Lighting The Way You Live
Northern New England's Lighting and Design Specialists
Photograph by Heidi Cooper Photography
MILL RIVER SLABWORKS
Offering a vast assortment of kiln-dried wood slabs, dimensional lumber, rustic beams and stock mouldings.
Tues–Fri 7am–3:30 pm • Sat 8am–12pm Sun & Mon CLOSED
www.millriverslabworks.com @millriverslabworks PONDERS HOLLOW CUSTOM WOOD FLOORING & MILLWORK
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Jennifer Sperry
Janice Randall Rohlf
By
| Photography by C.A. Smith
residential commercial interior design
CONTRIBUTORS
Mary Ann Esposito is the host of the public television series “Ciao Italia,” now in its 30th season, and the author of 14 cookbooks, including her most recent, “Ciao Italia: Plant, Harvest, Cook!” She lives in New Hampshire. Visit her website at ciaoitalia.com.
Chris Smith, the creative force behind Maine-based C.A. Smith Photography, has garnered a reputation for producing stunning and evocative photos that resonate with viewers. You can see more of his work at casmithphotography.com.
Morgan Karanasios is New Hampshire Home’s photographer. While she was a student in Dijon, France, she took photographs throughout Europe and continues to develop her passion for photography.
Crystal Ward Kent is a longtime journalist and Seacoast writer. Her Kent Creative agency has been providing creative services in writing, design and marketing for more than 20 years.
Jennifer Sperry has over 20 years of experience in publishing. She has worked as both an editor and writer at a variety of luxury magazines. Her specialty is writing about architecturally significant homes, their owners and the designers who create them.
Robin Sweetser writes on gardening for the Sunday Concord Monitor and is a contributor to the Old Farmer’s Almanac, among other publications. A former Seacoast resident, she now lives and gardens in Hillsborough.
Dan Szczesny is a journalist, author and speaker who has written several books of travel memoir, poetry and essays. His newest book is “NH Rocks That Rock: An Adventure Guide to Twenty-Five Famous Boulders of the Granite State.” Learn more at danszczesny.wordpress.com.
Carolyn Vibbert is a Portsmouth illustrator whose work also appears on packaging for food and wine brands such as Barbara’s, Stone Cellars and Williams Sonoma.
John W. Hession is New Hampshire Home’s photo editor as well as a photographer and filmmaker specializing in architecture, design, food and advertising. He is currently working on a series of films for the New Hampshire Dance Collaborative. See his work at advanceddigitalphotography.com.
NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2023 V OL. 17 | NUMBER 6 nhhomemagazine.com
VICE PRESIDENT/PUBLISHER • Ernesto Burden
EDITOR • Janice Randall Rohlf
PROOFREADER/STAFF WRITER • Amanda Andrews
ART DIRECTOR • John R. Goodwin
PHOTO EDITOR • John W. Hession
CREATIVE SERVICES DIRECTOR • Jodie Hall
SENIOR GRAPHIC PRODUCTION ARTIST • Nicole Huot
ADVERTISING SALES MANAGER
Jessica Schooley (603) 624-1442 ext. 5143 • (603) 345-2752 jessicas@yankeepub.com
ADVERTISING & EVENTS SALES DIRECTOR • Jenna Pelech
OPERATIONS MANAGER • Ren Chase
SALES & EVENTS COORDINATOR • Paul Milone
BUSINESS & SALES COORDINATOR • Paula Veale
DIGITAL OPERATIONS AND MARKETING MANAGER Morgen Connor
VP/CONSUMER MARKETING • Brook Holmberg
VP/RETAIL SALES • Sherin Pierce
BILLING SPECIALIST/IT COORDINATOR • Gail Bleakley
STAFF ACCOUNTANT • Nancy Pfuntner
EDITORIAL CORRESPONDENCE
Janice Randall Rohlf, editor New Hampshire Home 250 Commercial Street, Suite 4014 Manchester, NH 03101 (617) 543-3902 • janicerohlfnhh@gmail.com
SUBSCRIPTIONS
Subscriptions, New Hampshire Home PO Box 37900, Boone, IA 50037-0900; Call (877) 494-2036 or email customerservice@nhhomemagazine.com; subscribe online at nhhomemagazine.com © 2023 Yankee Publishing, Inc.
NEW HAMPSHIRE GROUP 100% Employee-Owned
New Hampshire Home is published six times a year by Yankee Publishing, Inc.; 250 Commercial Street, Suite 4014, Manchester, NH 03101; (603) 624-1442. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without the publisher’s written permission is prohibited. The publisher assumes no responsibility for any mistakes in advertisements or editorial. Statements and opinions expressed in this magazine do not necessarily reflect or represent those of this publication or its officers. Every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of the information contained in this publication, Yankee Publishing, Inc.: New Hampshire Home disclaims all responsibility for omissions and errors.
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Changing With the Times
TRENDS IN HOME BUILDING AND DESIGN have been interesting to follow lately. COVID saw some of us fleeing city dwellings for country houses that offered more work-athome-friendly spaces. Now, as that urgency subsides, attention to sustainable building practices is growing more pronounced. In its wake come a desire and need for more eco-friendly methods and materials. At the same time, the pace of population aging is much faster than in the past. For all these reasons, we feel it’s appropriate to take a look at how some Granite Staters are making choices about where and how they live.
One couple in Amherst, whose house is featured on page 54, speaks for empty nesters everywhere when they say, “We wanted to downsize into a home that was better for the environment, with more natural light and less upkeep.” They learned from the mistakes of previous generations to anticipate single-floor living and purge accumulated belongings they no longer need. Having raised their family in a typical colonial, the homeowners haven’t looked back since moving into their “green” home with sunlight-filled living spaces all on one level, facing the wetlands.
Also empty nesters, Kreg and Danielle Jones went in a different direction when it came to the latest in a series of renovations they’ve tackled together over the years. A 19th-century schoolhouse in Weare caught the fancy of the architect and his professor wife for its historic designation and manageable size. They live here in a community that is thrilled to now see this architectural gem meticulously restored (page 64).
Builder Jay Tucker and his wife, Judi, aren’t quite ready to retire, but when they are they may move into a house that is close to where they now live but miles apart in many other ways. Like the Joneses, their experience allowed them to gut-renovate the place themselves, but it took lots of sweat equity, ingenuity and sheer optimism. The small house with a million-dollar view is being used as an Airbnb, while the Tuckers adjust to the idea of downsizing. See the story on page 74.
No two people have the same wishes or requirements for the house in which they live. And these parameters change in accordance with life’s phases. What remains constant is the priceless nature of one’s own personal comfort, or, as famous Swiss-French architect Le Corbusier once said, “The home should be the treasure chest of living.”
At the holidays, all of us at New Hampshire Home wish you happiness and good health.
Janice Randall Rohlf Editor
PHOTO BY
Think Small(er)
Display your favorite books and other décor items on these slender shelves, designed to optimize empty space.
Italmoda Furniture in Nashua · 603-782-0101 italmodafurniture.com
Living small doesn’t mean living without beautiful things. Breathe life into your residence with fresh-cut flowers or vibrant greenery displayed elegantly in this vase. Ethan Allen in Bedford, Plaistow & Portsmouth · ethanallen.com
With drawers in easy reach, space for seating and open shelves, this three-piece island set is ideal for a small kitchen or dining room. Boston Interiors in Bedford · 603-232-3350 · bostoninteriors.com
In smaller spaces, storage is key — this sideboard adds an elegant touch with plenty of cabinet space.
Cheney’s Apple House Furniture in Penacook (603) 753-6200 nhfurniturestore.com
No matter how small your space may be, this dropleaf dining table can fit your needs with ease.
Grevior Furniture in Franklin (603) 934-4159 · grevior.com
Kick your feet up on this ottoman that offers living room storage with an optional table surface when needed. Circle Furniture in Portsmouth · 603-441-2011 · circlefurniture.com
Maintain an airy atmosphere in your space with lightweight or slim designs, such as this circular design table lamp.
Harris Family Furniture harrisfamilyfurniture.com
Immerse yourself in the beauty of
Porcelain panels create an experience that is unlike anything you’ve seen before. They o er a seamless, grout-less surface that will transform your space with breathtaking results. With the wide range of colors and the durability of the material, porcelain works for a variety of applications, including countertops, shower stalls, replaces, and walls. Rumford Stone is the ideal source for natural stone, quartz, and porcelain surfaces and is the trusted choice for discerning homeowners and kitchen designers.
Contact your local kitchen and bath dealer or stop by our showroom
Showroom: 95 Sheep Davis Road, Route 106, Pembroke, NH 603.410.6731 RumfordStone.com
Photos courtesy of Dekton
HOME COOKING with Mary Ann Esposito
An Old-Fashioned New England Christmas Dinner
THE HOLIDAYS ARE ALL ABOUT TRADITIONS, some dating from our childhood and some new ones we create over the years. Food is central to those traditions, and whether it be Aunt Martha’s no-fail fruitcake or a new take on the ubiquitous green bean casserole, we all have certain foods we identify with and that connect us with our family and friends.
There is no other place I would rather be for the holidays than at home in New Hampshire. When it comes to what to cook, I lean toward some classic dishes that reflect New England’s past, like country ham, crisp apples, pumpkins, cider, cranberries, molasses, salt pork, beans, corn, seafood and maple syrup. In my mind, comfort foods are best for the holidays; I will leave more complicated choices to others.
Right after Thanksgiving, planning starts for the next big thing … Christmas Day dinner! It is always a challenge, so my strategy is to think of what I can prepare ahead of time. For sure, I can make cranberry and apple pies and freeze them unbaked. On Christmas morning, while presents are opened in a tizzy of excitement, the rock-hard pies can be popped into a cold oven, brought up to temperature and slowly baked so the buttery crusts turn golden brown and flaky, while the fruit fillings tease our senses with the familiar seasonal aroma of cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves that permeates the house.
The star of the table will be a country ham baked with an apple cider glaze
and served with applesauce made from the apples gathered from the crooked old Gravenstein apple tree in the backyard, and which we put up in jars for just such a holiday dinner. Golden yellow cornbread muffins will do very nicely with the ham along with rosemary roasted potatoes.
The dessert board is everyone’s favorite. Yes, the pies are a holiday must but so is buttermilk molasses cake, served warm with puffs of sweetened whipped
BY MARY ANN ESPOSITO | PHOTOGRAPHY BY JOHN W. HESSION
cream and trays of sugar cookies glazed with vanilla frosting and sparkling sprinkles that give them the look of precious jewels. Joe Froggers, gingerbread men (and women) and hermit cookies round out the cookie tray.
