Inside the Heart of Crimson Catskills
is the inspiration story of Founder, Rosie McCobb
I wanted to create a business that was built around my lifelong passions and skills. It had to serve one, basic purpose: to help people feel good.
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Interior design portfolio image, Brooklyn bedroom For Rodney Lawrence, Inc.
The Lead Up to Crimson
Rosie McCobb spent the first 10 years of her career based in Boston, MA. She graduated from Emerson College with a BFA in creative writing and filmmaking, and worked as a music journalist, copy editor, and on set in film production. She relocated to NYC in 2000, moonlighted in the restaurant industry, and transitioned from filmmaking into photography. She studied photography at Pratt Institute of Art, and by 2005, began running her own photography business.
Over the following years, Rosie worked with some of the top fashion retailers, interior designers, art historians, antiques dealers, auction houses, and gallerists in NYC and beyond. As the great-niece of famed, midcentury modern designer, Paul McCobb, Rosie always had an innate affinity with furniture, design, textiles, and interior decorating. In between photography jobs, she designed, did the hiring for, and project managed two home renovations in a brownstone in Brooklyn, NY, and decorated and did the marketing for Airbnb properties.
Marketing image for Greta Magnusson Grossman: Modern Makes Sense exhibition, 2019, at R & Company gallery, NYC
Art director: Evan Snyderman, Stylists: Kat Suarez and Shadi Mirsepassi, Photographer: Rosie McCobb
By 2019, Rosie became the Director of Photography for Manhattan-based furniture and design gallery, R & Company. While at R, she photographed one-of-a kind modern art pieces and historic industrial design collections, and maintained consulting relationships with select galleries.
Unfortunately, her professional life took a strange turn one morning while on a freelance job shooting the furniture estate of late fashion designer, Kate Spade. The shoot ended abruptly with a crash: a heavy piece of furniture fell on top of Rosie. She was brought to the ER, and needed to slow down, rest, and heal. Rosie understood that the physical demands of being a photographer, and living in NYC, were taking a toll on her health. This marked a turning point towards conceptualizing Crimson.
It was time to begin a “Second Act.”
The Crystalization of Crimson
Rosie had already co-owned a vacation house in the Catskills since 2016, and enjoyed going to meditation and wellness classes in the area. Over time, she learned how the theta brain wave state can help people tap into their subconscious intuition. She started thinking about what a “Second Act” of her life and career could be like.
During COVID lockdown, circumstances seemed to provide a portal towards transformation: Rosie was laid off from her job. She decided to leave NYC, and rented a small, beautiful cabin near the top of a long, mountain road in Phoenicia, NY. She spent the Winter taking long walks, making nature-based art projects, and opened up the house she co-owned to a full-time Airbnb schedule. She and her partner at the time re-styled and landscaped the property to make it a popular destination and retreat for her guests.
Rosie had long loved working with design, styling, and lighting, and creating beautiful environments. And the personal, friendly relationships she enjoyed with some of her Airbnb guests provided the missing link as to what the next phase of Rosie’s professional life would become: many mentioned how soothing it felt staying in the cozy Catskills compound she’d created.
Rosie felt a deep sense of purpose in providing design and lifestyle “hospitality” to people during such a difficult time. She recognized that creating a good-feeling environment was more than just the aesthetics of the property; it was also the vibe of the house, grounds, and the personal touches she provided. She loved sharing tips where to find beautiful spots & hikes, good food, arts, and wellness events in the area.
How Crimson Flows
Rosie relocated to the Hudson Valley full-time, and has taken all of her combined experience and knowledge from the “First Act” of her adult life, and synthesized it into Crimson.
For Rosie, there is a holistic quality to Crimson that comes from a desire to help make people feel as “good” as she did when she created her own sanctuary in the Catskills.
Founder, Rosie McCobb