Refreshing a Lake House • Living Large on a Small Footprint • Florals That Wow NEW HAMPSHIRE HOME j u ly/a u g u st 2 0 19
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contents
66
28
40
features
departments
48 Charting a Course for a Forever House
16 From the Editor 20 Letters From Our Readers
Thanks to help from TMS Architects, a couple built their retirement dream home a stone’s throw from Lake Winnipesaukee. By Debbie Kane | Photography by Rob Karosis
58 Updating a Lake House
Paula Daher, of Daher Interior Design in Boston, helped homeowners refresh the look of their home on Lake Sunapee. By Carrie Sherman | Photography by John W. Hession
66 Living Large on a Small Footprint
A New England couple renovated a cozy lakeside cottage that’s a bit less than eight hundred square feet. By Jenny Donelan | Photography by John W. Hession
22 On the Town 24 Favorite Finds
For Outdoor Living
28 Home Cooking
A Garden of Happiness By Mary Ann Esposito
34 By Design
All About the View By Barbara Coles
40 Garden R x
A Welcoming Yankee Homestead By Robin Sweetser
73 Special Advertising Section Faces of New Hampshire
86 Flower Power Art in Bloom
By Robin Sweetser
92 M aster of Her Craft
Working Magic with Clay By Andi Axman
98 Home Resources
100 M ark Your Calendar ! 103 Index of Advertisers
104 At Home in New Hampshire Sweet Summer Berries
By Rebecca Rule Illustration by Carolyn Vibbert
48
On the cover and page 58: Visitors are treated to a view through the home to Lake Sunapee as well as fresh, new décor thanks to Daher Interior Design in Boston. Photography by John W. Hession
Visit us online at nhhomeMagazine.com to read our digital edition, learn about events and use our resource guide. As part of our ongoing effort to support sound environmental practices and preserve our forests for future generations, New Hampshire Home is printed locally by Cummings Printing, a Forest Stewardship Council printer. USPS permit number 008-980. New Hampshire Home is published bimonthly by McLean Communications, Inc.; 150 Dow Street; Manchester, NH 03101; (603) 624-1442. © Copyright 2019 by McLean Communications, Inc. Periodical postage paid at Manchester 03103-9651. Postmaster, send address changes to: McLean Communications; PO Box 433273; Palm Coast, FL 32143
12 | New Hampshire Home
july/august 2019
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contributors
j u ly/august 2019 | Vol . 13, No. 4
nhhomemagazine.com
Sharron R. McCarthy Andi Axman Art D irector John R. Goodwin P hoto E ditor John W. Hession Asso c iate E ditor Kara Steere editorial Assistant Rose Z. King photo grapher Morgan Karanasios
PR ESI DENT/PU B LISH ER
Barbara Coles has long reported on life in New Hampshire, first at Nashua radio station WOTW, then at New Hampshire Public Television and most recently at New Hampshire Magazine. She’s now a contributing editor for the magazine and editor of its Bride issues as well as a freelance writer for other publications. She can be reached at barbaracoles@comcast.net. Jenny Donelan is an editor and writer with a wide variety of interests, and has covered areas that include computer technology, best business practices, pets, skiing and home design. Her articles have appeared in the New York Times, the Boston Globe and numerous other publications. Mary Ann Esposito is the host of the public television series Ciao Italia, now in its twenty-eighth season, and the author of thirteen cookbooks, including her most recent, Ciao Italia: My Lifelong Food Adventures in Italy. She lives in New Hampshire. Visit her website at ciaoitalia.com. Debbie Kane is a writer and editor based on the New Hampshire Seacoast. She writes about home, design, food, spirits and a variety of other subjects for regional publications and clients across New England. She may be reached at debbiekanewriter.com.
EDITOR
senior desi g ners
Jodie Hall, Nicole Huot contributors
Barbara Coles, Jenny Donelan, Mary Ann Esposito, Debbie Kane, Rob Karosis, Rebecca Rule, Carrie Sherman, Robin Sweetser, Joseph Valentine, Carolyn Vibbert senior sales m anager
Jessica Schooley (603) 413-5143 • (603) 345-2752 jschooley@mcleancommunications.com Brook Holmberg Sherin Pierce BUSI N ESS M ANAG ER Mista McDonnell Event & Mar keting m anager Emily Torres Business & Sales Coordinator Heather Rood Di gital Media S pe c ialist Morgen Connor Sales Support Manager Angela LeBrun VP/consumer m ar keting VP/retail SALES
Morgan Karanasios is New Hampshire Home’s photographer. While she was a student in Dijon, France, she took photographs throughout Europe and continues to develop her passion for photography. Rob Karosis has been taking photographs of people, places and things for more than thirty years. His primary focus is architecture, and he is the principal photographer for some of the country’s premier architects and designers. He lives in South Berwick, Maine, with his wife and three children. Rose Z. King is New Hampshire Home’s editorial assistant. She is a PhD student at the University of Glasgow, specializing in Venetian Renaissance art. Rebecca Rule has written her latest book: That Reminds Me of a Funny Story, a memoir, how-to and compendium of humor gathered over thirty years of storytelling in New England. She’s the author of twelve books for children and adults, including The Iciest, Diciest, Scariest Sled Ride Ever! and Live Free and Eat Pie. She lives in Northwood.
Carrie Sherman works as a freelance writer/editor. She also writes fiction, and her short stories have been published in the Saint Katherine Review and Yankee magazine. She lives in Kittery Point, Maine, with her husband, Terry, and their dog. She can be reached at carrie.sherman7@gmail.com. Robin Sweetser writes a gardening column for the Sunday Concord Monitor and is a contributor to the Old Farmer’s Almanac, among other publications. A former Seacoast resident, she now lives and gardens in Hillsborough. Joseph Valentine specializes in garden photography, and his work has been published in this country and abroad. When he’s not photographing or writing about other gardens, he’s tending his own at Juniper Hill in Francestown. Visit his website at josephvalentine.com. Carolyn Vibbert is a Portsmouth illustrator whose work also appears on packaging for food and wine brands such as Barbara’s, Stone Cellars and Williams Sonoma. She is represented by Freda Scott, and you can see more of her work at fredascottcreative.com.
14 | New Hampshire Home
e d i to r i a l Co r r e s p o n d e n c e
Andi Axman, editor
New Hampshire Home 150 Dow Street; Manchester, NH 03101 (603) 736-8056 editor@nhhomemagazine.com Subscriptions
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© 2019 M c L ean C ommunications , I nc . New Hampshire Home is published bimonthly by McLean
Communications, Inc.; 150 Dow Street; Manchester, NH 03101; (603) 624-1442. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without the publisher’s written permission is prohibited. The publisher assumes no responsibility for any mistakes in advertisements or editorial. Statements and opinions expressed in this magazine do not necessarily reflect or represent those of this publication or its officers. While every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of the information contained in this publication, McLean Communications, Inc.: New Hampshire Home disclaims all responsibility for omissions and errors.
july/august 2019
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from the editor
Many Reasons to Love Summer
A
lthough I love all the seasons, summer has a special place in my heart. The gardens bring new treats every week—beautiful flowers; delicious fruits and amazing vegetables (nothing tastes as good as fresh; see Mary Ann Esposito’s recipes on
page 28); the weather is warm (how nice not to have to wear bulky sweaters, coats or boots!); and the days are long (I’m always amazed how additional hours of daylight make such a difference in my energy level). As long as there’s sunshine, I’m a busy bee—no curling up with a book or my hubby until after dark! Summertime living is easy and fun, and several homeowners you’ll meet in this issue attest to that. Greg Jonas and Diana Scott were so smitten with Lake Winnipesaukee that they enlisted TMS Architects in Portsmouth to design a home there for year-round living (page 48). On their wish list was a house integrated into its natural surroundings, as well as somewhere they could age in place with main-floor living. Karen and Mark Vachon hired Paula Daher, of Daher Interior Design in Boston, to
I’m always amazed how additional
hours of daylight make such a
refresh the look of their Lake Sunapee home (page 58). “We wanted to reconfigure some spaces, add more comfortable furnishings and just have an updated, more sophisticated look,” Karen says. The little cottage—it’s less than eight hundred square feet—Ronn Bronzetti and Sara Reineman bought in 2016 needed a lot of work to become a full-time home, and Tracy Leach and Linda Diorio, of T and L Interiors in Wolfeboro, were key members of the team
difference in my
that transformed the downtown Wolfeboro property (page 66). “We think about every-
as there’s sunshine,
caught my eye belongs to Russell and Prue Robertson in Dublin (page 40). Their farmhouse
energy level. As long I’m a busy bee.
thing we bring into the house, and that’s a really good way to live,” Reineman says. Landscapes are splendid this time of year, with abundant color and texture. One that and barn are surrounded by lush gardens and exquisite trees and shrubs—they also have a Slovenian bee house. In its hives, frames are placed on their side so they can be easily removed for inspection and harvesting of honey. The views are spectacular from Vadim and Colleen Plotsker’s Amherst home (page 34), where Chuck Simpson, of Simpson Landscape Co. in Dublin, used fieldstones from the property to outline outdoor spaces, including an herb garden, a grilling area and a pool surrounded by a bluestone patio. Every summer needs a road trip or two or three, and Newbury is one place worth visiting. If you’re there July 18, stop by The Fells Historic Estate and Gardens to attend Robert Jensen’s floral design workshop, which is part of the weekend-long Art in Bloom exhibit (page 86). From August 3–11, the League of New Hampshire Craftsmen holds its annual Craftsmen Fair. If you like ceramics, you’ll love the wall art of Sheilagh Flynn (page 92). Drop by her booth and say hello. No matter where you go, have a great summer!
Editor
16 | New Hampshire Home
july/august 2019
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letters from our readers
Louisa Thoron enjoys views of Mount Monadnock from her gardens in Jaffrey.
Elizabeth Johansson Aponovich and James Aponovich are in their garden in Peterborough.
An Artistic Home
We are so pleased with the story on our home, A Home Meant to Be Theirs [May/June 2019]. Andi Axman’s story captures the essence of life in our Tuscan-style house that reflects our love of Italy, gardens and art. Morgan Karanasios’s photos of the interior are transformative, shedding new light on the place we live and through her eyes we see our home in a fresh way. Nancy Belluscio’s image of the front of our house with raking light is lovely, especially in contrast to the 1950s photo. Thank you all for your time and talent in creating this article. There are a few people we would also like to thank who helped in bringing our house back to life. Brian Knowlton, of Don Knowlton & Sons Builders in Hopkinton, worked on our kitchen update as well as the new master bathroom. We were friends before these projects and remain friends still! Also, gardener Kiki Sangermano worked at our house for more than ten years before we became the owners. And, what about that cover photo by Joe Valentine! The image [of Louisa Thoron’s garden in Dublin] immediately caught our attention for its composition and stunning light in a beautiful, late-afternoon garden. We enjoyed Jenny Donelan’s article, Garden Designers’ Favorite Plants, and would like to see more gardeners featured in Masters of Their Craft stories in future editions of the magazine. And we are always in awe of John W. Hession’s photography. Here in New Hampshire, we are so fortunate to have a magazine like New Hampshire Home that spotlights the talent and beauty that exist in our small state. —James Aponovich and Elizabeth Johansson Aponovich in Peterborough 20 | New Hampshire Home
I must say that the cover of your May/June 2019 issue is truly spectacular. What a shot Joseph Valentine got in that garden [A Serene Sanctuary]. The whole issue is the best garden issue I think you have ever published! I also love the story on James Aponovich and Elizabeth Johansson Aponovich’s garden [A Home Meant To Be Theirs], and I hope to get to James Aponovich’s show in June. If you ever see a print of his peonies, please let me know! —Debbie Hopkins in Wolfeboro
Editor’s note: James Aponovich thanks you for your comment, and says that although he paints peonies each year, he hasn’t yet made prints of those paintings.
Kitchens Galore!
What a beautiful feature on the Daigles’ kitchen [A Sleek, Contemporary Kitchen] in the May/June 2019 issue! Writer Carrie Sherman did a fantastic job capturing the magic in their home, as did Greg West with his photography. We appreciate the support and extra help with getting word out about The Music Hall Kitchen Tour, which more than a thousand people took. Thank you so much! —Ashleigh Tucker Pollock of The Music Hall in Portsmouth
Photography by greg west
Photography by nancy belluscio
Exquisite Gardens
Eric Bessemer, based in Greenland, made the cabinets for this downtown Portsmouth kitchen, which was on the recent Music Hall tour.
We love hearing your thoughts about the stories we’ve published, and we’re always on the lookout for homes and gardens that might interest our readers. Write to us at Editor; New Hampshire Home; 150 Dow Street; Manchester, NH 03101; or e-mail editor@nhhomemagazine.com. We look forward to hearing from you! july/august 2019
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on the town A Special Honor
At its annual Awards Banquet in March at the Currier Museum of Art in Manchester, the New Hampshire Chapter of the American Institute of Architects (AIANH) named Andi Axman, editor of New Hampshire Home, one of three new honorary members; others were Robin LeBlanc, executive director of Plan NH, and Victor Azzi, retired architect and professor at the University of New Hampshire. The award is given to nonarchitects who have given distinguished service to the profession of architecture or to the arts and sciences related to architecture within the state of New Hampshire. Sheldon Pennoyer, of Sheldon Pennoyer Architects in Concord (right), presented the award to Axman and said, “At a time when architectural expertise and vision are sometimes dismissed in favor of a ‘just get it done’ approach, Andi’s work has become a crucial reminder of the value architects bring to every task. She has had a direct and ongoing impact on the success of our profession and our organization.” Pennoyer was also an award recipient that evening when he received the Outstanding Service Award for his commitment to the AIA New Hampshire Chapter and profession. He has served on numerous boards and advocates for the profession at the New Hampshire legislature. Photography by John W. Hession
Appreciating Fine Furniture
The New Hampshire Furniture Masters held a reception for Patterns in Wood at their gallery in Concord in April. Among the masters who participated were (from the left) David Lamb, of Canterbury; Jon Brooks, of New Boston; Tim Coleman, of Shelburne, Massachusetts; and Ted Blachly, of Warner. Photography by John W. Hession
What’s Cooking?
Mary Ann Esposito (third from left, front row)—host of the PBS program Ciao Italia and New Hampshire Home contributor—gave a cooking demonstration in March at Granite State Cabinetry in Bedford. Esposito chose recipes from her newest cookbook, Ciao Italia: My Lifelong Food Adventures in Italy, to share with the more than one hundred attendees. Photography courtesy of Mary Ann Esposito
A Milestone Birthday
The Currier Museum of Art in Manchester celebrated its one hundredth birthday in March at a roaring-twenties-themed party at the nearby Masonic Temple. Among those attending were (from the left) Lew Feldstein, former president of the New Hampshire Charitable Foundation; and former Governor John Lynch and Dr. Susan Lynch.
The Next Generation
AIANH held its May chapter meeting at Keene State College (KSC), where a reception was held at the college’s architectural school. During the open studio, KSC freshman Cayla Hanson (second from right) shared thoughts about her work with (from the left) Omar Gandhi, of Omar Gandhi Architect in Halifax, Nova Scotia, and Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Michael Petrovick, of Catlin + Petrovick Architects PC in Keene; Tracy Kozak, of JSA Inc. in Portsmouth and also AIANH president-elect; and Malcolm Katz, of Katz Architects in Keene. Gandhi spoke later that evening about the process behind his award-winning residential work—he was the Louis I. Kahn visiting assistant professor of architectural design at the Yale School of Architecture last fall and won the Governor General’s Medal in Architecture (Canada’s highest honor for built projects) in 2018.
