Author: Peggy Farabaugh

She is a CEO who brakes for salamanders, has bottle-fed rescued squirrels and spent her vacation building furniture for a rural school in Costa Rica. She believes in the future and in the people who will build it. A former distance-learning professor at Tulane University with a master’s in environmental health & safety, she turned an interest in forest conservation and endangered species into a growing, local business. She delivers rainforest statistics at breakneck speed, but knows how to slow down and appreciate the beauty of a newly finished piece of heirloom furniture.

Jazz Art II: How to Acquire an Original Silk Painting

September 29, 2013October 11, 2022 Peggy Farabaugh

Last updated on October 11th, 2022 at 05:43 pm

In yesterday’s blog post we introduced the Jazz Art collection of original silk paintings by Vermont artist Linda Marcille. Today– a little more about how silk paintings are created, a short bio of the artist and information on how to acquire this remarkable collection at a “Vermont price”.

About Silk Painting

Who is this female jazz singer performing with a quintet? Ella? Sarah? Nina? — Who is this female jazz singer performing with a quintet? Ella Fitzgerald? Sarah Vaughan? Nina Simone? Original silk painting by Linda Marcille, available exclusively at Vermont Woods Studios – Stonehurst.

Linda Marcille:

“Silk painting is an ancient Asian art form and it is very unique and mysterious. The silk itself is seemingly so fragile yet it is one of the strongest fibers in nature. There is also a serendipitous quality to painting on silk with dyes. The process never allows the artist to be fully in control or to know exactly the effect that will be created.

“Painting on silk is an incredibly time-consuming and unforgiving medium. Just one drop of misplaced dye, or a broken resist line, and days of painstaking work are ruined. As challenging as painting on silk is, however, it is also one of the most rewarding art forms because the two-hour steaming process joins the fiber-reactive dyes molecularly with the silk, so the dyes take on the silk’s iridescent sheen. It is because of this union that silk paintings are able to produce an awe-inspiring range of reflective color that no other medium is capable of creating,”

Linda’s paintings feature the highest quality steam set French dyes from Europe, the finest crepe de chine silks from China and a one of a kind resist made only in New Zealand. Linda’s work appears in many publications. Her Jazz series has been showcased by the Guild of Silk Painters and featured in the Spring 2010 issue of their Journal.

About Artist Linda Marcille

*Jazz trumpeter: Miles Davis? Dizzie Gillespie? Original silk painting by Linda Marcille. Original silk painting by Linda Marcille, available exclusively at Vermont Woods Studios – Stonehurst.*

In 2012 Linda and her husband, Don, built a beautiful home and studio on 36 wooded acres in Westminster, Vermont where they are slowing down and living a more simplified life. The creative process has been a powerful healing force in Linda’s life, she strongly believes in the healing properties of art, both for the viewer and the creator. She feels that art must be made available to those with chronic & terminal illness as part of their treatment plan. Linda has been battling an autoimmune disease caused by advanced neurological Lyme disease since 2000.

How to Purchase Linda’s Paintings

Do you have the perfect spot in your home for this remarkable series of Jazz paintings on silk? We are proud to be able to offer them for purchase here at Stonehurst over the next couple months. These are the only jazz paintings Linda has done out of an extensive body of work over many years and she will not be creating more like them. They are an investment sure to increase in value.

The original paintings are priced very reasonably for the person or family who will cherish and care for them. We would prefer to sell them as a set or perhaps split them into two sets, if necessary. Dimensions are 29″W x 25″H, matted and framed (actual image approximately 20″W x 15″H). For additional information or to purchase please call Peggy, Liz or any of our sales team at Vermont Woods Studios. Looking to buy just one? We’ll talk.

This is an investment opportunity of a lifetime for jazz lovers and art collectors!

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This blog is written by your friends at Vermont Woods Studios. Check out our Vermont made furniture and home decor online and visit our showroom and art gallery at Stonehurst, the newly restored 1800s farmhouse nestled in the foothills of the Green Mountains.

Gov. Shumlin: Top 10 Reasons to Attend Our Ribbon Cutting Ceremony

September 22, 2013August 14, 2018 Peggy Farabaugh

Last updated on August 14th, 2018 at 12:19 pm

Stonehurst | Vermont's Newest Fine Furniture Showroom and Art Gallery — Stonehurst, Vermont’s newest fine furniture showroom and art gallery is open and ready for business. All we need now is for Governor Shumlin to come down to Vernon and cut the ribbon on Tuesday October 22 at 3pm.

