It came at the perfect time for a fall fix: a trip to the northeast for the Interior Redecorators conference. I stayed at a lovely inn in Morristown, N.J., conveniently located next to the train station for easy access to NYC. The weather was beautiful and the trees made me think of fall in Virginia where I am from and North Carolina where I went to college.

Our group toured Craftsman Farms, the former country estate of noted turn-of-the-century designer Gustav Stickley, a major proponent of the Arts and Crafts movement in decorative arts, home building and furnishing styles. Stickley combined the roles of designer and manufacturer, architect, publisher, philosopher, and social critic. He is best known today for his straightforward furniture, sometimes called “mission” or “Craftsman” furniture. This was of interest to me because I recently wrote an article on Stickley for the Fort Myers News-Press.

We enjoyed an afternoon walking through beautiful and quaint Chester which was painted in fall colors, learned how to make ready made drapes look like a designer did them and spent time with designers from all over the country...including my friend and interior decorina, Pamela O’Brien of Pamela Hope Designs and had a wonderful dinner at the incredibly beautiful home of fellow designer Susan Hayes of Refeather Your Nest Decorating.

Then it was off to NYC for a day at the New York Design Center where Lauri Ward of Use What You Have gave us an invaluable refresher course on how to best serve our clients.

Having been to the NYDC many times, Pamela and I headed up to the newly opened 1stDibs on the 10th floor...fantastic for that unique accept piece or antique (take your checkbook with lots of $$$)!!! And then we hit the streets for a short walk and a timeout in Bryant Park on this gorgeous day.