Photography by John W. Hession
An Artistic Feast
Kelley Stelling Contemporary in Manchester hosted a three-course dinner, prepared by Chef Tom Puskarich, of the nearby Restoration Café, in the gallery in conjunction with the show Neon Wilderness. Among those attending the April event were (from the left) Jeff Feingold, editor of New Hampshire Business Review; Dr. Bill Siroty; and gallery co-owner Bill Stelling. Photography by John W. Hession
Photography by John W. Hession
22 | New Hampshire Home
july/august 2019
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Sit comfortably outside in a Bridgewater Cove Teak Lounge Chair with Sunbrella fabric cushions. Ethan Allen (multiple locations statewide) ethanallen.com
Attract hummingbirds to this feeder, which has a baffle to keep rain out of the nectar and reduce waste. Duncraft in Concord • duncraft.com
Cruise around the lake in a classic, wooden Chris Craft boat. Lakeport Landing Marina in Laconia • (603) 524-3755 lakeportlanding.com 24 | New Hampshire Home
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26 | New Hampshire Home
july/august 2019
Home cooking with
mary ann esposito
A Garden of Happiness Try some new ways to prepare stars of the summer garden.
T
he very first biblical garden was called Eden, perfection in every way—where the first man, Adam,
would enjoy the garden’s fruits and have everything he needed. That tells me even an Almighty spirit valued a garden. I don’t pretend to be a vegetable gardener, just an admirer and taker of its bounty, for which I am most grateful. To plant a vegetable garden is to commit oneself to a long process. It conjures up a wise Chinese proverb that says life begins the day you start a garden. From selecting seeds suitable for your growing zone to planting them in grow pots to feeding them as needed to transferring them to the ground, gardening is like watching a life evolve from infancy
to maturity. And through this process, one is taught to be patient, diligent and mindful. The reward is gratefulness, happiness and surprise. My home garden is the brainchild of my husband, Guy, who seems to have just the right symbiotic relationship with vegetable seeds and plants. During the winter months, he sketches the garden layout on lined, yellow paper pads.
such as zucchini, eggplant and toma-
to add to soup or pancake batter. Egg-
Of course, there will be the annual favor-
toes. I know that freshness needs no
plant becomes sweet and sour caponata,
ites of tomatoes, beans, squash, eggplant
fussing, so minimal cooking is best, but
a Sicilian eggplant relish of sorts, and
and zucchini. But the star of the garden
sometimes I like to invent new ways to
slices are cleverly stacked with layers
will always be his beloved lettuce plants
use all this produce. Tomatoes get turned
of velvety mozzarella cheese for a new
that, when harvested, could pass for the
into sauces or squeezed for tomato juice.
take on the classic casserole known as
most gorgeous bridal bouquets. There
Some are dried and placed in olive oil
eggplant parmigiana.
are so many varieties, and they give a
for winter use; others are frozen to use to
harmonious look and taste in a salad
make tomato soup. Some go into savory
bowl.
tarts and gratins.
I am always challenging myself as to how to treat daily gifts to my kitchen,
Zucchini gets shredded to add as moist filler for meatballs or meatloaf, or
Claude Monet once said that “my garden is my most beautiful masterpiece.” Whether a garden is large or small, it is your personal masterpiece to cherish every garden season.
NHH
Text by Mary Ann Esposito | Food Styling and Prep by Catrine Kelty | Photography by John W. Hession 28 | New Hampshire Home
july/august 2019
Tomato Gratin
Ser v es 4
A tomato gratin makes a great side dish, and is a good and delicious way to use up extra summer tomatoes. Extra-virgin olive oil 4 cups 1-inch-diced ciabatta bread cubes 2 cloves garlic, minced 5 cups cut-in-half cherry tomatoes 1 teaspoon salt 1 tablespoon sugar Grinding black pepper 1 cup diced Swiss, Montasio or Italian Fontina cheese 2 tablespoons chopped basil 1. P reheat oven to 350ºF. Heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil in a stovetop-to-oven casserole dish and brown the bread cubes in batches; transfer the cubes to a bowl. Repeat, adding more oil as needed to brown the remaining cubes. eat 1 tablespoon of the oil 2. H in the same pan and cook the garlic until it softens. Stir in the tomatoes, salt, sugar and pepper, and cook until the tomatoes exude their juices. Return the bread cubes to the pan and press them down into the tomatoes. 3. S prinkle the cheese on top, and bake until the casserole is set and nicely browned, about 12–15 minutes. 4. S prinkle the basil over top and scoop from pan to serve. Recipe from Ciao Italia: My Lifelong Food Adventures in Italy
Arugula, Radicchio and Romaine Salad
Ser v es 4
Arugula is a spicy chicory that is very easy to grow and lasts well past the first frost. Available in most grocery stores, arugula is best partnered with other greens rather than served alone. 1 cup radicchio leaves, torn into bite-size pieces 1 cup Romaine leaves, torn into bite-size pieces 1 cup arugula leaves, torn into bite-size pieces 1 heaping tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar (or more to taste) Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1. Wash and spin dry all the lettuce leaves, or dry them well with a towel. Place them in a salad bowl. 2. Add the olive oil and toss well to coat the leaves; add the vinegar and toss again. 3. Sprinkle with salt and pepper, and toss to combine well.
Recipe from Ciao Italia: My Lifelong Food Adventures in Italy nhhomemagazine.com
New Hampshire Home | 29
Home cooking
with mary ann esposito
Zucchini Meatballs
Ser v es 8 –1 0
If you plant zucchini, you know how it can divide and conquer a garden. When that happens, the urge is to give them away, make zucchini soup, fry it, pickle it, sauté it and the list goes on. My advice is to make these delicious meatballs. Serve them plain or with a light tomato sauce. They are perfect as an appetizer when made mini size. Change the texture by adding pine nuts or raisins, or come up with your own additions. Cooked rice or quinoa can be substituted for the breadcrumbs. 2 medium size zucchini, shredded 1¼ cups fresh breadcrumbs 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil 3 cloves garlic, minced ½ cup minced, fresh Italian parsley leaves 1 teaspoon fine sea salt 1½ teaspoons dried oregano 2 large eggs, slightly beaten with a fork 2/3 cup freshly grated Pecorino Romano cheese ¼ cup vegetable oil Tomato sauce (optional) 1. Preheat oven to 350ºF. Spread the zucchini on non-stick baking sheets and place them in the oven. Turn off the heat, and let the zucchini dry out for a couple of hours to remove excess water. This step can be done a day ahead. 2. In a large bowl, combine the breadcrumbs, olive oil, garlic parsley, salt, oregano, eggs and cheese. Coarsely chop the zucchini, add it to the bowl and mix well. Refrigerate the mixture for 20 minutes. 3. Scoop small amounts of the mixture into your hands and form meatballs the size of a small egg (to make about 18), or make them larger if you prefer. Roll the balls in the flour. 4. Heat the vegetable oil in a large sauté pan, over mediumhigh heat and fry the meatballs, turning them occasionally so they brown evenly—or bake them in an oiled casserole dish in a preheated 350ºF oven for 20–25 minutes. 5. Transfer the meatballs to a serving dish; serve hot with tomato sauce if preferred. Recipe from Ciao Italia: My Lifelong Food Adventures in Italy
30 | New Hampshire Home
july/august 2019
Kale with Raisins and Toasted Sesame Seeds Ser v es 4
There are many ways to eat kale, including this tasty combination of kale with raisins, toasted sesame seeds and a splash of balsamic vinegar glaze. 2 tablespoons sesame seeds Bunch kale, leaves only, well rinsed and coarsely chopped 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
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2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced ½ cup golden raisins soaked in warm water for 30 minutes Salt and pepper, to taste 2 tablespoons balsamic glaze 1. In a small, non-stick sauté pan, toast the sesame seeds over medium heat until golden brown; transfer them to a small bowl and set aside. 2. Steam the kale in a double-boiler or large pot until it wilts. Drain and squeeze the kale dry. 3. Heat the olive oil in a medium size sauté pan; add the garlic and cook until it softens. Add the kale and cook for a few minutes. Drain the raisins and stir into the kale mixture. Add salt and pepper, to taste. Stir in the balsamic glaze. 4. Serve hot, topped with the sesame seeds. Recipe from Ciao Italia: My Lifelong Food Adventures in Italy
nhhomemagazine.com
New Hampshire Home | 31
Home cooking
with mary ann esposito
Deconstructed Eggplant Parmigiana
Ser v es 4
So eggplant lovers, here is a new way to have eggplant parmigiana without having to fry anything and without a lot of unnecessary fillings, such as meats, eggs, olives, mushrooms or other things. Small, round, violet-colored eggplant called violetta grow in my garden, but any type of eggplant is fine for this dish. The beauty is that the dish is baked, and delivers great taste and a nice crunch from the almond and breadcrumb mixture. A little unconventional, yes, but that is how “recipes” develop. 3 large eggs Salt and pepper, to taste 1 cup sliced almonds 2 cups Panko breadcrumbs 2 medium eggplants, ends trimmed and each cut into eight ¼-inch-thick round slices Extra-virgin olive oil 16 thick slices fresh mozzarella or provolone cheese 2 cups tomato sauce Basil leaves, for garnish 1. Crack the eggs into a shallow bowl and break them up with a fork; season with salt and pepper to taste. 2. In another bowl, combine the almonds and the breadcrumbs. 3. Coat both sides of each slice of eggplant in the beaten egg, and then press both sides in the almond mixture. Lay the slices on a lightly oiled baking sheet in single layers. Refrigerate uncovered for 30 minutes. 4. Heat the oven to 350ºF. Bake the eggplant for about 12 minutes or until nicely browned on the underside, then carefully turn over and bake the other side. Top each slice with a slice of cheese and allow it to melt. Remove from the oven. 5. Heat the tomato sauce. 6. Place 4 slices of eggplant stacked on top of each other on each of 4 plates; top each one with some of the tomato sauce and serve hot with basil garnish. Recipe from Ciao Italia: My Lifelong Food Adventures in Italy
32 | New Hampshire Home
july/august 2019
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New Hampshire Home | 33
By Design
Sunrises are exquisite at the Plotskers’ hilltop home.
All About the View Chuck Simpson designed an impressive
landscape for a spectacular Amherst
property.
T
he view. There are few like it in south-
like that was there,” he says. Although the
ern New Hampshire. A panorama of the
house and barn were dilapidated and seem-
horizon so wide you can see Fourth of
ingly abandoned, one look at the stunning
July fireworks in dozens of towns. For a long time, centuries, the view was en-
view convinced Vadim to explore buying it, even though there was no “for sale” sign. It
joyed by the occupants of the old farmhouse
worked, and he and his wife Colleen began
that sat on the crest of the hill in Amherst.
to plan their hilltop home.
Cows grazed the land around it; the stones in the fields had been moved to form border
Careful, consciousness planning
walls. There was a large barn built on a sturdy
There was no saving the old farmhouse and
foundation of granite.
barn, although pieces of the property’s past
Vadim Plotsker happened upon the prop-
would inspire what was to be. Much of the
erty one day on a motorcycle ride, detouring
stone and wood from the house and barn
down a dirt road. “I never knew anything
was reclaimed for the new home, and used
By Barbara Coles | Photography by John W. Hession 34 | New Hampshire Home
july/august 2019
both inside and outside. Inside, the stone was used for an accent wall and fireplaces; the wood, for beams, trusses and flooring. “We tried to stay true to New England, reclaiming as much as we could,” Vadim says. Outside on the driveway, approaching the house, there’s an arched faux bridge that’s made of stone gathered on the property. Then, there’s the signpost engraved with the address, made of granite that came from the old barn’s foundation. And the low walls that surround the entryway and porch are gathered stone as well. But that’s just the start. Walk down the hill to the back of the house, which was built by NH Custom Builder in Amherst, and you’ll see that what at first appears to be a smallish house isn’t small at all. It hugs the breadth of the hill, at its center standing three stories high. Its architectural style has the Western influences and organic feel the Plotskers wanted, accomplished with—as architectural designer Jason Aselin, of
Members of the design team include, from the left, Jason Aselin, of JAD Design Group in Amherst; Chuck Simpson, of Simpson Landscape Co. in Dublin; and Steve Desmarais, of NH Custom Builder in Amherst.
The home’s long driveway ends with a welcoming faux bridge made of stone gathered on the property. nhhomemagazine.com
New Hampshire Home | 35
by design
Above: Large fieldstones were used for the walls to scale the size of the house. Right: The plantings surrounding the terraced pool and grilling area reflect a palette that includes “deep red purple� inspired by an old copper beech tree at the entrance of the home.
36 | New Hampshire Home
july/august 2019
JAD Design Group in Amherst, says—
Finishing the look
dark-stained gable trusses, rough-hewn
The fieldstones provided the outlines
cedar shingles, copper roofing and a
for the outdoor spaces the Plotskers
stone chimney. Plus, he says: “The low-
wanted: an herb garden, a grilling area,
est level is all clad in stone. That ties it
a hot tub and a pool surrounded by a
to the landscape and helps conceal the
bluestone patio. The kidney-shaped
vertical height of the house.”
pool and the striking, terraced-waterfall
The size of the house was a major
feature that feeds it were built by South
consideration in its landscaping, which
Shore Gunite Pools & Spas, Inc. in Am-
was designed by Chuck Simpson, of
herst. The patio was designed to look
Simpson Landscape Co. in Dublin. “We
like the pool had been carved out of the
needed to use large stones to scale the
middle of it.
property,” he says. Fortunately, there were a lot of large
The size of the bluestones used for both the pool and the paths also helps
stones handy. The steps are made
scale the house. Simpson says some
from granite reclaimed from the barn;
were as large as six-feet-by-ten-feet;
the fieldstones came from crumbling
they were between three inches and
cattle barriers in the woods. “You can’t
four inches thick to add heft and avoid
get a better situation,” Simpson says.
cracking.
“Landscaping a home with indigenous igneous rocks was perfect.” nhhomemagazine.com
The heavy hardscape is softened by the plantings. For that, Simpson found
The hardscape around the herb garden (top) is comprised of fieldstones, bluestones and granite reclaimed from a barn. Fieldstones outline the bluestone path through the herb garden (above). New Hampshire Home | 37
by design
The large bluestones used for the paths are laid into low-growing ground covers.
inspiration in an old copper beech tree
The bluestone paths were laid into the
half woods,” Vadim says. “The best of
that had been growing on the property
grass or low-growing ground covers,
both worlds.”
for who knows how long, perhaps one
such as thyme, potentilla and sedums.
“The best” is also how the proj-
Simpson and his wife Lou-Ann Poor
ect’s team members and homeowner
went antiquing for the old farm pieces
describe one another and their work.
What he calls the “deep red purple”
used throughout the property. “We
Together, they created a dream home.
of the tree is carried throughout the
decorated with metal milk containers,
As Vadim says: “It’s awesome. We love
design with plantings of similar color—
old plows, harrows and scythes,” Simp-
it. Sometimes we feel like we live in a
weeping Japanese maples, huskers red
son says. “We used old copper water
postcard.”
penstemon, heuchera palace purple,
heaters as planters.”
hundred years. “It set the tone,” Simpson says.
sweet potato vine and crabapple cardinal tea among them. Sugar maples were planted on the
The fencing, done by Gate City Fence Company in Nashua, starts at the house with the look of black wrought iron
NHH
Resources
Gate City Fence Company • (603) 883-3217 gatecityfence.com JAD Design Group • (603) 554-1199 • jaddesigngroup.com
periphery of the house. “And,” Simpson
and then transitions into a farm-like
McEntee Masonry Contractors • (603) 654-9243
says, “we had some fun with Maackia
split-rail fence, again evoking the prop-
amurensis, weeping kousa and a fragrant
erty’s rural past.
Milford Granite Company LLC • (603) 249-1102 milfordgranitecompany.com
garden surrounded with winter gem boxwood.” He also used massing plants to create
The best of both worlds Whether enjoying the pool and patio,
a collage of color and texture: cutleaf
or relaxing on the porch, there’s
stephenandra, ruby summersweet, ger-
nothing to interrupt the homeowners’
mander and ornamental grasses among
view of the nearly seventy-acre property
them. Hedges were used to define areas.
and the vista beyond. “It’s half fields,
38 | New Hampshire Home
NH Custom Builder • (603) 673-7751 nhcustombuilder.com Simpson Landscape Co. • (603) 563-8229 simpsonlandscapeco.com South Shore Gunite Pools & Spas, Inc. (800) 649-8080 • ssgpools.com Stoneyard • (978) 742-9800 • stoneyard.com The Lighting Showroom • (603) 471-3299 nelighting.com july/august 2019
CAPRI I CARINA I CORSAIR I LAUNCH I CATALINA I CALYPSO
nhhomemagazine.com
New Hampshire Home | 39
garden rx
Hostas and day lilies thrive in the dappled shade of the old maple trees in front of the Robertsons’ house.