Sometimes I feel a nagging temptation to step away from traditional holiday cooking and surprise everyone with something new, leaving old but cherished memories on the back burner . . . maybe next year. NHH
New England Corn Pudding
SERVES 6 TO 8
Corn pudding is the perfect side dish for a glazed ham, and this one does not disappoint. I have tinkered with a family recipe, subbing honey for the sugar and adding a dash of nutmeg.
½ cup flour
1 teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon nutmeg
4 eggs
4 cups half-and-half or whole milk
1/3 cup honey
4 tablespoons butter, melted and cooled
4 cups frozen corn kernels
½ cup thinly sliced scallions
1 cup diced sweet potato
1. Preheat oven to 425°F.
2. Butter a 12 x 9 x 2-inch casserole dish and set aside.
3. In a bowl, combine the flour, salt and nutmeg and set aside.
4. In a separate bowl, whisk the eggs until foamy; whisk in the honey and melted butter. Stir in the corn kernels and scallions until well combined. Gently stir in the sweet potatoes.
5. Stir the flour, salt and nutmeg into the corn mixture and spread into the casserole dish.
6. Bake for 45 minutes or until nicely browned. Scoop from pan to serve.
Apple Cider Glazed Ham
SERVES 8 TO 10
A perfectly glazed ham is the centerpiece of the holiday table. And the bonus is leftovers! Choose a fully cooked bone-in ham, referred to as a city ham, one that is cured with a saltwater solution, flavored with spices and smoked. City hams require minimal baking time for reheating and glazing. When ordering a bone-in ham, plan on ¾ pound per person for a serving.
1/4 cup whole cloves
9- to 10-pound bone-in half ham
2 cups apple cider
½ cup packed light brown sugar
1 cup orange marmalade
1/4 cup grainy, spicy mustard
1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
2. Use a small, sharp knife to make small random slits all over the ham skin, and insert a clove into each slit.
3. In a bowl, combine the cider, sugar, marmalade and mustard until well combined.
4. Place ham cut-side down on a rack in a sturdy oven pan. Brush the top with half of the glaze and bake uncovered 15 minutes per pound. Baste every 10 minutes with the glaze.
TO SERVE:
Remove ham from oven and allow to rest loosely tented with aluminum foil for 20 minutes. Carve the ham and transfer slices to a serving platter. Serve with applesauce or sauce of your choosing.
Note: Suggested garnishes for ham are orange,
Buttermilk Molasses Cake
SERVES 6 TO 8
There is an odd but true story about molasses. On Jan. 15, 1919, a molasses storage tank exploded on the Boston waterfront, releasing more than 2 million gallons of molasses that made its sticky way through the north end of town, destroying everything in its path! This historical tidbit is retold every time I make this moist buttermilk and molasses cake that smells so Christmassy as it bakes.
Butter a 9-inch cake pan or an 81/4 x 5 x 2-inch-deep cake mold and set aside.
1/3 cup unsalted butter, softened
½ cup light brown sugar
2 large eggs
1/3 cup molasses
1 ¾ cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon ground ginger
½ teaspoon ground cloves
½ cup buttermilk
1/3 cup diced candied ginger
½ cup diced dried figs
Zest of one large orange
1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
2. Cream the butter and sugar together in a large bowl with a handheld mixer. With the mixer on medium speed, add the eggs one at a time and beat them in until well blended. Beat in the molasses.
3. In a separate bowl, sift the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger and cloves together.
4. With the mixer on low speed, slowly add the dry ingredients to the batter, alternating with the buttermilk, just until combined.
5. Fold in the candied ginger, figs and orange zest.
6. Bake for 35-40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.
7. Serve warm with a dusting of confectioners sugar, sweetened whipped cream or fresh fruit.
December 2-3 & 9-10
NH Gingerbread House Festival
You know the NH Home Builders can build houses of wood, wait until you see what they can do with GINGERBREAD
More than 25 handcrafted gingerbread houses will be displayed (and given away)! There will be a People’s Choice Award decided by YOU. Enjoy our hot chocolate station and Santa’s Workshop — where you can make your own paper gingerbread house to take home.
Holiday Cheeseball SERVES 12
Remember the holiday nut-encrusted cheese ball sitting majestically on a throne of Bibb lettuce and surrounded by crackers? I elevate the flavor by adding dried fruit like figs and apricots, cranberries, dates and dried pears. Lighten the texture and taste with some mascarpone cheese instead of all cream cheese. This is the perfect before-dinner holiday nibble and a cinch to make a couple days ahead.
8 ounces low-fat cream cheese, at room temperature
8 ounces mascarpone cheese, at room temperature
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 cup shredded sharp white cheddar cheese
½ cup finely chopped dried figs (about 6)
½ cup diced dried apricots (about 6)
½ cup dried cranberries, raisins or cherries or a combination
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon grated nutmeg
2 cups whole roasted almonds
2 tablespoons melted and cooled apple jelly or marmalade
Powdered sugar for sprinkling
Crackers for serving
1. Combine the cheeses, 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil, figs, apricots, cranberries, raisins or cherries, salt and nutmeg in a large bowl.
2. Divide the mixture in two and scrape each onto two large sheets of plastic wrap. With your hands, form into pine cone shapes. Wrap and refrigerate for a couple of hours.
3. Unwrap and brush each cheese with the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil. Press the almonds into the cheese, covering it completely and keeping the shape of a pine cone.
4. Gently brush the nuts with the melted jelly. Use a small sieve and coat the top in powdered sugar.
5. Serve at room temperature with plain crackers.
Award-Winning Architecture
Architects share their best residential work at AIANH’s annual competition.
THE WORLD TODAY is facing broad and complex challenges that threaten every aspect of our lives. The architect’s call to protect the health, safety and welfare of the public has a new and broader meaning amid challenges such as increasing climate extremes and social inequity. Architects everywhere must recognize that our profession can harness the power of design to contribute to solutions addressing the most significant needs of our time. Every project can be used as a platform for addressing big problems and providing creative solutions. Every line drawn should be a source of good in the world.
The AIA Framework for Design Excellence represents the
defining principles of good design in the 21st century. Comprised of 10 principles and accompanied by searching questions, the Framework seeks to inform progress toward a zero-carbon, equitable, resilient and healthy built environment. The projects submitted to the AIA New Hampshire Design Awards Program all reflect at least a few, if not all, of the 10 principles of the Framework. They provide a learning opportunity for architects and clients as they embark on future projects of their own.
BONNIE KASTEL, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, AIA NEW HAMPSHIRE
A Gathering Place
When Larry and Mary Louise Krakauer purchased and began renovating Larry’s childhood home, their program goals were considerably different. When a renovation involving spray foam caused a fire resulting in a total loss, their goals changed measurably. Shortly after completing a vacation home project together, Larry and Mary Louise called on Ken Tatro at Christopher P. Williams Architects PLLC, again to design their primary residence. Initially, the architects were shocked at the news of the fire but were excited to join the Krakauers on their journey of realizing their sustainability and net-zero energy goals. The building program was familiar, so occupancy and layout needs were understood. To achieve the performance goals, it required a knowledgeable contractor, familiar with passive house practices. Auburndale Builders was added to the team. Having clear program goals with a sizable structure, the architects then projected requirements using energy modeling, which informed their decision-making.
BY JOHN W. HESSION
PHOTO
Big Grey Rock
Big Grey Rock is aptly named for the abundance of exposed ledges dominating the landscape. Environmental sensitivity, enhancement of the natural elements, and use of native and natural materials were emphasized throughout the project. Designing with warm natural materials and colors allows the house to retreat seamlessly into the wooded and rocky backdrop of the shoreline. With a long regional family history and delight in nature, landscape paintings and many outdoor activities, all family members played a role in the design. The result is a highly crafted home that balances smallscale use and provides sufficient space for large family gatherings many times a year. Various outdoor spaces extend living space beyond the home’s walls. An outdoor kitchen, a cascading pathway through mixed garden beds, a small patio off the walkout basement entry, open lawn space for games, and the path down to the lake and boathouse are several examples.
Fishmongers Cottages
Unbuilt Architecture
Arcove Architects designed two resilient netzero homes located in a coastal flood zone. The solution provides a communal setting for a growing fishing industry family along the shoreline docks and boats. Positioned to capture on-site solar and geothermal energy while mitigating flood impacts, the design utilizes high-performance building envelope and mechanical systems to enhance passive survivability in an area seeing increasing wind and storm surge events. Two porches bookend the shared living spaces — one at the street front, to engage neighbors and bolster community, and one at the back to enjoy the private gardens, with native plantings that stabilize the soils and improve storm water retention. A roof deck provides a visual connection to the lobster boats that define the neighborhood and support the family’s three-generation business. These features coalesce with a refreshed reference to the neighboring fishing village’s Shingle Style and Queen Anne vernaculars.
Architect: ARCove Architects • arcove.com Engineer: Altus Engineering Inc.
Architect: Bonin Architects • boninarchitects.com / General Contractor: Broome Building Co. PHOTO BY JOHN W. HESSION
Lake Sunapee Retreat
At the tip of a prominent peninsula, this lakefront home is comfortably tucked into a community of cottages and small houses. The waterfront site is an enticing mixture of level topography, outstanding mountain and lighthouse views, and sunny southern exposure. This cottage-style home provides easy access to single-story living with a first-floor primary bedroom suite, living, office, laundry and an ample mudroom. The second floor offers three additional bedrooms with lake views, bathrooms, a sitting area, an exercise area, and a second office space to simplify work-from-home needs. Living spaces spill out the kitchen doors to a reclaimed granite patio with an adjacent outdoor cooking area and access to the lawn and lakeside amenities.
Architect: Bonin Architects • boninarchitects.com
General Contractor: McGray & Nichols
Elevated Camp
Honor Award Architectural Excellence in Residential Design
The Elevated Camp is a four-season lakeside retreat for a family of five. It is conceived as an arrangement of private/semi-private spaces grouped as solid blocks. These blocks are arranged to frame and hold the common, open family room, which is the nexus of the house, organized as part of the exterior, with southern panoramic views of the lake. On approaching the entry, the building dynamically wraps around the glacial erratic, framing the open family room and creating an aperture with views beyond toward the lake, inviting one into the house. The camp is navigated via a circulation network of elevated boardwalks, stairs, decks and a bridge. As one circulates, a choreographed experience progressively reveals landscape features and strategic views. Exterior materials carry through to the interior at critical transitions, blurring interior and exterior boundaries. The building strikes a dynamic gesture in dialogue with the landscape.
