359: Where to go treasure hunting in Litchfield County
And the best plant nurseries in NY.
Welcome to Magasin Interiors. In a dedicated monthly send, Xavier Donnelly shares his latest on-the-ground intel, dives deep into a timely interiors topic, and pulls together a useful edit of resources from his vast network.
First up…
In 2023, artist and ceramicist Simone Bodmer-Turner moved her home and studio to western Massachusetts, and the influences present in her new rural setting are embodied by her new “Spade Vessels,” intended to hold florals foraged from alongside the road, an activity which brings back fond memories of my childhood in Vermont.
Tulip Shades (which I think are the most genius apartment hack if you rent and have an ugly light) have released a new artist collaboration with my dear friend Pauline de Roussy de Sales. I love to see it!!
I went to the re-opening of Big Night’s Greenpoint store, where I picked up a very chic set of Sabre chopsticks.
I loved Hannah Kuhlmann’s very elegant “Shell” sconce at Jacqueline Sullivan’s soft and alluring exhibition “The Semiotics of Dressing,” the opening of which I attended last week. It sent me into a several-hour hunt for vintage uplight sconces; options for a range of budgets include these deco pair from the ‘20s, this enormous pair (in silver leaf!), a very ‘80s pair that are nearly identical to the ones in the iconic former Le Caprice in London, and this cute vintage ‘80s Ikea sconce.
Beverly 1975 is showing a collection of small, enigmatic incense holders by artist Minjae Kim that generate a delicate tension between waxy resin, pear-shaped pearls and a chalky braided incense.
NY Design
WeekMonth was a blur. I wore two good suits though!
Spring scouting: Litchfield County, terrace furniture, and a lamp worth a dozen candles
This is the time of year where the Vermonter in me awakens and I have a desperate need to be outdoors as much as possible (or because I’m a country boy, away from NYC). I’m taking full advantage of our apartment’s proximity to Central Park, where, as long as I’m listening to nature sounds at full volume on my headphones and not looking above the treetops, I almost forget I’m in the city.
Last weekend, my partner and I got away to Litchfield County, which is the ideal overnight getaway if you’re in search of a bucolic setting for good shopping and decent dining. I must say a special thank you to my friends Naz and Ariana for first introducing me to this area about 14 years ago.
Here’s a tight itinerary for a day out in Litchfield County:
Litchfield & Bantam
Litchfield is a very elegant town but quieter on the shopping front. There’s a great but somewhat expensive store called Jeffrey Tillou, which is full of museum quality paintings. Stop in Bantam for a scoop of the coveted ice cream from Arethusa, a dairy farm founded by ex-Manolo Blanhik execs (very Connecticut…). Arethusa also runs a great cheese shop there and a more formal restaurant. On the way out of town, pull in to Merritt Clarke’s, a country store that carries high-quality farm clothing such as Carhartt, Pendleton, Schott, etc.
New Preston & Washington Depot
I’ve seen both Mia Farrow and Susan Sarandon out and about in New Preston, so that should give you an idea of the vibe here. It’s a small village that’s 99% composed of exquisitely curated shops. My favorites are Privet House, a home goods concern where I was lusting over a set of silver Christofle “asparagus” tongs and this Spanish Colonial side chair.
Next door is the majorly ambitious Plain Goods, which carries homeware, furniture, textiles, children’s items, womenswear, and menswear over two floors of an old village hall. I come here mainly for the clothes, as they stock an array of harder to find designers and some vintage. I purchased a pair of Auralee chinos and one of Plain Good’s proprietary cashmere jumpers. New Preston is also home to The Ticking Tent, an annual brocantes fair where the likes of Cabana, Saved NY, and Christopher Cawley set up booths.
Down the road in Washington Depot, there’s a nice little interiors shop called George Home. Someone should buy this chrome and bamboo coffee table I saw there, because unusual vintage coffee tables are hard to find. Eat nearby at The White Horse or The Hopkins Inn, both rustic and in charming settings.
Kent and Cornwall Bridge
Kent has more of a high-key village center, with a couple of antique stores like RT Facts that are designed for people with Very Large Homes. A new-ish arrival to Kent is Sienna Road, which displays a lovely curation of objects. I liked this stylized bust made of styrofoam. Eat wood-fired pizza in the cozy dining room of Swyft.