A Welcoming Yankee Homestead What used to be
a farm in Dublin now includes
W
hen the Dublin property known
ing in Vermont and wanted a winter
as Robinwood came up for sale
getaway,” Prue says. After much searching
in 1983, it was featured in Yankee
and discussion, they finally agreed to buy
magazine. Owned by just a few families since
land in Chester, Vermont, and design their
the 1790s, Robinwood had evolved over the
own house. The next year, as they were
years from a hardworking sheep farm to part
meeting with an architect friend to finalize
Slovenian bee
of the 1920s Dublin art colony to a summer
plans, the architect mentioned that a relative
home.
had a place in New Hampshire for sale. They
former barn
nose and throat surgeon who subscribed
surprised to find it was the house from the
to Yankee for his office waiting room—read
Yankee article. “We put in a bid on Tuesday,
the article and admired the property. At the
and it was accepted on Thursday,” Russ says.
time, he and his wife Prue were looking for
“Yankee magazine has a lot to do with us
a place in New England. “We did a lot of ski-
landing here.”
lush gardens, a house and a
that’s on the
National Register
of Historic Places. 40 | New Hampshire Home
Russell Robertson—a Connecticut ear,
drove to Dublin to look around and were
By Robin Sweetser | Photography by Joseph Valentine july/august 2019
A visit to Robinwood
fields is of the Wapack Range, including
in May, the field to the east blossoms
Mature trees line the long driveway,
Pack Monadnock and Temple Mountain
brightly with fourteen thousand daf-
creating a feeling of formal passage as
to the south and east.
fodils. A fragrant, old-fashioned rose
you emerge from the deep shade to a
Lush gardens embrace the house with
grows next to the brick steps leading
farmstead surrounded by bright open
lilacs on the west corner. A curved bed
from the house to the front lawn where
meadows and gardens. The house—a
of lilies with blue salvia, pink peonies,
two huge maples stand sentinel at the
classic full Cape with center chimney,
blue Canterbury bells, veronicastrum,
corners of the terrace.
dormers, porches and two ells—is lo-
variegated sedum, knautia and spirea,
cated in the middle of the original 150-
to name just a few, wraps around to the
to sunny meadow and surrounding
acre piece the Robertson’s purchased in
vine-covered, stone retaining wall on
shady woodland is a long, sweeping
1984. They have since added another
the south side. In front of the screened
border filled with perennials and small
15 acres of adjoining land. The 180-
porch, there are globe thistles, daisies,
shrubs. The yellow leaves of cotinus
degree view from the house over the
phlox, tithonia, alliums and fritillaria;
‘Golden Spirit’ contrast nicely with the
Marking the transition from lawn
The Robertsons found the sheep weathervane in an antiques shop in the Berkshires and placed it in the side garden as an homage to the homestead’s origin as a sheep farm. nhhomemagazine.com
New Hampshire Home | 41
garden rx Right: The long front border curves along the edge of the lawn from the open meadow to the woods. Colorful from spring through fall, it is especially beautiful in late summer when the phlox, rudbeckias and sedums are in full bloom. Below: Due to its unique conversion from eighteenth-century sheep barn to an art studio in the 1920s by noted architect Albert Harkness and its importance to the Dublin Art Colony, the Fisk barn was accepted for inclusion on the National Register of Historic Places.
apples, horse chestnut, seven-sons tree, variegated Japanese red pine, native Nyssa sylvatica, kousa dogwoods, Harry Lauder’s walking stick and several Japanese maples. One of his favorites is the Tennessee yellowwood whose base he has had to wrap with wire to deter porcupines who love to chew the tasty bark.
The Fisk Barn Studio Across the driveway from the house is the studio—a converted sheep barn that was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1983. Part of the original 1790 Fisk farm, it was moved closer to the house in 1929 and converted into a studio. Back then, Louis Gerry had pur-
Homeowners Russ and Prue Robertson have made many improvements over the years, putting their personal stamp on a farm that has been owned by only a few families since 1790. 42 | New Hampshire Home
blue-green leaves of the blue flowering
chased the farm in 1924 and was in the
baptisia. Purple and white phlox stand
process of gentrifying it. He hired Provi-
out with bright yellow rudbeckia. Tall
dence, Rhode Island, architect Albert
Joe Pye weed, fluffy white persicaria
Harkness, who replaced the sliding barn
and several purple-leaved smokebushes
doors with two 2-story windows of sixty
(Cotinus coggygria) ‘Royal Purple’ form
panes each, and put in smaller circular
a backdrop for ‘Autumn Joy’ sedums,
windows under the eaves on the long
rose campion, irises, day lilies, foxglove
front and back walls. Inside an oak floor
and lupine. Feathery blue Russian sage,
was added for dances, the barn boards
bright New Guinea impatiens, purple
on the walls and ceiling were white-
cranesbill geranium, ladies mantle and
washed and a huge fieldstone fireplace
marigolds weave along the front edge.
flanked with bookcases was built.
Russ has planted many specimen
Gerry hosted concerts, lectures,
trees to add color and interest to the
painting parties and other social events
property—red maples for fall; crab-
for his Dublin friends here. “There was july/august 2019
a little stage for the musicians,” Prue says. “And we still have the wooden chairs they would set up for concerts.” Today, a vintage gazebo sits to one side of the studio, and Russ has planted the front of the studio with some of his favorite trees and perennials. Red roses and white peonies blossom freely here, and there is a variegated yellow kousa dogwood ‘Summer Gold’, an early blooming redbud and handsome stewartia that offer year-round interest. A huge climbing hydrangea scrambles up the shed that is attached to the studio. The Robertsons often use the studio for family get-togethers and other functions. Last summer, they hosted the Hoop-Dee-Doo Harvest Dinner and Auction, a fundraiser for the Cornucopia Project, a nonprofit dedicated to teaching children and adults about The back garden fills the space between the pergola and studio with a riot of bloom from early spring until hard frost. The pergola supports several different types of vining plants and is loaded with grapes in late summer.
Amherst, New Hampshire 603-673-7751 • nhcustombuilder.com nhhomemagazine.com
organic gardening through its school and community-based programs.
jad design group
Amherst, New Hampshire 603.554.1199 • jaddesigngroup.com New Hampshire Home | 43
garden rx
bonariensis and white phlox, and the silvery-blue leaves of the peanut butter plant (Melianthus major) smell divine when rubbed. Square and rectangular beds at the back of the garden are planted with peonies, castor beans, phlox, rudbeckias, hydrangeas, nicotiana and more. Anchoring the garden at the far end, a long pergola covered with grapevines, wisteria and climbing hydrangea also provides support for annual vines, including cobea, hyacinth bean and morning glories. To one side, there is a fenced-in vegetable garden with raspberries growing at the edge. Raised beds full of cherry tomatoes, red cabbage, squash, carrots, onions, broccoli, peppers and pole
Back gardens
lisianthus are grown for cutting, and a
to the back gardens and dairy barn.
row of blueberries and many fruit trees
“It was a full working farm,” Prue says.
are planted outside the fence.
during the war.” Their daughter later
Beekeeping
converted the dairy barn and raised
Rather than typical beehives, in one
horses there until 1982. The area where
of the fields, Russ had a Slovenian bee
abundant gardens grow today was once
house built. Six years ago, the Robert-
a hard, compacted equestrian ring.
sons went on a hiking vacation in
After a visit to England in 1986,
44 | New Hampshire Home
Slovenia with two other couples. They
where the Robertsons saw some beauti-
fell in love with the country and its
ful gardens, the couple were inspired
people. “It is in the southern part of the
to create a geometric design for the
Alps, the people are so welcoming and
area behind the studio. They wasted
friendly, and there are beehives every-
no time. “On the flight home, we asked
where,” Prue says.
for ten napkins and a pen,” Russ says,
Above: The Slovenian bee house is set up to be easier to tend and offers shelter from the weather for the bees and beekeepers. Right now it is home to four hives.
kitchen. Tall sunflowers, zinnias and
The rear door of the studio opens out
“The Gerrys wanted cream and meat
Top: A Slovenian bee house is a new addition to the field across from the old dairy/horse barn.
beans provide fresh summer fare for the
“In fact,” says Russ, “they have the
“and the plan evolved at forty thou-
most beehives per capita of any country
sand feet.”
in the world!”
The design is not intentionally a
But these are not like the stacked
Union Jack, but when viewed from
box beehives we have in this country.
above, it has a similar look with the
Instead an entire building is devoted
main pathways intersected by diagonal
to the bees. Inside, the frames—which
paths to form triangular beds. These
can be quite heavy when full of
are filled with perennials, including tall
honey—are placed on their sides in the
purple asters, thalictrum ‘Black Stock-
hives, which are built into the wall.
ings’, buddleia, blue balloon flower,
This way, they can be easily removed
mallows, coneflowers, red monarda,
for inspection of the bee colony and
pink astilbe and chelone. Purple an-
harvesting of honey. Each hive has its
gelica flowers are a magnet for bees,
own cupboard, complete with door; on
annual pink cosmos tower over Verbena
the outside, the front of each hive is july/august 2019
Custom Building
Interior Design
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garden rx
painted with Slovenian folk scenes. The house offers extra protection from the elements and predators. Russ had always been interested in beekeeping, and this experience prompted him to look into it more. In doing so, he found that just up the road there is a woman who specializes in Slovenian hives. Suzanne Brouillette, of Slovenian Beekeeping in Harrisville, imports authentic hives from a familyrun factory in Slovenia, and has all the supplies and plans necessary for building Slovenian bee houses. She also takes groups on beekeeping tours of that country. “Slovenia is smaller than New Hampshire, but it has ten thousand beekeepers compared to about two thousand in New Hampshire,” Russ says. “Beekeeping is a large part of their culture. They teach it in the schools and have clubs for the children.” The Slovenian hives are so easy to work with that elderly people or even a person using a wheelchair can maintain their beekeeping hobby. “You can build
Later in the season, peonies give way to hydrangeas as the prime flowering shrubs in the back garden. Purple phlox and red monarda brighten the scene, while burgundy eucomis and variegated sweet iris add unexpected foliage color.
your bee house to accommodate your
Home, sweet home
shoeing in winter, and have cleared
needs,” he says. “This opens up bee-
The Robertsons have created a welcom-
a trail through the woods. In the
keeping to everyone.” Of her husband’s
ing and comfortable homestead that
open meadow, they made a bluebird
many interests, Prue says, “He’s gone
can be enjoyed year-round. They do a
trail linking sixteen birdhouses. “The
from flowers to trees to bees.”
lot of cross-country skiing and snow-
bluebirds often sit in the pine tree right outside the kitchen window,” Prue says. There are hummingbird feeders stationed there as well that draw the tiny dynamos, providing plenty of opportunities to bird-watch while doing kitchen chores. “It is amazing to think that all this came about from a Yankee magazine article,” Russ says.
NHH
Resources
Broadfork Company • (603) 289-5927 broadforkcompany.com Cornucopia Project • (603) 784-5069 cornucopiaproject.org White phlox, blue Russian sage, orange tithonia, ornamental grasses, tall purple Joe Pye weed, yellow-leaved cotinus ‘Golden Spirit’ and white Oriental lilies put on a show in one part of the long front border. 46 | New Hampshire Home
Good Digs • (603) 563-8034 • goodigs.net Slovenian Beekeeping • (603) 499-3730 slovenianbeekeeping.com
Yankee magazine • newengland.com july/august 2019
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New Hampshire Home | 47
Charting a Course for a
forever House Thanks to help from TMS Architects in Portsmouth, a couple built their retirement dream home— designed for aging in place—a stone’s throw from Lake Winnipesaukee. By Debbie Kane | Photography by Rob Karosis 48 | New Hampshire Home
july/august 2019
Greg Jonas and Diana Scott’s expansive home overlooking Lake Winnipesaukee (left) evokes the architecture of traditional Shingle-style lake homes (above), thanks to TMS Architects in Portsmouth. Surrounded by woods, the home’s plantings were enhanced by Carroll County Landscape, Inc. in Wolfeboro with flowering plants, such as hydrangea and lilacs, a Japanese maple to the left of the front entrance, as well as rhododendron, day lilies and other perennials. nhhomemagazine.com
New Hampshire Home | 49
W
When Greg Jonas and Diana Scott started thinking
about where, and how, they wanted to retire, they did what came naturally: they created a plan.
The couple—both accountants—have lived, and built or
renovated homes, in Chicago, Washington, D.C., and the
greater New York City area. For this next phase of their lives, they wanted to be methodical. “We’re planners by nature and were determined to think about what we really wanted and where we wanted to be,” Jonas says.
Many months of research later—together with their tal-
ented team of architects, designers and builders—the couple charted a course to build a beautiful, year-round home on Lake Winnipesaukee.
A lakefront location
Jonas and Scott wanted to live near a lake in the mountains, two hours from a big city and experience four seasons. The couple researched towns online and discovered Wolfeboro, on the shores of Lake Winnipesaukee. Their first visit was during an especially snowy winter eight years ago. “It was 18 degrees with a 30-mph wind, and we had to walk by the lake at a 45-degree angle,” Jonas says. Later, as they warmed up over dinner, Scott said they should move to the community. “We loved how down-to-earth and genuine everyone was,” she says. “We didn’t even bother researching the other areas we considered!” The couple applied the same thorough research to find-
50 | New Hampshire Home
july/august 2019
Helping Diana Scott and Greg Jonas (seated center) make their dream home a reality were (left to right) David Alessandroni, of Carroll County Landscape, Inc. in Wolfeboro; Glenn Farrell, of YFI Custom Homes in Cape Neddick, Maine; Bill Soupcoff (standing) and Lafe Covill, of TMS Architects in Portsmouth. Not pictured: David Kaufman, of Kaufman Segal Design in Chicago.
Top left: Accented by exterior curved eyebrow windows and swooping shingles, the home’s first level is all about outdoor living. A patio, made from Blue Mist granite, leads visitors through the space, which now includes native plantings, such as black-eyed Susan, mouse-ear coreopsis, daisies, coneflowers and yarrow. Above: Visitors to the home pass Ethel’s House, a whimsical custom-designed cottage that houses Ethel, Jonas’s tractor. A deer sculpture by Chris Williams of Essex, Massachusetts, stands on the lawn. Left: Plantings around the side of Ethel’s House include crested iris, garden phlox, lilacs, wintergreen and weigelas. Bottom facing page: A terrace off the main floor offers spectacular views of the lake. The railings are placed just high enough so as not to interfere with the water view. Outdoor furnishings are from Brown Jordan. nhhomemagazine.com
New Hampshire Home | 51
The kitchen easily accesses entertaining spaces on the main floor of the house. Highlights include the center island, built by YFI Custom Homes, with its unique mahogany, end-grain butcher block top, and an accent wall behind the induction cooktop featuring handmade ceramic tile from Motawi Tileworks.
Bill spent time learning about us, talking to us about how we live and why we wanted to move to this spot in New Hampshire.” From there, the rest of the team fell into place: project manager Lafe Covill from TMS; interior designer David Kaufman, of Kaufman Segal Design in Chicago; Glenn Farrell, of YFI Custom Homes in Cape Neddick, Maine; and David Alessandroni, of Carroll County Landscape, Inc. in Wolfeboro. Scott and Jonas—who lived in Washington, D.C., while their New Hampshire home was being built—supervised the project from a distance, holding weekly conference calls. “It required a lot of trust,” Jonas says. “We tried to plan everything up front to minimize mistakes.” The formal dining room, just off the living room and kitchen, reflects Diana Scott and Greg Jonas’s classic style. Dining table and chairs are from Kravet.
