East Coast Home + Design March / April 2017 by East Coast Home Publishing

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EAST

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HOME+DESIGN MARCH / APRIL 2017

ISSUE 85

A Life Captured with Timeless Grace

In a Southampton home near the sea, Kim E. Courtney Interiors & Design create a sophisticated space for full lives Story by Deborah Brannon Photography by Ric Marder Imagery

Modern Love

Renovated Ranch Resurrected into Modern, EnergyEfficient Marvel with everything a family could ever long for Story by Jessica Rivest Photography by Matthew Williams

Modern Barn Life

Sarah Weiland shines while forging the funky line between modern elements and industrial rusticism Story by Deborah Brannon Photography by Neil Landino

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Editors Letter Ask the Experts Profile

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E A S T

C O A S T

HOME+DESIGN March / April 2017

ISSUE 85

Editor-in-Chief Matthew J. Kolk mattkolk@me.com 203-820-1092 Managing Editor James Eagen Contributing Writers Deborah Brannon, Lisa Gant, Susan Heller, Lollie Mathews, Jennifer Jackson-Outlaw, Jessica Rivest, Kait Shea 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 shelley_mccormick@yahoo.com 203-545-7091 Account Managers Alessandra Flanagan Patrick Giddings Lollie Mathews Business Development John Oleynick East Coast Home + Design 111 Forest Avenue, Fairfield, CT 06824 Fax: 203-286-1850

East Coast Home + Design is published six issues per year. To subscribe: www.eastcoasthomepublishing.com; Subscriptions: one year, $28; two years, $50. Back issues can be purchased at www.eastcoasthomepublishing.com. For editorial inquiries: Editor, East Coast Home + Design, 111 Forest Avenue, Fairfield, CT 06824 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 East Coast Home + Design are not necessarily those of the magazine.

EAST COAST HOME PUBLISHING 111 FOREST AVENUE FAIRFIELD, CT 06824 EASTCOASTHOMEPUBLISHING.COM

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EDITOR’S LETTER E A S T C O A S T

HOME+DESIGN November / December 2016

ISSUE 83

Publisher Shelley E. McCormick e definitely lucked out this winter. Sure, we shelley_mccormick@yahoo.com had a few days of “true” winter with some 203-545-7091

snow, but now that we are into March, with Account Managers the time change right around the corner, Dearbornto take a look around our we haveLisa a chance Giddings homes and plan our projectsPatrick for spring. Lollie Mathews

In light of last years drought, Chiamulera of Austin Ganim BusinessEva Development shares with us a beautifulRandi variety of drought K. Lehrman, Esq.resistant plantings to insure your homeMarketing can maintain regardless the water levels. & Salescolor Advisor to the GoldofCoast Easthas Coast Home + Design Our Melange department been taken over by some of our fa111 Forest Avenue, Fairfield, CT 06824 vorite designers sharing their looks for Spring. Great new picks Fax: 203-286-1850 and insider resources to help guide you.

We also get three different lessons from our Experts in the Field on three vastly different topics: Trends in new lighting from the Lightovation International light show in Dallas, The Art of UnEast Coast Home + Design is published six issues per year. To subscribe: www.eastcoasthomepublishing.com; Subderstanding a Client and onat Closet Design. scriptions: one year, $28; two years, $50. Collaborating Back issues can be purchased www.eastcoasthomepublishing.com. For editorial inquiries: Editor, East Coast Home + Design, 111 Forest Avenue, Fairfield, CT 06824 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 East Coast Home + Design are not necessarily those of the magazine.

This issue is a very informational one, I hope this assists in the process of making your home, your home. Best,

EAST COAST HOME PUBLISHING 111 FOREST AVENUE FAIRFIELD, CT 06824 EASTCOASTHOMEPUBLISHING.COM

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MELANGE

Refresh for Spring ROBIN MCGARRY robinmcgarry.com

My design philosophy is to create unique designs for each client- and these vendors allow us to customize to our clients’ specific needs, which we love to do! I don’t use the “formula philosophy” or “cookie cutter attitude” to create a “signature look”; I would hope that my signature is creating a great design for each client- reflecting their personality, not mine. Although we may incorporate an accessory or fabric that is “current” or fun with the look of today, I keep larger furnishing purchases classic and timeless, as they are long-term investments for clients. Trends come and go.

Swarovski Lighting swarovski-lighting.com Swarovski available through Connecticut Lighting offers customizable sizes and LED energy efficient fixtures.

Wud Furniture wudfurniture.com Resin Table with extreme durability and customization

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The Silk Touch thesilktouch.com The Silk Touch customizes floral arrangements with the finest silk in the world for corporate and residential interiors.

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American Leather americanleather.com Semi Customizable sizes for leather sofas. Great quick ship program and Eco friendly leather options.

The Silk Touch thesilktouch.com The Silk Touch customizes floral arrangements with the finest silk in the world for corporate and residential interiors.

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L&M Custom Carpets lmcustomcarpets.com Completely customizable hand-tufted rugs or carpets for any application

Eldorado Embossed Vinyl Wallpaper elitis.fr Wallcovering offering amazing designs and colors. Durable Vinylâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s for exciting Walls.

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CONNIE COOPER conniecooperdesigns.com Connie Cooper Designs does not impose a signature style, instead Connie listens to her clients and guides them in expressing their own personal style. She will help create an elegant and timeless design that can be enjoyed for years to come. This spring it is all about color and adding fresh new colors to accent your home design. The quickest way to refresh your home is to change a few colors either in a rug, wall color, accent lamp or kitchen backsplash and you will get a new look without having to redo the whole space.

Canopy Designs canopydesigns.com Arno-8 Series Chandelier-Turquoise, white and brass

AriaSilk Reserve newmoonrugs.com

Custom Glass Mosaic Tile - Zazen newravenna.com This custom glass tile in beautiful shades aqua,teal.cream and green provides an amazing backdrop for any kitchen or bathroom application. The fresh colors can be mixed with both light or saturated colors. Thru Karen Berkemeyer Home

Hand knotted blend of Tibetan wool, Chinese silk and natural nettle fibers I saw this rug at the NY Gift Show and could not take my eyes off the colors and design. This rug would look great with the Caroline Hydrangea lamp and Villa Nova fabric. The pretty silver ground is highlighted with amazing shades of blue.

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Glass Field Tile - Vihara sonomatilemakers.com This field tile in a lovely shade of seafoam is a perfect companion to the glass mosaic tile Zazen. The glass is a mix of different shades of blues and greens. Thru Karen Berkemeyer Home

Caroline Hydrangea Table Lamp getlitltd.com This graceful shape of this this lamp combined with the fresh â&#x20AC;&#x153;Hydrangea colorâ&#x20AC;? is a great coordinate with the Villa Nova fabric.

Bonbori Cornflower villanova.co.uk Contemporary geometric weave. Collection Kabuki

East Coast Home + Design

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JAN HILTZ janhiltzinteriorsllc.com When I think of Spring I think it is the perfect time to add a few new items into your decor. Swap out your tired old light fixture over your kitchen table will make you smile when you come home. Fun exotic lamps will give your Living Room a wonderful face lift. Something as simple as beautiful candlesticks will add elegance to your coffee table. Small spaces are always easy fixes whether it be a small Powder room with fun wallcovering or an odd space with wonderful art and an enchanting sofa table. Have fun with your home this Spring

Story by Lisa Gant

Slim Open Block Console with Marble Top globalviews.com Global Views for those small spaces

Gold Windham lamp worlds-away.com Worlds Away unexpected dash of elegance.

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3/7/17 10:57 AM Designer Kicthen Architect Front In Ourdoor the of Se Fie 2B