Dear Governor Shumlin,

We know you’re busy with economic development, health insurance and other important issues. But we’re hoping you can break free and make a quick trip to Vernon on Tuesday October 22 at 3pm for our ribbon cutting ceremony at Stonehurst, Vermont Woods Studios‘ new fine furniture showroom and art gallery.

Now I realize one might ask why such a busy man would carve time out of an already ambitious schedule to visit a small Vermont furniture business? We’ve thought of many reasons, but here are the Top 10. At Stonehurst you can:

Marvel at the world class handwork of dozens of Vermont’s fine furniture makers
Learn how a small Vermont business transitioned from a spare bedroom to a scenic destination shopping experience in the last 3 years
See how Vermonters are marrying the best of old world craftsmanship with cutting edge communications technology to make Vermont the Fine Furniture Capital of America
Visit Pine Top, a former Vermont ski area that not only showcases fine wooden furniture but also provides 100 acres of forested backdrop where customers experience the value of working lands and sustainable forest management
Enjoy original artwork of talented Vermont artists like Susan Osgood, Linda Marcille and Janet Picard
Check up on how we’re investing the $100,000 grant monies we were awarded by the Vermont Working Lands Initiative
Experience the beautiful landscaping artistry of celebrated author/gardener/landscaper Gordon Hayward and Torben Larsen of Putney, VT
See the positive signs of growth in Vernon and connect with a community that’s struggling to plan a new course for the future
Witness the synergy and collaboration among Vermont’s fine furniture professionals that’s bringing our work out of the woods (so to speak) and into the homes of customers in all 50 states and several countries abroad
Visit a local, green renovation project in action where great care was taken to restore a c 1790 farmhouse using Vermont made materials (local maple flooring, Vermont slate hearths, Green Mountain Windows, Vermont castings stoves and more)

If that’s not enough to convince you, how about just sitting down to relax and enjoy the view? That alone makes Stonehurst worth the trip.

Enjoy the view at Stonehurst, Vermont's newest fine furniture showroom — *Sit down, relax and enjoy the view. We’ll provide the wine.*

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Wood Furniture Care: Tips on Climate Control

September 21, 2013February 17, 2021 Peggy Farabaugh

Last updated on February 17th, 2021 at 05:14 pm

Solid Wood Furniture: Tips on Climate Control and Humidity — We received this beautiful picture of our Cherry Blossom Single Pedestal Table from Mary M in Palm Desert, CA. I love how she blended a relatively modern cherry dining set with what looks like a 16th century Baroque painting, a Colonial American corner cabinet and a collection of vibrant patchwork quilts. But it was her combination of different woods that reminded me to talk about wood movement today.

Mary’s M’s cherry dining furniture (shown above) was made in Vermont (a relatively humid place, especially in the summer) and shipped to the desert of Arizona. Since we ship a lot of Vermont made wood furniture to desert locales in California, Texas, Arizona, Nevada and elsewhere, I thought I’d post a few tips on humidity and climate control.

Wood Furniture Moves in Response to Changes in Humidity

When wood is part of a living tree, water moves up the trunk, from the ground and through the pores and fibers of the wood, as it travels out to the leaves. After a tree is cut and sawn into lumber, water continues to move back and forth through the wood fibers until the wood’s moisture level reaches equilibrium with its environment.

The job of woodworkers is to design and build furniture with a thorough understanding of the characteristics of wood movement. But in spite of their advanced knowledge and skills, no woodworker is able to create wood furniture that is completely unresponsive to temperature and humidity in your home. So here are a few climate control tips from our Furniture Care section to ensure that your wood furniture will remain beautiful and structurally sound for generations of enjoyment.

Climate Control Tips

Keep your home around 70°F-72°F with a relative humidity of about 50-55%
This often requires a humidifier in winter and an air conditioner in summer
Place your furniture away from heat sources such as radiators, heat runs or fireplaces
Store table leaves as close as possible to the table so they adjust to the same humidity conditions
Use a dehumidifier during wet, rainy times and in damp rooms to remove excess moisture from the air
For wood furniture with an oil finish, re-oil it frequently to create and maintain a patina. A rule of thumb is to oil your furniture:
- Immediately upon receipt
- Once/week during the first month
- Once/month during the first year
- Once or twice/year after that

Normally if you’re comfortable with the temperature and humidity in your home, your wood furniture will be comfortable as well. It’s designed to be durable and to accommodate normal changes in climate so most homeowners need not worry. Relax and enjoy it. Given reasonably good care your wood furniture will last for generations.

