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Can Be Habit Forming

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• July 2, 2009 •

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Joanne Greco Rochman photos

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The gold hue and diamond pattern of the foyer is echoed in the dining room.

LISA JOY DESIGNS

At home with an interior designer by Joanne Greco Rochman

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The bathroom murals give it a heavenly, classic look.

Seeing the work of interior designers in a magazine is one thing, but stepping into the home of one is quite another. Considering the different philosophies, styles and techniques of designers, anyone

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who is somewhat curious is sure to wonder what their homes look like. Are they showcases? Experimental labs? Are they canvases featuring works in progress, or are they simply — home? Visiting designer Lisa Joy Liberthal at her Trumbull home proved to be quite a revelation. For starters, as you approach the front door, you immediately notice it is custom-designed, with glasswork that is as striking as it is unusual. Once inside, you step into a home that is warm and inviting. No sterile showcase, here, just the personality of the designer. Lisa’s home is welcoming, just the way she and her family like it. Yes, the foyer floor is dotted with diamond-shaped mother-of-pearl inlays in a soft-hued golden-marble floor, which is reflected in a mirrored chest — a dramatic piece. However, on the chest are family photos and a flowing floral arrangement that gives the delicious sense of a free spirit. The dining room almost defies classification. Despite its stunning chandelier, hand-painted harlequin wall, which picks up the gold and diamond shapes of the foyer, it is inviting and comfortable. What is surprising is that at first glance, the dining room wall, like most of the walls in the Liberthal home, looks as though it is

wallpapered. However, it has been painted by artists for a unique look, a strong sense of texture and no worries about fraying or removing wallpaper. Three circular steps lead to the den on the lower level, a room with cushy, big beige chairs that seem to whisper, “Come sit, relax and stay awhile.” A soft sea-foamgreen ocean of carpet echoes the diamond pattern found throughout the house. A bright, modern painting adds more color, while a selection of books, a globe and stuffed pillows add to the room’s appeal. “When my husband and I bought this house in 1992, everything was immaculate and painted white and gray. I didn’t have to fix anything. We just moved in,” said Lisa. “But for me, the main thing, honestly, was the back deck. I loved the tiered design, which is fabulous for entertaining.” She went on to explain that all the back doors open onto the spacious deck. She also saw her house as a blank canvas, and set about creating rooms that would essentially be like “walking into a surprise ... doing the unexpected.” And she has succeeded in doing this. There’s a conversation piece in every room. Lisa has designed and/or had custom-made

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everything from tables to cake dishes. Admitting that she has expensive tastes, she also acknowledges that she honors a budget as she would a client’s budget. “The thing is that you want to maximize space, make that space be comfortable, inviting and still functional,” said the owner of Lisa Joy Designs, who prides herself for always coming in on budget, whether that budget is $100 or $100,000. Not only has Lisa designed many homes, she also has an eclectic palate. Throughout her career, she has designed everything from personal to commercial spaces, including funeral homes and nightclubs. To make sure a design reflects the client and not the designer, she said, “I ask them to show me something they love. If you fall in love with something immediately, that is telling you that you can live with it forever.” She noted that when clients talk themselves into something, they’re not going to be happy with it for long. Lisa has a romantic nature, which is captured throughout her home, especially in the master bedroom, which features a dramatic bed with plump pillows and silky spreads. The master bath defines pampered elegance, and the guest bath is a hand-painted heavenly affair with blue skies, puffy clouds and classic columns.

Even on a rainy day, a sunny warmth radiates throughout the foyer. Below left, The master bedroom is both regal and relaxing. Below right, Unique tables throughout the home become conversation pieces.