PHOTO BY JOHN W. HESSION
Architect: Murdough Design Architects • murdoughdesign.com / General Contractor: Denali Construction Engineer – Structural: RSE Associates / Engineer – Surveyor: T.F. Bernier Inc.
PHOTOS BY CHUCK CHOI
A Child in NH Needs Your Voice
Downtown Portsmouth Net-Zero Residence
Just off the thriving Islington Street corridor of Portsmouth, this residential project represents the successful approach to adding contemporary, sustainable architecture to a densely populated historic neighborhood. Despite the challenges of its modest footprint and strict $500K budget, the clients wanted to create a home that would meet the demands of their modern lifestyle and eco-conscious sensibilities. Completed in 2022, Winter Holben brought this ambitious vision to life creating a 3,500-squarefoot net-zero home. The resulting gabled structure responds to the neighborhood’s historic vernacular while high-contrasting color, shape and scale add a contemporary style. The all-electric house is powered by on-site renewable energy generated by a solar array. A healthy, open-interior environment is achieved using high-performance ventilation, ecofriendly materials and abundant natural light. The clients, “couldn’t be happier with the design,” and delight in knowing that theirs will be “an amazing home for years to come.”
Architect: Winter Holben • winterholben.com / General Contractor: Greg
Meredith Getaway
This home preserves the cottage aesthetic of the area through the contemporary use of classic cottage features. Brackets, balconies and a mixture of simple exterior materials maintain the scale as casual and comfortable. The interior design and orientation focus on the lakefront views from sunrise to sunset. With a limited area for lakeside entertaining, seamless flow between exterior and interior is critical. Large glass doors slide fully open to blur the line between indoors and landscape. Exterior spaces are tied from lower and first-floor levels with skillfully placed bluestone pavers, stepping stones and stairs. Navigating state and municipal regulations required conscientious solutions to meet the client’s needs. We improved the natural and aesthetic value of the property and lake through creative and environmentally sensitive design solutions. Highlights include a rain garden, permeable paver driveway and re-vegetation with a mixture of river birches, sweet gale, low-bush blueberries and hay-scented fern.
BY
Bonin Architects & Associates • boninarchitects.com / Interior Design: Studio Sage Landscape Design: Total Grounds Landscape & Maintenance
PHOTO BY JOHN W. HESSION
LaCamera / Engineer: Ambit Engineering Inc.
PHOTO
DOUGLAS SCHMIDT
Highgarden
In visualizing their new home, the owners had clear goals: “a sense of history . . . a timelessness that will last through generations . . . comfortable and convenient for all age ranges.” They were also especially thrilled to reclaim elements of the original home for reuse, such as the fieldstone fireplace built by their grandfather, twice reclaimed hand-hewn timbers, windows, doors, barn-board and vintage plumbing fixtures. Accessibility was critical indoors and outdoors. Exterior landscape ramps, an elevator and appropriate detailing throughout the home and property were essential. An accessible bunkroom and adjacent bath and barrier-free access to the screen porch, patios and hot tub foster inclusivity for everyone. Outdoor living and gardening were of great importance as well. Elements such as the sedum-covered potting shed and fenced vegetable garden are essential. The plantings are heavy, perennial pollinators with blooms staggered throughout the summer, so the landscape is always colorful and changing.
Architect: Bonin Architects • boninarchitects.com / General Contractor: Old Hampshire Designs
Soo Nipi House
Located in western New Hampshire, Soo Nipi House occupies a visible promontory on a popular wooded lake. The house was designed for a brother and sister to enjoy together with their active families. The siblings’ original house on the site was destroyed in a lightning fire. Numerous trees, shrubs and ground cover were also lost, leaving the site vulnerable and exposed.
Nestled atop a grassy point, the house faces a private cove with waterfront views on three sides. Modest in scale, the house is Energy Star rated and achieved a 16 HERS rating. The tripartite layout provides a suite for each sibling and bedrooms for their children. The central gathering space opens to an exterior patio, shielded from summer sun (and passing pontoon boats) by a granite and timber pergola. Throughout the home, thoughtful details, executed in close collaboration with artisan builders, gives the residence a subtly sculptural, handcrafted quality.
PHOTO BY JOHN W. HESSION
Architect: MGa | Marcus Gleysteen Architects • mgaarchitects.com / General Contractor: Burpee Hill Construction Landscape Architect: Pellettieri Associates, Inc. / Structural Engineer: Roome & Guarracino, LLC / Furnishings: Atsu Gunther Design, LLC
PHOTOS BY MARCUS GLEYSTEEN
A Garden for the Ages
Family roots run deep at Boggy Meadow Farm.
BOGGY MEADOW FARM in Walpole once consisted of 1,000 acres of fields, forests and hills overlooking the nearby Connecticut River. In the same family and continuously farmed since 1790, the remaining 600 acres are now home to Stephanie Cabot and Marcus LovellSmith, who carry on the legacy.
Cabot and Lovell-Smith took over the management of the 500-cow dairy when they moved back from England in the early 2000s. The fields and barns are now leased to another local dairy farmer, but the couple continues to run
the farmstead cheese operation started by Cabot’s father to supplement low milk prices after taking the farm over from his cousins. Now they produce three artisan cheeses — Baby Swiss, Smoked Baby Swiss and Fiddlehead Tomme — that can be found in local stores including some Hannafords and Whole Foods.
“Our goal is to continue to be a working farm,” says Cabot, “and hopefully our children will keep it going.” LovellSmith has taken his experience on the dairy farm to a new level by founding the first carbon-neutral food company in the
BY ROBIN SWEETSER | PHOTOGRAPHY BY JOHN W. HESSION
U.S. Called Neutral, it works with farmers across the country to help them mitigate emissions and sequester carbon on their farms.
Family Legacies
Their home, an 1838 Greek Revival mansion, sits high on a windy bluff with views of the low-lying meadows for which the farm was named. It is surrounded by lush informal plantings but also contains features from older, more formal gardens that once graced the landscape and were created more than a century ago by Fanny
Above: Cabot says their 1838 Greek Revival house, built by the Mason family as a summer escape from the city, is in a constant state of restoration. The walkway to the side porch is lined with herbs, and boxed-in raised beds on the front lawn hold lettuce, tomatoes, peppers and kale for quick summer salads.
Top: Golden-leaved chamaecyparis and green-and-white hakonechloa grass brighten a shady border backed by tall rhododendrons.
Opposite page: This Victorian-era statue, surrounded by evergreen pachysandra, is one of many from Fanny Mason’s day that were found on the property.
Mason, a cousin of Cabot’s great-great grandfather.
Mason’s father, a prominent Boston banker and businessman, owned Boggy Meadow Farm at that time, and the mansion was their summer home. He sold off bits and pieces of land to neighboring farmers over the years, but after his death in 1901 Fanny bought back most of that land along with other adjoining parcels to restore Boggy Meadow to its original
size. Even though she also had homes in Massachusetts, she was a generous benefactor to the town of Walpole, funding the district nurse and serving on various boards. “We also think she paid for the architects who designed the town hall,” says Cabot. “She was admired by a lot of people.”
Mason was a founding member of the town’s historical society and left part of her estate to Walpole for a town forest
that today bears her name. According to the Walpole Conservation Commission, the 286-acre tract, located on both sides of Route 12, is the crown jewel of their multiple-use forests. A patron of the arts, she was a noted contributor to the music program at Harvard, and the music building there is named for her. The Peabody Mason concerts that began in the family music room in 1891 continue today, although at larger venues such as Boston’s Symphony Hall. She also left a fund honoring her longtime friend, artist
Alice Thevin, to the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston for the acquisition of artwork.
Reviving the Landscape
Mason welcomed the family’s society friends along with talented musicians and writers to Boggy Meadow each summer, hosting lively soirées. Her extensive gardens were part of the draw and even cited in the Walpole Town History. Features including a long, vine-covered grape arbor leading from the house to a stonewalled sunken garden, a dome-topped folly and a ravine garden still remain, and Cabot and Lovell-Smith are bringing them back to their original grandeur. Cabot’s father, an avid plantsman, first undertook the restoration of the gardens while he lived there. “My father had a passion for plants and worked on the borders, but the gardens were abandoned near the end of his life,” she says.
Gardener Helen O’Donnell of The Bunker Farm in Dummerston, Vermont, has been instrumental in breathing new life into the gardens. “This was my first big installation and maintenance job, and we have kept it going year after year,” she says. Known for the unique varieties of annuals and perennials she grows from seed in her greenhouse and raises in her nursery, her garden design business is now in high demand. “Most of the good ideas start with Stephanie,” she states, modestly. “She’s the visionary, and I put the plant cocktail together. All the structural elements are here. They unearthed the foundational components and we started with the sunken garden.”
Helen O’Donnell worked with the homeowners to revive a 100-plus-year-old landscape, adding more color with new island gardens and borders. “When I started, there weren’t many flower gardens,” she says.
The front porch looks out on a border of interesting evergreens and specimen trees at the edge of the bluff. Cabot and O’Donnell planted them for Cabot’s 50th birthday to add oomph to the few perennials left from her father that still grow there.
Sunken Garden
The white-columned arbor supporting ancient grape vines forms a 100-foot-long covered walkway leading from the side lawn to Mason’s sunken rose garden. Alongside the roses, primroses, peonies, hydrangea, delphiniums and Solomon’s seal bloom against the stone retaining wall enclosing it, and white petunias cascade over its edge. “It is less structured and more exuberant than in Fanny’s day,” says Cabot. Yellow corydalis pops up here and there. “We started with nine plants,” says O’Donnell, “but it likes it here and now it’s everywhere!”
Thyme carpets the ground between the paving stones, and the classic scallop shell fountain mounted on the back wall still works. The romantic color palette also includes cleome, anemones, foxglove, lilies, gladiolus and aconite growing in the border atop the wall. A tall yew hedge behind the border blocks the view of neighboring buildings, making the garden an intimate space for entertaining or quiet contemplation. “We hold a winter solstice event here,” says Cabot, “and in summer, we set up long tables under the arbor for dinners.”
