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

Reimagined by Designer Celerie Kemble

By Wendy Carlson

The Mayflower Inn, Washington’s venerable landmark resort, has a whole new look. When hotels shut down last spring in response to COVID, Auberge Resorts, which acquired the inn two years ago, used the closure to do a complete makeover, hiring New York-based designer Celerie Kemble to orchestrate the reimagining.

The redesign encompassed 17 guest rooms and suites, including Mayflower’s signature restaurant, and the inn’s historic main house and parlor. Drawing inspiration from storied English and Scandinavian country houses, Kemble used a palette of florals, complex patterns and color, Gustavian antiques, and contemporary art to renovate the interiors.

From the outside, the inn’s historic 19th century Shingle-style facade remains the same. A row of Hunter boots are dutifully lined up on the portico entrance, and an ever-present valet is ready to spring into attention. However, the real transformation begins inside the grand foyer. Gone are the white walls, the Turkish rugs, the varnished woodwork, the polished wood tables, and the antique oil portraits of New England ancestors glaring down at guests. Instead, a ficus tree planted inside an enormous 18th century Spanish vessel commands the attention of all who enter.

“Before the inn had been very traditional, very old New England,” says general manager Israel Benyair. “Celerie Kemble has taken it to a whole new level so it is more of a discrete country house experience.”

To that end, much of the inn’s richly-detailed woodwork, including mantles, trim, and staircase, have been painted to compliment new textile wallpaper. In the foyer, rope stools circle a table topped with an eclectic mix of African sculptures, and a pair of contemporary accent chairs have upstaged the traditional leather arm chairs. The parlor has been painted a deep mustard yellow (although Rayo de Sol would be a kinder name for it) and the hardwood floors are now cream colored, which along with the floral-themed artwork, antique Gustavian side table, and needle point pillows complete the country retreat tableau.

Leading into the dining areas, the hallway features ceiling wallpaper in a Venetian-marbled motif, and a series of metal disc-shaped sculptures representing the planets make for curious wall art. Inspired by the inn’s 58 acres of natural surroundings and the Shakespeare garden, Kemble’s renovation of the formal dining room features hand-painted wallpaper, painted hardwood floors, and more spacious seating. In the tap room, there is a new bar and bar stools, textile wallpaper—and Voila!—the oil portraits return here, taking their place on the walls just to “give it an old Mayflower vibe,” says Benyair.

The only room untouched in the redo is the library. With its built-in curved window bunk seat, wall-to-wall bookcases, fireplace, and well-worn leather reading chairs, “it’s legendary to the inn,” explains Benyair.

The guest rooms and suites still include timeless pieces such as the inn’s signature four-poster beds, but have been refreshed with custom furnishings, sisal carpets, Turkish rugs, hand-crafted ceramics, and whimsical wicker. Colorful textiles from Schumacher, Sister Parish, and Penny Morrison reflect a modern sense of comfortable country life. Damasks, crystal lamps, and French influences have been traded for more eclectic furnishings and artful layering, to give each room its own persona.

Despite all the changes, one feature well preserved is the original solid-oak entrance door. The doorknob is set lower than usual, a remnant from when the inn was once a boys dormitory for The Ridge School before it became an inn in 1920. In 1990, after years of neglect, the structure was purchased and restored by Washington residents Adriana and Robert Mnuchin, who turned it into one of the country’s premier luxury resorts.

Mayflower Inn & Spa
118 Woodbury Rd, Washington
860-868-9466

Blue Gate Farm in Warren Thrives on Three Acres

By Hannah Van Sickle

Bruce Young’s little slice of heaven is a scant three acres in Warren called Blue Gate Farm—and he’s far from bashful about the diminutive size. The land on Curtiss Road (named for Young’s paternal grandmother), is a micro-farm that has blossomed in the decade since he returned to the area to farm with his partner, Yobana Garcia. “Start where you are with what you have” was the couple’s guiding philosophy, one that has remained through numerous growing seasons as neighbors increasingly lean on the local food economy to sustain them through the growing season and beyond.