shingle style facades on these projects because people want that comfort exterior that feels like home. But as architects, how are we challenging ourselves to translate the more modern interior to a different particularly during the first few eri McKay ne actually of the usedmost to shy challenging away from using conditions white in any provide adequate water to the plants,Resources exterior, whatever that is? in her designs, landscape thinking is shade, it wasn’t it can very be interesting caused by several in fac- years while their root systems establish, even drought tolerant or xeriScott Hobbs:concept. People Now, looksuch at modern houses and think, it’s going to become established enough tors various as large shadescanopy of white trees areand heradjacent go-to build- scape plants will need sufficient water Hammered in Time elcome to It’s atrue. new Ifyear to andsurvive in that it’s months a new start. Isn’t itDewitt great? time autilizdigit thevein, dry hot of late summer. We Every recommend of ings; colors for paint,therugs lawn and inupholstery. this area is She struggling Aaron to leak like a palette sieve, this is a typically nightmare, but that is2016! no longer changes on the calendar, we all get to start fresh! I can feel it in the air. I feel that this is going to to provide water directly be to that toyou’re white thrivecan orbeindramatic some serene, hasload, become dependbarehave soil ing either drip irrigation or soaker hoses 203.343.2224 you’re in Newlearned England, designing forcases aorsnow and you a year of growth, a year of personal challenge. A year of change and a year of excellence. decomposed leaf compost, it onof how it’s used conjunction and the plantings witha the areother leggy design and sparse. elementsWe desire hammeredintime.com a ing heck a flat roof,inyou’ve also got heck of an infrastructure there the root zone. If there is not a natural in more the from these Keri believes they need thatnot white be empty can beifvoids incorporated yard, may be necessary to top dress the desired planting areas with a thin that youroom. don’tIndeed, need areas, most of the time. Whereas, youwithin have athe pitched Look around. Take a even second of your up day and look around at how we are becoming simplistic in our lives. tomore alter the Furniture topography more into instead any design with style careful andload, plant create selection a sense of these inbeaout brightened miniIndustrial Revival Company roof, you can shed the distribute it.warmth, Sospaces as thecan products continue layer of compost, being cautious not Speaking with my cohorts, the revaluation of our lives is complete. We, as a society have become more simplistic of Hawker any changes adjacent to the withfurnished color and space. are capable of being transformed into a contempovisual focal than a few inches, which staying clear Justin tomally develop perhaps we’ll seeinmore of a shift toward more our destination; needs. We have shed, for a transition lack of a better word: on possessing fewer items, but trunk rootstuff flare,and so have as toconcentrated not harm the trees. a pleasant path; a shady an interesting 203.395.8806 rarypoint; and modern structures. personally significant items. Shefrom hasVita: experimented a woodlands with layering the possibilities different are endless. of who whiteslove and modern Lucien We areedge; pleased to find thatshades clients Color in the garden comes not only fromDesigns flowers but also foliage, off-whites, creating a sense of depth and visual texture without Cynthia design are feeling emboldened theagrowing trend modern It“White isby truly challenge to thetoward community. It isand no longer about sheer volume of possessions, theflowers meanbranches. Plantings in Cynthia shadier spots oftenbut have even The needing first step to include towards color. a successful isplanting classic and is evokes assessing ashelter sense the space to stems Davis interiors, and inpossessions fact are looking forthey a fully modern exterior as well. ing of those and how influence our daily lives. You can see it in the pages of our magazine. One great item instead of of blue, purple and pink, five the of determine freshness and the sophistication,” amount of sunlight, she says. understanding Keri likes towhether take all-the space that bloom in white or pastel shades 203.268.8928 We non-important believe that theitems. acceptance of was our the passion for modern interiors is Because we want to live in smaller spaces, more responsibly. Storage, catch phrase of 2015. Why? from a few days to several weeks; white receives roomspartial and furnish sun, partial backdrops shade, to highlight full shadeartwork, or deeparchitecshade is critical floral display can last for anywhere cynthiadesigns.com leading to a growing confidence and acceptance of modern exteriors. tural to features preventing or athe simply plants naturally from becoming stunning view. misshapen by stretching for however individuals seeking bolder colors or four seasons of interest Howard People want energy houses, they don’t Isunlight, lookLathrop: forward working with partners in 2016 to showcase individual innovations and showcase their talents our audience. examine the possibilities ofWallovers perennials withtounique foliage, or leafto scorch caused bymy tooefficient much sun. A landscape thatask re-theirshould for contemporary or colonial, they want them energy efficient. So Starting this February, we have partnered with Sorelle Galleries in New Canaan to create vignettes with our Interior Designers to showcase patterns, two tones and seaSince ceives awakening four to six to the hours designing of direct powers sunlight of the eachcolor day white, duringKeri the growing from interesting textures, to variegated Rena Paris their Each what vignette will featured in upcoming issues of ECH+D. when you go through it takes to makeclients anshade, energy efficient house, sonal variations. Selections can be 203.268.8928 mono-chromatic, integrate comworks season totalents. get is her considered clients onpartial board, sun too.be or “Many partial shy additionally away from spaces you end up with a contemporary vernacular on the outside and ev- plementary colors, or contrasting colors and textures to create visually white withbecause large canopy of kidstrees and referred pets or simply to as having becausedappled they believe or filtered it light wallovers.com SECRET LOVERS In the March Issue, weshade will be focusing on our annual and Architects Roundtable.” This is my themes personalsuch favorite event. lively eryone wants contemporary on the inside, so I think it’sto“Builders technology dynamic spaces. Mono-chromatic as silver andA white can’t arebe partial lived in,” shade. she explains. Full But, areas nowadays, receive“fearing between antwo all-white four hours Secret Lovers isofcharacterized by beautiful, artistic discussion on the state the industry. that’s driving a lot of this. room of direct should sunlight be a thing each of day the past,” andsilk deep she says, shadeAn thanks isoriginal lesstothan the two widehours of gardens, can help to brighten a spaceBrooks with Custom their lightly colored foliage mosaic and precious velvet. element Michael Black: go the opposite and sayfabrics I from don’tavailable. thinkprodthe trend is and flowers, these appear to sparkleRichard as if litBrooks by moonlight. High conarray direct of gorgeous sunlight. stain-resistant and washable that I’ll distinguishes Secret Lovers other With a newwe’re digit in the calendar comes athink new focus. I hope ayou look forward to ourcombinations focus, it’s going to be15fun! there. I think ourselves weof we’regolden seeing trend. trast foliage integrates bright Kensicocolors Drive such as chartreuse ucts in fooling the market is the if use platinum ROBERT JAMES or white with dark purples, burgundies or blues; impact is made The a designer, nextleaf step my isgoal determine ismosaic to always the availably create fresh, of water. unique Landscapes and livable featuring Mount Kisco, NYthe 10549 I “As think we’re talking the difference between style and form. It’s about artistic (from Sicis Murano Collection), I love when hardware becomes focal pointinclude of the design. Even simple shapes and finishes Today’s pantry the accessories BubblesofChandelier covering the back of each of the two chairs. by using individual plants as accents or groups plants to create spaces,” majestic shemature says. ”Whether trees can it’s provide creating unique a serene challenges backdrop although or a we ap800.244.5432 how we use spaces, the trend is coming with the Millennial generatake on a life ofconvenient their own when used in interesting pull-out shelves, racks scale and and combined with unexpected materials. reginaandrew.com Before Matthew Kolk sicis.com drifts of color noticeable from a distance. dramatic preciate pop, thewhite cool is shade oneexplode of these the canopies most provide colors.” in the heat of summer, brookscustom.com tion and going to and versatile change everything. Forget about Artistthat’s Julia Contacessi bins for placing cans and other foods Chuck Hilton Editor-in-Chief it can becontemporary, difficult to getit’s plants to to grow, the tree’s densehouse. root system BeforeBrooks CustomAdds a bit of whimsy over any table. traditional, going change the entire We’re within easy reach. mattkolk@me.com often out competes grass and other plants for water. It is important to To be a successful shade garden is to understand that it is time to

EDITOR’S LETTER

Designer Architect Kicthen Melange.indd Front Ourdoor In Architecture.indd the of Section Field.indd 2017.indd Book Spaces.indd Section Jan A.indd 23 47 A.indd 31 2016.indd 21 51 33 65 5

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Crystal Candlesticks mbihome.com 1 is gorgeous - 3 are AMAZING!

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Artistic Tile

as well as the hope of a story that is not yet over—that creation and life continue. I’d like to acknowledge my collaborators and friends, Corey Grant Tippin and Kim Nelson, who have brought a whole lot ARTISTICTILE.COM of beauty into this world.” In showcasing their creativity and compassion is this powerful window display project, these top designers each offer a unique design but all convey the same message: spread the word, raise awareness and promote care, compassion and hope in the fight against HIV/AIDS.

