A Final Farewell Photographic Tour

The first Kingston Design Connection Design Showhouse was a very special event, bringing together artists and designers, the public, and lucky lucky us in a project that might have just produced the funky-coolest showhouse ever. Just before they broke it down we took one final tour and a pile of photos. Enjoy!

The Exterior - Maryline Damour for Damour Drake

Read our interview with Maryline HERE

Dining Room - By FRED

Read our interview with Charles Farruggio and Michael Van Nort of FRED HERE

The Reading Room - By Margie Verghese of South Manor 

The Entry Hall and Music Lounge by Kate Cummings of

Kingston Design Showhouse Pt. 3

For years we've been following the Instagram channel of an antique shop in Andes - Kabinett and Kammer. They carry a particular vintage decor element that I'm obsessed with (I'll leave you guessing on that one), so I'm a big fan. I was so excited to hear that Sean Scherer the shopkeeper of Kabinett and Kammer was a member of The Kingston Design Connection and was going to take part in the Kingston Design Showhouse. He has a style that is wholly his own and I knew whatever he did would be layered and unique. Seeing his room, I was not disappointed. I got the chance to chat with him about his shop, how he found Andes, and his involvement in the Kingston Design Showhouse a few days ago. His story is so like so many

The Kingston Design Showhouse will open on October 5th! On a day when designers were loading in furniture and taking deliveries Maryline Damour, the founder of The Kingston Design Connection was good enough to give me a tour, and talk with me about why she and the other members of The Kingston Design Connection launched this project. 

A Tour of 139 Downs Street -

The Kingston Design Showhouse

Me: Maryline, thanks so much for taking the time out to talk to me. I can tell it's a really busy day here, so let's just launch in. Where should we start? Should we start with why you embarked on this project in the first place before you give me the tour?

Maryline: Of course! The goal of Kingston Design Connection is to connect Hudson

Fred is a little shop in High Falls. Perfectly curated, at once comfortable and aspirational, it's been a favorite of mine for years. I was so glad to hear that owners Charles Farruggio and Michael Van Nort were going to be part of The Kingston Design Connections' Kingston Design Showhouse. It gave me the perfect excuse to interview them and pay a visit to the shop! We sat together on some beautifully upholstered slipper chairs and had a chat.

Me: I want to start with a couple of questions about the shop, which I just love. Why Fred? I've always wondered.

Michael: Usually people think it's one of our names. People will walk in say, "Are you Fred?" But I'll let you answer that question. Why Fred...

Charles: When we first were going

Something really exciting is happening in Midtown Kingston - The Kingston Design Connection's Design Showhouse is nearly finished!

What's the Kingston Design Showhouse?

In the early spring I had the pleasure of meeting Maryline Damour of design/build firm Damour Drake, the founder of Kingston Design Connection. Maryline is developing a Kingston Design Connection, in her words, "...to connect Hudson Valley designers to each other; to potential clients; and to the growing Kingston design scene." Designers and artisans who become involved are connecting with one another, and with all of us, through several different venues. First they've developed the Kingston Design Directory which will serve as a resource. It's a curated list of

 37 Notch View, Lexington NY 12452

A Catskills Log Home

A well-sited house. When you start with a beautiful piece of land, land with a bewitching pond, views of mountains and rolling hills, views of vibrantly colored sunsets, views of night skies peppered with stars… when you start with 5 acres within easy distance of 3 ski mountains, it almost doesn’t matter what the house is like, just so long as it takes advantage of the location.  

But, when the house is a fabulous log home with 7,000 square feet of living space, lots of thoughtful touches, and endless possibilities for fun, well, that’s a big bonus. 37 Notch View in Lexington undeniably has the type of property that is enough all on its own, and the house is sited to maximize the

Perfect springtime activities for children in the Catskills and Hudson Valley.

Last weekend my family took a trip to Washington DC to see all the monuments and go the Smithsonian Museum of Art and the Native American Museum. It was great! My husband and I totally enjoyed it and my 10-year-old daughter only became antsy when I marveled at the Dutch Masters for too long and then got sucked into an opera concert rehearsal we happened to stumble upon 3 minutes later.

(a little F.D.R. wisdom from our trip - pertinent to an article about kids outdoors!)

Her waning enthusiasm reminded me of the last time I had visited DC. I was 12 years old.

• I remember being miserable.
• I remember being HOT.
• I remember being incensed

Rochester's in Upstate NY right?

Way, way Upstate? Well...yes and no. There's the Rochester in Monroe County on Lake Ontario, and then there's the other Rochester, the Rochester in Ulster County. It's better known by the names of two of its hamlets, Accord and Kerhonkson. But it's not as well known as it deserves to be!

Kerhonkson and Accord, NY Real Estate

Rochester is a collection of hamlets, the 2 largest being Kerhonkson and Accord. The town itself was founded in 1703 and has grown to a population of over 7,500 people. It boasts some of the most gorgeous and challenging hiking and mountain biking trails in the country located in the beautiful Shawangunk mountains. The towns hamlets boast everything from independent bookshops to

With a crazy-prolific arts community and lots of fantastic venues the Hudson Valley and Catskills region offers nearly endless events this New Years Eve 2016. There's so much going on that if the weather is good you might want to consider a little event hopping! Be safe and have a Happy New Year! Here's a guide to some key New Years Eve events in the Hudson Valley and Catskill region.

Uptown Kingston New Years Eve Party - BSP | Kingston

Hosted by BSP thousands throng to this giant Uptown Kingston block party with ball drop! They have 3 venues this year with dancing, music, food and drink. You can buy tickets for each individual venue or for all three for a flat fee of $50. Click on the photo on the left for all the

Is it me or is "I'm Dreaming of a White Christmas" playing on repeat on every radio station? The DJ's in Upstate NY have really got to get a bit more creative this year! They might better play "You Can't Always Get What You Want"! The reality is it's not looking good for a Holiday Vacation filled with the white stuff. But you know what? While a snow-free town square might be a little less picturesque than all of us would like, there are some real upsides to the balmy December weather we're experiencing.

My Top 10 Reasons A Brown December Is Awesome! 

#10. Barefoot Holiday Lights

I love white lights during the holidays. My husband and I wrap several dogwood trees, giant rhododendrons, azalea bushes and a couple