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by Karen Dydzuhn

Reality television shows, such as Hoarders, have

recently shed a negative light on people who have a difficult

time throwing anything away, to the point that theyre living

in squalor. The clutter has overtaken their entire lives.

Offering a more compassionate and understanding

response, Black Rocks Betsy Krobot, a professional orga-

nizer, specializes in helping people to let go of their, well,

junk.

Part housekeeper, part decorator and part therapist,

Betsy explained that there are several reasons that people

hold onto to belongings that they no longer use or even

particularly like. One of the biggest obstacles is that they

dont know what to do with it, she said. I give them the

solutions.

She pointed out that many homeowners have unused

items left over from home projects, such as building materi-als and paint and old furnishings and decorative accessories

that no longer are appropriate for their current dcor. You

wouldnt believe how much paint gets thrown away and

ends up clogging up our landfills, Betsy exclaims. I take it

away and bring it to where it could be used.

In a new collaborative initiative with Paul Hallgren, a

Goorglow!

APRIL 2011 HERSAM ACORN NEWSPAPERS

HOME

A spring fling with Betsy K

Special Section to: The Valley Gazette I The Stratford Star I The Milford Mirror I The Amity Observer I The Trumbull Times I Fairfi eld S un I The Huntington Herald I The Monroe Courier I The Easton Courier

Painted a bright orange, a forlorn knitting chest becomes unique storage, see original on page 11. Below, a stuff bucket was made of old curtains on the outside and chair slipcovers within. Betsy Krobot photos

See Betsy K on page 11

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2 HOME Hersam Acorn Newspapers April 14, 2011

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April 14, 2011 HOME Hersam Acorn Newspapers 3

by Robin Glowa

Walk through the door at the Barn Sale

in Hamden and you are literally walking

through history. A very special consignment

store, the Barn Sale is filled with hundreds of

bits and pieces of peoples pasts. From gor-

geous hand-beaded shawls to dainty teacups

adorned with delicate violets, stunning jew-

elry and sterling candy dishes, bric-a-brac

and candlesticks, puzzles and games, crock-

pots and grandfather clocks, the Barn Sale

is filled with an ever-changing, superlative

selection of donated and consigned items.

The stores focus is raising money to support

a multitude of local charities, but the volun-

teers who work there have found that the

time they spend at the Barn Sale has been a

gratifying source of personal support.

Rose Maisano and Mary Hunt, two long-

time volunteers, extoll the benefits of being

involved with the store. When my husband

passed away, says Rose, with a quiet tone

of appreciation, I found a lot of comfort

working here. A lot of the volunteers come

here seeking friendship and a reason to get

out of the house.

Mary adds, with a big smile, We all lovebeing here and meeting the customers.

People of all ages come here both to shop

and to consign. Everything that comes into

the store has a history, and its a wonderful

way to be with people and help people.

The Barn Sale opened as an affiliate of

Project Hope when the S.S. Hope medi-

cal ship which sailed around the world

bringing medical assistance to many nations

was retired. Project Hope switched its

emphasis entirely to land-based operations,

such as the Barn Sale, that would continue to

care for and benefit those in need. A photo-

graph of the ship hangs proudly in the store

as a reminder of its historical roots.

Eleanor Nolan, a volunteer who has been

with the Barn Sale for 44 years, says, with a

sparkle in her eye, Oh yes, you touch history

here every day. I handle the jewelry counter

and I can tell you that this is a very interest-

ing place to shop. And we take excellent care

of the people who consign with us.

Eleanor explains that the consignment

agreement is a 50-50 division. The Barn Sale

donates 50% of their sales to local chari-

ties in the greater New Haven area. We

change the charities each year, she says,

so we can spread the wealth around. The

charities for 2011 include Keefe CommunityCenter, Fresh Air Fund, Leeway, Life Haven

Guide Dogs, St. Anns Kitchen, Downtown

Kitchen, Community Soup Kitchen, St.

Raphael Fund, Beardsley Zoo, Adult Daycare,

Lupus Fund, Tinnitus Group, Spinal Muscular

Atrophy, Amy ONeill Fund and Habitat for

Humanity.

All of the items in the store are either

donated or consigned, but its primarily con-

signment, Eleanor says. Many of the items

decrease to half price after one month and

of course the jewelry area is very popular!

