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

A House Resplendent with Treasures

By Joseph Montebello

There are collectors and then there are Tim Donoghue and Tom Fitzsimmons who give new meaning to the word. Their farmhouse in Roxbury is chock-a-block with every imaginable assemblage of objects, from books to teapots to white pottery to lighting fixtures to vintage detective magazines. Walking through the various rooms has the effect of being in a very eclectic emporium.

“We don’t start out to begin a collection,” says Fitzsimmons. “We’ll see something and say ‘Oh, isn’t that nice, let’s buy it.’ And it grows from there.” Both men are retired actors, Donoghue on stage in New York and Fitzsimmons in television in Los Angeles.

“I moved to California in the ‘80s,” says Donoghue. “We bought a house there and then bought a house in France. We went for one year to renovate it and wound up staying for 13 years. When we decided to move east this was an area that we loved. We knew the minute we saw this house that it fulfilled our vision. We have owned six houses in Connecticut, but this is the final one—we are not moving again.”

“The land was so beautiful,” says Fitzsimmons, “and it was on a dirt road so there was no noise. I had always dreamed of living in an 18th century house and here it was.”

The house, built in 1830, had been neglected for many years but the couple knew that there was great potential, so they took it on—with the help of Timothy J. Egan Builders, of New Preston.

“Tim had done a lot of work on our other houses, so we jumped at the prospect of working with him again,” says Donoghue. “He was the one who found our architect Scot Samuelson, who turned it into our dream house.”

Samuelson respected the house’s history and added a wing, which includes a main floor master bedroom, that seamlessly integrates with the original structure. Although the ceilings are low, and the overall square footage is about 2600, the addition of windows and the moving of some doorways evoke a feeling of spaciousness.

“While many of us like the charm of historic houses, most would opt for tall ceilings over low and an abundance of large windows,” says Samuelson. Unfortunately the ceilings could not be raised but many larger windows were added to bring spaciousness to the smaller rooms.

Speaking of smaller rooms, Donoghue’s studio wins the prize. Tucked away on the second floor, it is where he can be found exploring any number of creative paths.

“I love old lighting and I am always finding new pieces and repurposing them. I also do collages. I sometimes make my own paper, or I buy handmade sheets from Mexico or France, dye them with fabric dyes. I rip it up and put it all back together in different forms,” says Donoghue. In addition to his workspace, there are shelves of supplies, paintings leaning against walls, and tons of light.

The men are hard put to choose their favorite collections, but each has his specialty.

“I tend to buy more artwork than Tim does,” says Fitzsimmons. But we generally share the same tastes and are always buying things for each other.”

Even though there are masses of shelves and rows of pottery, teapots, books, records, it is all laid out in a way that does not feel claustrophobic, but instead invites a guest to stop anywhere and enjoy a tableau of treasures. Next on the list of projects is to bring back the gardens to their original glory.

By Kerri Arsenault

Erik Madigan Heck and Brianna Killion Heck designed their Roxbury, Connecticut home themselves, right down to the most elegant spoon. The interior is a soothing tribute to grayscale, with blond wood floors and intermittent warm oatmealy tones on the soft goods, which match the color of Rumpus, the family Spinone pup. Brianna’s unblemished porcelain skin also complements the design. Color at the Heck’s emerges in layers: a pale turquoise rug, a life-sized nude photograph of Brianna that Erik took, and the 14-foot plate glass windows that reflect the lush greens of the wooded forest below in the ravine, recasting color saturation as light glances through the room. Their two boys—Felix and Winston—both dressed in peppermint-striped cotton PJs, ping-pong on two big wooly sofas and skate the floors in stockinged feet, with Rumpus following close behind. Their stripes become a pink blur. When Brianna laughs, her face flushes a Beaujolais red. Their home parallels their work in tenor and tone, which is built meticulously and in layers of color and love from the ground up.

