Sunday, November 25, 2012


Tablescapes and more!


Whether you're planning a family gathering for the holidays or you just happen to appreciate a beautiful, yet casual, table setting, one can find a fantastic collection of home goods at Great Finds to set the perfect table or buffet. You'll also find a wide variety of gifts for the holidays, hostess gifts, bridal showers, as well as amusing and functional products for the kitchen and bath. 


















The store


Four years ago, owner Maggie Calhoun, and her husband, 
Birge Calhoun, embarked on the restoration of an old mill house located on Upper Main Street in Valatie, NY so that she could open her new housewares store. This beautifully renovated building now features  a wonderful mix of eclectic products for the home on two floors--it's like shopping in a house.

Calhoun decided to open a housewares store because she, "Loves decor, seasonal changes, color and textiles." Combine that with her mission to, "Inspire, support and encourage customers; to give them a comfortable and welcoming environment to explore their options," and you've found a great place to visit, experience and shop! And, as she goes on 6-8 "buying" trips throughout the year, there is always something new for her customers to consider, and in some cases, be amused by. Her offerings of kitchen towels and paper cocktail napkins boast some very humorous one-liners and make great hostess gifts. If you don't see what you're looking for, just ask! Maggie places special orders, especially for rugs.

Back to the tablescapes...


From French country


                























































to seasonal & casual country



You are sure to find the perfect selection for your tables and buffets to mix-n-match throughout the year and seasons. And, it won't cost you a small fortune!

Great Finds is open: Monday-Saturday, 10:30-5:30; Sunday, Noon - 4. There are expanded hours for the holidays, so please give Maggie a call to double-check.

Tuesday, October 9, 2012

Dunbar Nursery






          
For fall, mum's the word!



As you go about gathering the mums, pumpkins, gourds and cornstalks to decorate your porches and landscapes this fall season, take a moment to reflect on where those items came from and the time, space and planning that has gone into growing them. They don't just magically appear at the local garden center. Seeds, rooted cuttings, soil, water, equipment, labor-power, acres of land and greenhouses are needed to produce these colorful autumnal crops.  For many nurseries, the process begins mid-winter with orders for seeds, root cuttings and saplings being made no later than March. Dunbar Nursery follows this schedule.



Marian and Dick Dunbar, founders and owners of Dunbar Nursery 
since 1973.

A labor of love.


For the past 39 years, Dick and Marian Dunbar, founders and owners of Dunbar Nursery, located at 1347 County Route 22 in Ghent, NY, have grown annuals, perennials, shrubs and trees to sell to local gardeners, homeowners and businesses throughout Columbia County. About 20 years ago, they decided to add hardy mums to their assortment of plant offerings. "They are a great cash crop at the end of the growing season," stated Marian. 


Many hands make light work.


Generations of Dunbars gather each Memorial Day weekend to plant between 750-1200 of the rooted mum cuttings.  These mums aren't just any mums, they will grow to be giant hardy and colorful mums thanks in part to the clever eco-friendly irrigation and fertilization system that Dick designed, years ago, to hydrate and feed them throughout the summer months. It's something he is quite proud of, so ask him about it when you stop by the nursery. Marian is just as verse, so feel free to ask her about the system as well, that is if she's not busy documenting the family's involvement in the military, collecting data for a project that is very important to all of them--the USS Enterprise's Operation Magic Carpet, of which a very young Dick Dunbar was a crew member--or crocheting one of her famous afghans.  


"Mum-orial" Day weekend tradition.



Why Memorial Day weekend? Honestly, that's a story in and of itself, but here's a quick and simple answer. Dick, the patriarch of the family, served in the Navy during WWII and five of his seven children, yes seven, also served in either the Navy, Coast Guard or Air National Guard. The armed forces connection extends beyond the immediate family, too.  The "kids", along with their spouses and children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren, return home each Memorial Day weekend to collectively honor and acknowledge the efforts and sacrifices of those who have defended and represented our county. It's during this weekend that "many hands make light work," and the year-end cash crop of mums is planted at the family homestead and nursery. What's important to know is that this is truly a family affair; from 2 -85 years of age, all pitch in and help.      

