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From the Editor
EVEN SO MANY YEARS OUT OF SCHOOL, I STILL
MICHAEL FEIN
feel a bit resentful about having to work, to be serious, when the days are long and the weather steamy. So, as I sat down to write this very editor’s note, a little voice inside tried to rebel: “Come on, how many readers out there are in the mood to listen to one more of your tiresome disquisitions on early New England architectural ornament, or hear you harp on yet another trend in floor paint?” That little interior critic has a point. Since we have the temerity to put out a serious, high-end design publication smack in the middle of vacation season, what can we be expecting people to get out of it, really, when their minds ought to be on sunblock and the next barbecue? But then I look through the content we have on offer and can’t help but be drawn in once again. Supposing I already had the perfect summer getaway— a tidy little house tucked in the woods of Truro on Cape Cod, say, chic but laid back, neither to close to nor too far from civilization—why wouldn’t I enjoy imagining myself and my dear friends in a different situation? And, just-right as that bleached-oak console by the front door is, couldn’t an old iron factory cart also work beautifully there, with maybe a maidenhair fern and a few faded, linen-wrapped books laid on top? So, to help stoke your own hot-season fantasies (and provide solid leads toward making them real), consider the following: • A working farm, restored, on a leafy estate in the heart of Greenwich; • A chaste Colonial cottage now home to a finely judged collection of midcentury furnishings and found objects; • An array of intriguing fixtures to lend that perfect aura to your outdoor supper; • A light-washed, French-inspired manor encircled with shady parterre gardens. You’ll find these daydream generators, and more, in the magazine you hold in your hands. Because, in the end, it all comes down to something I expect will feel particularly familar to any designers reading these words: the sense not just of what is, but what could be, pregnant with possibility, is what keeps us coming back. Even in the long, lazy heart of summer.
Heavy Thoughts in a Light Season
Kyle Hoepner, Editor-in-Chief khoepner@nehomemag.com
12
New England Home’s Connecticut Summer 2012
PHOTO BY DAN MAYERS
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SUMMER 2012 VOLUME 3, NUMBER 3
106
96
Featured Homes 72 Dressed to Impress A Litchfield County manor house and its gardens get a facelift that
creates an enchanting setting for its owners’ new life together. INTERIOR DESIGN: CAROLE WINERSORENSEN, COUNTRY LOFT ANTIQUES • LANDSCAPE DESIGN: KURT KLIMAK, KLIMAK HORTICULTURAL SERVICES • PHOTOGRAPHY: MIKI DUISTERHOF • TEXT: DAN SHAW • PRODUCED BY KARIN LIDBECK BRENT
84 Latin Love The door to a classic New England house opens on a lively interior that celebrates
the homeowners’ South American roots in vivid style. ARCHITECTURE: STEVEN MUELLER • LANDSCAPE DESIGN: JAMES DOYLE AND TAIZO HORIKAWA, DOYLE HERMAN DESIGN ASSOCIATES • PHOTOGRAPHY: JOHN GOULD BESSLER • TEXT: JAMES MCCOWN • PRODUCED BY KARIN LIDBECK BRENT
96 A Study in Contrasts A savvy designer’s genius for clever mixing and matching gives a
tiny Litchfield County house outsize charm. INTERIOR DESIGN: JOHN ROCH, ROCH AND CHASE INTERIORS • PHOTOGRAPHY: BRUCE BUCK • TEXT: MEGAN FULWEILER • PRODUCED BY STACY KUNSTEL
106 All That Matters When an elegant new house calls for a sparer look, a designer’s practiced
eye helps the homeowners edit their collections without giving up the things they cherish most. 126
ARCHITECTURE: ALEX KAALI-NAGY • INTERIOR DESIGN: AMY AIDINIS HIRSCH • LANDSCAPE DESIGN: WESLEY STOUT ASSOCIATES • PHOTOGRAPHY: MICHAEL PARTENIO • TEXT: MEGAN FULWEILER • PRODUCED BY STACY KUNSTEL
Special Marketing Section:
PORTFOLIO OF FINE ARCHITECTURE
Departments 12 From the Editor
page 45
24 Artistry: A Passion for Pottery For Frances Palmer, it’s all about an obsession with clay.
It just so happens that customers love the beautiful results. BY MARIA LAPIANA 30 Special Spaces: Hardly Garden Variety A working nineteenth-century farm comes full
circle with expanses designed for beauty as well as function. BY REGINA COLE • PHOTOGRAPHY BY WOODRUFF/BROWN ARCHITECTURAL PHOTOGRAPHY
FIND MORE AT NEHOMEMAG.COM:
36 Made Here: A Thriving Tradition An old-fashioned family-owned company is turning an
ancient metal into present-day objects of desire. Now that’s alchemy. BY MARIA LAPIANA • • •
Check out our online
CALENDAR OF EVENTS for people who are passionate about design
118 Design Life Our candid camera snaps recent gatherings that celebrate architecture and design. 124 Trade Notes New and noteworthy happenings in the Connecticut design business. 126 Perspectives Three designers set the scene for dinner alfresco.
On the cover: Designer Carole Winer-Sorensen took a plain-and-fancy approach in a Litchfield County dining room, pairing a rustic table with elegant Louis XV-style chairs. Photograph by Miki Duisterhof. To see more of this home, turn to page 72.
136 New in the Showrooms Unique, beautiful and now appearing in Connecticut shops and
showrooms. BY KARA LASHLEY 140 Resources A guide to the professionals and products featured in this issue. 142 Advertiser Index 144 Rooms We Love Engaging spaces in the Junior League of Hartford’s 2012 Decorator Show
House. 16 New England Home’s Connecticut Summer 2012
Greenwich, CT | (203) 422-2034 | shelly@shelldecor.com | www.shelldecor.com Follow us on
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chic to unique
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Regina Cole, Janice Randall Rohlf, Megan Fulweiler, Maria LaPiana, Nena Donovan Levine, Nathaniel Reade CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS
Trent Bell, Robert Benson, Bruce Buck, Tria Giovan, Sam Gray, John Gruen, Laura Moss, Michael Partenio, Greg Premru, Eric Roth ••• Subscriptions To subscribe to New England Home’s Connecticut ($15.95 for one year) or for customer service, call (800) 765-1225 or visit our website, www.nehomemag.com. Editorial and Advertising Office 530 Harrison Ave., Suite 302 Boston, MA 02118 (617) 938-3991 (800) 609-5154 Editorial Submissions Designers, architects, builders and homeowners are invited to submit projects for editorial consideration. For information about submitting projects, e-mail edit @nehomemag.com. Letters to the Editor We’d love to hear from you! Write to us at the above address, fax us at (617) 663-6377 or e-mail us at letters@nehomemag.com.
