Rustic Living: Season One Episodes
#101: Lake George Boathouse B&B/Architectural Salvage Warehouse
Tour a century old boathouse originally the home of a famous speedboat racer. It’s now the home to a couple who have poured their hearts, souls and wallets into restoring the foundation, architecture and décor to maintain its historical value. Joe and Patti Silipigno love their home so much that they share their “little lake castle” with the public!
Lake George Boathouse Bed & Breakfast
Then, we’ll show you where you can get just about everything for your restoration project from doorknobs to bathtubs – all in one location! Then see how one woman transformed her modern condominium with salvaged pieces.
Architectural Salvage Warehouse
#102: Country Dreams Farm/1812 Homestead
In this day and age, there are still people doing things the old-fashioned way. It’s true rustic farming at Country Dreams Farm. George and Melissa show us the beginnings of their barn restoration, how to shoe a horse, mow a field and make a living with little to no modern technology.
Get ready to experience life on the homestead when Lyn takes us through the 1812 farmhouse as it was nearly 200 years ago. We’ll discover why it’s so important to Jack and Lyn to keep this homestead alive in upstate New York!
#103: Great Camp Hemlock Ledge/George Jaques Rustic Furniture
We learn about the history of the Adirondack Style and the role of the Adirondack Great Camps in American History while touring Great Camp Hemlock Ledge with Interior Designer Grace Frizzell.
Interior Designer Grace Frizzell
Rustic furniture maker, George Jaques of Keene Valley, NY takes us into his workshop to show us some of his latest projects. Then we’ll knock on the door of one of his finest client’s home for a look at his collection of one of a kind Jaques pieces.
George Jaques Rustic Furniture
#104: Camp Little Pine/Woodstoves and Wood boilers
With a little creativity and a whole lot of birch bark, Architect Michael Bird and his wife Interior Designer Mari Kirwood transform an old Golf Pro home into a truly rustic Adirondack retreat- that’s a perfect winter getaway!
Then we’ll visit the homes of two men who each swear by their own heating sources. Explore with us the energy efficiency, cost effectiveness, and global differences between woodstoves and wood boilers.
#105: Rustic Farmhouse Redux/Wayne Ignatuk Furniture
A family in upstate New York find themselves in a renovation project of their lifetime when mom sees an opportunity to flip a home. What they don’t expect is to fall in love with the house as they turn a once old beat up farmhouse into their new dream living space.
Rustic Farmhouse Redux
Designer and builder, Wayne Ignatuk takes us into his gallery to show us some of his custom furniture pieces influenced by the “arts and crafts” movement. His unique style is easily distinguishable by hand-chiseled mortise and tenon joinery and butterfly keys. Ignatuk then takes us out to his workshop where he is assembling a buffet server for a nearby lodge.
#106: Kamika Lodge/White Pine Cabins
Ann Stillman O’Leary takes us into one of her latest million dollar homes to demonstrate how it’s the little details like color and texture choices that are essential in creating the sought after Adirondack Style. O’Leary lets us in on some of her secret designer tips, saying you can have function and fashion and surprisingly for little to no money.
Interior Designer Ann Stillman O’Leary
Then, come with us as we explore an Adirondack cabin that you can take with you to any part of the country! Bill Plumb of Saranac Lake, New Yorktakes us through the design and construction of his custom white pine cabins that are so affordable that some clients buy more than one.
#107: Cordwood Homes/Rustic Frames
We’ll show you how you can build your next home on little more than firewood. Cordwood homes are not only energy efficient and cost effective but eco-friendly as well. Rob and Jaki Roy invite us to visit Earthwood Building School where they live in their self built cordwood home and teach others from all over the world how easy building their own cordwood construction can be!
Then, check out some of the most unique rustic frames you may ever see. Nick Nickerson is known for his odd collections or “treasures” as he calls them from foraging in the woods. From cow bones to various tree scraps, Nickerson lets the artwork speak to him when creating the perfect one of a kind rustic frame for each piece.
#108: History of the Adirondack Chair/Blending of Adirondack Styles
The most iconic piece of lawn furniture found right here in the Adirondacks might have originated from the more simplistic Westport Chair. We’ll talk to local artisan, Steve Bowers who makes the traditional and not so traditional Westport chair, a local resident who claims to have an original Westport and a local manufacturer who makes slatted Adirondackchairs that ship around the world.
He builds and she paints, a couple that together create one of-a-kind rustic furniture in their workshop behind their house. And their home is certainly something to see as well because Joann is fearless when it comes to blending an array of styles from various eras creating the most pleasing atmosphere!
#109: Architect George Baker Special
Architect George Baker teaches us that a house doesn’t have to start out as a house to become a home. Baker explains his design philosophy and shares his ideas of the rustic style through his creative eye. See how he converted an old barn into his rustic four story home and a train station into an elegant quaint abode for a mother and her children.&
#110: Rustic Yurt/Rustic Gardens
Master boat builder Jim Cameron’s passion is building and restoring Adirondack Guideboats and you can see these boats when you stay at one of his unique vacation rentals. Possibly his most popular rental is the yurt, which is only a little more glamorous than your standard camping tent, but has a breathtaking view.
Then we head up to Montreal, Quebec to meet landscape contractor and artist, Kim Vergil who makes unique lawn furniture and garden structures out of scrap tree branches. She shows us how to take natural rustic elements and recycle them into lawn chairs, patio furniture, living fences, trellises and gazebos.
#111: Quintessential Adirondack Style/Rustic Lighting
It’sa quintessential Adirondack Style home designed by Architect Michael Bird and decorated by Interior Designer Mari Kirwood. Kirwood takes us through her design philosophy and explains how its important to consider the client’s taste and the architect’s vision when dressing and trimming a home.
Mari Kirwood Design Associates
Then we meet a furniture maker from western New York who specializes in lighting. Jim Thomson loves building rustic pieces for the home, but whatt he’s most sought after for are his black birch bark lampshades. Thomson shows us how he incorporates them on table lamps, floor lamps, chandeliers and even bedpost nightlights to create the perfect ambiance on cold Adirondack nights.
#112: Great Camp Sagamore/Twig Railings & Furnishings
Once the wilderness estate of the Vanderbilt family in the early 1900s, Great Camp Sagamore located in Raquette Lake, New York still maintains its prestige in the 21st century. Come along and tour some of Great Camp Sagamore’s twenty-seven buildings and learn about the history, architecture and design of one of the legendary Adirondack Great Camps.
Then we’ll visit Bill Betrus, a fellow who says he learned all he knows by studying the works of past artisans who built the Adirondack Great Camps. Betrus spends much of his time working on custom pieces, but what he is most known for are his twig railings adorning decks and staircases.
#113: Lean-To's/Adirondack Weaver
We literally found this guy on the side of the road and what a find he was! Tug Duffy builds custom rustic lean-to’s like you’ve never seen them before. Learn how he uses a number system to make sure the Lean-To’s go together just right before putting them together a final time on site.
Then, Annoel Krider also known as the Adirondack Weaver takes tapestries to a whole other level with her southwestern rustic style sick weavings. Find out what inspires her work and just how she creates her signature yarn paintings!