If you are not familiar with Erik’s art yet, take note. His photography has won notable awards and he’s a regular contributor to magazines like TIME, Harper’s Bazaar, Vanity Fair, and The New York Times. His Instagram feed features images of Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Tony Bennett, Roger Federer, James Harden, Adele, and Joe Biden. And his website is a study in high fashion commissions and campaigns.

Photography is a fiction, Erik said one night while having drinks. Like a novel, I thought, one you want to desperately read. It has, like most good stories, a beginning, middle, and end but it’s getting there that holds the mystery and surprise. In his photographic post-processing mode, I’ve watched him digitally build color and intent, creating stories within the bounds of the frame until he conveys the emotion he wants to convey. Watching him work and edit is like watching a watchmaker adjust time. Erik approaches paintings, music, film, even making perfume much the same way: constantly inventing and reinventing with precision and artfulness that also leaves a residue of ambiguity in its wake.

When the economic machinations screeched to a halt last March and Erik could no longer travel to London and Paris where he normally works, the Heck’s adapted. Brianna, an artist too, upped the portrait commissions she completed and became Erik’s sole collaborator, model, and muse. They shot for Van Cleef & Arpels, Rodarte, Carolina Herrera, and Harper’s Bazaar UK, largely in their backyard, using Litchfield County’s nature as the backdrop. Brianna, for her part, played the part Erik needed her to play, but always with strong opinions (usually differing) about which photographs to keep. What also emerged from this family affair was The Garden, four years in the making and released in February 2021. In it, both Erik and Brianna’s intersectional talent and the intimacy of our pandemic bind is on full display.

The book is a modern fairy tale, which amounts to a fair description of the Heck’s marriage and Roxbury, too; they married three months after they met and Roxbury was love at first sight. A quiet life where their children run amok, playing with insects and in brooks to their heart’s content. The Garden is part of a larger project that also includes a musical score/art mashup (“Safe Passage” with Dutch musician Frits Wentink) and perfumes—with Les Eaux Primordiales, France—and draws upon old masters, Catholic iconography, archetype, and myth while accessing the spontaneity of color and light. It’s lush yet simple, and guided by Leanne Shapton’s text, Erik’s poetry, and Brianna’s gestures and angles that feel like an angel in flight.

“Safe Passage” was half completed when Erik’s mother passed away in February 2020, which added a new meaning to the title and score; he also built in field recordings of Roxbury, Tilda Swinton whispering Erik’s poetry, and Felix recounting one of his dreams. It’s as complex and thoughtful as the work as Erik and Brianna do. Weaving between classical, ambient, choral, and hard techno into a three part, 27-minute long modern symphony with the intimacy of family strewn throughout, “Safe Passage” also invokes hope; that with love as our base, we too can have safe passage from our modern day plights.

From Dilapidated to Main Street Treasure

By Hannah Van Sickle

A shared passion for all things beautiful caused the paths of designer Bunny Williams and the fashion-forward Christina van Hengel to converge. “I envisioned creating a unique space filled with something you couldn’t find anywhere else—locally made products from our talented community,” says Williams of the one-of-a-kind products that have been the foundation of 100 Main since August 2019. When Williams first came to town, three decades ago, there was a hairdresser and a grocery store. “The store eventually fell into disrepair [and] it made me sad to see it empty,” she recalls. The eventual renovation of a once defunct eyesore has literally breathed new life into the tiny hamlet of Falls Village. The extensive process revealed industrial details—steel beams above and polished concrete below—poised to harness the building’s roots and anchor the current boutique that boasts handmade items from more than 100 artisans.

“We are definitely interested in brands and makers who are thinking sustainably,” says van Hengel, pointing to a wood turner who uses felled trees, a basketmaker who puts locally grown organic willow to use, and a designer who makes children’s clothing from vintage kimonos as prime examples. “We love when we can find these details,” she adds in a nod to the curation process. Together, she and Williams reached out to artisans in Connecticut, Massachusetts, and New York to source and hand-select a group of products to sell in their shop. “We have it filled with everything from furniture to ceramics, art, children’s goods, linens, woven blankets, glassware, even soaps and candles,” says Williams of an ever-changing inventory that entices shoppers to come back often. “We like to keep it fresh,” says van Hengel noting a core group of artists who remain in rotation while their particular offerings change to reflect a new color palette or different design.

