Stamford – a design powerhouse

The beginning of the new year continues to see a large pandemic exodus to the “burbs,” including Stamford. (See residential real estate story on Page 38).  It”™s a vibrant place, with new multipurpose spaces, particularly on the waterfront, that include the hospitality and retail sectors as well as corporations in other industries.

About 30 years ago, Stamford”™s old warehouses were taken up by antiques vendors.  When my husband and I were first married, we prowled those venues, looking for treasures to decorate our home with. I met a group of women who were also all interested in feathering their nests, and we spent many fun hours antiquing in Stamford while our kids were in school. These same women have become my closest friends. 

At the time, the offerings were mainly antiques and vintage pieces of Americana as well as those in the English and Continental styles. Some 30 years later, several of these antiques warehouses have survived, changing with the times.  More mid-century Modern pieces from the 1960s, ”™70s and ”™80s are mixed in with the more traditional pieces. The antiques and design industry in Stamford has grown, with the larger businesses including, The Antique and Artisan Gallery, Avery & Dash Collections, Connecticut Antiques Center, Greenwich Living Design and Stamford Modern, all of which offer great buys to decorate your home with. Some of these, like Greenwich Living Design, are in the Stamford Waterside Design District. I still visit the galleries for pieces for my clients, such as furniture, lighting, artwork and decorative objets. I love that you can always find something unusual and not just things that are easily available and seen over and over again.

As we get out of the winter doldrums and head toward spring, make a list of your renovation projects and visit these places for ideas to keep your home in tip-top condition. Renovations take a lot of planning, especially in the current climate. Many contractors are busy and many items can be delayed due to supply-chain issues. It”™s always best to have all your items available before starting a major renovation.  It may take a little longer to start, but it will be well worth it. The last thing you want to do is to start a major project and have important pieces missing that can affect completion of your project in a timely manner. 

Select a contractor who has the correct amount of time to see your renovation through. Pressing him to start before he can give your renovation the amount of time it needs can be a disaster.  Build in extra time for permits and inspections. Delivery delays can occur because of a shortage of workers and materials as well as weather, particularly if you start a project in the winter. But keep your sense of humor throughout the process, because the end result will be so worth the time and effort that you put into it. 

For this spring”™s projects, I already have my list, putting contractors in place and placing all the necessary orders so that process can be as stress-free as possible.  I”™m looking forward to warmer weather and having a night out dining by the water in one of Stamford”™s many restaurants with friends while contemplating my latest renovation project.  And I hope my car will be loaded up with treasures found in an afternoon of visiting Stamford”™s antiques and design galleries to help my clients express their individual personalities and styles through their homes.

For more, call 914-447-6904 or email Cami@camidesigns.com. And for more on some of the businesses mentioned here, visit stamfordwatersidedesigndistrict.com.