

Lawrence Ribbecke and Emily Stoneking Fuse a Business Partnership in Stained Glass
Larry Ribbecke and Emily Stoneking are separated by a few decades — he’s 70, she’s 39 — but they share a passion for an art form that dates back to the Middle Ages: stained glass. Since they met nearly 20 years ago, this mutual appreciation has grown into a fruitful business relationship at Lawrence Ribbecke…
Nest — Summer 2018
We squeeze a lot into our brief warm season. For some, it’s a time to find a home. Or, if you’ve already got one, perhaps it needs paint? In this issue, consultant Betsey Dempsey offers advice to the color-confused. We find inspiration in a local stained-glass studio and on a search for historic homes in…
Wannabe Home Buyers in Burlington Have to Get Creative
Loren and Rob Dow of Burlington are selling their condo and looking to buy a single-family home near downtown and the University of Vermont. Nikki Jiraff and Barry Wyman of Plainfield are first-time home buyers seeking to live in the city’s New North End. Although the couples differ in circumstance — and price point —…
John Roberts’ 19th-Century Homes Were Built to Last
Anyone who’s lived in Burlington for a while and has explored its neighborhoods likely has seen a John W. Roberts house, whether or not they knew it. And once you do identify one of his unique 19th-century cottages, you’ll start to notice them everywhere. Born circa 1853 in Essex, Roberts was a carpenter, architect and…
Susan Goldstein of Muddy Toes Talks Terrariums
Susan Goldstein’s lakefront home in Burlington emanates light, warmth and beauty. A screened-in porch faces west at water’s edge. There’s a sense of the outside pouring in and the interior extending outward indefinitely. This confluence of inside and out is exactly the vibe that Goldstein attempts to create in her one-woman business, Muddy Toes. She…
Design With (Re)purpose: Joanne Palmisano Melds Old and New
The first sentence of Joanne Palmisano’s latest book reveals a lot about her: “Hello, my name is Joanne and I have a problem.” Riffing on the standard introduction of attendees at an Alcoholics Anonymous meeting, she continues, “I’m totally addicted to old stuff, vintage goods, salvaging, junk — whatever you want to call it. I…
Color Consultant Betsey Dempsey Finds the Perfect Paint
The notion of “throwing shade” has a whole different meaning for Betsey Dempsey, and it’s not an insulting one. The native and current resident of Shelburne is the sole proprietor of Color Concepts. As the business name suggests, she is a color consultant. No, not for hair. Dempsey helps clients choose paint colors for their…






