The B Fall 2025: DESIGN

H AMMERTOW N

Inspiring Ideas for Life at Home

from the publisher & editor

WHILE PUTTING THIS DESIGN ISSUE TOGETHER, we spoke with some of the region’s leading talents and photographed gorgeous homes to share with you. The people and places are all so different, yet certain themes emerged. A Berkshire home has to hold up to real life—muddy boots by the door, dogs in the kitchen, logs stacked by the fire. It’s elegant but never fussy, polished but not pretentious.

That feeling is front and center in the homes you’ll see on the following pages. Our cover star, cookbook author Dan Pelosi, is famous for his food, and has created a joyful home around the idea of celebrating and sharing meals. At Christo Morse and Lauren Gabrielson’s Stockbridge “happy place,” the kids can run from the swing in the front yard right through the house to play out back while their parents—he’s a creative in the film industry and she’s a fashion designer—chill on the deck (or pop into the sauna). Builder Linda Shafiroff collaborated with her designer daughter, Carly, on her new-build home. Carly made sure to use a mix of practical, beautiful materials that will just get better with age. Put it this way: The word “patina” came up often in our discussions.

Speaking of design, we’ve been busy building something else this fall: The new digital experience for The B. We heard your requests, and our website will have our current content, news you need, digital exclusives, and our complete archive of issues. We’re working with local firm Hadley Clover on this project. They are a small but mighty team with a deep love of the Berkshires, great taste and vision, and an eye for the details that matter. In other words, the perfect partners for The B.

Please visit us often at thebberkshires.com.

Happy fall!

MICHELLE THORPE PETRICCA

Meet Hadley Clover

Some of the talent behind thebberkshires.com

Heather Dremek Founder & CEO I find my grounding space here with family and friends—our days are filled with delicious food, hikes, and lake swims. While we world-school our kids and are often traveling the globe, the Berkshires will always be our home.

Jennifer Knodler Growth Strategist I love all the dimensions the Berkshires has to offer. You’ll often find me and my crew hiking or biking, on the lookout for live music, at one of the local ski clubs, or eating outdoors—our own fire pit being one of our favorite spots.

Connor Simeone Creative Director From childhood days in my mother’s candy store (the nowclosed Serendipity Sweets in Lee), I’ve always chased creativity and the things that make life sweet. I now split my joy between the arts, history, and befriending any and all pawed/ winged/hooved creatures like a reallife Snow White.

AMY CONWAY Publisher Editor mpetricca@berkshireeagle.com aconway@berkshireeagle.com

SUBSCRIBE TO THE B! berkshireeagle.com/theb or scan the QR code.

Join Dan Pelosi and Gus Heagerty in Hillsdale—the house is made for entertaining.

He works in film, she works in fashion— the busy parents and their kids savor their time in Stockbridge.

Linda and Carly Shafiroff built complementary Berkshire businesses—and a beautiful house.

The Porches Inn plus the new FreshGrass Annex equals more space for

Learn

contributors: The B's Saints & Eccentrics

ANN VOLKWEIN (“Scene Change”) is a bestselling cookbook author and recipe developer based in Stockbridge. She is the author of the “Arthur Avenue Cookbook” and “Chinatown New York.” Her most recent collaborations include “Tasting History” with Max Miller, “My Mexican Mesa” with Jenny Martinez, and “Salt Hank” with Henry LaPorte.

ABIGAIL FENTON (“Scene Change,” “Gather Round”) is an international photographer rooted in the Berkshires. Specializing in lifestyle and wedding photography, she expertly captures the essence of human experience. In her personal work, Abigail primarily works with film photography. abigailfenton.com

ELLEN MORRISSEY (“The B’s List,” “Gather Round,” “Firm Foundations”) is an editor and writer specializing in a range of lifestyle topics— cooking and entertaining, interior design, gardening, health and wellness, holidays, and more. In her time at Martha Stewart Living and Gourmet, and on her own, she has collaborated on more than 60 books and dozens of magazine pieces. She lives in Queens, New York.

ERIC KORENMAN (“The Thrill of the Hunt”) balances two professional lives in imaging. After completing his training in radiology in Philadelphia, he and his wife decided to move to the Berkshires, her hometown. When not in front of a radiology workstation, Eric is a professional portrait photographer and has a studio in Pittsfield. korenman.com

MARIANNA POUTASSE (“The Thrill of the Hunt”) built a career seeking out interesting, well-crafted things and creating beautiful, inviting spaces. She worked as a consultant and curator specializing in design and social history, crafted interiors at Alberti Design Studio in Seekonk, and recently launched The Curated Home, designing spaces for living well. thecuratedhome.com.

ALLISON CRANE (“Fall Vibes”) is a native of the Berkshires and the owner of a design and home staging company. Allison’s hallmark is a gifted ability to transform spaces for living, integrating form and function with budget and value, custom tailoring each design to fit the needs of her clients. allisoncraneinteriors.com

GREGORY CHERIN (“Hudson, Styled,” “The B’s List”) is a well-traveled freelance commercial photographer. He lived and worked in New York City for about ten years before becoming a yearround Berkshires resident. Gregory’s award-winning work has appeared in many national magazines, newspapers, advertisements, billboards, websites, annual reports, brochures, books, catalogs and national network television. gregorycherin.com

LAURA WALLIS (“Hudson, Styled”) is an editor, writer, and brand journalist working across a wide range of media. As a former, longtime magazine editor (Martha Stewart Living and Weddings), her favorite subject areas still include style, home, food, and just generally all the things that make life a little sweeter. She’s an avid cook, runner, reader, and weekend-getaway treasure-hunter.

LAUREN FRITSCHER (“Scene Change”) worked in the fashion industry in New York City before moving to the Berkshires in 2021. Inspired by the beauty of the region and her love of bringing people together, she created Berkshire Muse, an event- and experience-planning company. She is also a co-founder of Social Circle, which builds community through networking and social events. berkshiremuse.com

FRANCESCA OLSEN (“A Harmonious Addition”) is a writer, textile artist, and consultant who lives in North Adams. Her creative work focuses on storytelling, heritage, ritual, magic, and the power and significance held in objects and stories. Olsen aims to be a connector whose work builds community through holding space for others and creating a dialogue around legacy, history, and the symbolism we assign to it. francescaolsen.com

ALISON LARKIN (“Local Love, Loss, and Laughter”) is a comedian, the award-winning narrator of over 270 audiobooks, and the bestselling author of the novel The English American, a novel and Grief... A Comedy, now available in paperback, e-book, and everywhere audiobooks are sold. alisonlarkin.com

SARAH RUTLEDGE (“Every Dog Has Her Day,” “Secret Sources”) is an editor, a writer, and a yoga teacher who lives in New York City. She has been featured in the New York Times “Modern Love” column and can often be found taking a weekend at Kripalu. sarahrutledgebooks.com

DESIGN THE A R T OF

VOL. 3, ISSUE 4 Fall 2025

FOUNDER AND PUBLISHER

Michelle Thorpe Petricca mpetricca@berkshireeagle.com

DESIGN DIRECTOR

Julie Hammill julie@hammilldesign.com

COPY EDITOR

Amy Krzanik

EDITOR IN CHIEF

Amy Conway aconway@berkshireeagle.com

EDITOR-AT-LARGE

William Li

CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS

Gillian Jones-Heck

Stephanie Zollshan

DIGITAL PARTNERS

Hadley Clover hadleyclover.com

The B is a publication of New England Newspapers Inc.

PRESIDENT & PUBLISHER

Fredric D. Rutberg | frutberg@berkshireeagle.com

EXECUTIVE EDITOR

Kevin Moran | kmoran@berkshireeagle.com

CHIEF REVENUE OFFICER

Gary Lavariere | glavariere@berkshireeagle.com

CREATIVE DIRECTOR

John Supple | jsupple@berkshireeagle.com

OPERATIONS MANAGER

Chuck Danforth | cdanforth@berkshireeagle.com

DIRECTOR OF ADVERTISING SALES, BERKSHIRE EAGLE, THE B, SHOPPER’S GUIDE

Cheryl Gajewski | cmcclusky@berkshireeagle.com

ADVERTISING MANAGER

Amy Filiault | afiliault@berkshireeagle.com

ADVERTISING SALES COORDINATOR

Sue Raimer | sraimer@berkshireeagle.com

SALES COORDINATOR

Aly Dvorak| advorak@berkshireeagle.com

CONTENT MARKETING SPECIALIST

Anthony Duval | aduval@talonmediaagency.com

MULTIMEDIA ADVERTISING CONSULTANTS

Jessica Lorono | jlorono@berkshireeagle.com

Eileen Marran | emarran@berkshireeagle.com

Tristany Saldo | tsaldo@berkshireeagle.com

For subscription issues, call 800-245-0254

i Home i Lifestyle i Elevated Décor i at The Red Lion Inn Open 7 days a week @theshop.aroundthecorner 413.298.1623

+ home staging

Berkshire Innovation Center Pittsfield

The BIC brought our logo to life with their 3-D printer. For more about them, see page 30.

The Local Life

Exploring Our Towns for the Best in the Berkshires

Welcome to the new FreshGrass Annex. 10 rooms, 4 artists studios and endless inspiration.

Berkshire Botanical Garden’s Harvest Festival has been a family favorite for over 90 years.

Your Fall Festival & Event Guide

The Berkshires come alive with farm fun, fright nights, art, music, and much more. Mark your calendar so you don’t miss a thing.

By Amy Krzanik

FESTIVALS AND EVENTS

Fall Foliage & Halloween Train Rides

Adams | Through October 26

Hop aboard the Hoosac Valley Train and take a family-friendly journey from Adams to North Adams and back while leaf-peeping, trickor-treating, and learning about local history. berkshiretrains.org

TurnPark Fairy Houses Festival

West Stockbridge | October 11

Immerse yourself in a fairytale atmosphere with twinkling lights, hands-on activities, live performances and delightful food and drinks. Want to submit your own handmade Fairy House? Entries are due October 2-5; see site for details. turnpark.com

Oktoberfest at Bousquet

Pittsfield | October 4

Sample more than 24 craft beers and ciders with your commemorative glass, savor delicious food, and enjoy live music with the best view in the Berkshires. bousquetmountain.com

Berkshire Botanical Garden Harvest Festival

Stockbridge | October 11-12

This popular annual event transforms the 24-acre property into a family-friendly celebration of all things autumn. Enjoy a botanical bakery serving sweet and savory treats, a beer garden, food trucks, games, more than 80 craft vendors, a huge plant sale, live music, and more. berkshirebotanical.org

Connecticut Garlic & Harvest Festival

Bethlehem, CT | October 11-12

It’s the 20th anniversary of this fest celebrating all things garlic at the Bethlehem Fairgrounds. Learn how to grow and cook garlic, enjoy live music, kids’ activities, and crafts, and don’t miss the garlic-themed food court. garlicfestct.com

Hawthorne Valley Harvest Festival

Ghent, NY | October 11

This free event is held annually to celebrate agriculture, ecology, education, art, and community. Enjoy live music, local vendors and artisans, and organic food, plus hay and horse rides, children’s activities, cider pressing, and more! hawthornevalley.org

Ramble Weekend

Adams | October 11-13

This year’s RambleFest party on Saturday (rain date: Sunday) will include live music, food trucks, a beer tent, and tons of craft vendors. Monday’s Ramble is your chance to hike the tallest mountain in Massachusetts, Mt. Greylock, and receive a certificate at the top to prove it. exploreadams.com/ramblefest

Shaker Suppers

Pittsfield | October 16 & November 29

Suppers include a presentation from an expert interpreter of the Shakers and a communal, Shaker-inspired meal featuring meat and produce from the farm prepared by a local chef. hancockshakervillage.org

FilmColumbia

Chatham, NY | October 17-26

Happy 25th anniversary to this festival! Over 10 days, the fest screens the best upcoming American and international films at Chatham’s historic, and newly refurbished, Crandell Theatre. Stay tuned for the last-minute announcement of Saturday night’s Sneak Preview film. crandelltheatre.org/filmcolumbia

Rooted in Place

Stockbridge | November 9

Berkshire Botanical Garden’s ecological symposium is an immersive day-long gathering, this year featuring horticulturalist and author Abra Lee giving the keynote speech “Cultivating the Untold Stories of Black Gardeners and Growers.” berkshirebotanical.org

Wandering Dance Festival

Pittsfield | November 9-15

Wandering Dance returns to downtown Pittsfield for a week-long celebration of movement, creativity, and community, culminating in a dynamic showcase performance at The Colonial Theatre. milltownfoundation.org/wanderingdance-festival

FARMS

Woodlife Oktoberfest

New Lebanon, NY | October 11 woodlifefarmmarket.com

Stop by for food, brews, and music!