Resources

Christopher Spitzmiller pair of wide zig zag lamps in

marigold christopherspitzmiller.com Farrow and Ball Designer Resources “Yellow is the most luminous of all colors in the with purchases and shipping, and can even suggest accommodations, Locations and Designers spectrum, in almost every culture it represents ifus.farrow-ball.com needed. Alexander sunshine,happiness, and warmth” Doherty Alexander Doherty Design We arrive Doherty at Antichita Trois, where I’m introduced to Alberto Alexander 71 W 85th Street #4A Anfodillo. again I’m whisked away—indeed, my feet UpperOnce West Side New York, NY barely 10024 touch the Gypset Travel ground!—to the interior ofwith a somber palazzo. Of course, the ground 322 Columbus Avenue 212.390.1572 Acrylic bench Mongolian Fur Seat assouline.com worlds-away.com floor is reserved for acqua alta, and thus left vacant. We enter an New York, NY 10023 alexanderdohertydesign.com elevator that is small even by European standards and are brought to 212.799.0900 So cozy - Worlds Away- yet interesting in the most spacious rooms ofany hisroom magnificent palazzo. Alberto guides Antonino Buzzetta us through his treasure trove of antiqueAntonino paintings on reverse Antonino Buzzetta Buzzetta Design glass; aFlatiron collection of lions (the symbol of Venice); ancient boxes, some as 39 W 14th Street #504 PUZZLE CHANDELIER beautiful the inside the outside; furniture; glass; and, 32 E. 22nd New York,paintings; NY 10011 Inspired byonaStreet house of as cards, our Puzzle Chandelier is made ofNew course, chandeliers (this is Venice, all). I’ve always been fond of sheets of solid brass layered into after a dynamic York, NY 10010 917.971.0571 The clients wanted an open, free-flowing house composition. that would take adThe Architectural Modernist feel isand warmed by the luminous of212.334.8330 Venetian Murano chandeliers, now I’mup convinced that antique antoninobuzzetta.com Design by Sara Baldwin for New Ravenna, The Aurelia fromLathrop vantage ofyour a dramatic waterside location ona circular a cove. Sellars metal. Chandelier above table, like is theHang way to go.isPuzzle Delft Collection a modern American interpretation of a cenArchitects and Landscape Architects were fortunate to colourArtemis Nixon, or in a here fabulous Carmina turies oldRoth familiar craft, . Shown isCarmina a foyer. hand Roth cut jewel glass laborate on this classic modern home. jonathanadler.com David Rachtian isLapis, a Venetian ofLolite, partialMica, Persian descent on hisand father’s 32 East Putnam Avenue Carmiña Roth Interiors mosia shown in Lazuli, Absolute White erie’s team decided to update them to an off-white finish. Doing so side. At hisCT shop we find antique Persian rugs from Tabriz, Kashan, Greenwich, 06830 203.987.5961 Blue Spinel. not onlyHoward helped but also offered the enduring look While Lathrop ofrooms Sellars Lathrop provided the overall dePhoto credit: lighten Chuan the Bing. imagesbychuan.com Isfahan and China, around which one could easily build a room. This 203.422.0990 carminarothinteriors.com jamieshop.com that couple for wasthe seeking. helped provide a sense of sign the direction housePlus, and the thecolor site, he knew it was important Collection thoughtfully arranged and packed antiqueIbiza storeLounge also features glassuniformity home. from Artemis, to bring in within Tara M.the Vincenta a firm known for its exrestorationhardware.com ware, silverware, jewelry and important,Connie sought-after Jewish pieces. Connie Cooper Cooper pertisewhites, in coastal plants andsilver, sensitive ecological locations. Howard grays, which “really makes decorated the artWhat catches mytaupes eye areand paperweights from the 1950s, 396 Post Roadwere East Connie Cooper Designs The couple thrilled with the results—a timeless home that is says he and Tara “worked collaboratively to meld the interior of the work stand out nicely,” she says. with mythological creatures. Westport, CT 06880 58 adult High Point Road just as with welcoming to their kids as to their guests. house the exterior.” 203.221.3117 Westport, CT 06880 White and was Chiara also integrated into sleeker modern Orseola walk me back to the where the tour began, powder and I am 203.256.9183 “Hedgerows and stone walls work together to formits thefixtures interplaytoof room, which was long and narrow, and needed pleasantly surprised to find myself in familiar surroundings. Then I Caleb Anderson conniecooperdesigns.com INTERIOR DESIGNER planes and solids that create the designthat aesthetic,” he The palbe small and Laracircle, believes aresays. important realize we have modern. made a large and theywhites have given me a lesson D & D Building Valerie etteuse ofGrant hardscape materials is limited to washed rock, in smaller rooms thatriver have no narrow wininto getting around Venice, too.and dark rooms Suite 1519 Caleb Anderson Valerie Grant Interiors concrete pavers, Ipe wood deck tiles and native stone outcropping. dows or don’t get much light. In this case, Lara “didn’t want 979 ThirdTuck Avenue Drake / Anderson 14 Friar Circle Retaining walls are natural concrete matching the pavers. A native to clutter the artwork,” she to says, “soa Leaving Venice islong like empty parting wall with with a lover; I daydream linger New York, NY 10022 67atIrving Place, 12th Floor Summit, NJ 07901 stone wall runs adjacent to the road and the parking area. instead I chose a delicately patterned silver-white wallpaper little longer before returning to reality. Visitors at least can take 212.752.5544 New York can NY 10003 917.921.1916 to fill the wall withsomething a bit of shimmer and tons of interest.” comfort in bringing back home—a beautiful lion, box, 212.754.3099 valeriegrantinteriors.com Tara white, provided a clean, simple landscape that keeps fits thethe architecture and The silver and gray color scheme small room chandelier, a commissioned Luigi Bevilacqua fabric for that very speMichael Herold drakeanderson.com spectacular waterfront setting. As she explains, “Howard and I were light and bright evenunique thoughbag. it has no like windows. cial upholstery and/or Finds these add sparkle to 160 Route 17 North The Jenning Brutalist Ribbon was to be simple and architectural, in agreement that the landscape interiors and wardrobe, lifting one out of the sea of sameness. Paramus, NJ 07652 Michael Herold Table will dazzle thethefor particularly the entrance to home, thewith use aoftint clipped Lara likesLamp toatpick a whiteincolor wallwith paint of 201.265.4030 Michael Herold Design and vermodern home with striking ilboxwood hedges, ivy groundcover, concrete plank walkways the color that will coordinate with any other colors in the Venice is a bewitching city that I can’t 287 waitS to getStreet back#8 to as soon Main lumination, simple geometric nacular stone site walls.” She uses brighter whiteAnd on itthe window trim, asroom. possible. Itthen makes me ayearn for more. makes me wonder, Patrick Mele Lambertville, NJ 08530 designs and boldto metal done with the off-white color on the doors and ceilings contrast Cockatoo Wallcovering Scalamandre Spring 2016 fabric Where will The Antiques Diva takeIndoor/Outdoor me to travel and shop next? Upper East Side 609.460.4763 BIZET TABLE inher aThe gold leafwas finish. One of the project goals to has extend the direct coastal vegetation wall. Unless clients insist, she tries to steer them away osborneandlittle.com book. colors Linda selected are the 142 East 73rd Street mydesignermichael.com A stunning hand-wrought base is topped zincdoor.com into the house, all while becoming part of the shoreline. To achieve following: 27056-002 Surf, 27059-002 Surf,for 27058-002 from white fabrics on upholstered items, obvious practiThe Antiques Diva &with Co New York, NY 10021 tempered glass. Distinctively Osborne Little -27067-003 fun in awhite/light-colored child’s room or perhaps a mudSurf, Surf scalamandre.com thisreasons. theand team used a circular variety of ornamental grasses and perennials, cal The only upholstery fabric Toma Clark Haines 212.737.7400 Patrick Mele room bathroom or any space needing unexpected pops of colorof individual and suitable for a range including echinacea, Russian sage and joe-pye weed to fill is in among she likes to use is a faux-leather vinyl fabric, which great up, I love these fabrics for settings. + 49 (0) 171 “Surf’s 386 2213 Before period andfresh contemporary 203.550.2264 theresisting native shoreline vegetation and enhance the natural cove setting. at stains and dirt. spring, they remind me of the water” christopherguy.com antiquesdiva.com patrickmele.com Zanzibar Ticking Woven Cotton Rug

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KERI MCKAY kerimckayinteriors.com At Keri McKay Interiors, we welcome spring with open arms. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a time to refresh our interiors, and of course, unveil and renew our outdoor living spaces. When furnishing an outdoor area, I suggest choosing pieces with clean, simple lines and soothing muted colors that complement their natural surroundings; allow nature to take the spotlight. I use area rugs, lighting and accessories for a layered look and always select materials that will weather gracefully.

Nova Planter by Palecek palecek.com I love the simplicity of this white limestone planter on a dark bronze stand. The perfect pedestal for your favorite summer annuals.

Holly Hunt Great Outdoors Fabric Collection: Ocean Floor/Luminous, Beach Blanket/Sea Urchin and Ecriture/Verde hollyhunt.com Todayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s solution-dyed synthetics are softer and more luxurious than earlier polyester versions. These all-weather, colorfast fabrics will add a soothing but fun pop of color to any outdoor space. Better yet, bring these fabrics indoors for kid and pet-friendly upholstery or stain-resistant dining chairs.

Fresno Framed Sconce by Visual Comfort visualcomfort.com Outdoor lighting is essential for ambiance and evening entertaining. Update and streamline your outdoor lighting with this timeless aged iron wall lantern.

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Parrot Dining Table by Mr. Brown London mrbrownhome.com I love the simple silhouette of this concrete dining table. Pair it with upholstered chairs for comfortable yet sophisticated al fresco dining.

Reef Outdoor Apartment Sofa by Lee Industries leeindustries.com This streamlined sofa with stainless-steel base will be the highlight of your outdoor lounge. It can be customized with a wide array of high-performance outdoor fabrics.

East Coast Home + Design

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BARBARA FEINSTEIN bfeininteriors.com For Spring Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m channeling the 70â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;s. A nod to distant decade filled with controversy and upheaval - and lots of Love.

Beveled Leg cocktail table globalviews.com Ground the room with the Global Views Beveled Leg cocktail table in nickel finish with black Corian top.

Scipio mirror with reticulated frame uttermost.com Hang the Uttermost Scipio mirror with reticulated frame above the chest to keep it from looking heavy.

The Theodore Alexander 55 Broadway Chair theodorealexander.com The Theodore Alexander 55 Broadway Chair in walnut and mahogany has straight clean lines, and the wood brings warmth to the space, adding an organic quality.

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The Evelynn Sofa pearsonco.com Sleek and sophisticated, the Evelynn Sofa from Pearson combines leather and fabric to communicate complexity in a very understated way. The angled arms repeat the other angles in the space. The light blue colors makes me think of spring and new beginnings.

The Berkeley Chest bungalow5.com Add a Bungalow 5 Berkeley chest. Its graphic quality - contrasting white lacquer with cerused oak - feels fresh.

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ASK THE EXPERTS

Candace Pereira: From the Floor of the Lightovation International Light Show

ou recently visited the Lightovation International Light Show at the Dallas Market, please tell how you navigate the show? We make appointments with the sales representatives for each manufacturer. Some Sales reps have multiple lines so an appointment can last up to 3 hours. There is so much to see it is virtually impossible to see it all within the 3 days that we are there. We try to reserve time for “free time” to allow us to pop into as many showrooms as possible so we can get the full experience of what everyone has to offer. We literally walked 6 miles a day! What are the trends in lighting for 2017? Style: There is certainly more designs using the new LED technology which allows sleeker designs, more contemporary in feeling and, brighter light output. Outdoor landscape lighting has become very sleek with more simple, clean designs. Finishes: Mixing finishes was very popular I saw a lot of brass with bronze combinations. Chrome and Antique Brass is back replacing Polished Nickel and Bronze. Can you share a few of your top picks form the show that you will be bringing into Klaffs? I loved everything from Hudson Valley Lighting and, Visual Comfort their designs are classic and timeless which is perfect for New Eng30

land. We will be revamping our galleries with their new introductions. Tech Lighting came out with a fabulous domed recessed light. It looks like a medallion and, is lit with LED’s which gives it a wonderful glow in your ceiling with a decorative twist. We have been lacking in our table and floor lamp selection due to many manufacturers closing however, Currey and Company had the best in show. I can’t wait to make them our premiere lamp vendor. Quoizel, Hin- kley and Feiss Lighting are also Klaffs favorite. These companies offer a little bit of everything with a variety styles that will fit in any home decor at very reasonable prices. What new things did you learn on how technology is playing a role in 2017? The new LED technology is taking lighting fixtures to a new level Hubbardton Forge for instance is a made in America product that hand forges iron into unique designs they have now integrated LED technology into several of their new designs so they now look like illuminated sculptures. Lutron’s whole home or individual rooms wireless dimming systems such as Lutrons Homeworks, Radio Ra 2 and Caseta allow you to dim your fixtures through Apple products, nest, Logitech, and amazon alexa. Can you please share a few basic rules when lighting your home?

