Press Stories
 
A painted picnic table and mismatched chairs appoint Randy Florke's front porch. "Everything folds up so it can be brought inside for the winter," Randy reveals. "Even the mosquito netting on tracking can be taken down at the end of the season." A fresh coat of paint brightens the home's original clapboards and fish-scale
shingles. Casper, a neighbor's friendly goat, visits frequently.
 
 He is a designer, collector, merchant, house restorer even real-estate agent. At his New York City store, the Rural Collection, Randy showcases vintage country furniture and accessories. At the same address, he operates a real-estate agency, the Rural Connection, which represents Sullivan County, New York, properties. While restoring his own 19l2 farmhouse two years ago, Randy called upon his business acumen as well as his artistic eye. He refurbished the woodwork, chose a neutral color scheme, and filled each room with his favorite objects. The result: a look that is simple, practical, comfortable, and personal. Above left: Slipcovered pieces fill the living room, where bull's-eye woodwork remains unpainted. "Previous owners had never painted it, so I felt obliged to continue the tradition," Randy says. Above right top: A c. 1875 display case now houses a collection of 1940s to 1960s Reader's Digest condensed books arranged with their decorative covers facing outward. Above right bottom: A J new banister, railings, and newel-post replaced the solid wall that once enclosed the main staircase. Color samples from each of the first-floor rooms stripe the beaded-board paneling. THROW PILLOWS: ABC CARPET & HOME. OIL PAINTINGS: SARA BISCAYE.
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