“Each year, we narrow and refine what we are doing,” Young explains of his commitment to growing Blue Gate Farm in a focused way. From the first tender leaves of spinach come spring to the last butternut squash harvested before it freezes, the pair strive to be as varied and resilient as possible—which translates to honing their niche. On the day I toured Blue Gate, Young had 150 pounds of onions in the back of his truck bound for the Warren farmers’ market––a hearty crop that grows beautifully with little effort and will keep over the winter. With time and space in short supply, every decision on a micro-farm is particularly important. At present, Young and Garcia are raising a trio of American Aberdeen beef cattle, prized for their efficiency in turning pasture to protein. Young’s foray into raising animals began with chickens—of which he processed 150 last spring—and he has an affinity for American Guinea hogs as well. Turns out, so do his neighbors.

“It’s been very satisfying, very rewarding, to help so many people access local food,” says Garcia who hails from the city of Chiquimula in Guatemala. Knowing where their food comes from and how it was raised is a huge part of what fuels the pair in their work. “It would be impossible to overstate the feeling of  ‘going off the grid’ food wise,” Young says. Not to mention “the food we raise tastes amazing,” Garcia adds in a nod to what keeps her and Young focused on farming. To complement their harvests from the field and pasture, Young cites his passion for baking as a lucrative cottage industry. He sells upwards of 35 loaves of bread a week, with customers flocking for squares of his nearly famous garlic and rosemary focaccia—flavored with the very fruits of his labor. Blue Gate also participates in the Warren Grown CSA, in conjunction with Earth’s Palate Farm and Warren Valley Farm, where their pork, chicken, and bacon round out the locally grown produce and pasture raised eggs that fill patrons’ weekly boxes.

Along with the pride of planting each seed by hand come challenges. “Many underestimate the time and effort it takes to farm on a small scale,” says Young in a nod to the nonstop weeding and harvesting––all of which he and Garcia do themselves while working off-farm jobs. The ultimate goal is to replace one of their incomes with revenue from the farm. As to what keeps the pair farming? The work is simple but necessary, and very satisfying. The small parcel of land harnesses huge potential from the fruit trees and berry bushes that abound to the maple trees they tap come spring. Young sees it as a small-scale responsibility, one that simply starts with doing something—which is the biggest tip he hopes to be able to pass on to other would-be small acreage farmers. “We are doing our part, stepping outside of a flawed system and making solutions for ourselves and our family.”

Blue Gate Farm
14 Curtiss Road, Warren
860-898-0742

Local Style Experts Offer Creative Advice

By Jessica Grutkowski

Time spent home during quarantine has forced many people to revisit the functionality of their current living space, and how they can safely entertain during a pandemic. Families are moving out of Manhattan to full-time suburban living where they can safely social distance and enjoy a controlled outdoor space.

While many local designers and home furnishing brands feared societal changes would force a shut down, the reality is that most are seeing higher demand for products and services. Litchfield Magazine polled the best-of-the-best locally to provide you with go-to design sources and tips for projects of any size.

George Home—Washington Depot

Owned by Bruce Glickman and Wilson Henley, long-time weekend residents turned locals, George Home is a favorite destination for designers, architects, and private clients in the Northeast and beyond. Stocked with unique furniture, art, lighting, and one-of-a-kind objects and accessories, its studio also features interior design services for residential and commercial clients.

“Our collection is a chic mixture of styles with plenty of patina and ‘look,’” adds Glickman. They believe that “one or two unusual pieces really make a room!” “We buy things we want to live with ourselves,” explains Henley. @GeorgeHomeCT

Housatonic Trading Company—Bantam

The Housatonic Trading Company showroom offers a carefully curated selection of high-quality furnishings, antiques, art and home decor, including one-of-a-kind vintage pieces that reflect an eclectic mix from multiple genres and origins across the globe.

“Whether it’s the patina of a hundred-year-old chest, the softness of a well-loved armchair, or the glow from a Baccarat decanter capturing the sunlight—every piece should inspire,” explains co-founder Robert Graham.

“Home should be comfortable and functional, and full of pieces that make you feel good, spark conversation, and keep you smiling,” adds Graham. @HousatonicTrading

Honeychurch Home—Salisbury

A self-described “romantic-at-heart,” Carolyn Piccirelli is inspired by all things vintage, and Italian, French, and Swedish country design. She loves to travel to source well-made textiles, ceramics, tabletop accessories, gifts, baskets, and fresh flowers for her shop, Honeychurch Home.

