A Look Into Country Loft Antiques

Crossing the threshold into Country Loft Antiques gives you the sense of being transported into another place and time. Located in an expansive red barn in the heart of Woodbury, the multi-level shop has all the romantic qualities of a French Chateau, complete with vaulted ceilings, exposed wood beams and stonework. The graceful proportions of the antiques that fill each room tame the grand scale, however, and the interior of the shop still retains a feeling of intimacy.

Country Loft Antiques features a diverse collection of French and American furniture, lighting, decorative objects and art from the 18^th, 19^th and 20^th centuries. Rather than adhering strictly to any period or style, the store’s celebrated owner, Carole Winer, focuses on finding pieces that are authentic, innovative and unique. In addition to stunning case pieces including rich, wood tables in many forms and sizes, there are generously upholstered sofas and chairs that give the space the feeling of a warm, welcoming home.

Biedermeier and Art Deco pieces mix comfortably with antique linens, textiles, faience and majolica. On one particular sideboard, Carole has transformed a lively and unusual pair of figurative zinc sculptures into symmetrical table lamps. Carefully selected original paintings bring color and warmth to the space, and unique lighting fixtures illuminate each room.

To fully appreciate the magic and charm of Country Loft Antiques, you need to know more about its owner, Carole Winer. A renaissance woman in the world of interior design, Carole has found nearly every conceivable outlet for her design talents and exceptional eye.

After graduating from Parsons School of Design in 1983, Winer began renovating a series of homes, which she subsequently sold.

“When I saw how quickly these houses sold, I understood that people liked and appreciated the same things that I did,” she said.

She established her first design studio in Washington Depot, CT in 1981. Three years later, she moved her business to an antique home on Main Street North in Woodbury. Traveling to France several times each year on buying trips, she amassed a breathtaking collection of French furniture and objects d’art. Word of mouth generated by her positive experiences with clients, along with the extensive press coverage she received, quickly resulted in getting her business launched.

By 1984, Country Loft Antiques was thriving, and Carole Winer was well ensconced in the antiques center of the Northeast. But she had a vision of something more. She dreamed of creating a one-of-a-kind antiques shop and comprehensive design resource  - a completely unique destination for collectors, designers and homeowners alike.

When Woodbury’s historic Samuel Bull Homestead became available for purchase in 1994, Winer did not hesitate. The estate, sitting on 100 pristine acres in the Litchfield countryside, had been the home of Woodbury’s first blacksmith and had remained in the Bull family for more than eight generations.

In 1995, Winer acquired a 19-acre parcel of the property, encompassing the 1706 house, a guesthouse, and a dilapidated working barn that was in need of renovation. Carole took on the renovations of the barn, and ultimately transformed it into the magnificent 8,000 square foot structure it is today.

In addition to her expert design services and the antique furniture for which she is renowned, Carole offers her clients high quality reproductions of original pieces. When asked about a series of stunning farm tables in polished cherry wood, each with perfectly graceful proportions, she describes how she noticed a need in the marketplace for exceptional reproductions of the antiques she imports from France. In answer to this need, she embarked on a collaboration with a French “Ebeniste” to create a limited number of pieces using time-honored, European craftsmanship.

“Antique Cherry is not available here, as it is in France,” she explains, citing the abundance of cherry trees in places such as Provence.

Using 150-year old wood, sourced in France and carefully refurbished and restored, Carole’s reproductions are of unsurpassed quality, and reflect a deep appreciation for the construction and materials historically used in French Country design.

Because she is so meticulous about quality control, Carole also employs a local, English cabinetmaker. She can thereby restore and repair her own as well as her clients’ furniture, while retaining its original ell.

“My clients come to me for my eye, my sense of space and my master-plan organization,” Carole says.

While she is particularly gifted at selecting pieces that accessorize a space and define it architecturally, she is committed to making “collective decisions with [her] clients.”

Even more than her formal education, Carole believes that elements of her personal background inspired her passion for design. Her father, a commercial artist and photographer, and her mother, an accomplished couturier buyer, were both highly creative people. They, too, collected antiques, and she was strongly influenced by the homes they created, guided by their astute visual sense.

Her travels in Europe and the U.S. completed her aesthetic and architectural education, and also became the source of new inspiration and ideas. On one particularly memorable train ride through Burgundy, she happened to catch sight of “Vendange”, the French grape harvest, in action. Fascinated by what she saw, she felt compelled to go to the vineyard and participate in the harvest herself.

That first exposure to the centuries-old process of wine making served as the catalyst for one of the more original facets of Carole’s business - collecting wine-related tools and antiques.

“I think we need to tell the story of how the bottle of wine gets to the table – the tremendously hard work that culminates in the wine that we enjoy,” she said.

Soon after putting the word out in France that she was looking for antique wine implements, Carole was able to purchase two wine collections. She went on to design the first Wine Museum in Canada, and has become well known for the custom wine cellars she creates for her clients.

In the circa 1800 silo at Country Loft Antiques, surrounded by the original stone walls, visitors will discover a beautifully appointed wine-tasting room, complete with a 19^th century wine barrel. Adorning the walls of the loft above is a series of six spirited paintings, created by a contemporary French artist at Carole’s request, which tell the story of the winemaking process from beginning to end.

In addition to the many high profile interior projects Carole has completed, she regularly participates in interior design show houses. She has designed several restaurants, as well as a stage set for Maya Angelou’s 2009 show, “An Evening with Maya Angelou”, at Waterbury’s Palace Theatre.

Carole is deeply committed to using the Country Loft location for charitable projects, especially those centered around children. On one notable occasion, she donated her 1706 house for a prestigious designer show house benefiting Paul Newman’s Hole In The Wall Gang camp.

Of her success and the serendipitous encounters with others that have shaped her life and career, Carole says, “It’s like connecting the dots with people from literally all over the world.”