By Sarah Rutledge
Above, Heighes Wismer’s home features a coffee table with a decorative finish by Will Hutnick
Zack and Ali Sosne
BRAMBLE!, GREAT BARRINGTON • THEBRAMBLE.US
Zack and Ali Sosne are known for bringing the fun—their design-build firm bramble! plans bright, airy, colorful projects. The Sosnes work closely with clients, many of whom have young families, to create spaces that are practical and problem-solving, yet full of whimsy and personal touches. “We look at the person’s lifestyle and then adapt our style to their needs,” says Zack, who grew up in the Berkshires, spent almost 20 years working in New York, and then returned in 2018. The roots run deep: Many craftspeople he works with are fellow grads of Monument Mountain High School. “There’s always a relationship,” he says. “It’s really wild.”
INTERIOR DESIGN
E Caligari & Son, Great Barrington
I’ve been using Caligari a lot lately for in-closet interiors, window treatments, carpeting, and paint. They are responsive and well priced and they move quickly.
ecaligari.com
BESPOKE TREEHOUSE
Ian Evans, South County
If you are looking for a custom treehouse, Ian Evans is your man. I sketch and Ian builds. He does outstanding work, and is known for his attention to detail.
Ikecustomtreehousedesigns.com
CABINETMAKER
Chris Hogan, New Marlborough
When I have a special kitchen project, I always use Chris Hogan. He’s a high-end cabinetmaker who has been properly trained and really knows how to do things.
[email protected]
DESIGN, GENERAL CONTRACTOR, CONSTRUCTION
MVA Design/Build, Great Barrington
Mike Valenti’s team can handle everything: architectural drawings, permits, floor plans. We do a lot of design and collaboration together, where they build the project and I do the daily site visits to update the client.
mvadesigns.com
WINDOW AND GUTTER CLEANING
Okun Services, Great Barrington
Ted Okun is the number-one guy I go to for washing windows and cleaning gutters. He has a small firm and is super reliable.
okunservices.com
LANDSCAPING
Valley Brook Landscaping, Lee
Whether I’m sourcing trees, digging foundations, or putting down a new driveway, I call on Simon Jones. We’ve been doing landscaping projects together for about six years, and he’s really knowledgeable and resourceful.
413-717-7970
A stylish, functional mudroom by bramble! photographed by Lisa Vollmer
Tyler Weld
TYLER WELD DESIGN, GREAT BARRINGTON • TYLERWELDDESIGN.COM
Architect Tyler Weld hasn’t ever built a house she wouldn’t want to live in. “I’ve never worked for a big corporate-type firm, so I’ve always been very hands-on. I’m the eyes and ears for the client.” A Berkshires resident for more than 20 years, she has designed homes with widely varying styles and budgets, from modern farmhouses to stucco dwellings. Her common thread? Well built and timeless. “I don’t cut corners,” she says. “I care about what’s in the walls. I make good environmental choices so the house is easy to maintain.”
CUSTOM CABINETRY
Soudant’s Builders, Great Barrington
I’ve worked with George Soudant for 20 years, and we’ve done a lot of houses together. He grew up here, so he has a solid team of subcontractors. He also has an incredibly sophisticated understanding of how things should be built to last.
413-528-4878
LANDSCAPING
Webster Landscape Design + Build, Sheffield
Wenonah Webster and I are very like-minded; we are like peas in a pod. I love the way she works and I love her aesthetic. She’s classically trained and very thoughtful.
websterlandscapes.com
STONEMASON
C.G. Stone, Pittsfield
There are a lot of stonemasons around, but if you want something high-end, more artistic, and beautifully built, Chris Gregory is a true artisan—and a nice person to work with.
cgregorystone.com
METAL FABRICATION/WELDING
KG Fabrication, Ashley Falls
Up-and-coming metal worker Kody Goddard is handling a lot of railings, decks, and stairs on my projects. He does great custom work that doesn’t look cookie-cutter.
kgfabrication.com
GALLERY AND AUCTION HOUSE
Stair Galleries, Hudson, NY
Stair Galleries is a very cool resource in the area. They have auctions twice a month for all kinds of antiques and furniture. [On October 29, the auction features fine and decorative arts; on November 20, modern and contemporary art and design.]
stairgalleries.com
Weld designed this kitchen, with cabinetry by Soudant’s Builders
Brenda Fitzgerald
ROAM GALLERY, WILLIAMSTOWN • ROAMGALLERY.PHOTO
“I always knew I wanted to be a designer,” Longmeadow native Brenda Fitzgerald says. She studied and worked in Florida for decades, moving from interior design to road sales, furniture to rugs, before circling back to her home state and settling in Williamstown six years ago. Fitzgerald currently works as director and principal designer at ROAM Gallery, a curated African Fair-Trade contemporary art space, doing design work for Xtina Parks, ROAM’s CEO and founder, as well as for private clients.