When designing at home, Piccirelli cautions that clients often mistakenly group too many similar-sized accessories together on mantels, tables, and shelves. “Try and achieve balance through proportion, size, and color. Often, less is more—and your home will feel fresher with little effort.” @HoneychurchHome

Interiors by KLM 

After two decades of working in the design field, Kristen Meissner opened her own design studio, KLM Interiors, where she helps clients with everything from custom furniture, wall-coverings and window treatments, to color consulting, furniture arrangement, and more. She consults with architects and contractors to ensure her clients’ vision is brought to life.

“Don’t buy the cheaper, throw-away furniture––rather, do just the opposite!” Meissner advises clients. “Always use better quality fabrics and construction in rooms that are used (or abused) the most … good design is timeless!” @KristenMeissner

Joshua Smith

Local interior designer and life coach Joshua Smith brings a holistic approach to everything he does for his clients. Since being homeless at 21, Smith has transformed himself into a successful interior designer and life coach, whose work has been featured in countless national trade magazines.

When designing a home or interior space, Smith prefers to take a holistic approach, urging clients to think beyond how a space should look, and instead focus on how it should feel.

“A beautiful interior is not just something we see, it’s something we experience; it should engage the senses and nourish the soul,” advises Smith. @JoshuaSmithInc
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RT Facts Design & Antiques—Kent

Inspired by classical architecture, sculpture, and nature, Natalie and Greg Randall originally opened RT Facts in the old Kent Town Hall, a building they purchased to sell antique home and garden pieces. They expanded and opened up a second much larger location in Kent Barns, right down the road. Recently they began selling their own creations, including lamps, chandeliers, hand-forged iron table bases, copper-wrapped distressed mirrors, leather and linen-topped tables, and zinc planters made by their team of local artisans with locally sourced materials whenever possible.

“We worried we’d have to close in March, but thankfully orders kept coming in,” explains Randall. “Clients wanted to create home offices, enhance outdoor living for entertaining, and some purchased second homes for full-time living.”

The Randalls advise clients to consider a narrow dining table as it’s more versatile, friendly, and functional. “You won’t regret going custom here, just allow space between each chair and ample legroom across.” @RTFacts

Ameico—New Milford

Founded by Peter Kahane in 1995, AMEICO has quietly been supplying modern design products to contemporary art museum shops and design stores across the country for 25 years. Headquartered in the historic 1918 SNET Telephone Exchange building of New Milford, the company opened to the public for the first time in 2014. Although this year was expected to be one of celebration, instead it has caused Peter to become reflective, “The most exciting part of our business for me has always been the curatorial role we attempt to play within an international community of designers, craftspeople, mostly smaller manufacturers and our audience of retail partners. We have realized, more than ever, how important these collaborations, some going back to our formation 25 years ago, really are. We are truly all in this together.” @Ameico_Design

Blue Print CT—Litchfield

For over three years, BLUEPRINT CT HOME owner Louis Lemieux has offered what he calls the antithetical “antidote” to mass market design elements for the home. As with many small businesses during COVID-19, he adapted by shrinking the retail component creatively focusing his business on small to medium residential and commercial interior design projects. His smaller space at the former Litchfield Jail offers an edited selection of his products plus additional decorating items including fabrics, bedding, and pillows—see Litchfield Magazine May 2019 for a look at his loft at the Jail.

His clients sing his praises for offering them exciting, unexpected, and stunning interiors. In early 2021, Lemieux will open an eponymous design studio and shop, LouisCT. Focusing on client demand and his core interests, Lemieux will offer vintage and modern furniture, textiles, ceramics, art, lighting, and more. @ShopBlueprintCT 
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Marion Cooper Farrell, a graduate of New Milford high school, never thought she’d return to the area after she left for college. An avid runner, she discovered Pilates while living in Hawaii and experiencing lower back pain. She became hooked. As fate would have it, after spending 22 years in corporate America, she came back to work in Litchfield County and eventually opened her own pilates studio.

