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DESIGN +DECOR VOLUME 16 ISSUE 5 - 2019
Editor-in-Chief Matthew J. Kolk mattkolk@me.com 203-820-1092 Managing Editor James Eagen Contributing Writers Deborah Brannon, Lisa Gant, Susan Heller, Pam Gersh, Anna von Stelzer-Worth, Kait Shea, Anastasia Storer Contributing Photographers Jane Beiles, Michael Biondo, Phillip Ennis, Tria Giovan, John Gruen, John Hannon, Paul Johnson, Neil Landino, Mark La Rosa, Tim Lee, Daniel Milstein, Janice Parker, Durston Saylor, Debra Somerville, Eric Striffler, Jonathan Wallen, Woodruff/Brown Photography Copy Editor Elena Serocki Graphic & Web Design East Coast Home Publishing
Publisher Shelley E. McCormick sm@dd-mag.com 203-545-7091 Advertising Director Dante Golio Account Managers Alessandra Flanagan Leslie Hayden Kim McDonnell Lisa Winter Michele Woodman Design + Decor 7485 Inspira Circle #1203 Naples, Florida 34113 Design + Decor is published six issues per year. To subscribe: www.dd-mag.com; Subscriptions: one year, $28; two years, $50. Back issues can be purchased at www.dd-mag.com. For editorial inquiries: Editor, Design + Decor, 7485 Inspira Circle #1203 Naples, Florida 34113 or e-mail: mattkolk@me.com. For advertising inquiries: Please call Shelley McCormick at 203-545-7091. Reproduction whole or in part without permission is prohibited. All projects described in this publication are for private, noncommercial use only. No rights for commercial use or exploitation are given or implied. The opinions expressed by writers for articles published by Design + Decor are not necessarily those of the magazine.
EAST COAST HOME PUBLISHING 7485 Inspira Circle #1203 Naples, Florida 34113 DD-MAG.COM
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DESIGN +DECOR
CONNECTICUT NEW JERSEY NEW YORK
VOLUME 16 ISSUE 5 | 2019
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A Bold New Look for a Classic Home
Foley&Cox share their bright and modern design for this new, Old Greenwich home Story by Venus Vega Photography by Felipe Bastos
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Biophilic Design 2019 Interior Design Issue Story by Kelsea Conrad
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It’s In The Details
Charles Hilton Architects transform a dated stone home into a spectacular country estate in Greenwich
Story by Natalie Betts Photography by Robert Benson
DEPARTMENTS 10 Editors Letter 22 Ask the Experts 104 Profile
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EDITOR’S LETTER
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iophilic Design is nothing new. As a matter of fact, it has been used in design for well over a century. The concept has been used in some of the structures that are considered masterpieces by the shelter community. Think Frank Lloyd Wright’s spectacular “Falling Water” home. There is also a close connection between biophilic design and health benefits, environmental benefits, economic benefits as well as sustainability and resilience. A study by Kaitlyn Gillis and Birgitta Gatersleben found that the inclusion of plants in interior environments reduce stress and increase pain tolerance; the use of water elements and incorporating views of nature are also mentally restorative for occupants. After the disaster that struck Sandy Hook Elementary in 2012, a new school was built to help heal the community and provide a new sense of security for those occupying the space. Major biophilic design parameters that Svigals + Partners included in this project are animal feeders, wetlands, courtyards, natural shapes and patterns, natural materials, transitional spaces, images of nature, natural colors, and use of natural light. Biophilic Design is all around us. We urge you to keep this in mind when contracting one of the fabulous designers in this issue to assist in creating your “forever” home.
Matthew Kolk
Enjoy,
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- Editor in Chief
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MELANGE
BOLD + BEAUTIFUL Guilt Mirror Sculptured and shimmering tones of hammered and textured metal with a hint of hard edge surround a perfectly cut convex mirror. bykoket.com
Chloe Sconce Unexpected twists in the magically evocative ribbon awaken your deepest senses giving you the impression of being wrapped in the impulsive charm of a little girl. Exquisite hammered textures dance across the shining metal. bykoket.com
Mademoiselle Armoire Designed with a profound admiration and influence of the French decorative arts, the Mademoiselle armoire will transport you to another world in a crazy beautiful kind of way. The filigree metal butterfly doors are backed by decadent fabric and open to a metal leaf interior covered in a high- gloss varnish with nine antique mirror drawers and two adjustable glass shelves. covethouse.eu
Monaco Monaco, a waterjet mosaic shown in polished Thassos, Calacatta Gold, and brushed Brass, is part of the Liliane™ Collection by Caroline Beaupere for New Ravenna. newravenna.com
Symphony Sideboard The Symphony Sideboard draws inspiration from church organ tubes. Like all of Boca do Lobo’s designs, the Symphony is hand made by experienced craftsmen, each with different specialities, from metal-work to wood carving. covethouse.eu
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with simple efforts. “As a company and for me personally, getting involved and giving back is the most important thing we can do,� notes George. Cornerstone has set the standard for others to follow in both building and giving, and, ideally, their efforts will inspire others to follow suit. Resource: Cornerstone Contracting George Pusser 200 Pemberwick Road Greenwich, CT 06831 203.861.4200 cornerstone-builders.com Camp Kum-Ba-Yah 415 Boonsboro Road Lynchburg, VA 24503 434.384.1755 campkumbayah.org Incanto Bar Stool Enticing simplicity is exemplified in this fluid and gracious bar stool. Chartreuse rippled fabric combine with the rich ebony veneer complete a stunning masterpiece. bykoket.com
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Botti Chandelier Botti Chandelier in Gold embodies all the details of wind instruments, transporting us to a real music concert. covethouse.eu
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Bioma collection Design Verter Turroni Eco-zone with a magmatic guise and the appearance of a floating layer of incinerated bark: this is Bioma, the fiberglass modeled by Verter Turroni’s hands which takes on different shapes and adds new dimensions to the original. The solitary universe of the single seat is joined by the two-seater, to share a sort of existential universe. Structure in black painted metal. imperfettolab.com
Chandra Bar Stool Chandra is both bold and daring. The modern edge in this chair exudes the feeling of vintage glam, while metal bands delicately bind the chair highlighting the sculpted fluidity of the tight back upholstery. bykoket.com
Monaco Floral Monaco Floral, a waterjet mosaic shown in honed and polished Nero Marquina, is part of the Liliane™ Collection by Caroline Beaupere for New Ravenna. newravenna.com
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Eze Èze, a waterjet mosaic shown in polished Thassos and brushed Brass, is part of the Liliane™ Collection by Caroline Beaupere for New Ravenna. newravenna.com
Geisha Bar Stool Designed to perform in a matter that indulges the eyes, the Geisha‘s curves grace a room with the extravagance and poise of a Kyoto Geisha. Her fully upholstered curved body rests on modern and sleek. bykoket.com
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Tycho Floor Lamp An incredible and contemporary lighting item, in a pendant version of Tycho. Crystal glass held by a gold brass ring creates the most luxurious surroundings as its building inspiration and its reflection on the water. covethouse.eu
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Coltrane Floor Lamp Coltrane Floor Lamp in Matte Black with Gold inside inspires a deep connection with the innovation and expression of Jazz music. covethouse.eu
Desire Chair Ignite your desire to be wanted in the comfort of this provocative, fully upholstered pleated chair. A textured, hammered metal band outlines its curves the way the mind outlines the female desire. bykoket.com
The design team made more changes to the exterior of the home, which was previously an off-white color. To create the classic white colonial look the clients wanted, Michael Smith Architects exchanged the offwhite siding with white trim for all-white siding and trim with black shutters on all the windows. Finally, Michael Smith Architects delivered on its promise to create space for entertaining outdoors. “The outdoor entertaining areas are really nice,” says Michael. “They include a new swimming pool, outdoor kitchen, patio with trellis, covered porch and a new pool ‘house’ room that is attached to the home and was converted from an old first-floor guest suite.” After several years and multiple renovation projects, the home is everything the clients first dreamed it would be when they purchased the home. Architect Michael Smith Architects Michael Smith 41 N Main Street #101 Burlesque Console Table Norwalk, CT the 06854 Revisit dazzling world of a French cabaret through the Burlesque console. The acrobatic loops & spins of the base paired with black 203.563.0553 exotic skins and a black crystal on each one of the 4 drawers exude the michaelsmitharchitects.com mysterious traits of a feisty diva. bykoket.com
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Monaco Monaco, a waterjet mosaic shown in polished Dolomite, Carrara, Cornflower Glazed Basalto, and brushed Aluminum, is part of the VOLUME 16 ISSUE 3 - 2019 Liliane™ Collection by Caroline Beaupere for New Ravenna. Editor-in-Chief newravenna.com
Matthew J. Kolk mattkolk@me.com 203-820-1092 Managing Editor James Eagen
Contributing Writers Lisa Gant, Susan Heller, Pam Gersh, Kait Shea, Anastasia Storer, Anna Wirth
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Sika Armchair
Contributing Photographers Sika is a deer specimen Jane Beiles, Michael Biondo, Phillip Ennis, Tria Giovan, rooted in Japan whose John Gruen, Paul Johnson, Neil Landino, strength and elegance Mark La Rosa, Tim Lee, Daniel Milstein, inspired Sika wingback chair. Durston Saylor, Debra Somerville, EricThe Striffler, most distinctive features Jonathan Wallen, Woodruff/Brown Photography of this wing chair are the Copy Editor Elena Serocki
button detailing in the inner back, the nailhead trim and the brass details of the arms. covethouse.eu
Graphic & Web Design East Coast Home Publishing
Publisher Shelley E. McCormick sm@dd-mag.com 203-545-7091 Account Manager Alessandra Flanagan af@dd-mag.com Design + Decor 7485 Inspira Circle #1203 Naples, Florida 34113 Fax: 203-286-1850
Design + Decor is published six issues per year. To subscribe: www.dd-mag.com; Subscriptions: one year, $28; two years, $50. Back issues can be purchased at www.dd-mag.com. For editorial inquiries: Editor, Design + Decor, 7485 Inspira Circle #1203 Naples, Florida 34113 or e-mail: mattkolk@me.com. For advertising inquiries: Please call Shelley McCormick at 203-545-7091. Reproduction whole or in part without permission is prohibited. All projects described in this publication are for private, noncommercial use only. No rights for commercial use or exploitation are given or implied. The opinions expressed by writers for articles published by Design + Decor are not necessarily those of the magazine.