Tips from Furniture Restoration Experts

Check out this furniture renovation article from our friends over at Porch.com. You’ll learn even more tricks and techniques to make you an expert in wood furniture care.

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Fall Asleep in Style

September 18, 2013March 13, 2019 Peggy Farabaugh

Last updated on March 13th, 2019 at 05:44 pm

Copeland Monterey Bedroom Furniture | Arts and Crafts Meets Asian Style — *The Copeland Monterey bedroom furniture collection fuses Arts and Crafts design elements with Asian style.*

Copeland Monterey Collection. Carefully Crafted, Elegantly Styled.

After a stressful day at the office who doesn’t want to come home and melt into a comfortable cradle, drifting off to sleep in style?

Copeland’s high end Monterey Bedroom Furniture Collection updates traditional Arts & Crafts style with a modern Japanese touch. The headboard is reminiscent of a Shinto shrine’s torii gate, an icon that represents the transition from the “profane to the sacred“. Such an appropriate analogy for the transition from your day of hard work into a night of peaceful slumber!

Handcrafted in real cherry hardwood, the Monterey Bedroom set is made to order and can be customized online in your choice of natural cherry, windsor cherry, autumn cherry, congnac cherry, saddle cherry and smoke cherry wood stain. The platform bed can also be customized with an upholstered headboard in your choice of 5 different microsuedes and 3 leathers.

Storage Bed

Copeland also offers a Monterey platform storage bed which features four 8″ deep, under-bed storage drawers that provide plenty of stylish storage– now essential for small apartments. Nightstands are designed to allow easy access to the storage drawers– it’s great furniture for small spaces.

Craftsmanship and Construction Details

Learn more about the craftsmanship involved in building the Monterey bedroom collection in our construction details section.

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Nina Markiw and Dennis Getting Snappy at Stonehurst

September 8, 2013May 4, 2018 Peggy Farabaugh

Last updated on May 4th, 2018 at 03:21 pm

One of the challenges of running an online fine furniture store is taking enough professional quality photos to be able to accurately portray your quality and craftsmanship on the web. At Vermont Woods Studios we’ve been collecting photos for many years but everyday there is a need for new ones.

Luckily, Stonehurst (our new fine furniture and art gallery) provides us with an ideal space for taking high quality pictures to post on our website. Above Dennis and consultant Nina Markiw of White Blossom Art are setting up for silhouette shots– this one is of the handmade Cherry Moon vertical mirror.

Soon they’ll be photographing fine furniture vignettes throughout Stonehurst– both indoors and out. Stay tuned for inspirations and ideas from these two creative photographers. Our goal is not just to convey our quality but also to bring the natural beauty and tranquility of Stonehurst into your home. And maybe even persuade you to make a trip to Vermont to see our handmade fine furniture in person.

Leaf peeping season’s not far away. Grab a picnic basket, a bottle of wine, maybe some Vermont artisan cheese and you’ll be in the all set club. Home decor shopping will never be the same after you’ve visited the fine furniture and art gallery at Stonehurst.

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Forest to Furniture: Local Wood = Local Good

September 4, 2013March 13, 2019 Peggy Farabaugh

Last updated on March 13th, 2019 at 05:40 pm

Our friend Kathleen Wanner of the Vermont Wood Manufacturer’s Association VWMA is fond of the saying, “local wood = local good”. It captures Vermont’s passion for supporting small, local businesses that emphasize sustainable use of the working landscape: our forests and fields.

Consider for a minute, your impact on local economies when you buy American made furniture versus imported furniture (most furniture in America is imported from Asia). If, for example you buy Vermont made wood furniture, you are supporting the local land owner who grew the trees, the forester who manages the land for sustainability, the logger who falls the trees, the sawyer who slices and dices the wood, perhaps a wholesaler (and/or retailer) who inventory the wood, the furniture maker who builds your furniture and (unless you buy directly from the furniture maker) the retail store that sells you the new bedroom set. That’s why we say “local wood = local good”.

Here’s a typical Forest to Furniture scenario that happens routinely all over Vermont:

A local logging company or tree service harvests the trees.

Chuck Mayotte from Mayotte’s tree service in Guilford looks to find the highest and best use for the trees he removes. Sometimes trees will be used for firewood, but when Chuck comes across high quality logs or those with special character, he sells them to area furniture makers.

Local sawyers cut the lumber into planks or beams.