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Treat each room individually, think about the activities and task you will be performing in each space so we can illuminate to your liking. Layer your lights in a space for example: in your kitchen, use Recessed lighting as your general light, under cabinet lights to illuminate the counters for prepping your meals or leave them on alone to give your kitchen a warm, soft glow when not occupying the space. Beautiful island lights and a decorative chandelier over the table to add glamour as well as light.

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Know your measurements! Ceiling height, room size, table size, etc. Resources Candace Pereira Klaffs - Norwalk 28 Washington Street South Norwalk, CT 06850 203.866.1603

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Klaffs - Danbury 11 Newtown Road Danbury, CT 06810 203.792.3903

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Klaffs - Scarsdale 341 Central Park Avenue Scarsdale, NY 10583 914.740.1800

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Lisa Davenport: The Art of Understanding the Client

Designing someone’s home is a very personal, please tell us how you get to the core of who your client is? My first question and possibly the most important one to our clients, is who are you? The client talks … I listen. All relationships with Lisa Davenport De- signs start with an eight-page intake form. One may say, ‘eight-page intake form? Gee that’s a lot work!’ … but it’s kinda of fun, not all questions are serious. I ask for example, ‘ what’s your favorite ice cream?’. Seriously I do, what happens if we have a meeting on a particularly hot steamy day? Wouldn’t it be fun if I showed up with your favorite ice cream … yes, this has actually happened! It also makes the design process more personal and fun! What type of experience do you offer as a design firm that makes the client feel at ease during the initial process? All consultations start with our signature package … my local bakery has designed signature LDD cookies. Before we even begin talking design I break the ice with this package, because ‘Everybody ’s gotta believe in something … I believe design should be sweet’. Design should be fun, it should be easy. This little gesture is just the beginning of the LDD 32

relationship, our clients find that working with the LDD team is seamless, enjoyable and personalized experience, they discover service that is unsurpassed. We have created ultimate processes in luxury design. You have an interesting tagline Cashmere & Blue Jeans™, can you please explain how that reflects in your design aesthetic? So often I have been asked what my personal style is … it’s classic, it’s contemporary, it’s rustic and it is sophisticated. Style even in the most sophisticated environments that is still comfortable and refined while being a direct reflection of my client’s design tastes. I believe clients chose LDD for a few reasons. For the talent of the entire team, the experience and for exactly that Cashmere & Blue Jeans™ aesthetic. Clients find that we bring to them their style with a spin! What would you say your biggest challenge is in todays business environment and how do you overcome it? The design profession has been watered down by DIY television, there everyone can be a ‘designer ’. Here at LDD we are fortunate for the most part that our clients understand the value and importance of design professionals. We create an experience for our clients that is simply unmatchable, we educate our clients and help them understand the significance

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of design. With that said, we recognize that not every client is for LDD just as we are not the design firm for every client. Sometimes it can be a challenge to recognize this! Now for a little insiders tips: Name three things clients should look for in an interior designer? This might be my favorite question! 1) A designer that understands your personality. Do an interview with the designer, it can be a simple call, or possibly an appointment at their studio. Do this even if he or she came highly recommended, after all I like BMW’s but I know that Audi’s are a better fit for me. 2) Reputation. A designer that values their reputation is one that takes pride in their work. The pride yields great design, superb quality and for the LDD client a unique design experience! 3) Associations. Not only professional ones (i.e. ASID) but ask them about their vendors. LDD has spent years building affiliations that reflect our design mission. After all, a great designer is only a good as who they surround themselves with. Resource

Julia Contacessi

Lisa Davenport Lisa Davenport Designs 6 Main Street Unit F Durham, CT 06422 860.316.5718 lisadavenportdesigns.com

Teodora Guererra The Perfect Storm

favorite painting. Art is timeless. Sorelle advisors are constantly searching for emerging talent, as well as renowned artists with established careers. Acquiring artwork by both new and seasoned artists adds breadth to your collection.

Artist to Watch and Collect

Internationally renowned artist, John C. Traynor continues to appeal to admirers of the Impressionist movement. Establishing atmosphere with his painterly application of paint, which results in a lightly textured and often serene landscape, is essential to Traynor’s process. His artwork is represented in more than one thousand private and public collections in the United States and abroad. Teodora Guererra After laying down her textured foundation, Teodora Guererra uses thinned oil paint to drip and stain her canvases. Although her dripping process is controlled, “ultimately, there is always the exciting element of chance,” she says of her work, which has been collected abroad and in Florida, Texas, California and New York City. Guererra rose from 8th to 2nd place in sales at Sorelle Gallery this year. Self-taught painter Daniel Pollera is acclaimed for his stunning views of East Quogue and Baldwin Harbor, Long Island. While popular Pollera prints have been made available on the market, his

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Karen Bradbury: Collaboration in Closets

lease identify the criteria people should consider when designing a closet to make the most of the space? 1) Placement of doors is critical when designing closets. Most closet systems are 12 – 14” deep and the clothes extend another 10” in hanging units so ideally allowing 24” on either side of the door provides the ability to put hanging units on either side. The minimum distance from the door casing to the wall should be 12” so a 12” shelving unit can be accommodated. 2) The minimum depth for a Reach-in Closet should be 24”. This allows hanging clothes sufficient room to hang without obstructing the ability to close the doors. 3) The wall space on either side of the doors to a Reach-In Closet are also important. 4) If the walls are too wide it becomes very difficult to reach the clothes and renders the space in some cases useless. 5) The more of the closet that can be exposed through the use of the correct doors the better. 6) The standard height of a closet system is 84” with a ¾” top shelf. If the wall is a standard 96” there is 11 ¼” above the top shelf for bulk storage. Making sure the door header is high enough to allow access to the space above the top shelf is important. 7) Many closets have sliding doors which make access to the entire closet at one time impossible. It also limits the ability in some cases to add drawers as the drawers need to be able to pull out within the opening of the sliding doors which oftentimes leaves the space on the side difficult to use to any great degree. 8) When constructing closets in a remodel or new construction it is always best to not add any crown or base molding until the closet design is determined as in more upscale installations base and crown are part of the closet design which creates a more cohesive design solution. How important is it for an Architect, Builder or Interior Designer to bring you on a project and why? Architects, Builders and Interior Designers have many things in common. We all deal 34

with space in one form or another. Architects and Interior Designers at the conceptual phase. Builders then take the concept and make it a reality. This is a simplistic overview and there is much overlap but the message is that we all work in a similar environment with overlapping/complimentary services. The Architects, Interior Designers and Builders I work with rely on my expertise to provide a quality service that meets their timeframe and allows them to focus on what they do best. They know their client and I rely on them to educate me on their style, goals and budgetary constraints. Sometimes I’m brought in because my service is more cost-effective. Other times the spaces are difficult and they need someone to evaluate the space to come up with the best solution. Timing plays a part as well. If a Builder wants to get a house on the market sooner rather than alter and they are busy with punch list items having us come in to do the closets and other areas allows them to focus their energy on everything but the closets to meet their deadlines. You work with builders who are developing spec homes. What can you offer in designing the closet spaces and kitchen pantry that will attract a home buyer? When people are looking to buy a new house, they consider the layout of the house, the school system, yard, number of bedrooms and bathrooms, décor of the house and storage. We want to create storage solutions so when people walk through the house they can envision their clothes hanging in the closets their towels neatly folded and sitting on the Linen Closet shelves and their kids backpacks and jackets hanging neatly in the Mud Room. We also offer a program to Builders whereby we create a basic design with hanging and shelving for the purpose of providing storage space. This applies to closets, pantries, laundry rooms and mud rooms. We also create an enhanced design that can be customized for the new homeowner. We will design the initial system with hanging

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Kicthen 2 Melange Architect

and shelves but use standard sizing so the closet can be enhanced with drawers, jewelry inserts, hampers, glide out pant racks, baskets, etc. The enhanced designs can be put on an easel in each of the rooms so the new homeowners can see how the storage can be upgraded. Moving is a very stressful process and when a prospective buyer knows they can settle in easily because all the storage solutions are in place and can be customized for their particular needs the stress level is reduced exponentially. What new trend do you see happening in closet design? Most closets – about 60% are white because that is the most cost effective neutral color to use. We’re also dealing many times with smaller spaces so White makes the space appear bigger. The standard material for closets is ¾” furniture grade particle board with a laminate finish. European design trends are making their way to the US and we are seeing more contemporary finishes with more graining and texture which simulate real wood. We are also seeing embedded LED lighting, contrasting colors with the infrastructure of the system in one color and the shelving and door/drawer fronts in a contrasting dark color. The most popular closet upgrades are: CHARTREUSE COVER ON • Drawers – 60% MARSHMELLOW • Accent Lighting – 41% MANILA The new Smoke Collection has the look of • Self-Close Hardware - 39% vapors rising from hot concrete is the inspi• Decorative Moldings - 37% ration for this smoldering design digitally printed on textured grounds for a collection

Nowwhere let’s hear from other companies you have collaborated with and how working artistry meets innovation withphillipjeffries.com your company made the project more successful Connie Cooper/ Connie Cooper Designs: As an interior designer I am often working on a project that requires closet and storage solutions. Sometimes we are doing a reno-