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Lapiaz Sideboard The Lapiaz Sideboard originates from one of Boca do Lobo’s iconic design pieces. Based on the same aesthetic that created a legacy, the Lapiaz SideEAST COAST HOME PUBLISHING board takes exceptional design to a new realm. Consisting 7485 craftsmanship Inspira Circleand #1203 of two individual modules, Lapiaz34113 is finished in polished stainless steel that Naples,the Florida portarys a perfect mirror, with a poplar root wood veneer interior. DD-MAG.COM bocadolobo.com
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Lotus Vessel Sink The Lotus vessel sink is made to reinvent the idea of this kind of product. Anybody who has ever observed a lotus flower emerging from a murky pond cannot fail to see the beauty of this exquisite vessel sink. Meaning purity and beauty this Lotus Vessel Sink will turn any vanity into an elegant design work. Choose from three different types of marble: Nero Marquina, Carrara and Estremoz getting the luxury touch your project deserves. maisonvalentina.net
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Desire Chair Ignite your desire to be wanted in the comfort of this provocative fully upholstered chair. A matt gold hammered band outlines its curves the way the mind outlines the female desire. bykoket.com
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Before
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or some people, the great outdoors is somewhat less “great” than for others. No one can dispute the unrivaled beauty of nature, however, and whether you love a good, long hike in the woods or prefer to stay safely indoors, this house is a perfect blend of outdoor beauty and indoor luxury. And, incredibly, the gorgeous, glass- and natural-cedar-encased home is actually built around much of the original structure—a wagon-style weekend cabin with cheap finishes inside and out. “Most of the original structure stayed intact; our addition wrapped around it,” explained George Dumitru, the architect of the project. “But everything from the finishes—both interior and exterior—has been changed.” Shield Mirror Shield is a round mirror made
The goalfrom was mirror, to open up the home to the beauty of the nature surrounding entirely polished and have a Nero Marquina yet entertaining space that feels integrated with itbrass and “to a relaxing marble bar. Inspired in the most the house,” said George. To do this, Studio Dumitru Architects, his firm, ancient and valuable armor, the created a Achilles, glass tower that encases the family room on the first floor and Shield of the master bedroom on the second, and provides a full view of the pool maisonvalentina.net and the scenery outside. In addition to building the glass tower, the design team covered the home in siding that was milled specifically for the home. “It’s a very simple shiplap detail that was used extensively years ago,” noted George. Combined with the deep greens and muted browns that were used throughout the design, this makes the home look like an extension of the landscape around it. George explained that the location of the structure actually gave much of the direction for the design: his team simply had to recognize what was happening around the site to create the atmosphere the family desired. “Nothing takes as little time as the TV shows want you to believe,” said George, after joking that the project took a mere 30 minutes. From cheap weekend cabin to beautiful modern home that’s integrated with the nature surrounding it, this project took between nine and 10 months to complete, but was well worth the time and effort that went into it. Architect Studio Dumitru Tortoise Suspension Cabinet George Dumitru Black, grey and golden colours perfectly blend on this marvelous piece, inspired 49 Richmondville Avenueby the Tortoise hard outer shell. A perfect combination of superb design and foolproof functionality, this cabinet includes two Westport, CT 06880 spacious black lacquered drawers, as well as a lateral shelf. 203.226.5156 maisonvalentina.net studiodumitru.com
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ASK THE EXPERTS
SNAIDERO
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hat does sustainability mean to the Snaidero brand? Snaidero’s and Snaidero USA’s commitment to offering products that protect the environment and human health started over 20 years ago, and is reflected not only in the materials used for our kitchens, but also in responsible manufacturing practices:
health, and improves customer service by implementing custom production on a per-order basis. Over the last decade, Snaidero has been focusing more and more on the issue of atmospheric emissions:
- In the last two decades, Snaidero has managed to reduce its waste production by 90%, fuel consumption by over 80%, and water consumption by more than 50%. Waste materials generated through processing are also sent for recycling, whenever possible.
- The wood particle boards used for all Snaidero kitchens and Snaidero USA’s ELEGANTE Bespoke kitchens and baths comply with the strictest world standards for formaldehyde emissions. The emission levels are less than half of what is required by the LFE E1 international certification, and also comply with the standards set by the California Air Resources Board Phase II, the EPA’s TSCA Title 6, and the CATAS Quality Award certification.
- Snaidero also holds a Forest Stewardship Council Chain-of-Custody certification, ensuring all its wood products are from verified sustainable sources and source forest replenishment.
- Solvent-based varnishes can be very toxic to the environment and human health, so Snaidero uses an alternative varnish with very low levels of organic solvents.
- The company’s Italian production plant (where all the products sold in the Americas are manufactured) was one of the first in its sector to obtain the International Standardization Organization 14001. This certification ratifies Snaidero’s ability to deal with exceptional events and emergencies that may cause harmful consequences for the environment.
- Our lacquer finishes use water-based varnishes that have extremely low environmental impact, while delivering the same high-quality results in terms of functionality and aesthetics.