Vince Johnson is a local sawyer in Vernon with a portable sawmill that he drives to the woodlot at harvest time. He sawed black locust and norway spruce logs for us at Stonehurst, our new fine furniture gallery. They are currently being used to build a deck behind our showroom.

Kerber Mills is another local sawyer with a small mill in Guilford, VT. Clint Kerber milled the cherry and maple wood for our hardwood floors at the Stonehurst showroom.

Local furniture makers transform the wood into fine furniture.

vt-furniture-makers — Check out some of the specialty Forest to Furniture products that have been made by members the prestigious Guild of Vermont Furniture Makers including Richard Bissell of Putney Vermont and David Hurwitz of Randolf, VT.

So… what do you think? Does the story (and the benefit to local economies) behind local wood furniture add enough value to sway your buying decision? Or is imported furniture just too darned affordable to pass up? Let us know your thoughts on Facebook!

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Hardscaping Stonehurst with Torben Larsen

August 27, 2013August 29, 2013 Peggy Farabaugh Leave a comment

Last updated on August 29th, 2013 at 01:14 pm

Torben Larsen | Hardscaping | Southern Vermont — One of the many beautiful stone walls at Guilford Sound, in neighboring Guilford, VT. Torben Larsen, of Windham Growers has been doing amazing stone work there for the past 7 years. We are fortunate to be able to capture some of his talents at Stonehurst this month where he’ll be creating stone pathways and landscaping.

Earlier this month I posted about Gordon Hayward, the landscape architect who is helping us bring our vision for the “Stonehurst Experience” into reality. We want Stonehurst to be a peaceful refuge where customers seeking natural, eco-friendly wood furniture can come and relax in the foothills of Vermont’s Green Mountain Forest.

Beautiful, handmade furniture is just one part of the Stonehurst experience. The other part is immersion in the lush green forest where wood furniture originates. In order to provide access to the forest, we’ve turned to Torben Larsen of Windham Growers. Torben is Southern Vermont’s go-to guy for top quality stonework and landscaping.

Guilford Sound | Stonework, Landscaping and Hardscaping by Torben Larsen — Sights and sounds from the recording studio campus at Guilford Sound. Clockwise from upper left: a slate sphere made from recycled roof tiles by Torben Larsen of Windham Growers, the Recording Studio, *an outdoor dining area and amphitheater* and Torben Larsen and Gorden Hayward discussing landscape and hardscape plans for Vermont Woods Studios.

Since we don’t have photos of stonework at Stonehurst yet, I thought I’d show you some of Torben’s work at Guilford Sound, an amazing, world class recording studio, hidden in Guilford, VT the next town over. Torben’s wife Cynthia who manages the studio at Guilford Sound was nice enough to show us the inside of the facility. Gordon and Torben toured us through the gardens, ponds, streams and forest. What a place! Check them out on Facebook.

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Renovating Stonehurst with Vermont Made Products

August 15, 2013December 3, 2018 Peggy Farabaugh

Last updated on December 3rd, 2018 at 02:25 pm

Stonehurst | Renovation of Vermont Furniture Showcase — We’ve been careful to restore, reuse and re-purpose as much as we could from the original Stonehurst farmhouse. Where we needed new materials for the renovation, we sourced local Vermont made products whenever possible. This is a Vermont Castings stove, made in Bethel VT. It’s sitting on a Vermont slate hearth stone mined in Poultney VT. The mantle was made by a craftsman in Walpole NH (oops.. just across the border, though) from Vermont cherry wood. Chairs in the foreground are made by Jim Geier of Vermont Folk Rocker in Starksboro VT.

It’s been almost a year now since we purchased Stonehurst, the 200+ year old farmhouse we’ve grown to know and love. From the beginning when we first conceptualized this showcase of Vermont’s best handmade furniture, fine art and home decor accessories we decided to renovate with local products. We worked with Brattleboro architect Jeremy Coleman and Spofford builder, Bob Furlone (American Construction) to reuse and re-purpose everything we could in an effort to keep Stonehurst authentic. And when we needed to purchase building materials new, we sourced Vermont made products where possible.