                                                                                          


                                    

Dick Dunbar in front of mum patch, 2012.
Instructions for removing the irrigation stick.





They're big, really, really big!










They're hardy and if you plant them in the ground, they just might winter-over and bloom again next season....


Get them while you can!



The nuance between the Dunbar family and their mums may not be obvious, but it's there. Their roots are strong and run deep and, as a visit to the nursery will confirm, they are a bright and colorful bunch! 

          

The nursery is closed on Tuesdays and their telephone number is 518-392-2385. You can "like" them on Facebook, too.






Monday, August 13, 2012

Omi! "Big Red," a Photographer and the Artist



Big Red


For those residing or traveling through the quaint section of Ghent, NY, proudly known as Omi, they've had the amusement of seeing a playful art installation sitting atop the crest of a hill in a field near the intersection of County Route 22 and Orchard Road.  It is a brightly painted round bale of hay. Many have wondered where it came from and who placed it there. Some assumed that it was connected to Art Omi. For others, it was simply a perfect photographic opportunity. Doug Stalker, a local photographer, is one such person.

Big Red, as it was artfully named  by the artist May Tveit, arrived late this past spring and is one of many large-scale sculptures presented as part of the field sculptures at Art Omi. 



"Big Red" by May Tveit, photo by Doug Stalker


The Photographer


In 2005, when Doug Stalker was nearing an early retirement, having worked at General Electric for 27 years as a major home appliance technician, he took a photography course through the International Writers and Photographers Association. "My interest in photography had actually started much earlier. My first camera was a Canon Range Finder, one of the first 35mm slide cameras. I got it when I was in the Army in the late '60s," shared Stalker.

His "passion" for photography and continued desire to learn resulted in his completing and receiving a certificate from the New York Institute of Photography in 2009. "I am constantly working towards increasing my skills and abilities," he continued. "I want my photography to be artistic."

Ryder Cooley, photo by Doug Stalker
"I've done freelance work for the Chatham Courier and the Register Star [local newspapers] and have done volunteer work for the Columbia Land Conservancy, too, all of which I like doing," said Stalker. However, he continued that it's the landscapes of Columbia County and the portraits of its residents and visitors that are most appealing and rewarding to him as an artist of photography. "I like to create a photographic essay by capturing the personality of the person I am photographing. The photo of Ryder Cooley is a perfect example--this photo captures her personality." He further expressed that he likes "getting out" to see what we have here in Columbia County, "the stuff we see and drive by every day without really noticing." Photographing these places and landscapes in HDR (high dynamic range) sheds new light on familiar places for him and those who have seen his work. The photograph of "Big Red" sitting atop the crest of the hill in Omi is a perfect example of his photographic insight. Another such photo is currently on exhibit at the Berkshire Museum.


James Burnett, photo by Doug Stalker

Stalker also happens to be a member of the Camera Club at the Berkshire Museum in Pittsfield, MA. An exhibit celebrating the works of the club members entitled, "The Big Picture: Berkshire Museum Camera Club 75th Anniversary Exhibit" is currently underway at the museum. The exhibit includes a wonderful photograph taken by Stalker of a Columbia County resident (and artist), James Burnett, running down Angel Hill Road in Chatham, NY. 

Stalker's recollection and reflection of this particular photo is, "The light looked great and I shot several photos of him from near the top of Angel Hill. I kind of had the thought that the whole photo, in a way, represents man's journey through life: headed for the light at the end of the road." On many a morning commute, I've seen this man running, and the photo truly captures the essence and spirit of what Stalker expressed.

The exhibit at the Berkshire Museum concludes  September 16, 2012.


Although Stalker is "retired" and recently celebrated his 65th birthday, he has no intention of slowing down. "There are more techniques to learn, people to meet, and places to discover and rediscover," all, of course, through the lens of his camera. 