- Snaidero USA has been an active member of the U.S. Green Building Council since July 1, 2008. Please tell us about your nontoxic varnishes and low-emission panels. Our company guarantees quality, protects the environment and human
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Which architects and designers collaborate on designing your lines? We have a long history of partnering with some of the most internationally renowned Italian architects and designers. This tradition was started in the ’60s by Snaidero’s founder, Rino Snaidero, and has brought the company more than 30 design awards through the decades. Our current design collaborators include Paolo Pininfarina (of Ferrari de-
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sign fame), who’s had an exclusive partnership with Snaidero for almost 30 years and has helped us introduce many innovative technologies and finishes to the world of kitchen design; Massimo Iosa Ghini; Michele Marcon, whose LOOK kitchen design won the 2017 Green Good Design award; Alessandro Andreucci and Christian Hoisl; and Mario Mazzer, a Good Design and Red Dot Design award winner, who recently designed Snaidero USA’s first luxury sideboard system and is redesigning Snaidero USA’s flagships showrooms in New York, Coral Gables (FL) and Los Angeles. What is trending in modern kitchens right now? - Large islands with surfaces of different heights and depths to designate to different functions, with different seating arrangements - Industrial influence - Dichotomies of styles, textures and moods, all while keeping the aesthetics clean and simple - Prestigious and unique wood finishes (responsibly sourced!) that give the space a lot of character What is next for the modern kitchen, in terms of technological advancements and different trends? You have to look at macro trends that are here to stay and are going to impact kitchen design for more than just a couple of years. Those trends are dictated by a lifestyle evolution, and bring about significant changes in the way we experience and interact with the kitchen. That means creating comfortable and very livable spaces where you can spend a lot of time—not just cooking, but also working, socializing, making memories—and never get tired of it. These include: - Kitchens with an architectural presence, where cabinetry is more like furniture in aesthetics and functionality, and where simple geometries and the careful use of light are used to create architectural forms - Fluid spaces that allow for an intelligent and highly personal organization of the space and your time in the kitchen - Dynamic storage elements that can be moved around and rearranged or stored away out of sight, as needed Biophilic design is a hot topic. How do you see it being incorporated
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into the kitchen? The kitchen has always been the center of the home and is even more so today, so livability is key. That includes: - Open spaces with large windows that bathe the kitchen in natural light - Natural materials that help you bring in nature, such as raw finishes, woods with an interesting grain and textures that recall natural patterns—even with their all beautiful imperfections - Seamless integration of living plants into the kitchen environment, especially using systems of open shelves on the walls, on the island and above it - Organic, flowing design that makes movement and the transition between different activities very effortless Resource: Snaidero USA 20300 South Vermont Avenue Suite 125 Torrance, CA 90502 877.762.4337 snaidero-usa.com
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IN THE FIELD
THE IMPACT OF COLOR Story by Gina Scott
Miranda Priestly: Something funny? Andy Sachs: No, no, nothing. Y’know, it’s just that both those belts look exactly the same to me. Y’know, I’m still learning about all this stuff. Miranda Priestly: This… ‘stuff ’? Oh… ok. I see. You think this has nothing to do with you. You go to your closet and you select out, oh I don’t know, that lumpy blue sweater, for instance, because you’re trying to tell the world that you take yourself too seriously to care about what you put on your back. But what you don’t know is that that sweater is not just blue, it’s not turquoise, it’s not lapis, it’s actually cerulean. You’re also blindly unaware of the fact that in 2002, Oscar de la Renta did a collection of cerulean gowns. And then I think it was Yves St Laurent, wasn’t it, who showed cerulean military jackets? And then cerulean quickly showed up in the collections of eight different designers. Then it filtered down through the department stores and then trickled on down into some tragic “casual corner” where you, no doubt, fished it out of some clearance bin. However, that blue represents millions of dollars and countless jobs and so it’s sort of comical how you think that you’ve made a choice that exempts you from the fashion industry when, in fact, you’re wearing the sweater that was selected for you by the people in this room. From a pile of “stuff.” -Meryl Streep and Anne Hathaway in “The Devil Wears Prada”
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emember when consumers sought out avocado appliances and burnt-orange countertops for their kitchens? Many of us still have pretty vivid images of the ’70s color schemes in our minds. Ever wonder why certain colors are popular during specific time periods? Color plays a major role in our economics; it drives what people buy and how they live. You may not think much about it because color is all around you every day—it’s in nature, it’s at work, it’s at home. But how does color really happen, and who decides what colors are popular? Webster’s Dictionary defines color as “a phenomenon of light (as red, brown, pink or gray) or visual perception that enables one to differentiate otherwise identical objects.” Color is something that is perceived differently by each individual eye. The appeal of different colors is up for interpretation. With such subjective concepts behind color, how do we define it in such a way that it affects our culture at its core level? Because color is such a broad and important subject, experts like Donald Kaufman play a key role. As the owner of Donald Kaufman Color, Don works with both residential and commercial clients,
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providing them with custom-mixed colors and much-needed advice. In fact, he and his wife, Taffy Dahl, an artist who works alongside him, sometimes see themselves as mediators when two people can’t decide on a color for one reason or another. Don has a background as a painter (using materials like canvas), so he has a perfect history to work with color. Because color is such a broad and important subject, experts like Donald Kaufman play a key role. As the owner of Donald Kaufman Color, Don works with both residential and commercial clients providing them with custom-mixed colors and much-needed advice. He and his wife, Taffy Dahl, an artist who works alongside him, sometimes see themselves as mediators when two people can’t decide on a color. Don has a background as a painter (using materials like canvas), so he has a perfect history to work with color. Over the years, Don and his wife have worked on projects throughout the U.S. and around the world. Their projects encompass using color to enhance tiny apartments to working on the new American Wing at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City. Don and Taffy work with people who care about how things look and “ want the right feeling” in their spaces. Not being archi-
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tects or interior designers themselves, they work together with all trades to harmonize different materials, wallcoverings, tinted concrete, etc. to create the best atmosphere for the space. “We can contribute to the poetry architects and designers create,” says Don, who describes color as a “shape-changing sensation.” He and his wife are often brought in to help decide if a color is the correct choice—it’s as simple and complex as that. Talking with Don, you understand just how much there is to know about color. He points out that “biologists believe human beings can differentiate between seven and nine million distinct shades.” Color shifts within the eye and is ever-changing. Other things that shift along with color are trends—and that’s where the avocado-green appliances come in. Who decided that green appliances would be a hit? Or did consumers already reveal what would be in style so manufacturers could produce just that? This involves color forecasting.
Donald Kaufman
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Sandra Sampson, vice president of public relations and communications for the Color Marketing Group, describes color forecasting as “determining consumer color preferences several years in advance.” Made up of volunteers, the Color Marketing Group is the leading international association of color design professionals, and has been forecasting color for over 50 years. Each year, the Color Marketing Group releases to the public four key colors, which are determined by regional color forecasting workshops known as ChromaZones® and in conferences throughout Europe, Latin America and Asia Pacific. Explains
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Sandra, “The color forecasting workshops gather together color designers, marketers, color scientists, CMF designers, and others from multiple industries to discuss their industry-specific color trend research. Our trend research is driven by what’s happening in the economy, museums, movies, television, politics and elsewhere.” The members then boil down the research to the most forward-looking colors that will appear in the market two years ahead. Each individual color forecasting workshop collaborates on a 16-color palette with supporting color trend stories. Sixty-four colors make up the CMG World Color Forecast™ and are released to the members each year at their international summit. Color forecasting dates back to 1915, when the Color Association of the United States was founded. At that point in our culture, color became an important part of the economy. Sarah says it is all about “having the right color on a product, in the right market, at the right time” that helps sell products. It’s important for all industries to understand where the trends will be with color forecasting, because, as Sarah explains, consumers desire coordinating colors—for example, a pink towel that coordinates with their pink wall and pink blender. She agrees there is an “undeniable connection between color and our emotion, and color does influence us,” so the emotional connection in color design is an important component of the color design process. “The psychology of color can be influenced by our past experiences, our preconceived notions and symbology,” Sarah says. So if a child received a blue bike and had many good memories riding it, you could expect this child to carry the happy feeling about blue into his adulthood. Conversely, we can associate negative feelings with colors, so if you grew up in a yellow bedroom and didn’t have a happy
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PPG Color of the Year Chinese Porcelain
childhood, you might never be attracted to the color yellow again. Color can be attached to just about anything. For some cultures, traditional colors are symbolic or hold special meanings. Interest groups might associate a certain color with their mission statement. Color also affects us subconsciously and even affects our behavior. Would we stop at a green stop sign? Since we generally associate the color green with go and the color red with stop, we would at least be confused by the switch—if not cause an accident by not stopping at all. “The preconceived notion that all stop signs need to be red would make it confusing to us if someone were to change the color for another,” says Sarah. “Color psychology is deeply tied to context,” she continues. “Interior designers apply colors that fit the home, hospital, bedroom or kitchen setting—not too bold for sleeping, yet lively for gathering spaces. We set the mood of our homes by the colors we apply from the front door out the back, and into our outdoor rooms in context to the room’s purpose.” Outside the home, colors are carefully chosen for hospitals and doctor’s offices because certain colors are known to be healing.
