Ali, a little girl from Riverside in Greenwich, Connecticut, spent her childhood exploring the outdoors and dreaming of what lay beyond her backyard. She recalls peering over the fence into her neighbors’ yard, wondering what they kept in their big red barns. Her neighbors, the third owners of the two-acre chestnut farm and classic Colonial farmhouse built by Charles Lockwood in 1804, had a property that was magical.
Ali’s curiosity eventually led her to explore the property, where she discovered a small barn that served as a summer kitchen and a larger one filled with curiosities, including an old-time car and centuries-old artifacts. The loft even housed a cannon from the Revolutionary War.
Years later, when the farm was slated for demolition, Ali purchased the land with the goal of saving it. She worked tirelessly to restore the property for her growing family, transforming the big red barns into a playhouse for her children and a shop for her collection of vintage and antique wares.
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Ali’s love of antiques was inherited from her parents, who were avid collectors of early American folk art and painted furniture. However, she prefers a mix of old and new, high and low, painted and natural. As her children grew older, Ali began dealing antiques as a side job, scouring auctions, estate sales, and markets across the East Coast and Europe for unique finds.
The larger barn on the property now holds an array of tables, benches, chairs, architectural elements, and large-scale lighting. Against its chestnut-clad walls stand crusty case pieces, including a wonky cupboard stocked with ironstone platters and hand-painted ceramic pitchers. The smaller barn is home to antique artwork, urns, footstools, and fauteuils, as well as an array of Nantucket baskets handwoven by members of the Kane clan.
Ali’s collection is not just about accumulating antiques; it’s about the stories behind each piece. She believes that even a simple spoon can become a conversation-starter at the dinner table. When entertaining, Ali favors casual alfresco get-togethers, where she pulls out all the stops and enjoys her collection with her guests.
Ali is a firm believer that nothing is too fragile or fancy to enjoy outdoors. She often hauls her antique furniture out of the dining room and onto the lawn, where she sets up eclectic tablescapes with vintage linens, bamboo flatware, and heirloom wedding china. For her flowers, Ali enlists the help of Dana Worlock of Hedgerow Flower Farm + Studio, who helps her create freshly foraged arrangements that add to the whimsy of her outdoor gatherings.
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Ali’s approach to entertaining is centered around the idea of bringing the indoors out, which she believes enhances her guests’ experience and allows her to experiment with her collections. Many of these pieces have survived centuries of use or have been stashed away in attics or basements without climate control, so she sees no reason not to use them and create new memories.
Her property remains a reflection of her love of history, antiques, and the outdoors. The big red barns, once a source of curiosity, are now a hub of activity, filled with the stories and memories of a lifetime.
Ali continues to collect and entertain.
