Love Wood Furniture? Learn 3 Ways to Save America’s Hardwoods

August 8, 2013October 12, 2022 Peggy Farabaugh

Last updated on October 12th, 2022 at 09:46 pm

Hardwood Furniture | Saving Our Maple Trees | Sustainable Forestry in Vermont — The little red dot in the middle of these hardwood trees, is Ken– pruning the maples today. Our mission at Stonehurst Fine Wood Furniture is founded on forest conservation. We need your help in saving hardwood trees from an epidemic of infestations.

Hard wood furniture lovers, beware! At this very moment, armies of invasive bugs and diseases are on the prowl, hunting down your favorite maple, oak, cherry, walnut and other backyard trees to turn them into food and bedding for their young.

Asian Longhorn Beetle

Faith talks about the dreaded Asian Longhorn Beetle ALB, one of many non-native insects and diseases that have been brought to America accidentally by way of imported plants or in crates and pallets. Vermont’s iconic maples, along with elms, ash, and oaks are a favorite home to these large, shiny, black and white beetles from Asia.

The entire Northern hardwood forest is at risk and if we can’t get people like you to help fight back, 48 million acres in the United States plus the majority of Canada’s hardwood forests could be destroyed. Also at risk are shade trees along city streets and in backyards all across the country. The ALB could kill up to two thirds of urban trees if it becomes established!

3 Things You Can Do to Save Our Hardwoods

There are many ways you can help keep invasive killer bugs and diseases from destroying our hardwoods. Here are some suggestions from VermontInvasives.org

Buy Local Firewood– Tree killing insects and diseases can lurk in firewood. Don’t move invasives to new areas on firewood
Educate yourself, your friends, your coworkers, and your family about how to look for invasive pests. Here’s a look at the top invasives in Vermont
Take photos and report anything you find to your state agricultural, natural resources, or forestry agency

By working together can we fight the killer bugs that threaten our forests, our food supplies, our waters and the thousands of jobs dependent on them. You can help stop the spread and protect the natural resources you love.

Already following our Blog? For more info sign up for our e-newsletter

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.

Stonehurst Before and After: The Warming Hut

August 7, 2013March 13, 2019 Peggy Farabaugh

Last updated on March 13th, 2019 at 05:27 pm

Stonehurst Before and After: The Warming Hut | Fine Furniture Gallery — Stonehurst Before: The Warming Hut aka Tool Shed when this property was a southern Vermont ski area called Pine Top. Today Stonehurst has been transformed into a fine furniture and art gallery showcasing the best of Vermont’s handmade made home decor items.

Here’s a fun set of before and after pictures of Stonehurst, taken at the “Warming Hut”. I guess this before snapshot must have been taken around 1950-1960 when Stonehurst was “Pine Top” a local ski area. At that time, before mega ski resorts came along, about 2/3 of the towns in Vermont had their own local ski area. Vernon’s Pine Top had 3 rope tows and prior to that a couple “horse tows” (isn’t that awesome– I’m trying to find a picture of that!).

Pine Top’s “tool shed” aka “warming hut” was located behind the Stonehurst house we currently occupy as Vermont Woods Studios Fine Furniture. Inside the shed there was room for a few tables and a grill where our friend, Chris Howe cooked hamburgers for hungry skiers.

Chris Howe at the Stonehurst Warming Hut | Now a Fine Furniture Gallery — *Our friend, Chris Howe at the moss-covered stone foundation that use to be Pine Top’s Warming Hut. She’s remembering her job as a cook, grilling hamburgers for hungry skiers.*

Chris visited us a couple weeks ago and reminisced a bit. She and I walked out to the stone foundation where the warming hut used to be. It’s now covered with beautiful green moss. That’s Chris sitting at the picnic table, looking over the hills that she and her family used to ski through to get home after work.

What fun! Customers coming to Stonehurst to shop for fine furniture in the winter should pack their cross country skis and maybe a bottle of Bailey’s or a hot toddy. Then we’ll give Chris a call and see if we can’t tap a few more of those memories of Pine Top’s heyday.