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vation where we are moving walls and doing construction and sometimes a client needs to redo their closets to make their closets more usable and efficient. Before I complete my floor plans I will call on Karen Bradbury and her team to come to measure the space. This way we can plan for doors and walls to use the closet systems more efficiently. I also like Karen to meet the client because then she can understand the client’s needs and storage requirements. Once the closets are designed we can more on to the more decorative part of the closets and pick out the finishes, colors, door styles and accessories. The advantage of working with Closets and Storage Concepts is that they have a large showroom where I can bring my clients to see all the materials and actual closet installations. Karen has a computer program where she can make adjustments to the plans while we are at the showroom which is a great time saver for all parties involved. John Hertz / Hertz Construction: Closet and Storage Concepts did an excellent job providing complete closet layouts for my entire new home. The installed product was high quality and complimented the other finishes in the home. The master closet design really helps showcase the home. Resources Karen Bradbury Closet and Storage Concepts 356 Ely Avenue Norwalk, CT 06854 203.957.3304 closetandstorageconcepts.com

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OUTDOOR SPACES

Garden Selections for Xeriscape Story by Eva Chiamulera

Asclepsias Tuberosa photo: Prides Corner Farms

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Allium Millenium photo: AGLD

s reservoir water levels dropped and wells began to run dry last summer, the reality of a drought situation came to the Northeast. For several years, we had heard about water restrictions in California, and communities providing their citizens with incentives to transform their waterloving landscapes and lawns into drought-tolerant xeriscapes. This past summer these issues became a concern in our normally lush green environment, when local water authorities began to restrict the use of irrigation in many communities. Although the wet winter months might make us forget the dry fall conditions, when planning your garden for the season ahead, you should consider the plants and practices that will perform well. When selecting plants for dry conditions, keep in mind that plants will need to be regularly watered during their establishment period of the first two to three years. As a general rule, many plants in our region need approximately an inch of water per week during the growing season, and perhaps twice that when temperatures remain in the 90s or above for an extended period of time. When watering, it is best to use either a soaker hose or drip irrigation installed between the top of the soil and beneath the mulch in the root zone of the plant. Applying the water slowly and directly to the root zone is an efficient use of this precious resource and prevents it from running off or evaporating. To encourage the development of deep roots during the establishment period, water your plants and lawn approximately once or twice a week during the growing season for longer periods of time. To further reduce your gardenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s impact on

our regional water supply, consider integrating a rainwater harvesting system for your irrigation. This could include connecting your gutters to either a rain barrel to run a soaker hose, or into a cistern connected to an irrigation system. As always, selecting the right plant for the right place is critical to the success of a sustainable landscape. Understanding the light and moisture requirements of each plant is essential; for example, do not locate a plant commonly found in boggy or shady areas in the sunniest and driest part of your yard. Plants with similar needs should be used together in the garden, making it easier to maintain. When searching for plants that can withstand dry conditions, look at species native to your region, as well as nativars (cultivars of natives), which are well adapted to area conditions. Many of these will not only provide you with seasonal floral displays, but also with critical food and habitat for pollinators, birds and other animals. Deep-rooted ornamental grasses, particularly those that originated from a prairie environment, also add interesting texture and motion in the garden, require minimal maintenance and easily withstand the heat along with drought conditions. Other places to gather inspiration are Mediterranean and Southwestern landscapes, where many succulents and herbs are often integrated into the garden and adapted to dry, well-drained conditions. These plants may also provide rich textures and colorful foliage. A lawn often occupies the largest area in a residential landscape and can require considerable amounts of water and fertilizers to maintain its desirable green complexion. In a typical bluegrass lawn, a cool-season East Coast Home + Design

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Lavendula Phenomenal photo: Peace Tree Farm

Caryopteris Beyond Midnight photo: AGLD

grass, it is best to diversify the grass types by overseeding with a mixture of fescue and ryegrasses. By breaking up the monoculture, the additional grass types bring with them specific and unique characteristics, such as increased recovery time from stress and drought over the bluegrass, and help your lawn better weather the summer heat. If you cannot adequately provide your lawn with sufficient moisture during the hot summer months, it’s best to allow cool-season grasses to go dormant in the summer. The grass turning brown is the natural response to drought; when cooler temperatures and adequate rainfall return, the lawn will green up again. If you are looking for a change of pace for your existing lawn area, consider low-mow grasses such as buffalo grass, which, once established, requires very little maintenance and is more drought-tolerant than our typical cool-season grasses. Below are perennials and shrubs appropriate for xeriscaping on the East Coast; theyalso have attractive features to incorporate into residential gardens. Achillea ‘Moonshine’ (Yarrow): The soft, silver foliage is featherlike in appearance; its lemon-yellow flowers attract butterflies in summer. This deer-resistant perennial pairs well with the blue and purple flowers of catmint and garden sages.

Achillea Moonshine with Salvia Blue Hill photo: AGLD

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Aesculus parviflora (Bottlebrush Buckeye): This large shrub is appropriate for partial shade. It features stunning, oversized white flowers that attract hummingbirds and butterflies in early summer, followed by bright yellow color in the fall. It is on the list of American Beauties Native Plants® for creating wildlife habitat. Allium ‘Millenium’ (Flowering Onion): The purple, ball-like flowers of this summer-blooming allium provide a unique shape in the garden and in cut flower arrangements. Unlike many of its larger, more popular relatives, the foliage of this plant remains out all summer, and its flowers last for weeks. Approximately 18 inches in height, it is well suited for the front of the perennial garden. Asclepias tuberosa (Butterfly Weed): The Perennial Plant Association’s 2017 Perennial Plant of the Year™ has bold orange flowers that provide nectar for many types of pollinators, as well as foliage that is a critical food source for monarch butterfly caterpillars. The flowers of this native prairie plant complement those with blue flowers, such as sages and agastache, or burgundy-hued grasses. Viburnum Wentworth photo: AGLD

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Caryopteris x clandonensis ‘Beyond Midnight’ (Bluebeard): Late-summer flowers are hard to come by, but this Proven Winners® Color-

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Panicum Virgatum Cheyenne Sky photo: Walters Garden Inc

Aesculus Parviflora photo: AGLD

Hydrangea Strawberry Sundae mid-summer photo: AGLD

Sedum Angelina photo: AGLD

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Choice® selection provides an outstanding display of deep blue flowers through early fall, attracting pollinators of all types. The compact form of this sun-loving shrub mixes well with perennials and grasses. Hydrangea paniculata ‘Strawberry Sundae™’ (Dwarf Panicle Hydrangea): In coastal regions, our obsession with hydrangeas is hard to deny. Although not our first choice when selecting for dry sites, if you must have some hydrangeas in your xeriscape, the panicle form is most appropriate. Strawberry Sundae is a First Editions® Plant, its flowers beginning mid-summer as a creamy white, and transitioning to shades of deep pink. It is suitable for drying or fresh arrangements. Lavandula x intermedia ‘Phenomenal’ (Lavender): For the gardener who has struggled with overwintering lavender in New England, this recent introduction tolerates both extreme heat and humidity. The evergreen silver foliage of this herb is deer-resistant; its prolific fragrant flowers attract hummingbirds and butterflies. Panicum virgatum Prairie Winds® ‘Cheyenne Sky’ (Red Switch Grass): This Proven Winners® nativar begins the season with bluegreen foliage that transitions to a reddish purple in late summer. A midsize grass at almost three feet in height, it works well in a mixed border with perennials and shrubs, as well as an accent plant in container gardens.

tall, this groundcover sedum provides year-round color. The mid-summer yellow flowers pale in comparison with its foliage, which transitions from chartreuse in spring to shades of orange and red in the fall. It works well in the landscape as well as in containers and rock gardens. Viburnum trilobum ‘Wentworth’ (American Cranberrybush): A large shrub, this American Beauties Native Plants® selection produces white spring flowers that attract butterflies. In late summer, the bright red berries provide food for songbirds, and its stunning red fall foliage is a great alternative to the invasive burning bush shrubs. These are just a few of the many plants that, once established, can better handle dry conditions. With our ever-changing weather patterns, it is important to make water-wise decisions that reduce our impact on the environment while still creating aesthetically pleasing landscapes. Resource Eva Chiamulera, ASLA, PLA Austin Ganim Landscape Design, LLC 320 Kings Highway Cutoff Fairfield, CT 06824 203.333.2003 AustinGanimLandscapeDesign.com

Sedum rupestre ‘Angelina’ (Stonecrop): Although only a few inches

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A Life Captured with Timeless Grace In a Southampton home near the sea, Kim E. Courtney Interiors & Design creates a sophisticated space for full lives Story by Deborah Brannon | Photography by Ric Marder Imagery

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im Radovich’s interior design directives are best captured by two phrases featured on her design firm’s website: “Timeless Elegance. Modern Sensibilities.” With Kim E. Courtney Interiors & Design, she’s been forging those concepts into reality for more than 20 years, bringing modern elegance into private homes and commercial properties across the United States and internationally. Based in New York, Kim and her team are accomplished aestheticians, engaging in consulting work, custom furniture design, sustainable design and so much more. Kim’s beautifully executed spaces have been showcased in a myriad of magazines, and she sits on the President’s Committee for the New York Metro Chapter of the American Society of Interior Designers (ASID). When the homeowners of this residence in Southampton on Long Island, NY, asked her to design the interior and exterior spaces of their new house near the beach, Kim used her skills and creativity to capture their dreams. These snowbird clients split their time between sun-worshipping in Naples, FL, and family-nurturing with their children and grandchildren in New York, so it made sense for them to keep an abode in Southampton after leaving their Cold Spring Harbor home of over 40 years. The homeowners felt somewhat wistful during their move, uprooted from so many cherished memories and their deep ties to the community. But relocating to Southampton with yearround access to the beach meant their family had easy access from NYC via train, while their friends from the old neighborhood were only about an hour’s drive away. As for taming that wistfulness and capturing memories from their old place to display in their new home? That’s where Kim Radovich came in.