She is a stickler for following her own advice. Until she can do it right, she won’t touch a room. “I’ll wait, but I won’t settle,” Lisa said. That becomes evident when you enter the kitchen — the room Lisa found most challenging. She replaced glass doors to the deck with a single custom door and a large window, and created a charming dining area that is as fresh and clean as the view outside. A magnificent, striated granite counter with specks of gold and mother of pearl is the perfect accent to the kitchen’s many unique features. “Problem solving and planning details inch by inch is the fun part of designing,” she said, as she demonstrated pull-out storage, hide-away and fold-away appliances. As for following trends, she said, “My message to all my clients is, unless you can afford to redecorate every five years, go with trendy accents that are not too costly — items like pillows, accent rugs, and lamp shades.” Lisa’s home is a showcase for her talent, and it’s also an experimental lab because she likes to try new ideas. Right now, her den is a work in progress. Yet, when you step into this house, you know from the warmth of the rooms it’s a home welllived-in. For more information: Lisa Joy Designs, 203459-8188.

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NOURISH THIS

Healthy eating can be habit forming by Lois Alcosser Kristin O’Connor’s interest in food and cooking started when she was two. “Pots and pans were my favorite toys, and Julia Child was all I wanted to watch on TV. I was mesmerized by ingredients and chopping and slicing, and when I was quite small, I decided I wanted to have my own cooking show.”

Nourish This is not just another food Web site. There are recommendations for diet changes that have been proven to help eight health concerns: ADD (Attention Deficit Disorder), Women’s Health, Obesity, Inflammation, Diabetes, Cardiovascular, Cancer, Gastrointestinal. For each of these conditions, there is a thorough, informative explanation and a great assortment of recipes containing beneficial ingredients and the nutritional value of each dish. They’ve all been approved by an advisory board of physicians. For example, shredded chicken bake is a delicious, nutritious comfort food that is easily digestible and recommended for gastro-intestinal problems or diabetes. There is also an entire section on Gluten-Free Bakery, which includes a gluten-free guide and recipes for pancakes, muffins and bread.

She is fast reaching that goal. Her new Web site, Nourish This, contains recipes for healthy eating that are delicious and simple to prepare, articles about food and health, and answers to all sorts of questions about nutrition.

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“The Web site is only a couple of months old, and it’s already reached 20 countries. The average time spent on it is seven minutes, which I’m told is remarkable,” Kristin reports. “The main reason I started it was because I feel so passionate about telling people they can eat healthy foods without ever feeling deprived. Healthy meals aren’t boring, you don’t have to sacrifice enjoying your food. In fact, changing from processed foods to fresh ingredients can not only help your body but heal your soul.”

Nourish This recommends diet changes proven to help eight health concerns, and offers tasty recipes.

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“You are what you eat” is old but true. The more you know how food can impact your body, the easier it is to eat well. Kristin is emphatic about not wanting anyone to feel guilty about liking french fries. “I don’t want to sound like I’m scolding anyone,” she says. “I tell people to take one step at a time. You don’t have to empty your kitchen of every single processed food. Maybe you’ll find that pretzels are a good replacement for potato chips, or grains like buckwheat and quinoa are worth a try.”

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“I started learning about the ways our foods have changed since the introduction of processed foods. I learned that because cows are given hormones and fed foods that aren’t natural for them, they get infections and are given antibiotics. These get into the milk we drink. It’s been established that these

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Kristin delved into food research for personal reasons. At 18, she started having health problems. She knew her body wasn’t acting right, and she went to all sorts of doctors — getting many grim diagnoses — until she saw a holistic medical doctor in California, who did many tests and discovered that many of her problems were caused by food. She was allergic to wheat, soy and dairy products. Her entire diet had to undergo a big change.

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ingredients are affecting child development. Girls are menstruating and developing much earlier, and they’re not ready for it.