Samascott’s Garden Market & Corn Maze

Kinderhook, NY | Through October

Each fall, Samascott’s offers a newly designed, 7-acre corn maze in which visitors can get lost. Find the eight hidden items while you’re in there and win a prize! After all that walking, you’ll want to grab apple cider, donuts, and ice cream for the road. samascott.com

Whitney’s Farm Market Pumpkin Fest

Cheshire | Through October 26

Pumpkin Fest returns each September with a haunted corn maze, hay rides, a bouncy house, a petting zoo, and, of course, lots and lots of pumpkins. Stop inside to grab a sandwich or a homemade sweet treat while you’re there. whitneysfarm.com

Ioka Valley Farm

Hancock | Through October 26

Fall weekends mean a trip to Ioka for pumpkin-picking, a kid-sized corn maze, a giant pumpkin house, and more. Have lunch at the Calf-A, serving the farm’s roast beef and maple BBQ sandwiches, snacks, and more, plus desserts to go. iokavalleyfarm.com

FRIGHTFUL

FUN

Ghost Tours at The Mount Lenox | Now-October

Edith Wharton’s former mansion offers a darker (literally and figuratively) guided tour of the house and grounds after sundown, with strange stories, mysterious sounds, and other unsettling phenomena. Family-friendly tours take place earlier in the evening. edithwharton.org

13 Nights at Jiminy Peak

Hancock | September 26-October 31

The terror on the mountain returns with 13 nights of spooky tours and nighttime Mountain Coaster rides for the brave. 13nightsatjiminy.com

The Incredible Naumkeag Pumpkin Show

Stockbridge | October 1-31

Naumkeag’s wildly popular Halloween extravaganza is always a hot ticket, so make your reservation soon. The show features more than 1,500 carved and illuminated pumpkins set in autumn vignettes around the property. thetrustees.org/place/naumkeag

Stein holding contest at Bousquet Mountain’s Oktoberfest

The Incredible Naumkeag Pumpkin Show

the local life: Seasonal Fun

Prideoween

Dalton | October 10

Berkshire Pride brings back an evening of spooky fun at The Stationery Factory with DJ BFG. This annual celebration brings the queer and trans community and allies together for a night of dancing, costumes, and connection. berkshirepride.org

Halloween at Hancock Shaker Village

Pittsfield | October 17-30

Nighttime Haunted Hancock walking tours return, with special kids’ tours scheduled for October 18 and 25, and an all-day Halloween Pumpkin Extravaganza with trick-or-treating and pumpkin decorating on October 18. hancockshakervillage.org

BOOsquet Halloween Bash

Pittsfield | October 25

The 2nd annual bash offers a spooky good time that includes live music, a costume contest, a photo booth, snacks, and surprises. bousquetmountain.com

Spooky Tricks Family Day

Stockbridge | October 25

The Norman Rockwell Museum invites you to explore the mysteries and visual tricks hidden in the artwork of Walter Wick and Norman Rockwell on a guided gallery walk. Create your own spooky scene in the classroom, and follow an outdoor trail of curious clues that might lead to a surprise treat! nrm.org

Trick or Treat in the Park at Art Omi Ghent, NY| October 25

Goblins, ghosts, and ghouls of all ages are invited to come in costume and enjoy an afternoon of free Halloween fun among the site’s eye-catching outdoor sculptural and architectural works. artomi.org

Día de los Muertos

North Adams | November 1

Celebrate Day of the Dead, the Mexican holiday of remembrance for those who have passed away with free admission to Vincent Valdez’s “Just a Dream…” The party continues under Spencer Finch’s “Cosmic Latte,” where you can contribute to an altar with your own ofrenda (offering), including photos or tokens of loved ones, and dance to local musicians. Kidspace will be open for art-making in the spirit of life and death, and a family story time. massmoca.org

IN THE GALLERIES

Berkshire Botanical Garden

Stockbridge | October 18-November 30

“Flock: Watercolor Paintings by Robin Crofut-Brittingham” will feature the paintings from “The Illuminated Book of Birds” (Timber Press), alongside a selection of works from the artist’s ongoing fine art practice. berkshirebotanical.org

Clark Art Museum

Williamstown | Ongoing

“Back Bay to the Berkshires: Celebrating 250 Years of Art in Massachusetts” (through November 16) looks at artists and artistic innovations associated with the Bay State, while “Raffaella della Olga: Typescripts” (on view November 22) is the artist’s first solo museum show; she uses typewriters and ink ribbons on a range of materials to make unique artist’s books. clarkart.edu

Hancock Shaker Village

Pittsfield | Through November 30

This season’s seven exhibits are up through November 30: Deborah Carter and Joanie Ciolfi’s “Couture from the World,” Maria Molteni’s “All Around the Room,” Kathy Greenwood’s “Elements of Harmony,” Laura Christensen’s “Imagining Shaker Sisters,” Steve Careau’s “Chaste,” Shany Porras’ “Simple Gifts,” and “The City of Peace,” photographs by Dylan Kubis. hancockshakervillage.org

MASS MoCA

North Adams | Ongoing

Jimena Sarno’s “Rhapsody” (on view October 18) joins the summer debuts “POWER FULL BECAUSE WE’RE DIFFERENT” by Jeffrey Gibson and “Just a Dream…” from Vincent Valdez, plus many, many more long-term works on display. massmoca.org

Norman Rockwell Museum

Stockbridge | Starting November 8 Step back into the 1920s and 1930s with “Jazz Age Illustration,” an exhibition exploring the art of popular illustration during this transformative era. Featuring more than 100 works by Aaron Douglas, John Held Jr., and Frank E. Schoonover, the exhibit delves into the cultural impact of illustration during a time of dramatic social change. nrm.org

Where to Shop Heritage Meets Home

At this new store in Sharon, Connecticut, every item tells a story.

Nestled in a charming 1830 Victorian farmhouse in Sharon, Connecticut, Dugazon represents the culmination of a 20-year dream for Bobby Graham, who first shared his vision of opening a curated home store on a first date with his nowhusband, Matt Marden. After decades in publishing at Condé Nast—Graham as a senior executive and Marden as a top fashion editor—their carefully orchestrated retail experience reflects the editorial expertise that made their careers so successful.

The store’s name pays homage to Graham’s Louisiana heritage— Dugazon is his mother’s maiden name—and that personal history infuses every corner of the Victorian cottage, which the couple chose specifically for its New Orleans-reminiscent details.

“The whole idea is about blending our heritage, storytelling, and intentional selection to offer homegoods, kitchen essentials, pantry staples, and decorative objects that transform everyday moments into something special.”

The store’s philosophy centers on accessibility across price points. Customers might discover Louisiana beans for $6.50 alongside Matt Albiani photographs for $5,000, with countless treasures filling the spectrum between. Among the most

Matt Marden and Bobby Graham

compelling offerings are paintings by Alvin Batiste, a contemporary folk artist from Louisiana who creates vivid depictions drawn from memory and oral tradition.

Marden’s editorial eye shines in the store’s literary corner, featuring a salvaged library book carousel from the Salisbury Association filled with firstedition fiction and art books. “Any time I go into a store and there’s some book situation like that, I’m just drawn to it like a moth to the flame,” he says— and the rotating display is his favorite element in the store. —William Li

@dugazonshop

Don’t miss

Chatham’s New Style Stop

Marton & Davis co-founders Melissa Davis and Sherri Marton have created a boutique that feels polished yet personal, offering an evolving selection of thoughtful finds for the home—oh, and Swedish candy, too. martonanddavis.com

Celebrating HUDSON HOME TURNS 20

After Gregory Feller and Richard Bodin bought a cottage in Athens, New York, in 2002, they fell in love with the area. When they found their weekends away from New York City growing longer and longer, they looked for an opportunity to relocate full time.

Feller, an interior designer, saw a need for a local showroom. In response, the couple opened Hudson Home. The business ballooned, gradually taking over floors of a townhouse until they occupied the whole building. In 2014, Feller approached a developer about reworking a vacant building on Warren Street in Hudson, New York. The new Hudson Home opened in 2015, sprawling across 7,000 square feet. And now they’re celebrating their 20th anniversary.

“We have a three-pronged approach,” says Bodin, who has a background in marketing. “We’re an interior design firm that handles fullscale projects, we have a walk-in retail aspect, and we work with other designers.” Feller takes on the design jobs, while Bodin focuses on operations. They redo the store two or three times per year—October sees the “fall wardrobe” revamp, when they change everything from artwork to rugs and lighting.

The couple is also committed to community, donating items and event planning, and partnering with and promoting other small businesses. In June, they celebrated Pride Month with a party for the release of “Love: The Heroic Stories of Marriage Equality”; proceeds were donated to help the book get into libraries in communities that need resources for LGBTQ+ residents. “We want to celebrate our anniversary year with things that are unique and independent,” Feller says. “And we want to stay involved.” —Sarah Rutledge

hudson-home.com

Teri Malo, Slipping into October, oil on panel, 36” x 40”

Spotlight Fluff Alpaca

Suzanne Werner channels her lifelong love of knitting into a shop

that blends comfort, craftsmanship, and timeless style.

A careful eye for detail served Suzanne Werner well during her time with the CIA (yes, the Central Intelligence Agency) and as an attorney—though in the past several years, that same eye has been turned to curating a collection of pieces that look beautiful and feel even better at Fluff Alpaca in Great Barrington.

Werner’s purchase of an old dairy farm in Columbia County was a big pivot. She and her husband had wanted to move to the area; a lifelong knitter, she wanted to make her own yarn. Werner had fallen in love with alpaca fiber decades earlier, after knitting a sweater for her father—at the farm, called Green River Hollow, she could raise the animals. Werner appreciates alpaca fiber’s softness and warmth, but the love that goes into handcrafted items makes them even more special. “The time that someone takes to make something, the personal skill, it’s a really important aspect of my values,” she says. At the family-run shop in downtown Great Barrington, she’s able to share that love. Her friends and family knit pieces, from tiny baby booties to classic scarves, by hand. Other items, from stylish sweaters to cozy throws, come from trusted artisans and vendors near and far.

The sensory experience of the exquisitely crafted goods draws people to them. “People look for comfort and design and something unique,” says Werner. “We want things that last, that we feel joy wearing. Sometimes we just want some whimsy. It’s really nice to bring that to people.” It’s not unusual, she adds, for an adult to choose a stuffed animal made of soft alpaca fiber simply to reconnect with their own sense of delight. —Carli Scolforo

fluffalpaca.com

Don’t forget the donuts!

By Allison Crane

Photograph by Eric Korenman

Fall Vibes

A Design-Forward Approach to Building Berkshire Homes

Building a home is one of the biggest investments a person can make—and often one of the most daunting. At MVA Design/ Build, the mission is to take the stress out of the process by guiding clients from the first sketch to the moment the keys are handed over.

Unlike the traditional contractor-led model, MVA follows an architect-led design/ build approach. This means that design isn’t an afterthought but the driving force of every project. The eight-person team, which blends architectural designers, draftsmen, carpenters and project managers, works collaboratively with engineers, surveyors and consultants to keep everything under one umbrella. Clients don’t have to hire multiple firms or juggle competing voices. Instead, they work with one dedicated team from start to finish.

“We think of ourselves as a one-stop shop,” says founder Michael Valenti. “Clients come to us and we help with land or home purchase decisions, coordinate consultants, create the design and manage the build. It’s a concierge method that takes the burden off the homeowner.”

The team’s philosophy is rooted in being design-forward rather than profitdriven. Every project begins with sitespecific considerations, such as sunlight, orientation and views, and then develops through sketches, CAD drawings and on-site collaboration. MVA’s designers are just as comfortable producing construction documents as they are walking clients through finishes or leaving hand-drawn details on job site walls for carpenters. Their process also spreads out decisionmaking over the full course of a project, which can sometimes last years. This pacing allows clients to make informed choices without being overwhelmed in the early stages. “We know most people don’t visualize well on paper,” Valenti explains. “So, we break it down step by step.” Efficiency is another hallmark. With construction costs climbing, MVA

emphasizes smart layouts and simple forms that create a sense of space without unnecessary expense. The team also prices projects as they design, ensuring budgets remain realistic and aligned with client expectations. Valenti emphasizes collaboration at every level. “We’re more than a company where people work for me,” he says. “This is us; we work together. Everyone has a role, everyone has input, and that makes the process more rewarding for the client and the team.”

Above all, MVA sees itself as a partner and guide, offering expertise, transparency and collaboration to help clients navigate an otherwise complicated process. “We want people to feel like they’re part of the team — because they are,” Valenti says.

“Everyone has a role, everyone has input, and that makes the process more rewarding for the client and the team.”

Extra, Extra!

Rise and Dine

Some new breakfast and brunch spots around the Berkshires will make you look forward to waking up in the morning.

Door Prize | Everyone’s a winner at Door Prize with pierogies for brunch! (Or dinner if you prefer.) The restaurant in North Adams’ Hotel Downstreet serves up European comfort food. doorprizenama.com

Hexagon Bagels | These sourdough bagels already have a loyal following and the North Adams shop isn’t even open yet. It’s coming soon—meantime, check their site for farmers market and farm store appearances. hexagonbagels.com

Báladi | The Eastern Mediterranean restaurant has settled into its new home in the newly revamped Buttonball Inn (formerly Egremont Village Inn). Open 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. from Friday through Sunday, it’s made for lingering over shakshuka and the homemade bread called frena. buttonballinn.com

Odd Bird Farm Bakery | You might recognize the name from West Stockbridge and Lenox farmers markets, where the owners of this brand-new spot in Great Barrington have been selling their baked goods. At their brick-and-mortar, look for bread, pastries, egg sandwiches, and, of course, coffee, starting at 6 a.m. six days a week. oddbirdfarmllc.com

The Coffee Shop | It may have a focus on sustainable coffee sourcing, but this Williamstown café aims to offer more than a morning pick-me-up and pastries. Consider it a hub for community and conversation. thecoffeeshopwt.com

Where Ideas Take Root

With cutting-edge labs, training programs, and a collaborative spirit, the Berkshire Innovation Center ensures that the region’s economy thrives on creativity and discovery.

Imagining the Berkshires without The Berkshire Innovation Center is like imagining a car without a spark plug, computer, or driver. Executive Director Ben Sosne boils down the BIC’s purpose to “making the Berkshires fertile for innovation to promote economic growth and social good.” How does it do that? Through a three-pillar ecosystem involving learning, technology, and community.

“The idea for the BIC sprang from a group of longstanding regional business leaders realizing they needed to work together to ensure they all had the pipeline of talent needed to grow their businesses in the long term,” Sosne says. “They met regularly to try to stimulate and impact the economic sector, and ultimately decided they would have a greater impact if they had their own facility.” With a grant from Massachusetts Life Sciences Center, and support from private partners and the City of Pittsfield, they opened the BIC in the William Stanley Business Park (the former site of General Electric) in February 2020 and began training youth and business leaders, sharing resources, and raising awareness of existing jobs. They added a second location at MASS MoCA in 2023.

“Massachusetts has one of the most advanced innovation economies in the world, but, before the BIC, our region’s connections to the resources driving that economy were limited. We’re creating a hub to make it easy to connect to the Boston-based centers,” he says. In addition, the BIC provides regional manufacturers and STEM businesses (50 companies in all!) with advanced research and development equipment,

state-of-the-art lab and training facilities, collaboration opportunities with its renowned research partners, and internship/apprenticeship programs for local students.

