

Studio Steel Lighting 159 New Milford Tpke. New Preston, 860-868-7305 Studiosteel.com

Michael Trapp, Inc. 7 River Rd., West Cornwall 860-672-6098, Michaeltrapp.com

PAINTING

Scott Swimming Pools, Inc. 75 Washington Rd., Woodbury 203-263-2108, Scottpools.com

Cottage and Country Painting 474 New Litchfield St. Torrington, 860-485-3209

PROPERTY MANAGEMENT

Middeleer Land Design, LLC 20 Roxbury Rd. Woodbury, 203-856-3135 Middlanddesign.com North Stone Landscaping 45 Legion Rd. New Milford, 860-210-1766 Northstonelandscaping.com Peerless The Berkshires and Litchfield Hills 413-229-8689, Peerlesstree.com R Design Land Architects 46 Front St. Millbrook, NY, 845-677-4741 Rdesignstudios.com Sabin Landscape Architects 101 Main St S, #1B Bethlehem, 203-405-1440 Sabinla.com

Dobson Pools P.O. Box 2550 New Preston, 860-354-9227 Dobsonpools.com

Roxbury Pool & Patio Roxbury, 203-648-7434 Roxburypoolsct.com

Danco Management P.O. Box 191, Washington 860-323-3832 Dancomanagement.com

Elite Painting, LLC 116 Nonnewaug Rd. Bethlehem, 203-948-7271 Elitepaintingct.com

Hearthstone & Co Hearthstonestays.co

Mark Svanda Painting, LLC Sandy Hook, 203-470-4240 Marksvanda.com

LITCHFIELD COUNTY POOLS

Ray Fico Professional Painting 135 Henry Sanford Rd. Bridgewater, 203-800-6747

Litchfield County Pools crafts custom gunite swimming pools and spas with premium materials, offering personalized design-build services. After completion, LCP provides reliable seasonal maintenance for discerning homeowners.

POOLS Black Tie Pool Service Sherman, 860-488-9161 Blacktiepoolservice.com

116 Housatonic Ave., New Milford, 860-355-8547 lcpools.com

Denscot Pool & Spa 269 New Milford Tpke. New Preston, 860-868-7535 Denscotpools.com

Highland Property Management 28 Old Park Lane Rd. New Milford, 203-546-7563 Highlandpropmgmt.com Home Watch of CT Washington, 203-291-2888 Homewatchofct.com NWCT Caretaker 860-960-4550 nwctcaretaker@gmail.com

LITCHFIELD MAGA ZINE X DESIGN

ART GALLERIES Argazzi Art 22 Millerton Rd., Lakeville 860-435-8222, Argazziart.com Craven Contemporary 4 Fulling Ln., Kent, 646-355-8142 Artsy.net/partner/ craven-contemporary Eckert Fine Art Gallery & Consulting 10 Titus Rd., Washington Depot 860-619-0707 Janeeckertfineart.com The Good Gallery 23 South Main St. Kent, 860-248-9848 Thegoodgallerykent.com Gregory James Framing & Gallery 149 Park Lane Rd. New Milford, 860-354-3436 Gregoryjamesgallery.com Kenise Barnes Fine Art Consulting, Inc. 7 Fulling Ln., Kent 860-592-0220, Kbfa.com Washington Art Association & Gallery 4 Bryan Hall Plz. Washington Depot 860-868-2878 Washingtonartassociation.org

E. Garrity Water Solutions 262 New Milford Tpke. New Preston, 860-539-0327 Garritywater.com

Woodbury Antique Dealers Association Woodbury Antiqueswoodbury.com

Good Hill Mechanical Services 53 Main St S, Woodbury 203-263-4557, Ghmechanical.com

TREE SERVICES A-1 Tree Service, LLC 1423 Turner Rd. Thomaston, 860-283-0237 A1treeservicect.com

L’Atelier des Artistes 410 Main St., New Hartford 203-343-2346, Atelier-da.com

A&A Tree Service New Milford, Bridgewater, Washington, and Roxbury 860-946-3594 Aatreeservice.net

M & H Equipment Service, LLC 103 Thomaston Rd. Litchfield, 860-618-3921 Mhpowerequipment.com Mountain Top Mechanical 50 Thomaston Rd. Litchfield, 860-792-3387 Mountain-top-mech.com

Arbor Services of CT, Inc. Washington Depot 860-868-1930, Arborct.com ARBORx, LLC Sherman, 203-448-7001 Arborxllc.com

Northwest Water 860-480-2214 Northwestwaterct.com

Brothers’ Tree Service 227 Commercial St. Watertown, 203-758-2767 Brotherstree.com

Randall Gilding Studio, LLC 865 Main St S Woodbury, 516-241-6226 Randallgildingandrestoration.com

Casadei Tree Service 860-567-4797

WJ Layman & Sons 860-868-9082

Claudio Tree Work and Landscape 203-297-3522 Claudiotreework.com

ROOFING

Gentile Tree Care New Milford, 860-717-7218 Gentiletreecare.com

DJ Hall Roofing Torrington, 860-485-5887 Djhallroofing.com The Roofer, LLC P.O. Box 609, Woodbury 203-530-2460, Therooferllc.com TC Roofing, LLC Harwinton, 860-485-1336 Tcroofing.net SPECIALTY Classic Turf 437 Sherman Hill Rd., Woodbury 203-263-0800, Classicturf.org Dean’s Stove & Spa II 376 Main St. New Hartford, 860-621-5311 Deanshouseoffire.com

Good Old Boys Tree Services 2 Sharon Ln., Watertown 860-601-7948 GOOD HILL MECHANICAL SERVICES