“We didn’t have soda in our house until we were teenagers, and we only had it at parties.” Kristin knows, however, that often when you tell a teenager they can’t do something, they’ll rebel. “There’s a lot of psychology behind food,” she said. “My weakness is chocolate and a certain kind of coconut ice cream. So I have a little portion and I feel satisfied.” The subject of healthy eating is confusing. People are told eggs are bad, then they’re good. Broccoli is good, but not if you eat piles of it every day. Kristin’s brother is a physician at Norwalk Hospital, and he, along with two naturopathic doctors, is on the Nourish This advisory board. They check every recipe for nutritional content. “Not everyone is going to make their own hummus out of garbanzo beans,” Kristin said. “But when they compare the amount of sodium in the store-bought kind and hummus made at home, they may change their minds. It often turns out that using fresh ingredients instead of packaged, processed foods is less expensive — there isn’t a laundry list of ingredients. A single packaged food can have 41 ingredients. We’ve all learned to look for trans fats, but do we know what all those chemical-sounding ingredients really are?” “A good example is diet beverages. Many are sugarfree but aspartame-rich. Aspartame has dubious, if not dangerous, effects. And have you noticed that the most sugary of breakfast cereals are on the easiest shelf for children to reach? My life now is consumed with the goal of teaching people that eating in a healthy way is not only delicious but the most sensible thing to do. It requires a very conscious, changed attitude, but it’s not as if you’re giving up the enjoyment of food — quite the opposite.” Kristin believes that when you follow what you really love, you’re most successful. She’s a glowing example. Visit Kristin O’Connor’s Web site at nourishthis.com.

Photo courtesy of Alteris Renewables

“I’m not saying that changing your style of eating is easy. It’s a challenge, but it’s worth it. Actually, my whole family has always been concerned about health. My great-grandfather was one of the first people to read ‘Prevention’ magazine, and my mother, who’s Italian, has always believed in fresh vegetables and lots of them.

Solar panels provide hot water and electrical energy by gathering the sun’s radiation and converting it to power.

ALTERIS RENEWABLES

Harnessing the power of the sun by Robin E. Glowa A weakened economy, skyrocketing utility costs and a heightened awareness of the need to “go green” have homeowners searching for alternative sources of electrical power and hot water for their families. There is a good source here in Connecticut to address these concerns. Headquartered in Wilton, Alteris Renewables specializes in providing renewable energy options for both residential and commercial clients. As a full-service, renewableenergy-systems integrator, Alteris provides solar-electric, solar-thermal and wind-energy solutions for homes and businesses. As the leading clean-energy integrator in the Northeast, Alteris uses their 30 years of expertise and experience to provide solutions for their customers. How and why is solar power beneficial? The systems installed by Alteris allow customers to harness power from the sun to create electricity and heat that is emission-

free, pollution- and noise-free, and does not use moving parts or fuel, thereby significantly reducing the carbon footprint. Not only does solar power inflict less stress on the environment, it places less stress on the homeowner, and acts as a cost-effective alternative to traditional power sources. Installing a solar or wind system will help insulate the homeowner from escalating utility bills. Additionally, federal tax credits and state incentives make solar an affordable, reliable and efficient option. Keally DeWitt, marketing manager for Alteris, said, “Customers often have a big concern that they will no longer be connected to the power company once they go solar. You do remain connected. Even when the sun goes

Alteris continued on page 8

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CREATE THE SPACE YOU DESERVE

A renovation of you and your home by Jackie Perry As editor of a home magazine, I’ve looked at many beautiful books on interior design, architecture and renovation, with a host of creative and innovative ideas, but seldom have I enjoyed one as much as Jill Butler’s Create the Space You Deserve.

ture of what’s most important in your dream home. Record them in writings or sketches, or some of both. Ask the “big picture questions” — what do I want, need, would love to have, can’t live without? Then answer them — I want to feel safe, to have onefloor living, a small yard, neighbors of all ages ...

First of all there’s the format. Although it has a hard cover, inside it is spiral-bound, giving the reader a sense of thumbing through the author’s notebook, in which she’s recorded her thoughts about moving and change and making a home your own.

Now focus on that fully framed picture. Here again, whether it’s finding the right house or redesigning the one you have, all the prep work you’ve done will guide your decisions in creating the home you desire. A house may not fulfill every wish, but often there’s a way to come close. Such as — I have a porch, but here’s what I need to rework to make it perfect. Or, I have a garage but I need a studio or an extra bedroom — how about remodeling the garage and adjoining it to the house with a breezeway?