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Susan Deese 20 New England Home’s Connecticut Summer 2012
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Artistry
A Passion for Pottery For Frances Palmer, it’s all about an obsession with clay. It just so happens that customers love the beautiful results. BY MARIA LAPIANA
A
hard spring rain is falling, the kind that forms angry little vees when it hits the pavement. But Frances Palmer is smiling as she descends the stone steps in front of her studio, a rebuilt barn in Weston. A small woman with short, curly hair, Palmer wears retro well: cat’s-eye glasses, flax-colored slacks, vintage cardigan sweater. “Come in,” she says. “This is where it all happens.” There’s clutter everywhere: industrial shelving, kilns, potter’s wheels, molds, shipping boxes, tiny seedlings in starter pots on the floor. In one corner, a roll of seamless backdrop paper is unfurled on a table with a single small vase on it: the photo studio.
Palmer points to her new woodstove and her smile widens. “I got it to keep the barn warm, of course, but it turned out to be a brilliant idea,” she says excitedly. “It’s just incredible how quickly pots dry now!” Palmer is a self-taught, self-made ceramic artist whose critically acclaimed work is shown in galleries and sought 24 New England Home’s Connecticut Summer 2012
after by collectors. Her hand-thrown pieces exact considerable sums, but at the end of the day, she’s nothing close to an art diva; she’s a woman with a passion for clay. The tour continues up narrow stairs to a room filled with finished pots and vases, bowls, plates, platters, cups and cake stands, in glazes and finishes ranging from earthy brown to muted cream and shiny white. It’s from here that Palmer runs her business. Her small desk sits at a window overlooking the flower garden—another one of Clockwise from top: A selecher passions—overflowing with tion of iconic pots by Frances her favorite blooms, some 140 Palmer, circa 2009; a 9-inch round bowl with holes; a varieties of dahlias. Palmer, who studied art his- 10-inch tulipiere. All are made of white earthenware. tory at Columbia, started making art of her own twenty-six years ago when she and her husband, a menswear designer, moved to Connecticut with
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Artistry a newborn. “I signed up for a throwing class, and I loved it,” she says. “In the beginning, I painted on my pots. I wanted to use clay as my canvas. But after a few years, the form took over.”
Looking out at the drenching rain, Palmer is content to tell her story on this dreary afternoon, because “it’s not a good throwing day anyway. . . it’s too wet, and the clay is leaden.”
“It’s really the nature of the process— the shaping, the firing—that I love,” she says. “And I love gardening and ceramics because I like the idea of having something in my brain and then actualizing it.” Noted for glazed white pieces that are ribbed, furled, fluted, folded and adorned with flowers, ruffles and beads, Palmer’s work is perfect in its imperfection. And as her artistry has evolved, she says she’s as mad about Left: From Palmer’s Pearl terra-cotta collection: teapot, creamer, as she is sugar bowl, teacups and about porce- saucers and fluted vase, made lain; it just of vitreous china. Top right: depends on White earthenware plates (11-inch dinner; 7-inch butter), the day. handmade in 2011. Bottom “Each clay right: A 10-inch-high beaded has its own vase with ruffle, from 2010. personality,” she says. “Some potters have a particular clay they like to work with. Not me. I’m intrigued by all kinds.” She collects a few pieces from around the room, cradling them gently, and lines them up on a weathered worktable: her Paper Bag vases, so thin at the top that the clay folds onto itself; her Horn vase, deli-
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26 New England Home’s Connecticut Summer 2012
cate with a beaded rim; a diminutive Shane pot with a nice wide mouth, “perfect for flowers.” For an upcoming exhibition, she’s working with simple, unglazed porcelain fired at temperatures so high it becomes vitrified. And then there are her celadon porcelain bowls, a current favorite. “I mix the glazes by hand and spray them on. I put a bowl in the kiln and wait. I never know
Editor’s Note To see more of Frances Palmer’s work, visit www.francespalmerpottery.com.
Photographer - James K. Lindley | Private Residence - Martha's Vineyard, MA
exactly how it’s going to look,” she says. “I love to throw this clay!” As much as Palmer is engaged by her art, she’s all business when she has to be. She employs only a single assistant and a bookkeeper, and she takes orders herself; those for manufactured pieces are forwarded directly to her factory in Buffalo, New York. It’s a pretty small shop. “Do I wish I were making a million dollars?” she asks. “Sure. But I’m pleased knowing that my handmade work is progressing. There’s only so much I can make, but I’m doing something I believe in, and it comes through.” •
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Hardly GardenVariety A working nineteenth-century farm comes full circle with expanses designed for beauty as well as function. TEXT BY REGINA COLE • PHOTOGRAPHY: WOODRUFF/BROWN ARCHITECTURAL PHOTOGRAPHY
T
hese homeowners had seven acres on which to grow things. But when four adjacent acres came onto the real estate market, the husband snapped them up. “He had two compelling motivations,” says Charles Hilton of Hilton-VanderHorn Architects in Greenwich. “He wanted more room to expand the garden, and he wanted to make sure that no monster spec houses were built there. The zoning allows for two-acre lots, so it was likely that there would soon be two McMansions in clear view.” “In the nineteenth century, the
whole area was a working farm,” explains landscape architect Charles Stick. “By the 1930s, the farm had already been subdivided into house lots. The whole idea was to bring back together what had been.” 30 New England Home’s Connecticut Summer 2012
Today a working farm once again stands on the elevenacre estate, forming the core of a varied, beautiful landscape. Stick designed a master plan with the passionate gardener/ homeowner that encompasses elements the original farmer surely would have envied: a large English greenhouse adjoins a generous, wellequipped potting shed, which, in turn, abuts the garage, guest quarters and home office. The compound, which used and expanded on existing farm buildings, forms a U around a paved courtyard. Picturesque with granite foundations and half timbering, the buildings and the garden wall at one corner form the boundary of one of Greenwich’s charming country roads.
Hilton was inspired by the little hamlet Marie Antoinette had build at Versailles, he says. “We translated it to Connecticut with granite Clockwise from top: Archiinstead of limestone, and tect Chuck Hilton was inspired by Marie Antoinette’s slate on the hamlet at Versailles. The roof instead greenhouse, with its granite foundation and rough timof thatch. bering, is functional as well Though the as beautiful. The parterre timbers were garden grows herbs and mill-sawn, vegetables. the workmen used old adzes to make them look handhewn. The aesthetic is very French.” The backs of the greenhouse and adjoining outbuildings open to a stunning parterre garden, where neatly trimmed boxwood hedges enclose tidy geometric beds. Instead of the expected roses, however, these beds contain vegetables.
