Text by Mary Forsell

Barreling through Great Barrington and other fabled western Massachusetts towns, we hit the mother lode: culture, couture, collectibles, even cuisine

Our tour guide, Jill Schwartz, (a) takes a breather outside her private Great Barrington studio, Elements, which hosts periodic sample sales of jewelry and housewares. (b) At Fuchsia Home in Lenox, a cupboard of contemporary crockery includes two of Jill’s retro-inspired clocks.

Culture seekers descend on the area for such attractions as the Norman Rockwell Museum in Stockbridge and Tanglewood (summer home of the Boston Symphony Orchestra) in Lenox. But, inevitably, they’re going to drive down Route 7 and get sidetracked by shops like these.

(c) They’ve got the buttons at Coffman’s Antiques Market, a multi-dealer emporium in Great Barrington. (d) Give us a sign. There are many old-time models to choose from at Coffman’s. (e) Visit Elements’ spring sample sale and snap up jewelry, home accessories, and stationery for a steal. On the mannequin, one-size-fits-all ribbon belts adorned with vintage and new millinery flowers. (f) Church Street Trading Company in Great Barrington is a giddy mix of clothing, dog accessories, and footwear, topped off by vintage jewelry. (g) Fabric castaways become heirlooms at Fuchsia Home, the flagship store for Crispina ffrench Swindlehurst’s inspired mix of handmade recycled goods. Imagine a blanket made from the remnants of an old cashmere sweater or a picnic tablecloth fashioned from weathered denim.

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