52 | New Hampshire Home
ing a lakefront property, then determining what
A design that fits the natural surroundings
type of home to build. They photographed area
Among the couple’s wishes was a home designed
homes they liked, then compared the images for
for aging in place, with easy main-floor living.
recurring themes. Jonas and Scott then contacted
Also important was integrating the house and
the architects who designed the homes they liked
landscaping with its wooded location. “We want-
most. The couple interviewed three firms and se-
ed the feel of a woodland property without stick-
lected TMS Architects of Portsmouth after sitting
ing out,” Jonas says. Before construction started,
down with principal Bill Soupcoff. “It was the
Farrell’s crew cleared almost one hundred loads of
most amazing meeting,” Scott says. “Instead of
boulders from the property. Some were delivered
showing us pictures of other homes he designed,
to a nearby gravel pit; others were incorporated july/august 2019
Shades of blue, Diana Scott’s favorite color, are found throughout the home, especially in the high-ceilinged living room. The matching sofas, chairs and bar stools are from Hickory Furniture, the coffee table is from Woodland Furniture and the area rug is from J.D. Staron. nhhomemagazine.com
New Hampshire Home | 53
54 | New Hampshire Home
july/august 2019
into the landscape. “We removed a lot of boulders, but there wasn’t any ledge,” Farrell says. The three-floor home is filled with smart details. Outside, undulating curves, gable overhangs and tapered columns evoke a grand, Shingle-style lake home. Eyebrow flares over several rear windows mimic the features of a ship, a detail that “adds to the classic style of the house and feels very organic,” Covill says. A diamond theme is carried through the home, from exterior shingles and mullions on mahogany-trimmed windows to kitchen cabinetry and interior railings. “It helps give the lakefacing side of the house a rhythm because there’s so much glass,” Covill says. Porch railings on the back of the house, facing the lake, are sited to not impede with water views. This three-dimensional quality adds warmth to the design. nhhomemagazine.com
Top left: An intimate seating area is a comfortable space to read and enjoy the view. Chairs and ottoman are by A. Rudin. Top right: The master bedroom is a grand retreat. The bed, featuring a large upholstered headboard and footboard, is from Vanguard Furniture. Custom bedcoverings and the upholstered bench are from Charleston Forge. The rug is from Lee Jofa Carpet. The light over the bed is from Paul Ferrante. Left: The focal point in the study is this niche wall and fireplace. The stone surround is custom, from Francois & Co. The partner desk is an antique reproduction by William Switzer. Bottom, facing page: The spacious master bathroom features a large vanity with an arched mirror and quartzite countertops. The ceramic tile backsplash and graystone, basket-weave tile floor add to the room’s vintage feel. The footed bathtub is from Waterworks. New Hampshire Home | 55
a gym, Jonas’s woodshop and a large stone terrace. The third level and rooms over the three-car garage offer plenty of space for visiting guests. Segal, who worked with Scott and Jonas on previous homes, designed interiors to reflect the couple’s desire for casually elegant living. Soothing shades of blue (Scott’s favorite color) and green emphasize the natural environment. The main floor is fresh and functional. The open-concept living room has soaring, eighteenfoot ceilings (Farrell’s team brought in a temporary floor to install the ceiling trim, which is repeated throughout the house), with fun details like petrified wood side tables and a standing lamp shaped like a tree. “We tried to make it sophisticated but a play on whimsy,” Segal says. “It’s less fussy, more suited to a lake house.” That casual elegance is repeated in the kitchTop: Whimsical details in the upstairs hallway include railings and decorative trim featuring diamond and moose patterns. Above: Guest rooms (this page and facing page) feature cozy window seats. Armchairs in both rooms were purchased by the homeowners during a trip to New Orleans. The tufted leather ottoman (this page) was custom made by Partners in Design. Pillows in both rooms are custom-made. 56 | New Hampshire Home
Inside, views are all about the lake. Interior
en, which is separated from the dining and living
rooms are organized on a spine so main living
rooms by a bar-height, mahogany-topped coun-
spaces—living room, dining area, kitchen, study,
ter. All necessities are within easy reach in cus-
master bedroom, screened porch and other pub-
tom-built cabinets with diamond mullions. An-
lic rooms—run parallel to the water. “When you
choring the kitchen is a large, custom-built island
open the front door, you’re looking right through
topped by a mahogany, end-grain butcher block.
the living room to the lake,” Scott says. “You feel
Another highlight is the backsplash—beauti-
like you’re in a retreat.”
ful ceramic tile from Motawi Tileworks, in Ann
Cornice molding and wainscoting throughout the main floor add to its flow. The main floor
Arbor, Michigan, featuring an animal motif— which repeats the home’s lakeside theme.
has easy access via stone steps (or an elevator) to
Relaxed formality is reflected in other public
the ground level, where there is a game room,
spaces, such as the study, with its antique reprojuly/august 2019
duction partner desk by William Switzer Ltd., in Barnaby, British Columbia, and fireplace with custom surround by Francois & Co. of Washington, D.C. But Scott and Jonas’s favorite room is the screened porch. Anchored by a large stone fireplace, the room brings the outside in with classic but elegant wicker furnishings, a built-in grill and kitchenette. Heavy, transparent vinyl shades can be electronically lowered over the mahogany-trimmed screened windows to block wind and rain. “We live in that room about eight months of the year,” Scott says. The home’s bathrooms are also points of pride. The powder room on the first floor is especially vibrant, with green ceramic subway tile on one wall, accented by Art Noveau-style wallpaper with geese and trees, repeating a hand-painted pheasant design in the sink. Other bathrooms are
dogwood trees, witherod viburnum, azaleas, win-
polished and functional, with custom vanities,
terberry and high-bush blueberries that provide
porcelain tile, and marble or quartzite counter-
bright red foliage in the fall and berries during
tops. The master bath also has a large custom-built
the summer. Jonas and Scott do much of the yard
cabinet that does dual duty as a wall between the
maintenance themselves, with Scott working in
bathroom and the homeowners’ walk-in closet.
her perennial garden off the downstairs patio.
A tour of the home also reveals Scott and
Now, nearly two years after their home was
Jonas’s fanciful art collection, commissioned
finished, Scott and Jonas are enjoying retirement
from local artists, that reflects animal and nature
and their lakeside retreat. They’re still in touch
themes. A deer sculpture sits near the front drive,
with their building and design team, an indica-
by Ethel’s House, where Jonas keeps Ethel, his
tion of how successfully everyone worked to-
John Deere tractor. Inside the main house, TMS
gether. “It really took a village to put this house
Architects created art niches to showcase pieces
together,” Covill says. “Diana and Greg were
including a 3D-sculpture called Walk in the Woods
wonderful to work with. They asked questions,
by Rick Epstein Clayworks of Westfield, Massa-
but also took our advice and just went with it.”
chusetts, that hang in perspective at the end of
The couple agrees. “We worked so well
the first-floor hallway. “It seemed natural to place
together,” Scott says. “The project was really
it at the end of the hall where the rooms spin off,”
collaborative and fun. Our team is really the
Covill says. “It anchors the space.” Elsewhere,
reason everything worked out so beautifully.”
playful carved deer and diamond baluster finials
Which, perhaps, was part of the plan.
The dresser in this guest room is from Hekman.
NHH
add whimsy.
Native plantings enhance the property Alessandroni, together with Norm Fracassa, of Fracassa Designworks in Dover, created a landscape that enhances the home’s woodland setting. “We wanted to keep natural woodland vegetation and enhance it in high-profile areas,” Alessandroni says. The homeowners wanted little or no lawn (the one concession is a small grassy area where they can set up a badminton court or play croquet).
Resources Brown Jordon • brownjordan.com Carroll County Landscape, Inc. • (603) 569-2013 carrollcountylandscape.com Chris Williams Sculpture • (978) 768-7652 chriswilliamsscupture.com Fracassa Designworks • (603) 343-6664 • fracassadesignworks.com Francois & Co. • (888) 313-3237 • francoisandco.com Kaufman Segal Design • (312) 649-0680 kaufmansegaldesign.com Motawi Tileworks • (734) 213-0017 • motawi.com Rick Epstein Clayworks • (413) 575-7337 • rickepsteinclayworks.com TMS Architects • (603) 436-4274 • tmsarchitects.com
The area adjacent to the house is enhanced by
William Switzer Ltd. • (604) 255-5911 • williamswitzer.com
native plantings, including different varieties of
YFI Custom Homes • (207) 363-8053 • yficustomhomes.com
nhhomemagazine.com
New Hampshire Home | 57
58 | New Hampshire Home
july/august 2019
Today, the Vachons’ Sunapee lake house has a timeless ease and elegance. The home’s color palette complements the gray-blues of the lake, flecked granite of the fireplaces, and the greens of nearby pines and hardwoods. Homeowners Karen and Mark built the house in 2004, and it was their dream home. Ten years later, they decided to spruce it up. Not to rebuild or remodel, but to re-imagine its interior design. “I was the original decorator,” Karen says, “and there were a couple of things that never got worked out. I enjoyed shopping for antiques. I also collect old sleds. Anyway, at that time we had a loose, woodsy approach to the décor, but we were ready for something new. We wanted to reconfigure some spaces, add more comfortable furnishings and just have an updated, more sophisticated look.”
The importance of planning Karen and Mark enlisted the expertise of Daher Interior Design, a Boston-based firm that has been winning design awards for more than twenty years. “With each of our projects, we want to speak to the homeowners’ aesthetic and
updating a Lake House
lifestyle,” says Paula Daher, principal. “Yet, we also look to acAbove: Developing a new wellfurnished living space atop the boathouse created new venues for entertaining. Facing page: From the entry, the view is through the house to the lake. In between, a graceful table from Mattaliano provides a welcoming focal point.
Paula Daher, of Daher Interior Design in Boston, helped homeowners refresh the look of their home on Lake Sunapee. By Carrie Sherman | Photography by John W. Hession nhhomemagazine.com
New Hampshire Home | 59
Top: In the great room, two antique fisherman baskets add interest and texture. Interior designer Paula Daher made the find in a Maine antique shop.
complish an unpretentious feel that has an un-
Right: Members of the team from Daher Interior Design in Boston include, from the left, Virginia SeherrThoss, Paula Daher and Ryan Donnelly.
offer a variety of choices. As refinements become
Facing page: Key elements all play together here from the custom-made Tibetan rug, to the handcrafted cocktail table, to an armchair designed by Holly Hunt.
moving from room to room. Daher obtained the
60 | New Hampshire Home
derstated elegance. That look is the hallmark of my firm.” When Daher describes how she and her firm work with clients, she emphasizes that first they listen. To translate their clients’ vision into reality, the team creates sketches and renderings that finalized, communications and schedules go into high gear. Working with her team—notably Ryan Donnelly and Virginia Seherr-Thoss, as well as the homeowners—Daher made recommendations, original architectural plans for the house from PePhotography by Michael J. Lee
ter White and Associates, an architectural firm in New London. The house was designed by Deirdre Sheerr, who is now retired from Sheerr & White; White has continued the practice. Using these plans, Daher mapped out precise measurements for new furnishings, paying meticulous attention to sight lines. With lake houses, sight lines are july/august 2019
nhhomemagazine.com
New Hampshire Home | 61
Above, left: Changes to the kitchen include a new backsplash—in small, gray subway tiles with a crackly glaze—and kitchen stools.
critical. Capturing the expansive feeling of a full
oranges and yellows. “That rug was the launching
lake view from the house takes planning. This
pad for our design,” Daher says. “It really grounds
means preserving unobstructed views from inside
the room.”
the house, past doors, windows, porches and fur-
The green walls were painted a light taupe,
Above, right: In the dining room, sleek modern furnishings are at home with traditional New England pieces.
nishings. Of course, the finished look should ap-
which softens and highlights the fir woodwork.
pear effortless.
Two off-white sofas were added along with two
Facing page: Refreshed with new paint, trim and wall sconces, this bath with a view invites relaxation.
62 | New Hampshire Home
small comfortable armchairs covered in a soft ce-
The great room
ladon fabric. A cast bronze chair by Holly Hunt
The great room with its fieldstone fireplace and
covered in smoky blue green mohair is both
lake view was a challenging space to furnish. The
sculpturally beautiful and delightful to sit in. It
room has many functions, and Karen had noted
anchors the room and visually connects to the
that getting the seating right was difficult. Daher
blue lake seen just outside. (Daher says a Holly
made some bold moves to infuse modernity into
Hunt showroom recently opened at the Boston
the room. She replaced small rugs with one large,
Design Center; visitors are free to browse the cen-
beautiful, custom-made Tibetan rug from Landry
ter’s showrooms, but purchases are “to-the-trade”
and Acari in Boston, which has an abstract design
and available to homeowners through designers.)
with a lot of charcoal and dark bronzes, as well as
The Vachons’ great room was transformed by july/august 2019
nhhomemagazine.com
New Hampshire Home | 63
the new furnishings and configuration. “We can
The dining room
now seat twelve people comfortably,” Karen says.
In the dining room, Daher brought in a
With modernity comes the challenge of find-
bigger, modern dining table to accommodate
ing a way to hide the black television screen, yet
more people. It’s by Brooklyn-based Hellman
have it easily accessible. Daher’s innovative cus-
Chang. To complement the table, Daher added
tom-designed chest, fabricated by Salmon Falls
luxurious dining chairs by Mattaliano as well as
Woodworks in Dover, provides a stunning solu-
host and hostess chairs by Gregorious|Pineo. Mat-
tion. The materials—brass and glass rondels—are
taliano and Gregorius|Pineo are represented at
somewhat industrial and refreshingly different.
Holly Hunt Boston. Dramatic lighting from Urban
The small armchairs can be turned for viewing.
Electric brings focus and mystique to this space.
Part of the discipline and skill of an interior
Their lighting collection can be viewed online,
designer is to choose just the right elements to
but only designers may make purchases for
finish a room. Daher added two custom-built
homeowners.
pieces to the great room. One so subtle it almost
“The dining chairs are really comfortable,”
escapes notice: a narrow table with a light gray
Karen says. “And again, it’s great to be able to
soapstone top behind the couch. Built by Salm-
entertain plenty of guests.”
on Falls Woodworks, owner and craftsman Fred Loucks says the table is bigger than you might think: “It’s about five feet long. Those L-shaped Here the mix is just right: wicker chairs, a sleek modern sectional, updated fabrics and a fun cocktail table with a built-in ice bucket.
64 | New Hampshire Home
legs can really fool your eye.”
“We’re not always dragging out the kids’ table anymore,” Mark says. “The bell fixtures were a bit of an adjustment,” Karen says.
Loucks and his team also custom-built the
“They’re quite modern,” Mark says. “Maybe
round walnut cocktail table in the great room.
a little beyond the midpoint, but that’s a tension
“To give it a less uniform finish, we hand-planed
we like.”
the top,” he notes.
“During the day, they’re like mirrors,” Karen
july/august 2019
Atop the boathouse, the living is easy for a crowd or just for Mark and Karen Vachon.
says. “At night, they glow like lanterns. Kind of
technique when we made that table—hammered
like mercury glass.”
veneer.”
A white, wool flat-weave rug in the dining
Other professionals Daher worked with in-
room keeps it casual. Plus, chairs slide in and out
clude the home’s original builders, McGray &
smoothly.
Nichols of New London, and Prana Design Paint-
Outdoor living
ing of Newbury, the home’s original painters. That’s the way it is in Sunapee, according the
For the adjacent screened-in porch, Daher added
architect Peter White. “We’re very fortunate to
a sleek modern sectional, updated fabrics and a
have so many talented tradespeople in the area,”
cool galvanized metal table with a built-in ice
he says. “It’s a small, friendly community. I often
bucket.
run into clients, such as the Vachons, walking
But perhaps the best new feature is an outdoor
downtown or by the lake.”
living space atop the boathouse that Daher creat-
The Vachons have become a part of the Suna-
ed with new furnishings, which included an out-
pee community through their work with Project
door living room, dining area and grill. She also
Sunapee, a local nonprofit that organizes events
installed a wonderful umbrella by TUUCI. “It can
such as Green-up Day and a celebration of the
withstand up to 50 mile-per-hour winds,” Daher
town’s 250th anniversary.
says. “They’re very common on the lake.”
Other updates Throughout the rest of the house, small touches, new paint and sometimes tile, and even a fireplace surround continued to refresh the look. A small den really transformed into the perfect summer hideaway with just the right touches. “We had a beautiful black-and-white sectional made,” Daher says. “We didn’t want to conceal the view, so the height is just at the window sill. We designed the small table, which was made by Salmon Falls. The boomerang stone was carefully selected to surprise and bring the room together. We always work to create moments in a house. Those layers of experiences make a home relaxing.” Loucks says: “Any time you work with wood and curves, it’s tricky. We used an old-fashioned nhhomemagazine.com
“Our home has a lot more style now,” Mark says. “It’s got a modern touch, but it’s not urban. It’s still a lake house in New Hampshire.”
