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Jill E. Schwartz

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When Steve and I decided to combine our lives seven years ago, we knew we wanted our home to reflect both our past experiences and our vision for the future. After a nearly three-year-long search, we stumbled upon a hidden gem perched on about five acres in Mount Washington. It was far from perfect, but we saw the potential to create something truly special.

We sought to honor the charm of the original cabin while infusing it with a modern edge and our own unique style. We wanted to expand beyond the vintage style we had both embraced in the past and create a space that felt fresh and contemporary, with flairs that would keep our home feeling warm and inviting.

The renovation process was a complete transformation. We started by tackling the basics — creating a front entrance out of one of the teeny-tiny bedrooms (the camp originally only had two side doors) in the form of two stylish French doors. We replaced the pull-down attic ladder with a full staircase (also in the new entrance area) and completely reimagined the attic to create a livable second floor that could function as our master bedroom suite and bathroom. We raised the roof and added dormers to bring in more light and expand the usable space upstairs, making it way more than just a shabby attic.

One of my favorite features of our renovated home is the long kitchen. We installed sleek, sage-green cabinets that add a pop of color and flair while the modern appliances and fixtures bring it firmly into the present. A long colorful runner rug stretches the expanse of the kitchen, leading to a table that’s sun-drenched perfectly in time for a morning coffee while we listen to music (which is always on in our house) or chat about our day — and let us not forget the plants which bring the outside in.

The bathroom was another opportunity to get creative. Our bathroom feels more like a spa: Our three-quarters glass panel — accentuated by the graphic black-and-white floor tiles, a luxurious rainforest shower and a tub overlooking the forest — creates a serene retreat that feels both indulgent and perfectly in tune with our surroundings.

Throughout the house, we’ve played with juxtaposing elements. In our guest room, we used barn board that adds a rough and textured camp-like facade to the wall that serves as a backboard to the bed. We found an old factory window, absent window panes, which lines our staircase and peeks into the “clubhouse” off our bedroom, where we can read, relax, and catch a movie. Another set of French doors with tempered, ribbed glass is just off the living room in Steve’s office, which doubles as a second guest room when our kids come to town. Each element tells a story and adds warmth to our home.

Our life story is woven throughout our home. Steve’s history as a craftsman came into play while quarterbacking the renovation project and resulted in so many subtle but powerful design decisions — from the thin, sleek radiators (yes, radiators are a feature in our home!) to the choice of wood for the window fixtures, to the windows themselves (he’s a master at anything he touches!) that let the glorious mountain light join us in whichever room we’re in.

Steve’s background as an artist (he fashioned lamps out of recycled materials and owned a store called Arcadia for decades in Frenchtown, New Jersey) lends itself effortlessly to our interior design process. So does my degree in interior design, and 42 years as the owner and designer of my jewelry and home accessories company Elements Jill Schwartz, plus decades of day trips with my mom (also an interior designer) to Brimfield Antique Flea Market and roadside antique stores, where we pored and picked over our favorite relics.

The furniture choices in our home reflect a blend of old and new. The legacies of mid-century modern design icons, like Charles and Ray Eames, are sprinkled throughout the living room in the form of molded fiberglass chairs, sleek tan leather recliners and ribbed light fixtures. We married this mid-century modern feel with antique elements like vintage botanical posters, a green painted antique armoire, the original wood beadboard walls and the space’s stone fireplace (built in 1815), adorned with a white marble relief that feels like a throwback to ancient Rome.

But our isn’t just about the interior paces. The surrounding landscape has become an integral part of our living area. It has so many different and varied outdoor areas that beckon. Steve has been hard at work creating trails through our wooded property. He has also foraged for stones that have inspired years of projects that speckle our property. One project started with a metal fire pit I gave Steve for his birthday. Nearly every day, he would emerge from the woods with a new stone fit to build into what is now an entire outdoor living area around it, perfect for evening gatherings under the stars, well into the fall season.