Finally, cross the single-lane covered bridge to aptly named Cornwall Bridge, and visit decorator Micheal Trapp’s transporting shop and garden, which is full to the brim with treasures and worth visiting just to see the space. I remember him having a good stock of nicely upholstered square outdoor chair/ bench cushions. Also in Cornwall Bridge is Ian Ingersoll, a woodworker who makes exemplary Shaker-style furniture. I advise you to call ahead to ensure both of these shops are open.
Where to stay:
It’s increasingly challenging to find a reasonably priced inn anywhere within 100 miles of the city. We stayed at a brand-new hotel in Litchfield called Belden House, which is owned by the people behind Troutbeck just across the NY state line. They’ve done a sleek reno; I would opt for a room in the main house if available. Other good options in the area are the Lost Fox Inn (which has a dim and cozy bar and resto), The White Hart, The Hopkins Inn (rustic but charming), The Abner, and if you’re down to spend a lot of money, The Mayflower Inn & Spa or the sort of kooky Winvian Farms.
Notes on outdoor furniture, lighting, and gear
Back in the city, the current mini project is furnishing the small aforementioned terrace, which needs to swiftly transform into an auxiliary living area. Here’s the thing: Finding nice-looking outdoor furniture is a challenge in the U.S., especially for a small space. Below are some recent selections from my perpetual hunt for nice outdoor items:
On an Ash sourcing trip a couple of years ago, I visited a factory called Recuperando in Forte di Marmi on the Tuscan Coast. Among other things, they make fabulous forged-iron patio furniture like these Versilia chairs with spiral armrests. They ship to the U.S. at fairly reasonable rates.
If I had more space, I’d choose this elegant wrought-iron loveseat from House of Léon.
If I had less space, I would at least keep these vintage folding sunchairs in a closet and cart them to a sunny place on a Saturday afternoon.
I recently came across a vendor who makes nice zellige tile-top tables out of Morocco. I think the monochromatic versions are just the right amount of rustic, especially this all-black one. They offer free shipping.
Louis Poulsen makes excellent small, re-chargeable versions of their iconic lamps, which are ideal for an outdoor table setting (I find candles get blown out in about two min). I have the Panthella 160 in chrome/opal (seen above on the terrace table).
In the summer, most of my cooking moves outside onto this portable Weber Q 2800N+ Gas Grill, which is truly life-changing from April to October.
Sort of obsessed with these plaster urns/vases from Plastercraft in NJ. I think they would look great if they got kind of mossy and weathered.
The Directory — gardening
Vendors, artists, and suppliers to know, plus what you need to prepare and what you should expect from the process. For this week's directory, I’ve compiled some resources for plants and planting in the general NY area.
Foliage Paradise
113 W 28th St, New York, NY 10001 / (212) 675-9696
I’ve been buying trees, shrubs, and potted plants from these guys for years. They have a great selection and will source something if they don’t have it. They also deliver in Manhattan + BK for a fee. Ask for Happy; he’s the best!
Rosedale Nurseries Inc.
51 Saw Mill River Rd, Hawthorne, NY 10532 / (914) 769-1300
Just north of the city, off the Saw Mill. They have a particularly great selection of trees, shrubs and flowers, and nice planter options.
The Farm at Green Village
403 Green Village Rd, Green Village, NJ 07935 / (973) 377-8703
A sprawling nursery in NJ, also with a good selection of outdoor furnishings and planters.
Hicks Nurseries
100 Jericho Tpke, Westbury, NY 11590 / (516) 334-0066
A good stop if you’re coming back from eastern L.I.
Zaborski Emporium
27 Hoffman St, Kingston, NY 12401 / (845) 338-6465
An incredible architectural salvage warehouse. This is a scavenger’s paradise a short drive away from the city. They have a million different things here, but I mention it in this context because they have a large yard with statuary, urns, and vintage planters. This is a good place to find vintage outdoor furniture as well.
Jamali Garden
149 W 28th St, New York, NY 10001 / (212) 244-4025
A lot of the stuff here is cheap and made overseas, but they do have a good selection of planters and vases. And they’re very nice and helpful.
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Xavier, which of the plant stores do you think is best for planters?
This was a fun read! Your suits look fantastic.