In a scant 18 months, 100 Main has quite literally put Falls Village on the proverbial map: the shop was voted one of the Best Home Stores in America by House Beautiful as well as New England Home’s Design Destination. “It’s always been our mission to provide something for everyone,” says van Hengel. Prices run the gamut—from proper paintings and full-size furniture to smaller soaps and tissue carriers—with a common thread binding it all together: purchasing locally-made products means paying for an artisans’ time. “The goal was to create a unique shopping experience without being too out of reach,” says van Hengel of their philosophy to reach neighbors, newcomers, and everyone in between.

“We feel lucky for a large space, no lines, and we are working on enhancing our online shop,” says van Hengel in a nod to upcoming trunk shows—and ongoing interviews—with some of the myriad makers whose wares fill the shelves at the eponymous boutique. “[The building] always reminded me of an old fashioned general store,” William recalls, proof that there is indeed something for everyone within the reimagined walls of 100 Main—a destination whose evolution is far from complete.

100 Main
100 Main St
Falls Village
860-453-4356

Dobson Pools Building Bespoke Pools for Over Fifty Years

SPONSORED CONTENT

By Clementina Verge

Imagine lounging by an exquisite swimming pool perfectly blended into the natural world surrounding it. Envision feeling deeply relaxed and restored within the bucolic Litchfield Hills. For the past 52 years, Dobson Pools has infused life into such dreams by creating more than 2,500 breathtaking backyard oases—pools that are not just refreshing centerpieces, but artistic components of properties throughout Connecticut and beyond.

While founder Jim Dobson now enjoys retirement and spending time with his 6-year-old grandson Colton James, his legacy of creativity and diligence continues, embraced by a son and daughter team who share his passion and commitment to excellence. Together, Brian and Julie Dobson co-own the company whose mission is combining the simplicity of time-honored joys with the extraordinary aesthetic of modern gunite pools.

With a loyal team of 30 beside them, Brian and Julie work year-round, developing their business with a focus on providing unmatched customer care, from installation to routine maintenance.

Brian, a nationally-recognized Certified Pool Builder, has raised the bar for innovative pool designs reflective of today’s contemporary lifestyle. Automated pool operations with remote capability have become standard, along with features such as spas, sunshelves, full width steps, salt systems, automatic water fillers, and automatic covers. The technology, however, never overshadows the art.

Designed exclusively to meet each homeowner’s unique preferences, pools are created to complement the architectural style of a home and maximize its topography and views.

“When we arrive at a property we immediately think ‘Where would we want to be and why?’” remarks Julie, noting that ultimately, pools add a superior landscape element.

In Kent, a precise rectangle surrounded by formal hedges capitalizes on the very traditional Connecticut country estate feel. In Falls Village, Greek Revival architecture guides a pool and pool house to emulate a Greek temple. In Warren, infinity pools overlook Lake Waramaug while in Salisbury they merge with exceptional views of Lake Wononscopomuc, creating unforgettable drama. These are just a few examples of the vast design freedom gunite provides.

Undoubtedly, those incredible vantage points transform properties, but also the lives of those who own them. Swimming fosters physical and social benefits; water eases aches, splashing incites giggles, and floating in the sunshine offers respite from screen time.

“The beauty of swimming is that it has no age limit,” Julie emphasizes, recollecting childhood memories when family celebrations were always around the pool.

“Watching my father and son swim together through my office window on a late summer afternoon, or watching them swim laps together come wintertime in the indoor pool room simply fills me with heartfelt gratitude,” she adds, expressing appreciation for being part of “a happy business” that makes such positivity possible for others.

