Your guide to the heart of Litchfield County:
Discover local stories, hidden gems, and must-know events.

By Alexandra Mazza

Q: Did Puritans Celebrate?

Long before Litchfield’s town Green was trimmed with modern twinkling holiday lights, December 25 came and went quietly, shunned by the Puritan founders. These settlers had fled England to break away from what they saw as impure religious practices. Elaborate church celebrations were seen as corrupt and paganistic. So the Puritans treated December 25 as a regular day: no presents, no trees, no merriment. 

After the Pilgrims had landed, their first “Christmas” was spent building houses to shelter them from New England’s harsh winters. In 1621, Connecticut Gov. William Bradford allowed those who had been raised in the Church of England to take time off to worship at home. But when those same workers were seen playing in the streets, he ordered them back to work. 

In 1659, the governor imposed a 5 shilling fine for anyone caught celebrating Christmas. Some Church of England congregations ignored these regulations, and continued their Christmas observances. By the late 1700s, strict Puritan orders began to loosen;  in 1823, Hartford’s Brick Meeting House held its first Christmas service. 

Other American settlers were less reserved, and their customs gradually spread. The Dutch introduced Saint Nicholas; the Germans brought the idea of cutting evergreens and bringing them into the home. 

The chilly hearths of early Litchfield could not foresee the merriment to come. Time softened the strict Puritan edges, and in time holiday cheer became the norm. By the mid-1800s, the Christmas traditions we know today had become widespread: Trees, stockings, and gifts began to adorn more homes. 

A Festive Collaboration

This holiday season, the Mayflower Inn & Spa, Auberge Collection, will be transformed into a winter wonderland through an exclusive collaboration with AERIN, the luxury lifestyle brand founded by Aerin Lauder. 

Known for its timeless New England charm, the Mayflower in Washington will take on a new level of seasonal splendor as AERIN’s effortless elegance graces every detail—from an 18-foot Christmas tree trimmed with vintage glass ornaments to whimsical folk-inspired decor, and a children’s tree sparkling with toys and treasures.

Guests can experience the holidays in true AERIN style through curated touches throughout the property, including a limited-edition AERIN x Mayflower ornament available exclusively to guests. The inn’s Signature King Suite with Library becomes the AERIN Suite, complete with Aerin Lauder–selected décor, bespoke amenities, and a signed copy of her book, Living with Flowers, for December stays.

For a more intimate celebration, the Private Fireside Fête offers an elegant five-course dining experience in the AERIN Library, where floral tablescapes and seasonal dishes set the stage for an unforgettable evening.

The partnership culminates with an AERIN Holiday Trunk Show & Pop-Up on December 5 and 6, featuring giftable treasures from AERIN’s world of beauty, fashion, and home. This inspired collaboration invites guests to celebrate the season beautifully in the heart of the Connecticut countryside. —auberge.com/mayflower

Belonging Through Faith

By Rich Pomerantz

A little more than 30 years ago, Washington residents Susan Haber and Sharon Ruchman set out to fulfill a dream: creating a Jewish community where local families, couples, and singles could connect and grow together. That dream became the Greater Washington Coalition for Jewish Life (CJL), which today serves as both a spiritual home and an extended Jewish family for hundreds of full- and part-time residents across western Connecticut.

Since its founding, the Coalition has nurtured a deep sense of warmth and belonging through a wide range of religious, cultural, educational, and social experiences. Members gather for regular Shabbat services in private homes, High Holiday services, and festive holiday celebrations. A book group, speaker series, and special programs led by a part-time rabbi offer opportunities for learning and reflection, while trips, luncheons, and other lively social events strengthen personal connections.

CJL also embraces meaningful community engagement. Over the years, members have partnered with local religious and nonprofit organizations on food drives, volunteered at Judea Garden, and collaborated closely with area groups to support neighbors in need.

This year, the Coalition joyfully marked its 30th anniversary with a spirited community celebration in Washington—honoring three decades of connection, tradition, and growth.

For details about upcoming programs, holiday observances, or membership, email jewishlifect@gmail.com or visit jewishlifect.org.

By Michelle Madden 

In 1920, women got the vote—but it  wasn’t until nearly 75 years later, in 1993, that lawmakers mandated that women be represented in clinical medical trials. 

Women’s health care has also been woefully underfunded: Ovarian cancer ranks fifth for lethality, but 12th in terms of funding-to-lethality ratio.

The gender gap is real. New Milford Hospital is changing this.