RUGS
Peter Pap Oriental Rugs, Dublin, NH
Peter Pap is the most knowledgeable rug man I’ve ever met; he’s an historian who has been featured on Antiques Roadshow several times. He has a beautiful showroom, with an inventory that will blow your mind. My favorite thing about Peter is he will come to me on-site with rugs to choose from, but there’s no stress or pressure to purchase anything until we’ve found the perfect fit.
peterpap.com
WINDOW TREATMENTS
Berkshire Fabric, Blinds & Shades, Pittsfield
For window treatments, bedding, custom pillows, and reupholstery, I use Donna Gopfert. She’s straight to the point, and timely on all samples, custom orders, and installations. Window treatments are time-consuming and expensive, and they can make or break a well-designed home, but working with Donna makes it a piece of cake.
berkshirefabricwallpaper.com
CONTRACTOR
Martel’s Quality Building, Savoy
Vince Martel is hands-down the best contractor I have ever worked with, whether the project is a custom home from the ground up, a thoughtfully planned renovation, or an original built-in piece of furniture. He has done a lot of custom work for me and ROAM Gallery over the past few years, with nothing but perfection and attention to the finest details.
413-822-1988
KITCHEN AND BATH
KMV Design, Williamstown
Kandace Videtto is an absolute pleasure to work with, and her creative mind is impressive. She specializes in kitchen and bath remodels and renovations, and also handles new home construction design. She has a great little showroom on Water Street with a curated selection of materials to select from.
kmvdesign.net
PLUMBING
Lawson Plumbing and Heating, Adams
I always use Brian Lawson for anything related to plumbing and heating. He takes a load off my mind, responds immediately, is efficient, has a fantastic attitude, and completes every job without issues or callbacks. He’s also the most neat and tidy plumber I’ve ever known.
413-822-4400
ELECTRICAL
Rickert Electric, Williamstown
Tim and Tyler Rickert always respond at the drop of a hat. These problem-solvers are willing to get down and dirty in sketchy crawl spaces while wearing a smile. Their knowledge is vast and they can handle anything I throw at them—and they always do it right.
413-458-9632
Brenda’s work gives a sense of warmth to The Coffee Shop in Williamstown.
Daniel Heighes Wismer
DUFNER HEIGHES • DUFNERHEIGHES.COM
Daniel Heighes Wismer, architect and co-owner of Dufner Heighes, has an insider’s take on home design—literally. “We are thinking about the furnishings, interior finishes, and lighting from the very beginning,” he says. “Our first meetings with clients always include furniture.” For more than 25 years, he and business partner Greg Dufner have worked on modern, luxurious homes all over the country, including the Berkshires—and Heighes Wismer has put down roots here with his own house in Sharon, Connecticut.
GALLERIES
Standard Space, Sharon, CT
Photographer Theo Coulombe curates an amazing mix of great local artists and recognized names from other regions.
standardspace.net
Yo Studio, Canaan, CT
I love the openings at this artist-operated studio and gallery. The works are wonderful representations of Berkshires life.
yostudioct.com
STONEMASON/HARDSCAPE
Roberto Salazar
Roberto Salazar is a local guy who does beautiful stonework, all by hand. He’s a pleasure to work with—and even did my house.
203-731-7502
CONTRACTOR
PK Contracting, Canaan, CT
Working with contractors means entering a long-term relationship, and I love collaborating with Pallone Karcheski. My clients are always pleased with their work.
pkcontractingct.com
FRAMERS
Bantam Frameworks, Bantam, CT
Bantam knows how to create custom framing for art, including archival quality and historical prints, and has a huge selection.
bantamframeworks.com
Gilded Moon, Millerton, NY
Everything is possible with this framer, which handles all my complicated projects, including framing a sculpture.
gmframing.com
LANDSCAPE DESIGN/TREE FARM
Old Farm Nursery/Coyote Hill Farm, Lakeville, CT
Judy Murphy runs the best nursery around—it’s very high-end—and has a gorgeous tree farm across the street.
oldfarmnursery.com
coyotehillfarmllc.com
ARTIST/GILDER
Carol Leskanic
For beautiful, sophisticated, nature-inspired work that also feels like it belongs in the country, I turn to local artist Carol Leskanic, who works with gold leaf.
carolleskanic.com
ARTIST/PAINTER
Will Hutnick
Will is the most talented painter, working with multiple galleries and academic institutions across the country from his studio in Sharon, as well as directing the artistic program at the Wassaic Project. We were super excited to work with him on this coffee table, turning the decorative finish into a work of art.
willhutnick.com