Indeed, the glass cases are like a pirates

treasure chest, filled with piles of pearls;

rings of every size and shape suitable for anydivas fingers; bracelets made of bone, wood,

shells, enamel and beads; glitzy watches;

vintage pins encrusted with rhinestones;

charming cameos and stunning strands of

jet-black beads. As the inventory is always

changing, it behooves the bauble collector to

shop often at the Barn Sale.

Resembling a museum, antiques empo-

rium and department store all rolled into

THE BARN SALE

A Project of Hope and Help

Not only will you find such items

as jewelry, clothes, shoes, toys,

games, china, and home furnish-

ings, youll be helping others, as

well. Robin Glowa photos

See Barn on page 10

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A fallen tree finds new life as a bench.

by Lisa Wickersham

After some fits and starts, our hard-earned springtime has

finally arrived. Crocuses toughed out early spring snow falls,

as did other flowering bulbs that had been coaxed out of

the ground by unseasonably warm temps. It was that same

string of warm, sunny days that rid us of the snow cover

that seemed to endure for months on end. More mindful

types, like me, tended to make a game of it, taking note of

the depleting snow and predicting where in the yard the

last snow standing would be. But once terra firma made its

appearance after such a long absence, it was time to survey

the situation.

All around were the vestiges of a harsh winter ... fallen trees,

split limbs, branches galore, and a fair share of widow mak-

ers (forked branches that manage to break loose, free fall,

and get caught on healthy limbs, often dangling precariously

overhead). Broken forsythia branches were good candidates

for forcing, bringing a little bit of springtime indoors. Yes, the

Re-gifting ... natures way

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by Robin E. Glowa

Did you find yourself writing several mas-

sive checks to your oil company this win-

ter? The extreme weather conditions forced

homeowners to dig deep into their pockets

to ensure a warm and comfortable home.

But how comfortable were you, really?

Did you feel a chill in the family room, a

lingering draft in the bedroom or were you

downright cold in the kitchen?

Skip Wyatt and his son, Lorenzo, are the

owners of Mr. Handyman of Greater Fairfield

County. They are committed to helping

homeowners achieve peak efficiency in a

cozy, warm and comfortable environment,

while saving significant dollars.

Skip explains why homeowners need to

be proactive when it comes to energy

issues. Energy is getting more expensive

all the time. We are at the mercy of supply

and demand due to perishable fossil fuels.

There are political issues resulting in hom-

eowners having less and less control. The

more we rely on certain energy sources,

the more dangerous it is for our country

from both a security as well as an economic

standpoint.

He adds, And then there is the earth itself.

The simple fact is, it makes sense to putless strain on our resources and actively

conserve. Lorenzo and I feel that it is so

important that every homeowner make

their home highly efficient, Skip stresses.

If homes are operating efficiently, the util-

ity companies have less strain and they can

operate more effectively.

Lorenzo and I started on a quest a couple

of years ago to become a resource for

weatherization, Skip says. Lorenzo did

an amazing amount of research, and we

applied for and were accepted into the pro-

gram here in Connecticut, which is affiliat-

ed with local gas and energy companies.

Lorenzo adds, We come into the home and

do what is called an energy audit; this is a

comprehensive evaluation of the home. We

take a close look at the home and deter-

mine how to make it more energy efficient

to save you money. Programs like this were

initiated with a federal-stimulus program,

and the local energy companies continue to

offer many ways for homeowners to save,

while enhancing the comfort level of their

homes.

This past year, Lorenzo says, over 200

contractors applied to be involved in what

is known as the Home Energy Solutions

Program. Only eight new contractors were

selected to participate, and Mr. Handyman

of Greater Fairfield County was one of

them. I think this program is amazing. The

homeowner gets the benefit of a low-cost

evaluation by highly qualified profession-

als, who thoroughly screen the home and

implement immediate solutions.

The energy audit takes two to four hours

and costs $75. The ultimate purpose of the

audit is to determine where the house is

losing heat and where cold air is infiltrat-

ing. Lorenzo says, The diagnostic tools we

use during the energy audit give us a very

clear picture of the health of the house.

Every aspect of the homes energy use is

explored.

When older homes were built, Skip points

out, a lot of energy efficiencies werent

emphasized energy costs were much

lower. We have to do things differently in

this day and age. Even newer homes can

benefit from an energy audit, especially

larger homes, where conservation may not

have been a focus.

There are components which comprise

Maximize comfort, maximize savingsWEATHERIZE YOUR HOME WITH MR. HANDYMAN OF GREATER FAIRFIELD COUNTY

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what is called the envelope of the home, explains Lorenzo.