The Artist



"Big Red," a  large-scale, site specific art installation, was created by artist May Tveit in 2009 and was originally featured in prominent locations in Wellfleet, MA (Cape Cod) as part of a public art project called Field Test. According Adam Hall at the Omi International Arts Center located in Ghent, NY, Tveit was later inspired by the fields in Omi while visiting a friend who was an artist in-residence at the center and, subsequently, in 2010, became an artist in-residence herself. During Tveit's residency at Art Omi, she had a series of discussions with Art Omi (and the owners of an offsite field) about bringing "Big Red" to Omi.  "Big Red" was installed this past spring.

According to Tveit, "Big Red"  is a 1500-2000 pound round hay bale from the Wise Family Farm located in Bonner Springs, Kansas. The hay bale is coated with urethane and painted with car paint so that it doesn't fade or disintegrate from the natural weather elements.

Unique, quirky, fun, odd, whatever adjective you choose to describe this art installation, it certainly has added a splash of color to the field in which it currently resides. The juxtaposition of the red against a blue or storm-laden sky is striking. 

~

You may contact Doug Stalker via email at: stalkerdoug@mac.com  or
visit his website at: www.dougstalkerphoto.com to see additional work and inquire about his photography services.

For more information on the exhibit at the Berkshire Museum, visit: http://berkshiremuseum.org

Additional information about the artist May Tveit and the Omi International Arts Center (Art Omi) can be found on at:




The photos used in this post are used with Doug Stalker's permission. 

Monday, July 30, 2012

When people do great work, it's important to endorse them! When they don't, well....

Earlier this spring, I came upon a really great deal for  Smith & Hawken outdoor table and chairs through a major retail chain store (of which shall remain nameless, as I don't wish to "endorse" them by mentioning their name). I thought it was one of their limited "boutique" opportunities. As it turns out, it wasn't. The Smith & Hawken company  no longer exists and did not manufacture the beautiful line of products I thought I was purchasing. The company [Smith & Hawken] was purchased by a major fertilizer and bug spray company in 2004, hoping to attract the millions of people who were spending millions of dollars in the garden-lifestyle industry. In 2010, the Smith & Hawken "brand" was purchased by the major retail chain I purchased the table and chairs from this past spring. Delivery was free if items purchased were ordered during this "limited and special deal." 

Given the state of the boxes that were delivered (while I was not home), and my naïveté about the Smith & Hawken "brand," I guess this is where the saying "buyer beware" applies.



The results when directions are not followed and care isn't taken...


I knew the importance of taking pictures of the damaged boxes and products as I was not home to note the damages on the delivery paperwork, or refuse delivery all together. I called customer service immediately to alert them about the damage and see what my options were. 
     
      "Sorry miss, but our inventory is sold out and we will not be getting anymore of this product this      season." 


Yes, it was a very polite person reading from a script in an outsourced call center. It's not their fault that they get pulled into this very controversial issue and debate. 


My options? 


#1: I could return the chairs (not just the broken chair, as they were sold in sets). 


I queried, "I must not be the only customer who received broken merchandised, and was it possible that other people returned sets of this chair and that you might have those available for replacement?" Silence, then, "No, miss, that is not possible."  If only it was that simple; I forgot I was dealing with a major retail store. No, they weren't available. At this point, I'm surfing the internet to see if I can order the chairs directly from Smith & Hawken.  You know what's coming, right? That's when I discovered they are only available through the store I just purchased them from....Arrgh!


#2: Keep the chair. 
     
"Okay, but what am I going to do with a broken chair? The set looks odd with the table and three    chairs." " Well, you could have it repaired." At this point I'm thinking: no kidding, I can have it repaired, but why are you making me, the client, drag a realistic solution out of you?... Because that's part of the disconnect between big chain stores and their customers--there is no customer service. Silly me, I forgot! It has now become our responsibility to problem solve and find a solution or live with the poor results and dissatisfaction. Additionally, I find it particularly frustrating that they can't keep track of returned items in their warehouse system.