Exciting things are happening this fall at the BIC. It recently announced its third cohort for the Stage 2 Accelerator—six mission-driven startups working to solve real-world challenges—and kicked off another 12-month Technologist Advanced Manufacturing Program, collaborating with MIT to turn 16 experienced BIC technicians into “technologists”— professionals who can bridge shop-floor work and engineering decision-making.

Students can explore and learn at the BIC, too. There’s the Berkshire Robotics Challenge (for those in grades 3-8) and the Future Innovators summer program (for high schoolers), which offers inspiration through hands-on projects, company visits, and skill-building workshops to prime the pipeline.

Want to reignite your own creativity?

The BIC will host its third TEDx Berkshires on October 9. “We set it up like a production studio and bring in speakers whose wisdom, passion, and solutions are changing our world—from technology to education to mental health and well-being,” Sosne says. —Robbi Hartt

berkshireinnovationcenter.com

Technology Fellow Jordan Callahan, Executive Director Ben Sosne, Vice Chair Board of Directors Giovanna Fessenden-Fairbank, and Engineering Technologist Shaun O’Neil

COVERING THE BERKSHIRES

Photo by Oresti Tsonopoulos

The Pros Know Glass Acts

Stained-glass Tiffany lamps are coveted the world over—and an auction house right here in the Berkshires is renowned for its expertise when it comes to these gems.

“Tiffany loved nature,” says John Fontaine III of Fontaine’s Auction Gallery in Pittsfield, referring to Louis Comfort Tiffany, the American artist (and son of Charles Tiffany, founder of the famed jewelry house) whose early-20th-century stained glass is legendary—and valuable. “He went to all different parts of the world for inspiration on his designs.” Fontaine says that local decorators purchase Tiffany lamps for modern and historical homes alike, as they show a devotion to nature that feels right at home in the Berkshire hills.

Although Fontaine’s auctions feature a wide range of works, the gallery is widely recognized as an authority on Tiffany lamps. Stained-glass shades have been produced by many makers—and indeed, lamps in the Tiffany style are also beautiful and collectible. It takes experience to verify authentic pieces made by Tiffany Studios at the turn of the 20th century. Color, design, condition, and legitimacy are all key factors in assessing the value. The auction starting price can range anywhere from $5,000 to $300,000—and end up much higher.

Fontaine’s auctions that include Tiffany lamps happen in February, May, and September, and buyers can bid online, by phone, or—if you want that paddle-raising rush—in person.—Carli Scolforo

fontainesauction.com

Interiors: Carly Jane Design

Photograph by Tamara Flanagan

Voices & Views

These Stories Can Only Come from the Berkshires

Amanda Jones

Photography

Williamstown

This dog whisperer travels the country— but is based in the Berkshires. See page 36 for more.

Every Dog Has Her Day

Amanda Jones captures canines like no one else— and she’s about to get up to some new tricks.

Interview by Sarah Rutledge

“Dog lovers are good people,” says Amanda Jones. The Williamstown resident should know; she has photographed dogs around the country for 30 years. Jones sat down with The B to chat about shutterbug life, captivating canines, and what always brings her back to the Berkshires.

How did you get into photographing dogs?

My husband and I got married in the early ’90s and for a few years we lived in Maine. Both my parents were photographers and I started by following in my mom’s footsteps, shooting weddings. When we relocated to San Francisco, I tried to get into doing portraits of dotcom guys, but it was not my thing. They weren’t up for doing anything fun or interesting. My husband and I didn’t have any pets, but we started hanging out with a crowd of people

PHOTO: STEPHANIE ZOLLSHAN

Amanda Jones at work in a Norad Mill studio—and Winnie is ready for her close-up.

with dogs. One Sunday I invited everyone to come to my photo studio. I brought sandwiches and beer and we turned it into a little portrait party. That was my “Aha!” moment. I thought, This is what I have to do. I have to photograph dogs. (My husband wasn’t convinced.)

I took four or five of those portraits— which are still some of my favorites, shot on black-and-white film—and blew them up to 3 feet by 3 feet. I took them to Sammy’s Pet World, which had a giant blank wall overlooking the whole store. I asked if I could hang the prints, and they said yes. I included my business card, with a little message that said “Capture your creature,” and I started getting phone calls the next day.

“My work is all about the dog. I want to capture their expressions and let their personality come through.”

What’s your secret for getting a great canine photo?

My work is all about the dog. I want to capture their expressions and let their personality come through. I try not to use any props. I don’t even use their collars. When my clients bring in their dogs, I spend quite a while observing the dog and asking questions to gauge what will work best. Do they love tennis balls? Are they

motivated by treats? People love talking about their dogs, and I love hearing about them, so this step can take a while! It’s a great way to bond. Once the dog is relaxed, I start with portraits—after action shots the tongue is usually out—and I focus on the eyes. Sometimes I’ll make a funny noise, like a meow, to get a head tilt. Some dogs prefer playing, and I can end up shooting for hours. It’s all great.

What’s next for you?

After 30 years and almost 3,000 clients, I’m starting to wind down my sessions. I have a huge archive of images and I might develop note cards or start selling prints. But I’d really like to create an online community around dogs. I have a good reach of *

Amanda Jones’ portfolio includes some local dogs—Kate Morris’ Vizsla and bulldog and Annie Selke’s basset hounds.

clients across the country, and I want to develop a space where people can share stories and photos and talk about dog-related travel and adventures (like hiking the Appalachian Trail with a pooch). Bonding through love of dogs is a great way for people to come together, which I think we need right now.

With all your travels, what keeps you in the Berkshires? I’ve been all over the United States, and every time I come back I think I am so lucky to live here. Pure beauty keeps me here. The skies are dramatic. The mountains are green. I love to hike and to float and tube on the rivers. I love the four seasons. I also love the state of Massachusetts. I love how open it is. We’re top in education and healthcare. We do a lot for our citizens, and I’m proud to live in such a caring state. There are so many places we could move, but we don’t. We absolutely love living here. B

Casual Luxury

Local Love, Loss, and Laughter

Alison

Larkin found

her soulmate in the

Berkshires,

and lost him just as they were building a life together. Her journey is a reminder to live fully.

By Alison Larkin • Illustration by Jessica McGuirl

I fell in love with the Berkshires in 2010. I had just left my husband—now my wasbund—and I was looking for somewhere to raise two creative kids, who were 7 and 9 at the time.

A friend told me that the Berkshires might be a good fit. “But,” she said darkly, “Whatever you do, don’t go up in February.”

So I drove up in February, in a snowstorm, and the moment I stepped out of my car and onto Railroad Street, I knew I’d found our home.

My kids grew up surrounded by nature. They whizzed down ski slopes at Ski Butternut and performed at Shakespeare & Company’s Fall Festival, sword fighting and learning to unicycle.

On our way to school in the early mornings, I’d point to the swirls of mist on

Monument Mountain and say “Look! The wizards have been up all night, casting good magic over the Berkshire Hills!”

Flip forward nine years. My kids are in college and I’m busy narrating an audiobook of “The Complete Novels” of Jane Austen.

On a snowy Sunday in January 2019, I pop in to The Red Lion Inn to get the New York Times, planning to spend my day off doing the crossword in my pajamas.

The receptionist says she’s sorry, but the last paper is taken, and points over her shoulder at a man standing close by. He has the most beautiful eyes, and I instantly feel at peace.

“I’m sorry I took the last paper,” the man says, grinning at me sheepishly, handing me his New York Times.

“No, no,” I say, “I only get it to do the

Sunday crossword, because it’s so much easier than Saturdays.”

“It is,” he says.

He tells me his name is Bhima, and that he came to America from South India 30 years earlier to do a PhD in engineering. I tell him I was adopted and came to America from England 30 years earlier to find my birth parents, which led to a career as a writer/comedian and later a novelist and audiobook narrator.

Bhima tells me that after enduring corporate America, he was so concerned about climate change, he moved to Vermont to set up a solar company.

“Hang on,” I say. “If this is an elaborate ploy to get me to buy solar panels, you’re too late. I’ve already got them.”

Bhima’s laugh is infectious and joins with mine as we compare notes on life in America.

Soon we are wearing the road out between Stockbridge and Bennington, where Bhima lives in a house powered by renewable energy.

When we are not working, we spend every spare minute together. We hike up Mount Greylock, eat dinner at Blue Mango in Williamstown and listen to jazz in Bennington. We buy wine at Nejaime’s, picnic at Tanglewood, and eat masala dosa at Mint in Lee. We go to plays at Shakespeare & Company, marvel at the beauty of Monument Mountain, and can’t get over how different the Housatonic Flats and the Mary Flynn Trail look each time the seasons change.

We travel to England and Spain. We meet each other’s families. My kids love him.

Once trust has built, love builds and there we are, in our fifties, fully in love for the first time in our lives, with someone who *

voices & views: Journeys

“gets” us. It’s like wearing a shoe that is too tight your entire life, then finally taking it off.

Bhima asks me to marry him on a walk by a river in July 2020. We will create a home together that friends and family will love to come to from India and England and beyond.

Five days later, after a perfect day playing rummy and looking up at the stars, Bhima says he isn’t feeling well. The doctor tells him to go to the medical center to get a COVID test. They won’t let me go in with him because of COVID, and they tell me to wait outside by the car.

Then a security guard tells me they left Bhima alone in a room, and when they came back they found him on the floor in cardiac arrest. And that Bhima has just been pronounced dead.

On the surface I was functioning calmly and well. In fact I was numb, and for the first few weeks I lay on my sofa, unable to eat, curled up, thinking of Bhima.

Schreiner, at the Great Barrington Public Theater. By June 2024 it had evolved into “Grief... A Comedy,” which sold out at Barrington Stage Company before heading to Edinburgh and the Soho Theatre in London, where it played to packed houses and high critical acclaim. Then I wrote a follow-up book called “Grief… A Comedy” (which is also an audiobook, read by me!)

“Grief… A Comedy,” the book, starts six weeks after Bhima died, when he shows up at my kitchen table in the Berkshires, as charming as ever, determined to help me find love again.

It’s imaginary, of course. Or is it?

A lot has changed since Bhima died. Now that I know how quickly life can go, I refuse to waste a minute of whatever time I’ve got left. So I try to put down my phone and pay full attention to the people and life around me.

Then, one day, I heard his voice in my head saying, “Alison, life’s short and you’re alive now. It’s time to get in the best physical shape of your life.”

He could be quite dictatorial when he wanted to be.

Some things have stayed the same. I’m still in love with the Berkshires. Nejaime’s still sells me the best ginger chews in the land, Guido’s still makes Jess Express smoothies, I still hike up to Laura’s Tower, drink coffee at Stockbridge Coffee & Tea, and swim in Stockbridge Bowl.

So I started running up mountains and past the rivers and lakes where Bhima and I had walked. And when the numbness thawed, instead of despair, I was surprised to feel a deep joy and an extra energy that I did not understand. And I knew that I wanted to live and love more fully than ever.

These days, when I’m not outside or playing pickleball, my time is spent writing, narrating, and responding to people who tell me that my book is helping them find joy after loss. Some of them have told me that they too feel a continuing bond with their loved ones, who they also feel close by.

“What is that, Bhima?” I whisper to the scientist I fell in love with.

The only thing remotely like it, in my experience, is what happens during childbirth, which is excruciating, but without the pain you wouldn’t have the kids.

Years before, I became friends with Archbishop Desmond Tutu who heard what had happened and wrote to me saying “Alison, I want you to know that I have asked God to find you another soulmate, and She said She is on the case. But first you must tell this story as widely as possible, because it will bring hope.”

“The answer, Alison, is renewable energy,” Bhima says. “And I don’t care if it’s the end of a long day. You must recycle everything.” So I did. B

So I started writing and less than two years after Bhima died, performed “Grief... the Musical,” with music by Gary

The Art of Starting Over

Patrick

McBride of Tillett Textiles ran the renowned family business

in

Sheffield

for years—and he’s proof that life’s sharp turns can lead to extraordinary new things.

By Pops Peterson • Photograph by Eric Limon

When I first met Patrick McBride at a party in Sheffield 17 years ago, he had that enviable combination that made you both admire and slightly resent him—soap opera star good looks, a successful lighting design business in New York, and the kind of prominent family background that opens doors before you even knock. He seemed like the golden boy with the script already written. How wrong I was about that script. Back then, Patrick was deep into his lighting design world, running his own

company and traveling globally for highend events. Hovering in the background was Tillett Textiles, the legendary family business started by his grandparents D.D. and Leslie Tillett and embraced by iconic tastemakers including Jackie Kennedy, Bunny Mellon, Babe Paley, and Brooke Astor. Patrick seemed comfortably distanced from that legacy, carving his own creative path. Little did any of us know that tragedy would soon redirect his entire trajectory.

“My best friend was murdered,” Patrick tells me, his voice still carrying the weight of that loss. “My life changed—let’s say it was the first ‘what am I doing with myself’ moment.” At 32, faced with mortality’s brutal reminder, he sold his Brooklyn apartment, bought a house in Great Barrington, and returned to the family fold. “To be honest, I can say I was helping them, but really Tillett was helping me.”

What followed was a remarkable 15-year chapter where Patrick didn’t just join the family business—he transformed it. Working alongside his mother, Kathleen, after her divorce from his stepfather, Dek, Patrick took Tillett from a regional custom fabric maker to an international powerhouse shipping to six time zones. He created new collections, forged relationships with top designers, and turned the company into what he lovingly calls a “fabric emergency” service for the interior design world.

“The DNA of Tillett was custom,” he explains. “Not ‘in stock’—we were made to order and it was special.” Under his leadership, they doubled, then tripled their business, but success came with a price. His days stretched far beyond traditional hours—answering emails at 3 a.m. to accommodate Australian clients, managing seven employees, overseeing everything from Herman Miller’s Alexander Girard tapestries to bespoke fabrics for the world’s most discerning designers.

Then came the second pivot point: his mother’s dementia diagnosis. “I knew I couldn’t take care of her AND keep all that going,” he says. The man who had built an international textile empire made the hardest business decision of his life—he sold Tillett Textiles. *

“Dementia is a wild roller coaster, to put it mildly,” Patrick says. “In the last four or five years, I will say that I have found the most incredible appreciation for our minds and also the deepest compassion and patience.”