Dennis, Heather B, Kelsey and I have written many Stonehurst blog posts describing the details of how we renovated and where materials came from. But I wanted to do a final run-down to recognize and thank the Vermont companies that made Stonehurst the authentic showcase it is today. Here’s the list:

Windows were custom handcrafted to match original designs, by Green Mountain Window in Rutland, VT
The maple and cherry hardwood in our floors was harvested and milled locally by Kerber Farms Mill and Lumber in Guilford, VT. Joe Dhembe in Newfane, VT installed the floors.
Original wood floors were too fragile to reuse, but Bob Furlone’s American Construction crew (Scott Strong Superintendent, Martha Ratcliff, Chuck Johns, Patrick Devens, Howard Bassett, Ketch Greene) were able to salvage, clean and re-purpose them as beautiful rustic ceilings
Interior painting and some exterior painting was done by W R Painting Inc in Ashulot, NH
Exterior painting was also done by Moe Momany Painting in Brattleboro, VT
Slate floors were mined in Poultney, VT and installed by Albert diBiccari of AD Ceramic Tile, Marlborough NH
2 gas stoves and a wood stove were made by Vermont Castings in Bethel, VT
Custom steel railings for the stairwell were period designed and handmade by Richard Crawford of Vermont Steelcraft
Jeremy’s decorative porch rafters and the cherry fireplace mantle were crafted by Walpole Cabinetry in Walpole NH
We left original beams in place wherever possible, but some new beams were needed. They were sustainably harvested and hand-hewn by Vermont Timberworks in Springfield, VT
Brattleboro’s engineering firm, Stevens and Associates designed the site plan
Local excavator, Carey Tyler of Tyler Excavation did all the site work
A handful of trees had to be taken down because they were leaning over the building. Turner and Renaud Tree Service fell the trees and local sawyer, Vince Johnson brought his portable sawmill over to slice and dice the wood.
Carroll Concrete of Vernon VT poured the new concrete foundation which shores up the old stone foundation
Masonry, stone wall repair and construction of the new stone wall along our ADA accessible ramp out front was artfully performed by Scott Sartoria of SKS Masonry in Keene, NH
A new standing seam metal roof over the renovated sections of Stonehurst was installed by Rohr Cook of Chester, VT. Soon Rohr will be repairing the old slate roof on the other side of Stonehurst
Landscaping is being designed now by Gordon Hayward of Hayward Gardens in Putney, VT. Torben Larsen of Windham Growers in Putney VT will be installing stone pathways, trees, shrubs and gardens. Our fabulous crew of summer interns have been helping with landscaping. They are Jimmy Mills and Douglas’ children– Trenton, Taegen and Tristan Fletcher.

A million thanks to all of you for making Stonehurst the special place it is! I must also thank Vermont taxpayers and the people who worked on the Vermont Working Lands Grant Initiative. Earlier this year they awarded Vermont Woods Studios a $100,000 grant to help complete the Stonehurst project.

To follow through on our “all things Vermont” theme, we are now working with local artisans to adorn the inside of Stonehurst with Vermont made fine furniture, artwork and home decor items. Soon you will be able to see that, plus lighting by Hubbardton Forge, glassware and pottery by Simon Pearce and pewter by Danforth Pewter all under one roof. Come visit and enjoy!

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Vermont Furniture Makers: Wages and Income

August 12, 2013October 12, 2022 Peggy Farabaugh

Last updated on October 12th, 2022 at 09:54 pm

Vermont Furniture Makers | Wages and Income Discussion — I took this photo earlier this year of some of the master craftsmen responsible for the best of Vermont Made furniture. From left: Bill Laberge, Bob Gasperetti, Steve Holman and Dan Mosheim. Each has a woodworking shop, quite typical of Vermont’s independent furniture makers.*

One of the best things about running a sustainable furniture business is that our customers are people who care about how we treat the environment and the people we work with. They’ve come to us because they are willing to pay a premium for high quality, American made furniture that’s crafted from sustainably harvested wood– by furniture makers who are paid a fair, livable wage.

Yesterday we received this note from Wayne J:

I appreciated the description of your commitment to sustainability. I would also like to know how you care for the artisans and trades people who build and ship the furniture. What percentage of the price flows to these people? Are they paid a living wage? What is the ratio of their pay to that of the CEO? Are they making enough to create for themselves safe environments for doing their work. For me to do repeat business at this price point, it will be important to have answers to these questions as well.

These are great questions. I would ask the same thing if I was a customer and I thought you might be interested in the answers, so I decided to post them here. I’ll break it down into Compensation and Occupational Safety & Health.

Compensation

Vermont Woods Studios is set up as a marketing and sales company. We actually don’t build much furniture anymore (we started out with Ken building furniture but as we grew, he couldn’t keep up, so we got him doing the bookkeeping instead). So we don’t directly employ furniture makers. We work with independent Vermont furniture makers, either buying furniture wholesale and selling retail or via commission or referral fees.