Litchfield County Tree Service 203-721-5119 Litchfieldtreeservices.com

SavATree 140 Mustad Rd., Bloomfield 860-688-9300, Savatree.com Sawing High Climbers 69 Davis Rd. South Kent, 860-801-0100 Sawinghighclimbers.com UPHOLSTERY The Fabric Studio 33 West St. Litchfield, 860-567-7736 Litchfieldfabricstudio.com Lakeville Interiors 4 Old Middle St. Goshen, 860-618-0182 Lakevilleinteriors.com Orange Sofa 626 Bantam Rd., Bantam 860-459-9802, Orangesofa.com Upcycle Modern 10 Kent Green Blvd. Kent, 646-319-7965 Upcyclemodern.com The Upholstery Shed 61 Paper Mill Rd. New Milford, 860-354-5655 WINDOWS Naugatuck Window & Glass 253 Prospect St. Naugatuck, 203-729-4536 Naugatuckwindowandglass.com Windows of Connecticut Torrington, 860-294-9232 Windowsofconnecticut.com Woodbury Supply Company, Inc. 104 South Pomperaug Ave., Woodbury, 203-263-4441 Woodburysupply.com GARDEN CENTERS

For more than 50 years, Good Hill Mechanical Services has proudly provided trusted heating, air conditioning, plumbing, installation, maintenance, and repair services, keeping local homes and businesses comfortable year-round.

Minglewood Tree, LLC 56 Gold Mine Rd., Roxbury 860-355-5848 Neal Tree Service, LLC Woodbury, 203-263-4992 Nealtreeservicellc.com P.F.D. Tree Removal & Excavation Contractors 963 Main St. Watertown, 860-274-5094

53 Main St. S, Woodbury, 203-263-4557 ghmechanical.com

Aventine Gardens 203-702-3905 Aventinegardens.com Colonial Lawn and Garden 34 Meadow St. Litchfield, 860-459-9312 The Garden 155 Main St N, Woodbury 203-266-4439, Thegardenct.com

LITCHFIELD HILLS NURSERY Since 1948, Litchfield County’s destination for inspired garden design—exceptional plants, trees, and an exclusive showroom of Barlow Tyrie and Pawleys Island luxury outdoor furniture. 393 Torrington Rd., Litchfield, 860-567-9374 litchfieldhillsnursery.com

The Green Spot 354 Litchfield Rd. New Milford, 860-799-5102 Thegreenspotnewmilford.com

DANIEL FRISCH ARCHITECTURE -27

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Kent Greenhouse & Gardens 30 South Main St. Kent, 860-787-5068 Kentgreenhouse.com Litchfield Hills Nursery 393 Torrington Rd. Litchfield, 860-567-9374 Litchfieldhillsnursery.com

VOTE FOR YOUR FAVORITE BUSINESSES

Meadowbrook Gardens 228 Danbury Rd. New Milford, 860-350-4200 Meadowbrookgardens.com

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Northern Farm & Flowers, LLC 59 Old Middle St. Goshen, 860-307-0965 Northernctfarm.com Old Farm Nursery 158 Lime Rock Rd. Lakeville, 860-435-2272 Oldfarmnursery.com Scott’s Nursery and Landscaping 322 Kent Rd. New Milford, 860-350-8295 Scottsnurseryand landscaping.com White Flower Farm 167 Litchfield Rd. Morris, 860-567-8789 Whiteflowerfarm.com ■

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P H O T O G R A P H S B Y C H R I S M O T TA L I N I

Designer Client

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J O U -YIE C H O U T URNS A L AKE VIL L E CAPE INTO H O ME

by Clementina Verge

← Beneath a vaulted ceiling, a green island with a butcherblock top anchors the kitchen. → A peg rail and vintage shoe rack corral the mudroom. NOV | DEC 2026 • LITCHFIELD • 85

OR JOU-YIE CHOU, designing a place is ultimately about capturing a feeling: the sense that you've arrived somewhere worth staying. As a founding partner of Post Company, the multidisciplinary design studio he established with Ruben Caldwell and Leigh Salem, Chou has spent more than a decade designing distinctive hotels, restaurants, and residences, from Inness in the Hudson Valley and Scribner's Catskill Lodge to the Anvil Hotel in Jackson, Wyoming. Across that work runs a sensibility that resists the idea of a space looking “too new or too finished.” To Chou, the best rooms feel layered, welcoming, and lived in— a philosophy that would eventually shape his own home. In the summer of 2020, Chou and his wife, Bentley, were still living in Brooklyn with their two young children when they began looking for a retreat. They wanted somewhere rural but not remote, with enough land for privacy and enough community to feel connected. Friends pointed them toward Litchfield County, and when a 1,300-square-foot Cape in Lakeville came up for rent, Chou drove up the next day to see it. The house was small but felt right. “We fell in love with it, and, four years later, asked the owners if we could buy it,” he says. A renovation, begun in November 2024 and completed in March 2026, doubled the square footage while keeping the original Cape as the emotional center of the house. New additions borrow from the New England vernacular— gabled rooflines, corrugated roofs, and barn-like forms—while contemporary detailing keeps the architecture from feeling like a historical reproduction. Inside, Chou took a similar approach. Shaker-inspired cabinetry, vintage furnishings, family rugs, and polished brass hardware make the rooms feel as though they evolved over time. He pays particular attention to the things encountered every

8 6 • LITCHFIELD • NOV | DEC 2026

In September, the firm released its first book, Post Company: Character Studies, celebrating a body of work that has deliberately blurred the lines between hospitality and home. The Lakeville house is a natural continuation—but this time, the designer was the client. Here, evidence of family life is everywhere: children, a dog, school mornings, sports equipment, dinner parties, and the changing demands of four seasons. The result is less a showcase of Chou’s taste than a reflection of how he believes a house should be lived in: not as a backdrop to life, but as a place that empowers it. Perhaps the most personal design decision was knowing when to stop designing—and let the house become a home. POSTCOMPANY.CO day: door hardware, faucets, bath fittings, lighting, and countertops. “The closer an object is to the body,” he says, “the more important its quality becomes.” From the marble kitchen counters to the dining room lighting, scaled to echo an old New England lantern, the details give the house a sense of history and belonging. The house arrives at a milestone moment for Chou and Post Company. In 2022, the studio opened a Lakeville showroom, combining its own furniture and lighting with vintage pieces and antiques in a setting that feels more like home than retail.

