The Shop at Old Austerlitz

It has been a while since I've posted, and it has been a very busy summer so far. One of the projects I have been working on is The Shop at Old Austerlitz for the Austerlitz Historical Society. The Society operates a beautiful property in Columbia County, New York and this is the first actual shop they have opened on the property. So I thought I'd give you a tour, and an example of what can be done with very little money, some good volunteers, and a bit of creativity.

The building is a very cute 1770's house:

I designed the logo and sign to fit into the historical setting, and at the same time, seem modern. As you can see, the sign arrived, but we are still waiting for the wrought iron bracket. Incidentally, the sign was made by Jean-Luc at Belmeade Signs in Connecticut and I think he did a spectacular job:

I found these antique darning eggs at a local auction:

These are my pillows. The idea for the shop was to mix antiques with modern design:

These paintings are by the young artist Amelia Toelke, her subject is frequently jewelry; the one on the upper right is a collection of hoop earrings. As here, she sometimes uses gold leaf in her work. I think she is an artist to watch:

I love this antique sewing basket which still contains the original thread spools:

This is one of my handcrafted candlesticks:

Another great local artist, Bob Crimi:

Of course, I had to throw in a few Jeffrey Harris vases:

We also have wonderful things for children (even a few vintage items):

These handmade books were made by the wonderful Lucy Swope:

Incredible paintings by Barbara Willner, using a varnish and metallic powder technique:

Fabric art by Lauren Wolff:

And the amazing paintings by Patricia Munson Gravett:

So if you find yourself near Austerlitz, New York, please come and see the shop.

Actress Linda Lavin and her husband, Steve Bakunas, stopped by the shop to sign some "Mel's Diner" plates to sell in the shop:

Steve Bakunas, Linda Lavin, and Jeffrey Harris