Generous community supporters such as Margery Feldberg and Jeremy Levin, Julie and Bob Bailey and Diane von Furstenberg have contributed to the more than $3 million dollars raised.  

The aim of the center is to aggregate care at all stages of a woman’s life. “We want to offer one-stop health care, making it easy to access providers specifically trained in women’s health,” says Miriam Levy, vice president of Women & Children’s Health for Nuvance. 

The center will be finished in 2027, but the “doors” are open already, with practitioners offering: primary care, gynecology, breast surgery, cardiology, and behavioral health. This is in addition to existing hospital services such as mammograms, bone density testing, pulmonary care, and gastroenterology. Future hires at the center will include: family medicine, urogynecology, nutrition, and osteoporosis care. Menopause support—an often-overlooked area—will be woven into all specialties.To make an appointment, call 860-210-5535. —Nuvancehealth.org 

The Tremaine Art Gallery at The Hotchkiss School presents Wish You Were Here, a collaborative exhibition featuring artists Fern Apfel and Colleen McGuire, curated by Joan Baldwin. On view from November 4 through January 25, the exhibition invites visitors to consider themes of memory, home, and the passage of time through two distinct yet complementary artistic voices.

Fern Apfel’s meticulously detailed still-life paintings depict letters, diaries, journals, and lists, blending language, painting, and memory into works that feel both intimate and universal. Her pieces encourage reflection on personal histories and the ways memory shapes our sense of place.

Colleen McGuire captures the ephemeral qualities of everyday life, such as light falling on a fogged mirror, rain streaking a window, or fractured sunlight on a porch. Working in oil on board, McGuire translates these fleeting moments into quiet meditations on the spaces and experiences that define daily living. 

The gallery is located on The Hotchkiss School campus at 11 Interlaken Road in Lakeville. It is open Tuesday through Saturday from 10 am to 4 pm and Sunday from noon to 4 pm. The gallery will be closed during school breaks (November 22 to December 1 and December 16 to January 5).

Artful Connection

When journalist Troy McMullen bought a weekend house overlooking Hauser Nature Preserve in Litchfield five years ago, he quickly went about finding ways to use his reporting skills to connect with Litchfield County’s cultural community.

Writing for this magazine and others, he profiled artists and architects from Kent to Cornwall, poets and preservationists in New Preston, and woodworkers and artisans in Litchfield.

“I saw the county through an entirely new creative lens,” says McMullen, a former staff reporter at the Wall Street Journal who’s now an executive editor at ABC News. “It really expanded my cultural orbit.”

That cultural orbit now includes a series of children’s books McMullen created that introduces young readers to the county’s rich history of art and culture.

“Hello Litchfield” visits the people and places that make the historic town unique; “Litchfield Modern” reveals its surprising array of mid-century architecture;and “I See Art” guides readers through the county’s contemporary art galleries.

All proceeds from the sale of the books go to local charities, including the Litchfield Historical Society, Northwest Connecticut Land Conservancy, and Habitat for Humanity of Northwest Connecticut.

“It just seemed like a perfect way to give back to the people and organizations that have welcomed me to this community,” McMullen says. 

The books are $10 each and sold at Amazon and local book stores and businesses in Litchfield.

Showcasing Litchfield County’s Design Professionals and Creatives

In this special section, we highlight some of the region’s design professionals and artists, whose creativity and craftsmanship shape the unique architectural and interior landscapes of Litchfield County. Read on to get an exclusive glimpse into their innovative work.

Samantha Gale Designs

With a Fine Arts background and a lifelong passion for design, she founded her namesake studio and shop 12 years ago. Since then, she has been creating interiors and collections that reflect both her artistry and her deep connection to the place she calls home.
READ the full story here…

Dobson Pools

“The choices people make for their pool and surrounds are such an expression of personality,” Julie told me. “Not just style, but generation, cultural background and values.” In other words, your pool is a lot like your wardrobe, only larger and much, much wetter.
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Craig Longhurst

With more than four decades of experience, Craig Longhurst leads a full-service interior design practice specializing in residential projects in New York City and Litchfield County. Blending antique and vintage pieces with contemporary art and furnishings, he creates layered interiors enriched by local artisanship and global inspiration.
READ the full story here… 

Modern Supply

For more than four decades, Modern Supply has been a trusted name in Litchfield County. What began as a family plumbing business in the 1980s has evolved into the area’s premier bath showroom—a place where luxury, practicality, and seasoned design expertise come together to transform homes.
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Eleish Van Breems