But it’s not only words that tell Ms. Butler’s story, it’s her illustrations, too. She describes her book as “an artistic journey to expressing yourself through your home.” Her emotional journey is told in watercolor sketches, both quirky and delightful. Women’s faces pop up here and there — quizzical, joyful, annoyed, surprised — registering her reactions or those of other women, whose stories we learn along the way. And so we proceed on a colorful tour of Ms. Butler’s hunt for a house, her discovery of one and her stepby-step renovation of both it and herself. There are stops here and there for contemplation, and here’s where the book is an invaluable guide to discovering yourself — who you are, what you want, why you deserve it. As she says, “The conscious journey is worth the effort and eventually is cause for celebration.” Whatever your age or experience, you’ll find yourself pleased to be making the journey with her. Whether you’re moving to a new home or renovating the one you have, first “clear the crud,” as it quiets the mind for what comes next. There are many ways to do this, and Ms. Butler is an expert guide.

Here’s where the wonderful photography draws you into the before and after of Ms. Butler’s cottage ... the little house that now harbors a diversity of activities.

Next, it’s on to sorting your emotions by asking questions and finding answers. Capturing dreams and writing them down may be one approach, or writing out your “housing history” — where have you lived and what did you treasure most about each home? Perhaps it was a front porch or a room filled with sun. These memories may help you draw a pic-

The chapter on “asking for help” is invaluable. It might be someone who’s done what you want to do or a talented friend, real estate agent, interior designer, plumber, architect, banker ... the sources are limitless. As Ms. Butler describes it, finding people to work with is like completing a crossword puzzle — one person leads to another till a crew is assembled. A family friend found her the right Realtor. While buying an air conditioner, she found a painter — the salesperson’s husband. Most impor-

Create continued on page 8

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GRANDMA GARDENS

An introduction to nature by Lois Alcosser It’s all about style, isn’t it? Cheerful English gardens, romantic Country French gardens, serene, green Asian gardens. Formal. Informal. Natural. Cultivated. Almost as many varieties as marigolds or columbine.

a mud-pie factory. Another summer, the children decided they needed paths, and they searched for flat stones, especially sparkly ones, and paved crisscross paths that led to nowhere.

But there’s an uncategorized category. Grandma gardening — dedicated to the curiosity and pleasure of small children, just about the time they’ve learned to walk. It requires the protection of buttercups, for the fascinating reflection of yellow light under a child’s chin. It requires respect for what others call weeds — pesky grasses and rude outsiders that high-end gardeners destroy, almost before they appear. It honors dandelions — more fun than roses, because who knows where the feathery gray rockets fly when you blow on them?

But grandkids aren’t babies forever. As they grow into teenagers, their interest in flowers cools. Vegetables are exciting for awhile — wiggly squash vines, huge zucchini leaves, skinny lengths of asparagus. But their response to the life cycle of tomatoes is disappointing. “What’s so great, Grandma, about the first orange streaks on a green tomato?” They already know what mint leaves smell like and all about stamens and pollen and bumblebees. Ladybugs have lost their thrill.

When she was about four, my granddaughter Rebecca had perfect faith that when she covered an acorn with earth, it would start growing into an oak tree. Searching for fourleaf clovers was a necessity. Before grandchildren, I was a different gardener, a bit of a snob. I preferred odd, exotic plants — conversation pieces. When I discovered monbretia in New Zealand, I decided to produce a glowing border in Connecticut. Monbretia is an elegant flame-red, trumpet-shape vine born in South Africa, transported to Britain and Ireland and then to New Zealand, where British settlers planted it to remind them of home.