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Dee Schlotter, senior color marketing manager for PPG Paints, agrees that we use color not only as a comfort at times, but also as a reflection of what’s going on in our culture. When PPG color forecasts, she says, “We look at societal influence. After 9/11, for example, the two colors that bubbled to the surface were soft pink and chocolate brown. Soft pink is a compassionate color and chocolate brown is a cocooning, hunkering-down color. They were all over fashion and quickly came into home décor because they represented the sentiment of the world.” Dee also says that after 2008, the wall colors turned to gray to reflect the recession. However, “after a sea of gray,” she adds, “we are seeing color come back. Blues and greens are super trendy right now.” She explains that they ’ve never seen anxiety in the culture as they do now, and blue is a calming color, which is why they moved to blue as a color of the year. Color has such a wide-ranging effect on our culture that it’s hard to truly comprehend its importance. Anyone involved in the manufacturing of products is affected by color. “The right colors sell more,” says Dee. “If you get the right color in front of someone, it can help them with their project by coordinating all their pieces.” Color affects our buying choices and our moods; it can cheer us up or bring us down. It can even affect our behavior and our actions towards others. Dee thinks the global opinion on color is coming together in a way like never before. In the past, she says, different areas of the world had a harder time agreeing on similar colors to be the trend, but in the past few years, that hasn’t been the case. “I think that says the world is sharing a lot of the same sentiments,” she notes. At times, color is so mysterious that even experts who work with it have a difficult time defining it. For, as elusive and ever-changing as it is, color influences everyone around the world, every day. Its impact is more far-reaching than most of us could ever imagine. Resources: Color Marketing Group Sandra Sampson VP of Public Relations and Communications 1908 Mount Vernon Avenue 3rd Floor Alexandria, VA 22301 703.329.8500 colormarketing.org Donald Kaufman Color Donald Kaufman 336 W 37th St #801 New York, NY 10018 212.594.2608 donaldkaufmancolor.com PPG Paints Dee Schlotter Senior Color Marketing Manager 1 PPG Place Pittsburgh, PA 15272 412.434.3131 ppg.com
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DESIGN +DECOR
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A Bold New Look for a Classic Home Foley&Cox share their bright and modern design for this new, Old Greenwich home Story by Venus Vega | Photography by Felipe Bastos
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A bright, open space upon entry, surrounded by brightly colored flowers and colorful artwork, contrasts with the dark wood floors and open stairs.
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uilding and designing the home of your dreams is a process that involves many moving parts and shared roles, so finding a team to understand and execute your vision is definitely a priority. These clients found their dream team at Foley & Cox and worked together with them to design their stunning new home in Old Greenwich, Connecticut. The residence has a simple exterior that is true to the style of the area, but its interior is anything but plain. Incorporating bold artwork, vintage finds and unique lighting elements, the home is truly a reflection of its passionate owners. Discussing this project with Design + Decor, the team at Foley & Cox brought great insight into the design of this updated and streamlined classic Cape Cod shingle-style home. The Dream Team Foley & Cox has been designing extravagant interiors in the U.S. and internationally since 2002. Based in New York City, the design studio has specialized in exclusive residential projects, luxurious yachts and private aircraft interiors. Foley & Cox HOME, launched in 2007, is the firm’s first retail venture, offering customers fine European and American antiques and home luxuries from the resources and artisans that the team has identified all over the world. The store also features original Foley & Cox designs in upholstered furniture and a selection of contemporary art and accessories from artisans and exclusive crafters, including Francis Palmer, Henry Dean, Isis Ceramics, Vista Alegre and Arcahorn. Design + Decor
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Bright white paint contrasts against darker furnishings and allows for bold lighting and artwork in the cozy family room.
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Thoughtfully placed artwork and bench sit outside the entrance to the family room.
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This exquisite space boasts unique textures and lighting elements. A clean color palette allows for subtle yet bold pops of color throughout.
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Paneled walls with delicate wallpaper add warmth to the dining room, centered around a unique light-wood dining table.
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Bright white paint contrasts against darker furnishings and allows for bold lighting and artwork in the cozy family room.
Foley & Cox designer Michael Cox boasts an impressive résumé in the fields of furniture design and interior architecture, having worked in various home divisions of Polo/Ralph Lauren for 10 years. “The opportunity to create the environment that gives refuge, comfort and revitalization to our clients gives us the greatest satisfaction,” he says of his work at Foley & Cox. “We have the good fortune to develop one of the most important assets for maximum quality of life: the home.” Adding Character Creating and maintaining a great relationship with a client, Michael says, is all about open dialogue, collaboration and trust. He had worked with these clients on two previous projects, so he and his team understood their needs and goals and were able to design and complete the project efficiently in less than six months. “We were able to infuse many transformative design details that added layers of interest and charm,” he says. Staying true to their client’s sense of style, the design team evoked the sense of a welcoming embrace from the moment of entry. They thoughtfully selected colors and materials to highlight the homeowners’ love of entertaining and sharing meals and celebrations with family and friends. Using bold choices in lighting and artwork and a myriad of textures in wall, fabric and floor coverings, the team infused the character and warmth of the clients into the home. “We paired strong, dramatic lighting and artwork with subdued fabrics that allowed space for statement pieces and other focal points,” says Michael. “These include the pair of Yves Klein gold-leaf coffee tables in the living room, a custom scenic mural by Anne Harris on the walls in the dining room, and a plum lacquered powder room.” Another Design + Decor
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Custom built-ins, lavish shower, separate soaker tub and a vintage chest complete the master bathroom.
feature that especially pleased the clients is the Phillip Jeffries-wrapped master bedroom cocoon. Michael says the homeowners appreciate the sense of sanctuary created through the mixture of luxurious textures and calming monochromatic palette. Every detail—down to the materials and color palette—was carefully selected to create a harmonious and beautiful home. Custom-designed pieces mixed with vintage and antique finds transformed the new, hollow structure into a cordial, welcoming home that uniquely reflects its owners. Rich woods and warm whites establish a clean backdrop for the colorful art, eclectic furnishings and accessories throughout. To create a delicate balance of light and dark, the team darkened the floors and lightened the walls. The interior is full of beautiful personal touches and antique finds that offer the fond embrace of a loving home. Details like the vintage map of Italy, which sits proudly in the home office, celebrate the heritage of the homeowners. It was also important to the clients to acknowledge the rich tradition of Greenwich in the home. Pieces like the unexpected find of a vintage leather studded chest-on-stand, situated in the mostly modern bath, bring an appreciation for history to the otherwise modern home—what the team at Foley & Cox has coined, “This is Greenwich now.” To address the clients’ love for entertaining, the designers gave special attention to the living room: a space that transcends the traditional stiff sitting area. “We loved developing the fairytale-like mural in the dining room with the extremely talented artist Anne Harris,” says Michael. “The ‘serious whimsy’ of the room leads to a nontraditional floor plan that adapts to various entertaining scenarios.” Having worked with these clients before, the team had a well-established mutual understanding that enabled Design + Decor
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Textured walls and dramatic lighting create a dynamic experience in the master bedroom. Thoughtful furniture throughout adds comfort and function. A unique white-and-gold lighting fixture complements the subtle artwork and gentle color palette.
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them to channel their energy into creative design and even allow for some risk-taking. This all paid off, as demonstrated by the beautiful and eclectic final design—and the fact that these clients have nothing but appreciation and love for their new home in Old Greenwich. Resources: Interior Designer Foley & Cox Interiors Michael Cox 135 West 29th Street, Suite 900 New York, NY 10001 212.529.5800 foleyandcox.com Builder Garrett Wilson Builders Garrett Wilson 119 Post Road Fairfield, CT 06824 203.259.3333 garrettwilsonbuilders.com Architect Donald William Fairbanks, Architect Donald William Fairbanks 762 Kings Highway West Southport, CT 06890 203.345.6307
 dwfarchitects.com
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BIOPHILIC DESIGN 2019 ANNUAL INTERIOR DESIGN ISSUE
Biophilia is defined as the inherent human inclination to affiliate with nature. Biophilic design, an extension of biophilia, incorporates natural materials, natural light, vegetation, nature views and other experiences of the natural world into the modern built environment.
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LISA DAVENPORT
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s much as everyone loves a good beach vacation, sometimes it turns out to be more exhausting than anything else! Often the best vacations are staycations, and nothing makes a staycation better than having a beautiful place for the entire family to hang out, relax and have fun.
ture herself by using her natural creations to define spaces, create a color palette and choose finishes.”