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“I have always thought that gardens like this should be beautiful year round,” says Stick. “The idea behind the paterre vegetable garden is that it creates a pattern we see throughout the seasons. It is especially pronounced when covered with snow in the winter.” Though inspired by a historic folly and
designed for aristocratic good looks, this vegetable garden works: its bounty supports a cooperative of a dozen members who sign up for overflowing weekly bags of fresh organic produce throughout the growing season. Neighbors eating from this land again: that is just one of the unexpected ways this
32 New England Home’s Connecticut Summer 2012
landscape seems to slowly be turning full circle. Function and form follow each other architecturally, as well. Anchoring the end of the U-shaped string of structures that is closest to the stone property gates is a small, one-room stone cottage. Fronted by four rustic columns and turned to face the end of the driveway, the little building was originally the farm stand that sold fresh produce from these fields. The endearing stone building now houses the husband’s home office. “We could not build bigger, and we had to remain with the original architecture,” Hilton says, referring to zoning ordinances written to prevent the demolition of historically notable buildings. “The buildings we renovated and augmented have come together to create an authenticity of place. Our goal was to preserve the property without overbuilding it. The greenhouse across the courtyard, new and undeniably beautiful, is similarly hard working, Here the homeowners start seeds, grow tender crops, and overwinter dormant plants. Stick connected with his
clients via Isabelle Vanneck, principal of Davenport North, the Greenwich interior design firm. When she saw the scope of the homeowners’ ambition, she thought of Stick. “I knew his work,” she says. “I knew that he thinks in grand, encompassing ways.” Vanneck, who has worked with the homeowners since their 1995 purchase of the 1940s Georgian residence, created warm, comfortable interiors for the new guest apartment, home office and functional gardening rooms. “The minute he purchased the land, I began to talk with Chuck Hilton The guest apartment has and with Bob a comfortable French Levine, the country ambience. Facing page top: An old one-room contractor,” she says. “I looked stone cottage is now the husband’s office. Facing for nineteenthpage bottom: The comcentury French pound forms a U around country furnithe paved courtyard. ture. I knew it would be appropriate and in scale, and I know the homeowner likes it.” In the fast-growing community that treasures local, fresh, organically raised vegetables, this garden is becoming a touchstone. Cooking classes and garden-
ing workshops are in the offing, all tributes to the work of food pioneer Alice Waters. Her gospel of “slow food” is not only embodied here, the project was directly driven by her philosophy. Waters, who has visited the garden, is a dear friend of the lady of the house. Together with their food mentor, designer, architect and landscape architect, the homeowners have accomplished the seemingly impossible: a working farm that is productive while it is elegant, beautiful at all times of year. •
LR
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Resources For more information about this farm, turn to page 140. Summer 2012 New England Home’s Connecticut 33
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Made Here
A Thriving Tradition An old-fashioned family-owned company is turning an ancient metal into present-day objects of desire. Now that’s alchemy. BY MARIA LAPIANA
ewter is old. An alloy that dates back more than 2,000 years, it’s composed of tin (90 percent or more), antimony and copper, so it’s a fairly common metal, used more for everyday bowls than for bling. Because it’s inexpensive to produce and easy to work and maintain (it doesn’t tarnish), American colonists embraced it. Known as “poor man’s silver,” it became something of a New England icon. But pewter is new, too. At least in Woodbury, where a venerable company has, for the last sixty years, been reinventing itself—all while honoring
P
The company’s headquarters sits on Main Street, among the many antiques stores for which Woodbury is known. Here, skilled workers turn raw pewter into everything from tankards and napkin rings to bud vases, dog dishes, wine
the age-old technique of crafting pewter objects by hand. As the economy has ebbed and flowed, and American styles and tastes have changed, Woodbury Pewter has evolved. “We deal with some 2,000 stores directly; we sell online and in our outlet store,” says Brooks H. Titcomb, company president. “But in some ways we are so small we can diversify like that,” he says, snapping his fingers. “In the first twenty years there were not a lot of changes to our operation. Nowadays, we can spin on a dime.”
caddies and honey pots. They do it by melting the alloy and casting it in molds, or by turning flat discs on a lathe. Woodbury Pewter is thriving today thanks to the forward-thinking Titcomb, whose father, Ray, and great-aunt, Ruth Holbrook, founded the company in 1952. In the beginning, they made reproducEvery piece of Woodbury tions of traditional pieces depewter is meticulously craftsigned by Revere and ed by hand. Above: Handles Danforth, and sold them to gift are attached to a trophy cup. Left: A cider pitcher in the shops. They had twenty or so traditional Paul Revere style items in their repertoire, says and a classic sugar bowl. Titcomb. Over time the business outgrew its space, so in the mid-1960s they moved to Main Street, hired more staff and added more objects to the company catalog. Eventually Holbrook retired, and that’s when Titcomb, Ray’s eldest son, took the helm. By the time Ray retired in the late ’80s, they were selling some 120 items. Today, they stock more than 450 and make thousands of custom pieces every year. “We are always looking for the next good idea,” says Titcomb, who is well versed in
36 New England Home’s Connecticut Summer 2012
Made Here
FROM TRADITIONAL TO MODERN
Photos by Eric Roth, house by Philip Johnson, paintings & sculptures courtesy of art+interiors.