After much-a-do, and conditions I had to explicitly define, it was agreed that  I was going to see if I could find a woodworker who could repair the broken chair. If it was possible to repair the chair, I would keep the chair and get a full refund for the chair. If it wasn't possible to repair the chair, I would return the entire set, including the table, for a full refund. Repackaging would also have to be done by the company responsible for picking up the table and chairs. 


Fortunately, I knew just who to call and he is most definitely a person whose work I would endorse! 


                     

Work I would most definitely endorse!

His name is Joseph Duclos. He's a master woodworker who does beautiful work and I am very grateful that he was able and willing to fix the chair in such a timely manner, given that it was a small job. 


Check out his website to see the type and quality of work that he does.  Maybe you have a project that you'd like to have done or know someone who does. I'm positive you'll be more than satisfied with his professionalism, talent and friendly manner--all qualities that we need to endorse and support in this ever-changing world we live in. 


www.josephduclos.com


The chair is repaired and looks like the others!


 


Just in case anyone is wondering....

I can honestly say that I was not paid to make this endorsement, and did not receive any special pricing or service for my endorsement. I paid for the repair. This post was my idea. I asked Joe, after he completed the work, if he minded that I write about the experience and share his information. It is my way of endorsing a business that I feel is worthy of letting other people know about. I have nothing to gain financially from this post. 

















Monday, July 23, 2012

Summer Project: Our Old House



Contending with Bees, Bats, 50 Shutters, Family Needs and the Heat as we Scrape, Repair, Prime and Paint our Nearly 200-Year Old House this Summer


When I first looked at this picture (taken the end of June 2012), the house looked scary in its "naked" state. Yet, in this current state, it looks a 100-times better than it did when we first purchased the house 17 years ago (June 1995). Our families thought we were crazy purchasing yet another "fixer-upper" (and this one worse than our first one). We saw the potential. 
Summer 2012




Painting Allows Time for Thought and Reflection: Looking Back


That first summer required much work on our part, as well as the help of family and friends. Our boys, Sam and Max, were 6-and 3-years old and were real troopers, too! We hauled 3 tons of  building materials, debris and an old furnace out of the house (I kid you not, the roll-off dumpster was weighed). Old appliances that could be donated were donated, materials that could be recycled were recycled, and the brush, shrubs and trees that were "hiding" the house were cut down and later burned in a bonfire. In retrospect, had we been thinking, we should have purchased stock in the company that made Calamine Lotion as sumac and poison ivy were prolific. Windows and doors were repaired and replaced, respectively. Our goal was to have the kitchen, one bathroom and one bedroom (for the boys) completed by August 1st, our official move in date as the lease on our temporary rental was over and, come September, the boys would be starting in a new school and preschool. We also needed to get to know our new neighbors and the community. Many people wanted to know who the crazy young couple was that bought the Old Tennis Club. We made the August 1st deadline, and a vacation in Arizona and California was our reward.

During that crazy first month of renovations and repairs in July 1995, many people stopped by to offer us their services. Unfortunately, for them, and although we appreciated their offers of service, we weren't looking to contract out the work. This was our project and we had a very tight budget. We put a lot of sweat-equity, as well as equity, into the house that first month. Painting the exterior needed to be done, but there just wasn't any time that summer of 1995; it would have to wait until the following summer. 

Summer 2012

Now, 17 years later, and after many interior and exterior renovations and restorations, more sweat-equity and equity (including a complete scraping and painting of the house the summer of 1996 and a less-involved re-painting of the house the summer of 2005), it was time to really "attack" the exterior of the house. Our goal? Completion by August 1st, including repointing and glazing of the windows and painting of the tin roof. Our plan of attack? Complete one side at a time, beginning with the front of the house, and work as many hours of the week as the weather and our schedules would allow.