NHH
Resources Boston Design Center • (617) 449-5501 • bostondesign.com Charles Fradin • (323) 930-1057 • charlesfradin.com Daher Interior Design • (617) 236-0355 • daherinteriordesign.com Gregorius|Pineo • (310) 204-0400 • gregoriuspineo.com Hellman Chang • (212) 875-0424 • hellman-chang.com Holly Hunt Boston • (800) 320-3145 • hollyhunt.com Landry and Acari • (617) 399-6500 • landryandacari.com Mattaliano • (312) 853-0512 • mattaliano.com McGray & Nichols • (603) 526-2877 • mcgray-nichols.com Peter White and Associates • (603) 526-2445 Prana Design Painting • (603) 763-9017 • pranapainting.com Project Sunapee • info@projectsunapee.org • projectsunapee.org Salmon Falls Woodworks • (603) 740-6060 salmonfallswoodworks.com TUUCI | Umbrellas • (305) 634 5116 • tuuci.com Urban Electric Co. • (843) 723-8140 • urbanelectric.com New Hampshire Home | 65
The cottage may be small (facing page), but the views are big, as evidenced by the bright and airy kitchen that looks onto the lake. 66 | New Hampshire Home
july/august 2019
Living on a Small
Footprint
O
A New England couple renovates a cozy cottage for lakeside living. On the shores of Lake Winnipesaukee,
Reineman discovered the neglected
tucked behind the iconic Yum Yum Shop
cottage one weekend on a visit from Bos-
bakery on Main Street in Wolfeboro,
ton, where she and Bronzetti lived. They
stands a small, gray cottage, noticeable
used to visit the area regularly because
only from the water. The cottage once be-
he is on the board of Brewster Academy,
longed to its more spectacular neighbor,
a boarding school in Wolfeboro (he is a
a green Victorian house on the lake that
1992 graduate). While Bronzetti was in
is familiar to Wolfeboro residents and
meetings, Reineman, who was getting
visitors alike. The Victorian now houses
into the real estate profession at the time,
condominiums, and the cottage is home
would look at properties. “It wasn’t seri-
to local realtors Ronn Bronzetti and Sara
ous looking,” she says. Then she found
Reineman, who moved there about two
the cottage. “This was a unique prop-
years ago.
erty.” In fact, the little lakeside cottage
By Jenny Donelan | Photography by John W. Hession
nhhomemagazine.com
New Hampshire Home | 67
The combined living/dining area features blue and beige furnishings designed to complement the water and sky seen through the windows. Hidden in the white cabinet next to the window (underneath George, the cat) is a television that rises up at the touch of a button.
68 | New Hampshire Home
and accompanying Victorian (they were sold as a package) were too intriguing to pass up. After working out a deal for both properties
By then, Reineman was already a realtor in Boston, so Bronzetti got his realtor’s license as well and together they formed the Lake Winni Team,
with a partner in April 2016, the couple began
part of Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Verani
spending time in the cottage, which they envi-
Realty. They joined an office on Main Street in
sioned as a summer home, a counterpart to their
Wolfeboro, just a short walk from their home.
apartment in Boston’s Beacon Hill.
They had
moved there about three years earlier, downsizing
Lofty goals
from a larger house in Wellesley, Massachusetts.
Meanwhile, the three-season cottage was in very
“That first summer we just wanted to live in the
poor condition. Initially, the couple spruced it
space to see how we liked it,” says Reineman. But
up with paint, but it needed a major overhaul.
they discovered they never wanted to leave. “We
“It wasn’t really livable,” Bronzetti says. “In fact,
fell in love with the Wolfeboro area and decided
it was a wreck.” So they decided to embark on
to make it home,” Bronzetti says. So they moved,
a major renovation, with help from a team that
along with their cat and two Yorkshire terriers.
included Tracy Leach and Linda Diorio, of T and july/august 2019
rooms and a bathroom, and a combined living room/kitchen/dining area that faces the water. “This was a fun project for us to work on,” says Diorio. New Pella windows were added, including the two large windows in the main living area
Homeowners Ronn Bronzetti and Sara Reineman (second from the left) enjoy a visit from Tracy Leach (second from the right) and Linda Diorio (right), of T and L Interiors in Wolfeboro.
that face the lake. Windows facing the Yum Yum Shop were placed high up, for privacy. According to Leach and Diorio, the overall design was in large part dictated by the house’s size (a bit less than eight hundred square feet). “When you’re designing for such a small space,” Leach says, “you have to maximize every square inch.” Accordingly, the banquette that provides seating for the dining room table contains drawers for storage. The bedroom TV is mounted on the wall, and another in the living room is actually embedded in a cabinet so it doesn’t block a window until someone wants to watch television—when it rises up at the touch of a button. Master carpenL Interiors in Wolfeboro; Dan Patch, of Dan Patch
ter Bryan Stanley of Wolfeboro and Greg Brooks,
Construction in Gilmanton; and Bobby Meehan,
of Greg Brooks Electric in New Durham, created
of Shamrock Landscaping in Mirror Lake.
this extremely clever and practical TV stand with
The first step was to lift the structure so they
hydraulic lift.
could pour a concrete foundation with a four-
Leach and Diorio worked with the couple to
foot crawlspace underneath. The dropped ceil-
develop an overall palette for the home, choos-
ing was removed to reveal a fourteen-foot ceiling
ing neutral beiges and whites with a bit of blue
with beams. That high ceiling helped realize one
that would harmonize with the outdoor land-
of the couple’s main goals for the house—that it
scape. “You’ve got the blues of the lake and
be light and airy. “We wanted something a bit
the skies, and we didn’t want to compete with that
brighter than a traditional lake house,” Bronzetti
too much,” Diorio says. The house has wood floors
says. “And I wanted clean, white walls, because
throughout that are from Provenza Floors’ Antico
the house is so small,” Reineman says.
Collection (Provenza is based in Tustin, Califor-
Leach and Diorio worked with the couple to
nia). The walls are covered in white pine panel-
design the layout, which consists of two bed-
ing, and the ceiling is made of white bead board.
nhhomemagazine.com
New Hampshire Home | 69
Above: The master bedroom connects to the main living area through French doors. Facing page, right: : Twin beds in a cozy guest room allow for company—and George, the cat. Right: A washer and dryer are conveniently placed in the bathroom.
The light fixtures, such as the “atom” shaped chandelier over the dining table, were chosen to provide contrast as well as light. The light fixture and ceiling fan are from Patti Bros Lighting & Furniture, in Wellesley, Massachusetts. Fabrics were selected, for the most part, with an eye toward the practicalities of lake house living. The banquette fabric, for example, is designed to bead off liquids. “We were looking for something casual but also updated,” Reineman says. “Tracy and Linda were wonderful partners, and did a great job of making our home feel and look like us.” In the living room, the lake is the focus. “We wake up every day and the view outside is different,” Reineman says. “In spring we see fishermen. In summer, motorboats. And in winter, people ice fishing. It’s like having our
70 | New Hampshire Home
july/august 2019
own TV to the outside world.” A com-
living area with French doors. The bed
is by E.R. Butler & Co. of Boston. Bron-
fortable couch covered in beige linen
is tucked between two tall wardrobes
zetti and Reineman hired Shamrock
and two blue easy chairs are the main
selected by T and L Interiors. “They
Landscaping to landscape the grounds.
furniture in the living room. As a touch
are easier to organize than any closets
The old wooden deck was replaced
of architectural whimsy, there is also
we’ve ever had,” says Reineman. “I love
with a new and larger bluestone patio
a wooden ladder leading to a storage
them.” There is also a guest room with
by Scott Blundo, of Rustic Stone and
space.
twin beds that is a cozy nook for visitors.
Garden in Moultonborough. Reineman
The adjoining kitchen features an
The bathroom functions as a multi-
particularly likes the patio because it
island with a granite top, a farmhouse
purpose area. In addition to its tiled
helps give the cottage the look and feel
sink and a number of cabinets finished
shower, it has a washer and dryer.
of a full-size home, and also expands
in a sand color. The cabinet design, a
Finding a vanity that would fit in the
the livable space in pleasant weather.
collaboration between T and L Interiors
available space was almost impossible,
The couple share a dock with their
and Fred E. Varney Company in Wolfe-
Reineman says. “We had to find one
neighbor and own a small boat. “Being
boro, is especially important in the
that was a certain size, yet functional.”
out on the water adds a whole new di-
small space, and Reineman describes the
mension to our lives,” Bronzetti says.
set up as “very easy, very livable.” The
Outdoors and more
dining area features a wooden table that
For architectural interest, T and L Inte-
A happy accident
was custom made for the couple by Lou
riors added a cupola with a light in it to
Before moving into the cottage, nei-
Farkas, of Meredith Bay Furniture Com-
the top of the cottage. They also select-
ther Reineman nor Bronzetti could
pany in Meredith.
ed a slate roof from DaVinci Roofscapes
imagine being so happy in such a small
in Lenexa, Kansas. The front doorknob
home. But now that they are living
The master bedroom connects to the nhhomemagazine.com
New Hampshire Home | 71
The cottage’s lakeside location is both lovely and practical—downtown Wolfeboro is only a few steps away.
the small house life, they have become fans. “It’s allowed us to simplify,” Reineman says. “We think about everything we bring into the house, and that’s a really good way to live. I’ve enjoyed that part of it. It makes life easier.” Bronzetti adds, “It’s surprisingly comfortable, partly because there are so many windows looking onto the bay. It’s all about the views.” Both he and Reineman enjoy living in town and being close to work. “This was the best thing we ever did,” he says. “We love the home, but more important, we love this community.”
NHH
Resources Dan Patch Construction • dpatch09@gmail.com (603) 455-3930 DaVinci Roofscapes • (800) 328-4624 • davinciroofscapes.com E.R. Butler & Co. • (617) 722-0230 • erbutler.com Fred E. Varney Company • (603) 569-3565 kitchensnh.com Greg Brooks Electric • (603) 767-3824 gregbrookselectric@msn.com Lake Winni Team • (781) 708-1707 • lakewinniteam.com Meredith Bay Furniture Company • (603) 998-6249 meredithbayfurniturecompany.com Patti Bros Lighting & Furniture • (978) 443-9412 pattibros.com Provenza Floors • (877) 455-7890 • provenzafloors.com Rustic Stone and Garden • (603) 393-0749 rusticstoneandgarden@gmail.com Shamrock Landscaping • (603) 569-6960 bob@shamrocknh.com Bryan Stanley • (603) 455-8772 Lewis (foreground) and Tilly are Yorkshire terriers who also call the cottage home. George keeps watch from the chair. 72 | New Hampshire Home
T and L Interiors • (617) 957-1531, (978) 423-8837 tandlinteriors.com Yum Yum Shop • yumyumshop.com july/august 2019
2019 faces of new hampshire
3W design, inc.
db Landscaping
Life Lake Realty
Liberty Hill Construction
Marcus Gleysteen Architects
Northcape Design
Old Hampshire Designs, Inc.
Secondwind Water Systems, Inc.
TMS Architects
Ferguson Bath, Kitchen and Lighting Gallery
Kennebunk Savings
Stephens Landscaping Professionals
nhhomemagazine.com SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION
New Hampshire Home | 73
THE FACES OF Remodeling Excellence Cheryl Tufts 3W design, inc. 7 Henniker Street Concord, NH 03301 (603) 226-3399 3wdesigninc.com
3W design, inc. is an award-winning remodeling and interior design company located in Concord. Since 1988 we have worked on residential and commercial projects with the same goals—to interpret our clients’ wishes and needs, and turn them into an end result that meets their future goals and budget. During the design phase we collaborate with our clients to develop concepts and solutions through our software, Chief Architect. We then provide renderings and elevations that show a 3D visual interpretation of many possibilities. Once a final plan has been selected either our quality team of sub-contractors translates those plans into reality or we work with our clients’ builder to create a home or office of their dreams. Come visit our 3,800-square-foot showroom and meet our team.
photography by John w. hession
SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION
the FACE of Landscape Architecture
Dan Bruzga db Landscaping LLC P.O. Box 356 • Sunapee, NH 03782 (603) 763-6423 • dblandscaping.com Whether your property boasts leafy woodlands, sweeping vistas or a beautiful waterfront, Mother Nature’s landscapes are guaranteed to impress—and db Landscaping LLC can enhance that natural wow factor for your residential or business property. In addition to designing the outdoor living space of your dreams, db Landscaping LLC takes care of the details, including permitting and adhering to regulations. Led by landscape architect Daniel Bruzga, our team has fifteen years of experience navigating the process from design and environmental permitting, to construction and long-term care. Our team works with you to select natural, local materials appropriate to your property’s surroundings. We happily provide services wherever our clients live and play—in New Hampshire, the greater Boston area, Cape Cod, the Caribbean and beyond.
SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION photography by kendal j. bush
the FACES of closing deals Lake Life Realty 66 Route 25 Meredith, NH 03253 (603) 819-8071 LakeLifeRealty.net
Changing the real estate game, this team of young, enthusiastic realtors is making the biggest difference for their clients, closing deals in less than half the days of the local average and at a higher list-to-sales price than the local average. Bringing a modern approach to sales and marketing, Lake Life offers a completely customized and turnkey real estate experience. These tech gurus intentionally challenge the boundaries of the traditional industry by implementing the latest trends and technology as the platform for their business. The differentiation lies in their ability to individualize their listing, creating that difference. They certainly don’t do average and don’t do what most do; they are consistent and over-deliver on all fronts landing them in the top three for volume in the Lakes Region and top ten in the state for 2018, closing more than $36 million in sales.
photography by John w. hession
SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION
the FACES of Predictable and Stress-Free Remodeling
Greg Rehm Liberty Hill Construction 58 Liberty Hill Road Bedford, NH 03110 (603) 472-4414 libertyhillconstruction.com
Liberty Hill Construction is a twenty-year-old, award-winning company that builds additions, carriage houses and other outbuildings, as well as renovates kitchens, baths and other rooms. Our top priorities are producing the highest quality of work and building long lasting relationships with our clients and staff. “We have many repeat clients,” says Greg Rehm (center), owner of Liberty Hill Construction. “One did twelve projects with us. We still have our first employee, who’s in his fourteenth year, and several who’ve been with us for nearly five. “The most important things for us are trust and communication,” Rehm continues. “If you get those right, everything else falls into place.” “Thanks to everyone at Liberty Hill Construction, we now have a home that we love and are proud of. Our house looks beautiful and we continue to receive compliments from neighbors and friends in town who cannot believe it’s the same house! We have enjoyed working with all of you.” —Greia and Sean Marlow in Bedford
SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION photography by John w. hession
The Face of Art in Architecture Marcus Gleysteen Architects
129 Kingston Street, 5th Floor Boston, MA 02111 (617) 542-6060 mgaarchitects.com
MGA Architects pursues art in architecture by embracing the spectrum of design criteria ranging from craft and performance, to delight and beauty. Our houses are inspired by the diversity of circumstances we encounter with each client, project and site. We believe that art is found in architecture when efficient, responsible and purposeful buildings become meaningful by the nature of their physical form, how they interact with their surroundings, and the depth of emotional and intellectual responses they evoke. Our work is grounded in the enduring power of timeless architecture. We design for the future by combining our growing knowledge and experience with the possibilities and needs of the here and now. Whether modern or traditional, or large or small, each of our houses excels in its own particular way. Based in Boston and designing throughout New England, MGA Architects designs the best houses our clients will ever live in. photography by John w. hession  
SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION
THE FACEs OF Fine Craftsmanship Northcape Design 3 Alpine Court PO Box 549 Sunapee, NH 03782 (603) 763-2477 northcapedesign.com SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION  photography by John w. hession
Northcape Design Build is an award-winning company founded more than forty years ago in Sunapee. Whether you are looking to build a new home, renovate an existing home or create the kitchen of your dreams, Northcape has the expertise you need. Our in-house design team collaborates with you from the beginning to ensure your dream becomes reality. We use the most advanced 3-D design software, so you can visualize every aspect of your space and feel comfortable before construction or renovation begins. We invite you to consider Northcape Design Build as your one source for every home design project.
the FACES of CUSTOM HOMEBUILDING Jay Tucker Old Hampshire Designs, Inc.