The outer shell, or air barrier, which protects the inside of

the house from external barriers; the thermal barrier, which

is essentially the insulating barrier; and the pressure barrier,

which protects the house between the insulation and the

exterior. If there are any breaches in the envelope, the audit

will locate those so they can be sealed.

Lorenzo details the diagnostic testing used during the audit.

First, a blower test is done. This blows all the air out of

the house and depressurizes the house to let us know how

leaky it is. When the test is conducted in the winter, infrared

cameras are used, and the leaks actually turn blue! There

are no shortage of leaks in most houses, and the leaks that

are discovered are sealed up with a combination of caulking

and foam. Our professionals then move on to the attic, and

seal the attic floor, he says. Its incredible how much heat

can be lost through the attic. In the basement, the perim-

eter will be sealed, as this is where most houses are taking

in the most cool air.

A duct-blaster test is also conducted during the audit.

Lorenzo says, Forced-air heating ducts can be broken or

have cracks in them. If youre spending money on oil, and

heating rooms with forced-air ducts that are not operating

efficiently due to cracks or breakage, youre wasting money.

The ducts will be sealed with mastic, a glue-like substance,

or heating-system tape.

All of these inefficiencies are resolved during the audit and

included in the $75 charge. In addition, up to 25 light bulbs

will be swapped with energy-efficient CFL bulbs, which can

realize the homeowner up to 30 percent in electricity sav-

ings.

If the audit identifies additional work that could be done

to save money and increase comfort, Mr. Handyman will

price out that work, while the utility companies offer certain

credits, rebates and low-interest financing.

For more information or to schedule your energy audit: 203-

373-7717, mrhandymanct.com.

Jackie Perry, editorBryan Haeffele, designer

Thomas B. Nash, publisher

For advertising information

call 203-926-2080APRIL 2011 VOL V, ISSUE 4

Special Section to:

The Valley Gazette The Stratford Star The Milford Mirror

The Amity Observer The Trumbull Times Fairfield Sun

The Huntington Herald The Monroe Courier The Easton

Courier1000 Bridgeport Avenue, Shelton CT 06484

203-926-2080

Copyright 2011, Hersam Acorn Newspapers, LLC

HOME

Three new two-hour tours ($45 each) offer visitors the

opportunity to dive deeper into the essential elements

of the 47-acre site architecture, art and landscape

by focusing on the unique details surrounding

the 14 structures and the world-class private art anddesign collection. The architecture tour offers guests

the opportunity to learn how the Glass House campus

serves as a 50-year diary of architectural history by

exploring the architects, theories and history; build-

ings, materials and technologies; and preservation

challenges of modern architecture.

Art Tour

The art tour will illuminate how Philip Johnson and

his partner, David Whitney, played significant roles

in cultivating and commissioning the work of world-

renowned creative talent that defined an era. Visitors

will examine works featured in the Glass House col-

lection, including artists Lynn Davis, Michael Heizer,

Donald Judd, Andrew Lord, Robert Morris, BruceNauman, David Salle, Julian Schnabel, Cindy Sherman,

Julius Shulman, Frank Stella and Andy Warhol, among

others.

Landscape Tour

The Landscape tour features a walk through the

grounds and a discussion centered on the history,

design, flora and fauna of Johnsons 47-acre curated

landscape. Visitors will learn to identify the various

influences at play, including English and French land-

scape details, Johnsons midwestern farming roots

and his relationship with the historic New England

countryside. Additional highlights include original

stonewalls, trees deemed landmark-worthy and David

Whitneys inventive succulent gardens.

Third Thursdays: Conversations in Context

Leading minds in the fields of architecture, art,

design, history, landscape and preservation will serve

as hosts of this special curated tour. Figures such as

Paul Goldberger, New Yorker architecture critic; Barry

Bergdoll, Philip Johnson chief curator of architecture

and design, MoMA; Theodore H.M. Prudon, founding

president, DOCOMOMO United States; Hilary Lewis,

Philip Johnson scholar; Donald Kaufman + Taffy Dahl,

Donald Kaufman Color; Charles Renfro, Diller Scofidio

+ Renfro; Gregg Pasquarelli, SHoP Architects; and

Tod Williams + Billie Tsien, Tod Williams Billie Tsien

Architects, will provide narrative, interpretation and

personal inspiration while walking the Glass House

site with an intimate group of visitors. Following the

tour, guests will gather for a reception on the site

($150 per person, per evening).