↑ A child’s blush-pink bedroom tucked under the eaves. → From left, a freestanding tub and a pedestal sink against green beadboard.

NOV | DEC 2026 • LITCHFIELD • 87

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PASS THE PHEASANT FEATHERS, Please. FIVE DESIGNERS REVEAL THEIR THANKSGIVING TABLES AND TRADITIONS

ASK A DESIGNER to set a table and you get more than place settings. You get a story. This Thanksgiving, five designers invite us in, from ANTIQUE IMARI and PAISLEY LINENS to MEXICAN WEDDING PLATES and PHEASANT FEATHERS, sharing the heirlooms, recipes, and rituals that make the holiday their own. PHOTOGRAPHS BY JIM HENKENS

NOV | DEC 2026 • LITCHFIELD • 93

Sarah WORDEN

THANKSGIVING is such a cozy kickoff to the chilly off-season months in Litchfield County. I personally relish the slowdown of events season and finally being able to relax with friends and family. In our family, everyone contributes a dish on Thanksgiving— Dad’s creamed onions and Mom’s carrot soufflé are personal faves. I almost always make Bon Appétit’s New England Sausage, Apple, and Dried Cranberry Stuffing, and a shaved Brussels sprout and citrus zest salad to add brightness to the meal. My favorite way to decorate for the holiday (or anytime!) is to mix pieces with history with natural elements in a high-low style that isn’t too stuffy. In this tablescape, for example, we had fun mixing pheasant feathers with florals in antique stoneware crocks and pitchers. sarahwordennatural.com

GUTTER CREDIT GOESHERE

FEATHERS, FAMILY RECIPES, AND A SLOWER SEASON

GUTTER CREDIT GOESHERE

NOV | DEC 2026 • LITCHFIELD • 95

Schuyler SAMPERTON MORE IS MORE AT THANKSGIVING

THANKSGIVING is the perfect time to get cozy with a rotating roster of friends and family—since we’ve moved to Litchfield, it’s been great to mix it up with our new local pals and old East Coast friends. ¶ For me, the table setting is just as important as the food. As was tradition in our family growing up, I always start the scheme with an antique paisley tablecloth and a pair of 19th-century antler candlesticks that belonged to my parents. In keeping with my “more is more” aesthetic, I add plates, pitchers, and serving pieces from my collection of antique Imari, and layer in a low arrangement of fruits, flowers, and pheasant feathers. Personalized name cards by artist Melissa Gamwell add a lovely touch. sam erton.com

NOV | DEC 2026 • LITCHFIELD • 97

Martha FISH SAME RECIPES, NEW TABLE, ONE THAI DINNER

THANKSGIVING, to me, is all about family, food, and tradition. The menu is written in stone—everyone looks forward to the same beloved recipes year after year—but the table is a blank canvas. Every Thanksgiving it takes on a new personality, layered with flowers, branches, fruit, candles, and whatever seasonal treasures inspire us. I love mixing pieces we’ve inherited with ones we’ve collected over the years, along with handmade pottery, glassware, and beautiful linens. My favorite part of the holiday is the days leading up to it. For decades, my mother and I have spent those days cooking, setting the table, and fussing over every detail together—breaking only for our annual takeout Thai dinner the night before, a delicious pause before the feast to come. m ltonmar etct.com

Joanna SEITZ SEITZ FAMILY VEGAN THANKSGIVING FIESTA

JOANNA AND BILL SEITZ and daughter Amanda Seitz have owned J. Seitz in the village of New Preston for almost 40 years and have been going to their vacation home in New Mexico for almost as long. Living in Santa Fe has influenced Joanna’s Thanksgiving table setting in their Connecticut home. Dinnerware by renowned Mexican ceramicist Gorky González is the center of any holiday celebration at the Seitz family home. Vintage New Mexican table accessories, like the ceramic chicken casserole, recycled Mexican glassware, and Mexican wedding plates, make for a colorful holiday table. ¶ The Thanksgiving meal begins with a traditional New Mexican soup called posole, a uniquely flavorful corn soup. The Seitz family prepares all the trimmings like sourdough bread stuffing, roasted Brussels sprouts, garlic mashed potatoes with green chile, mushroom gravy, and Amanda’s homemade cranberry sauce. In their meatless household, the turkey is replaced with wild mushrooms in puff pastry—a mushroom Wellington. Desserts are homemade apple pie and ginger cookies. Mixing the nontraditional with the traditional, the Seitz family blends the two cultures, East and West, for a festive holiday. se t .com

NOV | DEC 2026 • LITCHFIELD • 9 9

Philip GORRIVAN DESSERTS, DEVOTION, AND A FATHER WHO TURNED 94

100 • LITCHFIELD • NOV | DEC 2026

THANKSGIVING always brings me home to Portland, Maine, where my family has gathered around the same table for as long as I can remember. My sister and her family, my brother and his family, my wife and children, my father’s sister, my cousin, and my father all make every effort to be there. Through the years, we’ve remained remarkably committed to this tradition, even as life has taken us in different directions. The only person truly missing is my mother, who adored Thanksgiving more than any other holiday, and whose spirit is felt most deeply that day. We usually arrive with desserts in hand (tarte tatin, courtesy of my daughter Isabelle; a selection of pies, and some local NYC treats, including Veniero’s Italian cheesecake and a panettone), and enjoy helping set the table, bringing a few favorite pieces of my own to mingle with the china, silver, and traditions I grew up with. My father turned 94 this year, making every Thanksgiving together especially meaningful. Every year I can’t help but feel profoundly thankful for the family that continues to gather, for the memories that surround us, and for the hope that we’ll all be together again next year, just as we always have been. h l

orr

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Is Mark Mennin A Rock Star? WHY, YES. YES, HE IS.