263 Main Street New London, NH 03257 (603) 526-6945 oldhampshiredesigns.com
Old Hampshire Designs, Inc. is an award-winning design/build company located in New London. We’ve earned our reputation by building quality homes in the Dartmouth/Lake Sunapee region since 1984. We are committed to distinctive craftsmanship and excellent customer service, and are a leader in green-building practices and energy-efficient design. We want you to not only love your new home, but also have an enjoyable experience throughout the entire design and construction process. During the design phase, we work with you to create your customized plans. We then acquire the permits and construct the home. This collaboration results in a seamless transition from initial concept to completion. We also enjoy working with plans that were developed by your own architect or designer. We are available for renovation consultations and commercial construction. Our skills and expertise result in projects that successfully stay within the budget and time frame you choose. We look forward to hearing from you. photography by John w. hession
SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION
THE FACEs OF water treatment Christine Fletcher Secondwind Water Systems, Inc. 735 East Industrial Park Drive Manchester, NH 03109 (603) 641-5767 secondwindwater.com
The safety of our drinking water is of increasing concern in the region and across the country. Secondwind Water Systems, with its A+ rating from the Better Business Bureau, has thirty years of experience in treating the region’s top water health issues including arsenic, radon, bacteria and emerging contaminants such as PFOA. Eighty percent of New Hampshire’s Water Quality Association-certified water specialists work for Secondwind Water. They treat the area’s most common water problems such as hard water, staining and odor, bad taste, fluoride and so much more. Secondwind Water also specializes in commercial applications, serving hospitals, surgical centers, breweries and manufacturing plants as well as public water systems. Personalized, reputable service ensures clean, safe, great-tasting water for your home or business.
SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION photography by John w. hession
the FACES of Lively Spaces TMS Architects
1 Cate Street , Eldridge Park Portsmouth NH 03801 (603) 436-4274 tmsarchitects.com
TMS Architects also offers interior design services that help our clients’ projects progress smoothly from beginning to end. Having architects and interior designers on the same team creates the opportunity for seamless communication and cost savings for our clients. By getting involved early in the planning process, we can get a clear idea of the lifestyle our clients envision having and then find ways to translate those ideas into millwork, materials and furniture. We can help choose a general color palette or get involved with finishing touches, like selecting draperies and artwork. Our materials library includes a curated selection of samples for countertops, tile, stone, wood, carpet, hardware, wallpaper and fabric, as well as furniture catalogs. Give us a call to see how we can help liven up your space!
photography by John w. hession
SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION PROMOTION PROMOTION
THE FACEs OF BATH, KITCHEN AND LIGHTING INSPIRATION Ferguson Bath, Kitchen and Lighting Gallery 126 Bridge Street Portsmouth, NH 03801 (603) 436-3550 fergusonshowrooms.com
Step into a Ferguson Bath, Kitchen and Lighting Gallery and you’ll immediately be inspired by what you see — beautifully displayed lighting, appliances, and bath and kitchen products from today’s top brands. From exquisitely designed bathroom displays to full kitchens with working appliances, you can explore a variety of design styles ranging from classical elegance to bold contemporary. Yet, ask customers what brings them back time and again, and they’ll say it’s the people. Ferguson’s product experts have years of industry experience and are extremely knowledgeable about design trends, product selection and the building and remodeling process. They also stay involved throughout the entire building process and ensure the right product is delivered during the right stage of the project. Ferguson’s passion for customer service is easy to see after just one visit. Please visit our newly expanded showroom in Portsmouth. Walk-ins are welcome; however, our product experts take pride in personalized service, so appointments are highly recommended.
SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION photography by John w. hession PROMOTION PROMOTION
the FACES of Mortgage Lending Our Residential Loan Officers (left to right) Kalina Lesseva, Alex Brockway, Bryanna Thibault
Kennebunk Savings 104 Main Street PO Box 28 Kennebunk, ME 04043 (800) 339-6573 kennebunksavings.com
A trusted handshake is the best way to start your mortgage. That’s where we come in—we take time to learn about your needs and find the loan option that’s right for you. Whether you’re looking for the perfect home or a home to renovate, or purchasing your first home, we’re here to help you through the lending process with guidance, support and answers to your questions—every step of the way. Our dedicated residential loan officers provide sound advice and exceptional personal service from a trusted community bank. We have five New Hampshire locations including Portsmouth, Stratham, Hampton, Dover and Newmarket, along with twelve in southern Maine. Give us a call or stop by any of our branches. We look forward to working with you!
photography by CA Smith Photography
SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION PROMOTION PROMOTION
THE FACEs OF Lakes Region Beauty Stephens Landscaping Professionals
62 Moultonborough Neck Road Moultonborough, NH 03254 (603) 707-0630 stephenslandscaping.com
In landscaping, there is no substitute for a hard-working, loyal crew. At Stephens Landscaping, our team numbers more than fifty! We take great pride in watching our diverse team learn and grow each year, as well as creating beautiful landscapes for our clients. Our team is passionate about working closely with our clients to create landscapes that are aesthetically appealing, environmentally responsible and exceed expectations. From the beginning of the design process, to its implementation and ongoing maintenance, our team is there for our clients. Each team member—from the exceptional direction of management and crew leaders, to the remarkable achievements of the design, construction and maintenance crews and year-round office personnel—is committed to his or her role in the company’s success. Our numerous awards include four Cornerstone Awards in 2018 and reflect the commitment and passion of each team member. We thrive because we build longlasting relationships with our staff and clients, and extraordinary landscapes that can be enjoyed by future generations.
SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION photography by John w. hession PROMOTION PROMOTION
flower power
On a sunny summer afternoon, the front porch overlooking the garden at The Fells in Newbury is the perfect place for a flower arranging demonstration by local floral designer Robert Jensen.
Art in Bloom Robert Jensen
inspires those
who attend his July workshop at The Fells to
make unique and beautiful floral arrangements.
V
isual art has the power to inspire us
exhibit. It showcases arrangements created
in many ways. Art in Bloom is the
by local designers and gardeners that were
popular practice of designing a floral
inspired by the current artwork on display
interpretation of a work of art and displaying
in The Fells gallery. “I started Art in Bloom at
it together with the corresponding painting. A
The Fells about a dozen years ago,” says Nell
collaboration between galleries, and amateur
Leach, longtime Fells volunteer and chair of
and professional floral designers and garden
Art in Bloom. “Many different people have
club members, Art in Bloom was originally the
participated over the years: Fells volunteers,
idea of Boston Museum of Fine Arts volunteer
professional florists, garden club members
Lorraine Pitts back in 1976. Since then, the
and friends who are great arrangers. We have
idea has grown into an annual event at many
had a wide range of art shows over time,
major galleries across the country.
which provide the source of inspiration for
Each summer, The Fells Historic Estate and Gardens in Newbury has its own Art in Bloom
the designers.” To encourage participation, local floral
By Robin Sweetser | Photography by John W. Hession 86 | New Hampshire Home
july/august 2019
designer Robert Jensen has been giving
Weston Hoyt Collection—Bringing Light
workshops for the past several years
to Life—and a related exhibit of painters
demonstrating how to interpret a
who worked with Hoyt called Distant
painting into a floral creation. “He is
View. Local floral designers and garden
a great friend of The Fells, and we are
club members interpreted the painting
very grateful for his participation. He
of their choice in flowers, and the
has such a flair for this,” Leach says,
arrangements were on display over a
“His theater background really comes
long weekend in July.
through.”
The Fells Executive Director Susan
When Jensen left his career as an
Warren participated, selecting the
actor on Broadway after thirty years,
painting Mother and Child by John
he worked for two years at the Carolyn
Traynor to interpret in flowers. “This
Hill Fine Art Gallery in SoHo as the
painting represented to me, at the time,
in-house floral designer. “I had great
my daughter-in-law who was expecting
fun shopping at the New York City
my first grandchild, a little girl. I was
flower markets,” Jensen says. “I was not
touched by John’s painting and envi-
professionally taught, but I have been
sioned that the woman in the painting
dabbling in flowers since I was twelve.”
holding the little girl would be both of
Eventually he brought his love of flow-
them in future years. The sculptured
ers and decorating to New London,
woman’s face I used for my vase seemed
opening Robert Jensen Floral Design.
perfect for the flowers selected, and its
“In mid-July there is so much in bloom,
whimsical design represented my hap-
it gives potential flower arrangers
piness and my thoughts of embracing
plenty to work with and gives creative
both of them,” Warren says. “I feel that
people an opportunity to express them-
when the designers come to The Fells
selves,” he says.
gallery to select their painting from the
Last summer, the paintings in The Fells gallery were from the Frances
exhibit for Art in Bloom, like me, they somehow, in some way, relate to what
The Fells Executive Director Susan Warren and Robert Jensen welcome a large group to the Art in Bloom program. Jensen will interpret the two dove paintings by Mary Jane Q. Cross in flowers. nhhomemagazine.com
New Hampshire Home | 87
flower power
Right: Robert Jensen has completed the base of ligustrum leaves and jasmine vine, and is ready to add the red mandevilla flowers. Below: Jensen recuts the peony stems to enable them to take up water, keeping the blossoms fresh.
they see and can almost instantly begin to feel an attachment to it. I would venture to say that at that moment of selection, the creation may come to mind immediately—down to the container and flowers to be used. It seems cliché, but it could be said that the painting ‘speaks to them,’” Warren says.
Making a floral masterpiece At last July’s workshop, Jensen played to a packed house. He chose a pair of paintings of doves by Mary Jane Q. Cross. “I was attracted to the peacefulness, theatricality and color,” Jensen says. “Sometimes simple and easy is fun to do. If you are familiar with what I do at the shop, you know it is usually over the top. People shout ‘Stop!’” he says, with a laugh. Explaining the paintings presented at the workshop, Jensen told us that the first dove painting was called The Gift, My Peace, I Leave You. “Today in our worlds, we all would welcome a little peace,” he says. The second dove painting was called Present Comfort. He went on to explain the symbolism of love, grace, motherhood, sacrifice, devotion and nurturing represented by the doves along with Cross’s idea of the birds as messengers from a higher place. As promised, Jensen kept the arrange88 | New Hampshire Home
july/august 2019
Take it Outside! The finished arrangement is displayed at The Fells gallery under the dove paintings it represents. The top painting is The Gift, My Peace, I Leave You and the bottom one is Present Comfort.
ment simple. Using a white bowl to hold a piece of floral foam for the base, he demonstrated how to make a grid of tape across the bowl. “This keeps everything sitting up,” he says. “Make sure the vessel you use is dry, or the tape won’t stick.”
SDA
Flowers may be the stars of an arrangement, but greenery is the all-important supporting cast. “I love using greens,” he says. “Sometimes I will use up to five different kinds of greens. They give such wonderful texture.” For this arrangement, Jensen chose glossy ligustrum leaves as a foundation. “They cover up all the tape,” he said. He put red mandevilla flowers and white peonies in individual flower tubes that hold water so each blossom would have its own water supply. The jasmine flower vine stems were so delicate that he placed three together into several waterfilled flower tubes before adding them to the bowl, wrapping the tendrils of the vines around the greenery to form a bird’s nest on top of a bird’s nest. He laid the mandevilla in the jasmine, letting it find its own place, nhhomemagazine.com
Samyn-D’Elia Architects, P.A. Holderness, NH • (603) 968-7133 • sdarchitects.com New Hampshire Home | 89
flower power
Executive Director Susan Warren (left) and Nell Leach, chair for the Art in Bloom program, look forward to Jensen’s demonstration every summer because it encourages visitors to think deeply about the works of art and inspires them to be creative with their interpretations.
and finally added the white peonies that represented the doves.
“Robert Jensen inspires everyone who has the opportunity to watch him as he
Of the finished product, he says, “Even
creates his magic in front of your eyes.
in simplicity, there is beauty and peace.”
Robert thinks outside the box and has
An inspirational afternoon
the ability to create the unusual, yet beautiful, with the wow factor. Color,
Newly retired in 2017, Judy Odell of New
design, form and function come together
London has attended two of Jensen’s
in lovely unity to make those in his
demonstrations. “At the first one, I was
audience sigh in unison, ‘Wow!’”
inspired to be creative,” she says. “To
Warren says.
just take some flowers and greens, and
This summer, Art in Bloom at The
put them together with a few more
Fells is scheduled for Thursday, July
things from my garden, using ideas
18, through Sunday, July 21. Jensen’s
from my own arranging.”
demonstration will be on Thursday, July
The demonstration using the dove pictures gave her some new thoughts on
18, from 11 a.m. to noon. Plan to attend and be inspired!
NHH
coordinating flowers with paintings. “I’m Susan Warren chose Mother and Child by John Traynor to interpret in flowers because it made her think of her daughter-in-law and grandchild. In her arrangement, Warren used fuzzy clematis seed heads, pale blue hydrangea blossoms, rose hips and velvety lamb’s ears from The Fells’ gardens. 90 | New Hampshire Home
astonished by the beauty created by both the artistry of the painting and the floral
Resources
arrangement,” Odell says. “Both out-
Robert Jensen Floral Design • (917) 208-1836 rjflorals.com
standing and uplifting! This workshop inspired me to ‘spread my wings.’”
The Fells Historic Estate and Gardens (603) 763-4789 • thefells.org july/august 2019
DISCOVER NEW HAMPSHIRE’S CREATIVE SIDE
Craftsmen’s Fair 86th Annual
August 3-11, 2019
Mt. Sunapee Resort, Newbury, NH
Experience handmade craft and take home a memory.
Over 200 Craft Booths
Inspiring Exhibitions
Engaging Demonstrations
Hands-on Workshops
Live Music
Use promo code NHHOME19 for $2 off full price adult admission. Cannot be combined with other discounts. For details and tickets, visit our website. Art By: Lauren Pollaro
SHOP OUR NINE NH FINE CRAFT GALLERIES Concord, Hanover, Hooksett, Keene, Littleton, Meredith, Nashua, North Conway, Center Sandwich
Visit Our Exhibition Gallery and
Grodin Permanent Collection Museum 49 S. Main St, Suite 100 | Concord, NH
SAVE THE DATE FOR OUR UPCOMING EVENTS
Jennifer Diggs Art By: Tom White
The League is taking it to the street! Shop fine craft, enjoy live music, hands on demonstrations and much more. Free admission. Main Street, Concord, NH.
September 27-29, 2019
nhhomemagazine.com
Explore the state, visit artisan studios, sample food & drink and take part in hands-on activities. Plan your tour at nhopendoors.com.
November 2-3, 2019
MORE INFO: NHCRAFTS.ORG
New Hampshire Home | 91
photography by sheilagh flynn
Master of Her Craft
Earth Resonance is a mixed-media wall mosaic made by Sheilagh Flynn of carved ceramic—glazed in vibrant blues—and beach stones.
Working Magic with Clay Sheilagh Flynn’s richly textured and colorful ceramic wall art
symbolizes her view
of the world: a unified whole of many pieces.
S
heilagh Flynn discovered clay at
Sunapee Resort in Newbury—see the side-
Boston College, where she received
bar on page 97 for more information.
a bachelor’s degree in fine art in
1982. “Clay is so seductive,” she says,
New Hampshire Home [NHH]: Have you
“and I quickly fell in love with the mate-
always done hand building?
rial and the process of making pottery.”
Sheilagh Flynn [SF]: No—up until five years
Since her college days, she’s worked in
ago, I was primarily making thrown
studios in Cambridge and New Bedford,
pottery on the wheel. I started with raku
Massachusetts; studied graduate level
when I was in Cambridge at the Radcliffe
ceramics at the University of Massachu-
College Ceramics Studio—first I was a stu-
setts, Dartmouth; and made her way
dent, and then I began teaching all their
to New Hampshire, where she set up a
raku workshops. Since I was interested in
studio in Center Conway. She is a skilled
making functional pottery, I also did high-
and talented potter and clay artist, profi-
fire reduction stoneware, which is fired in
cient in throwing as well as sculpture and a gas kiln. I made simple forms as well as hand building. Make sure to drop by her
pitchers that looked like birds, along with
booth in August at the League of New
altered forms like ovals. All these pieces
Hampshire Craftsmen’s Fair at the Mount were made on the wheel.