26 Arcadia Rd., Suite 6 | Old Greenwich, CT (203) 540-5350 | www.VictoriaLyonInteriors.com
38 New England Home’s Connecticut Summer 2012
the history and manufacture of pewter and amenable to sharing. Did you know that satin finishes, for example, have always been popular north of the Mason-Dixon Line, while “brights,” or shiny finishes, were more of a mainstay in Southern homes? And that today, brights are on top in the Northeast? He explains: “If you look closely, the satin finish has a directional swirl that shows scuffing, but bright finishes do Woodbury Pewter not. Let’s (800) 648-2014 face it: no www.woodburypewter.com one today has time to The company offers more break out than 450 stock items, includthe polish.” ing many colonial-style favorites like the candle snuffer Titcomb and hurricane sconce picsays his oftured here. Facing page: ferings have Cups, bowls, pitchers (and always been everything in between) are made by turning and shaping influenced flat, round discs of raw by what is— pewter on a lathe. and isn’t—in vogue. “In the ’80s, everyone was serving prepackaged dips when they entertained,” he notes. “So we designed a porringer that was just the right size for dropping in a tub.” In 1997 he opened an outlet store in
front of the factory. It still features firstquality pieces (and seconds), as well as wares produced by pewter makers from
around the world. Over the years, they’ve added fashion accessories, greeting cards, jewelry, handbags and gifts for the home. There’s a gourmet shop, too. “We wanted a local flavor, so most of the teas, jellies and chocolates we sell are from the area,” says Titcomb. A significant part of Woodbury Pewter’s business is memorabilia: awards, plaques, trophies and the like. But across
the board, says its president, “It’s baby gifts that sell best.” Certain items, such as soup tureens, have been discontinued as people’s tastes have changed over the years. But in New England and beyond, there’s still a steady market for Woodbury Pewter’s iconic ware. Why? “Here’s the thing: we’re still making pewter by hand, one piece at a time,” says Titcomb. “Every piece we make is looked at and handled. Much of our tooling is more than 150 years old. Sure, the technology has changed . . . but not that much.” • Summer 2012 New England Home’s Connecticut 39
Paramount Stone 338 Courtland Avenue Stamford, CT 06906 203 353-9119 www.paramountstone.com
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Platinum Inset Cabinetry by Nukitchens 132 Water Street, S. Norwalk, CT 06854 203-831-9000
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Photos by Phil Nelson
By Invitation
Only
The New England Home’s Connecticut Spring Networking Event at The Antique & Artisan Center On May 17, New England Home welcomed advertisers to The Antique & Artisan Center in the local design district of Stamford for a spring networking event celebrating our New England Home’s Connecticut Spring 2012 issue. From beautiful vignettes featuring antiques from more than eighty dealers to an engaging presentation and book signing by interior designer and author Matthew Patrick Smyth, the evening was never short on conversation and entertainment. As guests networked they also enjoyed delicious hors d’oeuvres from Palmer’s Catering and helped the The Antique & Artisan Center celebrate its sixteenth anniversary.
Matthew Patrick Smyth of Matthew Smyth Interiors signing his book for Sandra Visnapuu of Visnapuu Design • Helen White of homeresourceguide.com with Bill Kleinmann of William Kleinmann Architect and Victoria Lyon of Victoria Lyon Interiors • Carey Karlan of Last Detail with George Snead of Wakefield Design Center • Mark and Susan Bijleveld of Finished in Fabric with New England Home’s Kyle Hoepner • Joseph and Mary Najmy of NuKitchens with Mark Candido of The Antique & Artisan Center • New England Home’s Stacy Kunstel with Gina Romanello of Inner Space Electronics and Kenleigh Larock of The Drawing Room • Danielle Guerra and Mike Larock of The Drawing Room with Barbara Laughton and Matt Giardina of Front Row Kitchens
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GREENWICH CT 45 East Putnam Avenue / 203.661.4480 / Convenient Parking Available NYC: SOHO One Kenmare Square / 210 Lafayette BTW Spring & Broome / 212.431.2575 www.mgbwhome.com Hunter Chair 40”w x 39”d x 31”h in a crème textured solid, Manning Console Table 52”w x 12”d x 29”h, Concord 8’ x 10’ Rug in white, Karen Cappotto’s “Map IX” framed collage print on archival paper 43”w x 35”h, Joe Cariati hand-blown glass vases.
YOU R SOU RC E FOR I N NOVAT I V E I DE A S A BOU T S T ON E The line between fantasy and reality is no longer set in stone. Visit Connecticut Stone’s new inspirational showroom at the Galleria Design Center in Middletown to see the unexpected ways that stone can transform your life. Custom cuts, innovative applications and award winning insight—all under one roof. Call (203) 204-3031 or visit us online at connecticutstone.com
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Architecture
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Architecture
B R O O K S A N D FA L O T I C O A S S O C I AT E S , I N C . New Classics.
Inspired by the diverse vernacular architecture of New England, Brooks and Falotico Associates, Inc. has developed an architectural practice dedicated to creating elegant residential designs throughout the region. The firm’s work combines a strong sense of traditional, time-honored design and detailing with a keen understanding of the way contemporary families live. They work closely with clients to develop homes that integrate current technology and convenience with spaces that convey yesterday’s sense of scale, detail and warmth. Louise Brooks founded the firm in 1988; Vincent Falotico joined the firm in 1993 and became a partner in 1999. Over the past twenty-five years, the firm has grown to more than twenty design professionals dedicated to providing the highest standard of service. Brooks and Falotico offers comprehensive residential architectural services including initial planning, budgeting,
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design, municipal approvals, contractor selection and construction review. Both partners are personally involved in each project throughout the process. The firm has created or renovated more than 200 residences throughout the United States. While the majority of their work is in Connecticut and Westchester County, New York, they have completed many projects on Martha’s Vineyard and Nantucket in Massachusetts, Shelter Island and Long Island, Colorado, Florida, Montana, South Carolina and Rhode Island. Their work ranges in scale and complexity from 500-square-foot additions to large residential compounds. Their award-winning work has been featured in many books, blogs and nationally distributed periodicals, including Martha Stewart Living, Traditional Home, Renovation Style, House and Garden, House Beautiful, New England Home and Connecticut Cottages and Gardens.
199 Elm Street, New Canaan, CT 06840 203-966-8440 www.brooksandfalotico.com Special Marketing Section 47
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Architecture
DANIEL CONLON ARCHITECTS A unique vision for every project.
With imagination and experience, Daniel Conlon Architects creates distinctive homes uniquely suited to the wishes of the client and the demands of the site. Because every project presents a different set of circumstances, founder Dan Conlon has consciously avoided the development of a signature style. “There is no single vernacular or set of details that are appropriate for every project. What is important is the clarity of the design, the relationship of the building to the site, the organization of the living spaces and the crispness of the architectural detail,” he explains. Dan personally oversees every project from concept to completion, combining creativity and the expertise of his skilled staff to deliver the best in design and client service. His background in construction, coupled with a rigorous theoretical architectural education has reinforced the importance of taking pride not only in the firm’s design work, but
48 Special Marketing Section
in every phase of the relationship, from the quality of their construction drawings to their management of the municipal approval and construction processes. For more than twenty-five years, Daniel Conlon Architects has provided quality architectural services for discriminating clients. The vast majority of their work comes through client referral, with many returning time after time. The firm has undertaken commissions ranging from modest additions to new estates with multiple buildings. “Ultimately we measure our success by the satisfaction of our clients,” Dan says. Daniel Conlon Architects has received multiple CT HOBI awards for “Best Renovation,” “Remodeled Home of the Year” and “Best New ‘Old’ Home.” Their work has been published in Better Homes and Gardens, Traditional Home, Westport Magazine, Custom Builder and Connecticut Cottages & Gardens.