In partnership with local businesses and realtors, Dobson plans to host a swimming pool tour later this year, educating the community regarding options involved in building a pool or purchasing a home with an existing one. So start dreaming of your perfectly tranquil aquatic escape; the fulfillment can be just around the corner—like summer.

Dobson Pools
1 Spruce Lane
New Milford
860-354-9227

Meg Harpin purchased The Spa at Litchfield Hills 15 years ago as a 19-year-old aspiring entrepreneur. Having grown up in Litchfield, she was studying at Babson College in Boston when the opportunity to run a small day spa in her hometown presented itself. Starting with just ten employees, she has since doubled her floor plan, grown the team to almost 40, and has expanded the offerings for her demanding clientele.

At this stage of your life, what accomplishment are you most proud of? Being committed to something so serious at the age of 19 was thrilling but not without its challenges. And while we’ve had our growing pains, I am grateful that I’m still able to serve Litchfield County all these years later, thanks in large part to the support of the community I love. I am also immensely proud of the incredible team of mostly women who work at The Spa, many of whom have been with me for years. It’s an honor to work with such amazing and hard-working women, each of whom have taught me so much.

What is your mission for The Spa? I strive to make sure The Spa is on par with the level and experience you would find in any major metropolitan area. I work hard year round researching the newest and best products and services available in the industry and am proud to offer them here to our local community. But most importantly, I have made it my mission to ensure that The Spa is a place where everyone—locals and out-of-town guests alike—feels good about taking a moment to treat themselves. 

What has been the most challenging part of owning the salon? We are open seven days a week, year round—so no matter where I am, or the time of day, I make it a priority to make myself available to handle various issues as they arise. The Spa is always in the back of my mind. It’s exhausting, but also incredibly rewarding. Also, coming up with new and innovative ways to appeal to our guests during the slower winter months always presents a challenge.  

What services does the salon provide? We are a full service salon and day spa, offering innovative hair, nails, skincare, massage, and make-up services. We cater to everyone—whether you need a quick manicure, a massage after a long work week, or a place for hair and makeup for your entire wedding party.

What are some of your favorite memories of growing up in Litchfield? We grew up without television, so we were always outside. Some of my favorite memories include: ice skating on Lake Waramaug, swimming at Mt. Tom, skiing Mohawk Mountain, and horseback riding in New Preston. 

Through Collage, Artist Susan Lerner Creates Surreal Stories

Susan Lerner has been a resident of Litchfield County since 1997 when she and her husband bought a home in New Preston as a weekend retreat from city living. After 18 years of working as a flavor chemist, and an equal amount of time raising her two daughters, she decided to experiment with analog collage. The minute Lerner picked up a straight edge at the 92nd Street Y in NYC, she was hooked. Lerner is drawn to the connection of past and present by using vintage imagery to create a new contemporary style. She shares, “I am intrigued by the use of fragile material in a new context. I like to juxtapose unlikely images to tell unexpected surreal stories, embodying the attitude that anything is possible. I am satisfied when the viewer can’t figure out if it is real or imagined.”

The hunt for the ephemera for her collages is part of the magic of Lerner’s work. She scours used book stores and flea markets for just the right magazines, books, maps, illustrations, and often finds globes, old postcards, and photographs to use in her works. In this collage, Litchfield County, CT, Lerner wanted to recreate the feeling of her favorite place in Litchfield County, Lake Waramaug. “My daughters grew up on the lake and it will always bring nostalgic memories to heart,” she shares. The use of the map’s intrinsic lines, color, and symmetry naturally leads the viewer into the heartbeat of the collage, Lake Waramaug. The found vintage magazine images from the ‘70s, photographed flowers of similar hues, and a vintage lake postcard wondrously bring disparate pieces together to create this dream-like memory that so many of us in Litchfield County share.

Susan Lerner
instagram.com/mixdmediamashup

By Clementina Verge

Throughout the span of more than three decades in the beauty industry, Linda Temkin has mastered many aspects, ranging from hair, massages, and lash extensions, to facials and make-up, but one passion has emerged above the rest: individualized skin care, specifically custom blend liquid foundation.

