December 31, 2013

My Laundry Room at Skylands

While I am away on vacation, please enjoy this revisit about one of my favorite rooms at Skylands, my home in Maine - and a happy, happy New Year!

My passion for exquisite linens began many years ago when my mother passed along to me a few beautifully embroidered hand towels and some pillowslips, which had been part of her mother’s dowry and were never used.  My collection grew as I grew, got married, and created a home with my family.  After moving to my home on Turkey Hill in Westport, Connecticut, I frequented many fabulous tag sales at old estates, which were being broken up.  I found many wonderful embroidered bed linens and table linens made from Irish linen, Eastern European damasks, and fine Italian needlework.  Of course, using these extraordinary castoffs meant learning how to wash them properly, iron them correctly, and store them archivally.

When I bought Skylands, my home in Maine, my collection grew exponentially because the two former owners left, intact, an incredible assortment of extraordinary linens – hundreds of sets of napkins, dozens of one-of-a-kind tablecloths, and dozens of sheet sets for the fifteen or so guest bedrooms.  Of course, having such a collection meant having an extraordinary laundry room where an experienced staff could care for it properly.  When I first toured Skylands, I was thrilled to discover that there was just such a place.  Enjoy this little tour.

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