Work began in earnest on June 23rd. And, with the exception of five days spent visiting and helping an aunt in Vermont the July 4th week, we've kept our focus on the task. Our son Sam, who is now 23, came home for a few days to help even though he "hates" painting. His help was very much appreciated! Max, son number two, now 20, is scheduled to lend us a hand when he comes home after his college summer session classes and job are complete and before his fall term begins. His help will be appreciated, too! Other than our boys, it's been me and Lew working as a team to get the job done. As we take down shutters, scrape, prime and paint, we listen to music, chat and argue. We debate world and political issues, argue some more, drink tons of water and Gatorade, haul and hoist ladders, and try to avoid being stung by bees, hornets and wasps. We've, well really Lew has, cajoled bats sleeping behind the shutters to fly away. At about 8pm, when we've had enough and our shoulders and backs are aching, we clean up, have a beer and dinner, and admire the progress we've made.

Friends and neighbors have stopped by to say hello, check on the progress and encourage us to put the brushes down and come swimming in their pools--we've certainly appreciated those offers, especially since it's been exceedingly hot and dry.

In the beginning of this year's project, people asked if we had considered vinyl siding--"vinyl is final!" Yes, it is, but we quickly reminded them that although this is a time consuming project, the clapboards, curved cherry soffits, windows and shutters are original to the house and that we're preserving a bit of history and craftsmanship. And, by painting the house every ten years or so, we've helped support two local and independently owned hardware stores by purchasing the paint and supplies we've needed: a practice and belief that we decided to follow when we purchased the house. I have to say it's makes the experience so much more rewarding when you walk into a hardware store and the same person who helped you make the paint selections years ago knows exactly what paint you need, and can knowledgeably answer your questions and make helpful suggestions. 

Those August 1st Deadlines

Our deadline has been extended. There just isn't enough time to get the roof painted before our self-imposed August 1st deadline. However, the main part of the house will be complete, just in time to help Sam move from his current apartment into his new apartment, and then we'll help Max get settled for his Junior year in college. Although they are older and are learning to live independently, they still need, on occasion, the time and help we can give them as they make their transitions into adulthood. Our reward? We like their company and will take any opportunity to hangout with them, oh, and a week at the Cape!... 

Isn't it Interesting How Family and Homes Involve Nurturing & Attention


It's true, the hours spent painting allows for moments of deep thought and reflection as you dip your brush into a can of paint and repeat the back and forth motion while applying the paint. It can be very Zen-like, sparking moments of realization.

While sitting on top of the kitchen roof this past Sunday (July 22), dodging yellow jackets as I painted the westside soffit, Lew poked his head around the corner and announced that we were going to have a large pine tree in the front yard cut down the following weekend (something we've needed to have done given its proximity to the house) and,  

"Oh, by the way, we need to replace the water pressure tank, it's leaking in the basement. Let's make sure we check it throughout the day and later we'll go buy the new tank. I'll install it this week unless it fails completely before then. You know where the shut-off valve is, right?" 

At that moment, it occurred to me that homes are very much like kids: pay a little extra attention to one and the other(s) are going to need your attention, too!





•I'll post more updates and pictures when we are completely complete, but I will tell you, it's looking good! And, as a sidebar, I haven't lost the skill of re-pointing and glazing the windows: a skill I was taught the summer before I entered college. That's a story for later, but one I've been ruminating on as I've worked on our old house this summer....


Tuesday, June 12, 2012

Adirondacks High Peaks Challenge

One down, 45 more to go!
Giant Mountain
June 10, 2012

Tuesday, February 28, 2012

BIG IDEAS/small spaces


It’s natural to be curious about what a house looks like on the inside, especially one that you may have watched in its progression. Your imagination is piqued: you can get a sense of what the floor plan might be like, but wonder what creative solutions the architects and builders choose to incorporate, especially if it’s a modest-sized house. Now, what if this said house is a Habitat for Humanity House?  This same curiosity applies, yet may be heightened, as many are aware that volunteers from the community, and the future family of the home, build the Habitat for Humanity homes. 

This month, Columbia County Habitat for Humanity is putting the final touches on their third and fourth recently built homes; both are part of the Phase II Columbia Street Campaign in Hudson, NY.

What’s evident to the curious passerby of these homes?