Already following our Blog? For more info sign up for our e-newsletter

Landscaping Stonehurst with Gordon Hayward

August 6, 2013March 13, 2019 Peggy Farabaugh

Last updated on March 13th, 2019 at 05:25 pm

Stonehurst Landscaping | Gordon Hayward | Fine Furniture Gallery — Gordon Hayward of Hayward Gardens sketches out a few landscaping ideas for Stonehurst, Vermont’s newest fine furniture and art gallery. Our pal Annette Roydon has volunteered to be our on-site advisor.

Well, now that the exterior painting of Stonehurst (Vermont’s newest fine furniture and art gallery) is almost done (pictures to follow later this week), it’s time to look into landscaping. We were fortunate to be able to persuade Brattleboro’s best painters (Moe Momaney and crew) to help us out and they in turn recommended the area’s most admired landscaper. That would be Gordon Hayward of Hayward Gardens.

Annette, Douglas and I met with Gordon the other day and roughed out a few preliminary sketches. Boy are they different from our previous plans! Gordon got here just in the nick of time.

At the moment, designing the ADA accessible walkway into the front of Stonehurst is the main dilemma we’re facing. We all envision a lovely, traditional Vermont stone pathway, constructed by a skilled stone mason using Goshen stone. Jeremy Coleman, the Stonehurst architect has already laid the pathway foundation with the proper gentle slope to make wheelchair access easy. The problem is that in the winter, it’s hard to snow-blow a stone-inlaid path and Ken’s afraid that over time the walkway will become bumpy and difficult for wheelchair access.

Before talking to Gordon we had decided to pave the walkway and stamp it so it looks like Goshen stone. Well, both Jeremy and Gordon feel like all the work we’ve done in making sure Stonehurst is authentic will be compromised by paving the entrance. They are certain that Goshen stone can be properly laid such that it will stay level and intact for smooth wheelchair access.

What do you think? Gordon is coming over tomorrow to continue our landscaping project. You can put your 2 cents in on our Fine Furniture Facebook page. And I’ll keep you updated here on the blog.

And here’s a couple interesting links for you:

Gordon’s award-winning landscaping books including: Your House, Your Garden
Landscaping photos at Malliouhana in Anguilla, which Annette designed a few years back

Already following our Blog? For more info sign up for our e-newsletter

Discover Vermont Artists at the Southern Vermont Art and Craft Festival

August 2, 2013October 11, 2022 Kelsey Eaton

Last updated on October 11th, 2022 at 05:45 pm

*Click photo for source. Southern Vermont Art and Craft Festival.*

Vermont’s most popular summer art and craft festival begins today! We’re proud of Vermont for its amazing support of its craftsman and artists, which is why we are super excited about the Southern Vermont Art and Craft Festival. The festival had been hosted in Manchester for 30 years, but the 2013 festival will be held in Bennington, Vermont! This provides advantages because its in a more southern region of Vermont, which will hopefully bring in a larger turnout than in previous years! The festival will host over 160 talented artists who will display and sell their one of a kind artwork, as well as traditional and contemporary crafts, and pottery!

From Friday, August 2nd to Sunday, August 4th, this three day event will run in conjunction with the town wide Bennington Arts Festival Weekend. The festival is put on by a variety of community arts organizations and venues, so expect a jam packed weekend with live music, art, and activities ranging from art walks, open studios and receptions, live entertainers, and a historical architecture exhibit! As always, you can expect lots of kid friendly activities, local food vendors, ice cream,craft beer, and more!

If you don’t have plans for the weekend, why not add the Southern Vermont Art and Craft festival to your agenda and find some inspiration in the work of talented Vermont artists!