Music is another essential element of our home. As a self-proclaimed “music freak,” I have music playing nonstop throughout the house, thanks to a system of interconnected Sonos speakers. The melodies flow from room to room, creating a soundtrack for our daily lives, and sometimes spilling onto the porch, which has become one of my creative domains.

My love for plants and botanicals has found a new expression here, and in the spaces surrounding our home. I’ve embraced plant life and gardening inside of our home and outdoors, creating lush overflowing planters, hanging plants and wall plants that mirror the maximalist approach I take with my jewelry designs. These vibrant pops of color and texture bring life to all our spaces.

One of the joys of our location is the wildlife that surrounds us. Being on the edge of a state forest, we often have visitors — from owls that perch on our roof in view of the kitchen, to curious bears and mischievous raccoons. It’s a constant reminder of the magical natural world just beyond our doors.

Living here has changed the way I work and create. The large windows flood the house with natural light and constantly draw my eye to the beauty outside. This connection to nature has become an endless source of inspiration for my art. I’m often forced to pause and bathe in just how much our little haven represents a new chapter in both our lives. It’s a space that honors our pasts while embracing our future together. Every corner tells a story — of found objects, of carefully chosen design elements, of the melding of two creative minds.

Our home is more than just a place to live — it’s a constantly evolving work of art, a testament to the power of reimagining spaces and a daily inspiration for our creative endeavors.

Here in our Mount Washington retreat, we’ve created a space where an artist — or two — truly lives. It’s a place where inspiration is everywhere, where creativity flows as freely as the music through our rooms, and where every day brings a new opportunity to find beauty in the world around us.

♦♦♦

From Lori Siebert | I discovered the jewelry creations by Jill Schwartz years ago when walking into her beautiful booth display at one of the gift shows. I was awestruck by the way she assembles all kinds of unique bits and bobs into the most gorgeous pieces. I own several of her timeless works and love wearing them! She not only creates magic in her assemblages, but also in the way she curates spaces. She has a keen eye for vintage, both in the tiny pieces used in her work and in the furniture, art and accessories that fill her home. She also has a lovely color sense that you can clearly see in everything she touches. I am and have always been a HUGE FAN!!!

When Steve and I decided to combine our lives seven years ago, we knew we wanted our home to reflect both our past experiences and our vision for the future. After a nearly three-year-long search, we stumbled upon a hidden gem perched on about five acres in Mount Washington. It was far from perfect, but we saw the potential to create something truly special.

We sought to honor the charm of the original cabin while infusing it with a modern edge and our own unique style. We wanted to expand beyond the vintage style we had both embraced in the past and create a space that felt fresh and contemporary, with flairs that would keep our home feeling warm and inviting.

The renovation process was a complete transformation. We started by tackling the basics — creating a front entrance out of one of the teeny-tiny bedrooms (the camp originally only had two side doors) in the form of two stylish French doors. We replaced the pull-down attic ladder with a full staircase (also in the new entrance area) and completely reimagined the attic to create a livable second floor that could function as our master bedroom suite and bathroom. We raised the roof and added dormers to bring in more light and expand the usable space upstairs, making it way more than just a shabby attic.

One of my favorite features of our renovated home is the long kitchen. We installed sleek, sage-green cabinets that add a pop of color and flair while the modern appliances and fixtures bring it firmly into the present. A long colorful runner rug stretches the expanse of the kitchen, leading to a table that’s sun-drenched perfectly in time for a morning coffee while we listen to music (which is always on in our house) or chat about our day — and let us not forget the plants which bring the outside in.

The bathroom was another opportunity to get creative. Our bathroom feels more like a spa: Our three-quarters glass panel — accentuated by the graphic black-and-white floor tiles, a luxurious rainforest shower and a tub overlooking the forest — creates a serene retreat that feels both indulgent and perfectly in tune with our surroundings.

Throughout the house, we’ve played with juxtaposing elements. In our guest room, we used barn board that adds a rough and textured camp-like facade to the wall that serves as a backboard to the bed. We found an old factory window, absent window panes, which lines our staircase and peeks into the “clubhouse” off our bedroom, where we can read, relax, and catch a movie. Another set of French doors with tempered, ribbed glass is just off the living room in Steve’s office, which doubles as a second guest room when our kids come to town. Each element tells a story and adds warmth to our home.