Homes three and four are Federal style 
attached single-family townhouses. Their architectural style and features are in keeping with existing homes and buildings on Columbia Street and last year’s Habitat homes (Columbia Street Phase I, homes one and two) further up Columbia Street. As the sign in front of the homes indicates, many local businesses and organizations have made contributions in the form of goods, services and money—90% of these businesses are from Columbia County according to Brenda Adams, executive director of the Columbia County Habitat for Humanity.

If you look a little closer?

Each home is a standard 1,200 square foot home, shared Adams, featuring three bedrooms and a full bathroom on the second floor, a kitchen, living/dining space, and a ground floor gathering room and laundry room. They have curbside appeal.

What’s not so evident to the curious passerby?

These homes were built by hundreds of volunteers and the family who will own it. One of the benefits of having the homeowner contribute 300 hours of sweat-equity is that they gain an understanding of their house: how it was built, the materials used, what the systems are, and the proper use of tools.

Additionally, each homes’ open floor plan on the ground level allows for easy maneuverability and exudes a sense of spaciousness. The staircase leading to the second floor is much wider than most, allowing for furniture to be moved in easily and is partially open to the living area.  The architects also designed the house to adapt to the American’s with Disabilities Act (ADA). The gathering room and laundry room can be converted into a bedroom and a bathroom to meet ADA handicap accessibility standards.

These homes also set a new standard for the Columbia County Habitat builds: they built the homes with studs 24” on center rather than 16” on center, which means they used less lumber in the framing; the windows are double paned and placed for beneficial cross-ventilation and more insulation and vapor barriers were used. In doing so, these homes will use less energy to heat and cool them and meet the new higher Energy Star ratings. They are eco-friendly and therefore, economically friendly for the new homeowners.

The Columbia County Habitat for Humanity not only builds decent affordable homes for qualifying working families in need of a “hand up, not a hand out,” they also sell the home to the family with a no-interest 30-year loan. They are putting “lights on the street,” meaning houses, remarked Adams, as vacant lots or abandoned buildings are brought back onto the tax rolls.

Creative fundraising and community awareness are important in the success of these builds. Past events have included: a fashion show, a book reading, brunches and luncheons with guest speakers, and they launched the ReStore in Hudson, selling quality, donated and surplus used building materials, furniture and appliances at a reduced price.

This March, in keeping with their creative fundraising and community awareness approach, a “BIG IDEAS/small spaces” new style designer showhouse will be open for public viewing in the 240 Columbia Street house. According to Adams, this idea is the “brain child of Timi Bates,” owner of Interiors by Timi in Hillsdale, NY.

Bates said that designers from the area are participating in this showhouse and have agreed to keep the design/staging of the rooms “realistic” given the scope and premise of the project and organization.  Elaine Santos and Marc Bailey from Dennis Wedlick Architect; Melissa Cranna from Herrington’s; Lynn Opper of Opper Architectural Design & Consulting; Joyce Goldstein, Joyce Goldstein Gallery; Mitchell Motsinger of Sew & Sew by Mitchell; Shari Kline of Traditions; Karen Cedar, Karen Cedar Custom Interiors; Melinda Slover and Jasmine Northrup from liliandloo; Rick Lofreddo of Custom Crafters; Lowes; and Jessica Willis of the ReStore, are all contributing to the showhouse.

As the current trend in home building is towards smaller, environmentally green, versatile spaces, it will be interesting to see how this group of talented designers will choose to decorate and stage this Habitat home.  It’s likely that those who visit will walk away inspired.

Home ownership is an accomplishment, especially one that you helped to build. It’s something to take pride in and to value.  The hard work and effort of all those involved is evident in these Habitat homes. With the addition of a designer showhouse, we can see the potential of “BIG IDEAS/small spaces” proving that good things come in small packages!
                            
Dates & Times

Showhouse dates: March 24, 25,30, 31 and April 1, 10-4 p.m., admission $10.  A cocktail party is scheduled for Saturday, March 24th,, 5 p.m., admission $30. March 30th, Meet the Designers Night” 4-5:30, admission $20.  All proceeds benefit the Columbia County Habitat for Humanity.