Already following our Blog? For more info sign up for our e-newsletter

Momany Painters Hard at Work at Stonehurst

July 30, 2013August 8, 2013 Peggy Farabaugh

Last updated on August 8th, 2013 at 10:29 am

Moe Momaney, Painter | Brattleboro Vermont | Stonehurst Before and After — *Moe Momaney, a Painter from Brattleboro, Vermont and his crew are painting the exterior of Stonehurst, Vermont’s newest Fine Furniture and Art Gallery.*

Here’s an update on the exterior painting at Stonehurst. A couple weeks ago I polled you on what your preference was for the exterior paint color. The response was an overwhelming preference for RED. What’s up with that? I was hoping to restore Stonehurst to it’s former self. It was a white farmhouse for 150 years or so before it’s life as Pine Top, Vernon’s local ski area in the 1940s – 1960s.

When Moe Momaney and his crew are finished I’ll post pictures of the New Do. It’s not too late to register your vote though, if you haven’t already. Keep in mind there will be lots of flowers and landscaping in front of the house. In fact, today we’ll be meeting with Gordon Hayward, a landscape designer from Hayward Gardens in Putney, VT. I’ll report on that front later this week.

Already following our Blog? For more info sign up for our e-newsletter

Stonehurst Before and After: Kitchen to Sunroom Makeover

July 28, 2013March 13, 2019 Peggy Farabaugh

Last updated on March 13th, 2019 at 05:20 pm

Vermont Furniture Showroom | Before the Renovation — The country kitchen at Stonehurst, as it was for many years. Traditional pine cupboards and appliances were perfect when Stonehurst served as a farmhouse, boarding house, four seasons resort, ski area and private residence.

We’re trucking right along in our quest to transform Stonehurst from a private residence to a fine furniture and art gallery that showcases Vermont made sustainable home decor products. There are a whole host of finishing touches still in progress but I thought I’d share some before and after pictures of spaces where the renovation is pretty well complete. First up: the kitchen, my personal favorite part of the transformation. The “before” kitchen was functional but the layout didn’t provide much opportunity for windows to overlook the spectacular view out back.

Vermont Furniture Showroom | Stonehurst Before and After — Now Stonehurst is a fine furniture and art gallery, showcasing Vermont made sustainable home decor products, so no kitchen is needed. We replaced the cabinets and appliances with windows and an open atrium to take advantage of the view.

Since the kitchen is the entry into the building, we wanted to treat our customers to a cheerful space where they could relax and unwind after a long trip up from the city (customers usually travel from Boston, New York, Washington DC and beyond). The wall of windows we installed puts Vermont’s green mountains and meadows front and center when customers step inside. It’s pretty clear: you’re in Vermont now. Time to slow down and enjoy nature at it’s finest.

Where Does Wood furniture Come From?

With sustainable forestry being at the heart of our mission at Vermont Woods Studios, one of the main things we’re trying to do with Stonehurst is raise awareness about where your furniture comes from. So the view of Vermont’s Green Mountain Forest often opens up a conversation about legally, sustainably harvested wood. Loryn is working on an educational display which will be installed on the sunroom wall to tell the story of how our furniture gets from sustainably-managed forests to your home.

Kudos to Our Design and Construction Team

I can’t start showing before and after photos without recognizing and thanking our architect, Jeremy Coleman of Brattleboro, VT and builder, Bob Furlone of American Construction. They have done a tremendous job, especially in facing all the realities involved in transforming and modernizing a 200+ year old farmhouse. They’ve also been really knowledgeable in helping us select all Vermont made materials whenever possible. The wall of windows shown above was custom made by Green Mountain Window in Rutland VT and the slate floor was mined locally by Vermont Slate Company.

Let me know what you think of the transformation in the comments section below or on Facebook. Over the next couple weeks, I’ll post before and after photos of the:

barn–now a dining room showroom
boarding house– now a bedroom showroom
kids bedroom– now a kitchenette for our staff
several bedrooms– now administrative offices”
exterior paint color– from red to white, and
the parlor– which is still a parlor

I hope you’ll be as excited about this new Vermont fine furniture and art gallery as we are. Come and visit us to see it all up close and personal! Be sure to bring a bottle of wine and a picnic lunch so you can sit out back and enjoy the view.