DANIEL CONLON
ARCHITECTS Daniel Conlon Architects 4 Old Mill Road PO Box 418 Georgetown, CT 06829 203. 544. 7988 dconlonarchitects.com
Special Marketing Section 49
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Architecture
ERSKINE-MIDDELEER A S S O C I AT E S L L C
Erskine-Middeleer Associates, LLC, is an award-winning, full-service design firm specializing in architecture, landscape architecture, site planning and interiors. Principals Silvia Erskine and Geoffrey Middeleer are committed to a holistic approach to design through the careful integration of architectural and landscape form. Involved with each of their projects from the earliest consultations through the final stages of construction, they create designs that meld the needs and visions of their clients with the historical, regional and natural contexts of each site. The firm has completed numerous residential projects, including new homes, additions and extensive architectural and landscape renovations. The houses the firm has designed span a wide range of styles in a variety of locations, from shoreline sites to eighteenth-century farm properties. Each project, regardless of size, is approached with the same focus
50 Special Marketing Section
on creating thoughtful, appropriately scaled and detailed design solutions. Special emphasis is placed on responding to landscape and architectural character, topography, views and solar orientation, while incorporating innovative technologies and environmentally sensitive building elements. Quality materials and creative detailing are combined to create timeless, elegant spaces which provide comfort and delight. The company’s portfolio also includes municipal and institutional landscape projects, including Sherwood Mill Pond Preserve and Greens Farms Academy in Westport and Convent of the Sacred Heart in Greenwich. In 2006, the firm won an American Society of Landscape Architects Merit Award for the landscape design of the Lower School at Greens Farms Academy. For more information about Erskine-Middeleer Associates, LLC, visit the firm’s website at www.erskinemiddeleer.com.
Erskine-Middeleer Associates LLC 487 Danbury Road Wilton, CT 06897 203 762-9017 www.erskinemiddeleer.com Special Marketing Section 51
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Architecture
HILTON-VANDERHORN ARCHITECTS Classic Architecture for Contemporary Living.
Thoughtfully designed traditional buildings, attention to detail, fine-quality materials and meticulous craftsmanship are the hallmarks of a Hilton-VanderHorn residence. The firm has earned a reputation for creating traditionally inspired residences, landscape features and architectural interiors that are beautiful, practical and fit harmoniously in their settings while incorporating client needs, passions and preferences. They appreciate subtle regional influences and understand the opportunities and limitations inherent in each site, seeking to maximize views, daylight and surroundings. HVA’s quality is evident on every project, whether sensitively responding to existing conditions while expanding an older home, enjoying the creative freedom afforded by a new home project or helping an entrepreneur realize their vision through a small commercial project. They strive to create buildings of enduring character and function that seamlessly
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exploit the benefits of modern building technologies. Success in such breadth of scope requires a collaborative design approach. HVA has been fortunate to collaborate with some of the most talented landscape architects, interior decorators, engineers and craftsmen in the region to create an impressive body of work. Their success is also attributable to close relationships with their clients who have continued to return to HVA for repeat projects through the years. Currently, fourteen highly dedicated individuals with specialized training ranging from historic preservation to sustainable design to architectural interiors call HVA home. While the firm’s focus remains beautifully crafted traditional residences in Fairfield County, Connecticut, and Westchester County, New York, HVA has successfully completed projects spanning from the woods of Maine to the coast of Southern California.
Hilton-VanderHorn Architects 31 East Elm St. Greenwich, CT 06830 203-862-9011 www.hilton-vanderhorn.com Special Marketing Section 53
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Architecture
H U E L S T E R D E S I G N S T U D I O, L L C Expressions in architecture, landscape architecture and furniture design.
Huelster Design Studio, LLC offers full-service design expertise in the total home environment: from architectural and landscape design to custom-designed cabinetry and furniture. The studio has been creating distinctive new homes, additions and renovations for more than two decades, from Connecticut to California. Our portfolio includes fresh interpretations of traditional building forms, historic structures and gardens, Midcentury modern marvels, and twenty-first-century homes and landscapes. Our talented professionals bring enthusiasm and experience to each project: principal Kevin Huelster, AIA, landscape architect Katherine Kamen, ASLA, and architect Jane Gitlin, AIA offer a unique set of additional skills, including woodworking, fine art and writing to their professional abilities.
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Drawing upon our extensive knowledge of construction, architectural history, horticulture and joinery, we evaluate and explore each design challenge to maximize the experiential and aesthetic qualities of the structure and site. Our design values embrace a harmonious relationship between structures and site as well as the efficient use of space. Traditional methods and materials are integrated with new technologies, resulting in dependable, state-ofthe-art dwellings. We utilize environmentally responsible materials and methods to design energy-efficient homes and sustainable landscapes. The character and style of each completed project resolves the unique set of desires, problems and circumstances posed by the client and site. The results are projects that reflect the ideals and spirit of our clients.
HUELSTER DESIGN STUDIO 38 Compo Road North Westport, CT 06880 203.227.5334 huelsterdesign.com Special Marketing Section 55
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Architecture
JMKA | ARCHITECTS
JMKA | architects, an award-winning firm in lower Fairfield County, has built its reputation working closely with clients to design projects that integrate the clients’ needs and vision within a budget. The firm’s design philosophy draws on the proven lessons of historical, regional and cultural context. In the design process, JMKA | architects does an in-depth exploration of both the project requirements and the client’s aspirations. We investigate all aspects of the property, its relation to the program and its impact on the design. Through all of this, the budget is referred to and tested in relation to the design process. JMKA | architects takes a collaborative approach to design, working closely with the client, the builder, interior designer, mill shop and landscape architect. Working as a team ensures that an often-complex process is smooth from beginning to end, with the result being a successful project.
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The same high level of detail JMKA | architects employs on the exterior is continued through the interiors. Our expertise in custom-designed furniture, hardware and lighting and our ongoing relationships with the finest builders, consultants and craftsman result in satisfying the demands for high quality required by our clients. JMKA | architects has the same enthusiasm for small renovations and additions as for new construction. In the words of one of our clients, “It is awesome…..the most amazing thing is how well the architecture, the design and the furnishings all combine to create exactly what we were hoping for….” JMKA | architects views each project as a new canvas. We integrate the client’s vision and aspirations, work within a budget and provide hands-on management of the details and the craft. A unique, personal architectural process is the hallmark of our firm.
JMKA | architects 17 Kings Highway N Westport, CT 06880 203.222.1222 www.jmkarchitects.com Special Marketing Section 57
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Architecture
MICHAEL SMITH ARCHITECTS Timeless architecture with a sustainable point of view.
