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Interior Design

J. Covington Interior Design is a design center (Melvin Village) and a shop (Portsmouth).  Lead by Jane (Cubby) Derby, it is a very active practice, providing interior design services from Boston to the "Lakes Region" of New Hampshire (Lake Winnipesaukee) and the central New England coast.

Cubby is an experienced designer who's own home* as well as professional projects have been featured in major magazines and tours.  She has done the full range of projects, from large, stately homes to small island log camps on Winnipesaukee.  All with her classic, elegant style.

Personal Style

A Southerner by birth, Cubby's style focuses on an ageless look with a rich traditional feel.  She has an extensive knowledge of materials (particularly fabrics and wall coverings) and has developed sources for fine furnishings across the United States & Europe.  She works with a wide variety of contractors but recommends only a few.  Those, however, are first rate and a welcome addition to any project.

Field Editor

For a time, Cubby was the New England field editor for the Meredith Corporation.  Their flagship is Better Homes and Gardens and they also publish Traditional Home, Country Home and nearly 150 other publications.  This meant she "scouted" homes for possible publication in Meredith's magazines and books.  With the growth of her design and retail business, her husband, Dan, now does those "scouting" duties.  Both are always on the outlook for great homes for publication.

Contact us!

Should you be interested in her services, Cubby would be delighted for you to call.   She can be reached at J.Covington, in Melvin Village at 603.544.3666.  The design center is generally open Tuesday to Saturday (or by chance), mid-morning to late afternoon.  The center has lovely sample vignettes using Cubby's hand picked antiques and fine furnishings.  While it's focus is on interior design, there are some wonderful things throughout the sample settings.   If one strikes your fancy, they are always available.   The Portsmouth shop (Congress Street), of course, is our retail center, managed by Cubby's son, Alexander Rogers.  We encourage you to visit either.

In 1998, the magazine "Decorating" magazine of Better Homes and Gardens' Special Interest Publication featured an article on Cubby's home in Oregon. 

These days, like many of her clients, Cubby is renovating her own home, a two hundred old farm house located just outside Wolfeboro, NH.   It was just featured in the March issue of Better Homes and Gardens this year!