During this time, Patrick has also tended to his own creativity, working on local projects such as the interior design of Mezze Guesthouse, the chic space above Williamstown’s renowned restaurant, and reimagining the Buttonball Inn (formerly The Egremont Village Inn).

He is also launching two new ventures that may just be his most exciting yet. First is Fabric Lab, a members-only custom textile atelier that will serve high-end designers without the crushing international demands of his previous operation. He is also in collaboration with Bradford Louryk to create textiles and wallpapers using the iconic illustrations of a world-famous illustrator—he can’t reveal who it is quite yet. Patrick is thrilled, and looking forward to announcing this major coup soon.

The timing feels both poetic and painful—just as this dream project launches, he and his partner of 10 years broke up. “This is perhaps my third ‘what am I doing with my life’ kind of moment,” he says.

But if I’ve learned anything about Patrick McBride over these 17 years, it’s that his greatest strength lies not in having it all figured out, but in his extraordinary ability to reinvent when life tears up the script. B

Pops Peterson is the owner of SEVEN salon.spa in Stockbridge and an award-winning artist.

For a designer showhouse to benefit local nonprofit Construct, which provides affordable housing, Patrick designed a room using Tillett’s iconic Strawberry Fields pattern.

Hudson, Styled

At Jamestown Hudson, heritage meets modernity in a carefully curated collection rooted in its sense of place.

Written by Laura Wallis Photographs by Gregory Cherin

A lot of what happens in Hudson, New York, happens by word of mouth. When James Scully secured 548 Warren Street for Jamestown Hudson, the shop he and partner Tom Mendenhall opened in May 2024, it was through a lucky conversation at the dog park. “We’d been looking for a year and half,” says Scully. “Then one morning I met people who had just bought a building and needed a tenant.” He secured the lease on a handshake that day. Though historic buildings, like those along the main retail drag of Warren Street, can be a bit dark, Jamestown has instant, bright appeal. “We wanted it to be a happy place,” Scully explains. The white, airy space, the music turned up, and greetings from the couple’s Vizsla pup, Esther, make sure it is. And, of course, the wares—men’s and women’s clothing and accessories, from embroidered vintage jeans to boldly colored coats—do, too. They’re stylish, functional, and fun, all at once. “I love clothes with a sense of humor,” Scully says.

The store is what Scully and Mendenhall labeled their “act two,” meaning the follow-up to their careers in the New York fashion world. Scully retired after two decades as fashion show producer and casting director for heavyweights like Tom Ford, Stella McCartney, and Carolina Herrera. Mendenhall was an industry executive most recently at Ralph Lauren.

The Hudson Valley had been their escape; it was during the pandemic that they made the move permanent. Scully

resisted Mendenhall’s initial suggestions of a store; he’d been imagining a quieter retirement. But he came around, enamored by the artistic renaissance of the Hudson Valley, as well as the newly thriving food scene which had them out and about with their neighbors.

“The thing I noticed, as we were having dinner or at the farmers market, was, these are cool looking people,” Scully says. “They live here, and they look better than New Yorkers, so, where are they getting *

celebrating the flavors of fall

voices & views: What to Wear

their clothes? I just thought this would be a good opportunity to dress this person and do something fun in the community.”

And so they dove in, Scully at the creative helm, Mendenhall (who just announced yet another chapter himself, as CEO at Stella McCartney), handling the business side.

Scully put together a collection of brands that jibed with his own sensibilities and with those of his new local friends. Hudson style, as he sees it, is “conventionally unconventional.” People here necessarily dress for function, in barn coats and Blundstones, in warm layers and well-worn work clothes, but he found that “all their pieces were individually quite incredible.” Local shoppers, as well as those from the city and throughout the region, quickly became loyal, coming in for well-made classics with a twist, vintage-inspired pieces, workwear with hand-stitched details.

“If you just buy one thing [from my store],” Scully says, “it’s still going to be the most interesting piece.” It will also, likely, be a responsible one. Among the legacies of Scully’s fashion career is his work fighting abusive work conditions in the industry, and that social consciousness has carried over to this business, via his support of environmentally and socially sustainable designers, and his efforts to give back to the community.

Scully largely avoids brands sold online or in department stores, so the best way to see what’s on offer is to walk into the store, or check Instagram (@jamestown__ hudson). But if you see something you love, don’t think too long. New items fly out of the store almost as soon as they arrive. Word, after all, travels fast. B

All the wool in these gorgeously colorful Scottish wool hats and scarves is biodegradable.

Located along Route 7 Pittsfield & Great Barrington

Shop our locally owned Family of Businesses:

BELLA FLORA

MAZZEO’S MEAT & SEAFOOD THE CHEF’S SHOP

James’ Fall Inspo

Just a few favorite items you might see in the Jamestown Hudson window this season.

1 Scarf Brothers Vintage Embroidered Jean $295

These floral embroidered vintage Levi’s fly out the door fast, snapped up by men and women alike.

2 Hannoh Wessel Harris Tweed Jacket $935

The unfinished hem makes this “look like something someone has worn for a million years and handed down to you,” says Scully.

3 RRL Corduroy Peacoat $995

This wide-wale corduroy coat resembles a 1900’s French worker’s jacket. It was in hot demand as soon as it hit the store’s Instagram.

4 Bea Mombaers XL Tote $1300

This extra-large, bison-leather shopper is “the most perfect weekend bag,” Scully says. “It gets better with use, [is not waterproof but] doesn’t stain if rained on, serves multiple purposes, and doesn’t look like anything else you already have.”

5 Otakara Jamestown Sweatshirt $365

The Japanese hand-embroidery artist behind this brand designed several pieces especially for the store this season.

6 AODress Patchwork Dress $1025 Pas de Calais Tweed Coat $945

This hand-embroidered, silk velvet patchwork dress is a truly special piece, from a small-production Japanese brand. The coat is from another Japanese brand that Scully loves for its deconstructed approach to classic items that gives each piece a twist.

7 Samuel Zelig Embroidered Pant $350

Classic, workwear style pants and sweatshirts with themed, vintage-style embroidered patches. This one is the “Varsity” pant.

Though he may be best known for his comfort food recipes and exuberant personality, Dan “Grossy” Pelosi’s creativity extends to his living space. His Hillsdale home is a joyful gathering place, filled with bright colors, patterned wallpaper, artwork, and an abundance of light, from dawn until dusk.

GATHER ROUND

Written by Ellen Morrissey

Portraits by Abigail Fenton

Interior Photographs by Sarah E. Elliott

The first thing Dan Pelosi did when he bought his 1850s farmhouse in Hillsdale, New York, was track the light.

“I studied the way it moved around the entire house,” he says, “through windows and apertures and also in seating spaces and gathering spaces, where we are in the morning, the afternoon, and into the evening.”

From there, he designed the house around the sun. It hits the kitchen in the morning, Dan’s favorite time (he calls it “mom time”). It’s also the room he’s in the most—cooking meals, developing recipes, and creating content for his 200,000+ Instagram followers (@grossypelosi).

In order to create the working and gathering space of his dreams, he had to remove an existing add-on. “We knocked down a combination small kitchen/laundry room/garage from the 1950s, which was poorly done and built on dirt,” Dan says. “That gave us an amazing opportunity to build something new.”

That something new is a 480-foot addition flooded with natural light. A back wall of windows allows the sun to pour in as Dan enjoys morning coffee with his boyfriend, Gus Heagerty, a theater director, actor, and comedian (this summer, Heagerty directed a workshop production of “White Girls Gang” by Rianna Simons at the Williamstown Theatre Festival).

Dan’s career in food media helped him acquire the house from its previous owner, Irene Sax, another celebrated food writer and cookbook author. “I think she sold it to me in part because she wanted to continue the tradition of food and celebrating and gathering,” he says. To that end, the Saxes left behind the giant dining table where they served countless family meals and entertained guests for decades, and where Dan and Gus now do the same.

Dan’s own interest in design dates to his childhood, when he was likely to be found rifling through the latest Ralph Lauren wallpaper collection at the local Sherwin-Williams store. His parents let him redecorate his bedroom six times, the entire house just once. “I was always throwing opinions,” he says, and apparently he’s still at it. “The first time I went to my boyfriend’s family’s house in Northern California, it took me two days before I broke my silence and asked if we could rearrange the furniture.” By the way, Gus wasn’t surprised: “Home is so important to him that of course he would have notes on my mom, even though he loves her taste.”*

A strong sense of color abounds in Dan’s kitchen addition—from the tiles to the Dutch ovens to the floral Josef Frank print that covers the walls and ceilings of the pantry. He bought the chairs (two sets of four) from the Columbia-Greene Habitat for Humanity & ReStore in Hudson. At Nick Spain’s suggestion, Dan had them painted to match in a color that Dan fell in love with for lots of reasons, not least its name: Fruit Fool, from Farrow & Ball’s archival collection.

Dan and Gus kick back in the keeping room, just off the kitchen. Cozier than their more formal living room, this seating area is filled with comfy chairs, a small sofa, and artwork galore, much of it by friends.

Each room represented a different grandma, for example— the Italian nonna in the kitchen, the austere matriarch in the formal dining room, and the Berkshires grandma in the living room, with its fireplace, leather sofa, and big club chair.

Tackling his own renovation was a different story. He’d never overseen a project like the new addition, or designed a kitchen from scratch. “I needed help and was grateful for it,” he says. He called his friend, product designer Michael Bolognino, whose husband, Nick Spain, had designed their home in the Berkshires, one that Dan had long admired. At their initial meeting, Nick and Dan clicked instantly, and a fruitful collaboration was born.

Nick took the images that Dan had gathered from all over the internet, and put a plan in place. “That’s where design really begins,” says Nick, “threading the needle to create a cohesive, overarching narrative that incorporates and elaborates upon the initial ideas.”

“What I love about working with Nick,” Dan says, “is that I have a very strong point of view, but he pushed me to places I would’ve never gone.” (Nick also brought serious expertise and lots of connections, including the talented team of architect Stephanie Lee of Lee Architecture Office and WKT Construction.) Following their discussions—and a series of seemingly random questions that Nick posed to Dan—they built an unexpected story; it featured an Eva Gabor-like character that had moved to the country in the 1960s and later embraced Women’s Lib and Timothy Leary, using references as varied as the Maine home of Sister Parish to the Pop Art prints of Andy Warhol, recalls Nick.

Or, in Dan’s words, “farm drag.”

While that narrative informed the majority of the decor, other spirited characters and stories emerged over the course of the renovation. Each room represented a different grandma, for example—the Italian nonna in the kitchen, the austere matriarch in the formal *

dining room, and the Berkshires grandma in the living room, with its fireplace, leather sofa, and big club chair. “It’s woodsy. It’s eclectic. We imagine that she’s wearing clogs, a big shapeless gown, and a statement necklace,” Dan says. “Maybe she has an asymmetrical haircut. You know she’s an art collector.”

Throughout the home there are plenty of spaces where Dan and Gus and company can connect and unwind. “We have a table in the garden where we entertain, and another on the screened porch. I’ve even hosted dinner parties around the sofa, with everything served in mugs,” Dan says, for easy handling (no plates wobbling on laps).

In Grossy World, having people over is one of life’s essentials, no matter how many rooms or tables you have. That’s the inspiration behind “Let’s Party,” the follow-up to his bestselling debut cookbook, “Let’s Eat.” It’s chock full of recipes, menus (including the dinner-onthe-sofa party), tricks, tips, and endless encouragement to do what Dan loves best: setting a nice table, cooking, sharing delicious food with a wide circle of friends and family, cleaning everything up, and then doing it all over again. B

The dining room table has space for two chairs at each end, which makes for an egalitarian set up and more lively conversation. In the living room, plenty of seating options, including a stack of floor pillows, means more opportunities to gather round the fireplace.

RECIPES

Pork Chops with Vinegar Peppers

Olive Oil & Pistachio Berry Crisp

Tuscan Panzanella Salad

Spinach & Artichoke Dip Pasta Bake

RECIPES

The Pork Chops with Vinegar Peppers

Serves 6 to 8

This dish is made for the Carmella Soprano that lives in all of us. It’s the type of cooking that makes you feel like a mob boss’s wife— fabulous hair, perfect nails, and abundant food . . . maybe minus the crime. These pork chops are seared to golden perfection and smothered in a criminally flavorful sauce of onions, peppers, and a splash of vinegar, making every bite a savory masterpiece. It’s the kind of flavor that even Carmella’s motherin-law would approve of.

Make Ahead: The seasoned pork can be refrigerated up to 48 hours (see Note).

4 (1-inch-thick) bone-in pork chops

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more as needed

1 medium yellow onion, halved and sliced

1 (16-ounce) jar sweet or hot cherry peppers, drained

1 tablespoon all-purpose flour

1/2 cup dry white wine

1/2 cup low-sodium chicken broth

1/4 cup white wine vinegar, plus more as needed

1. Pat the pork chops dry with paper towels. Season generously with salt and pepper.

2. Heat the olive oil in a large cast- iron or nonstick skillet over medium heat. When the oil is shimmering, add the pork chops. Cook until golden brown, about 4 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate and set aside to rest.

3. Add more olive oil to the skillet if it looks dry. Add the onion, peppers, and a pinch of salt. Cook, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan, until the onions begin to soften, about 4 minutes. Sprinkle over the flour and cook, stirring, until just toasted, about 1 minute. Stir in the wine, chicken broth, and vinegar. Nestle the pork chops back into the skillet and pour over any collected juices from the plate. Simmer until the sauce is thickened and the chops are cooked through, about 6 minutes, flipping the chops halfway. Transfer to a cutting board and let rest for 10 minutes.

4. Add 1/2 cup water to the skillet and cook over medium heat, whisking vigorously, until a glossy, rich sauce forms, 5 to 7 minutes. Remove from the heat. Taste for seasoning and add more salt, pepper, or vinegar as needed.

5. Arrange the pork chops on a serving platter, then spoon the sauce, onions, and peppers over the top. Serve immediately.

Note: You can cook the chops right away, but for extra-good flavor, set a wire rack over a rimmed sheet pan and place the seasoned chops on top. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours.