Tucked away under the shelter of tall locust trees on a nearby knoll is a rustic, six-sided gazebo built by Cabot’s grandfather. “I like thinking about how Fanny
The Garden Conservancy
Love of gardens is in the Cabot DNA. Frank Cabot, a distant relative of Stephanie’s is the founder of The Garden Conservancy. It is said that when the gardener dies, the garden does too, but The Garden Conservancy, which began in 1989 as a way to preserve one notable garden, has gone on to help in the preservation of hundreds more. Some have become public gardens such as Ruth Bancroft’s Dry Garden in Walnut Creek, California; Greenwood Gardens in Short Hills, New Jersey; The McLaughlin Garden in South Paris, Maine; and Frank Cabot’s own estate, Stonecrop Gardens in Cold Springs, New York. Each summer, hundreds of private gardens across the country are open to the public during The Garden Conservancy’s Open Days Program. Check out the schedule at gardenconservancy.org/open-days in the spring and make plans to visit some.
In the dell garden a vintage statue backed by an arch-topped trellis is uplit at night, adding a mysterious glow to the landscape that beckons you to venture down the hill.
A rustic gazebo built by Cabot’s grandfather, and later restored by her father and uncle, is a shady getaway surrounded by ferns and hostas under a giant locust tree.
Mason planted all these locust trees over 100 years ago and now they are huge,” says O’Donnell.
Rose Garden
Cabot and Lovell-Smith unearthed brick walkways in the side yard that must have belonged to an old garden. “They put in boxwood hedges to make an herb garden there, but later on Stephanie wanted to add roses and they have become the main feature,” says O’Donnell. “They get more sun here than in the sunken garden,” she points out. The four quadrants each have a different hardy shrub rose — light pink ‘Fairy,’ bright pink ‘Gertrude Jekyll,’
yellow ‘Charlotte’ and dark pink ‘John Cabot,’ named for the explorer, a distant relative.
“We also added verbena bonariensis, cleome, clematis and alliums to each square,” O’Donnell says. In the center, a white wisteria grows on a tall iron support made from an old well head Cabot and Lovell-Smith found on another part of the property. Herbs now grow along a walkway leading to the house where they are more easily accessible when cooking.
The Girl in the Dell
On the opposite side of the house, Cabot and Lovell-Smith found overgrown stone
steps leading down a steep slope into a ravine near the base of the bluff. “There was obviously a lawn here at some point, and my parents had put a bench down here,” says Cabot. Vinca now lines the path, punctuated with upright cedars leading to a statue of a young woman holding a book. “Marcus found it for our anniversary. The book is a wink to my career in publishing,” says Cabot. “It is new to the property but about the same vintage as the house.” Inspired by other statuary found on the grounds, it is backed by a tall wooden Palladian trellis, one of several that formerly hung on the folly.
Clockwise from top: This sunken garden appears informal but is built upon remnants left from Fanny Mason’s day. The stately fountain is the centerpiece of the sunken garden; water overflows into a small koi pond beneath and is recirculated to the top. Foxglove, peonies and primrose abound in early summer.
The Folly
As garden buildings go, the classic bright white, octagonal folly with a domed roof is a stunning accent. Inside, it has a mosaic tile floor bordered by a Grecian wave pattern and pastel murals of Yosemite by American impressionist Howard Gardiner Cushing on the walls. Too elegant for a child’s playhouse, it seems like an outdoor living room poised and ready for a party. Mason and her guests used it as a summerhouse to shelter from heat and bugs while enjoying the views over the meadows, and she often held concerts here as the acoustics are excellent for singers and instrumental quartets. Cabot’s family uses it for parties and winter dinners, especially during the holidays. “This whole place was meant for entertaining,” she says. “The house is open to a big tribe of cousins, and we host a lot of parties and fundraisers. We
can seat 66 people in the barn for New Year’s Eve and still have plenty of room for dancing.”
Homage to the Past
Cabot has trunks full of memorabilia, including old photos of Boggy Meadow, many from Fanny Mason’s day, to guide them. “It has been incredibly gratifying and fun to rebuild even a small part of what Aunt Fanny had a team of 10 gardeners do,” says Cabot. “Helen has been amazing to work with, and we couldn’t have done it without her.” While honoring the aesthetics of a bygone era, they also are doing some rewilding by bringing back the river birches that once grew here and planting more trees on the lawn. Preserving the past with an eye to the future while making a home for their family to enjoy is a balancing act. “I like the mixture!” Cabot says. NHH
Cleome is a half-hardy annual brought to the U.S. from South America in the early 1800s. It quickly became a favorite, especially with Victorian gardeners.
RESOURCES
The Bunker Farm • (802) 387-0223 thebunkerfarm.com
E.C. Brown’s Nursery • (802) 785-2167 ecbrownsnursery.biz
Inspired Gardener • (603) 399-4354 inspiredgardener.com
Above left: A fragrant David Austin rose,‘Gertrude Jekyll’ is one of the first to flower at Boggy Meadow. Above right: The folly is used year-round for family gatherings. Cabot is letting the lawn around the folly grow up to form a pollinator-friendly meadow as part of their rewilding plan.
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CLEAR THIINKING
THIS CONTEMPORARY AMHERST RETREAT CONNECTS WITH NATURE AT EVERY TURN WHILE DELIVERING AWARDWINNING ENERGY EFFICIENCY.
BY JENNIFER SPERRY
PHOTOGRAPHY BY C.A. SMITH
PHOTOGRAPHY
Situated on 2.3 acres of unspoiled land, this new home maximizes the lot's buildable footprint. It treads lightly with a highperformance envelope, net-positive solar production, minimal landscaping and a slab instead of a full basement. On its streetfacing facade, high and narrow windows illuminate the circulation spaces without compromising privacy.
ISABELLE AND JOHN have lived in Amherst since 1997, raising three children in a traditional colonial that was newly built at the time. In recent years, with their children grown and landing in different parts of the country for college and work, the couple began planning their next move. “We wanted to downsize into a home that was better for the environment, with more natural light and less upkeep,” says Isabelle of the emerging goal.
“John and I both have parents who are older, and we’ve seen what happens when you can’t go upstairs anymore. A house with multiple levels can be very limiting,” Isabelle continues. “Our colonial did not have a shower or a bedroom on the ground floor. We really wanted to build a home where we could age gracefully in place.” The couple consulted with their children, who supported the move, which involved shedding a large percentage — up to 75%, Isabelle estimates — of their accumulated belongings.
One small consideration remained: where to site their next
Wood accents, exposed steel beams and neutral furnishings maintain a clean, contemporary feel in the central family room.
chapter. Serendipitously, a “For Sale” sign popped up on a parcel of land they had long admired. At the time, the tranquil 3.2 acres were part of a larger historic estate containing the country home of Horace Greeley (who founded the NewYork Tribune and ran for president unsuccessfully, among other résumé line items). Isabelle and John frequently drove by the parcel, situated across the street from the antique Greeley farmhouse, often commenting on its head-turning natural beauty.
The undeveloped site is mostly wetlands — an unspoiled
slice of New Hampshire teeming with wildlife and flora that changes dramatically throughout the seasons. The water level rises in the spring, high enough for a decent kayak. “We were just blown away that this was going to be the place we would call home,” agree the couple.
After securing their new property, they began researching architectural firms that could execute an energy-efficient envelope. Their search led them to Portland, Maine-based Kaplan Thompson Architects, which weaves sustainability into both its residential and commercial projects. Plus, the
firm’s designs often lean contemporary — yet another draw for Isabelle and John, who both wanted a modern look with open-concept living.
Senior architect Adam Wallace, firm principal Jesse Thompson and architect Susan Brewer collaborated with the couple on their new build. “My husband has always loved modern architecture, and I like more of a modern farmhouse look,” says Isabelle. “We met with Adam and his team, and they showed us photos of both extremes. We picked our favorites and they managed to marry the two ideas into one design,” she says.
In short, the clients wanted a green home with living space facing the wetlands, pointing toward nature. The architecture team tackled the couple’s list of 200 needs/wants while mitigating the lot’s restrictions: “We dealt with significant buffers and setbacks and definitely maxed out the allowed buildable footprint for the site,” explains Wallace. Architects and clients grappled initially with whether the home should have a basement, opting against the feature for two reasons: to keep the footprint light and to prevent a buildup of belongings.
The home’s layout — organized efficiently into three distinct wings, demarcated with fiber cement siding in varying colors and orientations — optimizes sight lines. One end of the home is anchored by the primary suite; the opposite end contains a garage topped by a sleeping loft for when their children visit. The loft’s layout is adaptable, allowing the kids to spend time together comfortably. When the couple are home alone, they minimize this wing’s heating and cooling.
Right: The main living connector's large-format porcelain tiles are easy to clean, dog-friendly and warm underfoot in the radiant heat zones.
Left: Cambria quartz draws the eye with river-like veining in the kitchen, where lift-and-slide pocketing doors open up to a covered porch for outdoor dining.
Below: ipe wood decking certified by the Forestry Stewardship Council culminates in untouched, unlandscaped terrain.
In between these two bookends is a central connector, where the main living spaces stretch horizontally along an east-west axis, taking full advantage of the southern exposure and uninterrupted marsh views. Here, exposed steel beams, painted black to match the window frames, and serene white plaster maintain a clean, contemporary feel. Meanwhile, wooden “beams” (white oak boards joined meticulously and stained to mimic the look of salvaged beams) satisfy Isabelle’s affection for modern farmhouse aesthetics
and lend some rusticity and warmth. Clearstory windows above the European-style tilt-turn windows bring in maximum natural light.
“ The house feels much bigger than it actually is because of the volume of this central space, where Isabelle and John spend most of their time,” explains Wallace. “We kept the main floor level with the exterior decking, so the outdoors feels like a natural extension of the interior.” A LaCantina pocketing lift-and-slide door opens the kitchen to
Left: A corner of uninterrupted glass makes showering in the primary bathroom a natureoriented experience.
a covered porch, where relaxed outdoor meals are the norm. When the sun gets too intense, the couple shifts to a patio off their front entry. While they opted for low-maintenance plantings along their property’s streetside presentation, they kept the back wild and untouched. This minimized landscaping, sans lawn, meant they could avoid lawn mower ownership.
Isabelle handled all the interior material selections and furnishings: “I have no formal education in it, but design
is something that I very much enjoy,” she explains. “I like to work around a theme, and for this house I was inspired by water and nature.” She kept the larger bones very neutral and added pops of teal and rusty orange with soft furnishings.