NEW TOURS:

Architecture, Art and Landscape

Eirik Johnson

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by Joanne Greco Rochman

Readers will most likely recognize

Trumbulls Gillian Collings by her pen

name Frances Gilbert. A retired Trumbull

teacher, she now enjoys what she calls her

second life as a writer. By all accounts,

she has written quite a bit during this new

chapter in her life.

What is so special about visiting Gillians

home is that she likes to incorporate homes

in her stories. I love houses because they

are characters in themselves. Sometimes,

I put my own homes features in a story

like my citrus-punch- colored roomor my red couch, said the author, who

has two homes, one in Trumbull and the

other in Scotland. Its more likely than not

that a piece of furniture from her home,

her mothers or her grandmothers will

appear.

Its easy to tell that the prolific writer loves

old houses. In her descriptions of many

of them, theres talk of charm, warmth

and a welcoming space. She notes with

amusement that she doesnt have the

luxury of a study or office in her large,

white stucco Cape, which was built in the

1950s. Instead, with a portable laptop at

the ready, I sit and write wherever theres

space, she said. Since notebooks, pads

and books can be found in just about every

room, her home has her signature firmly

engraved on it.

Though she doesnt have her own study,

she does have a sunny garden room with

windows that overlook her garden, which

is now has just emerging from winters

deep snows. The light and cheerful room

is accented with two wing-back chairs,

white book shelves and high windows on

the far side of the room. On the opposite

side are long, wide windows to capture the

sun as well as the scenery. Theres also a

huge table, which she acquired by trading

an outgrown crib and high chair.

Her favorite reading chair, a comfy-looking

soft, green velvet, awaits her in the living

room, where she especially likes to cuddle

up for a good read. Here she reads 10 to

12 books a week. Her living room also

includes a glass-topped coffee table and

a little chair with books stacked on it and

behind it. She said theres never enough

room for books in her house. She has so

many books that they are double shelved

one row of books in front of another.

Theres also a painting of her cottage in

Scotland. She and her husband travel there

about three times a year. One of her three

daughters married a Scottish farmer, so

during their stay, they also enjoy visits with

them and their two grandsons.

In the book she is working on now, Murder

Local authors focus on housesLIVING IN AND WRITING ABOUT

Gillian Collings, aka Frances Gilbert, enjoys her second life as an author of books for adults and children. David Collings photos

Abbey Carpet

buyabbey.com

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in the Gun Room, which should be out in

time for Christmas, the mystery is set in

Britain, and the action takes place in a

house she called Beckets House. She

explains that she chose Britain becausesociety there is so class-conscious, and she

created a name for the house because it

carries an upper class association. Born

and raised in Greenwich, England, where

she spent a war-time childhood, she is

familiar with English society. She graduat-

ed from the University of Liverpool before

coming to the United States. In this mys-

tery, the story unfolds in what she named

Beckets House.

The author recalls preparing dinner in

her kitchen and thinking about her main

character, when suddenly she shouted,

My god, shes [protagonist] doing a lot!

When is she going to eat? Gillian laughedas she described getting lost in her writing.

I have to make sure that my characters

eat, that if they put red shoes on in the

morning, then they better be taking off red

shoes and not blue shoes at night.

Color is important to Gillian. Her latest chil-

drens book, Elephant Blue, beautifully illus-

trated by Cynthia de Hahn Block, charges

the imagination with thoughts of lime- or

emerald-green cats, purple birds and ruby-

red horses. Even more colorful is her new-

est project, Stories for Listening.

A CD of her stories read by Alistair Philip

a Scotsman without the brogue but with

a grandfathers knack for reading withplenty of expression are accented with

Scottish music and local color. Was that a

Monster I Saw? will pique the imagination

of every child who hears this enchanting

tale of a very big cat who tricks tourists into

thinking hes the Loch Ness monster. The

Man with a Pocketful of Bees and To Know

the Sea are also lyrical audio treasures

of Francis Gilberts books. Her motto is:

Rhythm binds language, language binds

emotion and emotion binds meaning ...

Its impossible to visit the Collings homes

on both sides of the Atlantic without being

taken by the many books. These add a

rich texture to their home and certainlyto Gillians life. In addition to her work in

progress, she has written another mystery

for adults titled Where Is She Now? It is also

set in a small English town and is available

at Amazon in a book or Kindle format.