1. What is Mind Body Connection?

Mind-Body Connection Pilates is a co-op of Movement Professionals. While I own the studio, hold private and semi private sessions, I also maintain the studio and all the equipment. My team of instructors bring their clients into the studio and share the space and the equipment. The studio is fully equipped with Balanced Body Reformers, Cadillac, EXO chairs, and more. Of course we are using all the recommended CDC protocols and are thoroughly cleaning the equipment and spaces after each use.

2. How did you start the business and when?

I started the business in 2011. After spending 22 years in corporate America, I was ready to go out on my own. I wanted clients to experience Pilates fully by using different types of equipment to help deepen their Pilates work. I also found many clients had specific injuries that I needed different equipment for in order to support their healing.

3. What is Pilates? What types of classes do you offer?

Pilates is a unique exercise system based on the idea that all movement is initiated from the core. Pilates works to lengthen and strengthen muscles to allow for balanced muscle development. After practicing Pilates there’s a sense of well being, a feeling that you may have grown a little taller, a little lighter and movement is more fluid—easier. I often hear clients say Pilates is the hardest exercise they’ve ever done and they love it!  Please be assured, Pilates is a full body workout.

Photo by Jennifer Beecher

4. Why do you focus on using the Reformer in Pilates?

I initially began taking Mat Pilates classes twice weekly and experienced what a difference it made. I then gave the Reformer a try and immediately loved it. The Reformer was challenging, fluid, and supportive all at the same time. The Reformer’s resistance allowed me to lengthen and strengthen my core and muscles in a way they never had before. You feel the difference immediately.

5. Being a small business owner, how have you adapted to the new changes necessary to fight Covid-19?

Following CDC guidelines we’ve adapted the schedule to ensure sessions are scheduled 15 minutes apart, we created a single use entrance and exit, we allow one instructor to one client in the studio per hour, teachers and clients are wearing masks during the sessions, and the equipment is thoroughly cleaned between appointments.  It’s what we have to do to stay healthy and safe.

6. Your space is so beautiful. Tell us about the location.

Mind-Body Connection Pilates is located at The Bleachery alongside the Housatonic River in New Milford. The Bleachery was once a textile mill and is more than 100 years old. It’s a beautiful brick building with large windows, old wood beams, and so much natural light. The space has a wonderful energy.

7. How are you different from other fitness studios?

I work to understand the client’s goals inclusive of their emotional and physical needs. I then design sessions to affect those. I want clients to feel strong and flexible, to address any issue or injury, to allow them to do whatever they want effortlessly.—mind-bodyconnection.com

Plain Goods Offers the Best of the Best

Written by Joseph Montebello
Photos by Zlatko Batistich

Before entering this very special boutique, one takes notice of the building in which it is housed. It is situated at the end of the shopping mecca that is New Preston and is a prime example of what can be done with a historic building when placed in the right hands. And there are none better than those of Michael DePerno and Andrew Fry, co-owners of Plain Goods. Henry O. Erickson Pavilion Hall, named after a local resident who was a much-loved community volunteer, was built in 1897 as a community hall for concerts, plays, and celebrations. Most recently it had been home to the Boys and Girls Club of New Preston. DePerno and Fry realized the importance of saving the building, took up the cause, and spent a year restoring the 6,000 square-foot space. As a testament to this effort, Plain Goods received the 2019 Award of Merit from the Connecticut Trust for Historic Preservation.

“The building itself is an important aspect of our success,” explains DePerno. “We repurposed materials, including original paneling and windows, so that it feels authentic but modern and relevant. It gives us this incredible canvas as a backdrop for our merchandise.”

In the original shop around the corner, a mere 700 square feet, there was a concentration on home and accessories and selected clothing lines. With the expanded space every category has grown. While the name suggests the simple aesthetic of past dry goods stores, there is nothing plain about this shop.

“The first floor is primarily home furnishings, children’s, and lifestyle,” says DePerno. “Upstairs is mostly clothing for men and women, with antique and vintage furniture and lighting mixed in. A lot of the surfaces used for display are for sale as well.”

For DePerno, who has owned shops in New York and California, and Fry, whose background is in fashion public relations, marketing, and branding, Plain Goods is the perfect venue in which to showcase their innate style and taste. They complement each other in that DePerno describes himself as a collector, while Fry tends more toward minimalism.