One of the biggest challenges of working within an outdoor space is that the space will always be changing. “Because the space is predominantly an exterior space, my ‘ walls’ were often garden beds,” Lisa explains. “In an interior space, you have four walls, a ceiling and a floor. Here, my ‘ walls’ This young family decided to hire Lisa are changing constantly, depending on what Davenport Designs to create their perfect the season is, how many flowers are bloomstaycation oasis. “For these clients, the deing in that bed, how time will change the sign was driven to be comfortable and approachable,” explains Lisa, the owner and principal designer of the shrubbery, etc. So one of the biggest challenges was making sure I firm. To do this, she and her team transformed the family ’s typical was taking into account the fact that my ‘ walls’ and my space were builder’s-grade backyard into a pool and outdoor living space that all going to change.” marries the comforts of indoor living with the beauty of nature. Despite the challenges, Lisa Davenport Designs was able to create “I see biophilic design as incorporating the gifts of Mother Na- a family-friendly staycation space that is beautifully woven toture into your design aesthetic,” says Lisa. “This could be through gether with nature. By using natural stone, flowering gardens and actually assimilating life such as plants and greenery into the de- teak furnishings, Lisa Davenport crafted a comfortable place that sign, or simply through using even the suggestion of plant life in will host this family ’s staycations for years to come. fabrics and wallcoverings. In this case, I embraced Mother NaDesign + Decor
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AMY ANDREWS HILTON-INTERIORS.COM
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his project represents a tranquil Master Suite that is all about letting the natural light fill the spaces. With windows and French doors on all four sides of the room, the spaces immediately draw your eyes to embrace the wonderful views of the lake, trees, gardens and wild life that surround this home. I love to bring touches of nature indoors, like the blooming branches on the mantle! The terrace off of the Master Suite provides a special oasis for this home owner‌ and maybe a Buddy! It is easy to breathe deeply, relax, and welcome your natural surroundings in while spending time up on this secret garden terrace!
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LEIA WARD LTWDESIGN.COM
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hile every home is unique and beautiful in its own way, there’s no denying that some homes simply stand out more than others. And that’s certainly the case with this completely singular New England home. At 16,000 square feet, this mammoth of a house was built as a personal art gallery for a successful artist. Now it is being sold, and the owners hired Leia Ward and LTW Design to stage the home. Originally built by world-renowned architect Rafael Viñoly in 1997, this ultramodern home stands in stark contrast to the more traditional homes 54
of New England. With its solid concrete structure, floor-to-ceiling glass walls and 33-step staircase leading to the front door, it presented a unique challenge to the designers. “The biggest challenge for this home was that it is uber-modern and not the typical wood-shingle or clapboard New England-style home,” Leia explains. “So, instead of trying to create a warm and cozy feeling inside, we chose to embrace this element and design a superchic, modern art gallery vibe.” And because it was hired to stage the house to sell, LTW Design enjoyed complete creative control over the entire design.
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“We knew it was key to use furnishings that showcased all the bones of the home and highlighted the endless treetop and valley views,” Leia continues. “With its floor-to-ceiling windows, it literally feels like you are outside while sitting on the living room sofa. To incorporate a biophilic design, we brought in furnishings that were natural in texture, such as an oversized oak wood dining table, and contrasted them with black wood and leather chairs, keeping with the uber-modern and chic aesthetic. Clean lines, neutral colors and layering different natural elements were important for this project.” As a nod to the home’s initial purpose as a personal art gallery, LTW De-
sign’s in-house artist created original pieces to hang throughout the residence. These oversized paintings serve as an anchor in the vast spaces of the house, and their bold, neutral palette continues the modern aesthetic the designers have created. This distinctive property is incredible, not only for its size and the architect behind it, but for the dialogue it creates between the stark colors and modern structure of the home and the nature that surrounds it. It stands in its natural surroundings and among other New England homes, and after LTW Design’s exceptional staging, it is ready for its next very lucky owner. Design + Decor
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JENNIFER HOWARD JWHDESIGNS.COM
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f you sit down and have a conversation with a few home designers, you’ll come away floored by everything that goes into planning and creating a beautiful, functional space for families to enjoy. You’ll also find that no two designers have the same process for achieving this goal. JWH Design & Cabinetry, however, does share one thing in common with the other designers we’ve chosen to feature: its designs reflect a philosophy known as “biophilic design,” meaning it is very intentional about bringing the natural world into our modern—sometimes spartan—buildings and homes. “’Biophilic is relatively new to my working vocabulary, but it has been part of my design style for over 20 years,” explains Jennifer Howard, founder and principal designer of JWH Design & Cabinetry. “I have always believed that interiors need to connect with the outdoors as much as possible to create the most comfortable atmosphere for living.” This project was a little different from other projects JWH had worked on in the past. Because it was restricted to the kitchen area, JWH wasn’t able to change or add to the number of windows and doors, so the designers’ goal became to make sure the natural light was maximized in the space. “With the abundance of foliage outside the windows, it seemed natural to make the interior feel like a connection to the exterior,” says Jennifer. “Open walnut shelves kept the area between the windows light and airy. Warm colors, natural materials
and lots of wood in varied textures accomplished this goal.” Before JWH Designs worked its magic, the dark spaces of the Tudor home had stumped even its architect owner. Born and raised in California, the homeowner was used to bright and airy spaces, but what she had here was tight, bland and woefully disjointed. The original Tudor-style elements of the home were part of the appeal of the home, however, so the challenge for JWH was to incorporate those original elements in the kitchen area while updating them to feel and look more current and in line with the client’s desired aesthetic. “The natural walnut used for the open shelves and bench seat coordinate with the existing oak floors and mixed trim details that run through the home,” says Jennifer. “The existing leaded glass windows inspired the metal brackets and hardware, while the warmer cabinet color on our JWH Custom Cabinetry is a nice contrast to the white marble countertops and backsplash. The rustic beams look like they should have always been part of the home, but they were actually rescued from an old barn near our mill shop in Pennsylvania!” JWH Design & Cabinetry transformed this claustrophobic, lackluster, run-of-the-mill kitchen into a bright, inviting, natural space by finding creative ways to bring the indoors and outdoors together. Now it’s a place where the entire family can come together to cook and enjoy a meal in close proximity to the natural world outside their windows. Design + Decor
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MARIA LOIACONO
MARIALOIACONOINTERIORS.COM
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enough for it to be one of he process of my first projects as a young building and designing a designer. My dad was the home is full builder on it, so we worked of tension, together closely.” Working excitement and anticipaon her own home wasn’t tion. This will be the place as easy as it might sound, where the clients will live however. “When you’re the for many, many years, and client and the designer, the the choices that are made biggest challenge often is can’t easily be undone. Bejust to stay focused. When you’re helping other peocause of the difficulty of ple, it’s easy to see where the decisions that have to you’re going off track. But be made, it’s often up to the designer to ensure that the project stays on schedule and on when you’re your own designer, it’s hard to have the discipline to remember what’s really important.” budget. What happens, though, when the designer is the client? For those of us who have ever worked, in any field, with a somewhat difficult client, it might sound like a welcome break—but is it really? Designer Maria LoIacono had the opportunity to find out when she worked with her father on a project that would become her own home. “This project is actually my home,” says Maria. “I was lucky
The home is situated on a lake in the heart of New England. “I love living in the New England area, and I love to experience the seasons,” says Maria. “The house is mostly about light, so having all this light, I really felt I could experience the seasons as they happen.” For Maria, the bathroom is a key example of what she sought for Design + Decor
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her entire home. “The bathroom kind of underscores everything I wanted in this project,” she says. “Like the shower—I didn’t want it to be an enclosed shower where the light didn’t come in. So I built the whole shower enclosure out of glass, so when you’re taking a shower, you can look outside through the skylight. There’s also a screen that opens up to the outside, and when you take a shower, depending on the time of day, you’ll get different kinds of light coming in. To me that makes it so special—it’s almost like taking a shower outside with nature.” Perhaps her favorite area of the house, however, is the gym that sits at the very highest point of the home, on the third floor, with the treetops surrounding it. “I always tell my clients that if they ’re going to use a space a lot, they should put it where they ’re going to enjoy using it,” she says. “So, for me, that was really high up, where I could see the trees and the sky and the birds and everything else. Many people treat the gym as an afterthought, but I thought it was important that it be somewhere I would enjoy using it.” Maria wanted her home to be full of light and to marry the inside of the home with the outside. Through her intentional use of windows, color, natural materials and room placement, she has done just that. Design + Decor