Adding to her body of work, and color

to her bookshelves, are the four chil-

drens books mentioned plus four more: A

World of Numbers, Celeste and Regine in the

Rainforest, Goodnight World Outside and

Turtle on a Summers Day.

Books add texture to Gillian Collings home and life.

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one, every nook and cranny of the

store is crammed with potential prizes.

On any given day you might discover

almost-new ice skates, a big wooden

red wagon, a favorite hardcover book,

a heavy cut-crystal vase, an entire set

of Bavarian china with delicate hand-

painted roses, pale peach-colored Fire

King bowls, Corning Ware with thatfamiliar cornflower-blue pattern and

glass tops, a mink stole, a vivid purple

silk kimono emblazoned with flying

white cranes or a Victorian wicker ani-

mal carrier.

A wonderfully eclectic clothing selec-

tion offers everything from contem-

porary blazers, flashy and festive for-

mal wear, cowboy hats, skirts, jeans,

sweaters and blouses to an interesting

assortment of foot wear. Camel-and-

cream-colored golf shoes in pristine

condition, alligator loafers, sexy satin

pumps, sturdy gardening boots and

an array of unusually large sizes were

available for both men and women.

Currently, the Barn Sale has a lovely

collection of fur, suede and leather

coats, and ladies may choose from

both real and faux fur in a variety of

lengths and styles. Total glam is pos-

sible with a gorgeous leopard coat or a

boxy short jacket trimmed with mink,

or even a superb sky-blue leather car

coat embellished at the collar and cuffs

with a silky froth of faux gray fur. Men

may also find treasures among the

racks, such as a vintage Mouton coat,

silk ties, handsome sweaters and wool

scarves.

From a huge pink hat, especially well

suited for the Saratoga Race track, to

gilt- edged Haviland china to hand-cro-

cheted linens, the Barn Sale is a marvel-

ous place to give to yourself while giv-

ing back to the community ... and that

makes you part of the history of Hope.

The Barn Sale is at 2407 Dixwell Avenue

in Hamden; 203-248-9185; manager,

Michelle Keating. Hours: Closed Mon.;

Tues.-Fri. 9 to 2:30; Sat. 10 to 3:30; Sun.

11 to 2:30.

ment shop for the 21st Century, makes

the whole process of selling items on the

Internet safe, easy and convenient. All

they have to do is bring them here. We

do the research, recommend a pricing

strategy (to get the highest price), then

professionally prepare the auction and run

it on eBay.

The business is at 607 Main Ave. (Rte.

7), diagonally across the street from

the Department of Motor Vehicles and

directly opposite the Hilton Garden Inn.

Convenient to the Route 7 connector, I-95

and the Merritt Parkway, its easy for cli-

ents to drop in from almost anywhere.

Top-selling items, according to Marc,

include higher-end designer handbags

(new and gently-used Louis Vuitton, Gucci,

Chanel and Herms, for example), high-

end electronics (newer computers, cam-

eras and DJ equipment), designer jew-

elry (Tiffany, David Yurman, Judith Ripka

and John Hardy), watches (Rolex, PatekPhilippe and Tag Heuer), musical instru-

ments, antiques and collectibles, sporting

goods, select silverware and china pat-

terns, and more.

eBay tends to be very brand-oriented,

Marc says. A client can get top dollar for

good, used and new items on eBay, with

over 250 million members routinely buy-

ing and selling their items in a traditional

auction-style format online ... and we

handle the whole overwhelming process

of selling an item on eBay preparing

the auction, running it on eBay, payment

collection, packing/shipping, etc. we do

it all for our customers on a professional

level.

Timing Is Everything

Since a huge part of an eBay auction is

researching the market, identifying what

will sell and at what price, Marc and his

staff follow a basic formula. We are look-

ing to take items that will sell for $100 or

more on eBay, that people are searching

for and that can be shipped (not too heavy

or bulky no furniture please!). Its all

about supply and demand, as well as

some creative online marketing. Over the

past five-and-one-half years, weve devel-

oped some rather effective marketingstrategies and tactics to get higher prices

for our items versus other eBay sellers,

Marc explains.

In addition to selling items on the regular

eBay auction site, the store also lists cars,

boats and motorcycles on eBay Motors for

a flat listing fee (typically $195 to $295

with no commission), and partners with

non-profit organizations and businesses

for fund-raising and to help sell compa-

nies excess and obsolete inventories,

Marc says.

