Fresh finds at Ivy's Collective

Fresh finds at Ivy's Collective

The scent of baked goods by Blue Gate draws one into Ivy's Collective, and the inviting interior imbues a sense of home.

Cynthia Hochswender

Tucked into the woods at the southeastern edge of Sharon for many years was an abandoned property, the former site of a beloved garden center called Nora’s.

Ivy and Daniel Kramp often drove by the old Nora’s, after moving part-time to Sharon in 2015 (both are successful realtors in New York City). It ignited a dream for Ivy, who had always loved interior design.

“One of our favorite things to do up here is go to estate sales,” she said.

“But everything is always so expensive,” Daniel said. “We go, we see the prices, we walk out.”

In September 2023, the couple decided to buy the former Nora’s and open it under a new name: Ivy’s Collective.

“It was a passion project,” Ivy said. “We wanted to create curated, approachable estate sales that went on all year long.”

But because they are in the city all week, they needed to find just the right person to execute that dream. Through a mutual friend they were connected to Liz Macaire, who had recently launched an estate clearance business.

“I was starting to run out of space for all the things I was selling on commission for my clients,” she said. She met Daniel and Ivy at the perfect time — and not long after, made another important connection, with Simon Kristoph, a former visual director for a high-end fashion store. He’d just moved to Litchfield County, and immediately teamed up with Macaire, creating the new Macaire + Kristoph Studio (they recently opened a second location in West Cornwall).

When the foursome are together at Ivy’s Collective, the energy in the shop is electric.

“It’s always a party in this place,” Macaire said.

Adding to the party atmosphere are the croissants and hot breakfasts served at the popular bakery at Ivy’s Collective, called Blue Gate Bakery. The space is zoned for only three uses: an antique store, a bakery, and a garden center. The Collective now has all three.

Because Blue Gate is a bakery and not a cafe, there is no dedicated seating. Customers often come in and sit on the pieces that are for sale. It ignites their imaginations.

“People come in for a croissant, and leave with a table or a lamp,” Macaire said.

As Realtors, the Kramps are familiar with the important part that imagination plays in the sale of furniture or property. They always recommend “staging,” which involves clearing out many of the seller’s more personal items, and adding attractive and appropriate furnishings that enhance the space.

“It’s non-negotiable,” Daniel said of staging. “You’re selling the vision of living in a space — versus showing buyers empty rooms and dusty shelves. It helps people see past the clutter or the emptiness.”

Both Daniel and Ivy Kramp are already expert stagers, but they can also now work with Macaire and Kristoph, who are experienced stylists and also have a bounty of consignment furnishings available to fit every space.

“Other people do staging, or interior design, or moving, or estate sales,” Macaire said. “We provide all those services in one place.”

Stop by Ivy’s Collective to meet the team between 7:30 a.m. and 2 p.m. Friday through Sunday at 2 Route 7 in Sharon, just before the bridge (and get a delicious treat at the Blue Gate Farm Bakery). The new West Cornwall Macaire + Kristoph Studio is at 406 Sharon/Goshen Turnpike, and is open Wednesday through Sunday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Find Macaire and Kristoph at www.macairekristoph.com.

Latest News

Sharon Dennis Rosen

SHARON — Sharon Dennis Rosen, 83, died on Aug. 8, 2025, in New York City.

Born and raised in Sharon, Connecticut, she grew up on her parents’ farm and attended Sharon Center School and Housatonic Valley Regional High School. She went on to study at Skidmore College before moving to New York City, where she married Dr. Harvey Rosen and together they raised two children.

Keep ReadingShow less
‘Garland Jeffreys: The King of In Between’ at the Moviehouse

Claire and Garland Jeffreys in the film “The King of In Between.”

Still from "The King of In between"

There is a scene in “The King of In Between,” a documentary about musician Garland Jeffreys, that shows his name as the answer to a question on the TV show “Jeopardy!”

“This moment was the film in a nutshell,” said Claire Jeffreys, the film’s producer and director, and Garland’s wife of 40 years. “Nobody knows the answer,” she continued. “So, you’re cool enough to be a Jeopardy question, but you’re still obscure enough that not one of the contestants even had a glimmer of the answer.”

Keep ReadingShow less
Haystack Book Festival: writers in conversation
Jerome A. Cohen, author of the memoir \u201cEastward, Westward: A Lifein Law.\u201d
Jerome A. Cohen, author of the memoir \u201cEastward, Westward: A Lifein Law.\u201d

The Haystack Book Festival, a program of the Norfolk Hub, brings renowned writers and thinkers to Norfolk for conversation. Celebrating its fifth season this fall, the festival will gather 18 writers for discussions at the Norfolk Library on Sept. 20 and Oct. 3 through 5.

Jerome A. Cohen, author of the memoir “Eastward, Westward: A Lifein Law.”Haystack Book Festival

Keep ReadingShow less