For nearly three decades, Rhonda Eleish and Edie Van Breems have been creating homes and spaces that are thoughtful, personal, and profoundly inspiring. Their boutique design firm, Eleish Van Breems Interior Design, specializes in holistic, full-service residential projects, guiding clients from the ground up with an approach that values collaboration, intuition, and trust.
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Slatted

After two decades of working alongside some of the world’s most innovative architects and designers, Michelle Meadows and Andy Kjellgren launched Slatted, a certified women-owned business based in Bantam, with a clear mission: to provide heirloom-quality recycled hardwoods, world-class production, and an unwavering commitment to sustainability.
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Hearthstone & Co

With tailored services and a highly selective guest network, Hearthstone helps second-home owners unlock their properties’ hidden potential, transforming any-duration time away into opportunity, and keeping homes vibrant in their absence.
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Olson Twombly

Olson Twombly is a husband-and-husband design firm rooted in both Litchfield County and Nantucket, with clients nationwide. Known for a warm, layered, and eclectic approach, their work blends antiques, textiles, vintage finds, and modern elements.
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Ellsworth Home

Ellsworth Home is a residential design studio dedicated to creating homes with soul—whether restoring historic gems, reimagining spaces, or building from the ground up. Guided by restraint, natural palettes, and the ever-changing influence of light, their work balances beauty with atmosphere, crafting serene, timeless environments across New England and beyond.
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Ground Breakers CT

We meet on a quintessential late-September morning at a blasted-out hilltop in Kent, one of two sites he’s shaping along the same private road. Standing beside a poured foundation with mountains of displaced earth around us, the 56-year-old paints a vivid picture of what’s yet to come for his clients: main house, garage, breezeway, westward views, gym, infinity pool. Lee’s so detailed, I can’t help but picture myself living here happily ever after.
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Denscot Pool & Spa

Scott and Heather Meeker of Denscot Pool and Spa were a little skeptical when I suggested we collaborate on a pool personality type quiz. “C’mon, it’ll be fun,” I promised. “I used to edit women’s magazines in the early aughts, back before I started doing TV. They used to call me the Quiz Master.” (I lied about the Quiz Master part, but that’s not important right now.) Get ready to plumb the depths of your psyche, folks!
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Sonia Bodie Designs

From interior architecture to landscape design, Sonia Bodie specializes in crafting holistic environments that honor beauty and meaning, bringing a deeper sense of relevance to the places we call home, and reflecting the people who inhabit them.
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Litchfield County Pools

Serving residential properties, Litchfield County Pools creates custom solutions for both full-time homes and weekend retreats. The company’s family-oriented approach ensures attention to detail at every stage. “We treat each project with care, no matter the scale,” Devon explains. “Building a pool isn’t just construction—it’s craftsmanship.”
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Woodbury Antiques Dealers Association

Woodbury has long been known as the “Antiques Capital of Connecticut,” a reputation built over decades by dealers who recognized the town’s history, charm, and ideal location for their trade. In the 1980s, the Woodbury Antiques Dealers Association (WADA) was founded to promote this thriving hub.
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Washington Supply

At Washington Supply, design isn’t just about beauty—it’s about balance. The Kitchen and Bath Design team at Washington Supply focuses on creating spaces that are as functional as they are stylish, offering thoughtful design solutions that enhance everyday living without sacrificing comfort or cost.
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By Jamie Marshall

As luminaries in the design world, Sharon residents Heide Hendricks and Rafe Churchill (the husband-and-wife team behind the architecture and interior design firm Hendricks Churchill) are known for their ability to breathe new life into historic structures—residential and commercial. “One of the things we set out to do when we merged our businesses in 2017 was to push the boundaries of finding projects that we could renovate and resuscitate and update for contemporary living,” says Hendricks.

Many of these projects are featured in Distinctly American: Houses and Interiors by Hendricks Churchill, the couple’s second monograph published by Rizzoli this past September. Filled with beautiful photos and evocative prose (as well as floor plans), the book offers a behind-the-scenes look at ten of their favorite collaborations, ranging from rural farmhouses to an apartment in a New York City high rise and an historic brick building in Brooklyn. Though each project was different in size and scope, what they all have in common is a sense of place and style that feels effortless—both inside and out. 