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TINA ANNINO
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t the end of a long day of hard work, there’s nothing better than coming home to a beautiful space and a nice hot shower—except for coming home to a beautiful space and a personal spa in
your basement. “This space was meant for the clients to unplug from tensions and the daily grind and to regenerate,” explains Tina Annino from ABC Stone. “So I suggested organizing it like a little spa, including a relaxation area with loungers and a tea area, a sauna, a shower with a series of heads and different jets equipped with an integrated chromotherapy system, and a wonderful hot tub.” ABC Stone, Tina explains, believes in creating a “strong dialogue with nature in our projects by carefully studying both the details of the external spaces and the views from inside the green areas surrounding the building.” The only issue with this project was that it is completely underground. “I first sought to bring natural light into the environment,” Tina says, “making part of the floor of the gym located above it with glass plates and a metal structure.” Because the transparent gym floor was situated near its large windows, “the light that seeped down from above already brought reflections of green. But to give a continuum between the inside and outside, I also added basins of plants, black pebbles and pieces of wood. This would enhance the interior environment with nature itself, and allow my clients to enjoy the beautiful view that these elements create, thus increasing the feeling of well-being that an environment dedicated to relaxation needs to inspire.” ABC Stone also chose to work with a stone product called Lapitec to form the walls, stairs and flooring of the space. “Lapitec was chosen because the client had requested a natural material that has an excellent aesthetic impact, combined with long service life and easy cleaning, and where large-format slabs could be used,” says Tina. The choice to use Lapitec for almost every surface within the space, however, led to some complications. “With the same material chosen for different finishes, it was a great challenge to diversify the use of the same material for the floor, stair covering and wall cladding, and to integrate this with the indoor garden and the other materials— marble and wood,” Tina explains. Ultimately, however, the team at ABC Stone succeeded in creating a space that met all these challenges and provides the homeowners with their own personal spa. According to Tina, “We did all this not only through the décor and finishes, but also through the distribution of the spaces for personal well-being, and by integrating cutting-edge technology into a smart system that is efficient, personalized and capable of simplifying everyday actions.” Design + Decor
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MELISSA ADAMS GRUBER AIDESIGNNY.COM
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f you’ve lived in the Northeast for awhile, you’re probably familiar with the long, cold winters that plague us. For some, the crisp air and soft snow are welcome excuses to light the fireplace and snuggle beneath your blankets with a cup of hot cocoa and your favorite Netflix series. For others, it means being cooped up inside, separate from the beauty and peace of the outdoors. For this homeowner and designer, her love for the outdoors inspired her to “bring the outdoors in” through a biophilic design so that those long winter evenings spent indoors wouldn’t feel quite so separate from nature. “I love the outdoors and have always enjoyed creating ‘rooms’ within my own landscaping, so it’s natural for me to bring that to the interior as well,” explains Melissa Adams Gruber, owner of Adams Interior Design, as she Design + Decor
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discusses the natural aesthetic she seeks to create. In all her designs, Melissa says she tries to “blend, rather than separate, the outside and the inside, incorporating natural materials such as wood, stone and plants to create the atmosphere.” For this design, Melissa had free reign to blend the outside and the inside, since the home is actually her own. “In this particular design, there is a large fenced-in garden just outside that’s in easy view through the large windows,” she says. “Additionally, the view of the Hudson Valley spreads before you, so there’s not much need for actual artwork—the exterior created the art for us. The natural stone fireplace blends with the stone ledges outside, and the white birch branches from a fallen tree provide a perfect addition.” Throughout the space, Adams Interior Design used actual branches from a birch tree, wood-beaded light fixtures, Connecticut stone, bleached wood, reclaimed lumber and accents of quartz and white coral to create the feeling of being deeply entrenched in nature, even while being indoors. The choice of paint color, however, was probably the most important decision for solidifying the blend between outside and inside. “ The paint color is a neutral olive green that disappears when you look at the view, making the vista the most important focus,” Melissa says. For Melissa, designing with such beautiful natural materials comes naturally to her. It helps her create a space that makes her feel connected to the outdoors. As she says, “the only problem is finding someone to help me carry in such large, heavy branches!” Design + Decor
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HEIDI THRUN
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ehind the philosophy of biophilic design is the desire to return to nature. No matter how amazing our urban areas and technological advances, there’s something calming and refreshing about nature that will always have a pull on us amid our loud and busy
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“As a designer from Australia,” Heidi says, “I tend to bring out a lot of open-flow designs. Most of my clients want to live in a casual but beautiful home, so an open-plan kitchen that flows into a family room is very important to me in my designs. However, I also do rooms like the little room here with four white chairs next to the fireplace. It’s a cozy little nook for people to enjoy on a cold winter’s day.”
For the designers at Bel Mondo, biophilic design means “using elements from the outside and bringing them inside to create a very calming, tranquil setting that my clients can relax in and enjoy,” explains owner Heidi Thrun. For this project, the designers were very intentional about choosing textures, materials and a color palette that would blend together create a relaxing space.
For Bel Mondo, creating exactly the right lighting for the space is also very important in biophilic design. “Soft lighting was very important, as was leaving the windows open to bring the outside in,” notes Heidi. “I don’t like to cover up a lot of the windows, since being able to look outside is crucial to creating a calm and relaxing space. I did use window treatments in this project to add Heidi says that they decided to use natural wood as an underly- a little bit of warmth, but they are very subtle and leave plenty of ing texture throughout the space. The chandeliers have natural room to view the scenery outside.” wooden beads; wicker chairs circle the dining room table. The fabrics that cover the sofas and armchairs are natural linens, and a By listening to their clients and understanding what they wanted, bright white with pops of natural colors were selected to create a Heidi Thrun and the team at Bel Mondo were able to create the perfect space for their clients to relax and entertain. serene, cheerful ambience. Design + Decor
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JAN HILTZ
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or some construct custom doors homeowners, with reclaimed wood, and one of the to add beautiful wood biggest decifurniture with interesting sions they ’ll carvings at every oppormake in the design protunity,” she says. cess is the color palette. For this husband and “We were very lucky with wife, however, “The clithis project, as we were ents were very definite the project managers that there be an absence for the building of this house, so we had a blank of color,” explains Jan Hiltz of Jan Hiltz Inteslate,” she continues. riors. The wife, a juried However, without the use of color, it would still be black-and-white photogdifficult to create a cozy rapher, was much more interested in the creative and inviting atmosphere, so the designers had to use of textures. So inbe very intentional about stead of using color to create the clients’ desired everything they chose to include in the space. atmosphere, Jan had to “We used reclaimed and rely on textures alone to do the job—and, in so doing, had a unique opportunity to in- antique woods, six-inch white oak flooring, natural oak cabinets, a raw piece of wood for the island counter, natural wocorporate nature throughout the design. ven blinds, and handmade carpets made of wool. We also chose “We feel that natural textures are a perfect way to incorporate sumptuously-crocheted alpaca blankets from Argentina to grace nature,” says Jan. “It doesn’t have to be so literal as having pot- the upholstery.” ted plants everywhere, but in building materials, there are lots of opportunities to incorporate biophilic design. One perfect By the end of the project, Jan Hiltz Interiors was able to create place is with choosing beautiful wood floors, since floors are an almost completely colorless home that was still completely one of the largest plains in any given room.” cozy and inviting. In this design, Jan took advantage of the clients’ desire for a colorless space “to add antique ceiling beams from old barns, to Design + Decor
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LINDA RUDERMAN LINDARUDERMAN.COM
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lot of people enjoy decorating their own home. Deciding exactly what furniture to place where, what artwork to hang on the walls, and what colors to incorporate throughout each room is fun and exciting. However, as Linda Ruderman of Linda Ruderman Interiors Inc. explains, a lot more goes into designing a space than simply figuring out how you’re going to furnish it.
that sort of blend in with the room, so it won’t be a distraction. For example, you can see that in the office, the windows are very wide open, and the fabric blends into the woodwork in the room so it doesn’t interrupt the view. The doors are all open to the outside, the outdoor furniture has the same color palette and wood finish that the interior room has, and the color tones blend together nicely.”