As owner of Les Beaux Vous, a salon and day spa in Torrington, in 2007 she launched LuLu, a new line of custom-blend foundation bearing her nickname. Her professional training and background informed her awareness about make-up ingredients and their effect on skin. This knowledge fueled the desire to create products that were as natural as possible.

In 2017, she sold the salon and established The Lulu Face Co., committed to “make-up that is good for skin and an extension of personal health care.”

Today, overlooking North Street in Litchfield, Temkin’s atelier brims with natural beauty products infused with pure minerals and botanicals. Her boutique cosmetic line—including eye shadows, nail polish, and lip glosses—is nontoxic, gluten-free, 100% vegan, and mostly organic. Ultimately, superior ingredients do not conceal appearance, but elevate skin quality from beneath the surface, which is Temkin’s goal for her clients.

“Foundation should never feel or look like a mask,” she notes. “It should enhance and protect the skin from daily free radicals, dirt, and grime, and be a perfect fit for every individual.”

By appointment only, Temkin welcomes clients into her shop, and during one-on-one consultations identifies personal needs, ranging from redness, blotchiness, dryness, hyperpigmentation, dark circles, acne, or aging skin.

Then the tinkering begins. Starting with a base liquid foundation, Temkin scoops, pumps, and measures the exact required amount of ingredients such as retinol, SPF, illuminators, hydrators, and mineral-powdered toners.

The process ensures desired luminescence, anti-inflammatory properties, anti-aging peptides, vitamins, tint, tone, texture—and complete client satisfaction.

When cosmetics are purchased under artificial lights, the outcome is often disappointing; however, Temkin’s workshop boasts plenty of natural light streaming through the windows. This is where the final product is viewed on the face, testing that it truly matches skin tone, while also properly highlighting and concealing according to expectations. Temkin ensures that the process of choosing a foundation is not overwhelming or frustrating.

When the right formula is secured, Temkin records each one, and clients have the option to sign up for an auto-shipped subscription. Of course, no two women are identical and neither is their skin, so products can be tweaked according to the season, accommodating the need for sunscreen or added moisture. Customization possibilities become endless in creating the perfect foundation, as well as lip color, and day, night, and eye creams.

Temkin has also successfully proven able to match foundation to a woman’s complexion without seeing her in person, and now offers video conferences. “It is really exciting to know that we can do this, whether clients are in Connecticut or in California,” she declares. “I love it when a client says, ‘This is perfect,’ after I help them to achieve not only beautiful, but healthy skin, and make them feel happy.”

The Lulu Face Co.
7 North Street #4
Litchfield
860-205-2539

Readers Choice Guide

By Clementina Verge

Hands may not be hailed as the official windows to the soul, but they establish visual connections between ourselves and others, sustain us daily through impressive capabilities, often speak on our behalf, and always nurture those we cherish. Nurturing them in return, therefore, is an act of self-love and this is what manicurist Deb Dorfman fosters when clients settle before her in a velvety chair.

Under the glow of a chandelier that adds to the quaint, artistic feel of Byrde + the b—an award-winning, full-service luxury salon in Washington Depot, Dorfman beautifies hands and feet while nourishing skin and nails.

“All my life, this is what I have wanted to do. This is where I want to be,” Dorfman, also a licensed hairdresser, enthusiastically declares. “I am a people person. What I do is intimate: we hold hands and talk and socialize. I help people feel good and look great.”

Her passion ignited in Brooklyn where childhood memories include painting her grandmother’s nails and tweezing her eyebrows. After embarking on a decades-long career in the Empire State, the desire to secure greater academic opportunities for her only son transposed her to Connecticut where two and a half years ago she found a home at Byrde + the b.

Low-toxic products are a distinguishing feature here and Dorfman promises “flawless nails without flawed ingredients.”

The product of choice is Dazzle Dry, a unique four-step vegan system that includes vitamin-induced nail prep, base treatment, lacquer, and a top coat. The allure extends beyond incredible shine; humane and nontoxic, vibrant color sets “rock solid” in just five minutes and lasts two to three weeks.