Spinach & Artichoke Dip Pasta Bake

Serves 6 to 8

Spinach and artichoke dip is my ultimate snack (shout-out to my Hillstone Girlies! IYKYK)—so briny, cheesy, and gooey. In my grand tradition of turning food I love into more food I love, I decided to transform the perfect dip into the perfect pasta. All that richness is the ideal base for a baked pasta dish, making for lots of beautiful cheese pulls and keeping everything creamy-dreamy in the oven. To honor its origins as a dip, a topping of crushed

and seasoned pita chips adds a perfect crunchy texture to every bite.

Make Ahead: The pasta can be assembled in the baking dish, cooled, covered with cling wrap, and refrigerated up to 24 hours; bring to room temperature before baking.

Kosher salt

1 pound dried mezze rigatoni or rigatoni pasta

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for the pasta

2 cups plain pita chips

Zest and juice of 1 lemon

1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

1 medium yellow onion, diced

2 scallions, sliced

1 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

Freshly ground black pepper

2 (8-ounce) bags fresh baby spinach

2 (14-ounce) cans quartered artichoke hearts, drained

8 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature

1 cup whole milk

2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

1. Preheat the oven to 400°F.

2. Bring a large Dutch oven of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook until al dente according to the package directions. Reserve 1 cup of the pasta cooking water, then drain. Toss the pasta with a drizzle of olive oil to prevent sticking.

3. Meanwhile, roughly crush the pita chips into a medium bowl. Add the lemon zest and 1/4 cup of the Parmesan. Toss to mix well.

4. Wipe the Dutch oven dry. Add the olive oil and set over medium heat. When the oil is shimmering, add the onion. Cook, stirring occasionally, until translucent, about 5 minutes. Stir in the scallions, nutmeg, garlic powder, and a big pinch each of salt and pepper. Working in batches, add the spinach and stir to wilt. When all the spinach is in the pot, add the artichokes, cream cheese, milk, and 1/2 cup of reserved pasta cooking water. Cook, stirring often, until the sauce is thickened, about 5 minutes.

5. Remove from the heat and add the pasta, lemon juice, 1 cup of the mozzarella, and the

PHOTOS: JOHNNY MILLER

remaining ¾ cup Parmesan. Stir until the pasta is coated and the cheese is melted, adding additional splashes of pasta water as needed. Taste for seasoning and add more salt as needed. Smooth into an even layer.

6. Sprinkle the remaining 1 cup mozzarella over the top, then add the pita mixture. Bake for 20 to 30 minutes, until the top is crisp and the sauce is bubbling. Serve immediately.

Tuscan Panzanella Salad

Serves 6 to 8

I’ve always said panzanella salad is just a bread basket in drag. It’s the same satisfying taste of ripping apart a dinner roll and running it through vinegary oil but dressed up for the evening gown portion of the night. This salad began as Tuscan peasant food, a very smart way to get an extra meal out of stale loaves. Now you’ll find it with luxury accessories like cheese, stone fruits, or all kinds of proteins. She is the original Mother of the House of Panzanzella, and her authenticity speaks for itself. When the tomatoes mingle with onions, red wine vinegar, oil, and plenty of salt and pepper, you’ve got everything you need in the world. Waiting until the very last minute to toss in the toasted bread means you’ll get that balance of crunchy and soft, saturated bites that make this salad so perfect.

Make Ahead: The bread can be toasted and stored in an airtight container at room temperature up to 3 days.

3 pounds heirloom tomatoes, cut into 1-inch pieces

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 large red onion, cut into 1-inch pieces

1/4 cup red wine vinegar

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling

1 (16-ounce) loaf crusty bread, torn into 1-inch pieces

1. Preheat the oven to 400°F.

Place the tomatoes (and any collected juices from the cutting board) in a large bowl and add a few big pinches of salt and plenty of pepper. Toss gently to mix. Add the onion along with the vinegar and olive oil. Toss again.

2. On a rimmed sheet pan, drizzle the bread with a little bit of olive oil and toss to coat. Toast in the oven for about 10 minutes, until lightly golden. Remove and let the bread cool on the sheet pan, about 15 minutes.

3. Just before serving, add the bread to the bowl and toss to coat in the juices. Taste for seasoning and serve immediately.

Olive Oil & Pistachio Berry Crisp

Serves 6 to 8

Let’s be honest, I make a fruit crisp twelve months a year. This updated version’s topping has a nutty, peppery flavor thanks to the chopped pistachios and olive oil, giving it a unique and almost savory edge. And, of course, the combination of gooey, sweet filling and crunchy topping is where the magic really happens.

FILLING

1 pound fresh strawberries, stemmed and halved or quartered

1 pint fresh blueberries

1 pint fresh blackberries

6 tablespoons granulated sugar

Zest and juice of 1 lemon

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

TOPPING

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 cup rolled oats

¾ cup packed dark brown sugar

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup chopped raw pistachios

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for serving

4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, cubed

FOR SERVING

Greek yogurt, honey, vanilla ice cream, extra-virgin olive oil

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F.

2. MAKE THE FILLING: In a large cast-iron skillet or 8-inch square baking pan, toss the berries with the granulated sugar, lemon zest and juice, and flour. Spread into an even layer.

3. MAKE THE TOPPING: In a medium bowl, stir together the flour, oats, brown sugar, granulated sugar, pistachios, and salt. Add the olive oil and butter and pinch to form a soft crumbly mixture. Sprinkle it evenly over the top of the filling. Set the skillet on a rimmed sheet pan.

4. Bake for about 1 hour, until the filling is bubbling and thick and the topping is golden brown all over. Let cool for about 30 minutes to let the juices settle and the filling set.

5. Serve big scoops of crisp with a dollop of Greek yogurt and a drizzle of honey on top or go all in with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and a drizzle of olive oil!

Recipes reprinted with permission from “Let’s Party” by Dan Pelosi © 2025. Published by Union Square & Co., an imprint of Grand Central Publishing, a division of Hachette Book Group. Photography by Johnny Miller.

Scene Change

Film and fashion power couple

Christo Morse and Lauren Gabrielson have created a Stockbridge getaway where family life takes the spotlight.

By Ann Volkwein • Photographs by Abigail Fenton

Styling by Lauren Fritscher • Hair and Makeup by Sonya Heimann

This summer, when Christo Morse wasn’t on set in Italy or Manhattan with Meryl Streep and Anne Hathaway for “The Devil Wears Prada 2”—he is first assistant director on the film—he was spending as much time as possible in Stockbridge with his fashion entrepreneur wife Lauren Gabrielson and their two children, Hobey and Christopher. Their cedar shingled house has outdoor spaces to lounge, swing, bounce, cook, and dine—or take a sauna. It’s furnished with a Hamptons-meets-Berkshires feel that’s midcentury-kissed, kid-proof, casual and cool.

It’s where the active Brooklyn-based family goes to capture some well-deserved R&R. Lauren’s successful fashion design, bespoke bridal, and manufacturing business, The LG Project, means her Williamsburg studio is constantly abuzz. Christo’s film and television work schedule is seemingly nonstop. Other recent projects include “Kiss of the Spider Woman,” “Succession,” “Babygirl,” and the latest season of “Stranger Things,” which comes out this fall. He wouldn’t reveal any details, of course, but shares the fans’ sense of wonder about the show. “I feel incredibly lucky to be involved in a project that becomes part of the cultural conversation in such a lasting way. With ‘Stranger Things,’ you see that connection across generations—it’s both humbling and exhilarating.”

For Christo, it all began in Stockbridge. Having a base here now means he can recapture Rockwellian childhood memories with his wife and kids. Indeed—he grew up just a street over from their house; his mother, artist Shawn Baker, still lives in town, too, and spends a lot of time with the family. His schooling included Berkshire Country Day School, the local elementary school, and then middle school at (now closed) Searles. And having honed his skills on Catamount, he followed his passion for skiing in high school, attending the Green Mountain Valley School in Vermont, where he competed around the world and became a top, nationally ranked USSA ski racer by the age of 16. He went on to ski and study political science at UC Boulder, before returning to the East Coast. *

FOR CHRISTO, IT ALL BEGAN IN STOCKBRIDGE. HAVING A BASE HERE NOW MEANS HE CAN RECAPTURE ROCKWELLIAN CHILDHOOD MEMORIES WITH HIS WIFE AND KIDS.

Tyringham-based producer Nan Bernstein gave Morse his start right here in the Berkshires as a production assistant, and also helped him land his first big-time PA job in New York, on “Glengarry Glen Ross.” Morse and Gabrielson were introduced through mutual friends in 2014 in the Hamptons. “He was working on ‘House of Cards’ in Baltimore, at the time, but we lived close to each other in Williamsburg,” Lauren says. “Christo wanted to show me the Berkshires, and brought me up here for the first time the next summer. He took me to James Taylor on the Fourth of July at Tanglewood. We would come up on weekends and stay at The Red Lion or rent an Airbnb. Then when we had our daughter, Hobey [named after Hobey Baker, the famous early 20th century

Lauren, Christopher, and Hobey visited Christo at work in Central Park this summer—and were extras in “The Devil Wears Prada 2.”

All in a day’s work: Christo on the set of “Stranger Things,” and with Meryl Streep and Anne Hathaway for “The Devil Wears Prada 2.” Bottom right: Christo and Lauren with friends Brian Cox and Nicole Ansari Cox at BIFF this May; Christo and Brian worked together on “Succession.”

ice hockey player, who is related on Christo’s mother’s side], we would come up to ski at Catamount.”

COVID brought the family back to the Berkshire hills. The house they found was a haven from the city but needed some work. “It was low ceilinged, and it was all chopped up,” says Lauren. “We wanted to expand the house, but everything was so expensive during COVID, so we said if we can’t go out, we will go up. We busted through to the attic. It was hard because the whole upstairs was torn up, Christo was working at that point on ‘Succession’ in Italy, and I would come up to check on it with a 6-month-old and a 3-year-old. There is a bedroom in the basement, and we would stay there for a night.”

But when he was home he was focused on transforming the structure and space. Christo says: “At midnight I would be going around the house, power washing the cedar shingles. And I had an idea to put big patios around the house and do some platforms to raise everything above the swale that was here. I wanted to create a nice living environment and give us better sight lines through the home.”

He credits his old friend, local contractor Jay Rhind, with helping him to get the overall concept; Tom Farley for executing the landscaping; and Ron Petkus for the stonework. While they have more plans in mind for the future, the present result is chic but family friendly.

The interior design and feel benefits from Lauren’s deep roots in textiles, which stretch back to her Midwestern childhood, when she would sit for *

THE HOME’S INTERIOR DESIGN BENEFITS FROM LAUREN’S DEEP ROOTS IN TEXTILES.

In the downstairs family room, a Princeton ice hockey jersey commemorates Hobey Baker’s time there, and serves as a backdrop for trophies from Christo’s childhood.

hours in the sewing room, beside her seamstress grandmother. “I spent a lot of time with her doing crafts,” explains Lauren. “We would go to Jo-Ann Fabrics and make things for my dolls, make Halloween costumes, everything. At Michigan State, after my first Fashion 101 class, I was like, this is it. I graduated in three years, and I told my parents, I am going to move.”

It became clear that New York was where she was meant to be. “After about two years of living and working in the city under the Tommy Hilfiger umbrella, I had an idea to open a little summer popup shop in Sag Harbor and sell brands I knew.” Its success led her to launch her own brand and shop on Mott Street, Lauren Gabrielson, from 2010-2014. “It was all made in the garment district in New York. I have always loved local production, going to the factories and seeing where all the stuff was made. It can be difficult to navigate as a small brand, as there are language barriers and things can get lost in translation. Which is why I wanted to open my own factory, not so

much to promote my own line but to make that experience easier for new brands, and help walk them through the whole production process.”

Lauren’s current business, The LG Project, consists of a team of 12

Lauren’s light-filled atelier in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, is just three blocks from their home. Opposite: She’s dressed for a night out, in one of her own designs.

AS MUCH AS THEY LOVE NEW YORK CITY, THIS IS THEIR HAPPY PLACE.

seamstresses and a pattern maker. Her core mission is focused on providing an alternative to fast fashion and building a brand and business that harnesses local resources. In addition to indie brand clients, she works with the influencer world, which kickstarted her business of custom bridal gowns, providing an entirely personalized experience for brides to be. Aligning with her ethos about keeping it local, Lauren says, “It’s my dream to have a little offshoot of LG here. To have a seamstress right in Stockbridge.” Christo says they’re always finding new ways to have local hubs. “I grew up sweeping the courts at the Stockbridge Country Club, with my mom and dad playing in the tournaments and winning the mixed doubles. Lauren and I became mixed doubles champions a few years ago, so we’re up on the board 30 years later.” He’s also taking Christopher and Hobey out on the golf course. “We play together as I did with my dad for many, many years,” he says.

Sports aside, “there’s always something happening that connects to the arts,” says Lauren. Christo agrees, “It’s been a very natural transition for us, and a lot of film-related things are here, too. It’s so bizarre, here I am in the Berkshires and I am having more dinners and film interactions than I do in the city. And now I am developing a few movies with local people, getting into more producing and directing, as well.”

You’ll find them here on holidays, weekends, and much of the summer. As much as they love the city, leaving feels good. “This is our happy place,” says Lauren. B

Mother and daughter Linda and Carly Shafiroff have built more than complementary businesses in the Berkshires—they’re creating a family legacy and a vision for the region’s future.

By Ellen Morrissey

Photographs by Tamara Flanagan

Styling by Sean William Donovan

growing up, Carly Shafiroff moved houses more times than she can remember. “There was the one next to Aunt Jody’s on Meadow Street, Alford, West Stockbridge, Stockbridge, Lenox...”

Her mom, Linda, cuts in, “Lenox was a reno…” Carly picks back up. “You built the house that we lived in on Blue Hill Road, technically, and then…” Her voice trails off.

Listening to the two of them go back and forth, one gets the feeling that they’ve left a few houses off the list.

“Yeah, we built a lot,” says Linda.

“Many, many, many,” Carly responds.