“Each one showcases our holistic approach to interior design and architecture, as well as great landscape designers,” says Hendricks. “What our clients like is that when we do a home—whether in a country setting or an urban setting—the goal is for it to feel safe and comfortable and casual, with tactile layers and color and pattern that lets you forget about the backdrop and sink into ease and comfort and begin living your life.”

One of their most cherished collaborations is their own home, Ellsworth House, a renovated 19th-century farmhouse and dairy barn in the Ellsworth section of Sharon. It is the subject of their debut book, Our Way Home: Reimagining and American Farmhouse (Rizzoli). “When our publisher originally asked us to do a monograph of our top ten projects, we said yes on one condition. We wanted to do Ellsworth house first,” recalls Hendricks. “We told them it was important to start with who we are—just us, without a client, so to speak.” For Hendricks and Churchill, Ellsworth House is a showpiece for their passion for and commitment to designing houses that never feel formulaic. 

“We try to design for the long term, and provide a vision that transcends the moment and current trends,” says Churchill. “Life evolves, and the house has to accommodate these necessary changes.” At its core, Ellsworth represents a pared-down traditionalism with Shaker tranquility, Arts & Crafts practicality, and bohemian chic—no surprise, considering both Hendricks and Churchill made their livings as artists before turning their talents to architecture and design. They have won numerous accolades and awards over the years including this year’s prestigious ICAA Bullfinch Award, for their sensitive renovation and design of an 1830s Greek Revival in Salisbury, which they bought in 2023 and turned into their office and showroom. They sold the space this fall (now the home to the Geary Art Gallery) and have relocated to a new studio that Churchill built at Ellsworth. “As a design firm you kind of have to be flexible and improvise a little bit,” says Hendricks.—hendrickschurchill.com

By Mary Beth Lawlor

For more than two decades, designer Philip Gorrivan has been creating interiors that transcend beauty and function to embody something more enduring: a story. With the release of his new book, Authentic Interiors, Gorrivan reflects on the philosophy that has guided his work and shaped countless spaces over the years.

“This book isn’t just a portfolio,” he explains. “It’s a reflection of the philosophy I’ve developed over time: that rooms should tell the stories of the people who inhabit them. After so many projects, it felt like the right moment to pause, take stock, and share that point of view.”

At the heart of Gorrivan’s work is storytelling. Every client brings with them a history, memories, and aspirations. His role, he says, is to weave those elements into interiors that feel layered, personal, and true. Whether it’s integrating heirlooms, displaying collections, or choosing materials that resonate, Gorrivan’s approach ensures that design is never generic—it’s narrative. “Authentic. Narrative. Layered,” he says, distilling his process into three guiding words.

Drama and livability, two often competing ideals in design, coexist harmoniously in his projects. “For me, drama comes from creating impact,” he explains. “It could be a lacquered entryway or a bold patterned fabric. Livability, however, is about comfort and ease. It’s knowing where to provide visual rest so that a home feels both exciting and welcoming.”

The projects featured in Authentic Interiors reveal the breadth of his talent and the evolution of his vision. A Park Avenue apartment, for instance, balances modern and antique furnishings with contemporary art, all set against a backdrop of bold colors. The result reflects Gorrivan’s belief in the dialogue between past and present, and the power of color to define a space. 

In contrast, a Connecticut country house highlights craftsmanship, architectural detail, and pattern, completely transforming the spirit of the home. Together, these projects illustrate his ability to adapt while remaining grounded in authenticity and narrative design.

Gorrivan’s roots in Washington, Connecticut, where he has had a home for more than 25 years, continue to inspire him. “Litchfield County has a special rhythm and sense of history that I deeply value. The community of creatives, the natural landscape, and the slower pace—it all offers balance to the intensity of city life.” That balance, between city energy and rural grounding, is often mirrored in his interiors.

He emphasizes timeless values over fleeting trends: quality craftsmanship, proportion, and authenticity. “A well-made piece or a room that feels true to its inhabitants will always outlast the latest fad,” he says. 

His advice to those looking to create meaningful spaces is simple. “Start with something personal: a piece of art, a chair with history, a color that speaks to you. Build from that anchor point, and don’t be afraid to edit. Homes should evolve; they don’t need to be finished all at once.”

Looking ahead, Gorrivan is excited about the blending of disciplines—art, craft, technology, and sustainability—and how they are shaping new ways of living. He is also pursuing hospitality projects and product design collaborations, always with authenticity and storytelling at the core.

Ultimately, Gorrivan’s interiors, like his book, remind us that great design is not about decoration alone. It’s about creating places where stories are lived, remembered, and shared.