“We attend fashion shows, home shows, and antique fairs in Europe. Andrew and I share a singular vision and understanding of what our brand is, what our point of view is, and then edit what we’ve seen.” Indeed it is one of the things customers value. Everything is thoughtfully chosen and displayed. Nothing is superfluous.

“The most rewarding aspect of having a business like this is to get to know the people who come in and appreciate what we do,” says Fry. “It’s what makes coming to work so special. Over time our clients become our friends as well.”

Fry oversees the visuals and catalogs, creating stories that evoke a perfect lifestyle. Navigating the website is like taking a highly curated tour of the best merchandise available.

But nothing beats visiting the shop in person (mask in place) and enjoying the real thing.

Plain Goods
17 East Shore Road, New Preston
860.828.0280

John Willey combines the Unique with the Practical to Create Perfect Interiors

Written by Joseph Montebello
Photo by Zlatko Batistich

It’s been a busy year for interior designer John Willey. After living in New York City for over 20 years he and his husband sold their apartment, moved to a rental, sold their house in Dutchess County, bought a new one in Lakeville, and experienced the birth of their daughter. And yet he is still smiling.

“I think Covid-19 made me realize it was time to slow down, get out of the city, and start to carve out some father time,” Willey explains. “I am taking on fewer projects and trying to avoid any in the city. I am hoping to get more design work locally.” Willey is extremely outgoing, talented, and always up for a challenge. Since his childhood days in the Midwest he has considered himself a design freak. “I adored Legos and graph paper. One of my favorite Christmas gifts was Terence Conran’s The House Book,” he recalls. “I loved to study design and architecture and knew that was the field I wanted to pursue.”

He got his Bachelor of Fine Arts in design and had considered going on to get a degree in architecture, but instead began interning for The Gettys Group in Chicago, a hotel design and development firm. He was offered a full-time job as a junior designer and worked his way through the ranks. From there Willey moved to New York City and worked for such stellar designers as Vicente Wolf and Jeffrey Bilhuber. He launched Willey Design in 2006 and has been in constant demand ever since.

Known for his use of bold colors and mixing classic and modern elements in the same room, Willey evokes sophistication with a touch of irreverence. “Every project is a true collaboration with my clients,” Willey says. “First, I walk through the space with them, listening to their practical needs while trying to read between the lines to decipher what they may not be able to express. Once I have a theme, it’s a fairly quick and easy process coming up with the design direction and palette, but then the real work begins—implementing the ideas into reality. I love planning out the space, the flow, the discovery from room to room, the sense of surprise.

“Making it pretty doesn’t happen until later,” he continues. “The practical items have to be in place first. Later on is when you get to the exciting part with rugs, chandeliers, tables, chairs—the icing on the cake.”

Willey has designed so many diverse projects, but on his wish list of things he has not done yet is a space for communities to come together. “A small bed and breakfast,” he explains, “or a lovely inn. Something that is engaging and would welcome family and friends.” For the moment, though, Willey is renovating his new home, adjusting to having a daughter, and settling into a new lifestyle.

Willey Design
340 Main Street, Lakeville
212.579.4159

Sponsored Post

By Clementina Verge

At Byrde + the b, a Washington Depot salon that is part oasis and part contemporary art gallery, beauty is more than skin deep. It graces the walls, infiltrates natural skincare products, and encompasses a space featuring state of the art technology and experts committed to skin health.

“Self-care is so important, and now more than ever,” noted head aesthetician Barbara Tilley, a Litchfield County native whose grandmother inspired a lifelong passion by teaching her the importance of skincare. “In order to take care of the people around you, you first need to take care of yourself. Our skin is the largest organ, our first defense for a lot of outside elements, so it’s important that we take care of it as part of our overall health.”

Facials are an optimal way to repair and rejuvenate, but at Byrde + the b the service goes far beyond reclining in a chair with a face mask. Tilley, who joined the salon two years ago, taylors each 50-60 minute experience to the needs of the customer. “You will never get the same facial twice,” she explained. ”You will get the same level of care, but as skin changes or is affected by environmental factors, you will get the best treatment for improving the skin at that particular time.”

Her weapon for leaving skin refreshed, hydrated, and deeply nourished is a unique clinical facial that combines Environ products with revolutionary skincare technology, targeting the root cause of individual skin concerns.