The kitchen cabinets, by Union Street Kitchens, introduce a moody teal into the interior palette. “I went all over the place to find our countertops,” reveals Isabelle. “I finally picked this Cambria quartz, which I love because its veining
Below: Glass doors and clearstory windows engage the primary bedroom with whatever is happening in the meadow and wetlands just outside.
Above: Isabelle and John enjoying their view, which changes with each passing hour, day and season.
Right: Sliding doors lead to guest sleeping quarters above the garage.
Far right: The home's low-slung profile and light touch on the land were thoughtful and purposeful decisions from stage one.
reminds me of a river. I was drawn to its movement and the water tie-in,” she adds.
The island culminates in a seating area — its table-level height is a thoughtful aging-in-place detail. (Isabelle and John note that bar stools are too high for their parents to sit in comfortably.) “The island chairs are the same as those in the dining room, so if we have a big party, everything matches,” adds Isabelle. “Making things multifunctional and preventing duplicates were important to us.”
Taking advantage of the lot’s built-in privacy on the marsh side, the clients opted for maximum glazing in their bedroom suite. Every morning, the sun streams in like nature’s alarm clock. In their shower, a full corner of glazing overlooks an adjoining meadow. “The glass panels have 100% composite frames, so there’s no concern about them failing,” notes Wallace of the bold feature.
While the completed home delivers all the natural light and livability that Isabelle and John desired, including a handy dog-washing station in their mud area, it is also extremely green. Builder Brad Davis, owner of B. Davis Construction Co. LLC, based in nearby Peterborough, deftly executed the architect’s planned sustainable systems. Ultimately, Kaplan Thompson Architects won “Best Energy-Efficient Design” at New Hampshire Home’s 2023 awards for the advanced design.
The high-performance envelope includes triple-glazed windows and doors as well as nontoxic cellulose super-insulation inside double-stud walls. Multiple air-source heat pumps, two energy-recovery ventilators and electric radiant heat in heavily trafficked areas moderate the interior climate. A 14KW rooftop solar array handles the demands of this advanced HVAC system while generating a surplus that results in monthly paybacks from the utility company.
Now, Isabelle and John can enjoy a winter’s day in their family room with plenty of light streaming in, deer strolling by, radiant heat underfoot and cozy flames flickering on their Rais propane gas stove. When the couple first met with Kaplan Thompson, they had a wish list of 200 desires, mostly derived from frustrations with their previous home. “I think the architects checked off 199,” says Isabelle.
While they had to shed a lot of belongings, which they admit was a process, the homeowners haven’t looked back since moving into their nature-oriented oasis. “Whenever possible, we are in the kitchen or family room just looking out at the scenery,” Isabelle says. “We never tire of it because it’s always changing, and we feel very blessed to call this home.” NHH
RESOURCES
Kaplan Thompson Architects • (207) 842-2888 • kaplanthompson.com
B. Davis Construction Co. LLC • (603) 532-4841 • davisconstructionco.net
Union Street Kitchens • (603) 520-6733 • unionstreetkitchensnh.com
Lessons in Innovation
For one family, home is a historic schoolhouse they renovated themselves.
BY CRYSTAL WARD KENT
PHOTOGRAPHY BY JOHN W. HESSION
CLASS IS ALWAYS IN SESSION at the home of Kreg and Danielle Jones, as they live in a converted 19th-century schoolhouse in Weare. From the outside, the timeless structure looks much as it might have in years past, positioned under shade trees with an adjacent lawn for recess. The bell tower still adorns the roof, and lettering over the arched double doorway proclaims “No. Weare School 1856.” One can easily picture boys and girls from earlier days trooping up the stairs for lessons and racing around the grounds.
The Joneses are no strangers to renovation, having revamped many of their homes over the past 26 years. They are also uniquely
Cqualified to take on such projects, as Kreg is a former builder and Danielle is experienced in interior design. The couple run their own firm, Inscription Architects, which focuses on highend residential design and interiors. Both are very hands on, which served them well during the schoolhouse transformation.
Kreg and Danielle were attracted to the schoolhouse, because it was a historic property of just the right proportions. “So many interesting historic projects are too large, such as a mill renovation or an estate,” says Danielle. “This was just right — we could envision the home it could become.”
They were also fascinated by its history and
architecture, as the school is on the National Historic Register. “There are very few brick structures in Weare,” notes Kreg. “And this one has some intriguing features, such as cast-iron columns supporting the front facade, a coffered tin ceiling, huge windows and a number of the school elements still in place, such as the bell pulley system and original staircase.”
The schoolhouse was built to serve the town’s 16th District, a role it played until 1952. The main footprint is largely untouched, save for a small addition that was put on in the 1960s, while it was being used as the Grange Hall.
The Joneses found the structure in remarkable shape overall. “The main schoolhouse
Left: Ten-foot-tall windows keep the open-plan living/ dining/kitchen area bright even on gloomy days. Kreg Jones restored the 1920s tin ceiling, and his wife, Danielle, found the "schoolhouse" lights.
Below: The narrow, wooden stairs are original to the house. When it was used as a schoolhouse, there were two staircases: one for boys, one for girls.
has a granite foundation, which is solid,” says Kreg. “The brickwork has also held up well. We stripped everything back to the brick, removing windows, molding and so forth to make sure there was no lead paint. We also removed the chair rails, but we labeled those and put them back. We started with the walls, ceiling and floors. We opted to leave one brick wall exposed. Even though you can see the wear, it tells the story of the building, and we love the rustic look. We restored the tin ceiling and the floors. The tin ceiling was added around 1920 — we found the original horsehair plaster underneath. The floors are fir, and in very good condition.”
The main challenge came with the 1960s addition, which had a poor foundation. The schoolhouse has glorious 14-foot ceilings and 8-foot doors — the addition had barely 7-foot ceilings.
ings. To solve the problem, the couple dug out the foundation so they could bring the ceilings in that area to a standard nine feet and gain a new foundation with solid footing.
Inside, the Joneses have left the main part of the schoolhouse as an open-plan kitchen/ dining/living area. Ten-foot windows provide abundant light on even the gloomiest days. Wainscoting wraps the living area; it’s done in white on the bottom to enhance the room’s spacious feel, with gray on the top to keep the room grounded. Dark accents on window trim, bookcases, cabinets and furniture add dramatic highlights, while white sofas coordinate with the walls and provide contrast. Both the kitchen and living space are lit with large, dramatic pendant lights, which are aptly called “schoolhouse” lights. “It was a
challenge finding lighting that worked with the period but also provided enough light for such an expansive interior,” says Danielle. “Spacing them correctly was also important, but we figured it out.”
The kitchen area features the exposed brick, save for the dark green tile backsplash covering a large section of wall. Danielle designed the kitchen around the backsplash with its striking pattern. She brought in oversized cabinets to better fit with the scale of the room and chose a coppery green to pick up the hues of the backsplash and add a pop of color. Granite was used on the countertops and on the long, curved island that defines the kitchen area.
The first floor is also home to their cat, Chloe’s, “studio” — a small space that was once the bottom of the second stairwell. It’s now
Danielle and Kreg on their patio, bottom left, opted to leave one original brick wall exposed in the kitchen. They love the rustic look and, they say, "It tells the story of the building." Danielle designed the kitchen around the striking pattern of the backsplash. The ILVE stove was shipped from Italy.
filled with a cat climbing tree, a comfy sofa and a small desk, plus a large window.
Blending Old & New
One of the schoolhouse’s most striking features is the remaining staircase with its breathtakingly sharp curve. Originally, there were two — one for boys, one for girls — but the second one was removed years earlier. The stairway is made entirely of wood.
The upstairs presented some design challenges as it is a long, narrow space. The Joneses opted to place the master bedroom and bath at each end with his and her closet spaces in the middle. Because of these space constraints, the couple put the main vanities for the master bath outside of the bathroom and included only a small utility sink inside the bath. Like the tub,
it has a very geometric style, which along with the dramatic black-and-white flooring, brings an ultra-modern feel to the room.
Danielle wanted this space to also be a calming escape, so she situated the tub in a bed of river rocks and against a variegated blue wall. Overhead, a chandelier emulating tree branches completes the impression of an oasis in nature.
The upstairs has the same large windows as the first floor, providing lovely views of the grounds, which have also been redone. A patio with a fountain is surrounded by sculpted garden beds and a view to the gazebo where their daughter will marry.
The 1960s addition contains a small bath and their business office, but this décor is in dramatic contrast to the rest of the home, as
The master bath's geometric
His-and-hers sinks gracing the upstairs hallway are positioned just outside the master bath to save space.
Clockwise from bottom left: Kreg fashioned the bed in the primary bedroom out of antique doors.
tub sits in a bed of river rocks beneath a chandelier emulating tree branches.
it bursts with color. The showstopper is a wall filled with a stunning print by Wassily Kandinsky, a Russian painter considered one of the pioneers of western abstract art. The mural is alive with vivid colors, and is one of several striking pieces of art from Russia and Ukraine placed throughout the home. (Danielle is a former professor of Russian and American literature.)
Throughout the house, the Joneses brought in as many historic and repurposed elements as possible. The door from an old Portsmouth church became a side door; original windows were used in the connector to the new garage, and repurposed medical cabinets found a home in their pantry. Kreg even fashioned their bed from salvaged antique doors, creating a unique heirloom.
During the renovation, the couple also strove to marry the historic feel with efficiency and
Above: The lower patio entrance connects the main level of the home to the office and extra bathroom, while also connecting the home to an on-grade grilling patio.
Top: The office where Kreg and Danielle initiate their designs of high-end residential homes features a stunning print by Russian abstractionist Wassily Kandinsky.
modern conveniences. Thus, they chose castiron radiators that echoed bygone school days, along with adding insulation and low windows that are replicas of the originals.
Today, the 1856 schoolhouse once again echoes with the sound of laughter and activity, brought back to life by a couple who truly put their heart and soul into every board and brick.
“We love living in a place that is part of the community,” says Danielle. “People stop by all the time to tell us about family who went to school here. We cherish the initials we found carved into floorboards and walls. They are a reminder of all the lives that were touched by this place.” Adds Kreg, “Hopefully, we have preserved it for another 100 years. It deserves to live on.” NHH
RESOURCE
Inscription Architects • (603) 851-6100 • kregtjones.com
Above: Kreg and Danielle on the patio. "We want every project we do to have its own charisma," says Danielle.