Though she may not know the exact number of homes she’s lived in off the top of her head, Carly can easily recall spending summer vacations poring over blueprints and weekends in local antique shops, thanks to her mom’s career. In the nearly 25 years since Linda founded Creative Building Solutions in Great Barrington with her college friend Sarah Stiner, it’s clear that designing, building, and decorating houses in the Berkshires has been central to their lives—both personal and professional. All the while, Carly gained an immersive education in the trades, one that she parlayed into her eponymous design business, Carly Jane Design.

Though the pair has worked for a variety of clients and collaborated on a range of construction projects, their latest endeavor is their most personal. The new build in Great Barrington happens to be the home that Linda shares with her “other half,” Mike Brooks. After finding land that she and *

firm foundations

opposite page: Linda and Carly share morning coffee at Linda’s dining table. It sits between the kitchen and living area in the open floor plan.

Mike both liked, Linda did what she always does: “I dragged Carly to see it.”

From there, their process followed a familiar pattern. “I start to do a schematic, and then I send it over to Carly. She’s like, this looks great, but this is terrible. Do this, move that, move that.” The result of their collaboration is a home that’s in keeping with the natural surroundings of the site, and in the organic yet luxuriously elegant style that Carly is known for. The interiors also fit the vernacular of the region—refined but relaxed, elevated, and timeless. “We used white oak, natural stones—quartzites, granites, and marbles. Textures that you layer together, and each material develops a lived-in patina. It’s a little bit imperfect.”

In other words, says Linda, “People like that it’s not stuffy. You can put your feet up on things. This is not the Hamptons.”

Throughout the house, there are also industrial-modern touches, another trademark design detail of the region. The metalwork on the bar countertop and the kitchen cabinets is by local craftsman Kody Goddard of KG Fabrication. “He’s not only a wonderful welder, but also a friend,” says Carly. “It’s great to work alongside other locals who are doing cool things in design.There are so many young people who have realized that the Berkshires is a wonderful place to be, there’s not really anywhere quite like it. And there is enough work for people to do something creative, whether it’s welding, furnituremaking, interior design.” *

above: In the living area, custom chairs in a graphic checked pattern give a subtle nod to Mike’s love of racing. The extra long sectional is covered in a deep-brown fabric to ground some of the more modern elements in the room. A floating hearth of white oak spans the width of the wall with builtin benches, offering additional conversation space to sit and admire the views through the six-foot-high windows.

left: Mike’s motorcycle is parked at the bottom of the stairs, just inside the entry.

below left: In the kitchen, micro-Shaker-style cabinets (in which the framing around center panels is narrow) are clean and modern.

below right: Carly selected the branch-inspired light fixture to evoke the landscape of the Berkshires, a signature of Carly Jane Design. Camel-colored leather chairs add warmth and are practical for such a hightraffic seating area.

“It’s great to work alongside other locals who are doing cool things in design. There are so many young people who have realized that the Berkshires is a wonderful place to be, there’s not really anywhere quite like it.”

– Carly

She shares that commitment to hiring and supporting local talent with her mother’s company. “I love hearing about all these young people forging a new path,” Linda says, “and my kid happens to be one of them. They’re the future of our business.”

The challenge is keeping them in the region, given the housing and affordability crises. Linda and her business partner, Sarah, want to help solve that problem and are working to get a new project off the ground. “We’re calling it neighborhood housing,” says Linda. They hope to deed-restrict houses for people like nurses, cops, welders, and tradespeople, meaning that potential buyers would have to prove that they work in Berkshire County and, later, sell to somebody who can prove that they do the same.

“I want my kids and others in their late 20s and early 30s to be able to start families and put their kids in the elementary school, middle school, and high school that they went to,” says Linda.

Her commitment to her community is evident in other ways, as well, as she proved this past

above: A soft palette of earth tones and varied textures set a restful, relaxing tone in the primary bedroom.

right: An abundance of jet mist granite ups the earthy yet elegant factor in the powder room.

spring. When ICE agents appeared outside her office in Great Barrington to apprehend a Berkshires resident, Linda got out her phone and began recording. “What are the charges?” she asked. “Where are you taking him? What is he accused of? What are your names?”

Linda’s video clip soon went viral and she herself was identified as the person who captured the video. She would do it again in a heartbeat, she says, and it only strengthened her resolve to protect her community. “There were people in our parking lot immediately, helping his family. We have a lot of good people here.”

Clearly, the Shafiroffs are committed to their beloved Berkshires. The question is whether Linda will stay in the house that her company just built and her daughter just finished decorating. Or will it be the latest in a long string of Berkshires homes? “Our intent is to stay in it,” she says, “until we need to downsize when I’m older. And then I go on Carly’s payroll. That’s the plan.” B

Sarah Stiner, Linda’s business partner at Creative Building Solutions, goes over some plans at the kitchen island, where the streamlined and neutral color scheme keeps the focus light and bright.

A Harmonious Addition

The FreshGrass Annex at Porches Inn expands the creative campus, offering musicians and travelers alike a new way to experience North Adams.

By Francesca Olsen

Photographs by Brandon Dupont

“We believe strongly in North Adams and the idea that contemporary design, art, and culture can layer and coexist really well,”

says Sarah Eustis, CEO of Main Street Hospitality Group, which manages the city’s The Porches Inn at MASS MoCA.

It’s in that spirit that the new FreshGrass Annex—with 10 sleek, modern guest rooms as well as creative studios—has been added to the complex on River Street (they are available for booking now and will open in early November). The project ushers in a new era for one of the city’s landmark redevelopment projects, creating a home away from home for artists. The building complements the brand-new FreshGrass Institute’s programming, which includes residencies, workshops, and community and cultural partnerships.

Eustis’ colleague, Chris Wadsworth, the founder and CEO of the FreshGrass Foundation (as well as co-founder of the annual FreshGrass Festival at MASS MoCA), owns Porches with his family and is “the visionary behind the project,” said Eustis. “Our families have been working together for 25 years.”

The new building, designed by Canadian firm MacKay-Lyons Sweetapple Architects, references North Adams’ industrial past and new creative present. Its expansive deck looks out onto the Porches’ courtyard space, which is flanked by Studio 9, a state-of-the-art recording facility that hosts world-class artists in addition to workshops with musical masters and a legendary open mic night that attracts 50-60 people every week. *

Studio 9 was designed and built from the ground up with music and sustainability in mind.

Space to Create

Each guest room is built for both serenity and serious creative work, with a transforming wall bed that that offers flexible space, a luxurious bathroom, and furniture that evokes Shaker simplicity. There are nods to North Adams’ industrial past everywhere, including screenprinted panels inspired by the Arnold Print Works, formerly the city’s largest mill and the current home of MASS MoCA, right across the street. Right: Local folk-rock songwriter and musician Johnny Irion puts the new space to good use (BTW, you can catch him performing at The Lion’s Den at The Red Lion Inn on Friday, November 21.) Bottom left: The Annex’s three studios aren’t just for music; they are blank canvases for painting and other pursuits.

Banjo Basecamp

October 6-10

This four-day FreshGrass Institute workshop is presented by Alison Brown with Kristin Scott Benson and BB Bowness with an all-female faculty of some of the world’s greatest banjo instructors.

The Annex offers well-considered space for artists to do even more. “The layering of communal porches, quiet guest rooms, and artist studios create opportunities for solitude, creativity, and meaningful social interaction,” says Talbot Sweetapple, principal at MacKayLyons Sweetapple Architects.

Sue Killam, executive director of the FreshGrass Institute, enjoys seeing artists in their element. “It’s fun to see how rigorous the time is for them and what they need as humans. The Studio is the hub. But up there on the deck, people continue the good vibe they’re having.”

Sweetapple was inspired by North Adams’ classic New England housing

stock and its many (now repurposed) factory buildings. “North Adams has a rich cultural and industrial history, with the surrounding landscape characterized by rolling hills and the historical remnants of the region’s manufacturing past,” says Sweetapple.

Sustainability was also a major consideration. The building uses passive solar technology; the siding is thermally modified North American ash, a process that heats wood for better stability. The wood is sourced from responsibly managed forests in the Northeast, and the architects worked with Bensonwood to create custom wood shutters and interior millwork.

All these things culminate in a space that celebrates the magic of North Adams, a city with numerous arts residency programs, creative neighbors, and a growing music scene. At FreshGrass Annex, traveling artists meet local artists and learn from masters of their craft in a place where those masters come to rest and record.

You don’t have to be an artist to stay in the Annex, though. “We fully expect a large range of people to enjoy and love these rooms,” says Eustis. “This is another layer of innovation in hospitality in North Adams, and that’s really cool.” B

porches.com freshgrassinstitute.org studio9porches.com

THE B’s LIST Design

WRITTEN BY ELLEN MORRISSEY • PHOTOGRAPHS BY GREGORY CHERIN

In the third installment of our series with top local talents and tastemakers, we gathered a group of interiors experts—designers, retailers, product developers, and an architect among them—for a conversation about Berkshires style that was both inspired and inspiring.

CORTNEY AND ROBERT NOVOGRATZ

The Novogratz, New York, NY

studionovogratz.com

shopthenovogratz.com

Known for their product lines (indoor and outdoor furnishings, lighting, wallpaper, prints, textiles, and more), celebrity collaborations, books, and television shows, the powerhouse design duo known as The Novogratz has more than three decades of experience and expertise in interiors. Since 2001, the couple and their growing family—they have seven children—have spent summers and weekends at their home in South Egremont, their selfdescribed laboratory and creative wellspring for design ideas.

JESS COONEY

Jess Cooney Interiors, Great Barrington jesscooney.com

At Jess Cooney’s full-service design/ build firm, each project reminds her of the teamwork from her years as a D1 athlete at Holy Cross. “Working on a construction site is like playing on a soccer field. When you’re figuring it out together, you’re never going to fail. That’s always been my mindset.” She does both new builds and reimaginings of older homes, respecting them for what they are while modernizing them. “It’s a delicate balance, mixing reclaimed and vintage materials with newer ones. I love that our clients let us do that. It’s thrilling, actually.”

DANA SIMPSON

Hammertown Barn, Great Barrington, Pine Plains, and Rhinebeck, NY shop.hammertown.com

In 1985, Dana Simpson’s mother, Joan Osofsky, opened Hammertown Barn in Pine Plains, New York, filling it with European and American antiques, homesewn textiles, furniture, and accessories. “It wasn’t considered interior design back then,” says Dana. “It was just creating a beautiful space you’d want to live in.” Hammertown is celebrating its fortieth anniversary this year, and Dana continues to build on her mother’s style while deftly steering the business into the future.

JENNIFER BIANCO

Jennifer Bianco Design Scout House, Great Barrington jenniferbiancodesign.com scout-house.com

After years spent amassing favorite pieces from estate sales and auctions, interior designer Jennifer Bianco realized she needed a showroom, and Scout House was born (the name came from the fact that she was always out scouting). The chic shop—with home accessories, clothing, books, and more— benefits the design side of the business, too. “People get to see what I’m about,” says Jennifer. “Putting modern and old stuff together and making that feeling of casual comfort come into play.”

FREDERICK TANG

Frederick Tang Architecture, Brooklyn, NY fredericktang.com

Frederick Tang has been a part-time resident of the Hudson Valley for the past five years, and appreciates the quality of life upstate. “In the city,” he says, “it feels like work and school and that’s it. Up here, we have big dinner parties and kids run around.” That sense of freedom and expansion influences the way he thinks about home design, as do the agrarian and industrial legacies of the region, where barns and silos meet masonry warehouses and smokestacks, and all play a part in the adaptive reuse as a result.

ANNIE SELKE

Founder, The Annie Selke Companies Owner, 33 Main, Lenox thirtythreemain.com

Stockbridge native Annie Selke’s love of textiles was fueled by childhood sewing lessons from a Mrs. Stevens at what is now known as Stevens House, part of The Red Lion Inn. In the 1990s, she founded her multi-brand home empire. “My design is very much based in having grown up here. It’s all about balancing practicality and pretense,” she says. “You’re inspired by all these incredible things in nature, and you want a beautiful home. But in the Berkshires, mud is also a piece of the puzzle, so nothing can be too precious.” Annie now runs her luxury inn, 33 Main, with husband Jim Crane.

CARRIE HERRINGTON

C. Herrington Home + Design, Hillsdale, NY cherringtonhome.com

At the crossroads of Routes 22 and 23 in Hillsdale, New York, a stately brick building from 1783 is home to Carrie Herrington’s design studio, where she specializes in creating a highly personal mix. “In the Berkshires,” Carrie says, “there’s plenty of modern architecture and lots of original Colonials. It’s very eclectic, and I run my business that way—deeply interviewing clients about what they’re drawn to, and then giving them the best version of what that is.”

In the waning days of summer, as our thoughts turned from carefree time outdoors to more regularly scheduled programming inside, we gathered at a long table to talk interiors. The private room at the Klocke Distillery in Claverack, New York, set the tone for the discussion. We were immersed in a world of beauty, both from celebrated designer Ken Fulk’s fantastical work—marked by rich, sumptuous color and an abundance of textures—and by exquisite views of the orchards and hills that surround the property. As the afternoon passed, each of the participants weighed in on the intersection of home and beauty—past, present and future—in the Berkshires and Hudson Valley.

We’re talking today about home design in the Berkshires area. How would you describe the aesthetic up here in a word or a few words?

Cortney: Casual elegance.

Carrie: Authenticity.

Dana: Layered. History.

Jennifer: And obviously, nature plays a major role.

How does the region’s natural beauty influence what you do?

Jennifer: The light inspires me here. It changes so vastly from season to season and really has a major impact on the colors that you use in a room. The seasonality allows you to create warm, cozy spaces. They’re really special if you embrace them and not try to brighten them up. Use dimmers. Lots of dimmers.

Fred: Every time we look at a site, from the beginning we think about the horizon line. Sometimes it’s trees, sometimes it’s grass, sometimes it’s mountains. You think about sunrise, sunset, which direction are you facing?

Do you feel like your eyes are going miles and miles away? There’s pros and cons to everything. That starts to dictate the site plan.

Jess: We use a lot of low mid-century furniture for older homes or barns or Victorians because you don’t want to block the views. And we use textiles that don’t take away from the views. The outside is the thing. It’s framed. It’s the art. Whenever art dealers approach me, I tell them, I don’t really buy landscapes. If we’re doing our job well, then the outside becomes the focus and everything else stays fairly quiet.

