2023 Decorators' Show House
St. Patrick's Friary
As I sit down to write this, I'm sitting on a park bench at "The Playground for All" at Chestnut Ridge Park while my children and dozens of others buzz around on a beautiful spring night. As I look to my left I see a sign that lists the contributors who made this playground a reality, and there it is, the Junior League of Buffalo...and by extension, you.
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It's a great reminder of what this project is all about, community.
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For me, the opportunity to participate in the Junior League's 2023 Show House was going to be built on the same premise - community.
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Communities are built on tradition, but they live through the stories we hear, create and share with others. Ours is known for our resilience. Our ability to withstand both the literal and figurative storms that life puts in our path. But, like Damar Hamlin and numerous unsung others, we learn...we grow...we come back strong and flourish.
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Like another well-known Western New Yorker from the late 1800's, Elbert Hubbard, I believe that this strength leads to passion, and passion to greatness. Hubbard's Roycroft community was established as a place to learn, share and practice. As he once said, was Abraham Lincoln any less great because he didn't have a Ph.D. from Yale? No. Greatness can be achieved anywhere, and I can tell you that by spending time in community and sharing with others, I have truly found greatness right here in our own hometown.
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Oakham Mount Living is a growing collective of craftsman, builders, artists, musicians and growers who are living local, giving back and strengthening our community one project at a time. Our work is unique...because each person and home is one of a kind.
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In this year's Show House, our work is displayed in the main entry off Seymour Street as well as "A Room with a View" on the 3rd floor.
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This is our story.
Artwork | Saboda Fine Art
As an artist, Megan Saboda wants people to experience art in a personal way. She believes art is not just for museums and galleries, but should be a part of our daily existence. One of her specialties is Modern Impressionism and as the Friary was built on the heels of the impressionist movement, she created a collection of three works of art in this style for the foyer. Over the last 6 months she has been recreating the Buffalo Harbor in the style of a Plein Air painter in the late 1800's when St. Patrick's Friary was built - all while working as an art teacher and delivering her 3rd, beautiful baby girl.
Website: sabodafineart.com | Instagram: @sabodafineart
"Freshly Trimmed Stems"
"A brush with history: Buffalo Harbor in 1900"
"Late Spring Poppies"
Locally Sourced Black Walnut:
WNY Wood Products
Ryan and Erik hustle, both dad's of young children, they are an example of hard work and dedication. On more than one occasion, you'll see a kiddo in their shop working hard right alongside them. Their primary focus is to provide sustainably harvested live edge and dimensional lumber to fit all customer needs, whether it be rough cut lumber or custom finished products. They have been my "go to" for black walnut from custom milled tongue and groove to dimensional products and custom furniture, they've done it all. For the Show House, we collaborated on a stunning crosscut (or cookie as Ryan would say) from a black walnut tree to create a show stopping table in the main entry as well as a "desk" for the 3rd floor.
Website: wnywoodproducts.com | Instagram: @wnywoodproducts
Custom Furniture | Riexinger Wood Co.
Bruce and his son Nathan have been a part of our lives for over 15 years. But - it took the process of designing and building our new home to really discover that we're all makers. Bruce grew up watching his father put an emphasis on woodworking which molded the passion he has today for the craft and the legacy continues with his son - the continuation of this line of woodworking into a third generation. Recently, we had a day of progressive meals and home tours and for the first time I saw firsthand the unbelievable craftsmanship in the Mission Oak, Stickley style - passion, dedication and artistry. He also shares a passion for black walnut and given the fact that I was planning to have artists live paint on the 3rd floor during the show, I asked "Bruce, can you make me an easel?" What I received was so much more than I asked for - this adjustable chair and footstool as well as gorgeous easel were handcrafted from the slab below...IN 8 DAYS!!!
Website: rexwoodco.com | Instagram: @riexingerwoodcompany
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Photo of the black walnut slab came May 17th via text with this message: Time is short (no promises) but I might see a chair in there.
On May 28th the easel, chair and footstool handcrafted out of black walnut and quarter sawn white oak were delivered and placed in the room on the 3rd floor of St. Patrick's Friary!
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Floral | Highland Springs Floral
At Highland Springs Farm - Sarah's motto is "Growing Flowers, Food and Resilience." They are designing their lives around their land, her soil situations, the hills, the wildlife, their pets, the plants, and their boundaries.
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For the Show House, she sourced an antique vase with an agricultural motif - a nod to her handiwork as well as the previous Show House grant recipients - Providence Farm Collective. Her beautiful floral arrangements can be found in the foyer! Beyond these amazing contributions, she is a farmer and an artist. Her arrangements from this time last year were used for the basis of Megan's still life floral paintings - what could be more beautiful than that?!