104 • LITCHFIELD • NOV | DEC 2026

BY JAMES SALO M O N

MET MARK some ten years ago while working on art projects with the Judy Black Memorial Park and Gardens in Washington Depot. His magnificent sculpture, “Currents,” is a focal point on the property: long and rippling in black granite, impossible to miss. For anyone who’s ever attended the Spring Hill Arts Gathering in the summer, you’ve likely taken a seat in the stone amphitheater that he designed and built, which nestles in the hillside.

Those are just two examples of his mark on the community, and there are several notable others. Many know him as a gregarious guy who possesses a quiet cool, with the gentle swagger of someone who really knows his craft. The Litchfield County resident has been heaving and shaping hunks of earth for decades, with no sign of letup. Once the captain for Princeton Rugby, his physical stature fits the bill, and he has no problem getting rough-andtumble in his process. However, it’s a challenge to make weight and mass come across so airy, so graceful, and yet he pulls it off, time after time. His pillowy pieces sprinkle private and public spaces throughout the county, throughout the country, and well beyond. Royal academician William Tucker says, “Mark Mennin’s skill, knowledge, and experience are almost legendary among his colleagues

in the U.S. and Italy. His energy and productivity are unrivaled in his generation.” I caught up with Mark recently at his studio in Bethlehem, where he handed me his new monograph, titled Observance, published by Skira Arte. The tome, some 350 pages, opens with images of the artist as a young man chiseling away in the middle of an Italian piazza, then in the mines of Carrara. Further along in the book, he recounts that “Italy instilled a lot of mythic aura about the carving practice that never really left me—and realizing the biblical narrative and mythologies, and how they could be interpreted differently by different personalities, blew my mind: all these alchemists working with the same materials and making what I saw was magic.”

“FORM THAT FEELS TENDER AND YIELDING”

Acclaimed author Dani Shapiro penned the insightful introduction, in which she writes, “There is a paradox in Mark’s work that continues to move me. His materials are primordial, often massive, the very definition of permanence. And yet he shapes stone into form that feels tender and yielding.” Many of his artworks are functional (yes, you can sit or lie on them) and invoke reverie, introspection, or even sleep. Other pieces show a playful nod to historical forms, such as recycled column drums topped with a carved Victorian ruff collar. A recent body of work is presented in onyx, where the forms have been hollowed out and illuminated from the interior, as a volcanic glow simmers below. The late historian Dore Ashton once wrote of Mennin, “Lurking beneath his irony is a positive pleasure in the art of carving that belies the ironist.” From that, may we all feed our fire, our irony, our positive pleasure—and glow. OBSERVANCE is available online as well as at the Hickory Stick in Washington Depot.

markmennin.com

OUT+ABOUT Arts Connected 2026

THE NORTHWEST CONNECTICUT ARTS COUNCIL drew 250 guests to Buck’s Rock Camp in New Milford on August 29 for Arts Connected 2026, raising $55,000 for the arts across the Council’s 25-town region. The evening paired a curated gallery of work donated by Litchfield County artists, with live demonstrations by Plein Air Litchfield and performances from MOMIX, jazz group Perfect Manhattan, an African drum circle by Our Culture is Beautiful, fire spinners from Team TT Media, Sova Puppet Theatre, and Susan Aziz’s large-scale articulated whale puppet. Proceeds support the Council’s work in strengthening the arts and culture infrastructure of the Litchfield Hills.

Antonia Steinberg (Buck’s Rock Camp) & Stephen Gass (Arts Council Board).

MOMIX Dancers.

Whale parade puppet for Paul Winter’s Earth Mass by puppet artist Susan Aziz

Sunday Fisher (Arts Council board chair), Moses Pendleton and Cynthia Quinn from MOMIX, Laura Daly (milliner based in Washington)

NWCT Arts Council board members with their auction paddles.

PHOTOGRAPHS BY DEBRA LILL AND JENNIFER ALMQUIST

Food Installation by Chef Myisha Mastersson

Guests Maria Horn, Dave Rosenfeld (Infinity Hall), and Jennifer Almquist (Arts Council Board)

Vanessa from Buck’s Rock Camp

Fiery entertainment. Jay Anderson (Team TT Media)

NOV | DEC 2026 • LITCHFIELD • 107

OUT+ABOUT

FULLY BOOKED AT THE GUNN An evening of cocktails, music, and community FRIENDS AND SUPPORTERS of Gunn Memorial Library & Museum gathered for BOOKED!, the annual fall fundraiser, an evening of cocktails, fabulous food, music, and good company. Hosted by Gunn trustee Ines de Seroux and her husband, Matias Santa Cruz, the party celebrated the Library & Museum and the community that supports it. gunnlibrary.org

108 • LITCHFIELD • NOV | DEC 2026

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Working with the Mayflower’s executive chef Luke Dowdy, Boulud has created a sophisticated fivecourse dinner menu. When I visited on a Thursday in September, the main dining room, the Garden Room, was packed, which is quite impressive given that the prix fixe is $175 per guest, with an optional wine pairing for $95. (A relative bargain, as the five-course prix fixe at Daniel is $235.) What you get for your money is classic Boulud, whose cooking combines traditional French technique with seasonal American ingredients. To start, there was a perfectly prepared chilled corn velouté with Maine lobster and piquillo peppers. The second course was a delicate yet rich wild mushroom risotto with summer truffle and Parmesan. The fish

course featured Arctic char with a kataifi crust and leek fondue in a caviar-champagne beurre blanc. Superb. Next came tournedos Rossini, served with foie gras, creamy spinach, and a savory Périgueux sauce. Dessert was vacherin à la framboise, essentially vanilla ice cream, raspberry sorbet, red fruit jam, and meringue. This is the kind of food millionaires enjoy on a regular basis—and just the sort of sophisticated and beautiful cuisine one should expect in such elegant surroundings. (For a more laid-back meal, the inn’s cozy Tap Room remains open for such favorites as the Mayflower Cheeseburger and the Raven & Boar Heritage Pork Chop.) Café Boulud, Mayflower Inn & Spa, 118 Woodbury Rd., Washington, auberge.com/mayflower

Chef Daniel Boulud leaves his mark at The Mayflower.