By Andi Axman | Studio Photography by Morgan Karanasios 92 | New Hampshire Home
july/august 2019
NHH: How did your work evolve
moved here in January 2014 to be with
from there?
him. We now share a building where we
SF: In 1990, I became restless and en-
both work, but we each have our own
rolled in the master of fine arts program
spaces. Shortly after I moved here, I got
in ceramics at the University of Mas-
sick and had to take about six months
sachusetts, Dartmouth. I wanted to
off. When I began working again that
study with Chris Gustin—a well-known
November, I gave myself permission to
ceramic artist who does wheelwork and
start new work that had been incubat-
large, hand-built sculptural vessels—and
ing for a while in my head. The initial
Karon Doherty, who made hand-built,
foray into this new world was eight-
narrative pots that were quirky and fun.
inch mosaics, the beginning of my
I knew I needed to expand my work and
current work.
“Clay is so seductive,” Sheilagh Flynn says, “and I quickly fell in
love with the material and the process of making pottery.”
wanted others’ input. NHH: What was your takeaway
from graduate school? SF: This was an important exploratory
time for me. I began carving, which was the genesis of what I do now with my wall work. I also worked more intuitively with the clay and explored the nature of the clay—its plasticity and unique ability to record marks. This led to an interest in surface pattern and rhythm, which are the underpinnings of my current work. NHH: What direction did your work
take after graduate school? SF: After graduate school, I established a
studio in New Bedford in an old textile mill. This was an old brick building that had great light. Because I couldn’t set up a gas kiln there, I began working with earthenware, a red clay that’s fired at a lower temperature in an electric kiln. I came to love the richness of the terracotta and its surfaces. Where my high-fire reduction work had been very precise—bowls with flange lips, pieces that were all the same—my earthenware pieces were all different and very textural. The investigation into surface textures and marks was incorporated into the functional pottery I started making at this time. NHH: What brought you to
New Hampshire? SF: I fell in love with Tom Flavin, a
potter I met in graduate school, and nhhomemagazine.com
Clay artist Sheilagh Flynn in her Center Conway studio. The clay and beach stone mosaic on the left is from her River series while the design of the mosaic on the right is based on a mandala. New Hampshire Home | 93
Master of Her Craft
Top row: Flynn begins to delineate the textures of the clay with a carving tool (left), then she refines the textural elements (center) before starting the process of carving a third piece in her left hand (right). Flynn selects stones for their color and size for clay tiles that have been bisque fired (far left)—then she places the stones and begins thinking about what color she will glaze the clay (above). Near left: Carved clay tiles are ready to be bisqued, the first of two firings in the kiln.
94 | New Hampshire Home
july/august 2019
2020
DESIGN magazine
AWARDS
Now is the time for you to photograph your favorite residential projects and plan for the 2020 NEW HAMPSHIRE HOME Design Awards. Whether you’ve designed or built a spectacular kitchen, a beautiful bath, a unique outdoor space or a fabulous home, we want to see your most impressive work.
photography courtesy of charlie freiberg
for 2020, designers’ best projects can be submitted in ten categories— so make sure to schedule your photography soon. NEW HAMPSHIRE HOME will celebrate at our Design awards gala at the Manchester country club in bedford on January 22, 2020. submissions are due November 4, 2019 and will be judged by an independent jury of design professionals from out of state.
Vita, which is Latin for “life,” is a mixed-media wall mosaic twenty-eight-inches tall and sixteen-inches wide.
NHH: What inspired this work?
it through a slab roller so it’s about
SF: I got the idea of making my River
one-inch thick. I transfer this clay to a
Series, Found Objects pieces based on
wallboard and roll it with a rolling pin;
aerial views. When I fly, I love sitting at
then I cover it with plastic and let it
the window and seeing the landscape
rest overnight. The clay wants to warp,
below—the undulating rivers, the
so the next day, I roll it again to about
patterning of the fields, how irrigation
a one-half-inch thickness, cover it and
affects the landscape and the rhythm
let it rest again overnight. The follow-
of the furrowed ground. It reminds me
ing day, I cut the pieces to size to cre-
of the textures of quilts, and the color
ate my “canvas,” and carve them soon
and lines of abstract painting.
after. It takes a lot of thought to get the
NHH: What is your process
pieces I want in a “canvas.”
for making these pieces?
Sponsors include
My other concern is that I want the
SF: I work in a six-week cycle. First, I
clay to be not too hard and not too
flatten out twenty-five pounds of clay
soft. This perfect amount of wetness is
to stretch and compress it, then run
called “leather hard.”
nhhomemagazine.com
for a complete list of award descriptions, judging criteria and information on the entry process, see NHHomeMagazine.com/DesignAwards. Mark your calendar now— we look forward to seeing you at our gala!
New Hampshire Home | 95
Master of Her Craft
I have a lot of tools for carving. My favorite is made from a piece of strap
change in material and rhythm that
steel that held bundles of lumber—my
stones bring to my clay work. What’s
teacher gave the steel to me and you
more, this gives me a good reason to
can’t find it anywhere now. I use it to
continue collecting rocks.
show rivulets of water on the clay. I’m also a flea market junkie and look
photography this page courtesy of charlie freiberg
the rivers in my pieces. I also like the
I grew up in Connecticut, but my parents always had a summer house
for anything that will make a mark in
in Scituate, Massachusetts, and that’s
the clay. For instance, old drawer pulls
where I collect my rocks. I go to the
make great marks; golf tees create con-
beach and look for relatively flat
vex dots; and rounded dowels are the
pebbles in a variety of colors but with
perfect tool for dimpling. I never know
a consistency of outline—round, oval,
exactly what textures I’ll use until I
triangular—that are not too jagged and
come to the piece. The surface work
not too big.
is a composition like music. There is a melody with bass notes and accents. This is similar to my processes. I decide on a primary texture and accent with contrasting marks, changing the scale and the rhythm to create visual interest. Success means the whole piece “sings.”
NHH: How do your wall pieces
come together? SF: After my clay pieces are fired for the
first time, I begin to visualize the final mosaic. I consider which color combinations will make the piece pop. The glaze palette is varied both in
Top: Itineris, which is Latin for “journey,” is a mixedmedia wall mosaic of carved ceramic and beach stones.
NHH: There are also stones in your
color and surface. Surfaces include shiny,
pieces. Where do you get them, and
semi-gloss and matte. I have many color
Above: Still Moment is an oval wall mosaic that measures forty-two-inches tall. Note the colorful beach stones, which add pizazz to the subtle glaze of the clay.
why do you use them?
options—for instance, I have seven
SF: I have collected rocks since I was a
blues that I use regularly. The art is in
child and love them—they have become
the balance of color, the play of tonal
96 | New Hampshire Home
july/august 2019
Meet New Hampshire’s Best Craftspeople! The League of New Hampshire Craftsmen holds its eighty-sixth annual fair August 3–11 at the Mount Sunapee Resort in Newbury. As one of the premier craft shows nationwide, this juried fair showcases work by some of the finest craftspeople in the country.
Imagine a kitchen...
See and shop for one-of-a-kind fine crafts that are both beautiful and functional. And meet the hundreds of makers, including ceramic artist Sheilagh Flynn, and learn about their vision and passion for their craft. Other highlights of the fair include:
Imagine a kitchen...
• Daily craft demonstrations • Workshops and all-day classes for children • The Living with Craft Exhibition • The CraftWear Exhibition • The Sculpture Garden • Performances by musicians
photography courtesy of nhcrafts.org
2019 League of New Hampshire Craftsmen Fair Saturday, August 3–Sunday, August 11 10 a.m.–5 p.m. daily, rain or shine • nhcrafts.org
Vintage Kitchens harmonies or dissonance that makes the final work successful. Once I’ve figured out what colors I want in the final piece, I glaze each
W
hether you live in an old house with original features, or plan to create something entirely new, the goal is the same: a consistent aesthetic theme and a kitchen that works — beautifully.
Vintage Kitchens vintagekitchens.com
clay piece separately. After they’re
603.224.2854 24 South Street Concord, NH 03301
fired, I lay out the clay and stones on backer board. It’s like putting together a big puzzle. When I finally have the design in place, I use mortar to hold the tiles and stones permanently in place on the board. The last step is mortaring between the tiles and stones. The final work is one compo-
W
hether you live in an old house with original features, or plan GIVE toYOUR HOME entirely NEW new, STYLE WITH create something the goal is theBEAUTIFUL same: a consistentTILE Ceramic Porcelain aesthetic theme and a kitchen that works — beautifully. Marble
Granite
Quartz vintagekitchens.com Glass
603.224.2854 24 South Street Concord, NH 03301
sition, but it’s really made of many pieces.
NHH
Resources
Sheilagh Flynn • (508) 264-8059 flynnclaystudio@aol.com facebook.com/pg/Sheilagh-Flynn-Pottery-and-Tile League of New Hampshire Craftsmen (603) 224-3375 • nhcrafts.org nhhomemagazine.com
Tile Dealers and Remodeling Services (603) 668-2033 87 Elm Street, Manchester, NH superior-tile.com Hours: Mon, Tues, Wed, Fri: 9-5; Thurs: 9-7; Sat: 9-4 New Hampshire Home | 97
resources
arch itects
Home furnishings
Bonin Architects & Associates
Winchendon Furniture
Bonin Architects & Associates, located in New London and Meredith, New Hampshire, serves clients in New England with a focus on lake, mountain and coastal homes. We bring architecture and landscape together in a collaborative approach to every project; our values of honesty integrity, commitment and respect are the difference between building a home and building a dream. New London and Meredith • (603) 526-6200 boninarchitects.com • info@boninarchitects.com
We are passionate about quality. Since 1939, our family-owned company has helped homeowners create comfortable, memorable spaces. Visit our locations in Keene, New Hampshire, or Winchendon, Massachusetts, to find fine handcrafted furniture (most of it American-made) from top manufacturers, including our own designs. Our design consultants are delighted to help you select the right pieces for your home. winchendonfurniture.com
K i t c h e n a n d b at h d e s i g n
Linda Cloutier Kitchens & Baths, LLC
Linda Cloutier Kitchens & Baths has been designing custom kitchens and baths for more than three decades. We can provide you with a wide spectrum of services from the moment you are ready to engage in either a remodel or new construction project. We love design that you can look back on as having been a fun exploration, a carefree experience and an end result that surpasses your expectations. Call for more information or visit our showroom. 611 Breakfast Hill Road in Greenland (603) 964-2959 • lindacloutier.com
lighting
K i t c h e n s a n d b at h r o o m s
Belletetes
Whether your project is large or small, complicated or simple, Belletetes takes your ideas and makes them happen. We have all the tools, products and skills necessary to make your project a complete success. Specializing in lumber, decking, windows, doors, paint, stains and flooring—as well as fixtures and cabinets for kitchens and bathrooms. We have everything for your remodeling needs. And don’t forget to take advantage of our free estimates! 51 Peterborough Street in Jaffrey • (603) 532-7716 • belletetes.com Landscaping
Derek Marshall Lighting
Piscataqua Landscaping and Tree Service
A new chandelier from Derek Marshall Lighting is named The Sea of Tranquility. Featuring five of our Sushi art glass pendants, four descend from the tips of the curved radial arms and the fifth hangs slightly lower from the center of the armature. Available in dozens of art glass color. This graceful chandelier is a great choice to punctuate any interior space. 85 Upper Road in Sandwich, New Hampshire • (603) 284-6403 derekmarshall.com • linda@derekmarshall.com
Piscataqua Landscaping and Tree Service has been serving the New England area for over 35 years. Piscataqua offers comprehensive landscaping services and works on projects large and small, commercial and residential, to help its clients achieve beauty—from installations and plantings to plant healthcare, irrigation and night lighting. 26 Maclellan Lane in Eliot, Maine • (207) 439-2241 piscataqualandscaping.com
98 | New Hampshire Home
may/june 2019
Soake Pools
Photography by Claudia Jepsen
Create a spa-like experience in your own backyard. We manufacture four-season, luxury plunge pools designed to be warm in winter, cool in summer and small enough to fit almost any backyard space. Soake Pools are made in New Hampshire, and delivered tiled and ready for your finishing touches. Visit our website and contact us for more information. Concord, New Hampshire • (603) 749-0665 • soakepools.com floori ng
resources
outdoor living
s p e c i a lt y w o o d p r o d u c t s
Mill River Slabworks
The Lashway Brothers—Gerry of Ponders Hollow and Larry of Lashway Lumber—have collaborated to produce premium wood slabs that are works of art and the centerpiece of any environment. Each slab is unique, like the tree from which it was harvested, and milled to order. Choose from numerous species and edge options, including live, square and natural. 16 Ponders Hollow Road in Westfield, Massachusetts (413) 562-8730 • millriverslabworks.com p h oto g r a p hy
Ponders Hollow Custom Moulding & Flooring
Ridgelight Studio
Born from the experience of a fourth generation, family-run sawmill, Ponders Hollow specializes in custom solid wood and engineered wood flooring and architectural millwork. Beginning with responsibly-harvested trees, we specialize in wide planks sawn from a broad range of native and exotic species. We use state-of-the-art machinery, hand-grading and tailoring each board to your specifications. 16 Ponders Hollow Road in Westfield, Massachusetts (413) 562-8730 • pondershollow.com
Let’s face it, an image is a first impression. Ridgelight Studio helps people, places, and businesses put their best foot forward with compelling images that tell your story. Offering architectural, branding, and lifestyle photography. Competitive pricing available online or request a custom quote for your next session! Kelly McCaskill • Hopkinton, New Hampshire • (603) 545-9217 ridgelightstudio.com • info@ridgelightstudio.com
landscaping
James Brewer Garden Design
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Combining elements of classical English design with stunning plants and materials native to New England, James creates breathtakingly beautiful and original gardens of all sizes and budgets. Each of these bespoke environments are crafted with a forethought designed to last for generations. After all, your garden is the biggest room of your home. Suite 426, Lower Mill in Rollinsford, New Hampshire • (603) 970-0201 jamesbrewergardendesign.com • jamesbrewergardens@icloud.com
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A LAK E HOU SE
Relaxing
Lakeside in Summer
New Hampshire Home | 99
mark your calendar!
july July 6, 13, 20, 27
Summer in the Street
Photography courtesy of Fry Fine Art
Pleasant Street from Porter Street to Market Square is closed to traffic, the result of an initiative to identify/create pedestrian-friendly areas in downtown Portsmouth where musicians, theatrical and dance companies can entertain folks. 5 p.m.–9:30 p.m. proportsmouth.org July 12
The Life and Work of Shirley and Numael Pulido
Numael and Shirley Pulido are a husband and wife team painting in the style of the Old Masters. Numael has exhibited at the Royal Academy in London and his portraiture is represented by the Vose Galleries in Boston. Shirley is a graduate of Syracuse University, The University of Rochester, The Brooklyn Museum Art School and Cooper Union, and has established a career as an oil painter and pastel artist. Together they have a studio in Hancock, where they paint and teach. Opening reception, 5–7 p.m. with hors d’oeuvres and refreshments. Exhibit on view through September 29. Fry Fine Art • 36 Grove Street in Peterborough (603) 784-5420 • fryfineart.com July 13–August 18
George Marshall Store Gallery Exhibit
The exhibit features works by Lincoln Perry, Craig Hood and Derrick Te Paske; as well as Ken Fellows, Bill Paarlberg, Russel Whitten and Noriko Sakanishi. The George Marshall Store Gallery is a mid-nineteenthcentury building owned and maintained by the Old York Historical Society. Tuesday–Saturday, 10 a.m.–
Flower Power at the fells
Paintings by Numael Pulido (Anna and Yar is an oil on the left) and Shirley Pulido (First Snow is an oil on the right) are on exhibit at Fry Fine Art in Peterborough from July 12 through September 29.