JULY 2009

To neighbors’ eyes, a grandma garden is puzzling. Part neglect (the weeds), part tasteless (the crayon colors) ... supermarket style, really. But grandma gardening is lovingly motivated, an introduction to nature. One summer, the garden needed a frog pond. Built carefully in one corner and filled with water, it waited to welcome a frog or two, but none arrived, and it just became

Pre-teens are not amused by Brussels sprouts (growing or cooked). They’ll listen, slightly bored, to the difference between herbal and tree peonies. They’ll look things up, reluctantly, for the pH factor of soil, and they’re mildly impressed by the little tree bursting out of an avocado pit. But one of the unavoidable facts of life, it seems, is that children outgrow grandma gardens. They abandon them, without regrets or apologies. They get too big for baby stuff. They can even get too big for butterflies. Nonetheless, it’s all worth it. Even though grandma gardens eventually run out of steam, no longer a botanical education, they imprint a memory to be replanted in the future.

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Monbretia wasn’t comfortable in Connecticut, and my grandchildren weren’t impressed. Monbretia (which was even hard to say) wasn’t as beautiful as pansies or useful as daisies (loves me, loves me not) or familiar, like minisized zinnias that look like storybook flowers. Zinnias and daisies are what children paint when they paint flowers.

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Create continued from page 6 tant, in choosing your helpers, make sure you check their references and go see their work before you hire them. When it comes to the design process, here’s where you get out your notebook and ideas pulled from magazines. Working with a designer is highly recommended, but you can do it yourself. The important thing is to focus on your big picture so you can convey to a designer (or keep your concept firmly in mind) your overall vision. Oftentimes that may result in saying “no” to a designer’s suggestions because they are not attuned to your own. As Ms. Butler says, “no” just gets you closer to “yes.” And, of course, the foundation of your project is your budget. You need to consider where you’ll get your funding, the allocation of funds and the timing of expenditures.

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Alteris continued from page 5

being out in the world.” They aren’t chosen simply to fill up space but for what is needed emotionally as well as literally. Here again, the photos tell the story.

down, you still have the power and are still on the grid.”

The chapter on storage, “finding places and spaces,” provides many creative approaches. Organization is the first challenge — how to keep it simple and accessible. One way is placing objects according to where they’ll be used, such as a dining room cupboard to store dishes, platters and glassware.

The systems offered by Alteris can be applied to a number of power needs. Solar thermal energy, for example, is used primarily to heat swimming pools, water for domestic and commercial use and to provide space heating for buildings. Wind turbines create electricity by harnessing the energy of wind and transforming it into a consumable form of energy for individual homeowners or entire cities and communities. Solar panels are used on homes to provide hot water and electrical energy by gathering the sun’s radiation and converting it to power. Homeowners who are paying more than $50 a month in electric bills will certainly want to explore the cost-saving advantages of a solar system to produce pollution-free electricity.

If space is a problem, Ms. Butler has a variety of creative solutions. Not enough room for all the kitchen items? She had open shelves built next to the basement stairs for backup pots, pans, large platters, and so on. Where to store coats when there is no closet CREATE THE SPACE by the back door? Cottage cupboards YOU DESERVE IS filled the bill.

A BOOK YOU’LL

Landscaping is another palette, and Ms. Butler has RETURN TO AGAIN created a variety of For a house to function vignettes, choosing AND AGAIN ... exactly as you want it flowers and shrubs to, you have to decide to round out her the purpose of each artist’s vision. She room. Again, asking questions helps. says that as a collage artist, she sees her “What is the room about? What activities yard as a playground for art projects. Here and experiences will occur here? How will again, you’ll find many delightful ideas to it function when I have guests?” spark your own. Think about how a room could be more functional or fun. Maybe all it takes is moving the furniture around, or perhaps it needs to fill an entirely different purpose. Ms. Butler takes you on a tour of her home, describing her thought process as she decided how each room would be used and the furnishings needed. Photos of each room show the end result. When it comes to the elements that bring a room to life, Ms. Butler declares, “I don’t decorate, I entertain the eye.” She elaborates, “When I’m faithful to what I like as far as color, style, texture, or feeling, then it somehow comes together intuitively.” The items she chooses connect “to my life, my friends and my adventures of

• July 2, 2009 •

Hersam Acorn Newspapers •

In order to outfit a home for the most effective use of solar energy, certain aspects of the home site need to be considered. At last 200 square feet of roof or ground space is needed to install a number of solar panels to generate enough solar electricity to warrant an investment. While a home with southern exposure and four to six hours of unshaded daily sunlight would be the best candidate, the professionals at Alteris will evaluate each property to see if there’s a creative solution for a site that doesn’t meet both these specifications.