Boulud Pulls Up a Chair The World-Famous Chef Comes to The Mayflower

BY CHARLES DUBOW

HE MAYFLOWER INN is one of the jewels of Litchfield County, and this past July it landed a coup. The inn brought in Daniel Boulud, arguably one of the world’s most celebrated chefs, for a residency that runs through December 31. It’s the culinary equivalent of getting Billy Joel to fill

110 • LITCHFIELD • NOV | DEC 2026

Madison Square Garden. In 2021, Boulud was named “Best Restaurateur in the World” by Les Grandes Tables du Monde, and today his management company operates 15 restaurants around the world, most famously his Michelin-starred eponymous restaurant, Daniel, in Manhattan. PHOTOGRAPH BY BEN ROSSER

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Arethusa a Mano

Blackberry River Bistro

I Baked goods, sandwiches (some made with Arethusa cheeses), espresso drinks. 833 Bantam Road 860-567-5722 arethusafarm.com

M Serving delicious made-from-scratch food. 99 Main Street 860-453-4067 blackberryriver.com

Arethusa al Tavolo E Exquisite cuisine and superior service. 828 Bantam Road 860-567-0043 arethusaaltavolo.com

I Tacos, wings, steaks, and more. Happy hour from 3 to 5 pm Wednesday to Friday. 14 Railroad Street 860-453-4317 industrykitchenbar.com

Jackie’s

Picante’s Canaan

I Casual Bantam staple serving breakfast and lunch. 920 Bantam Road 860-567-0770

I Mexican food prepared fresh every day. Outdoor dining. 499 Ashley Falls Road 860-453-4271 picantescanaan.com

JR’s Southwest Grill & BBQ M Bold Southwest flavors. 123 Bantam Lake Road 860-567-9869

La Catrina of Bantam M Traditional Mexican recipes, modern cooking techniques. 810 Bantam Road 860-361-6401 lacatrinabantam.com

Zini’s Restaurant M Presenting a modern twist on traditional favorites. 938 Bantam Road 860-567-1613 zinisrestaurant.com

BETHLEHEM Oliva on Main M-E Serving delicious Mediterranean specialties and wine. 15 Main Street South 203-266-5558 olivacafe.com

BRIDGEWATER Bridgewater Bistro M Seasonal, local, sustainable food in a charming space. 27 Main Street South 860-354-2863 bridgewatervillagestore andbistro.com

Industry Kitchen & Bar

Trackside Tacos I Mexican favorites served in a historic railroad car. 37 Main Street 959-227-9024 @tracksidetacos on FB

WEST CORNWALL The Pink House M Upscale cuisine in a lovely setting near the Covered Bridge. 34 Lower River Road 860-248-3207 thepinkhousect.com

RSVP E Chef Bolivar Hilario’s intimate BYOB tasting menu, hyperseasonal and local. 7 Railroad Street 860-672-7787 rsvpdining.com

“The Best Little Wine Shop in Connecticut”

Voted Best of Litchfield County from 2024 – 2026

FALLS VILLAGE The Falls Village Inn M Comfort fare served in a historic landmark. 33 Railroad Street 860-824-0033 thefallsvillageinn.com

Delivery Available QUALITY WINE / QUALITY SPIRITS / QUALITY SERVICE

178 New Milford Tpke., New Preston, CT 860 868 2181 / countywineandspirits.com NOV | DEC 2026 • LITCHFIELD • 111

EATS Mountainside Cafe

109 Cheese and Wine

KPG Kitchen & Bar

The Villager Restaurant

I Farm-to-table versions of classic American fare, served at breakfast and lunch. 251 Route 7 South 860-824-7876 mountainside.com/cafe

M Gorgeous sandwiches on baguette, made with artisan cheeses and charcuterie. 6 Kent Green Boulevard 860-592-0366 109cheeseandwine.com

M Delicious pizza plus full menu, fun atmosphere, full bar. 17 Railroad Street 860-927-3733 kentpizzagarden.com

I Breakfast and lunch at this popular spot. Outdoor patio. 28 North Main Street 860-927-1555 villagerkent.com

Off The Trail Cafe

Cozzy’s on Main

I A popular stop for hikers, cyclists, and locals for breakfast, lunch, and snacks. 107 Main Street 860-206-7098 offthetrailcafe.com

KENT 45 on Main Coffee & Creamery I Espresso drinks, candy galore, and more. Sweet tooth mecca. 45 North Main Street 860-592-0171 45onmain.square.site

Kingsley Tavern

Wilson’s by High Watch

I Serving up a fast-casual dining experience. Pizza and salads. 24 North Main Street 860-927-1551 cozzysonmain.com

M Wide variety of fresh and local food in a friendly, casual setting. 14 North Main Street 860-592-0261 kingsleytavern.com

I Popular breakfast and lunch spot, espresso drinks. 8 North Main Street 959-300-0080 wilsonsbyhighwatch.com

Fife ‘n Drum

Ore Hill

M-E Enjoy live music and great food at this Kent staple. 53 Main Street / 860-927-3509 fifendrum.com

E Fine dining. Intimate farm-focused tasting menu. 3 Maple Street / 860-592-0404 orehillandswyft.com

The Kent Kitchen

Swyft

M Fresh sushi, burgers, sandwiches, ramen, and more. 12 North Main Street 860-592-0015 @thekentkitchen26