This posting is also published in the current, March, issue of Berkshire HomeStyle Magazine. You can also read it online at www.berkshirehomestyle.com.

                                                                             ~                              


On a Personal Note

A few years ago, a friend (and coworker) of mine, Florence Kirtsos, and I volunteered and worked on the first Columbia County for Habitat Women's Build.  It was a truly amazing and challenging experience for us. For additional information, or to volunteer for the next upcoming build, please contact www.columbiacountyhabitat.org and let them know that you read my story. 




Wednesday, February 8, 2012

Feng Shui: The Art of Placement



水  木  火  大    
Water    Wood   Fire    Earth     Metal



As you walk into a house or room, you like it and feel comfortable. Maybe it’s the layout, the use of colors, placement of furniture and the selection of meaningful objects and art.  Clearly, the homeowner has good taste and an inherent sense of style. They may have also had a wonderful architect, designer or decorator; or, they have both a good sense of style and also utilized the services of a specialist. There’s another possibility, and that is the knowledge or engagement of services of a feng shui practitioner.

What’s feng shui?
                                               
Feng shui is the ancient Chinese art of placement that dates back more than 3,000 years, and is founded on the study of the land, and wind & water  (feng=wind, shui=water) and the benefits that could be harnessed from them. It later evolved to include dwellings and rooms within.

What is the purpose of feng shui? 

Feng shui is based on the belief that each dwelling or room has ch’i, meaning energy, and its flow through a dwelling and room. Feng shui’s purpose is to harness the ch’i in a beneficial way and to find a balance. Too little energy (ying) or too much energy (yang), as one can surmise, is not good.  Energy affects how we think and feel.  We want to have harmonious environments in which we live, and productive environments where we work.  Striking a balance of energy with placement of furniture, use of colors and meaningful objects will help “encourage” happiness, health and prosperity for those who live and work in a balanced environment.  To do so, feng shui manages the five elements that we should always have in mind when harmonizing our dwellings or rooms: water, wood, fire, earth and metal.  Each of these elements move in different ways (ying & yang) and can affect how the energy (ch’i) of a room or dwelling moves.

The three basic schools of feng shui are: the Form School (the energy and relationship of mountains, rivers, roads and placement of structures); the Compass School (the use of a compass called a luo pan, incorporating birthdates and gender to locate “auspicious” corners of a dwelling or room), and the Black Hat School (utilizes a ba-gua, which is chart with eight sections that represent the eight “stations” of life; the entrance the dwelling or room is the starting point when using the ba-gua).

Elisa Cashiola is a feng shui consultant. She works with Mara Handy, a residential and commercial interior architecture and design specialist and owner of Marais Creative in Great Barrington, MA.  Elisa recently spoke with me about feng shui and the art of placement. When you enter Marais Creative, you get that feeling that I described in the opening sentence—you like it; it feels welcoming. 

Elisa utilizes the ba-gua when working with clients to help harmonize their environments. She explained that when using the ba-gua, it’s important to use the main door of the dwelling or room as the starting point for the chart. When I asked her why the front door, even if it’s the door we don’t often use, she informed me that, “The front door is the door that receives opportunity, and if we don’t use it, we’ll have missed opportunities.” It also receives the ch’i. She further explained that as you enter, the energy moves in a clockwise movement.  The ba-gua can also be applied to each room in the house, as well as your office and your desk.











If it’s still confusing, don’t worry; there are experts who can assist you in optimizing the energy of your environment.  If that’s not your cup of tea, then you can always rely on your own intuition and design sense, or engage the services of an architect, designer or decorator to assist you—all very good options. If feng shui is your cup of tea, you can speak with Elisa, a certified feng shui consultant, and Mara Handy, a specialist in interior architecture and design, and get the complete package! They really are a knowledgeable team. And, given the current state of affairs, that might be a very wise thing to do in this very auspicious Year of the Dragon!




Marais Creative is located at 70 Railroad Street in Great Barrington, MA.