Our life story is woven throughout our home. Steve’s history as a craftsman came into play while quarterbacking the renovation project and resulted in so many subtle but powerful design decisions — from the thin, sleek radiators (yes, radiators are a feature in our home!) to the choice of wood for the window fixtures, to the windows themselves (he’s a master at anything he touches!) that let the glorious mountain light join us in whichever room we’re in.

Steve’s background as an artist (he fashioned lamps out of recycled materials and owned a store called Arcadia for decades in Frenchtown, New Jersey) lends itself effortlessly to our interior design process. So does my degree in interior design, and 42 years as the owner and designer of my jewelry and home accessories company Elements Jill Schwartz, plus decades of day trips with my mom (also an interior designer) to Brimfield Antique Flea Market and roadside antique stores, where we pored and picked over our favorite relics.

The furniture choices in our home reflect a blend of old and new. The legacies of mid-century modern design icons, like Charles and Ray Eames, are sprinkled throughout the living room in the form of molded fiberglass chairs, sleek tan leather recliners and ribbed light fixtures. We married this mid-century modern feel with antique elements like vintage botanical posters, a green painted antique armoire, the original wood beadboard walls and the space’s stone fireplace (built in 1815), adorned with a white marble relief that feels like a throwback to ancient Rome.

But our isn’t just about the interior paces. The surrounding landscape has become an integral part of our living area. It has so many different and varied outdoor areas that beckon. Steve has been hard at work creating trails through our wooded property. He has also foraged for stones that have inspired years of projects that speckle our property. One project started with a metal fire pit I gave Steve for his birthday. Nearly every day, he would emerge from the woods with a new stone fit to build into what is now an entire outdoor living area around it, perfect for evening gatherings under the stars, well into the fall season.

Music is another essential element of our home. As a self-proclaimed “music freak,” I have music playing nonstop throughout the house, thanks to a system of interconnected Sonos speakers. The melodies flow from room to room, creating a soundtrack for our daily lives, and sometimes spilling onto the porch, which has become one of my creative domains.

My love for plants and botanicals has found a new expression here, and in the spaces surrounding our home. I’ve embraced plant life and gardening inside of our home and outdoors, creating lush overflowing planters, hanging plants and wall plants that mirror the maximalist approach I take with my jewelry designs. These vibrant pops of color and texture bring life to all our spaces.

One of the joys of our location is the wildlife that surrounds us. Being on the edge of a state forest, we often have visitors — from owls that perch on our roof in view of the kitchen, to curious bears and mischievous raccoons. It’s a constant reminder of the magical natural world just beyond our doors.

Living here has changed the way I work and create. The large windows flood the house with natural light and constantly draw my eye to the beauty outside. This connection to nature has become an endless source of inspiration for my art. I’m often forced to pause and bathe in just how much our little haven represents a new chapter in both our lives. It’s a space that honors our pasts while embracing our future together. Every corner tells a story — of found objects, of carefully chosen design elements, of the melding of two creative minds.

Our home is more than just a place to live — it’s a constantly evolving work of art, a testament to the power of reimagining spaces and a daily inspiration for our creative endeavors.

Here in our Mount Washington retreat, we’ve created a space where an artist — or two — truly lives. It’s a place where inspiration is everywhere, where creativity flows as freely as the music through our rooms, and where every day brings a new opportunity to find beauty in the world around us.

♦♦♦

From Lori Siebert | I discovered the jewelry creations by Jill Schwartz years ago when walking into her beautiful booth display at one of the gift shows. I was awestruck by the way she assembles all kinds of unique bits and bobs into the most gorgeous pieces. I own several of her timeless works and love wearing them! She not only creates magic in her assemblages, but also in the way she curates spaces. She has a keen eye for vintage, both in the tiny pieces used in her work and in the furniture, art and accessories that fill her home. She also has a lovely color sense that you can clearly see in everything she touches. I am and have always been a HUGE FAN!!!

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