VERMONT MAGAZINE Winter 2022 | Page 18

WILL MOSES

Tickle your puzzler !

All puzzles $ 19.50 ea
All + S & H puzzles
$ 18.50 ea + S & H
“ Art to warm your heart and home ” MT . NEBO GALLERY
“ Art to warm your heart & home .” 60 Grandma Moses Rd .
P . O . Box 94 , Eagle Bridge , NY 12057 1-800-328-6326
FREE color catalog is available featuring Will Moses limited edition Folk Art Prints , Books , Puzzles , Cards & More !
VISA MASTERCARD AMERICAN EXPRESS PROMPT DELIVERY SATISFACTION GUARANTEED
Visit us on the web at www . willmoses . com or visit the Will Moses Dealer near you .
Bennington Museum , Bennington , VT . Bear Pond Books , Stowe , VT . Vermont Artisan Designs , Brattleboro , VT . F . H . Gillingham & Sons , Woodstock , VT .
Natural Beauty
the furniture to the online audience .” According to Farabaugh , one of the most difficult aspects of developing Vermont Woods Studios ’ online sales platform was figuring out the specific limitations of their online business model . “ Over the course of the first five years that we were in business , we came to understand that custom-made , unique heirloom furniture is not an ideal match for online sales . We realized that if someone was going to make a big $ 20,000 purchase of a custom furniture piece , they needed to have a direct relationship with the person that ’ s making it , visit their shop , and fall in love with their products in-person . We ’ ve found that what people want to buy online is more affordable sustainable artisan furniture that is still incredibly beautiful and well-made .”
As Vermont Woods Studios continued to grow as an online business , Farabaugh decided to create an in-person showroom and natural sanctuary that would serve as a striking embodiment of both the beauty of Vermont artisan craftsmanship and the transcendental majesty of nature . After purchasing the historic Stonehurst mansion , she worked with a talented architect named Jeremy Coleman and a skilled builder named Bob Furlone to bring her vision into reality . The renovation took a year to finish , and the results are truly magnificent to behold .
“ It was an extensive renovation ,” says Farabaugh . “ Stonehurst was built over 200 years ago . We found some of the first photos that were taken of the house , and we wanted to restore it to its original state .” Over the course of the renovation , the barn section of the building was rebuilt as a large showroom for dining room furniture , and the floors in the section of the house that was converted into a private apartment in the 1970s were lowered to make the building ADA-accessible . The exterior of the house was then repainted , and several bedrooms were redecorated and repurposed as administrative offices . Throughout the building , Vermont-made materials and design elements are artfully integrated into the structure , such as custom-made windows installed by Green Mountain Window in Rutland , and floors made of slate that was mined locally by the Vermont Slate Company .
When visitors enter the Stonehurst showroom , they are immediately greeted by a large wall of windows that provide panoramic views of the surrounding mountains and meadows . Farabaugh says that this was done intentionally to help customers acclimate to the bucolic Vermont ambience . “ The people who are coming to visit the Stonehurst showroom are not coming here by accident . They have found us online , and they are very interested in sustainability and Vermont artisan furniture . We have people drive here from as far away as California , Texas , and Minnesota . When they pull into our parking lot , we want them to know that they ’ re in Vermont . We want them to walk in the door and immediately heave a sigh of relaxation . The aim is to bring the outdoors inside for them regardless of the season and offer them a true Vermont experience .”
Whether customers purchase Vermont Woods Studios ’ spectacular furnishings in person at the Stonehurst showroom or through the streamlined and intuitive online store , they are able to choose from a wide assortment of quality custom handmade furniture pieces . Many of the pieces are available in several wood-type options , such as cherry , walnut , oak , and maple . The majority of the cherry wood comes from the Allegheny plateau in New York and Pennsylvania , and most of the maple wood is sourced from small forestry operations within the State of Vermont . All of the wood is sustainably-harvested in North American forests . Some of the furniture pieces sold by Vermont Woods Studios have additional customization options , such as finish , dimensions , and framing style . For customers who are seeking to expedite the shipment of their furniture , Vermont Woods Studios has
16 VERMONT MAGAZINE