Top: People in the community are thrilled that the Joneses have saved the schoolhouse.
Part of a whole-house renovation, the new front porch is an ideal spot to admire the views of majestic Kearsarge Mountain in the distance.
Looking Ahead
After renovating a small home for retirement down the road, a builder and his wife offer the gem as an Airbnb.
IN JAY AND JUDI TUCKER’S BRADFORD HOME, an oil painting by local artist Alison Vernon is a cherished item. It shows the house — a big, yellow contemporary Cape built in 1998 — and a matching yellow barn topped by a cupola. Each of the Tuckers’ five children is depicted along with four-legged members of the family’s beloved menagerie, ranging from kittens to horses. Unlike many family portraits in which individuals wear formal clothes and forced smiles, this one captures the essence of wholesome activity. It’s a happy scene.
Jay says his house “has been well lived in.” He should know, he built it. The founder and owner of design-build firm Old Hampshire Designs Inc., he got his start in the industry some 40 years ago with Timberpeg right out of college.
“What I really liked was putting the frames up and teaching new builders how to do it,” he says. “Timberpeg was definitely my springboard, but eventually I wanted to branch out to more conventionally built homes.”
BY JANICE RANDALL ROHLF PHOTOGRAPHY BY JOHN W. HESSION
DECADES HAVE PASSED, Jay has built hundreds of houses, and those children in the painting have grown up. It’s not uncommon for Jay and Judi, now empty nesters, to take leisurely drives along the scenic roads near their home to admire the gorgeous views. On one of these outings, only a couple of miles from where they live, they saw a small house on Rowe Mountain Road they’d passed by many times before. But on this day, there was a handwritten “For Sale by Owner” sign posted out front, and it was like a switch went off in Jay’s head. “It’s so pleasant up there, overlooking Kearsarge Mountain and Lake Massasecum,” says Jay. “You can see Gunstock in the distance, and there’s hardly ever any traffic on the road.” Listening to him describe the setting now, it’s clear that at that moment he was a goner. The small house itself, he thought to himself, didn’t look too bad.
In fact, “from the outside it looked pretty good,” says Jay, explaining that the 1,800square-foot house had the appearance of being recently renovated, with a newish-looking roof and siding. He figured maybe all it needed was to get rid of a bay window and add a nice front porch. Their offer was accepted, and the house was theirs. The plan was to fix it up and rent it out as an Airbnb property until the day when Jay and Judi were ready to downsize and move in themselves. But first, there were some unexpected hurdles to clear.
“As we were working on the house, we realized that it was in much worse shape than we thought,” says Jay. In Judi’s opinion, that’s a huge understatement. “Everything about the inside was terrible,” she says. “It was full of rodent matter, dampened, destroyed insulation and mold.”
The relocation of the staircase away from the front door allowed for an open and airy first-floor living space, which is extended to the outdoors by both a front porch and back deck.
Inset photo: Left to right: Elliot Tucker, Jay Tucker, Judi Yurek-Tucker and Sam Tucker all worked to make this project come together.
Originally a 16-foot-wide camp, it had been made wider and received a second floor. But clearly no one had paid attention to making it sound nor attractive. And sitting uninhabited for a while didn’t do it any favors either.
The couple got to work, enlisting two of their sons to help. Elliot, 26, took charge of the daunting cleanup, while Sam, 28, who is the company’s CAD designer, took all the measurements and then launched into the redesign with his dad. Judi oversaw the interiors.
Over the next several months, the entire floor system was ripped out and replaced, and a curious second ceiling below the main one was removed. Structural rafters were added in addition to the other joists. “It was a very poorly insulated four-season house, so we put insulation in the attic, between the floors, in the basement, poured a slab in the basement, installed all new heating systems, all new electric, a gas fireplace,” says Jay. “An awful lot went into making it come out as nice as it did. It would have been a lot cleaner and easier to start from scratch. But that wasn’t the plan, and since I’m a builder, I said, ‘Now that we’ve gotten this far, we have to do this right.’”
The change that impacted the house the most was relocating the main staircase. “You opened the front door, and the stairs were right in your face,” explains Jay. Plus, adds Sam, “It was dark and dingy. After we moved the stairs and replaced all the windows, it really opened up the house, and you could see the view much better.” With the bigger windows bringing in more natural light, things started to get brighter, literally and figuratively. The goal of having the inside be as nice as the outside finally seemed within reach.
Judi turned her attention to the interiors. “I wanted it to be special, because it is a special spot,” she says. “I wanted solid furniture and original things, which I picked up over the course of the last year.” Even though she may not be quite as ready as her husband to move in, she wants the house to be comfortable for whomever stays there in the meantime. “I knew
Top right: Crisp white and sunny, the brand-new kitchen is efficiently laid out.
Bottom right: A new gas fireplace adds coziness to the main gathering spaces.
From top to bottom: A den-like space adjacent to the main living area is for watching TV and, in a pinch, sleeping on a pull-out couch. By relocating the main stair away from the front door, space and natural light were gained. Sugar River Kitchens, Bath & Flooring designed the kitchen.
Below: The simply appointed primary bedroom has an extraordinary view. Bottom left: A pretty guest bedroom. Bottom right: The primary bath.
from experience that I wanted neutral colors on the wall. I tend to like things a little warmer and am not a fan of grays,” she explains, adding that oranges, cherry reds and lime green are the kind of hues she favors for splashes of accent color.
A collaboration with Sugar River Kitchens, Bath & Flooring completely revamped the kitchen area, which is now large and bright, featuring a big island with expansive views and new stainless steel appliances. Nearby is the open-concept dining and living space, making for easy conversation. A small section at the driveway side that can be closed off with a door, can be used as a place to watch TV or even as a bedroom since it has a pull-out couch. Also in that room is an Alison Vernon painting that Judi spotted in a second-hand store but hadn’t had a use for until now.
On the second floor, where the three bedrooms are located (each one faces the view), there was previously a kitchen, a space that was turned into a full bathroom, one of two upstairs. A third full bath on the first floor was carved out of an overly large bathroom, leaving more square footage for the kitchen.
As for the smaller details and creature comforts, Jay explains that he and Judi asked themselves, “What is it that we like about Airbnbs? What’s missing? What’s always there? What do we think is neat?" We tried to appoint the house according to the answers.
He continues: “We have a big house with 30 acres, horses, a barn, pastures. This is a house up the road that’s kind of cute. Someday we’ll downsize from what we have, and we can see ourselves living here.” In the meantime, if the house is unoccupied, says Jay, “I like to go up at night and just sit on the porch, look at the view and enjoy it. You have the whole world up there.” NHH
RESOURCES
Old Hampshire Designs, Inc. • (603) 526-6945
oldhampshiredesigns.com
Sugar River Kitchens, Bath & Flooring • (603) 863-6996
sugarriverkitchens.com
It's hard to beat the spectacular sunsets from the west-facing house's front lawn or porch.
Abundantly Pretty
Sporting exuberant patterns of plants and flowers, Lori Rollason’s pottery evokes the aesthetic of English country homes.
INSTEAD OF BUYING OFF THE RACK, potter Lori Rollason remembers shopping in the 1960s for vibrant fabrics to sew her back-to-school outfits. Making clothes by hand reinforced Rollason’s belief that items should last longer than trends do. “It was always the approach we took,” she says. “And I always gravitated toward the more patterned, brightly colored fabrics.”
Rollason, of Hillsborough, learned how to throw pots as a high school student in Middletown, Conn. In art college, she restored oriental carpets. In 2015, she received a master’s in art education from the New Hampshire
Institute of Art, focusing on ceramics.
To create surface designs on her pottery, she uses two main techniques: sgraffito and slip transfers. Sgraffito involves creating decorations on the surface of the pottery by using a ball stylus to carve through a layer of colored clay slip (watered down clay) that’s been painted over the leather-hard clay pot, to expose the color of the clay underneath.
With the slip transfer process, Rollason creates a silkscreen print on newsprint paper from patterns she’s drawn and clay slip as her ink. After the slip dries on the paper, she cuts it into shapes, rehydrates them in water, then places the wet shapes
on her greenware — pottery that hasn’t been fired in the kiln yet. Rubbing each patterned cutout with a soft spatula-type tool, she transfers the design onto the pot. The slip comes off the paper and then sticks to the greenware, for firing later.
At her potter’s wheel, inside an attached barn at her 1842-era home, Rollason creates these designs for vases, teapots and other ceramic items, drawing inspiration from native plants and flowers in her backyard.
For New Hampshire Home, Rollason explains her aesthetic, finding beauty in simplicity, and how we can learn from the past.
BY EMILY REILY | PHOTOGRAPHY BY MORGAN KARANASIOS
Lori Rollason in her Hillsborough pottery studio.
New Hampshire Home [NHH]: Tell us about your love of structural, physical, musical and historical patterns?
Lori Rollason [LR]: It seems to me that there are patterns in just about everything, and they can offer a structure or framework for understanding or experiencing the world. I’m curious about the relationships between seemingly disparate things. I’ll confess, I was a terrible student of history in school. Now, I’m endlessly fascinated by it, because I finally realized that one thing always leads to another. Everything has a history and a context.
I like to study an object, considering what led to it, what was the context in which it was made or lived with. So many factors may have conspired to bring it into existence: lifestyles, trade routes, political systems maybe an endless list of possibilities. As an
Left: Rollason demonstrates the sgraffito technique she uses to create many of her intricate surfaces.
Top: A row of ginger jars perched on the “work in progress” shelf await the next bisque firing.
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artist, my impulse is to manifest my fascination with patterns in a visual form in my work.
I draw on patterns I see in nature. I have a habit of counting petals on flowers and noticing if leaves are in opposing pairs or climbing a stem one at a time. I also look at patterns others have made. I’ve found inspiration in a vintage quilt I inherited. Those patterns are much more graphic and simpler in some ways. Persian rugs are another source of inspiration. While I don’t draw directly from specific motifs on them, I am inspired by the ways the makers chose to stylize nature.
I really like to create an abundant surface, to completely cover the forms I make with imagery. I love to think that each time someone looks at a pot I’ve made, they might discover something that had gone unnoticed. In a funny way, my pots may promote the habit of continuing to look and consider what we’re seeing. The forms that I choose to make are based on historic forms, often objects I’ve seen in museum collections. I’m not trying to recreate the past, but I do like the idea of building on the past, learning and growing from it. We like to say that history repeats itself. It’s actually us who repeat history. I think it’s so
important to learn from our past. I want to take valuable lessons (from the past) and make positive things.