Love these very deliberate, Berkshiresspecific choices. How else does the location figure influence your work?

Cortney: I love seeing everybody’s homes and how different they are here. No place is the same. You can have so much drama, whether at a tiny little lake cottage or a beautiful estate on a mountaintop.

Carrie: Agreed. It allows you to embrace so many different facets of design because all different aesthetics can

“You can have a spectacular modern home, and then also appreciate early colonial architecture. The Berkshires really lends itself to that broad array of design.”

CARRIE HERRINGTON

live cohesively here. You can have a spectacular modern home, and then also appreciate early colonial architecture. The Berkshires really lends itself to that broad array of design.

Robert: I have a funny story, actually. When we got our house, it was 25 years ago, and I have to say, a lot of the designs looked the same. Everyone had black shutters, or maybe dark green, so we painted ours yellow. Then Cortney was driving this kid home from camp and she said to him, “Tell your mother where we live.” And he said, “Oh, she knows. She said you live in the house with the really ugly yellow shutters.”

Dana: I feel like this New England sensibility of history, whether it’s like an old mill or a barn, it’s just something that people want now. It’s in the ether. Where it used to be the Hamptons or California, now it’s the Berkshires and Hudson Valley.

Annie: I was brought up here, and I think of the Berkshires in a couple of different ways. It was the playground in the Gilded Age of the Astors, the Vanderbilts… So there’s that pretense and then there’s the practicality—because there are dogs and there’s mud. This a very different vibe from the Hamptons.

Jess: I agree, I think the client is that person who doesn’t want the Hamptons

experience. They want this tucked in, quiet experience.

Jennifer: Using natural stone or old planked wood that you’ve reclaimed from a barn feels authentic here. And practical, where you’re tracking mud, or you have dogs and kids, and you don’t want to have to deal with the dirt.

Cortney: We white-washed our floors, but we like them all beat up and scratched. Picking your fabric for your dog is key. It really is. You’ll be happier. During the pandemic, we did a banquette and the fabric was chosen because of our dog, not our kids.

Jess: A lot of our clients have kids in their early 20s. They’ve just gotten them out of college, they’re buying their second home. They’re envisioning their kids being married, having children. So you’re touching on these emotional points with them, and also being realistic. Like, do you want to be able to let a group of 20-yearolds use this house when you’re not here? Tap into that. [Even with some wear, the house] will be okay, but it might even be more beautiful. It’s the patina.

Do clients embrace that patina?

Jennifer: People often say things like “I don’t know if I want honed marble because it’s going to stain.” But that’s great. Your bluestone floor is great with

the chips. When they say they want new, new, new, new, new, that’s when I have to say, I’m not sure that we’re a great fit.

Carrie: It’s about trying to convince people to appreciate it being lived in.

Jess: When you’re in France and you see this piece of marble in a cafe that’s been there for 200 years, you love it because it has that look. I tell clients, “you just have to get through the first year and the first scratch.”

How do you find the craftspeople here?

Carrie: There’s so much talent.

Jennifer: So much. I think that every carpenter is a musician. It’s the math that’s involved in it. I swear, every fine carpenter I know is a fiddler.

Cortney: You go to open mic at the Egremont Barn and you see the guy that built your shelves and he’s singing opera. People here wear many hats. I’m personally drawn to people that wear a lot of hats because that means they have hidden talents. They always say, yes, I can do that.

Dana: There are so many good craftspeople that I think we take it for granted a little. In reality, when you go to other places, you don’t find that.

Jess: Everyone has worked with everyone else for generations and there’s

a sense of collaboration on the job site. There’s a sense of honesty. If somebody does something, word spreads about it.

Cortney: Your reputation matters.

Carrie: It’s the difference between keeping a job running efficiently or not, because if your [subcontractors] have respect for you, then they show up for you.

A more general question, what are people looking for in homes right now? What’s trending?

Cortney: Spa bathrooms.

Carrie: But not just for pampering, for wellness. A home yoga studio or yoga room.

Cortney: Yes, a whole wellness area, with cold plunge and sauna.

Fred: We always end up putting wet bars everywhere—little drink fridges in dining rooms, for sure, and also playrooms, rec rooms, dens. A little sink, a refrigerated drawer, an icemaker, to have seltzer and soda, and a place to wash glasses.

And almost every primary suite has—if there’s a sitting area—a small wet bar with a 15-inch fridge, a bar sink, and a little coffee maker. It’s like hotel living.

Jess: Post COVID, people are realizing they don’t want such an open plan anymore, with the entire family in one place. They want a big open kitchen/living

“The light inspires me here. It changes so vastly from season to season and really has a major impact on the colors that you use in a room.”

JENNIFER BIANCO

space, but then they want the home office upstairs or the downstairs TV room or that away spot to take a nap or read a book. I enjoy that, going back to not just blowing out every wall in the house, but creating cozy spots.

Cortney: [In terms of inspiration], our industry has changed so much. It used to be that somebody would see something in a magazine and says, I want this.

Brings us a tear sheet. Now it’s like, I’ve flown here and here and here and I want my house to look like that. But you just went to three different countries and those are completely different looks.

What’s happening in kitchens?

Cortney: A lot of darker color.

Dana: A lot of walnut.

Fred: There’s also increased expertise in cooking. It used to be that a lot of it was for show. We have a client right now who needs a wood-burning fireplace to cook, an induction cooktop because everybody wants induction, but he still also needs gas.

Jennifer: Whenever I work on a kitchen redesign, I always try to carve out a space for a pantry. If you have a really sharp looking kitchen, you need a pantry. Too many things on the counter? It looks terrible. A solid pantry really solves that.

Jess: Millwork is a really big number when we’re designing. It could be a couple hundred thousand dollars that you’re spending on cabinetry. I always tell people, in your lifetime, you should never have to tear this out—ever. This guy here, he’s going to make it, he’s local, if you have one issue he will personally come over, he will fix it. That enables them to swallow that price. It’s one of the most important things. Your countertop will last forever but if your cabinets are falling apart, you have to tear the entire kitchen out. You can stain it, you can repaint it, give it a new life, but you should never have to tear this out.

Any last thoughts?

Robert: The new Keith McNally book [“I Regret Almost Everything,” by the owner of Balthazar in New York City] is really good. We’ve done a lot of hospitality, and I always said, you can do something cooler or different, but what he did at Balthazar is timeless. The energy created in there is an energy that some people don’t understand. Very few people know how to create that. To me, you don’t have to feel like you’re Balthazar, but you have to feel welcome, comfortable, happy. Places around here make me feel that way. That’s a win for me.

Cortney: That’s what it is. What is the feeling you want people to have when they come to visit or leave your home? B

Klocke Estate

The earth-to-glass brandy and vermouth distillery and fine-dining destination is set on 160 acres of farmland in Claverack, New York, just outside Hudson. They use sustainable agriculture methods to cultivate 60 acres of vineyards and apple orchards.

2554 County Route 27, Hudson, NY klocke-estate.com

“You can have so much drama, whether at a tiny little lake cottage or a beautiful estate on a mountaintop.”

CORTNEY NOVOGRATZ

Thrill Hunt The of the

With field after field of antiques, mid-century treasures, and curiosities galore, Brimfield is always worth the trip. Our writer shares her tips for making the most of it.

Written by Marianna Poutasse

Korenman

Photographs by Eric

Three times a year, a small, otherwise unassuming town sandwiched between Palmer and Sturbridge swells with thousands of treasure hunters— kids, dogs, wagons, and rolling baskets in tow—all on a crusade to uncover great finds at the Brimfield Antique & Flea Market. Across 150 acres of open fields, collectors and thrifters weave between vendors who have set up shop for six days of sales. First-timers marvel at the sheer volume and dizzying range of stuff. There’s everything from high-end antiques and mid-century gems to vintage finds and unapologetic kitsch. Who doesn’t secretly need a fat plastic Santa or a life-size brass alligator to round out their living room decor?

1ABOUT THE SHOW

This summer marked the show’s 65th year, and it remains one of the country’s largest and most famous antiques and collectibles events. Every May, July, and September, the fair runs for six days, from Tuesday through Sunday. Dealers return year after year to their same spots across 22 fields. You can cover a lot of territory on foot, but don’t expect to see everything in one day. Each field has its own hours (some actually open at dawn, according to the website calendar), but, reliably, the entire show runs from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. For the best picks, go early in the week; by Saturday, many vendors are already packing up.

KNOW BEFORE YOU GO

Cash is king here, though plenty of vendors take Venmo or cards. Some fields charge a modest openingday admission, and parking runs $5 to $15 depending on the lot. Travel light and wear comfortable shoes. Essentials to bring include a tape measure, sunglasses, hat and sunscreen, and some way to haul your finds: wagon, cart or sturdy bags. There are several ATMss if you run out of cash, plenty of restrooms, and on-site shipping and courier services for things that just won’t fit in the car. You’ll find food trucks and vendors lining the main drag to keep you fueled.

SMART STRATEGIES

Do yourself a favor and prep a little at home before you leave. Walk through the house to assess your needs. Maybe a chunky table lamp for the living room? Or a more streamlined coffee table to replace the waterstained one in the den that you’ve never really liked? Make your list and, most importantly, take any measurements that will help you determine the right sizes; that stunning kilim runner may look perfect in the field, but you don’t want to wait until you get home to find out it doesn’t fit in your mudroom. I also take pictures of rooms that I’m shopping for, which become visual cue cards reminding me of colors and scale.

Scouting and landing good stuff is a bit of a learned skill, especially at Brimfield, where the sheer volume of things and steady crowds can make the hunt feel overwhelming. My strategy is to stay curious as I wander, stopping into tents that spark my interest, pausing, and taking in the overall vibe. If it clicks, I slow down, home in, and take a slower and more focused approach, chatting with vendors and asking questions to learn more. You will meet fascinating people at these sales, and often learn a great deal from them. Carefully examine pieces, noting condition and any hallmarks or stamps that will help you with authentication. I also try not to rush a sale, and remember to step back from the purchase and take a breath before I go all in. If I am on the fence, I note the exact location of where I am (you can get turned around quickly at Brimfield!), and circle back when I am confident I want something to come home with me.

My strategy is to stay curious as I wander, stopping into tents that spark my interest, pausing, and taking in the overall vibe.

Prices are often negotiable, especially toward the end of the show. My approach is to ask if prices are “firm,” a nicer way to ask if there is room to haggle. It leads to a friendlier, more successful back and forth than just opening with a lowball offer. *

MY HAUL

Part of the thrill is never knowing what you’ll stumble upon. This year, I added to my collection of cutting boards a nicely worn vintage pastry board with a raised edge that is equally ready for chopping or hors d’oeuvres duty. Even better, I scored a pristine set of Baccarat water goblets to replace some that shattered in a soapy washing mishap years ago. I’d given up hope of finding replacements without paying a fortune, but there they were, gleaming across a crowded tent, for much less than what I’ve seen elsewhere.

And my most unexpected, can’t-leavebehind treasure of the day? A huge set of vintage brass U.S. Standard soil sieves. Shiny, sturdy, and gorgeous, they might become chargers, drink trays, coasters or something else entirely. Whatever their fate, I’ll cherish them, and the memory of the lovely woman who sold them to me. Thank you, Brimfield. Until next time. B

Marianna Poutasse is the owner of The Curated Home, thecuratedhome.com

2026 Show Dates

May 12-17; July 14-19; September 8-13

brimfieldantiqueweek.com

“Th e re ’ s n o e n d to im ag in at io n in th e kitch e n . ” JU LI A C H IL D

field guide: Go-To Pros

Secret Sources

Shh...local designers reveal some of their favorite craftspeople and home specialists—so you can use these pros, too.

By Sarah Rutledge

Zack and Ali Sosne

BRAMBLE!, GREAT BARRINGTON • THEBRAMBLE.US

Zack and Ali Sosne are known for bringing the fun—their designbuild firm bramble! plans bright, airy, colorful projects. The Sosnes work closely with clients, many of whom have young families, to create spaces that are practical and problem-solving, yet full of whimsy and personal touches. “We look at the person’s lifestyle and then adapt our style to their needs,” says Zack, who grew up in the Berkshires, spent almost 20 years working in New York, and then returned in 2018. The roots run deep: Many craftspeople he works with are fellow grads of Monument Mountain High School. “There’s always a relationship,” he says. “It’s really wild.”

INTERIOR DESIGN

William Caligari Interiors, Great Barrington

I’ve been using Caligari a lot lately for in-closet interiors, window treatments, carpeting, and paint. They are responsive and well priced and they move quickly. williamcaligari.com

BESPOKE TREEHOUSE

Ian Evans, South County

If you are looking for a custom treehouse, Ian Evans is your man. I sketch and Ian builds. He does outstanding work, and is known for his attention to detail. Ikecustomtreehousedesigns.com

Stylish, functional mudroom by bramble!

CABINETMAKER

Chris Hogan, New Marlborough

When I have a special kitchen project, I always use Chris Hogan. He’s a high-end cabinetmaker who has been properly trained and really knows how to do things. ChrisHoganCG@gmail.com

DESIGN, GENERAL CONTRACTOR, CONSTRUCTION

MVA Design/Build, Great Barrington

Mike Valenti’s team can handle everything: architectural drawings, permits, floor plans. We do a lot of design and collaboration together, where they build the project and I do the daily site visits to update the client. mvadesigns.com

WINDOW AND GUTTER CLEANING Okun Services, Great Barrington

Ted Okun is the numberone guy I go to for washing windows and cleaning gutters. He has a small firm and is super reliable. okunservices.com

LANDSCAPING

Valley Brook Landscaping, Lee

Whether I’m sourcing trees, digging foundations, or putting down a new driveway, I call on Simon Jones. We’ve been doing landscaping projects together for about six years, and he’s really knowledgeable and resourceful. 413-717-7970

Tyler Weld

TYLER WELD DESIGN, GREAT BARRINGTON • TYLERWELDDESIGN.COM

Architect Tyler Weld hasn’t ever built a house she wouldn’t want to live in. “I’ve never worked for a big corporate-type firm, so I’ve always been very hands-on. I’m the eyes and ears for the client.” A Berkshires resident for more than 20 years, she has designed homes with widely varying styles and budgets, from modern farmhouses to stucco dwellings. Her common thread? Well built and timeless. “I don’t cut corners,” she says. “I care about what’s in the walls. I make good environmental choices so the house is easy to maintain.”

