Whether you hire an expert or whether you DIY, the art of interior decorating is a deeply personal endeavor. Though many a style exists when it comes to interiors, the Federal period, in particular, is a unique allure to many.
“Boscobel is all about style, beauty and design,” says Steven Miller, executive director of the turn-of-the-19th-century manse that was once the Garrison estate of Loyalist States Dyckman and his wife, Elizabeth. “The elegance of its architecture, its immaculate collection of Federal period furnishings and its breathtaking environment all come together to create the perfect venue for a series of lectures focused on Federal interior décor.”
Following tradition since 2002, the Friends of Boscobel membership program includes free admission to this series. New for 2013 is the lecture time and setting: The talks take place in the evening (6-8 p.m. Fridays), inside the elegant entry hall of the Boscobel mansion. Seating is on stairs and chairs, with a wine and cheese reception following in the Carriage House, where guests may chat with the speakers and in some cases, purchase their books for signing.
Tonight (Oct. 4), Peter M. Kenny, the Ruth Bigelow Wriston curator of American decorative arts and administrator of The American Wing at The Metropolitan Museum of Art, will discuss “House of Style: Boscobel and Duncan Phyfe, America’s Most Famous Cabinetmaker.”
On Oct. 18, Mitchell Owens, decorative arts and antiques editor of Architectural Digest, makes “A Federal Case: Living, Loving and Learning.” Then on Nov. 22, Gil Schafer, architect and author, discusses “The Ingredients of a Great House: Tradition for the Way We Live Now.”
Admission for nonmembers is $20 per lecture. Boscobel is located on Route 9D one mile south of Cold Spring and directly across the Hudson River from West Point. From April through October, hours are 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. (first tour at 10 a.m., last at 4 p.m. During November and December , hours are 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. (last tour at 3 p.m.). Boscobel is open every day except Tuesdays, Thanksgiving and Christmas. For more information, visit Boscobel.org or call (845) 265-3638.