5 p.m.; Sunday, 1–5 p.m.; and by appointment. 140 Lindsay Road in York, Maine • (207) 351-1083 georgemarshallstoregallery.com July 17
Feasting on 15-Minute Meals
With stories and instruction, Liz Barbour shares her experiences as a working chef to demystify the cooking process for her students. She is a firm believer that any home cook can prepare fresh and flavorful meals with confidence if taught a few basic but important skills. Barbour built her cooking career in a variety of Boston’s catering and restaurant settings. 6:30 p.m. Lane Memorial Library • 2 Academy Avenue in Hampton • (603) 926-3368 • hampton.lib.nh.us thecreativefeast.com
(see story on page 86.)
July 18
Robert Jensen Floral Design Presentation
Come and watch professional floral designer Robert Jensen interpret a painting or sculpture from the current exhibit. Learn how to select materials and containers and create style, shape and color. Advance registration requested. 11 a.m.–noon. Admission is $15; $5 for The Fells members.
Photography by john w. hession
Tour eight private gardens to see ocean views, ornamental trees and shrubs, native plants, woodlands, raised beds, stone work, historical homes and more. Proceeds benefit the Friends of Fort Williams Park, a nonprofit organization whose Ecology Project controls damaging invasive plants and establishes sustainable plant communities at the park. Cape Elizabeth, Maine fortwilliams.org/2019-garden-tour
august August 3-4
Basketmaking: Adirondack Pack Basket
Create your own pack basket patterned from the traditional Adirondack ash pack baskets, one of the region’s most recognized basketry forms. These versatile baskets were used to carry just about everything the guides, hunters and trappers took with them into the woods. At 16 inches high by 8½ inches deep and 11 inches wide, the Sightseer pack is a great size for teens and adults. 9 a.m.–4 p.m. both days. $150. Sanborn Mills Farm • 7097 Sanborn Road in Loudon (603) 435-7314 • sanbornmills.org
League of New Hampshire Craftsmen Fair
Art in Bloom
Robert Jensen displays his floral interpretation of two dove paintings at The Fells with Executive Director Susan Warren (center) and Nell Leach, a volunteer who heads the Art in Bloom event.
The Fells • 456 Route 103A in Newbury • (603) 763-4789 • thefells.org 100 | New Hampshire Home
Cape Elizabeth Garden Tour
August 3–11
July 18–21
Experience the art of The Fells’ current gallery exhibit Bringing the Outside In through the eyes of talented local floral designers. See how they interpret the painted canvas through innovative floral designs—from a single stem set in the perfect vase to an elaborate arrangement. 10 a.m.–4 p.m.
July 20
The eighty-sixth annual fair features select, handmade crafts by more than three hundred craftspeople, including clay artist Sheilagh Flynn (see page 92). The fair also includes daily craft demonstrations; specialized workshops; and the Living with Craft Exhibition, where the crafts are exhibited in home vignettes. 10 a.m.–5 p.m., daily. Mount Sunapee Resort • 1398 Route 103 in Newbury • (603) 224-3375 • nhcrafts.org
july/august 2019
August 11
MacDowell Colony Medal Day
The sixtieth Edward MacDowell medal is scheduled to be awarded to visual artist Charles Gaines. Gaines is an American whose work interrogates the discourse of aesthetics, politics and philosophy. Taking the form of drawings, photographic series and video installations, the work consistently involves the use of systems, predominantly in the form of the grid, often in combination with photography. The award is presented as a part of the Medal Day Celebrations in a public ceremony beginning at 12:15 p.m. Afterward, visitors can enjoy a picnic lunch and music followed by open tours of MacDowell residents’ studios, which run 2–5 p.m. MacDowell Colony Grounds • 100 High Street in Peterborough • (603) 924-3886 macdowellcolony.org
OPENING MAY 1ST! Horticulture Learning Center at Strawbery Banke Museum
Planting the Seeds of Learning Program Series: May 18, Urban Gardening June 15, Fermentation July, Herbalism August 3, Permaculture Gardening Techniques August 24, Cooking with Heirlooms Made possible with help from the Thompson Fund & Putnam Foundation. For more information: StrawberyBanke.org Open 7 days, 10 am to 5 pm May 1 - October 31. 14 Hancock Street, Portsmouth NH 03801
August 24–25
Annual Lakes Region Fine Arts and Crafts Festival
Celebrating its fortieth year, the Annual Lakes Region Fine Arts and Crafts Festival is an outdoor, juried arts and crafts exhibition and sale of fine arts and crafts. Featuring high-quality works of more than eighty artists and craftspeople, the festival is held outdoors in Meredith, among the Meredith Village Shops and the Mill Falls Marketplace. SBMMayJun2019.indd 312 Daniel Webster Highway in Meredith meredithareachamber.com/artfest.php
1
3/22/2019 10:46:38 AM
ongoing
Medieval to Metal: The Art and Evolution of the Guitar
The exhibition covers the guitar’s history beginning in the Middle Ages with European and Asian instruments such as the oud and lute, and going through to the guitar’s position as a key accompaniment for traveling performers—its pivotal role in blues, country western music, and rock ‘n roll. Experience the artistry, history, design and cultural influence of the guitar; forty distinct instruments that showcase the rare and antique to the wildly popular and innovative; and dozens of photographs and illustrations that depict significant musicians and instruments of the last century. On view through September 22. Currier Museum of Art • 150 Ash Street in Manchester • (603) 669-6144 • currier.org
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New Hampshire Home | 101
mark your calendar! Zimmerman House Tours
Music Nights at Castle in the Clouds
The Zimmerman House, left by the family to the Currier Museum of Art in 1988, was designed and decorated by famed American architect Frank Lloyd Wright. A uniquely realized version of Wright’s Usonian design principles, the house features the Zimmermans’ collection of pottery, sculpture and Japanese art, and is set to the style of the 1950s-’60s. The home can be toured by the public; see the Currier’s website for times and dates. Currier Museum of Art • 150 Ash Street in Manchester • (603) 669-6144 • currier.org
Photography by John W. Hession
July 1—AUGUST 22, Mondays and Thursdays
After a visit to the historic Castle in the Clouds—the Arts and Crafts mountaintop estate built in 1913 in the Ossipee Mountains—enjoy dinner and live music as you watch the sun set over Lake Winnipesaukee from the beautiful outdoor terrace of the carriage house. Music Nights are by held on Mondays and Thursdays, and there is $10 perperson cover charge. Visit the website for schedule of performers. 5:30–8 p.m. Reservations required. Castle in the Clouds • Route 171, 455 Old Mountain Road in Moultonborough (603) 476-5900 • castleintheclouds.org
Reality, Abstraction, and the Artist’s Eye: New England Watercolor Society Regional Exhibition This juried exhibition features an array of sixty colorful and dynamic watercolors, including landscape elements from rural to urban, undiscovered and unexplored moments in the region, and subjects that represent what it is to experience New England. The New England Watercolor Society’s history dates back to 1885, when it held its first exhibition in Boston with F. Childe Hassam and John Singer Sargent as two of the twenty-seven charter members. Friday–Sunday, 11 a.m.–5 p.m. On view through October 13. Governor John Langdon House • 143 Pleasant Street in Portsmouth • (603) 436-3205 historicnewengland.org
The New England Landscape: Works from the 19th–21st Centuries
This exhibit and sale features paintings spanning more than two hundred years of artists’ interpretations of the timeless and iconic views unique to New England. From fields and forests to lakes and mountains, this region has long been an inspiration to painters, poets and artists of all kinds. Featured artists include William Sonntag, Willard Leroy Metcalf, Robert Vonnoh, Aldro Hibbard, Henry Ward Ranger, Ben Foster, Eric Sloane, William Hart, William Jurian Kaula, Paul Sample, Frank Vincent Dumond and William Preston Phelps. Also included are contemporary New England artists Erik Koeppel, Dave Dodge and William Davis. 10 a.m.– 5 p.m. On view through September 10. New Hampshire Antique Co-op • 323 Elm Street in Milford • (603) 673-8499 • nhantiquecoop.com
Walking Tours of Portsmouth
Portsmouth Historical Society offers four walking tours through October: daily Historic Downtown Tour; Historic Preservation Tour with local historian Richard M. Candee, author of Building Portsmouth; and Portsmouth Women featuring the untold stories of preachers, artists, authors, tavern keepers and madams who defied stereotypes and shaped Portsmouth. Discover Portsmouth • 10 Middle Street in Portsmouth • (603) 436-8433 portsmouthhistory.org
A STORY OF AMERICA, ONE SONG AT A TIME.
Join NHPBS for a preview screening with Ken Burns
August 14 SPONSORED BY
The Colonial Theatre | Keene nhpbs.org/events
Funding for Country Music was provided by Bank of America, the Annenberg Foundation, the Arthur Vining Davis Foundations, Belmont University, Tennessee Department of Tourist Development, the Metropolitan Government of Nashville and Davidson County, Rosalind P. Walter and by members of ‘The Better Angels Society,’ including: The Blavatnik Family Foundation, the Schwartz/ Reisman Foundation, the Pfeil Foundation, Diane and Hal Brierley, John and Catherine Debs, the Fullerton Family Charitable Fund, the Perry and Donna Golkin Family Foundation, Jay Alix and Una Jackman, Mercedes T. Bass, Fred and Donna Seigel, Gilchrist and Amy Berg, James R. Berdell Foundation, David Bonderman, Deborah P. and Jonathan T. Dawson, Senator Bill and Tracy Frist, Susan and David Kreisman, Rocco and Debby Landesman, Lillian Lovelace, John and Leslie McQuown, Mindy’s Hope Foundation, the Segal Family Foundation, Michelle Smith. Major funding was provided by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting and PBS.
102 | New Hampshire Home
TOGETHER WE Celebrate july/august 2019
Advertisers’ index Wind, Waves & Light: Art in Motion by George Sherwood
This unconventional exhibition features large-scale, stainless-steel sculptures that move and change with the wind. View the sculptures and learn more about their connections to art, science, and nature. An artist and engineer, George Sherwood creates kinetic sculptures that evoke shimmering leaves, flocks of birds, schools of fish, and waves of light and water. The choreography of each piece is governed by a set of basic movements, facilitated by an arrangement of aerodynamic surfaces connected by rotational points. Wind speed and direction, shades of light, time of day, precipitation, and seasonal color transform the qualities of light and movement of the sculpture. On view through October 14. Tower Hill Botanic Garden • 11 French Drive in Boylston, Massachusetts • (508) 869-6111 towerhillbg.org
Submitting Events
New Hampshire Home is always on the lookout for events that may interest our readers. If you have one to submit for consideration, send details to editor@nhhomemagazine.com. Please note that calendar production occurs two months before each issue is published.
the
6 2 nd
3W Design, Inc.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 74 Bedford Village Inn. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18 Belletetes Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4, 98 Bonin Architects & Associates. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23, 98 Cedar Crest Cabinetry. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17 Christopher P. Williams, Architects. . . inside back cover Crown Point Cabinetry. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6, back cover db Landscaping. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 75 Derek Marshall Sculptural Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 98 DeStefano Architects. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . inside front cover Ethan Allen Home Interiors. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15 Ferguson Plumbing Supplies. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 83 Frank Webb Home. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21 Fred E. Varney Company . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 Home Comfort . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45 Ideal Concrete Block Company, Inc.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47 James Brewer Garden Design . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19, 99 Kennebunk Savings Bank. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 84 Lake Life Realty. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 76 Lakeport Landing Marina. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39 Landforms . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45 Landshapes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27 League of NH Craftsmen . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 91 Liberty Hill Construction, LLC. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 77 Linda Cloutier Kitchens & Baths. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33, 98 Marcus Gleysteen Architects. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 78 McGray & Nichols. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 Mill City Slabworks. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 99 NanaWall Systems. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
a n n ua l
New Hampshire Antiques Show
New Hampshire Home Builders Association. . . . . . . 101 NH Antiques Dealers Association. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 103 NH Custom Builder. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43 NHPBS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 102 Northcape Design . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 79 Not Just Kitchens. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47 Old Hampshire Designs. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39, 80 Pellettieri Associates, Inc.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 Piscataqua Landscaping Company. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13, 98 Ponders Hollow Custom Molding & Flooring. . . 10, 99 Ridgelight Studio . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 99 Rockingham Electric . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 Samyn D’Elia Architects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 89 Seasonal Specialty Stores. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31 Secondwind Water Systems Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 81 Scully Architects. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20 Soake Pools. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 99 Standard of New England, LLC. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33 Stephens Landscaping. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 85 Strawbery Banke Museum . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 101 Superior Tile. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 97 The Lighting Showroom. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 TMS Architects. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 82 Tom Murdough Design. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 Triad Associates, Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25 Vintage Kitchens . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 97 Watermark Marine Construction. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31 Wentworth Greenhouses. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 89 Winchendon Furniture. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11, 98
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New Hampshire Home | 103
at home in new hampshire
Sweet Summer Berries
A
s a forager from a long line of foragers, nothing pleases me more than finding wild
A ripe raspberry will, with the gentlest
Brought blueberry pie. Pie made from the
touch, fall into your hand.
berries we picked on the power lines in
When we bought our house in
Salisbury. We weren’t the only ones.
berries. I will scale a small mountain
Northwood in 1978, I planted raspber-
Often another car or two would be
for low-bush blueberries that ripen in
ries. What bliss to step out the back
parked beside the road. You couldn’t
high summer just short of the peak.
door and pick some for breakfast.
see the other pickers, the bushes were
Sometimes abandoned
too thick, but you could
roads pass a woodlot, clear-
hear them moving, talking.
cut years before, overrun
We measured our haul
by blackberries. Wear long
by the “bottoms full.”
sleeves and long pants.
When the floor of the
Don’t forget your bucket.
bucket is covered, that’s
My daughter was
the first bottom full, with
grown before she realized
more to follow—one after
“chuckaberries” were actu-
another. What a disaster
ally “checkerberries.” I’m
when a child trips, the
an “r” dropper, from a long
bucket tips and the berries
line of “r” droppers. Tasting
spill. It’s impossible to pick
of wintergreen and chalk,
them all up once they’ve
checkerberries appear just after snow
Gradually the wild blackberries choked
fallen. A scattering on the trail marks
melts, nested in small, dark leaves.
the raspberries out. Eventually, they
the loss.
Evidently, these berries live under the
too stopped producing, so I mowed
snow, so they are both the first and last
them all down. Some years, I managed
bush and pick it clean. Dad explored,
of the edibles.
to grow strawberries, although some-
searching for the perfect bush. Once
thing in our soil doesn’t like strawber-
he found the ground all torn up. “Wild
avoid. A dark one on a tall, pale stem,
ries and the yield was meager, nibbled
boar,” he said. I kept my eyeballs
“That’ll kill you,” Dad said. A blue-
by snakes and chipmunks.
peeled and my ears open in case it
As a child, I learned which berries to
black cluster like a seed head looked
At Grampa Barker’s place, wild
Ma would stop at the first good
came back.
tempting, but was not for eating.
strawberries came where he threw ashes
Baneberries—white with red stems—
from his woodstove. I’d plunk myself
company sprayed the power lines and
look poisonous. And are. Puckaberries,
down in the stubby grass and eat while
killed all bushes. They never grew back.
also called chokecherries, won’t make
the grownups visited. Tiny berries, no
you sick, but they will make you
bigger than the tip of a toddler’s pinky,
seasons, “winter” and “not winter.”
pucker.
they stained my hands.
But time can also be marked by the
Among the first things my folks
Grammie Stewart kept a diary, spare
Then came the year the electric
Some say New Hampshire has two
sequence of ripening—checkerberry
did when they bought their house in
and to the point. How strange to find
followed by strawberry, raspberry, blue-
Boscawen in 1957 was plant raspber-
myself in those pages. August 1, 1965 —
berry, blackberry, then checkerberry
ries. In my earliest memories, the
Jean & Bud & children called, referring
once again—the sweetest way to mea-
bushes are laden and I’m reaching up.
to my parents, my brother and me.
sure the passing of a year, of a life.
NHH
By Rebecca Rule | Illustration by Carolyn Vibbert 104 | New Hampshire Home
july/august 2019
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