M Small plates and woodfired pizzas in a modern tavern setting. 3 Maple Street / 860-592-0404 orehillandswyft.com

LAKEVILLE Black Rabbit Bar & Grille M Gastropub cuisine, lobster rolls, Sunday brunch. Popular bar with sports on TV. 2 Ethan Allen Street 860-596-4227 blackrabbitbarandgrille.com

IN D W IEL ! O N HF T Y TC N LI O U C

NYC + LITCHFIELD COUNTY

20A Millerton Road Lakeville, CT GOTHAMWELLNESS.COM 112 • LITCHFIELD • NOV | DEC 2026

I ☞ INE X P ENSI V E • M ☞ M O D ER AT E • E ☞ E X P ENSI V E

Fern

LITCHFIELD

M Chic spot with artisanal woodfired pizzas, salads, pasta. 9 Sharon Road 860-596-1930 fernlakeville.com

On The Run Coffee Sho I Popular coffee spot serving breakfast and lunch. 4 Ethan Allen Street 860-435-2007 ontheruncoffeeshop.com

The Boathouse at Lakeville

@ The Corner M Comfort food and fine dining. 3 West Street 860-567-8882 athecorner.com

Belden House E Seasonal products, often starring seafood. Beautiful space. 31 North Street 860-337-2099 beldenhouse.com

M Known for burgers, sushi, friendly service. Popular spot for dining at the bar. 349 Main Street / 860-435-2111 theboathouseatlakeville.com

Bohemian Pizza & Tacos

The Woodland

The Courtroom at The Abner

M Large selection of favorites and specials at iconic local eatery. Famous for fresh sushi. 192 Sharon Road 860-435-0578 thewoodlandrestaurant.com

M Pizza, tacos, and drinks. 342 Bantam Road 860-567-3980 bohemianpizzaandtacos.com

DaCa o of itch eld

Meraki

M Italian food, casual atmosphere. 625 Torrington Road 860-482-6246 dacapolitchfield.com

M Delicious takeout; high-quality sandwiches and salads. Catering. 239 West Street 860-361-9777 merakifood.com

Lost Fox Tavern & Restaurant

Patty’s Restaurant

M 1740s tavern transformed into a chic space. Seasonal menus with updated classics. 571 Torrington Road 860-222-0855 lostfoxinn.com

Market Place Tavern M Burgers, pasta, seafood. 7 North Street 860-361-9930 mptavern.com

Materia Ristorante

M Elegant ambience with a diverse menu, great service. 15 West Street 860-898-8000 theabnerhotel.com

M Fine Italian dining; excellent food, cocktails, and service. 637 Bantam Road 860-567-3326 materiaristo.com

I Casual eatery whipping up classic diner specialties. 499 Bantam Road 860-567-3335 pattyslitchfield.com

Petraroia Deli I Sandwiches, salads, prepared foods in this beautiful deli. 33 West Street 860-361-6006 petraroiadeli.com

Sage & Salt M New all-American menu at the former Saltwater Grille. 26 Commons Drive 860-567-4900 sageandsaltct.com

Persian Rug Gallery of WOODBURY

572 Main Street South

• Woodbury,

SALES • BUYING OLD RUGS FULL SERVICE & MAINTENANCE

203-263-5666• www.woodburyrug.com NOV | DEC 2026 • LITCHFIELD • 113

EATS Toast & Co. I Avocado toast, sandwiches, egg dishes, specialty drinks. 18 Commons Drive 860-567-0301 toastandco.com

Verdict Roofto Bar M Local beers, cocktails, and a friendly rooftop setting. 15 West Street 860-567-4137 theabnerhotel.com

The Village Restaurant M Neighborhood haunt serving large portions of bar food. 25 West Street 860-567-8307 villagelitchfield.com

West Street Grill E This cozy, often star-studded mecca is home to great dining. 43 West Street 860-567-3885 weststreetgrill.com

MORRIS La Güera Cantina I Traditional Mexican favorites, open for lunch and dinner. 5 Watertown Road 860-361-6438 lagueracantina.com

M Comfort foods, market fresh seafood, open winter. 449 Bantam Lake Road 860-567-8000 westshoreseafood.com

NEW MILFORD

Maggie’s Tavern

Colosseo

M Casual farm-to-table dining at the bar in this Relais & Chateaux inn. 155 Alain White Road 860-393-3004 / winvian.com

M Sharing the family’s Italian heritage, serving traditional dishes. Brick oven pizza. 38 Park Lane Road 860-350-9596 colosseoristorante.com

Penny Farthing Tea Room & Bakery I British-inspired meals, delicious teas. 11 Watertown Road 860-361-6109 / britsbrand.com

Winvian E Fine dining, with fresh and seasonal foods. 155 Alain White Road 860-567-9600 winvian.com

DAVIS RAINES DESIGN Karen Davis - Residential & Commercial Interior Design davisrainesdesign.com | 917.834.5926

114 • LITCHFIELD • NOV | DEC 2026

West Shore Seafood

860-799-0057 grassrootsicecream.com

Greca Mediterranean Kitchen Bar M Fresh grilled fish, grilled meats, and small plates in a Mediterranean style. 1 Kent Road / 860-799-6586 grecamed.com

The Iron Rail M Casual and modern steakhouse with classic menu. 10 Railroad Street / 860-799-5606 theironrailct.com

Cowboy Butter BB

La Piccolina

M Live fire cookery and “boujee barbecue” bistro. 59 Bank Street 860-717-4416 cowboybutterbbq.com

M Northern Italian cuisine on the town green. Locally grown ingredients prepared in modern combinations. 27 Main Street / 860-210-9669 lapiccolinact.com

Grassroots Ice Cream I Classics, plus flavors like blood orange chocolate chip, goat cheese blackberry, dark coffee. 12 Bank Street