Already following our Blog? For more info sign up for our e-newsletter

Martin Corbin: Website Developer by Day, Artist and Musician by Night

July 26, 2013March 13, 2019 Peggy Farabaugh

Last updated on March 13th, 2019 at 05:19 pm

Martin Corbin | Website Developer by Day | Musician by Night — *Martin Corbin, website developer extraordinaire: with Stephanie Salasin (left), and performing on the mandolin (right). Martin is our newest member of the IT/Website group at Vermont Woods Studios.*

Selling handmade furniture online is considered preposterous by many. Fine furniture must be seen in person for one to appreciate the quality and workmanship that goes into each piece. But at Vermont Woods Studios we’ve been hard at work making an exception to that rule for 8 years. Much of our success is due to the talented group of web development professionals we’ve managed to persuade to join our cause– and Martin Corbin is the newest among them.

Martin’s interest in computers and digital art began when he was a young boy. As an adult, he enrolled in a PC repair course and entered the IT field, first working for a local computer shop then going freelance. Martin enjoyed experimenting with digital art, and eventually combined his interests into designing websites. However he hasn’t left his creativity behind. On his personal website he shares a bit about his artistic side:

“I was raised in an artistic household and began drawing at an early age. My mother Rita Corbin was already an established artist before I was born. I watched her work daily and used what I learned to try to make my own drawing come to life…. My approach is simple: draw or paint what I want, when feel like it, and don’t worry about how it comes out. Simple as this is, not over thinking remains a challenge. I believe this relaxed approach makes the process more enjoyable while still allowing for great results.”

Martin Corbin | Vermont Artist, Musician and Web Developer — *Martin Corbin, Vermont Artist, Musician and Web Developer. Help us welcome Martin to the Woods by giving him a thumbs up on Facebook!*

I want to know how to relax and get as much accomplished as Martin has. In addition to his expertise with computers, programming and art, he is also an accomplished musician. We know Martin as a die hard Phish phan but I’ve recently learned that he has a long history with music. During Brattleboro’s heyday, he was in a band called The Weld, playing acoustic, instrumental jazzgrass music at The Common Ground Restaurant and McNeill’s Brewery. You can check out his artwork and music on his website, MartinCorbin.com.

We feel very fortunate to have Martin working with us at Vermont Woods Studios. Stop by our fine furniture and art gallery at Stonehurst to see samples of his artwork. And help us welcome Martin to the Woods by giving him a thumbs up on Facebook!

Already following our Blog? For more info sign up for our e-newsletter

A Comfortable Windsor Office Chair

July 22, 2013July 23, 2013 Kelsey Eaton

Last updated on July 23rd, 2013 at 09:55 am

Windsor office chair — *Our Windsor Office Chair, front and back views.*

If you work a full time desk job, you are sitting down for approximately 2,400 minutes a week. Now, I think that if you’re going to be sitting for that long, you might as well sit in an office chair that is chic and comfortable. The Cherry Windsor office chair features traditional continuous arm styling on a rolling metal base. It’s wheel base spokes are capped with cherry accent pieces, and like a modern office chair, this one also swivels and has both height & tilt adjustments for the perfect fit. The Windsor style chair isn’t just comfortable. It lends a high end, sophisticated look to the home office, whether it’s modern, traditional, or Shaker style.

Worried about sitting on an solid wood chair seat all day? Well, the seat is scooped out for a comfy fit but if that’s not enough cush, the Vermont Country Store has a pretty good selection of chair cushions that are sure to do the trick.

Hardwood Cherry Windsor Office Chair — *Loryn from Sales, enjoying our Windsor Office Chair.*

Already following our Blog? For more info sign up for our e-newsletter

Kelsey Eaton Dances into the Woods

July 18, 2013February 28, 2019 Peggy Farabaugh

Last updated on February 28th, 2019 at 04:07 pm

Finding people who want to work at Vermont Woods Studios is easy, but finding just the right person for a particular job opening is hard. Over the last few years, whenever we’ve advertised a job opening, we’ve had 50-100 applicants express interest. About 25% of them are excellent candidates and we usually end up interviewing about 5-10 people for each opening.