CUSTOM CABINETRY

Soudant’s Builders, Great Barrington I’ve worked with George Soudant for 20 years, and we’ve done a lot of houses together. He grew up here, so he has a solid team of subcontractors. He also has an incredibly sophisticated understanding of how things should be built to last. 413-528-4878

LANDSCAPING

Webster Landscape Design + Build, Sheffield Wenonah Webster and I are very like-minded; we are like peas in a pod. I love the way she works and I love her aesthetic. She’s classically trained and very thoughtful. websterlandscapes.com

STONEMASON

C.G. Stone, Pittsfield

There are a lot of stonemasons around, but if you want something high-end, more artistic, and beautifully built, Chris Gregory is a true artisan—and a nice person to work with. cgregorystone.com

METAL FABRICATION/WELDING

KG Fabrication, Ashley Falls

Up-and-coming stonemason Kody Goddard is handling a lot of railings, decks, and stairs on my projects. He does great custom work that doesn’t look cookie-cutter. kgfabrication.com

GALLERY

AND AUCTION HOUSE

Stair Galleries, Hudson, NY

Stair Galleries is a very cool resource in the area. They have auctions twice a month for all kinds of antiques and furniture. [On October 29, the auction features fine and decorative arts; on November 20, modern and contemporary art and design.] stairgalleries.com

PHOTO: MARTIN ALBERT

Weld designed this kitchen, with cabinetry by Soudant's Builders

Brenda Fitzgerald

ROAM GALLERY, WILLIAMSTOWN • ROAMGALLERY.PHOTO

“I always knew I wanted to be a designer,” Longmeadow native Brenda Fitzgerald says. She studied and worked in Florida for decades, moving from interior design to road sales, furniture to rugs, before circling back to her home state and settling in Williamstown six years ago. Fitzgerald currently works as director and principal designer at ROAM Gallery, a curated African Fair-Trade contemporary art space, doing design work for Xtina Parks, ROAM’s CEO and founder, as well as for private clients.

CONTRACTOR

Martel’s Quality Building, Savoy Vince Martel is hands-down the best contractor I have ever worked with, whether the project is a custom home from the ground up, a thoughtfully planned renovation, or an original built-in piece of furniture. He has done a lot of custom work for me and ROAM Gallery over the past few years, with nothing but perfection and attention to the finest details. 413-822-1988

KITCHEN AND BATH

KMV Design, Williamstown

Kandace Videtto is an absolute pleasure to work with, and her creative mind is impressive. She specializes in kitchen and bath remodels and renovations, and also handles new home construction design. She has a great little showroom on Water Street with a curated selection of materials to select from. kmvdesign.net

PLUMBING

Lawson Plumbing and Heating, Adams I always use Brian Lawson for anything related to plumbing and heating. He takes a load off my mind, responds immediately, is efficient, has a fantastic attitude, and completes every job without issues or callbacks. He’s also the most neat and tidy plumber I’ve ever known. 413-822-4400

ELECTRICAL

Rickert Electric, Williamstown Tim and Tyler Rickert always respond at the drop of a hat. These problem-solvers are willing to get down and dirty in sketchy crawl spaces while wearing a smile. Their knowledge is vast and they can handle anything I throw at them—and they always do it right. 413-458-9632

RUGS

Peter Pap Oriental Rugs, Dublin, NH

Peter Pap is the most knowledgeable rug man I’ve ever met; he’s an historian who has been featured on “Antiques Roadshow” several times. He has a beautiful showroom , with an inventory that will blow your mind. My favorite thing about Peter is he will come to me on-site with rugs to choose from, but there’s no stress or pressure to purchase anything until we’ve found the perfect fit. peterpap.com

WINDOW TREATMENTS

Berkshire Fabric, Blinds & Shades, Pittsfield For window treatments, bedding, custom pillows, and reupholstery, I use Donna Gopfert. She’s straight to the point, and timely on all samples, custom orders, and installations. Window treatments are time-consuming and expensive, and they can make or break a well-designed home, but working with Donna makes it a piece of cake. berkshirefabricwallpaper.com

Brenda’s work gives a sense of warmth to The Coffee Shop in Williamstown.

3 Main Street, Stockbridge, MA 01262

(Behind Lee Bank)

Open 10 am – 5 pm Mon,Thurs,Fri,Sat Open 10 am – 4 pm Sun

Local

creations & fine yarns

Fine yarns

Metalwork

Woodwork

Woven Goods

Jewelry

Fine art

Hand knits

Unique gifts

field guide: Go-To Pros

Daniel

Heighes

Wismer DUFNER HEIGHES • DUFNERHEIGHES.COM

Daniel Heighes Wismer, architect and co-owner of Dufner Heighes, has an insider’s take on home design—literally. “We are thinking about the furnishings, interior finishes, and lighting from the very beginning,” he says. “Our first meetings with clients always include furniture.” For more than 25 years, he and business partner Greg Dufner have worked on modern, luxurious homes all over the country, including the Berkshires—and Heighes Wismer has put down roots here with his own house in Sharon, Connecticut.

GALLERIES

Standard Space, Sharon, CT

Photographer Theo Coulombe curates an amazing mix of great local artists and recognized names from other regions. standardspace.net

Yo Studio, Canaan, CT I love the openings at this artist-operated studio and gallery. The works are wonderful representations of Berkshires life. yostudioct.com

STONEMASON/HARDSCAPE

Roberto Salazar

Roberto Salazar is a local guy who does beautiful stonework, all by hand. He’s a pleasure to work with—and even did my house. 203-731-7502

CONTRACTOR

PK Contracting, Canaan, CT

Working with contractors means entering a longterm relationship, and I love collaborating with Pallone Karcheski. My clients are always pleased with their work. pkcontractingct.com

FRAMERS

Bantam Frameworks, Bantam, CT

Bantam knows how to create custom framing for art, including archival quality and historical prints, and has a huge selection. bantamframeworks.com

Gilded Moon, Millerton, NY

Everything is possible with this framer, which handles all my complicated projects, including framing a sculpture. gmframing.com

LANDSCAPE DESIGN/TREE FARM

Old Farm Nursery/

Coyote Hill Farm, Lakeville, CT

Judy Murphy runs the best nursery around—it’s very high-end—and has a gorgeous tree farm across the street. oldfarmnursery.com, coyotehillfarmllc.com

ARTIST/GILDER

Carol Leskanic

For beautiful, sophisticated, nature-inspired work that also feels like it belongs in the country, I turn to local artist Carol Leskanic, who works with gold leaf. carolleskanic.com

ARTIST/PAINTER

Will Hutnick

Will is the most talented painter, working with multiple galleries and academic institutions across the country from his studio in Sharon, as well as directing the artistic program at the Wassaic Project. We were super excited to work with him on this coffee table, turning the decorative finish into a work of art. willhutnick.com

Heighes Wismer's home features a coffee table with a decorative finish by Will Hutnick.

Markets

happenings: The Scene

Summer Celebration at Tanglewood

July 11 | Lenox

The 2025 Summer Celebration was a record-breaking success, coinciding with a memorable Shed performance of “Romeo and Juliet,” with music by Prokofiev and stage direction by Bill Barclay. Boston Symphony Orchestra Music Director Andris Nelsons conducted. Cocktails, dinner, and after-party were held in tents behind Highwood Manor.

Above: BSO percussionist Daniel Bauch, BSO bass Carl Anderson, BSO President and CEO Chad Smith, BSO horn player Jason Snider, and Brett Wellman

Right: Former Massachusetts State Rep. William “Smitty” Pignatellii, Allyce Najimy, and former Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick

Left: Kim and James Taylor, Yo-Yo Ma, and Gala Co-Chair Cindy Curme Below: Yo-Yo Ma and BSO Assistant Conductor Samy Rachid

Above: Ford Foundation President Darren Walker with BSO Board Chair Barbara Hostetter Right: BSO President and CEO Chad Smith and Jenny Williams

happenings: The Scene

The Mahaiwe Performing Arts Center

July 13 | Great Barrington

Close to 600 attendees gathered for a reception, held at the Castle Street freight yard, and a performance by Broadway star Aaron Tveit inside the historic theater. Gala donations and ticket sales raised $400,000 to support the nonprofit’s general operations. An additional $160,000 from the event’s paddle raise will support the Mahaiwe’s intimate new Indigo Room venue.

Left: Robert Hartwell and Gala Committee

Members

Angela and Asio Highsmith

Berkshire Botanical Garden Fête des Fleurs

July 19 | Stockbridge

This year’s theme, “A Midsummer Night’s Dream,” transported attendees into Shakespeare’s play with theatrical performances, interactive activities, and an atmosphere that immersed guests in the magic of the Garden’s high season. Proceeds directly support BBG's efforts to expand access to nature-based education for local children.

One of the many skills acquired at BFAIR's day programs helps create independence by teaching people served how to prepare their own meals

As a human services agency, BFAIR provides 24/7 care to people with developmental disabilities and acquired brain injury.

Support of BFAIR promotes independence, creates accessibility, and enhances program resources for the over 400 program participants and residents throughout Berkshire, Hampshire, and Hampden counties.

www.bfair.org

Left: Patrick Trettenero, Aaron Tveit, Board Member Sheila Parekh-Blum, Christopher Blum, and Patrick MacMurray Right: Mahaiwe Board and Gala Committee members Mandy Victor-Pieczarka and Debi R. Feinman

Left: Artist Anastasia Traina and Board of Trustees Chair Matt Larkin Right: Berkshire Botanical Garden Executive Director Mike Beck and Manager of Membership and Development Allie Woodard

happenings: The Scene

Barrington Stage Company “A Night on the Red Carpet”

July 21 | Stationery Factory, Dalton

This year’s celebration honored patrons of the arts Carrie and David Schulman, and featured a special performance by Broadway’s Leslie Rodriguez Kritzer. The evening’s record-breaking proceeds will support BSC’s area of greatest need and its Education Fund, which includes the Playwright Mentoring Project, now in its 25th year.

Eda

Above: Honorees David and Carrie Schulman Above right: Artistic Director Alan Paul and Tony nominee Leslie Rodriguez Kritzer Right: Board President Richard Slutzky, Alyson Slutzky, and Alex Reczkowski

Left: David Schecker, Vicki Bonnington, Alex Reczkowski, and Associate Artist Debra Jo Rupp Below left: Joshua Ramos and Managing Director Greg Reiner Below right: Cast of “Camelot”

Left: Alex Reczkowski, Trustee Emerita

Sorokoff, Arthur Salvadore (Bill Finn’s partner), and Gala Chair Debra Miersma

Platters for Ever y Occasion

Plan for any occasion with the help of our Trained Experts.

happenings: The Scene

WAM Theatre Shamelessly Gorgeous Summer Soirée

July 27 | Doctor Sax House, Lenox

WAM’s elegant brunch featured a performance of songs from “Silhouettes,” a brand-new musical by Jordan Ealey with music by Ari Afsar. The benefit celebrated the nonprofit’s work at the intersection of art and activism, where women and girls have equal opportunities and equal access to learning, earning, expression, and aspiration.

PS21 Annual Gala

August 2 | Chatham, NY

Left: Kelly Binder of Doctor Sax House, Managing Director Molly Merrihew, Artistic Director Genée Coreno, and Lauren Fritscher of Berkshire Muse Below: Toni Buckley, EdenReneé Hayes, and Shela Levante

Silent film with score performed live

PS21’s annual gala welcomed more than 200 guests to its Pavilion Theater, raising $330,000 in support of programming. The evening honored Francis J. Greenburger with the inaugural PS21 Polestar Award, presented by Senator Kirsten Gillibrand and Assemblymember Didi Barrett. Guests enjoyed cocktails, dinner, an auction, and performances, with Parker Posey and Marina Abramović among those in attendance.

“...an ensemble that invites you — ears, mind, and spirit — into its music.” - Chicago Tribune

Sunday, November 2nd 4:00pm

Mahaiwe Performing Arts Center Great Barrington, MA

Above left: “Silhouettes” performance featuring Jordan Ealey and Ari Afsar with musicians Amy Attias and Zen Reindheart

Left: Janet Egelhofer and Judy Boomer Right: Nick Van Alstine, Calliope Nicholas, Mirissa Neff, Joshua Jelly-Schapiro, Jeff Bailey

Tickets: $60 / $35 mahaiwe.org or cewm.org

happenings: The Scene

Hancock Shaker Village Summer Gala

August 2 | Hancock

The annual Summer Gala in the Village was a spectacular evening with horse-and-carriage rides, cocktails and music in the garden, a stunning sunset off the Round Stone Barn, a delicious dinner, and a night full of stars.

Greenagers Summer Gala

August 15 | April Hill Conservation and Education Center South Egremont

Greenagers 2nd Annual Summer Gala celebrated the commitment and creativity of Greenagers youth while raising vital funds to continue creating opportunities for young people. Thanks to our youth crew members and students for sharing their experiences, and to the community that showed up to support them.

Above: Hancock Shaker Village Director and CEO Carrie Holland and Sam Russo Top right: Chuck and Sarah Walker Right: Mary Mullen and Larry Oberwager

Above: Youth farmers give garden tours Right: Guests enjoy cocktails in the garden

Modern Love

The world of trailblazing abstract artists George L.K. Morris and Suzy Frelinghuysen is a living time capsule of modern art, architecture, and design, right here in the Berkshires. Their Lenox studio and home were built in the 1930s and ’40s on a portion of Morris’ parents’ estate, Brookhurst—when costs ran over on the house, Morris sold a Picasso he had purchased in Europe to Peggy Guggenheim for $4,500. He had amassed quite a collection, and visitors today can see works not only by Morris and Frelinghuysen but also Picasso, Braque, and Léger—a rare chance to experience modernism up close. Open weekends through mid October; reopens in June frelinghuysen.org