Things Remembered

While the homeowners were happy to settle into their new place, they East Coast Home + Design

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A warm, burled wood table is the family heirloom at the heart of this dining area.

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This dramatic view of the first floor from the loft captures the organic flow of the open floor plan.

couldn’t help but miss their well-lived-in and much-loved former dwelling. “My clients were really attached to the Cold Stone Harbor home,” Kim notes. “It held a lifetime of memories.” Kim’s purpose and direction became clear: devise a fresh, sophisticated space that recalled the French country flair of their previous home, while also making it feel familiar and cozy with places to display family treasures and trinkets of bygone days. She collaborated closely with the clients, asking questions like, “Can we repurpose some furniture pieces? Is there a place for art and memorabilia?” The answer was yes. Kim’s team refinished the dining table and some small pieces, brought over all the art, and repurposed some of the comfortably worn furniture for guest rooms in the newly expanded basement level of the home, which they ’d hired an architect to build out. When discussing that subterranean level, Kim laughs that it was a real challenge, but one over which they triumphed. They finished the basement into a series of guest rooms with bathrooms, a family room, closets and “a really large storage area beautifully done, which has all the client’s china and treasured pieces—some antique vessels— that she can visit,” Kim says. The venerable family dining table was refinished and became the glowing, golden heart of their new dining area. Cushioned chairs covered in a creamy white linen nestle under the fluted edges of the burled wood table, East Coast Home + Design

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A Kim E. Courtney Home sofa is accented with navy and white-patterned pillows, flanked by Currey & Company rippled-glass table lamps.

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Pendant lights in polished nickel and white glass from Visual Comfort illuminate the island and create visual interest in the kitchen.

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the dark wood of the chairs contrasting against the table without distracting from its presence. A stunning cobalt-blue runner unifies the space with the nearby sideboard; a relatively delicate piece of white cabinetry sparingly embossed with the impression of circular flowers, the sideboard showcases a selection of Delftware and chinoiserie china. The blues of the china and runner pop off the white of the sideboard and chairs, accentuating the warmth of that august dining table. Beneath the dining set is a white-patterned navy New Zealand wool rug, set on a sea of deep walnutstained hardwood floors. A branched, 10-light chandelier from Visual Comfort, with an antiqued brass look, evokes the warmth of tapers shining down on an evening of good food, hearty laughter and familiar comfort with family and friends.

Lively Sophistication

The clients were coming from a larger home that was bursting with the memories and possessions that accumulate over a lifetime. One of Kimâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s challenges was to pare down this profusion into something more compact and refreshing that would work in the new beach-adjacent home. After she and her clients decided together what large items to keep, Kim wove these decisions into a multilayered tapestry that flirts with minimalism before dancing with French country and settling down into soft and elegant luxury. The open floor plan on the first floor helps make the space feel cozy, yet not claustrophobic, and facilitates the gathering of famEast Coast Home + Design

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ily, encouraging congregation without the silencing partition of walls. It also gave Kim a large canvas to play with rather than a jigsaw puzzle to consider; she took advantage of the space to create clusters of furnishings that organically encode the room. The kitchen flows naturally into a breakfast corner, opening sideways into a vaulted space that embraces the living room before sliding into the dining room area beyond. In fact, this space captures one of Kim’s favorite parts of this interior design project. “I think the view of the living room and kitchen is dramatic from the loft study,” she muses. Indeed, gazing down into this space entices the eye and beckons one to relax, gather and converse, particularly in the living area. Creamtinted white sofas and high-back lounge chairs from Kim E. Courtney Home are flanked by delicate side tables in dark wood, with classic profiles. Substantial lamps from Currey & Company retain a sophisticated edge through faceted, translucent bases which, combined with deep blue pops of color from the sofa pillows, are reminiscent of the nearby sea. The largely neutral palette builds on this 52

notion, bringing vistas of cool sand to the imagination while crafting a serene, clean space to live and rest. The light carpet becomes an island, while the extravagant windows lend the room an airiness, which Kim emphasizes with curtains the color of sand-tinged ecru, only a few shades darker than the walls. The eye is kept anchored by bold, dark-walnut window rods, while the low, open-sided coffee table provides a focal point. The streamlined kitchen and breakfast area more clearly echo that French country flair, tempered by a sophisticated modern touch. “That’s why we have all that yellow in the kitchen,” Kim points out. “That was a way to get some of the color she was missing into the house, and give it a country flair.” Half-moon bar stools upholstered in a small-scale woven plaid fabric in cream and blue with pops of yellow are tucked under a white, honed Vermont Danby-topped island. Two pendant lights coolly illuminate the area, sporting inverted egg-cup white glass shades accented in nickel. Ivory cabinetry touts small four-pane windows near the ceiling, and the bright white

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A small vanity glows with a touch of old-fashioned sophistication, crowned by a graceful, white-framed wall mirror that evokes Venice.

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is broken up with sleek silver appliances. The breakfast area perches on the unrelieved hardwood, and the circular table in its own dark wood seems to blossom up from the polished floor. This solidity is balanced with Carmel Arm Chairs from Somerset Bay Home—delicate white chairs featuring intricate openwork backs and seats the color of lemon chiffon. The space is framed with a large window and a slender yellow sideboard with elegant display shelves above, showcasing more of the homeowner’s collection of fine china. The move toward minimalism and simplification as the homeowners embraced a smaller space in no way precludes luxury, as it is easy to see that Kim’s design is sumptuous and elegant. There are still spaces large enough to stretch in, even when the home is packed full of children and grandchildren. The master bathroom is a marvelous haven of spacious serenity, encompassing a large shower walled in glass and white Carrara Marble Subway Tile. A freestanding bathtub invites long soaks, while a playful chandelier warms up the recessed lighting. “The chandelier is a cluster of clear glass balls that whimsically reference bubbles to me,” says Kim. These invitations to relaxation are also on the exterior of the residence, which is bedecked with balconies, a wrap-around terrace and a patio overlooking a small pond and an undeveloped field. A Juliet balcony off the master bedroom fits a pair of comfortable chairs and flanking tables, so the homeowners can greet the morning with coffee or put the world to bed with a glass of wine.

Textured Language

One of Kim’s greatest strengths and most fascinating characteristics as a designer is her custom of layering texture upon texture into a single glorious narrative: her spaces tell a story and evoke a feeling with a breathtaking economy of space. “That’s sort of the story here: the subtlety of texture upon texture, and a little bit of pattern here and there, but even the patterns are very textured,” Kim explains. “When you want a nice, clean space like this, that’s the best way to go. It’s simple, it’s clean, but the texture adds the personality and warmth, and it makes for good design.”

This opulent master bathroom features a dual-vanity, lavish Carrara marble and luxurious bath amenities.

This textured language of design can be seen throughout the home, but two succinct examples are found in a couple of the guest bedrooms. In one, the bed sits against a dramatic accent wall, the bright white of the headboard standing out against the wall’s navy blue raffia wallpaper. The bed itself is bedecked with East Coast Home + Design

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A cool sea breeze sighs through this guest bedroom in pale sea-foam shades and beachy textures.

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a myriad of textures and patterns: a floral-patterned lumbar pillow in blues, cream and coral nestles against nubby indigo pillows covered in clustered loops. “I call it popcorn!” exclaims Kim. These popcorn pillows in turn lay atop neutral pillows covered in a cream pattern that echoes the nearby lamp. A coral counterpane pops off the lumbar pillow, while the light-colored wood of the side table harmonizes with the bed frame, sheets and remaining walls. The ivory bedside table lamp adds an organic touch, summoning to mind an encrustation of sea barnacles captured in a moment of abstract beauty.

been enjoying their Kim E. Courtney Interiors-designed home for some time now!

This beachy theme is continued in the second guest bedroom, albeit in a much cooler palette. Creams and blue-grays dominate the space, and the top pillow patterns suggest the impressions of elaborate sand dollars. The muted sea-foam counterpane and second layer of pillows bring in a slightly bumpy weave, and their color is echoed in the side table. While the lamp here is less organic in shape, its rough texture is still evocative of rough-woven nets, and the warm sandy lampshade only grounds this notion in the imagination.

Resources

These textured details don’t stop there—everywhere you look, there’s an intriguing new detail. In the master bedroom, the client’s vanity is outfitted with a tailored dressmaker skirt embellished with buttons; the skirt is made of linen panels with a woven embroidery pattern by Robert Allen. Kim didn’t neglect the unseen details either: all the fabrics in the house are incredibly resilient, made for indoor/outdoor use (by Sunbrella and Crypton) or treated with a Nanotex finish. This elegant, clean interior can stand the test of time and tiny kids and has already proven as much—the clients have

Kim’s mission, in her own words, was “to create a home where the happy memories of a life lived elsewhere lived on.” These images suggest she succeeded, while also bringing her touch of timeless elegance and modern sensibilities to the residence. Bursting with lively sophistication and the subtle language of texture, Kim E. Courtney Interiors & Design have absolutely achieved a home worth living in—and returning to.

Interior Designer & President Kim E. Courtney Interiors & Design Inc. Kim Radovich 50 North New York Avenue, Suite 10 Huntington Bay, NY 11743 631.868.0595 kimecourtneyinteriors.com Interior Designer & Project Manager Kim E. Courtney Interiors & Design Inc. Lorrie Daro 50 North New York Avenue, Suite 10 Huntington Bay, NY 11743 631.868.0595 kimecourtneyinteriors.com

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Clean, modern, white walls perfectly complement the beautiful structural staircase.