Founded in 1999 by principal Michael Smith, the firm’s underlying design philosophy centers on the idea that carefully applying the design principles of simplicity, consistency, and authenticity will yield a timeless work of architecture regardless of the style or type of building. Michael and his team have designed a wide range of high-quality projects including large single-family custom residences, residential renovations, boutique commercial projects, educational facilities, and multi-family residential projects. Michael Smith Architects (MSA) and its current staff have more than seventeen years of experience in a diverse range of projects focusing primarily on highly customized residential architecture in the Fairfield County and the New York City metropolitan area. “At MSA we believe that every project deserves its own unique solution that represents a combination of thought-
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ful design with a complete understanding of the client’s priorities. We work to create custom solutions that respond to the client’s wishes, the environment, and the historical context of the project.” Smith says. Further, MSA takes a holistic approach to the design process by considering not just the exterior architecture but also the design of the interior trim, finishes, and cabinetry to create a consistent overall aesthetic that will stand the test of time. In addition, through its membership in the United States Green Building Council, MSA strives to incorporate many sustainable or green features into its projects wherever possible, and takes great care to integrate these new technologies into each design in a seamless and harmonious way.
Michael Smith Architects 462 Danbury Road Wilton, CT 06897 203 563-0553 www.michaelsmitharchitects.com Special Marketing Section 59
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Architecture
NINA CUCCIO PECK ARCHITECTURE AND INTERIORS
Currently celebrating its twenty-fifth year in business, the firm of Nina Cuccio Peck Architects has completed residential projects that span the coastline from Nova Scotia to New York City. Here are a few thoughts on her approach and firm. What style would you say best exemplifies your architecture? Our designs do not adhere to a specific architectural style per se. Each design addresses the needs of each owner and each site. In all of our projects the end result is style with substance—intelligent, elegant, sustainable solutions to complex problems that endure the test of time beyond fleeting trends. What most differentiates your firm from other firms? In addition to producing fine architecture, my firm prides itself on its ability to integrate architecture with interior design. The one informs the other. A well-scaled and finely
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detailed house is more successfully achieved when during the design process one has an eye to the interiors and the furnishings that will ultimately transform a house into a home. If you had a word of advice to a homeowner what would it be? Proportion and quality of a space is more important than quantity. The size of a house has no correlation to either the happiness of the owner or the skill of the architect. If you had a credo what would it be? Residential architecture is not simply about designing impressive structures. It is also about shaping beautifully the spaces that shape our lives. Our homes are where we raise our families, create memories and find refuge. I want to surround people with joyfulness that lifts the spirit, coziness that comforts and functionality that calms the frenetic pace of daily life.
Nina Cuccio Peck Architecture and Interiors 9 Halls Road PO Box 841 Old Lyme, CT 06371 860.434.6462 www.ncparch.com Special Marketing Section 61
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Architecture
ROB SANDERS ARCHITECTS Period Design for Contemporary Living.
Rob Sanders Architects is best known for sensitive, responsive designs that engage both architectural and natural context. By carefully listening to client needs and dreams, drawing on experience and a well-honed sense of appropriate scale, the firm creates stylish, elegant spaces which meet— and exceed—the expectations of discerning clients. RSA specializes in restoring and adapting buildings from the last three centuries, preserving architectural character and history while accommodating twenty-first-century needs. New homes and ancillary structures are all treated with the same thoughtful approach. Timber frame structures, including new and antique homes and barns, are a particular specialty. RSA believes that your living spaces should be infused with the beauty that comes from correct proportions, scale, materials and the quality of light. In this context, bigger is
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not always better. Your lifestyle is uplifted by surroundings that make you completely comfortable and feel “just right.” Beyond fine design, hallmarks of RSA projects are respect for the site and the desire to conserve resources with environmentally responsive designs. We are sensitive to the sun’s seasonal movements around a property and its impact on day lighting and passive heating; to the direction of prevailing winds; and to wetlands, important trees and other landscape features. The firm stays abreast of evolving technologies that provide improved insulation, windows, heating and cooling systems and healthy, sustainable materials. Twice honored by the Connecticut Trust for Historic Preservation, and by AIA/CT, we have established long-term relationships with numerous clients. Many return to RSA with additional design projects, or refer us to their family, friends and colleagues.
Rob Sanders Architects The Carriage House 436 Danbury Road Wilton, CT 06897 203-761-0144 www.rsarchct.com Special Marketing Section 63
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Architecture
R O B E RT A . C A R D E L L O ARCHITECTS, AIA
Robert A. Cardello Architects, LLC, develops both commercial and residential projects with a specialty in fine home designs. The cornerstone of our success over the past twelve years lies in our ability to blend integrity of design with our clients’ vision. We pride ourselves on truly understanding the pattern of living and how our clients engage their surroundings, whether we’re designing for an individual, a couple, a family or a business. Transforming that knowledge, in collaboration with our clients, into a place of comfort and enjoyment they can cherish for years to come is what we do best. Robert A. Cardello, AIA, is a graduate of Tulane University, with a Masters degree in architecture. He has been designing both commercial and residential properties for more than fifteen years in the New England region. With architectural licenses in New York, Connecticut and Rhode Island,
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Bob began his own firm to enhance the creative growth of his architecture. His work is solidly based in architectural traditions, but rather than using those traditions as boundaries within which to practice, he uses them as tools for innovative individual expression. As a firm, we take in our ability to combine a strong creative spirit with an efficient process for all our clients. We adhere to a strict level of professionalism and, most important, build a strong long-term relationship with our clients, whom we feel fortunate to be able to work with. Our strong commitment to exceptional design stands above everything else. We invite you to browse our portfolio, which exemplifies this passion. We offer a full scope of services ranging from consultation and design development to bidding and negotiation and construction administration.
RO BERT A . CA RD EL LO A RCH I TECTS , A I A 97 Washington Street South Norwalk, CT 06854 Phone: (203) 853-2524 Fax: (203) 853-0234 www.cardelloarchitects.com
Special Marketing Section 65
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Architecture
R O B E RT D E A N A R C H I T E C T S Blending history, architecture and beauty.
