This new collectible design gallery is looking to put Vermont on the map

You might know Burlington, Vermont, population 44,000, for its New England charm, left-leaning politics and Ben & Jerry's ice cream. But one local interior design studio hopes you'll soon know the city's collectible design scene, too.

Nurture by Nature, founded by designer and fourth-generation Vermonter Kate Swanson in 2020, is opening a gallery on 4 September that aims to put small-town creativity on the map.

Inside new Vermont gallery Nurture by Nature

Located in a brick industrial building on Burlington's waterfront, the gallery will host an inaugural group show, titled ‘Unknown Friends’, featuring furniture and more by Northeast makers. The aim? To connect artists, designers and collectors within Burlington, and help establish a blossoming creative community.

‘Craft is the new luxury,’ says Swanson, who returned to her home state in 2022 after years working as a project manager and interior designer in Jackson Hole, Wyoming. ‘It’s unique, personal and there is always a face behind the piece, not just a name; it’s true opulence.’

The new space steps away from typical white-box galleries, with its brick walls, moody colour palette and soft drapery. Much like Swanson's studio, the gallery is designed to embody her ethos, that ‘design is a deeply human, and collaborative process’.

‘Unknown Friends’, which can viewed by appointment only until 30 October, features collectible furniture, lighting and decorative objects. Although contemporary, they are designed to explore the concept of recognition and memory. The pieces are crafted by 15 northeast makers including Natalie Shook, Luke Malaney, Ford Bostwick, Basia Pruszyńska, Chuck Van Dyck, Bechara Maalouf and Yuxuan Huang.

Each item – from ceramic vessels to hand-crafted furniture – embodies how the artists see Vermont. ‘There’s no single, anchored "Vermont look", says Swanson, ‘and when people ask for a “Vermont house”, it invites conversation rather than certainty.'

‘[Vermont] is a place that responds to the environment and embraces those who want to belong,' she adds. 'Even after 14 years away, it's where I feel most at home.’

Nurture by Nature is located at 47 Maple Street, Suite 307, Burlington, VT, 05401
‘Unknown Friends’ is on view from 4 September until 30 October 2025, by appointment
n-by-n.com/