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Love

MODERN Renovated Ranch Resurrected into Modern, Energy-Efficient Marvel Story by Jessica Rivest Photography by Matthew Williams

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The beautiful gardens are watered by rain collected from the roof and stored in a 2,600-gallon cistern.

he owners of this 1950s renovated ranch-style house were concerned about their carbon footprint and wanted to create a space that was not only beautiful, but also extremely energy efficient. A worldly, professional couple from Melbourne, Australia, who are passionate about gardening and science, they wanted a home that would marry their ecological awareness with their desire to have a striking living area. They worked with Ann Sellars Lathrop and Howard Lathrop from Sellars Lathrop Architects to create this magnificent home in Westport, CT. The couple now split their time between their energy-efficient Westport residence and a home in Oxford, England, where they went to graduate school.

sible—not an easy task, being it was a 1950s ranch-style home. Energy Star-certified buildings meet very strict energy performance standards set by Environmental Protection Agency. These buildings use less energy, are less expensive to operate and generate fewer greenhouse gas emissions. But Sellars Lathrop Architects was up to the challenge: the firm had completed several major renovations that had received Energy Star certification, and knew it could tackle this one. “This experience alone allowed us to meld the new and the old in an economical and efficient manner,” says Ann Sellars Lathrop. “We have also designed modern-style residences, which require an approach that is different from the design of traditional styles. There are no moldings to cover up misalignments. It is the combination of those two skill sets that helped create this project.”

The perfect setting was key for the clients, so they chose this home for its great location and stunning views. The house faces south, is directly on the Saugatuck River in Westport, is within walking distance of downtown and has a fantastic view of the Saugatuck Rowing Club. The overarching goal in this project was to create a clean, modern living space with an Energy Star rating that was as close to net zero as pos-

The clients had many ideas they wanted to include in the design. “They wanted a compact house with a large, central living space for entertaining with dramatic views of the river,” says Ann. “They wanted the interior living spaces to connect directly to the exterior living areas.” To achieve that goal, the firm completely removed a 1980s addition from the south half of the house and placed a large double-height room in the center of

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The back of the home faces the river. The floorto-ceiling windows provide amazing views.

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the structure, which has a balcony connecting the second-floor rooms. The layout of the home is well designed: all rooms face south with access to the beautifully landscaped garden, and all are filled with natural light. The west side of the house features the kitchen and dining area on the first floor, and the master bedroom on the second floor. There is a guest room on the east side of the house on the first floor, and a study on the second floor. The south-facing rooms have stunning views of the rowing club, a historic bridge and the illuminated highway bridge beyond. The living room is striking with impressive 20-foot-high ceilings and floorto-ceiling glass windows. The lower portion of the living room completely opens with bifold doors to provide a dramatic passage to the outside. Ann notes that the master bedroom is extraordinary as well. “The south wall of the master bedroom is all glass with sliding doors that lead out to a deck to the south, which is perfect for sunbathing,” she says. The entire home is exceptional in both design and energy efficiency, boasting many features to minimize the clients’ carbon footprint. There is an energy-efficient, air-to-air heat pump heating and air conditioning system, as well as a large solar array. This means almost completely free energy from the sun. The beautiful gardens are irrigated with the use of a 2,600-gallon cistern that was installed to collect rain from the roof and to water the landscape. The entire house was made airtight with foam insulation and proper window sealing. Fresh air is circulated through the house with Energy Recovery Ventilation units. All these energy-efficient updates have made energy costs minimal since the house was completed.

A project of this scale is bound to have some setbacks. The first and major one occurred even before construction started: it took five months to get a variance from the Westport Planning and Zoning Commission. But Sellars Lathrop says the contractor, Bill Towle, was flexible and creative in solving construction issues, which always come up with an extensive renovation. Once the variance was granted, construction started in April of 2015 and was completed in November of 2016. The primary design challenge, notes Ann, was to visually unify the existing dated and somewhat awkward building with a modern and contemporary south façade. “To solve this dichotomy, the south side of the house departs from the original and has its own active, vibrant expression,” she explains. “It is painted a rusty steel red, while the rest of the house is a dark charcoal gray. The south face is almost all glass, while the rest of the house is primarily all solid wall.” Ann says that working with different clients is what makes her job so enjoyable. “We have been blessed to have wonderful, creative clients,” she notes. “Some have been more traditional; others were seeking a more modern environment. Rarely are circumstances the same.” These particular clients wanted a clean, modern design that might be seen in England, Europe or California. They did not want frills and were interested in a practical approach to the design that emphasized the space, light and view more than the applied decoration. Their desire for that look can be seen in the interior spaces, which feature the bare essentials of white East Coast Home + Design

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wall, natural wood and glass. “The clients are adventuresome and artistic and wanted whimsical art pieces within the neutral white walls. This project was a real silk purse out of a sow’s ear,” says Ann. “With the imaginative landscaping by Ian Barker, an Australian landscape designer, and the desire of the clients to have art around them, the whole environment became much more than we imagined when we started.” Ann says the home has many unique features, including a desk, designed by her firm, that hangs from the ceiling when it is not being used. An impressive piece of art is also featured in the home: an image from a watercolor that the client owned was enlarged 600 times to create an eight-foot-square collapsing painting. The dramatic sliding mural sits in an opening in the wall above the stairs, and was created from three sheets of one-inch-thick acrylic. The stairs themselves, another unique and artistic feature, appear to cantilever from the wall and support a floating glass rail. The kitchen is home to a massive Z-shaped sculptural counter that is constructed like a surfboard—a plywood form with a fiberglass covering. It runs across the kitchen counter, turns vertically and then continues across the ceiling for a total length of 20 feet. The garden features a sculpture commissioned from Jon Pompea that was made using a steel beam salvaged from the demolition of the addition. It has been said that when you love your job, you will never work a day in your life. This rings true for both Ann and Howard. Their passion for architectural design is apparent in every project they do, and each brings a breadth of experience to the table. Ann studied city planning and social policy at the University of California, Berkeley, but realized just before graduating that her real passion was architecture. Being at Berkeley in the 1970s also awakened a commitment to sustainability and improving the environment. She realized the built environment could have radically different effects on people, and her goal then became how to manipulate the built environment to enrich people’s lives. Ann received a Master of Architecture degree at the University of East Coast Home + Design

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Pennsylvania, and has worked with internationally acclaimed architecture firms. She says a natural progression was to go from large commercial scale to more intimate residential scale, and she enjoys improving energy efficiency and using smart building practices. Her objective is to create 66

high-quality design solutions with elegance, character and style. Howard has always been interested in art, sculpture, design and making things. He knew as a teenager that his passion was architecture, and at 18

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A massive, 20-foot, Z-shaped sculptural counter is the focal point of the kitchen.

years old he went directly to architecture school. He enjoys the fact that architecture is a tangible activity. “You create something real that exists,” he says. “As a young teenage carpenter, to see a wall go up that you had built was exciting. I simply decided I would rather design the wall as opEast Coast Home + Design

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Stunning artwork was enlarged 600 times to create a sliding art wall.

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posed to building it.â&#x20AC;? Howard was also interested in society and how it is organized. He found that architecture combined his interest in art with creating places where people live, labor and function. After working with internationally acclaimed firms on projects all over the world, Howard gravitated to a more local level, designing everything from a piece of hardware to custom residences.

Landscape Architect Ian Barker Gardens Ian Barker 216 Canterbury Road Canterbury VIC 3126, Australia +61 3 9836 3130 landscape.net.au Builder Signature Home Remodeling Bill Towle 705 Towne House Road Fairfield, CT 06824 203.667.0956

Resources Architect and Interior Design Sellars Lathrop Architects Howard Lathrop Ann Sellars Lathrop Matthew Jurgens 1 Kings Hwy North Westport, CT 06880 203.222.0229 sellarslathrop.com

Structural Engineer Residential Engineering + Design Glenn Smith Ridgefield, CT 203.223.2887 residentialengineering.biz Photo Stylist Jennifer Olsen 52 Old Barn Road Fairfield, CT 06824 East Coast Home + Design

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Modern Barn Life Sarah Weiland shines while forging the funky line between modern elements and industrial rusticism Story by Deborah J. Brannon | Photography by Neil Landino

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arah Weiland is an interior designer whom clients can’t help returning to, and a look at her portfolio at Tusk Home and Design reveals why. Her flair for pattern and texture combined with her creativity in imaginative design concepts make her a formidable and welcome ally if you’re contemplating a custom interior. When it comes to creating a place to be lived in and enjoyed, Sarah’s lively mind and decisive efficiency are some of the best tools to have at your disposal.

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In this case, she found herself working for the second time with a family of four—and their little dog, too. The client, who had a newly constructed full-time residence less than a mile from the Long Island Sound, asked Sarah to design the complete interior, from her daughters’ bedrooms all the way down to the front porch. “We had previously built a home for this client with a more modern, streamlined look, and the client wanted something a bit more casual but still with architectural character,” Sarah explains. “She had evolved through the years from Shabby Chic, and wanted to take more risks with color, lighting and architectural details.” Oscar Leal of BeachWalk Homes, builder and collaborator on this resi-

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The family room features a neutral palette in grays; swing-arm wall lamps are mounted on wood planks, while large glass floats sit before the fireplace.

dence, echoes this sentiment, commenting, “A lot of people are very cautious about trying anything a little different, but these clients weren’t. This was fun because we did some different things architecturally, and they also made some adventurous decisions with Sarah.”

notes. “We built essentially two doors that looked nice from each side and applied them together.” The resulting doors are about 3.5 inches thick, giving the doors an appealing heaviness. Brilliant white paint with a satin finish infuses their rustic shape with a sleek, contemporary feel.

Modern Barn

This theme of rustic charm meets refined modernity is visible in details throughout the house. In the kitchen, floating shelves of reclaimed wood from old Connecticut barns sport houseplants and a horned ungulate skull amidst bright white finishes. In the family room, rope-wrapped glass balls by the fireplace evoke the nautical by way of Norwegian glass floats, while a wheel-shaped Noir Lorene coffee table with an antique brass finish fronts the sofa. The floors throughout the house are gray-hued hardwood, comfortingly adorned with rugs from the luxuriously deep to metallic hide. “I wanted the family to feel at home and not have the space be too formal and fussy,” Sarah explains. “The client wanted a home where every room was lived in, and the dog and the children could run wild without worries of scratching the floor or damaging the furniture.”