Last but not least are resources for people, places and things. She provides Web sites to visit that relate to authors, coaches and teachers mentioned along the way. There’s a listing for design, build and other related services, and since Jill Butler lives here in Connecticut, many of her sources are local.

Installing a cleaner, healthier, more costeffective power system is a worthwhile pursuit for home and business owners alike. The continuing use of fossil fuel for electricity creates a vast amount of carbon emissions and greatly contributes to the growth of global warming. So just how much does it cost to go solar?

Create the Space You Deserve is a book you’ll return to again and again, for the pleasure of the author’s company and to delight in her whimsical sketches and the superb photography of Lisa Bousquet.

Ms. DeWitt said, “Alteris Renewables works in cooperation with the Connecticut Solar Lease program to enable homeowners to purchase solar with very little upfront cost. The chal-

Create the Space You Deserve was published in 2008 by Skirt!, an imprint of The Globe Pequot Press.

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lenge for renewable energy has always been cost. A solar lease is designed to get around that cost issue and allow customers to power their homes with solar without having to purchase the system.” For qualifying customers, the solarlease program does not require a down payment and provides approved homeowners with an exceptionally low fixed monthly payment. While the prices of electricity are expected to continually increase, those customers who have a solar lease will continue to enjoy the same monthly payments throughout the duration of their lease. For more detailed information on the program, go to ctsolarlease.com. Business owners and schools can realize major financial and environmental benefits by utilizing either solarelectric, solar-thermal or wind systems to power their buildings. The highly trained engineers and certified technicians of Alteris work with all clients to ensure customer satisfaction and implement systems that are renewable, clean and affordable. Corporations can also benefit from a Federal Solar Investment Tax Credit as well as state incentives, tax credits and renewable-energy credits. Alteris Renewables has led the nation in solar installations on schools. Founded in 1998, their Solar on Schools program has resulted in over 100 solarelectric installations on schools in eight states. In Connecticut, the University of Hartford, the Barnum Environmental Magnet School, New Canaan Country School, and Chase Collegiate School have all harnessed the sun’s power to provide cleaner, healthier halls of learning. Alteris Renewables has an extensive Web site to educate consumers on the entire process of incorporating solar into their homes and businesses. Let the sun shine in! Alteris Renewables, 1-800-339-7804, alterisinc.com. Headquarters, 523 Danbury Road, Wilton, 203-210-7710.

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HOME I OF THE I MONTH ■

OASIS IN THE ‘BERRIES’ LOCATION: A superb setting in Shelton adds to this home’s distinction. PROPERTY: A wooded backdrop encloses the professionally landscaped 1.82 acres, highlighting the beautiful gardens, large terrace around the pool, a tennis court with stadium lighting, and a play yard, with a decorative tent on a lower patio. HOUSE: With sliders opening onto the terrace, this open, spacious home has a diversity of space that provides privacy as well. There is a living room with fireplace and vaulted ceiling, a dining room with bay window, a family room with fireplace, a den with fireplace, an eat-in kitchen, a sunroom with hot tub and vaulted ceiling, an office, a master bedroom with vaulted ceiling and full bath, five more bedrooms, three more full baths, and 2 half-baths. There is a geothermal heating/cooling system for higher efficiency and lower energy use, and a solar water heater, which provides renewable energy and reduces the cost of heating and the environmental impact. GARAGE: Three-car attached. PRICE: $1,199,000. REALTY: Prudential CT Trumbull. Agent: Concetta Belush, 203-261-2260. Photography: Wayne Ratzenberger.

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