We are excited + honored to be a part of this year’s Decorator’s Show House. Even though we have assisted Interior Designers in the past accessorizing rooms and adding the finishing touches, this is the first year that we have completely designed our own room from start to finish.

Attending the Junior League of Buffalo Decorators’ Show House is a unique opportunity to view the creative talents of local interior designers, decorators, and artists who have transformed a historic property into a stunning visual display. By attending the Show House, you can appreciate the beautiful furnishings and decor, support the Junior League of Buffalo’s mission, and help make a meaningful difference in the lives of people in Western New York.

As their signature fundraising event since 1981, the Decorators’ Show House has raised over $4.4 million to support various community projects and initiatives.

The Story Behind the House

The St. Patrick’s Friary has a rich history in the Buffalo community. Originally built as a home for the Franciscan Friars, the building was used for worship, education, and community outreach. Over the years, the friars provided many services to the people of Buffalo, including education, healthcare, and social services.

Today, the St. Patrick’s Friary continues to be an important part of the Buffalo community. Its location in the historic Hydraulic District, a neighborhood known for its industrial past and architectural significance, makes it a significant piece of Buffalo’s history and culture. The building’s Gothic Revival style architecture is also notable, as it is a rare example of this style in Buffalo.

Last Year’s Grant Recipient

In 2021, the Decorators’ Show House proceeds raised $315,000 for the Providence Farm Collective, a local organization with a mission of cultivating farmer-led and community-rooted agriculture and food systems to actualize the rights of under-resourced peoples.

The Providence Farm Collective plans to use the Show House proceeds to construct a new barn that will house administrative and educational space, cold storage, a wash-and-pack area, and expanded space for a year-round market store, flower station, and partnering agencies.

The pot created by Blessings by Nature incorporates different plants not only for texture and beauty, but for their symbolism.

Pile plant is for friendship and stability

Sage for protection + wisdom

Green pathos for prosperity

Snake plant for cleansing

Pepperonia, a plant that says “Everything will be all right.”

Sight

Think about things like the colors that surround you, the images you see, the words you read, or the light that is entering the space. All of these factors contribute to your sanctuary space in a different way + can have significant impact on creating a healing environment for self-care. 

Wall Color

Ever wonder why spas opt for lighter, more neutral palettes? Light neutrals are also known for their calming effects. Pinks are soft and sweet with a sense of security. The tint of warmth makes the room feel welcoming. In general neutrals with a hint of color makes us feel comfortable in any given space.

Paint: Sand Dollar + Chelsea Mauve Sherwin-Williams

The Chandelier

On loan from Anzalone Lighting, the Forest Light Gold Chandelier is an exceptional work of art dripping with quartz crystals. The washed Lucerne gold finish is a perfect complement to the quartz on this sculptural ten-light chandelier, designed by Aviva Stanoff.

Aviva Stanoff is a renowned textile designer based in Southern California. Aviva was able to cultivate her love of design by growing up in a remote part of Northern California redwoods, summers spent around her grandfather’s Buddhist temple in Japan, and going on to work in the design industry in New York City. One of Aviva’s most recent pursuits through her collection with Currey is the use of nature as inspiration. With the products in this family, they pulled branches from mother nature's gardens for inspiration.

This work of art may be considered “large” for this size room, but our intention is for you to feel surrounded by nature and positive energy as soon as you step into the space.

Taste

Fill your body with things that are both nutritious AND spiritually nutritious; remember that ultimately, your body is your first sanctuary space. The food you eat affects your mind, body + spirit.

The Tea Bar

This beautiful antique piece is home to our tea station + non-alcoholic spirits.

The tea that we are featuring is the Have Hope blend from Teamotions. Purposefully crafted for your emotional well-being, each blend is specially formulated to have unique mental, physical, and emotional benefits. Blended intentionally with love and adaptogen herbs—safe and effective herbs that restore balance, increase inner strength, and improve your body’s resistance to stress —a simple cup of tea becomes a powerful well-being tool.