As with any employer, we’re looking for people who are smart, hard-working, driven, creative and easy to get along with. We also consider who the new employee will be spending most of their time with and try to make sure there is a good fit between the personalities. Beyond that though, there is something intangible involved in selecting the right person. In Kelsey Eaton’s case it was a spirit of determination and courage and a notion that anything is achievable. Here’s a little bit about her background:

Kelsey’s a recent graduate of Green Mountain College in Poultney, Vermont where she earned her BS in Communications with a concentration in Media Practices. She is now pursuing a masters degree in Internet marketing at Full Sail University. Kelsey’s career in marketing began at age 11 when she created an e-zine called The Underworld– a weekly email publication that featured her own original poetry and photography as well as music reviews and celebrity gossip.

While at Green Mountain College, Kelsey was selected as Art Director and Marketing Manager for the school’s monthly publication, The Mountaineer. Besides using social media to connect with supporters, Kelsey also employed telemarketing– a feat no ordinary person could ever survive, right?

After graduating from GMC Kelsey worked her own freelance designer business, doing a variety of graphic design, writing, and photography projects, including work for Poultney’s famous Full Belly Deli.

Now she spends her time working with Dennis in our Marketing “Department” (that would be Dennis and Kelsey). She reaches out to customers and friends, promoting Vermont made fine furniture to local, regional and national media outlets as well as Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Houzz and the Vermont Furniture Blog. In her free time, Kelsey teaches belly dancing (Loryn and Liz are her star pupils) and enjoys music and writing.

Help us welcome Kelsey Eaton to Vermont Woods Studios by giving her a thumbs up on Facebook!

Already following our Blog? For more info sign up for our e-newsletter

Top 4 POLYWOOD^® Chaise Lounges

July 8, 2013August 20, 2014 Peggy Farabaugh

Last updated on August 20th, 2014 at 10:30 am

High End Chaise Lounges from Polywood | All Weather Outdoor Furniture — Looking for a high end chaise lounge you’ll never have to replace? Check out POLYWOOD’s South Beach Adirondack Chaise Lounge , Nautical Chaise Lounge, Long Island Chaise Lounge and Euro Chaise. They’re maintenance-free and come with a lifetime guarantee!

It’s summer, the sun is finally out and you’re ready to lounge by the pool in style. Need a new chaise lounge this year? We’ve rounded up the Top 4 POLYWOOD chaise lounges for your relaxing pleasure. What makes them the best choice for outdoor pool, patio and beach lounges? Well, as POLYWOOD products they all have a few things in common:

This high end, all weather outdoor furniture is beautiful, strong, durable and Maintenance-free
There’s no mold, mildew, weathering, cracking or warping as with wooden outdoor furniture
There’s no need for winter storage. You may leave your POLYWOOD furniture outside all winter
These chaises are heavy (about 50# each)! They won’t blow away in strong coastal winds
POLYWOOD is a great value. It’s furniture you will never have to replace
POLYWOOD is available in many vibrant colors like red, yellow, blue, green and tangerine as well as traditional browns, white and black
You can order optional matching all weather Sunbrella cushions for extra comfort

But each chaise lounge has it’s own unique features as well. Here’s what we like best about the:

South Beach Adirondack Chaise Lounge – love the modern version of Adirondack style paired with surprisingly vibrant colors: Sunset Red, Tangerine, Lemon, Lime, Aruba, Pacific Blue
Nautical Chaise Lounge – this chaise has wheels and is stackable so it’s a must-have for patios or beaches that have to be rearranged at night
Long Island Chaise Lounge – this is the true blue Adirondack design, similar to the South Beach chaise and also available in modern vibrant colors
Euro Chaise – I have to admit the Euro chaise is my favorite with it’s sleek, modern design. So many choices for color combinations too! Choose from 3 different frame colors and 14 different slat colors for a total of 42 distinct color customization possibilities.

Which POLYWOOD chaise would you choose and why? Let us know on Facebook!

Already following our Blog? For more info sign up for our e-newsletter

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