EDITOR’S LETTER

MAR/APR 2022 / DIANE TALBOT SEMBROT

SCAN TO VISIT US

HOW TO SCAN: OPEN, AIM & TAP

THE CALL

Sometimes it pays to answer your phone. Heaving a heap of heavy shopping bags into the car one by one, a handbag dangling uncomfortably on my wrist, a mask slipping and gusts of wind throwing my hair every which way and especially over my eyes, I hear my phone ring. Of course. Dig through the purse. Nope, don’t recognize the number. Besides, I feel like I’m in a bit of a battle here, so I let it go to voicemail. And it rings again. Humph, OK, get it. I jump in the car, clear my face and swipe up. “Hello?”

While it could have been a call about my car warranty expiring (not) or an investment opportunity in a bridge (no), it turned out to be a Westporter. A new Westporter. Just moved here from the city. And he’s calling about his wife. This could be the start of an unusual pitch about her moth collection or her complaint about a recent article on bagels, but it turns out to be an inadvertent declaration of love for his wife, who has no idea he is calling me. You see, his wife is an interior designer and has just moved to the area, and her husband thinks it is crystal clear that her work should be featured in the town magazine. His admiration for her work (and her) comes through with every speedy sentence. It is charming, and so I agreed to call her.

That call turns into another love story. This time for the couple’s grown daughter, who has also just moved to town from the city. She is married and she and her husband fell in love not only with Westport, but also with a cottage not far from her parents’ new place.

How could I resist all this familial affection, especially when it comes wrapped up with a tidy bow in the form of a local cottage? Better yet, when I see the photos of the home, I see great style. The design is fresh and modern, yet also perfectly in tune with the history of the place. It is somehow ageless, yet also current. Moreover, the design choices—including essential renovations despite the pandemic— are clever and make the most of the space.

I think you’ll agree. See the story, “Love Story,” written by Judy Ostrow, inside this issue. No matter what type of house you live in, you’ll appreciate the design decisions about light, flow, color and interest. And don’t forget, it’s also a story with a lot of love.

Actually, the issue has plenty of home design ideas, from an interior designer’s home-fitness studio, a Wilton home’s professional redesign, a tour of modern Danish finds at Eleish van Breems, and a sighting of a very British furniture-and-decor shop opening on Main Street. Maybe these pages will help you decide if it is time to take on a full renovation if you’ve just moved here or simply freshen things up before putting your house on the market. Creating a space that works for you and makes you feel good—that smile when you turn the corner and everything in your favorite room looks and feels right—is one of the joys of living. That’s no secret to locals. Our area has lots of designers, architects, builders and home decor shops, so there’s help at hand to bring your style home. You’ll know you’ve done it right when you want to tell the world about it—or, at least, your hometown magazine.

diane.sembrot@moffly.com