4 minute read
A Little Bit Country
The Cotswolds meet Connecticut in designer Becca Casey’s retail and lifestyle site Ayr Barns. by MARNI ELYSE KATZ
Becca Casey’s friends teased her when she and her husband up and moved out of Brooklyn before a baby was even on the radar. “We just didn’t feel like city folk,” says the designer, who is now mom to a one-and-a-half-year-old son and two dogs. That said, she did a good impression. Before landing in Wilton by way of Greenwich, Casey was a loft dweller who worked for New York City's Jenny Wolf Interiors, a follow-up act to her entry position at Robert Passal Interior Design. After college, Casey says she looked for work in New York and L.A., but the deal was sealed when Robert Passal responded to her resume “in a New York minute.”
Now, the designer, who established her Norwalk-based firm, Becca Interiors, in 2016, is channeling her childhood with a new venture. In July, she launched Ayr Barns, a retail-and-lifestyle site that reflects her upbringing in the
ABOVE: The Seville Rattan Vase’s ample opening makes it easy to arrange an oversized display of branches; that's Ayr Barns founder Becca Casey wearing the Lottie Sun Hat. RIGHT: Candlelight is always a good idea. This sturdy glass votive holder does double duty outdoors or on your desk as a container for loose change and paperclips.
It’s all about the details
English countryside. “I enjoy the essence of modern silhouettes and celebrate rustica and patina,” she says. She points to the shop’s private label Farmhouse stoneware plates as the embodiment of her aesthetic. “They have clean lines, but the glaze has a rusticism,” she says.
Ayr Barns sells wares from artisans Casey has loved for years, such as pieces from West Sussex-based Rebecca Williams Ceramics and Vermont-based Farmhouse Pottery. “I’ve always taken pictures of ceramics on my travels,” she says. Iron goods by Australian designer Sibella Court are another longtime favorite. A forged-iron bottle opener with rattan-wrapped handle is a top seller along with antiqued-brass wall hooks. Italian-linen bread sacks and striped-linen-ticking
This ice cream scoop has an old-timecreamery vibe
You can never have too many bowls
CLOCKWISE FROM TOP: If the menu includes oven-fresh dessert, add a rush trivet under your skillet; this one boasts a leather strap for easy storage. Try the fringed Taos Kitchen Cloth as a hand towel in the powder room. Tuck the Orinoco Spoons Set into your apron pocket so they’re always at the ready. The forged-iron Keepers Bottle Opener sports a braided-rattan-wrapped handle. Handcrafted ceramic nesting bowls add an artful element to the table or prep space. food covers are also popular. During the cooler months, look for boot racks and Wellies. “We draw inspiration from our British roots; you don’t see enough of that style here,” she reasons. There’s also a section for farmers’ market enthusiasts. Casey, an avid vegetarian cook, visits a local market weekly. “We love the whole festival of it,” she says.
As for the future, the designer says a brick and mortar isn’t out of the question and alludes to having a secret project up her flowy, block-printed sleeve. In the meantime, she will continue showcasing her effortless curations to which there’s been a great response. “We love seeing people nurture their home habitats during this difficult time,” she says. n
Ayr Barns, ayrbarns.com
For the kitchen or the powder room
During WWII, 40% of Americans’ Vegetables Were Grown at Home
During WWII, 40% of Americans’ Vegetables Victory Gardens fed the nation and families experienced the satisfaction of food grown right homegrown, organic food. Our highly trained organic gardeners make weekly visits to ensure
Were Grown at outside their door. Today, there’s a resurgence of interest in homegrown Home that your garden is as bountiful as it is beautiful. Feel free to join them to food, driven by a commitment to healthy, organic produce and enthusiasm for all the tastes of summer. learn for yourself! If you don’t have a garden yet, let us build you one of our handcrafted raised bed beauties.
Unfortunately, not everyone has the time or knowledge to grow their own successfully. Homefront Farmers is here to help. We’re the area’s leading experts in producing Now is the perfect time to plan your own Victory Garden, so you’ll enjoy all the tastes of {next} summer. Give us a call