As an academic architect of the old school, Robert Dean leads his firm with an intimate knowledge of the history of architecture and a willingness to use history skillfully and respectfully in the design of each building project. Dean brings an unusually varied experience to the practice of architecture, from the hands-on to the academic. As a practicing architect, Dean has led New Canaan-based Robert Dean Architects for more than twenty-five years. He has established credentials that range from historical construction detailing to large-scale site planning. Prior to starting his own practice, he worked for notable New York practitioners including Robert A.M. Stern, Philip Johnson and Skidmore, Owings and Merrill. Dean studied architecture at the University of Pennsylvania and Columbia University and he has taught design at Syracuse and Columbia universities. He also conducts
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research on the history and meaning of architecture in the broader context of American culture. He has a depth of knowledge of the Midcentury Modern architects of New Canaan, and of the evolution of Connecticut’s rural towns during the ninteenth century. Dean also sustains an active involvement in voluntary and pro-bono services related to town planning and historic preservation. As an elected planning official in the historically focused town of Redding, he has been involved in issues of public policy related to historic preservation and community development. He serves as an adviser to preservation groups, and is an active advocate for thorough and thoughtful design as an essential ingredient of community.
r o b e r t
d e a n
a r c h i t e c t s
Robert Bruce Dean, AIA
Robert Dean Architects 111 Cherry Street New Canaan, CT 06840 203 966-8333 www.robertdeanarchitects.com Special Marketing Section 67
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Architecture
WILLIAM KLEINMANN ARCHITECT Designing at the intersection of form and function.
With the vision of creating beautiful and functional living spaces through good design, William Kleinmann founded his full-service residential architectural firm in 1991. They specialize in custom homes, renovations and additions in Connecticut and in Westchester County, New York. The firm, with more than twenty years of experience, is uniquely qualified in both the creation of classical homes and in completing historical renovations and additions. With his intimate knowledge of construction, use of up-to-date materials and familiarity with local practices, William Kleinmann’s designs strike a fine balance between form and function. The firm is completely involved from the initial design process through engineering and construction management. One of William’s strengths is his ability to work very closely with his clients to ensure that the home’s design reflects their desires and needs, with an approach that is both
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professional and personal. No detail is overlooked, including careful site analysis, with attention to zoning and environmental conditions. At the same time, he works closely with the contractor during the construction phase to ensure the design is perfectly implemented. The results are projects that enhance and meet the challenges of the modern family. William Kleinmann’s projects, principally in Greenwich, have won him several HOBI awards, have been featured in East Coast Home magazine and have been showcased in the Greenwich Kitchen Tour.
William Kleinmann Architect 43 Oakdale Road Stamford, CT 06906 203-327-5512 www.williamkleinmannarchitect.com Special Marketing Section 69
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A living room sitting area is outfitted with swanarmed chairs and settee upholstered in creamcolored velvet and trimmed with nailheads. Facing page from top: A Louis XV settee nestles in a living room alcove. An old-world portico with graphic limestone floors sets the tone for the house. A crystal chandelier is an elegant counterpoint to the rough-hewn dining room table.
72 New England Home’s Connecticut Summer 2012
Dressed to
Impress In just seven months, a Litchfield County manor house and its gardens get a facelift that creates an enchanting setting for the start of its owners’ new life together. Text by Dan Shaw • Photography by Miki Duisterhof • Interior design: Carole Winer-Sorensen, Country Loft Antiques • Landscape design: Kurt Klimak, Klimak Horticultural Services • Produced by Karin Lidbeck Brent
Summer 2012 New England Home’s Connecticut 73
Carole Winer-Sorensen designed the living room’s back-to-back banquette, giving it hand-carved maple feet and lavender velvet upholstery. She paired it with a coffee table of brass and beveled glass. Right: The foyer’s graphic limestone floors and unadorned windows are characteristic of the home’s restrained but vivid decorating.
74 New England Home’s Connecticut Summer 2012
T
here’s an old adage that says you only get one chance to make a first impression. But when it comes to houses, you usually get two chances: both the driveway and entrance foyer are opportunities to set a tone and frame expectations. When Woodbury interior designer Carole Winer-Sorensen first saw the manor house in Litchfield County that her clients were buying, she was impressed by its curb appeal, and she took her decorating cues from the gracious forecourt, the rustic stone walls and the ivy cascading over the white-brick residence. Though it had been vacant for two years, the house felt fresh and airy due to a not-so-long-ago facelift by an architect from Charleston, South Carolina. The rooms had elegant proportions and good bones, though Winer-Sorensen knew that some delicate negotiations would be required to turn it into a family home that combined Old World grace and twenty-first-century practicality. “My job was to blend the preferences of the husband, who already owned antique furniture and modern art, with the more contemporary sensibility of his soon-to-be wife,” says Winer-Sorensen. “The big challenge: I was supposed to have everything ready in time for their wedding in seven months!” Fortunately, WinerSorensen owns Country Loft Antiques in Woodbury, so she was able to shop for many items in her store, a converted eighteenth-century barn with a French provincial flavor, where her clients had first discovered her. Winer-Sorensen instinctively understood how to furnish the foyer, which has limestone floors, walls of double-hung windows on two sides and a view through the living room to the formal garden beyond. She chose several Louis XVI Summer 2012 New England Home’s Connecticut 75
pieces—a center table with a marble top, a pair of chairs from the set in the dining room and a chalky white bench upholstered in zebra print—that have a formality appropriate for a country house. To keep the entry from feeling too studied, she added an umbrella stand made of silver boots for a bit of whimsy and a terra“The view to the garden is cotta Chinese warrior that lends an air of exoticism. so spectacular. Why would If the foyer doesn’t make a you want to hide it?” lasting impression it’s only because the living room is so breathtaking. The designer’s decision to forgo draperies gives the space the ambience of a conservatory. “The view to the garden is so spectacular,” she says, pointing out how the half-hexagonal bay makes you feel like you’re in the midst of the landscape. “Why would you want to hide this view? It’s very private so there is no need for curtains.” The decoration of the bone-colored living room revolves around a floating banquette that Winer-Sorensen designed
76 New England Home’s Connecticut Summer 2012
The rustic dining table gets dressed up with nineteenth-century Louis XV–style chairs upholstered in gray linen. A Chinese rug and voile curtains contribute to the lush ambience. Facing page: Kurt Klimak created a “mature” garden from a landscape bare but for stone walls in just three months— in time for the owners’ garden wedding.