“It wears like a gel, applies and removes with regular polish remover, but involves no harmful UV lights or chemicals that weaken nails and it doesn’t chip,” Dorfman explains.

On the contrary, a manicure here “transforms nails by helping them grow stronger and longer, and making hands look younger.”

Heated hand treatments, a separate service, are especially valuable during colder, moisture-limited months. A healing cocktail of A, C, and E oils with a boost of vitamin C crystals improve tone, hydrate, and promote collagen production while anti-wrinkle retinol plumps the skin.

Feet thrive from similar nourishment and Dorfman also extends “surgical precision” to pedicures for women and men, buffing, filing, and removing calluses.

Her dedication is not limited to when clients occupy the salon. Whether she sends them home with extra cuticle oil, travel kits, or nourishing products, their nail health and satisfaction is paramount.

“I truly, truly love what I do,” she exclaims.

Between each client, diligent salon cleanings feature hospital-grade products and UV-C LED sanitizing light. In addition to plexiglass dividers, masks, gloves, and facial shields are standard procedure, as are temperature checks and health screening questions.

So whether you are craving the color of Seduction, a sultry Night to Remember, or the subtle appeal of Peacefully Me, gift yourself or loved ones a relaxing and rejuvenating appointment with Dorfman, who leaves hands, feet, and souls happy.

Byrde + the b
10 Titus Road
Washington
860-619-0422

Readers Choice Guide

Paul Marcarelli, an actor and independent filmmaker, shares some of his favorite things about living in Litchfield County.

I grew up on a small farm outside New Haven. We had fresh eggs, horses, dogs, and woods to explore, but also lawns to mow, goats to milk, produce to pick, fences to install, and buckets to haul. I vividly recall promising myself one cold morning before school that when I grew up I would never (EVER!) live someplace where a snow shovel was considered essential equipment. So it was a slow transition after 25 years in NYC, from weekender to summer resident to fulltime Litchfield homeowner with no fewer than three snow shovels and an actual snowblower I only sort of know how to operate. And having recently semi-retired from a 22-year acting career, 2020 is the first year my husband Ryan and I will have spent nearly an entire year in one place since we’ve been together. Most days now, you’ll find me in the garden with my pugs Oliver and Auggie. When we do venture out, here are some of the places we are apt to haunt…

Favorite place to walk: Topsmead State Forest has broad, sunny trails and meadow paths, perfect for someone like me with a fear of bears, snakes, and ticks. The house tour is great too. Be sure to check out Ms. Chase’s typed cocktail recipes still framed on the pantry wall.

Favorite shopping: Milton Market in Litchfield’s Cobble Court is the kind of store I could easily see myself living in. I also recently purchased two Staffordshire pugs and a dreamy Edith Wharton garden bench from the newly opened Litchfield Home—also be sure to head across the green to Louis Lemieux’s new kitchen goods shop!

Favorite meals: The fried chicken sandwich at The Village is a favorite, as are the world class tuna melts at Patty’s, the cocktails at the Mayflower Inn, the egg salad on croissant from Arethusa a Mano, and literally any ice cream from Peaches ‘N Cream.

Gardening essentials: Litchfield Nursery and Whiteflower Farm are nearly daily stops for us.

Yoga and exercise: The area boasts some great yoga teachers. I’ve studied with Michele Saunders, Michael Torrant, Anne Hungerford, Nicole Renee, and Eileen Manella. For a higher intensity workout, Ryan and I train with Kyle Crocker of Calisfit Studio.

Organic produce: One of the great treats of 2020 was the weekly CSA box from South Farms in Morris. Can’t wait til spring!

Paul Marcarelli here with Litchfield Magazine publisher and editor-in-chief Mary Beth Lawlor at South Farms.

Favorite charity: Clover Ridge Animal Sanctuary in New Milford.

Readers Choice Guide