“A facial is certainly meant to be relaxing and enjoyable, but first and foremost, it is meant to improve the overall health of the skin,” noted Tilley, explaining that her preferred Environ skincare line—developed by a plastic surgeon—is medical-grade yet features environmentally-friendly products and is anchored in Vitamin A, which is imperative to skin health and resilience.

In addition to securing a new glow, a visit to Byrde + the b also means that you can toss the eyelash curler and mascara. A lash lift and tint will make morning routines easier and eliminate the need for ongoing maintenance. Other services include brow shaping, tinting, and sugaring hair removal.

Sugaring, an ancient Egyptian method of hair removal, is superior to others because it is100 percent natural—Tilley uses organic sugarpaste—and minimizes skin irritation while reducing hair breakage. When done consistently to the same area, it also discourages hair regrowth.

Regardless of age and gender, whether your skin needs LED light therapy or an extra dose of Vitamin A, schedule an appointment with Tilley. Skincare consultations are also offered digitally using newly developed technology that allows clients to meet in person, fill out online questionnaires, or chat via Zoom.

“I feel grateful when someone leaves the salon feeling more beautiful, less stressed, recharged, and more confident about themselves,” declared Scott Bond, owner and Creative Director. “It is like giving someone a fresh start, and I am especially grateful for Barbara and the staff for making people feel this way.”

Byrde + the b
10 Titus Road, Washington
860.619.0422

Written by John Torsiello
Photos by Rebecca Marina Kario Pollak

As you drive by on Route 6 in Thomaston you might never know the “sweet science” is being taught in a small mall off the roadway.

But that’s where Kareem Blue, owner of Blue Boy Boxing along with his wife Nina, are instructing kids and older people, men and women, to get into the ring which is set up in a well-lit 5,000-square-foot space. The gym boasts dozens of workout (aka punching) bags, weights, cardio equipment, and wall-to-wall mirrors for shadow boxing.

Sarah Moraes of New Milford is training for her Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) debut and travels to Blue Boy Boxing twice a week. “This is an amazing gym, “and Blue—it seems everyone calls the owner by his colorful last name—is a great coach.”

Kareem Blue grew up in the lower east side of Manhattan and started boxing at the age of eight—learning from a family friend. He became proficient at the sport, posting a 19-1 amateur record and fighting in the Golden Gloves tournament before he injured his back and had to give up competition. Yet, he continued to spar and train.

After moving to Bethlehem to be closer to his wife’s family and for “a change of pace,” Blue began training several individuals in boxing at the Litchfield Athletic Club where he was a physical trainer. “I began working with a few people who just happened to see me shadow boxing one day, but the club wasn’t really equipped for boxing. I knew a person who had this space in Thomaston and I put $1,000 down on a lease. I called my wife and she asked if I had found a job because I was out looking. I said “No, but we have a business.”

After being taken aback, Nina Blue was on board, “I knew Kareem would make it work.” And he did. Blue Boy Boxing opened four years ago and has a devoted and growing clientele. The gym closed for a few months because of the COVID-19 pandemic, but reopened in May.

Blue has produced several champs. Julian Smith of Waterbury won a Western New England Golden Gloves title this year in the 201-pound novice class, and Brad Turner of Bethlehem, while at Michigan State University in 2015, won a 201-pound novice United States Intercollegiate Boxing Association title. Turner trained with Blue before the latter opened the club. The Blues’ 12-year-old daughter, Skyy, won a medal at the Connecticut Silver Gloves tournament in Ansonia last year, as did Jalen Cornell of Naugatuck. The Blue’s young son, Beau, seven, also plans to compete in the Silver Gloves.

“We get every age coming here,” said Kareem Blue, “from eight to 80. We get housewives and kids. We have a class of around ten people with Parkinson’s Disease that we train because it has been found that skills used in boxing can help with some of the effects of the disease. Some people use training as a way to get in shape and that is fine. But everything we do is built around boxing. The gym draws from Litchfield County and beyond. Said Kareem Blue, “People think boxing is all about fighting but it is so much more. It teaches you confidence, focus, and strategy.”

Blue Boy Boxing
400 Watertown Road, Thomaston
860.880.8030