“When designers walk into a room, they innately look at every aspect of it,” says Linda. “We think about where the doors and the windows are, whether there’s a fireplace, what’s outside. When I’m involved in a project, I walk through the home and stand in each room. Of course, I’ll look at the size of the room and how it’s laid out, but I mainly look at what I can see outside— whether I’m facing water, woods or open, rolling lawns. I take all that into consideration in decorating the room.”
Linda’s design philosophy continued into the other rooms as well. “With the bathroom, you can see that we kept it very neutral so that it blends in with the water,” she says. “Nothing interrupts the eye when you look in the bathroom, and it’s very soothing. In the bedroom, we wanted to use a very soothing pattern also. This room actually overlooks a formal garden, so here we were able to bring the outside in and the inside out. We have the blues of the water, as well as the pale greens of the garden.”
This home, a new build for a couple who wanted a new start with their “bucket list” home, was built on a private island, so it’s completely surrounded by water. “For a home that overlooks the water, it’s all about choosing materials that won’t interrupt the line of sight to the water,” says Linda. “I angle the furniture in the room so everyone can enjoy the water views. I choose fabrics
Despite a quick 16-month timeline, this project turned out exactly as the clients had imagined. “There are always challenges when you’re building a home,” says Linda, “but there weren’t any standout challenges with this one. The only real challenge was the timeline—but we did it!” Design + Decor
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KATHARINE KELLY RHUDY REEDACANTHUS.COM
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or most of us, the vast majority of our time is spent indoors. In fact, some studies have found that an average of 90% of the time, we’re inside our house, our work building or other indoor location. There’s no denying, however, that the outdoors can have a calming, rejuvenating effect on us that the indoors simply can’t replicate. So Katharine Kelly Rhudy of Reed & Acanthus Interior Design uses biophilic design, she says, “to bring the outdoors in and capture the feeling of well-being you have when you’re outside hiking or walking on the beach.” “Some of the ways I incorporate biophilic design,” Katharine explains, “is by using natural light by avoiding heavy window treatments and utilizing views with big windows, French doors and window seats. I also tend to use colors and materials found in nature, such as floral fabrics, lattice wallpapers, and light greens, blues and beiges.” The owners of this home—a professional couple in their 60s with a recently empty nest—had decided it was time to sell and downsize to a house that would better suit their new stage of life. Their home, however, needed an update, and Reed & Acanthus Interior Design was hired for the project. “This Georgian-style home is situated on four impeccably landscaped acres and borders a nature preserve,” Katharine explains. “The rooms and windows are large and offer fabulous views of a variety of trees and gardens, a number of porches
and a swimming pool—all of which are peaceful and private. The goal was to bring in the beauty of the surrounding nature and the accompanying sense of calm.” “We used an updated color scheme of aquas, greens and creams,” she continues, “reupholstering many pieces and adding new floor and window coverings, new lamps and lighting, some art and accessories, and a few transitional pieces like club chairs and a coffee table.” The challenge with any home that has such large, formal rooms, though, is to create a space that is equally warm and inviting. “One of the best features of the living room is the very large bank of bay windows,” says Katharine. “In order to have unobstructed views but still incorporate the warmth necessary in a large room, we chose simple silk stripe drapery panels in very soothing shades of aqua, green and cream from Colefax & Fowler. In the gentleman’s library, we used earthy tones of brown, green and beige and added a comfy down window seat overlooking the grassy lawn for reading and quiet moments of contemplation.” “The design can be described as updated traditional,” she says. “With its grand entry and large, millwork-filled rooms, this home epitomizes luxury, tranquility and elegance.” Katharine says that by the time she and her team were finished with the home, “the couple loved the final result so much, they decided not to sell.”
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LARA MICHELLE LARAMICHELLE.COM
Photography by: Chuan Ding
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s well-loved as biophilic design is, it can often present unique challenges that designers have to decide how to overcome. For instance, when using a neutral color palette throughout an entire space, it can be difficult to make sure that the room is also interesting, warm, and inviting. When Lara Michelle of Lara Michelle Designs was approached about this project, the clients informed her that they wanted “a natural, light-filled, bright, and airy space.” “ They loved neutral tones and the use of earthy materials such as stone, wood, iron, and leather…because they love bringing the look and feel of nature inside their home, but in a chic and modern way,” Michelle explained. Throughout this space, Michelle achieved this look “by using lots of texture and some pops of pattern such as the angles in the stair railing, and the zig-zagging rug pattern A few pops of black here and there also break up all of the lighter neutrals.”
Previously, the home had been a terrible yellow, with outdated floors that made the space look extremely busy. Lara Michelle Designs took out some of the half-walls that had boxed the space in, then completely redecorated the space to make it light, airy, open, and streamlined. “ The artisan iron railing compliments the huge stone wall running up the staircase beautifully. For the foyer floor, we selected porcelain tiles in large format that resemble natural stone in an off-white color to keep the space open, light-filled and airy. The modern skylights help to bring in the sunlight and enhance the style,” Michelle said. The design team turned the ugly, closed-off, and outdated space and made it a modern, chic, and natural home that is completely inviting and comfortable and that this family will be able to enjoy for many years.
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BARBARA LEWIS
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iophilic design is a philosophy that many designers hold to, but it means something a little different to each one. For some, it involves actively pulling in pieces of the outdoors with a wide variety of natural materials. For others, like the designers of Lewis Design Group, it means marrying the indoors and the outdoors through a fusion traditional materials and natural prints and color schemes. The dining room of this home is a perfect example of this kind of fusion. At once whimsical and traditional, Barbara Lewis designed this space to complement the greenery that could be seen right outside the window. “The beautiful, lush greenery in the window view is brought inside throughout the space - a large plant anchors one corner of the dining room, a grand orchid makes a stunning vignette out of the dining table and chandelier and plants on the console/mirror vignette add depth and character to the design,� Lewis explained. Throughout the space, light greens and creams come together in a variety of patterns to create the whimsical-meets-traditional atmosphere of the room, and the window seat serves as a bright focal point for the space. Altogether, this room is a beautiful example of the biophilic marriage of indoors and outdoors. Design + Decor
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The stately elegance and character of this estate remain intact though the house has been transformed to offer all the amenities of comfortable 21st-century living. Exterior solid stone walls have been carefully renovated to their original beauty. A new graduated slate roof gives this residence a fresh yet classic appearance.
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IT’S IN THE DETAILS Charles Hilton Architects transform a dated stone home into a spectacular country estate in Greenwich Story by Natalie Betts | Photography by Robert Benson
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his country house on a six-acre estate in Greenwich, CT, was meticulously restored and updated by Charles Hilton Architects in collaboration with Significant Homes of New Canaan. Built of solid fieldstone in the 1940s, the home fit well in its bucolic setting, yet was showing its age both inside and out. In partnership with interior designer Tricia Foley, Charles Hilton Architects undertook the lofty task of thoroughly renovating the property, which included an extensive overhaul of the exterior, the replacing of most of the mechanical systems, selective reconfiguration of the interior home’s plan and the addition of a new breakfast bay and mudroom. The clients’ wish list included renovating the main home and guest
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cottage, both of which required several floor-plan changes to accommodate the needs of 21st-century living. The homeowners explicitly wanted to preserve the classic Georgian colonial interior, maintain a traditional and low-maintenance exterior, and optimize energy-efficiency through the use of geothermal and spray-foam insulation. “We tried to create a cohesive look for the home, preserving and enhancing its traditional Georgian character, while adding new elements to make the home live well for today, and seamlessly integrating the many modern amenities that today’s discerning owners expect,” notes Chuck Hilton, principal of the firm. From the Outside In Relatively unchanged since its original construction, the home first needed exterior refurbishment. Charles Hilton Architects carefully
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The family room has a comfortable connection to the kitchen. The custom cabinetry is complementary to the adjacent kitchen. An open concept family room and kitchen give the home a contemporary feel.
analyzed and replicated the stonework and mortar in areas of additions and repairs around the exterior. The design team specified a new graduated slate roof, and custommade thermo pane Tischler windows and doors. The team also added a new geothermal HVAC system and spray foam insulation throughout to significantly improve the comfort and efficiency of the house. The installation of new windows, doors, ducting and structural steel required both the expansion of the interior furring depth and the exact matching of existing stone to lend a timeless quality to the new work. Reconfiguring the Guest Cottage The guest cottage required extensive repairs and significant reconfiguring on a tight timeline, as the owners would be living there while the property’s main house was being renovated. Although this rustic garden cottage was outdated and poorly organized, it was clearly a special building. The design team’s aim was to restore and enhance the original structure while referencing the stone Georgian revival character of the main house. Day-to-day comfort and ease of use were also chief priorities—a 94
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With its refurbished bookshelves and warm walnut flooring, the study is a cozy nook for reading. Beautifully surrounded by windows, the room provides the perfect atmosphere for reading.