When Sarah’s clients came to her and said they wanted “Modern Barn,” she immediately applied herself to the concept. After thinking through the attractive dichotomy and pouring over design elements, she decided on rustic, metal and wooden details—particularly in the space’s lighting—and a strong focal element in the sliding barn doors separating family room from den. “I wanted the family to feel at home and not have the space be too formal and fussy,” Sarah recalls. The barn doors are a marvelous oversized focal point, giving the Modern Barn concept full-bodied character while also being a practical architectural feature. Custom built by BeachWalk Homes, the doors slide across steel tracks and can separate the den from the family room when privacy is wanted. With their Z-shaped brace and wide planks, these doors also honor the regional character of New England barns from the 19th century. Oscar and the client collaborated on these doors, crafting them to best fit the space. “Oftentimes, sliding doors go into a room that’s not real visible, but they were visible from the entry and the family room,” he

These design choices are strengthened by architectural details on the exterior as well, with Oscar Leal pointing to the gambrel roofs contributing to the barn theme, alongside the mixed siding of board and batten and clapboard. East Coast Home + Design

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The sliding barn doors provide an oversized focal point between the den and the family room.

The bright white kitchen embraces the modern and the rustic, featuring wooden floating shelves, acrylic barstools and imposing pendant lights.

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The Modern Barn concept is also heavily explored through several lighting choices, especially in the front of the house in the den, family room and front porch. Swing-arm wall lamps mounted on heavy wooden planks in the family room are reminiscent of a working barn atmosphere, while the den’s hollow drum lighting fixture of galvanized steel, outfitted with Edison light bulbs, shades into the industrial. The heavy brass lanterns flanking the front door carry this industrial theme further, providing a striking welcome to guests and setting the tone for their experience of the interior.

Lighting Adventure

These rustic-themed lighting fixtures are but a few examples of the remarkable lighting throughout the residence. “One of my main emphases in design is on fantastic lighting!” Sarah exclaims while discussing her beautifully diverse selections. “Every light fixture throughout the home was extensively thought about and purposeful.” In the center of the dining room is an intimate table that makes room for

eight. The dining room chandelier, draped in braided coconut beads with a soothing blue hue, brings a sea breeze into the home. The shimmering light, so textured by the glow of clear globe bulbs cast across the beads, draws the eye in roving waves. When taken together with a dining table of washed gray wood joined in a chevron pattern, along with the Louis Ghost armchairs perched on a circular, gray jute rug, you can feel the barn and the seaside both. A few steps away, in the kitchen, the two imposing statement pendant lights suspended over the island embrace a polished industrial atmosphere. “As soon as I found those lights,” Sarah explains, “I knew they would dictate the direction of the rest of the kitchen.” These impressive lights shine with polished chrome and bold brass industrial details. To complement the latter, the drawer and cabinet pulls are likewise brass—as are the base and legs of the superbly modern acrylic barstools. The lights’ frosted glass shades soften the illumination from these massive fixtures, while recessed lighting and the bright white walls and cabinetry keep the space evenly lit. East Coast Home + Design

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A rayed chandelier holds court in the master bedroom, shining down on sophisticated rustic comfort.

The master bedroom also encloses a work of lighting art: a many-rayed chandelier descending from the ceiling and exploding above the bed. This starburst pendant light gleams with a polished iron finish, casting a warm retro glow from its Edison light bulbs and echoing the older industrial flourishes placed here and there throughout the residence. The client had discovered this chandelier and had to have it; its poetic form serendipitously reinforces the overall Modern Barn theme. The headboard and foot of the bed are both made with reclaimed barn wood and accented with white leather featuring a studded border. The vintage industrial wall sconces, also outfitted with Edison bulbs, and braided jute ottoman provide additional industrial and seaside elements. Altogether, with the light at its center, this space evokes the sun or stars glimmering down on an industrial barn atmosphere of wood and leather, rope and rivets, and a well-worked life.

Details That Pop

These small details work together to create and foster an interior designer’s theme, coalescing into the story she’s telling with her client. Whether infusing the den with coziness by using heavy turquoise crushed velvet drapes, or adding a touch of whimsy to the lavatory with articulated globe

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lights surrounding a mirror, Sarah demonstrates that she is truly adept at her craft. Several of her favorite design aspects are details that pop, beginning with the Designers Guild’s Savine moiré embossed wallpaper in graphite, covering two accent walls in the dining room. “I love the dining room wallpaper in the gray tie-dye, with the blue coco bead chandelier popping off the paper,” she confides. It’s easy to see why when these disparate details come together, fascinating the eye without overwhelming the space. They balance well off Oscar’s stark white accent wall of molding in a neat grid. “Every wall in that dining room has something dramatic on it,” he remarks. “It’s a fun dining room, y’know?” Nearby, another of Sarah’s favorites appears underfoot, leading the way upstairs. “I love the runner on the stairs; there is great texture highlighted by oversized nailheads running down the tape,” she gushes. “It took hours of installing one by one to have the perfect balance and spacing, but the result was worth it!” The blue and white woven runner is magnificent, and its abstract diamond pattern almost evokes ocean waves. Grounding that pattern with those nickel nailheads—all placed by hand!—along the

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The daughters’ bathroom features glamorous and articulated “Hollywood lights,” as Sarah Weiland describes them.

two-inch tape was deftly done.

their turquoise and gold palettes suggesting paradisiacal waters.

Her other top favorites adorn the kitchen, providing subtle details for the striking pendant lights to play off. The tiles that make up the kitchen backsplash “are handmade clay tiles in an assortment of whites, grays and blues,” she explains, pointing out that the design team covered every specification, from quantity to layout to distribution. Just below hipheight is another beautiful barn detail: the kitchen island trimmed with gray-washed and weathered reclaimed wood from Stikwood, which Sarah arranged to have installed in a chevron pattern for that last adroit touch.

One of the most remarkable art selections is a photograph hanging above the Japanese soaking tub, which Oscar installed in the master bathroom. A piece by Christine Flynn, it depicts a two-direction sign on an empty beach fading into the blue-white sea on a white-blue sky. The sign points to SWIM in one direction, and SURF in another. For Sarah and her client, this piece represents “a great way to start your day and make that choice.”

As Sarah oversaw the design of the entire residence from flooring to furnishings to finishing touches, she also curated a selection of art in partnership with her client. “We wanted unique pieces that also supported local artists and added a unique layer to the home. We are super lucky to have Mack & Ro Illustrations in our town. Jen Sully is a talented artist who can commission the perfect piece,” Sarah explains, highlighting Sully’s gorgeous turquoise pieces in the master bedroom. “I also sourced fabulous pieces by Julia Contacessi, a local artist in Westport.” Two of Contacessi’s abstract paintings are illuminated by wall sconces in the den,

Color Friendly

While striving to capture her client’s ideas for the home overall, Sarah also considered it important to meet with the young daughters and discover what they’d like for their personal spaces—after the parents set limits, of course! This meant a foray into deep purple and lavender, with funky crystal lamps sporting pink shades embellished with organically scrunched fabric. A touch of rustic charm crept in via white wooden side tables, while their mirrored fronts kept them modern. “There are so few times in your life that you can have a colorful, bright room, and I say, go for it when you are a kid!” Sarah muses. “Make the space something they love, feel safe East Coast Home + Design

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and comfortable in—not too stuffy and definitely durable.” She also used a profusion of patterns in close quarters, particularly on one daughter’s bed. Jagged diamonds snuggle up to fuzzy stripes, zigzags lay next to delicate floral egg patterns, and a striped blanket sports a fringe of soft indigo pom-poms. This zest for mingling patterns and textures can be found throughout Sarah’s designs, but is particularly emphasized in this playful room. When asked, Sarah sums up her philosophy: “I think pattern is fun and should not be feared. When you are thoughtful, patterns can be used closely together to help draw the eye around the room and dictate the feel.”

Outdoor Swinging

At the end of the day, you might think the Modern Barn life would demand a front porch complete with rocking chairs, but you’d be mistaken. “The porch and home demanded something more unique than Adirondacks or rocking chairs,” Sarah observes. “I felt this was the perfect opportunity for an oversized porch swing.” She was perfectly right, and she designed a luxurious swing for this home, marrying rustic industrial with sleek modernity. The porch swing is as wide as a daybed and features a cushion as deep as a sofa, offering heavenly comfort among its pillows as it gently sways back and forth. Framed by two columns and precisely aligned with a set of windows, the swing is as visually striking as it is comfortable. The rest of the porch is largely bare, leaving the spotlight to linger on the framed daybed swing and industrial brass sconces. The only other ornaments are a pair of deep gray urns flanking the door, festooned with a floral arrangement. The porch stands ready to welcome all guests with simple elegance and a touch of rural quirkiness. The balancing act played out on the face of this residence is an apt summary for what Sarah Weiland achieved for her clients throughout their beach home. Working in collaboration with Oscar Leal and his team, she labored to capture her client’s dreams and render them into reality. From the skilled distribution of elegant accent walls and dramatic lighting to the small flourishes of nailheads and rope, leather and wood, Sarah proved herself more than worthy of the faith her clients have in her. Resources: Interior Designer Tusk Home + Design Sarah Weiland Fairfield, CT 06824 203.291.9796 tuskhomeanddesign.com 78

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Builder BeachWalk Homes Oscar Leal Fairfield, CT 06824 203.292.5028 beachwalkhomesct.com

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Swim/Surf by Christine Flynn hangs above the tub in the master bath, providing a lighthearted beat at the start of each day.

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