From the beginning, we set Vermont Woods Studios up as a mission-driven company, that is: To conserve forests and artistic woodworking while providing our customers with the best selection, value, quality and service available for Vermont made wood furniture.

Because Ken is a woodworker, we are well aware of the amount of time and effort that goes into a piece of handcrafted furniture. We have a middle ground to walk between helping Vermont furniture companies and craftspeople achieve high quality jobs and providing our customers with the best value for their furniture. All the while we must compensate our marketing, sales and web development staff as best we can.

As for the CEO’s salary… well that would be mine. I haven’t actually taken a salary yet, per se. We are in our 8th year at Vermont Woods Studios and as other small business owners will attest, much of the early years involves investing and rolling profits back into the business, rather than taking a salary. For now, I am sustained with the knowledge that if we meet our challenge of creating efficiencies in the Vermont furniture making and shipping system, we’ll end up with a win-win-win-win situation: for woodworkers, customers, Vermont Woods Studios employees (including me) and the environment.

Occupational Safety and Health

Vermont has the highest environmental standards of any state in the nation. As for the safety and health of the woodworkers that craft furniture for Vermont Woods Studios, I believe all the companies we work with (both large and small) go above and beyond federal and state OSHA and EPA regulations. Prior to starting this company I worked in environmental and occupational health and safety for 20+ years, with my most recent work in this occupation was at Tulane’s Center for Applied Environmental Public Health. That experience, plus the fact that Ken has an active woodworking shop gives me confidence in my assessment of the safety and health protections our woodworking partners employ. I do realize that we have to take a more active role in documenting safety, health and sustainability compliance amongst our partners in the future, though.

If you’re interested in additional details regarding sustainability, livable wages and worker safety at Vermont Woods Studios, please browse through our fine furniture website to learn about:

How is our Vermont furniture sustainable?
Our Triple Bottom Line: People. Planet. Profit.

and give me a call or email me to suggest ways for us to continually improve.

* Not all of our craftspeople have their own businesses. Many work for larger companies, like Copeland Furniture. Read more about sustainability and the treatment of craftspeople at Copeland Furniture here.

considered proprietary information

according tothe Vermont Department of Labor, the average annual salary for a Vermont woodworker is $ 32,440

http://www.vtlmi.info/oic3.cfm?occcode=51709900#wage

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Stonehurst Before and After: Exterior Paint Makeover

August 10, 2013May 4, 2018 Peggy Farabaugh

Last updated on May 4th, 2018 at 03:49 pm

Stonehurst Fine Furniture Showroom | Before and After | Exterior Paint Colors — *Stonehurst Fine Furniture Showroom, about a year ago in Summer 2012. I do love the classic barn-red Vermont country look, but it was time for a change.*

OK, Sally Blakley and other dear readers: I can explain. I know I asked for your opinion on the exterior paint makeover for Stonehurst. And I know you voted overwhelmingly to keep the old barn-red color. And I loved that classic look too. But…

Stonehurst Fine Furniture Gallery | Before and After Photos of Exterior Paint — The exterior paint makeover of our Stonehurst Fine Furniture Gallery restored the farmhouse to it’s original, circa 1790 white color. We chose traditional indigo colored front doors, although I have to admit they probably weren’t that color 200+ years ago.

We have a couple things going on that swayed my decision off in the opposite direction. First of all, there’s the landscaping. You may have read about the plans we’re making with Gordon Hayward (landscape architect) and Torben Larsen (landscaper and stone mason) to add colorful lilacs, hydrangeas, peonies, lavender and all sorts of other wonderful plants to the front yard.

Second, we’ve been trying to renovate Stonehurst as authentically as possible. We’ve recycled, re-invigorated and reused existing parts and filled in with local Vermont made components whenever we needed something new.

And, well… the original color of Stonehurst back circa 1790 was farmhouse white. Lastly, there’s the matter of our green and white logo, as you can see on the sign. Don’t you think there’s some harmony going on between the sign and the white house with nature’s greenery all around?

Let me know what you think on our Facebook and we’ll duke it out there. In the meantime, if you’re interested in painting your own house, check out these 13 Dramatic Exterior Paint Makeovers on Houzz. Then post your own before and after photos for all of us to see!

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Peggy Farabaugh	Kelsey Eaton
Riley Farabaugh	Megan Fulton
Marina McCoy	Alexandra Thompson
Dennis Shanoff	Katrina Moore
Loryn Dion	Michelle Rooks
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