Café Design Interviews | Alison Carabasi of Hillbrook Collections

Happy Friday! You won’t believe the treat I’ve got for you today!!! My ever-growing love of gardens has led me to read a feature in House Beautiful several years ago about a mother & daughter enterprise called Hillbrook Collections. I was stunned at the time because their garden sheds were some of the most beautiful I’d ever seen. You see, Hillbrook Collections is for many garden lovers the answer to an unspoken prayer. Run by Alison Carabasi, it is a family owned company that fills a gap in the market. They produce beautiful garden structures, inspired by classical architecture, that are tailored and handcrafted out of the finest woods by local Pennsylvania craftsmen.

And the treat I’ve got for you today? The lovely Alison has agreed to talk to us about her business, her love of gardens and other favorite things! Thank you Alison!

Café Design: Tell us a little bit about your background and the story of how Hillbrook Collections came to be. 

Alison Carabasi: I grew up in Lancaster, Pennsylvania in a beautiful home named Clairfields dating back to 1733.  My parents are very aesthetic. My father – as an example – had pants made from an Amish quilt.  They are still in the family today worn by his grandchildren. There was a wood shed on the property which we all loved and each Thanksgiving we filled it with wood for the winter. Our barn burned down in the early 80’s and the Amish rebuilt the new barn just like in the movie Witness.  We became friendly with the Amish community.  Shortly thereafter, my mother had the idea of building attractive Garden Houses that were practical and useful using the Amish connection and modeling them after our beloved woodshed.  In 2012 I took over the business and have since added my own touch and style which I would say is little more European.  I spent my Junior year abroad in Paris and traveled most weekends from there which definitely has had an impact on my designs.

 Where do you find inspiration for your designs?  

I find inspiration from books, travel, art, Instagram, visiting gardens and looking at all aspects of an interesting building when passing by.

What is the most rewarding aspect of your work? 

The most rewarding aspect of my work is creating a product that is beautiful and useful and unique to each client. It’s a positive product that makes peoples lives more enjoyable and beautifies their surroundings. I’ve also met some incredible people.

 And the most challenging? 

The most challenging aspect of my work is the delivery. Sometimes we squeeze the Garden Houses in by inches.

Do you have any advice for fellow women entrepreneurs? 

Today more then ever – women can unleash this very talented side of the population and start their own companies. If you have an idea just start.  Don’t wait for everything to be perfect. If you just begin let’s say with a website or an Instagram account or making something to give as presents, you don’t know which way it will lead. It will lead to some direction and that’s better than no direction.

 Are you a gardener? 

I love to garden! Gardening is a big part of my family. My mother is an avid gardener. We used to come home from school and she would be in the rock garden working away in her Lilly Dress and Papagallo shoes! My sisters are avid gardeners also. We design, plant and maintain everything ourselves. I have Larkspur from the seeds of my mother’s garden and will give them to my daughter some day for her garden.

Favorite flower:

Peonies.

Favorite Garden accessory:

My copper sphere.

Who are your personal style icons?

All my Hollins College friends – they have incredible style in all aspects of life!

Go-to color scheme:

Blues, greens, love aqua!

Favorite Room in your house:

The family room – it’s where everyone congregates to relax. It’s filled with photo albums, books, backgammon, art and of course a great fireplace that is lit even if its slightly cold outside.

Favorite place to shop for home and garden:

Next to New near my parents. They have an incredible garden section and home section where you can find great treasures. A fancy place I like to shop is Palm Beach – it’s always so stimulating and, of course, the architecture is beautiful!

Favorite book:

A Sower Went Out  by Eugene C. Bay – my favorite minister from Bryn Mawr Presbyterian Church.

Favorite gardens:

To name a few!

Chateau de Vaux le Vicomte outside of Paris

Hubert de Givenchy’s Chateau du Jonchet ( including – of course – his Octagon Garden House which is to die for!)

My sister Signe McCullough’s garden which she designed herself in Hingham, MASS.

Favorite landscape designer:

Current favorite landscape designer is Glen Gardner from Charleston, SC. I was fortunate enough to have a Garden House in one of his designs.

Greatest professional influence:

My two sons who started William Cary Capital. They give me the best advice.

Favorite scent:

First by Van Cleef and Arpels

Favorite Artist:

Cy Twombly

Willem De Kooning

Favorite Restaurant:

La Grenouille NYC.  The flowers and pink lightbulbs!

Favorite vacation spot:

Italy & France

Favorite gift to give:

Books.

Favorite gift to receive:

Kind words!

What can we look forward to from Hillbrook Collections?

Creative new designs! We’re launching The Pierre Pigeonniere soon and we’re also creating a new product that was inspired by a client – stay tuned!

As you can see from these images, Hillbrook Collections is every gardener’s dream! Their bespoke houses bring charm and value to any home and any garden.  Available in several different styles (The Alison, The Cary, The Will, The Candy), each structure can be customized to fit the specific needs of a client. In addition to their sheds, Hillbrook Collections offers handmade finials, copper spheres, birdhouses, treillage, lanterns and authentic French house numbers to complement their exquisite craftsmanship. I don’t know about you, but I am smitten with The Alison (pictured above)!!!

Have a great weekend!

xo,

Eva

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