We all know the benefits of buying local when it comes to produce, eggs, and meat, but what about when it comes to purchasing home furnishings and accessories? The next time you think about ordering from a website or visiting a big-box store, think again and support your local merchants—who will, in turn, support you. Amazon may remember every item you’ve ever purchased, but will it call to let you know about a funky new end table that would be perfect for a chair you bought five years ago? Or let you take it home before you bought it to make sure it worked in the space? Or put something aside for you in advance of a sale?
While researching our cover story, Editor in Chief Esther Davidowitz and I had the best time exploring different towns, looking for the most beautiful, innovative, or sometimes, just plain fun furnishings and accessories—the best of everything design-wise. It was an exercise in tactile pleasure: running fingers through a Mongolian lamb fur bench cover, stroking a reclaimed slab of wood, a delicate urn, or a hand-carved tile. (Try doing that on your computer!) We fell in love numerous times and enjoyed chatting with shopkeepers who gave us details and the backstory. The intricate design on an urn is a tobacco leaf! Who knew? We really hit the jackpot close to home; our new office in Rye is just minutes from a number of boutiques and home-decor sources. Working in such close proximity to so many gorgeous things is sure to become an occupational hazard. The result of our explorations is that every item in our cover story is available locally—no websites, no treks into New York City (although we did venture across the border into Connecticut twice, but we think you’ll agree it was worth it).
Of course, we love to tout local talent in these pages. Perhaps…you. If you are a professional interior designer or architect and have a fabulous project that you’d like to share with us (and, perhaps, all of our readers), we invite you to enter Westchester Home’s Second Annual Design Contest. Winners will be featured in our Winter 2013 issue. (Visit westchestermagazine.com for details.) We’re looking forward to receiving lots of submissions this summer—our idea of perfect beach reading.