Its not just about choosing what to sell

and what pricing to use, theres definitely

strategy involved in order to get the maxi-

mum price for an item. We constantly

monitor what is up for auction, he says.

For example, if Sold It Norwalk sees there

are already too many items of a particular

type listed, they might wait a few days

to start an auction for that item, or they

might want to wait to be the last auc-

tion to end the evening. People use key

words and categories to search for items

on eBay, Marc says, so we carefully

select those key words to use in the title to

attract a larger and often more specifically

targeted audience.

When an item sells, the store receives a

commission, averaging between 25 to

35%. Marc says, The higher the item sells

for, the lower the commission percent-

age. Taking the task of selling online to a

professional level, Marc says, has resulted

in many of the companys repeat custom-

ers claiming that the store can actually

cover the majority of its commission fees

by getting a higher price on eBay than the

average private seller.

Recently, Sold It Norwalk celebrated

20,000 successful auctions, which inspires

Marc to recount one clients recent suc-

cess story. The client came into our store

with a set of three cobalt-blue glass bottlesthat she had recently purchased for $5

a piece at a garage sale, he says. The

customer said she bought them because

she liked the blue color. They turned out

to be rare chemical fire extinguishers from

Kalamazoo, Mich., dating to the 1870s.

We sold the set on eBay for $2,400. Im

not sure what she did with her newly-

found money ... maybe she went shop-

ping or took a vacation.

For further information: 203-845-0290; e-

mail, [email protected].

Experience, promotion, strategy are key factors in our success, says Marc Perler, owner of Sold It Norwalk.

eBaycontinued from page 5Barncontinued from page 3

Milford, CT1546 Boston Post Road

(203) 874-3796I-95 Exit 39B, 1/2 mile on left

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master carpenter and artist, Betsy

will supply Paul with unused mate-

rials, fabrics, furnishings and dec-

orative items so that he can create

new, custom-designed products.

Passionate about the concepts of

re-using, recycling and repurposing,

Betsy said that she encourages her

clients to let go of things that cluttertheir basements and attics by showing

them how their discards would be put

to better use.

I show people how were going

to bring life back into their things,

Betsy said. Our goal is not to trash

anything. We want to repurpose and

re-use it.

The community is invited to visit

Betsy and Pauls new retail store, The

Hub, at a grand opening celebration

on Sunday, May 1, from noon to 5.

Located at 74 Pulaski Street, near

Canal Street in Stamford, the shops

festivities will include a raffle for a

piece of repurposed furniture and gift

certificates for all services.

Betsy said that shes heard many

clients express a strong emotional

attachment to their possessions. For

example, a woman might feel that

shes honoring her mother by keeping

the special teapot that she inherited.

However, she keeps the teapot in the

attic or stored away in a box in the

basement.

I tell them that nothing will be

used sitting in an attic or a basement.

Im honoring your mother because

I am putting it back out there in the

world. It can serve the world in a bet-ter way if you just are willing to let it

go.

Once a person is willing to let go

and de-clutter their home, they are

physically and emotionally making

room for new and exciting things to

come into their lives. When you give

away what you dont need, it opens

up space for you to receive what you

really do need in your home and in

your life, Betsy explained.

Since 2003, when she opened

Betsy K Home Choreography, Betsy

has helped to make residences more

functional for local families. By trans-

forming the living environment in one

room or the whole house, Betsy cre-

ates a home that truly serves the needs

of the individual family. For example,

when one womans daughter left for

college and moved into her own

apartment, Betsy helped the mother

transform the bedroom into a sittingroom. She tackles both small and large

projects. A task may be as simple as

putting together a childs playroom by

ordering and assembling furniture and

providing decorative enhancements.

Her work is cost-effective in that

she often re-uses furniture and deco-

rative accessories already owned by

her clients. She will look around the

familys basement and attic even

in other parts of the house to find

overlooked treasures.

Betsy is also adept at staging a

whole house before its put on the

real estate market. The goal is to

make the home warm and inviting sothat prospective buyers can visualize

themselves living there. If the home

is empty, I order furniture and make

it an appealing, warm and welcoming

place, Betsy explained.

For more information about Betsy K

Home Choreography and The Hub in

Stamford, go to betsyk.com.

Betsy Kcontinued from page 1

What were ordinary chairs now strut their stuff in vivid hues.

Before, the collapsed knitting chest.

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Easter Plants

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