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driving force behind the total reconfiguration of the cottage’s original, tangled plan, which was a labyrinthine network of small, dimly-lit rooms.
The master bedroom has been transformed into a beautiful retreat, with a warm and inviting sitting room and the addition of a new master bath. One of the best features of the upstairs master bedroom is the marble mantel that the clients had custom-carved for the room.
Despite its comparatively small size, the cottage needed significant repair to remedy areas of rot, insect damage and degraded masonry. Although the thick stone walls added to the small structure’s charm, the interior walls were often too shallow to accommodate modern utilities and sufficient insulation. They had to be furred out or, in many cases, completely rebuilt. The cottage’s original plan was unnecessarily compact, and its winding stair complicated access to the lower level. Cutting a new, more comfortable stair through the existing structure proved especially challenging but, despite its larger size, the relocated stair significantly helped to open and simplify the plan. The design team completely reconfigured the old plan for ease of use and comfort. Gutting down to the studs allowed for Design + Decor
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Built in the 1940s of solid fieldstone, the home has been meticulously brought back to its original beauty and charm by Charles Hilton Architects in collaboration with Significant Homes of New Canaan, CT.
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Small details show the care taken when the house was restored. The windows have been custom-made to fit the style of the home.
a complete overhaul of the cottage’s outdated electrical, HVAC and plumbing. A new stair to the lower level offers easy access to additional storage for garden tools and a laundry facility. The country setting inspired a simple farmhouse aesthetic throughout, enhanced by simple, elegant trim and finishes. The fieldstone exterior lends the cottage a durable, timeless quality, which the team strove to imbue in the interiors as well. They chose quality and durable natural materials, including stone and porcelain tile floors, beadboard walls and stone countertops. To provide for modern comforts, they used current technologies throughout, including LED lighting, low-e glazing, spray foam insulation and hydro-air HVAC. The new reconfigured plan makes the best use of the cottage while enhancing the cozy comfort of a compact space. The two main axes of the new plan draw attention to two favorite features: the breakfast bay addition and the greenhouse wing. The new breakfast bay not only enhances the front façade by adding visual interest, but also terminates the line of sight from the living room through the kitchen. The bay provides extra light and much-needed space to the kitchen, and supplies another view of the gardens to the whole living area. Another sight line from the kitchen allows views through the stair hall to Design + Decor
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the restored greenhouse beyond. The greenhouse wing anchors the cottage within the gardens and the pool terrace, and ties the living space with the outdoors. It’s not simply a utilitarian space, however: the greenhouse is occasionally used for evening dinner parties. Main House Overhaul While the main house needed to be fully updated, much of its basic layout remained the same. The service areas off the kitchen were reconfigured and expanded with a new stairway to provide 100
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direct access to the guest suite over the garage. The team added a breakfast conservatory off the kitchen, and extensively updated the library and master suite to suit the clients’ needs. Adjacent to the conservatory, the kitchen, family room and dining room form the core of the house, an idea that is reinforced by the easy flow between the rooms and their central location between the two staircases. A stone-topped island and broad opening define the separation between kitchen and family room.
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Though the designers meticulously considered each individual room, their objective was to create a coherent and cohesive design. “We chose new hand-finished walnut floors by Historic Floors to unify the house and provide a particularly pleasant contrast to the traditional white millwork and trim,” explains Chuck. The kitchen and adjacent family room are traditional in form, but offer a host of modern conveniences. These rooms reflect the harmonious coexistence between traditional detail and modern lifestyle, which informed Chuck’s approach to the design as a whole.
The scope of the renovation work for the main house was also broad, including both the interior and exterior. The inside of the house needed much more intense updating. In many areas the interior plaster walls had been laid on thin furring directly against the stone of the exterior façade. To provide for utilities and insulation, the team removed the interior finishes along the outside walls to make way for deeper framing. They reused or duplicated the original trim and moldings to preserve the home’s character, and Design + Decor
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augmented the main entry staircase with more detailed and stylistically appropriate Georgian railing components. Located off the kitchen, the new breakfast conservatory provides a generous amount of natural light and extends the family ’s living space with views to the rear garden. Both the kitchen and adjoining family room were outfitted with new custom cabinetry. On the opposite end of the house, the library features a new cove ceiling, bay window, paneling and cabinetry. Designers also reimagined the second-floor master bedroom with the addition of a master bath that was formerly a small study. The new space features a double vanity, walnut floors, Carrara vanity tops and an arched tub niche, providing, as Chuck notes, “cozy elegance in an otherwise tight space.” The study ’s fireplace was flipped to open into the master bedroom,and features a Chesneys’s marble mantel. 102
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Historic—and Modern Although not a strict preservation project, the renovation of this home has preserved its unique colonial revival character while enhancing its scale and charm. The choice of durable, natural materials pays homage to the historic house and its natural surroundings, yet respect for the past has not eschewed modernity. Thoroughly modern infrastructure mixed with classic charm has made a comfortable, timeless garden retreat that is neither oversized nor overdone. Indeed, as thorough and extensive as this renovation was, the stately elegance and character of the estate remains intact as this remarkable country house has been transformed into a home with all the amenities for comfortable 21st-century living.
Resources: Architect Charles Hilton, AIA Charles Hilton Architects 170 Mason Street Greenwich, CT 06830 203.489.3800 hiltonarchitects.com Interior Design Tricia Foley Design Tricia Foley Design 631.924.0146 triciafoley.com Landscape Design Lindsay Grimes Lindsay Burn Landscape Design 561.319.5225 lindsayburn.com Contractor Significant Homes, LLC 199 Elm Street New Canaan, CT 06840 203.966.5700 significanthomesllc.com
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PROFILE
Rings End’s latest offering: CURATOR G eneral Paints Group, one of the leading paint manufacturers in Ireland, debuts its Irish designer paint collection – Curator – for the first time in the U.S. today. Inspired by the creative works of 29 Irish artists and designers, Curator’s 144-colour collection is a blend of ultra-premium quality paint with stunning colours infused with native Irish art and design. Curator comes in five unique finishes.
The Curator team traveled across Ireland sourcing and collaborating with the 29 Irish designers and artisans – from potters and milliners, to jewelers and fashion designers – to produce a carefully curated original palette of 144 colours that each tell a tale of living, working and creating in Ireland. Curator believes a home should have colours that reflect a soul, and a story of something unique to them. That is why each of the colours are unique and personal to Ireland and its expressive design community. Each designer has a colour that means something special to them and unlocks the natural world around them. The collection will initially be available in select stores in Connecticut, followed by additional launches in California and Oregon throughout 2019. “We are thrilled to introduce to the U.S. a premium paint collection that is not only available in 5 beautiful finishes but also comprises of colours that are literally inspired by Irish heritage and design,” said Kevin O’Connor, managing director of General Paints Group. “Our collaboration with the Irish Design Community was instrumental in 104
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shaping the colour palette. Our hope is to inspire U.S. architects, interior designers, homeowners and style aficionados, and to ultimately help their rooms tell a story.”
Speaking on the launch of Curator at their Darien and Fairfield stores, Scott Herling, Manager of Paint Sales and Operations at Rings End commented; “We are excited to be a part of Curator’s debut in the U.S. market and look forward to sharing Curator with our customers. We are so impressed with how comprehensive yet accessible the palette is, we are confident it’s going to be a success with our customers, both designers and homeowners.” Curator paint is environmentally friendly. It is water based, low odor and suitable for every room in the house or for any decorating project. All Curator paint has been tested to the European standard for interior paint quality, EN13300, with a Class 1 rating for scrub resistance and opacity. The five finishes include Enhanced Matt which offers a luxurious soft feel, washable finish for interiors walls; Subtle Sheen, an elegant interior wall finish with a beautiful sheen; 3 sheen finishes are available for wood & metal, Gloss, Satin & Eggshell. Curator is available in Rings End’s Fairfield and Darien stores beginning May 15th. Resource: Rings End ringsend.com
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