NHH: What are some examples?
LR: The forms that I love are in English country homes, like on mantelpieces or in “Downton Abbey” sets. Ginger jars, vases with pedestal bases, teapots. Those forms are really interesting to me, the classic curves, color and light. I love that, to many people, these are familiar forms. This familiarity can create an almost instant relationship with the pieces. I’ve had so many conversations with people that began with, “This reminds me of . . .” .
To add another layer to the idea of one thing leading to another, I’ll point out that many of the forms I’m inspired by were adapted by potters in Europe — the ginger jar you see with Delft patterning on it, that’s from the Netherlands, but the form itself, I think, came from China. To get the appearance of these beautiful blue-and-white porcelain pieces from Japan and China, artists in Europe coated the entire earthenware pots with white slip (watered-down clay) and then painted on it with a cobalt oxide wash.
NHH: Do you find inspiration in interior design?
LR: I’m interested in making a home feel special and beautiful. I like to look at fireplace mantels and china cupboard shelves to see what’s on them. I make vases for flowers. And then I think about where a specific style of vase would fit in a home. I think a lot about function, too. I want things to be really beautiful, but I also want them to work really well.
NHH: What’s a recent, functional design that you like?
LR: I’ve been working on vases that have a pedestal on them. That’s part of making simple flowers feel grander, more important. I call them “trophy vases,” like a prize. I think flowers are always treasures, something really amazing that nature provides. So I like to be able to
Rollason calls the pattern on this small cookie jar “Flower Power” in a nod to her love for 1960s textile patterns.
put them in something beautiful. The most recent vase form I’ve been working with is called a tulipière, and it’s a historic form. It caught my eye as I was perusing the Victoria and Albert vase collection on the V&A website. Some tulipières are really, really big, almost like a pyramid of flowers. The vases I’ve been making are much smaller.
It’s a bit of a peculiar form, but I love it. The function is amazing because you could just have one small bunch of flowers, like 10 stems from Trader Joe’s, and it fills this vase in such a magnificent way, spreading the flowers apart so you can really see each one. You don’t need a gazillion flowers just to make a really pretty statement.
NHH: How would you describe your aesthetic approach to your surface design?
LR: In a word, “abundance.” I strive to use patterns and imagery to activate the entire surface of each pot. With my sgraffito pieces, I begin with a specific flower or motif in mind and just start carving. I think about the composition. How can the arrangement of the images enhance the curve of the form? What will it look like when it’s fired? How much contrast will there be between the imagery and the color of the clay pot? I take some creative license. If I don’t want there to be so much white space, I might add a leaf that would never ever really exist with that particular flower.
NHH: What do you think we can learn from the past?
LR: There’s a lot to be gained and remembered and appreciated. Objects from the past help to tell our story, our human history. We’re rethinking how we live with things. Do we give it the care that’s needed, or is it expendable? Is it something you’re just going to use one year and then toss out? My hope is we consider the future when we make choices in the present. Maybe we can take more care of what we have, acquire new things that we truly appreciate and enjoy, and want to be remembered for in the future. NHH
RESOURCES
Lori Rollason Pottery • lorirollason.com
A varity of objects decorated with screen-printed slip transfers.
Events AROUND THE STATE
Looking for that perfect locally made gift? Want to immerse yourself in festive décor? Craving a dose of your favorite Christmas music? The next couple of months feature everything from an inspiring showhouse and beautifully decorated trees to pops concerts and artisan fairs.
NOVEMBER 4-12
Christmas at The Fells Decorator Showhouse
In need of holiday décor inspiration? Tour the main house at The Fells to see how professional interior designers, floral artists, decorators and talented volunteers use their personal sense of style and interpretation of Christmas cheer to transform the gorgeous historic home. On weekends, tour-goers can enjoy lunch in the dining room café. Also open is the holiday gift boutique, where you can find items created by regional artisans. The showhouse begins with the preview gala on November 5 from 5-7 p.m., which includes music, appetizers and a chance to meet the designers. Gala tickets are $100 and reservations are required. The price includes one return ticket per person. Weekdays, 1-3 p.m.; weekends, 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Admission is $25 for adults, $8 for children and free for children under 5. John Hay Estate at The Fells • 456 Route 103A, Newbury • (603) 763-4789 • thefells.org
NOVEMBER 2
The Distiller’s Showcase of Premium Spirits
This annual event and benefit for the New Hampshire Food Bank offers the chance to taste hundreds of spirits. In addition to more than 130 tables of premium and ultra-premium spirits available for sampling, you’ll also have the opportunity to meet distillers from around the world, while enjoying bites from the state’s top restaurants. The showcase is the culmination of Distiller’s Week, which is filled with seminars, tastings, celebrity panels and more. Distiller’s Week details will be posted at distillersshowcase.com. Check the website for schedule updates. Distiller’s Showcase of Premium
Spirits runs from 6-8:30 p.m. Tickets are $60. DoubleTree by Hilton Manchester Downtown 700 Elm St., Manchester • distillersshowcase.com
NOVEMBER 4
Holiday Mimosa Madness
Granite State Cabinetry Kitchen and Bath Design Center in Bedford invites you to take their 1.5-hour Kitchen Remodeling Masterclass to go over the kitchen renovation process from A to Z. Attendees will learn about current kitchen trends (colors, appliances, cabinet accessories), remodeling costs, the labor involved and time frame from start to completion. Everyone is also welcome to enjoy
some holiday mimosas and doughnuts. The event runs from 10 a.m. to 11:30 p.m. Please email scannon@gscabinetry.com to reserve your spot.
Granite State Cabinetry Kitchen & Design Center 384 Route 101, Bedford • 603-472-4080 gscabinetry.com
NOVEMBER 4-5
Holiday Open House and Kitty Angels Weekend Now celebrating 31 years, this pet- and kid friendly event offers special sales of vintage Christmas and holiday décor, plus a number of activities and entertainment. The two-day event includes raffles, music, horse and pony rides, demonstrations by artists, food vendors, a petting zoo and more. Kitty Angels will be offering information on the organization, adoptions and donations. Representatives from the Amherst Animal Hospital, who have worked alongside Kitty Angels for decades, will also be on hand.
10 a.m.-4 p.m.
Treasures Antiques, Collectables & More 106 Ponemah Rd., Amherst (603) 672-2535 treasuresnh.com
NOVEMBER 12
Bedford Handmade
The Bedford High School Handmade Fair is a celebration of local artists and artisans. Get your start on the shopping season and support local businesses. 10 a.m.-3 p.m. The fair will benefit all of the class student council accounts and the Manchester Animal Shelter.
Bedford High School • 47 Nashua Rd., Bedford facebook.com/bedfordhandmade
NOVEMBER 18-19
The Great New England Craft & Artisans Show
In addition to the more than 100 juried artisans, craftspeople and specialty food vendors, the fair also includes activities, live holiday music, food samples, demonstrations, door prizes and a café. Handmade items for sale range from apparel and jewelry to wood products and metal art. 9 a.m.4 p.m. Entry is $5.
The Rim Sports Complex • 311 Winnacunnet Rd. Hampton • gnecraftartisanshows.com
NOVEMBER 17-18, 24-26
Christmas at the Castle Tour the Lucknow mansion at the Castle in the Clouds, festively dressed for the holidays by creative businesses and designers to reflect their take on holiday carols. Browse the artisan fair, and have fun making crafts. Tickets and times vary. Castle in the Clouds • Route 171, 455 Old Mountain Rd., Moultonborough (603) 476-5900 • castleintheclouds.org
NOVEMBER 18-19
Portsmouth Holiday Arts Tour
Fair warning: It might be tough to pass up the many lovely items you’ll discover on this selfguided tour. Each year on the weekend before Thanksgiving, a number of artists open their homes and studios to the public in a celebration of art, community and the holidays. Admission is free.
Portsmouth • portsmouthartstour.com
NOVEMBER 18-26
Bektash Feztival of Trees
This year the Bektash Shriners of New Hampshire are planning both in-person and virtual experiences. What remains the same are the beautifully decorated artificial trees, which are available for purchase, and the chance to win raffle prizes. Bektash Shriners of New Hampshire • 189 Pembroke Rd., Concord • (603) 225-5372 • nhshriners.org
NOVEMBER 24 TO DECEMBER 21
Gingerbread House Contest and Exhibition
The Portsmouth Historical Society hosts the 33rd Annual Gingerbread House Contest and Exhibition at the Portsmouth Historical Society’s Discover Portsmouth Welcome Center. This event provides a fun way for the whole family to get into the holiday spirit, as they will marvel with delight at the creative reproductions of Portsmouth area landmarks and holiday scenes. 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. (Open until 8 p.m. on Dec. 2 and Dec. 3) Discover Portsmouth Center, 10 Middle St. (603) 436-8433 • PortsmouthHistory.org
NOVEMBER 24-26
Littleton Festival of Trees
The Festival of Trees celebrates the season and community by gathering a collection of trees decorated by local businesses and putting them on display at the Littleton Opera House. All tree displays will be raffled off. The event is offered both virtually and in person. Friday, 1-7 p.m.; Saturday, 10 a.m.-7 p.m.; Sunday, 8 a.m.-2 p.m. Admission to the Opera House is $5, online admission is by donation.
Littleton Opera House • 2 Union St., Littleton (603) 575-5324 • leadlittletonnh.com/ festival-of-trees
GIRLS INC. OF NEW HAMPSHIRE
The pre-eminent girls’ leadership organization equipping girls to reach their full potential.
Serving girls throughout NH since 1974.
Providing after-school and summer programs at two Girls’ Centers located in Manchester & Nashua.
Dinner Club feeds over 100 girls daily.
Delivering in-school programs at dozens of schools across the state. Educational programs on careers and leadership, health and nutrition, STEM, media and economic literacy, drug and alcohol prevention, and violence prevention.
Girls Inc. equips girls – particularly girls from low-income communities and girls of color– to succeed and lead while advocating for an end to inequity and discrimination. Scan for program information, volunteer opportunities, or to donate. www.girlsincnewhampshire.org·
1. Paid/Requested Outside -County Mail
Subscriptions Stated on Form 3541.
