A Conversation with Victoria Lesser
Victoria Lesser chats with Knickerbocker Group construction manager Marcus Golding.
Designer Victoria Lesser isn’t one to dive into projects without a plan. And Blog Cabin 2012 is no different. The process of furnishing this historic home has unfolded in a thoughtful manner and in logical steps.
Victoria’s first visit to Waldoboro came days after Blog Cabin 2012 was secured. A drive from her home in upstate New York to Waldoboro took her on a journey up the East Coast and through quaint New England towns. Her task before a single furnishing could be purchased or placed? To decipher the “inherent nature of the area,” she says. “There’s obviously a tradition up here,” says Victoria of the town, which is dotted with quaint cottages and rustic barns. Once she had a handle on the community, she stepped inside the as-is home for a closer look. “I had to examine the bones of the house and approach the interior design in a way that would respect the area and the feel of the space,” she adds.
Hammering down a specific vision was the next step in Victoria’s process. And for inspiration she looked no further than the property’s own barn. “I have always dreamed of converting a barn to a home,” she says. Understanding that conversion was not an option, she wanted to do the next best thing: bring the barn look to the home across the street. Thus evolved an “elegant barn” theme that will be carried out from first floor and bedrooms to the Mega Dens family room.
Bringing this unique look to life will require a collection of furnishings sourced in Victoria’s hometown, Matthews, Virginia (site of Blog Cabin 2011), and in and around the town of Waldoboro. The designer’s favorite haunts during her current stay in town include Nobleboro Antique Exchange (store owner Lisa has proved invaluable to Victoria and the Good Housekeeping team), Elmer’s Barn (“That place is extraordinary,” says Victoria), The Shady Lady and Scuttlebutt Antiques. Victoria has scooped up architectural salvage that will be used in how-to projects, furnishings fashioned from repurposed materials, and odds and ends that capture her eye.
Victoria is pretty tight-lipped when it comes to providing specific interior design details. That information must remain a mystery until the launch of the virtual home tour in August. But she gushes when asked about the town of Waldoboro and the experience of working at Blog Cabin. “I have never heard such amazing sounds as I’ve heard here,” she says of the symphony created each morning and evening by crickets, songbirds and woodpeckers. And she casts aside any worries fans might have about dark interior spaces: “The light in the house is gorgeous. And it’s the light of Maine,” she says. “It’s so pleasant to be inside. When the sun is shining and I’m in the house, I’m thinking, ‘Gosh, it feels so nice in here.’”
Victoria – I know you can't give us details- but the vote was for stainless steel backsplash. How does that fit with this home?
I too would love to turn a barn into a home!
I did see some yesterday and they tried to age them by making them 3×6 subway style tiles and a matte finish.
Mary, thank you so much for the photos, and for a very complete and lengthy post about Victoria's activities. I won't mind that Victoria keeps the design a secret until summer, and maybe other fans won't mind, either.
….And so the House Whisperer listened to the bones of the home and it began to whisper, "Make me an elegant barn"
….And it seems like only yesterday I was blogging about seeing rustic touches mixed with modern conveniences, some post & beam interior framing, sliding barn doors, old barn wood repurposed and used
How can I put this? — Victoria I could not be happier to read the direction you have taken with the renovation of "Blog"
Mary, Thank You for sharing this lovely interview. Victoria, I eagerly await seeing your awesome creativity, ability to transform a space, and not waste a drop of it, and ingenious use of repurposing materials. No doubt, you will inspire me once again this year as I enjoy the BC shows.
Why is Marcus poking Victoria with that big stick?!
LOL Jeff, I think Marcus is asking Victoria, "Is this table leg about the right size for you to use to use to play fetch with your dogs with?"
And Victoria is repying," Not quite, it's a little small for that. If you can find a matching one though, I think we could use a pair to frame out an entrance for the dog barn front door. "
LOL! LOL!B):pxD<3 Kitty
love this one Mel
Looks like one of Victoria's dogs is chewing on Marcus's leg and he is so enchanted with their conversation, he doesn't feel a thing…just kidding, but couldn't resist!!
LOL Jennie, maybe Marcus is tired of being a chew toy and is offering to soak that table leg in bacon grease and see if Victoria's dogs would like it for a chew toy– J/K those two Great Danes look so loveable, and Marcus seems to be just going with the flow.
Speaking of Great Danes, I wonder if Matt Muenster is of Danish decent?
What do you have to blog around here to get a guest host to chime in on the blog?
Some of us will be checking in on the 2 Matts' Facebook pages to see if we get an info. That may be all "we're gonna get this year"..
Good Luck on that one, Mel….Those guys have one thing on their minds and that is to get their special taped and over with, so they can go fishing,claming or Lobstering…or maybe get to know Waldoboro….
They could take 5 mins. to drop by and say "hello" …..and tell us what they think about the People's choices that were chosen…anything!!! It would be nice!!! The bloggers want to be included too, don't we? Time for "Dancing with the Stars"…….got to go!
Gee, I was almost going to complain that we're getting too many new blogs going. LOL, you can't have too much new information…keep 'em coming Mary! And hurray now that Victoria is on site (I know she's been there for a while). Can't wait to see more.
It sounds and looks just wonderful!!!!!!!!I would love to move to Maine.It sure is nice to have four seasons unlike Fla.!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!I hope luck will knock my door this time!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Victoria everything sounds so nice, I love barns use to play in them as a child every chance I could. Use to be a rope that hung from the beam and us kids would swing on it for hours & jump into the hay from it. What fun we had, I can see one there for the kids to swing on too.
I was hoping to see a sewing area in the laundry room, but with the lay out they have planned, I can't see that. If only the washer & dryer was moved to where the sink is then maybe they could put an L shape desk in front of that window facing the barn and one could sew away enjoying the view of the barn. More room in front of the window for this, than where the sink is now and better view. With some nice shelves above on each side of the window for sewing supplies or maybe a hobby area for folks that don't sew.
Just loved the hobby room that didn't win over the office up stairs, this way we could kind of get both. Just a thought.
Like your thinking home__girl that barn has potential!
Hi home_girl…..when you win, you can change the office into your sewing room or maybe the room is big enough for both….I don't really know where the office is located, do you???
OOPS, I forgot, I did read somewhere that the office and library are combined…..