Lucia Ristorante M This charming spot offers Northern Italian fare. Prosciutto di Parma rollatini,

I ☞ INE X P ENSI V E • M ☞ M O D ER AT E • E ☞ E X P ENSI V E bucatini carbonara, and quattro stagioni pizza. 51 Bank Street 860-355-5100 luciaofnewmilford.com

River & Rail I Café menu served in a modern, pretty space. 21 Bank Street 860-799-7272 riverandrailcafe.com

Sparrow Bar + Restaurant M Tacos, duck fried rice, grilled pork loin banh mi. 31 Bank Street 860-799-7111 sparrowbyjb.com

Thai Charm Restaurant I-M Authentic Thai food including chicken satay, curries, noodles, and pad thai. 218 Kent Road 860-799-5271 thaicharmct.com

Vegas Mexican Kitchen & Bar I Street tacos and classic Mexican fare. Full bar. 24 Railroad Street 860-799-0873 vegasmexican.com

Yokohama M Classic and modern sushi, plus other Japanese cuisine. 131 Danbury Road 860-355-0556 yokohamasushict.com

Zaza’s on Main M Enjoy shareable appetizers, seasonal entrées, handcrafted cocktails, and brunch favorites that redefine comfort food with a modern twist. 7 Main Street / 860-717-4122 zazasonmain.com

NEW PRESTON The Owl Wine & Food Bar M Kale salads, brick oven pizzas, amazing short rib sliders, bar in relaxed setting. 18 East Shore Road 860-619-0585 owlnewpreston.com

The Smithy Cafe @ 9 Main I-M A neighborhood hot spot serving breakfast and lunch. 9 Main Street 860-619-0699 cafeat9main.com

The Smithy Market M Specialty groceries from local farms and vendors. 10 Main Street 860-868-9003 thesmithymarket.com

White Horse Country Pub M English pub food in authentic pub atmosphere with large bar and patio. 258 New Milford Turnpike 860-868-1496 whitehorsecountrypub.com

SALISBURY

Family Owned & Operated for Three Generations

• Residential • Commercial • Repairs • Generator Installation & Service • Home Automation Systems

Neo Restaurant & Bar M Woodfired pizza spot offering paninis, burgers, pasta, and more. 19 Main Street 860-596-4158 neorestaurantbar.com

Sweet William’s Coffee Sho & Bakery I Featuring delicious scones, croissants, layer cakes, and coffee drinks. 17 Main Street 860-435-3005 sweet-williams.com

White Hart Inn I-M English-influenced menu and beautiful decor. Lunch and breakfast at Provisions, dinner on weekends. 15 Under Mountain Road 860-435-0030 whitehartinn.com

SHARON Le Gamin M Delicious French cuisine from restaurateur Robert Arbor. 10 Gay Street 860-397-5382 legamin.com/sharonmenu

Washington Depot, CT

860-868-7923 Litchfield Magazine Reader’s Choice First Place: 2023, 2024, 2026 Winner: 2021, 2022, 2025

READER’S

LICENSED & INSURED CT LIC #102741

CHOICE

WMNR Fine Arts Radio 2021 LITCHFIELD

2022

LITCHFIELD

MAGAZINE

WINNER

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An Oasis of Classical An Oasis of Classical andand Classic Music Classic Music WMNR.org WMNR.org 88.1 fm Tune in 91.5 fm with us 88.1 fm Tune in 90.1 fm

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NOV | DEC 2026 • LITCHFIELD • 115

EATS TORRINGTON Brinx Café & Wine Bar M A tapas menu featuring fresh cuisine in a stylish interior. 53 Main Street 860-201-4179 brinxct.com

Casa Valijo M Sophisticated Mexican menu, brunch. 131 Water Street 860-618-2706 / casavalijo.com

Geppetto Osteria e Bisteccheria M Quaglia ripiena, tagliatelle al ragú di vitello, pine nutcrusted rack of lamb. 24 East Main Street 860-618-0721 geppettoct.com

Pizzeria Marzano

YiaYia’s Greek Kitchen

Marty’s

M Greek favorites served by a husband-and-wife team. 1057 East Main Street 860-618-3076, yiayias.net

I-M Neighborhood favorite. Breakfast and lunch treats. 4 Green Hill Road 860-868-1700 seeyouatmartys.com

Zach and Lou’s M Pulled pork, St. Louis ribs, brisket, and pork belly. 2936 Winsted Road 860-482-6573 zachandlous.com

WARREN The Hayloft Wine Bar

The Pantry

M Gourmet morsels and local wine served in a space overlooking Lake Waramaug. 25 Hopkins Road 860-868-7954 hopkinsvineyard.com

M Popular breakfast and lunch spot. Outdoor seating. 5 Titus Road, 860-868-0258 thepantryct.com

Hopkins Inn

M Delicious brick oven pizzas in welcoming atmosphere. 1315 East Main Street 860-618-0875 pizzeriamarzano.com

Sasso’s Coal Fired Pizza

Warren General Store

M Pizza, seafood, beer, and wine served in a modern cafe. 52 Main Street 860-618-7162 sassoscoalfired.com

I Sandwiches, coffee, breakfast foods, takeout. 10 Cornwall Road 860-868-3354 warrengeneral.com

Taste of Thailand

WASHINGTON

The Venetian M In business for more than 100 years, classic Italian fare in an elegant setting. 52 E. Main Street 860-489-8592 venetianrestaurantct.com

Vietiane Thai Cuisine M Excellent traditional Thai food. Friendly service. 231 High Street 860-489-0758 torringtonthaicuisine.com

May ower nn & S a E Elegant setting in the main dining room, or more casual seating in the tap room. 118 Woodbury Road 860-868-9466 aubergeresorts.com

E Enjoy views of Lake Waramaug while dining on Austrian cuisine. Open for breakfast, lunch, dinner. 22 Hopkins Road 860-868-7295 thehopkinsinn.com