NOVEMBER 24-DECEMBER 2
Southern New Hampshire Festival of Trees
This nine-day event is filled with food, fun, entertainment and, of course, decorated trees. This year, many of the trees will incorporate gift certificates in the décor. Enjoy baked goods and refreshments in the Candy Cane Café, and daily performances by local schools, dance studios, theatre and church groups. All trees will be raffled off at the close of the event. Nov. 24, 5-9 p.m.; Nov. 25, 10 a.m.-9 p.m.; Nov. 26, 12-5 p.m.; Nov. 30-Dec. 2, 5-9 p.m.; Dec. 3, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Admission is $5 for ages 12 and over. Pelham Municipal Building • 6 Village Green, Pelham snhfestivaloftrees.pelhamcommunityspirit.org
NOVEMBER 25
Keene Holiday Craft Show
Forget Black Friday and support small businesses at this annual fair held the Saturday after Thanksgiving. Shop for handmade goods from around New England, including pottery, artwork, glassware, floral arrangements and designs, jewelry, photography, food products, knitting and more. The Annual Keene Holiday Craft Show has been kicking off the holiday season for over a decade now, and organizers carefully curate the selection of vendors. 9 a.m.-3 p.m.
Keene High School • 43 Arch St., Keene keenecraftshow.com
NOVEMBER 29-30
Exeter Festival of Trees
Enjoy the festive atmosphere, admire the beautifully decorated trees and stop in for a bake sale treat. Raffle tree tickets will be sold for a chance to win a special committee tree filled with local business gift cards and certificates. All proceeds from the festival go to the Community Children’s Fund providing warm clothing and bedding vouchers to the Seacoast area children in need. Wednesday, 11 a.m.-4 p.m.; Thursday, 11 a.m.-8 p.m.
Exeter Town Hall • 10 Front St., Exeter • (603) 772-2411 exeterareacharitablefoundation.org
NOVEMBER 30, DECEMBER 2-3, 6, 9-10
Wolfeboro Festival of Trees
Organizers of the Festival of Trees are optimistically planning to celebrate the 22nd Wolfeboro Festival. This annual benefit features more than 65 trees, uniquely decorated by area businesses and organizations, and displayed on two levels at the Wright Museum. In addition to the trees, the exhibit features continuous entertainment and light refreshment. The preview gala cocktail reception takes place on November 30 from 6-8 p.m.
Admission is $65.
The Wright Museum • 77 Center St., Wolfeboro (603) 569-2981 • wolfeborofestivaloftrees.com
DECEMBER 1
14th Annual Festival of Trees
The Festival of Trees will feature over 35 trees elaborately decorated by local businesses and organizations to be auctioned and raffled off. 4-8 p.m.
Rivermill at Dover Landing • 2 Washington St., Dover dovernh.org/festival-of-trees
THROUGH DECEMBER 31
Frank Lloyd Wright House Tours
The Currier Museum of Art invites you to tour its Frank Lloyd Wright houses through the year’s end. The two-hour tours, including both the Zimmerman House and the Kalil House, start at 9:30 a.m., 12 p.m., and 2:30 p.m. Tour tickets also include admission to the museum.
Currier Museum of Art, 150 Ash St., Manchester • (603) 518-4908 • currier.org
DECEMBER 2, 9, & 16, 5-9 P.M.
DECEMBER 3, 10, & 17, 4-8 P.M.
Candelight Stroll
Strawbery Banke Museum in Portsmouth provides an intimate look at how families have celebrated the holidays in the Puddle Dock neighborhood over the years. They will visit the Shapiro family as they prepare for a Hanukkah Celebration in 1919, the Goodwin family and servants as they prepare for a Victorian Christmas, as well as the Rider-Wood family as they celebrate both Christmas and the recent marriage of Mary Rider’s niece Betsey. The historic houses are adorned with handmade decorations created from greens and dried flowers from the Museum’s heirloom gardens. While traveling from house to historic house, the glow of hundreds of lighted candle lanterns illuminates the way, and guests enjoy seasonal greetings from costumed role players and performers who recreate the traditions of times past.
Strawbery Banke Museum • 14 Hancock St., Portsmouth (603) 433-1100 • strawberybanke.org
DECEMBER 9
Symphony NH Holiday Pops
This annual holiday concert will feature selections from the “Nutcracker” and “Sleigh Ride” as well as singalongs. Saturday, 6:45 p.m.; Sunday, 2:15 p.m. Tickets are $60.
Keefe Center for the Arts (Saturday) 117 Elm St., Nashua • actorsingers.org
Concord City Auditorium (Sunday) 2 Prince St., Concord • (603) 595-9156 symphonynh.org
DECEMBER 9
Boston Pops Holiday Concert
Capturing the magic of the holiday season and the winter charms of New England, the Boston Pops will perform their signature “Sleigh Ride,” as well as other holiday classics and new arrangements of seasonal favorites. They are joined by the Metropolitan Chorale, known as one of Metro Boston’s premier choral ensembles. Santa Claus will make a guest appearance during the concert’s finale followed by the traditional Boston Pops holiday singalong to bring this special performance to a close. 7:30 p.m. SNUH Arena • 555 Elm St., Manchester • snhuarena.com
DECEMBER 17 AND 20
Portsmouth Symphony Orchestra Holiday Pops
Join the PSO winter solstice weekend as we shift from darkness to light and celebrate the season with cheer and joy. A perennial family favorite, this year’s holiday pops program includes an international flavor that celebrates humanity during the holiday season. 3 and 7:30 p.m. Admission is $30 for adults, $25 for seniors and $15 for students and children. Portsmouth High School • 50 Andrew Jarvis Dr., Portsmouth • (603) 686-8133 portsmouthsymphony.org
Submitting Events
New Hampshire Home is always on the lookout for events that may interest our readers. If you have one to submit for consideration, send details to janicerohlfnhh@gmail.com. Please note that calendar production occurs two months before each issue is published.
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FLOORING
Ponders Hollow Custom Wood Flooring
As a fourth-generation, family-run sawmill, Ponders Hollow is fortunate to provide some of the finest timber in the world. The diverse grains and colors of New England trees make it the ideal flooring option for any household. Every project is special, that’s why we use state-of-the-art machinery and hand-grading to tailor each board to your specifications.
16 Ponders Hollow Rd., Westfield, MA • (413) 562-8730 pondershollow.com
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OUTDOOR LIVING Soake Pools
Create a spa-like experience in your own backyard. We manufacture four-season, luxury plunge pools designed to be warm in winter, cool in summer and small enough to fit almost any backyard space. Soake Pools are made in New Hampshire, and delivered tiled and ready for your finishing touches. Small pools, big benefits. Order now to install this season!
Pembroke • (603) 749-0665 • soakepools.com
SPECIALTY WOOD PRODUCTS
Ponders Hollow Custom Millwork
Whether you’d like to call attention to the architectural details of your room or create a crisp contrast of styles, Ponders Hollow provides a vast array of handcrafted custom millwork. We offer countless traditional and contemporary designs in numerous wood species to fit the needs of any finishing wood project.
16 Ponders Hollow Rd., Westfield, MA • (413) 562-8730 pondershollow.com
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Photograph by Jon Caron
Where Do We Go From Here?
MY DAUGHTER has decided she no longer wants her hair.
For the past few months, she’s worked tirelessly on developing her bangs, getting them just right, the ideal straight line, perfect spacing.
But recently, those bangs have been bugging her by getting in her eyes at swim class and holding her up while she gets ready for school.
In short, she’s learning to simplify this one aspect of her life in order to have more time for other parts.
“You want to cut off your hair?” I ask.
“Not off, just reeeeeally short.”
There’s been some other movement on this front. Simpler earrings. Planning out homework sessions. Engaging in experiences rather than collecting stuff.
She also spent some time recently rearranging her room, creating more space, laying out her rock collection. She’s suddenly begun to have what I can only call a longer vision.
She’s changing. She’s moving into her own sense of how she wants to live. I doubt she’d be able to verbalize this growth, but she’s becoming, well, her.
Given the timing of these changes, and the fact that she decided out of nowhere that she was going to be a cheerleader for Halloween, I got to thinking about the extravaganza of the modern holiday season. Growing up in a cross-cultural family has given her a full breadth of ritual and tradition. We made the decision a long time ago that she be exposed not to one meaning but to them all. They all hit in the last couple months of the year. Dashain, Thanksgiving, Diwali, Christmas. Halloween. (Also, her mother’s and her birthdays.)
And the holidays hit different for kids than parents, of course, where in one case you’re building memories, and in the other you’re recalling memories.
So, how to mine meaningful depths without the noise and excess? How do we cut our hair, and turn the corner of a new year with a lighter burden? Or should we?
After all, personal rituals like hairstyles or decorating your bedroom wall or reading a certain type of genre is as much a learned and repeated form of ritual behavior as is tika on an elder’s
forehead or turkey dinner or wrapping gifts.
Little Bean comes home from her hair appointment looking like a completely different person. She’s a pixie, a kewpie doll, her face now round and baby-like. She’s ready to simplify.
“Look at this daddy,” she says. “Now my hair will dry in, like, two seconds.”
She’s thinking of ease of use, but suddenly I begin to see something else. With her hair that short, she looks like me. Or like I did at eight. Or perhaps I should say, because of her mother, she looks like a less uncomfortable, goofy me.
I recall how her age was also a time for changes for me; a new school, a larger pool of friends, less connection to Santa and the Tooth Fairy replaced by a deeper understanding of music and writing.
We — she — was evolving. She’s always been evolving, of course, though I often have been reluctant to accept this fact. But now it’s become plain. This time, this latest evolution, has come together at once — a new personal style, less dependence on holiday ritual, an improving sense of self.
This is all a good lesson of learning to let go, of course, of being able to turn a corner and move into a different you. And most importantly, of not being afraid to do that, though I suspect I’ll always be afraid.
I want her to be the most perfect human. I want my daughter to be what I hope she’ll be. But this means that she’ll need to continue changing; she’ll move to her own rituals, exchanging or perhaps adapting old styles to the new.
I want her to go. I want her to stay. She’s unlikely to do both.
So where does this all lead us? Like Gatsby’s boats beating on, like dust in the wind, like Frost’s fire and ice, she’s going to ever be moving on, always changing, growing and adapting. Sometimes that will be a haircut that sends me back. Sometimes it will be bigger and more drastic.
But the point, I suppose, is just to keep moving. Don’t stop. Move slowly if you have to, but move. I’ll be there to watch you grow, we’ll move together, and wherever we land is where we always were meant to be. NHH
BY DAN SZCZESNY | ILLUSTRATION BY CAROLYN VIBBERT