This blend is made of St. John's Wort, holy basil, and oat-straw to help relieve worry and angst blended with peppermint, roasted chicory root, and sweet white chocolate curls.

As you sip, put on some beautiful music or a song that inspires you. Let the music and the tea lift your spirits.

Seedlip Spice 94, a non-alcoholic spirit is a warm, aromatic blend of Allspice berries & Cardamom. Uplifting notes of Grapefruit & Lemon peels balance the long bitter finish from Oak & Cascarilla bark.

Smell

Smell is the strongest sense tied to your memory. It has a direct effect on your limbic system + has the ability to significantly transform your thoughts. Using aromatherapy topically, or in your space is a great tool to add another layer to your sanctuary space. 

Aromatherapy

Our signature Strong Woman scent was created in collaboration with certified aromatherapist Frann LaRocca of Sentir Aromatherapy, who has decades of experience working with essential oils.

Each scent was chosen to bring not only harmony to the scent, but to evoke feelings and emotions. We knew that we wanted to incorporate Violet into the blend, in honor of my grandmother Violet, who lived to be 100 years old.

• Violet - for growth, expansion + peace

• Coriander - for protection of the mind, body + spirit

• Bergamot - for a reminder of your own strength

• Vetiver - for balance + healing

In the room, you will smell the scent diffusing in the background — the scent is available for purchase in a 1oz bottle or a room spray.

You will also find Young Living essential oils from the Emotions collection in the cabinet — a few of our favorites to keep you grounded.

Touch

Touch can help us feel more connected to our environment – running our hands over smooth pebbles in the creek, walking barefoot across sand on a beach, noticing a warm gentle breeze against our skin, touching beautiful fabric such as silk.

Sound

Incorporating the power of sound  into your space can affect mood, vibrations, help us reduce stress, create a deep sense of well-being and even promote healing.

When you need that reminder of the strong + powerful woman that you are - we have curated a power playlist filled with empowering female artists. Songs to make you feel strong, make you feel happy, inspire you + ignite that inner love. Songs that will inspire you to stop + breathe, and celebrate being a woman. Start your days off strong.

This is one of our favorite forms of meditation, a Tea Meditation. It is a short and simple meditation that you can do to reset and bring your mind back to the present moment

Elaine Kessel

We knew that we wanted to feature women artists and photographers in the space, but when Elaine reached out to us, we immediately knew that we wanted to work with her. She has created two pieces for the space, incorporating both positive words and the images of women and butterflies. The butterfly is an important symbol for us, as it represents the transformation that we all go through as women. These photos serve as a reminder that it is all in the journey of life that we become strong.

You will see two of her framed original photos adorning the walls of the space.

Elaine is an art educator, artist, cartoonist, and award winning photographer based in Buffalo, NY.

“As photographer, I am combining words and images to create new meaning, the unexpected within the familiar. My photographic images are tightly cropped montages or digital illustrations. Each photograph represents a sense of place in my mind and heart, an emotional connection where memories and dreams exist in metaphorical terms through a juxtaposition of words and images.”

Lianna Hogan

We have had the idea for a “Beauty at Every Age” photoshoot for a long time, and last summer, Lianna worked with us to make our vision come to life. They always say that beauty is in the eye of the beholder, but we believe that beauty is in growing older + learning to love yourself exactly as you are.

As we move through life, we encounter so many obstacles, so many joys, so many lessons - each one adding to who we are. We all have a fear that as we age, we will loose that beauty. but the truth is, we get more and more beautiful with all of that wisdom. These images line the walls to remind us of that when we need it. A sanctuary should also have photos of your loved ones or special memories.

With her beautiful soul, and talented eye for capturing the love between people, Lianna’s photos conveyed the essence of this so perfectly.

Lianna is a portrait photographer born, raised + based in Buffalo, NY. She has had a deep love for photography for most of her life. She's inspired by spontaneous and "in-between" moments, nature, people, and traveling, all of which are showcased in the work that she creates. She received her Bachelor of Fine Arts from Villa Maria College in 2017, and when she's not taking photographs you can find her tending bar at Marble + Rye.