M Stir-fry, curry, noodles, fried rice, and seafood. 19 McDermott Avenue 860-201-4684 tasteofthailandct.com

116 • LITCHFIELD • NOV | DEC 2026

I ☞ INE X P ENSI V E • M ☞ M O D ER AT E • E ☞ E X P ENSI V E

Community Table E Elevated farm-to-table cuisine in an elegant setting. 223 Route 202 860-868-9354 communitytablect.com

G.W. Tavern M Serving traditional and contemporary cuisine. 20 Bee Brook Road 860-868-6633 gwtavern.com

Hidden Valley Market I Breakfasts and prepared foods. 88 Bee Brook Road 860-868-1551 hiddenvmkt.com

WATERTOWN cho Craft Kitchen M Fresh, high-quality dishes with great cocktails. 150 Echo Lake Road 860-274-8829 echocraftkitchen.com

Roma Ristorante M Authentic Italian dishes with generous portions. 179 Davis Street 860-274-2558 romaristorantect.com

Uncommon Grill M Serving comfort food with a twist. 777 Echo Lake Road, 860-417-3104 uncommongrillct.com

WOODBURY 1754 House M Small plates and traditional fare in a historic space. Brunch and full bar. 506 Main Street South 203-405-3735 1754house.com

El Camion I Award-winning tacos and Mexican food. Taco truck parties are still available. 308 Sherman Hill Road 203-405-3008 el-camion.com

OUT+ABOUT Good News M Farm-fresh ingredients. New owners, renovated interior. 694 Main Street South 203-266-4663 goodnewswoodbury.com

SAVOR LITCHFIELD Culinary Event of the Year

John’s Cafe M-E Pork Milanese, crispy rice arancini, steak and fries. 693 Main Street South 203-263-0188 johnscafe.com

Market Place Kitchen & Bar M Large, bustling, rusticmodern restaurant with a wide range of menu items. 641 Main Street South 203-586-1215 marketplacekitchenbar.com

Mix Prime M Steakhouse also serving sushi and fresh fish. 757 Main Street South 203-586-1788 mixprimesteakhouse.com

New Morning Market M Organic produce with catering and juice bar. 129 Main Street North 203-263-4868 newmorningmarket.com

Rachel’s Kitchen M Beloved for breakfast, lunch, and brunch favorites like challah French toast, lobster Benedict, and more. 230 Main Street South 203-263-2235

West Egg Cafe I Cute spot for breakfast, brunch, and lunch, with its own bakery. 20 Sherman Hill Road 203-586-1456 westeggcafect.com

Woodbury Brewing M Casual dining featuring tacos, fried specialties, sandwiches. Live music. 738 Main Street South 203-405-3811 woodburybrewing.com

ON SEPTEMBER 13 , a sold-out crowd of 500 filled South Farms in Morris for Savor Litchfield, featuring 27 of Litchfield County’s best restaurants. Favorites included Cowboy Butter’s burgers, Sparrow’s pork fried rice, and the signature porchetta from Geppetto Osteria, served by Sardinian-born chef Carlo Pulixi and his wife, Michelle. Between bites, guests wandered the farm’s rolling grounds, browsing the local vendors, listening to live jazz, and catching the Savor Talks. savorlitchfield.com NOV | DEC 2026 • LITCHFIELD • 117

OUT+ABOUT

118 • LITCHFIELD • NOV | DEC 2026

P H O T O G R A P H S B Y R A N A F A U R E & R YA N L AV I N E

Your Favorites Need Your Vote

DUTCHESS FALL 2026

The

DUTCHESS MAGAZINE

ANNUAL DESIGN ISSUE

MAGAZINE

/ FALL 2026 / DUTCHESSMAGAZINE.COM

W H AT ’ S H A P P E N I N G I N T H E H I L L S // D u t c h e s s M a g a z i n e . c o m

Best pizza. Best builder. Best place to get your hair done. Tell us who earns the title in Litchfield County. Winners appear in our annual Readers Choice issue this February. Voting runs Nov 4-15.—litchfieldmagazine.com

PAT R I C K M U L B E R R Y A R C H I T E C T patrick mulberr y.com (860) 672-0392

Seven issues a year in Litchfield County. Five in Dutchess County. Readers who keep every copy on the coffee table. Make sure you’re in it.—jill@litchfieldmagazine.com

ARTnews

ENISE BARNES Fine Art presents Cool & Collected 2026, the gallery’s annual celebration of accessible art and the joy of collecting. On view November 7 through December 20, this year’s show features smallscale works and craft objects priced under $2,000, a welcoming entry point for seasoned collectors and first-time buyers alike.

120 • LITCHFIELD • NOV | DEC 2026

A beloved gallery tradition, Cool & Collected is known for fresh, unexpected work. Many artists step outside their usual studio practice: painters experiment with ceramics, sculptors make intimate works on paper, and others produce small objects and editions. The result is a lively mix of paintings, drawings, ceramics, textiles, and handmade pieces that reflect both curiosity and craftsmanship.

CO OL & COLLECTED

“Our goal is to create a space where collectors—new and seasoned—feel welcome,” says director Kenise Barnes. “This exhibition encourages artists to play and explore while giving visitors the opportunity to acquire original artwork at an approachable scale and price. It’s a celebration of creativity, generosity, and the pleasure of living with art.” Kenise Barnes Fine Art, 7 Fulling Ln., Kent, kbfa.com

A R T B Y M A R G A R E T N E I L L • “ L E E WAY ” • 2 0 2 2

Home Equity The average homeowner has $353,000 in equity.* The possibilities are endless. Fit your dreams into your budget. Start using the equity in your home today. We welcome the opportunity to be your banker.

IronBank.com | 860-435-2581 *Source: Black Knight and CoreLogic, Connecticut Northwest Corner 2026

NMLS#: 627346