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Website: highlandspringsny.com | Instagram: @highlandspringsny
Construction | Trinacria, LLC.
From left to right, meet Sam, Sammy and Cosimo. Lead by Sam Farruggia, this crew has been on speed dial for nearly 4 years. When I had the crazy idea to design and build our new home, Sam was the partner for the job. He had just enough crazy belief in my vision to make it a breathtaking reality. Growing up with dad I had a rudimentary knowledge of tools and construction, but Sam afforded the me the ability to apprentice alongside each trade throughout the process - a priceless education and experience. This Sicilian crew is more than that though, the are actually family and after our project we feel fortunate to be an extension of that! This particular show house had more than its fair share of problems and when I made the call to help out the Junior League on a missing ceiling - not only did they show up, the donated their time to the project as well! Thanks Sam and Cos!!
Facebook: @sam7buffalo
Grant Recipient | Providence Farm Collective
PFC is the only non-profit in Western New York that directly supports our communities with access to rural farmland, farming and business education, technical assistance, markets, and the opportunity to farm for income. PFC helps to uplift the next generation of diverse agricultural entrepreneurs and community farmers with an emphasis on promoting self-sufficiency and advancing ecological and human health. As Junior League grant recipients from the last Show House, PFC was able to secure nearly 50 acres in Orchard Park as designated farm land so that their efforts will be protected now and into the future. It's important to remember that the Show House, though spectacular, is a means to an end and that end is to raise funds for our
community. For me, it was important that PFC become a part of the story. You'll see a sampling of the seeds they're growing this season along with the country of origin in the room on the 3rd floor as well as some gorgeous photography that was taken on their farm as soon as you enter the Friary in the vestibule. Further proof that design can be meaningful and stories are meant to be shared - we are community. Check out some images that I was able to snap when I stopped for a quick visit - it was planting day!
Website: providencefarmcollective.org | Facebook: @providencefarmcollective
Musician | Samuel Tambe Band
A collection of unbelievable musicians in their own right, when this band gets together its the greatest living room jam session with a group of talented artists that are even better when they collaborate. I should know, my husband plays the keys! This band has been a part of our lives for the last 9 years and has a great standing gig the last Friday of every month at the Roycroft in East Aurora. The band is tied to the Show House in two ways. First, Sam (in the black hat) is their fearless leader and just so happens to be an excellent painter as well and has had his hands all over the Friary to get it ready for the opening. Second, his original song "Raspberry Sky" was my inspiration for the room with a view on the 3rd floor. When I toured the home in the Fall, I caught a great view of the sunset out of the window with the city skyline in the foreground - truly a room with a view!
I've got a plan we can fly away, into the raspberry sky tonight.
There's a room with a view of everything.
That's how I love you, way up in the Raspberry Sky.
Give it a listen: Raspberry Sky on YouTube | Facebook: @samueltambeband
Live Artistry
I've always felt that the process of something being created was just as fascinating and beautiful as the end result itself. The "Room with a View" on the third floor is meant to showcase just this process. For natural light alone, if I had to select any room in the Friary where I would want to create something it would be in this room, looking out the window at the city skyline. Something about the light and scene is inspiring. That ended up becoming the theme for the space - a peek behind the scenes. On the walls you'll see "art in progress" from a fabulous friend and artist, Peg Reixinger. Yes, it's a family affair - a husband and wife, artist and woodworker under the same roof and both collaborated on this space with me! You'll also see the inspiration images and initial oil pastel sketches for the Buffalo Harbor painting that Megan created for the foyer. If getting there is half the journey - we invite you to see the entire process! Even more exciting than that is the fact that we've invited local artists to live paint, sketch, etc. in this space during the show and if you're interested please follow the link to the sign up genius below as we've still got a few open spots!
Stop by for a visit.
Junior League of Buffalo: https://buffalo.jl.org/show-house/2023-decorators-show-house/
Follow the link above to get tickets for the 2023 Junior League Show House - St. Patrick's Friary
Location: 102 Seymour Street, Buffalo, NY 14210
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Show House Dates: Decorators’ Show House: Saturday, June 3 – Saturday, June 24, 2023
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Show House Hours:
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Monday June 5, 12, and 19: Private Group Tours 10AM – 6PM
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Tuesday June 20: Private Group Tours 10AM – 6PM
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Wednesday – Friday: 10AM – 12PM & 5:30PM – 7:30PM
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Please note the last entry time starts at 30 minutes prior to end time (11:30am & 7PM)
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Saturday: 10AM – 3PM
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Please note the last entry time starts at 30 minutes prior to end time (2:30PM)
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Sunday: 10AM – 3PM
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Please note the last entry time starts at 30 minutes prior to end time (2:30PM)
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