Summer 2012 New England Home’s Connecticut 77
to the homeowners’ specifications. “They texted me a photo of something they saw in the lobby of a hotel while on a vacation in Greece,” says Winer-Sorensen, who called on Tudor House in Hamden to produce her custom design. “We placed tape on the floor to make a template so we’d get exactly the right size.” With carved maple legs and lavender velvet upholstery, the banquette is an ambidextrous piece used for lounging while watching TV or for multiple conversations among up to eight people during a cocktail party. Two other furniture groups lend a sense of balance to the living room. In the windowed alcove, Winer-Sorensen placed a pair of cream-velvet-covered Louis XV chairs and a Louis XV settee. She turned a duo of antique bronze candelabra into lamps that she topped with black parchment shades for contrast in the ethereal space. At the other end of the room, in front of the fireplace, a pair of swan-armed Empire chairs flank a Napoleon settee. Winer-Sorensen had these mahogany pieces painted with a faux strié finish, upholstered in a cream strié velvet from Lee Jofa and trimmed in antique-finished Houlès nailheads. Winer-Sorensen took a similar plainand-fancy approach in the dining room, dressing up the fourteen-foot-long roughhewn table the owners had previously purchased by placing it atop an enormous nineteenth-century blue-and-gray Persian rug and surrounding it with Louis XV–style painted chairs covered in an icy gray linen. “I had the walls painted a light pewter-gray so that the paintings and vintage black-andwhite photographs would pop,” she explains. With a few tweaks, the Gossamer voile curtains provide a touch kitchen is now as glamorous of femininity while silas it is functional. ver-plated rods and rings add shimmer, complementing the crystal chandelier and contemporary silver candlesticks that the owners received as a wedding gift. Though large and recently renovated, the kitchen lacked pizzazz. But with a few significant tweaks, it’s now as glamorous as it is functional: a new custom brass-and-stainless exhaust hood shaped like a chimney became a focal point; black soapstone counters replaced ordinary granite ones; glass fronts were added to several cabinet doors; and new 78 New England Home’s Connecticut Summer 2012
Kitchen windows are left bare to take full advantage of the garden view. Facing page, top: Cocoa-colored walls and gold silk curtains make for a sumptuous study. Facing page, bottom: The centerpiece of the kitchen is the customdesigned brass-and-stainless stove hood.
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brass bamboo hardware provided a touch of Far Eastern sparkle. Winer-Sorensen gave the study and library a more traditional look, hanging lush curtains of gold silk on fluted wood rods to complement the cocoa-brown walls and gold-leafed ceiling. She chose a First Empire mahogany table for a desk, pairing it with a modernist cognac-colored leather chair and an antique escabeau that acts as a bookcase. Overflowing with books and family photographs, the room is cozy but not cluttered. It has a timeless, Old World feel with its big Chesterfield leather sofa and an ornately carved nineteenth-century English walnut chair. Equally luxurious, the master bedroom is a sophisticated oasis. “They wanted it tranquil and filled with light,” says WinerSorensen. The centerpiece is a reproduction American mahogany four-poster bed with a graceful curved canopy of Fortuny pleated silk that the designer also used for the petticoat. By the fireplace, matching natural linen chairs are perfect for an intimate tête-à-tête. In the bay, a chinchilla throw is draped over an early nineteenthcentury tufted chaise, creating a poetic vignette framed by diaphanous white curtains trimmed in gold and held back by chunky brass pulls. When they look out the window, the owners have a truly romantic view: they were married in the garden, which was planted according to their wishes in just three months. “We literally started with nothing except the stone walls,” says landscape designer Kurt Klimak of Klimak Horticultural Services in Woodbury. “The previous owners had removed every single bush and plant.” The master bedroom is a The new owners wanted a formal European garden, sophisticated oasis, tranquil which would normally and filled with light. take years to mature. “I had to find sixteen juniper spirals that were exactly the same size,” says Klimak. “We planted 700 flats of pachysandra, 4,000 fall bulbs and the fastest-growing boxwood I could find. We made the paths out of Connecticut river gravel so the bride would not slip as she walked down the aisle.” It was an enchanting wedding, says Sorensen-Winer— no doubt, given the appealing setting—one one that left both newlyweds and their guests with a lasting impression. • Resources For more information about this home, see page 140. 80 New England Home’s Connecticut Summer 2012
A leather ChesterďŹ eld sofa and an ornate nineteenth-century English walnut chair make a bold statement in the book-ďŹ lled library. Facing page, top: The master bedroom offers several perches for relaxation in addition to the mahogany four-poster bed. Facing page, bottom: A nineteenth-century chaise longue beckons from the window bay overlooking the garden.
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LATIN LOVE The door to a classic New England house opens on a lively interior that celebrates the homeowners’ South American roots in vivid style. TEXT BY JAMES MCCOWN • PHOTOGRAPHY BY JOHN GOULD BESSLER • ARCHITECTURE: STEVEN MUELLER • BUILDER: WRIGHT BUILDING COMPANY • LANDSCAPE DESIGN: JAMES DOYLE AND TAIZO HORIKAWA, DOYLE HERMAN DESIGN ASSOCIATES • PRODUCED BY KARIN LIDBECK BRENT
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Alive with urban energy, Sigfredo Chacón’s installation New York Drippings frames an intimate dining area with a round table and upholstered chairs and lit by a vintage crystal chandelier. Facing page: Fronting on the Chacón painting, a leather bench and a multicolor rug by Nanimarquina form the centerpieces of the house’s main entrance.
In the living room, colorful twin cocktail tables by French artist Yves Klein are set against a lush white alpaca rug from Peru. Facing page, clockwise from top left: The leather bench with hand-carved chair backs, designed by Dubini, is jaunty but “not very comfortable,” Adriana Gabaldón admits. Dining room furniture features fabric from Loro Piana and William Yeoward. A closer look at a Klein cocktail table.
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he classic Shingle-style house in the Cos Cob section of Greenwich looks conservative and contextual—right in keeping with the sturdy, no-nonsense Yankee architecture that has been favored in the neighborhood for generations. But inside, this house pulsates to a Latin beat, the work of a Venezuelan couple who wanted their home to blend into the neighborhood while celebrating their South American roots through art and furnishings. “You never expect there to be such a difference inside,” says Adriana Gabaldón, who, though not trained as an interior designer, did the decorating herself. “We are proudly Venezuelan, and this is like having a little bit of our country in our house.” Her husband, Gustavo, an executive who works in nearby Stamford, echoes the sentiment: “People see the outside and can’t imagine the inside. Once, the guy delivering pizza saw the entrance hall artwork and said, ‘What is that!’” “That” is New York Drippings, a stunning twentyseven-foot-long multi-panel painting by Venezuelan
artist Sigfredo Chacón. The vivid installation recalls the work of Jackson Pollock: an abstract urban scene dizzy with excitement and energy. The entire interior of the house is designed as a rather muted backdrop for the couple’s art collection. The palette tends toward whites, grays and blacks, with five-inch-wide ebonized oak floorboards throughout—a neutral background against which the artwork can pop. The Gabaldóns, who moved to Greenwich from Caracas in 2001, had lived for several years in a colonial-style house on the property. As their two daughters got older, and as more friends and relatives from Venezuela came to visit, it was time to expand into bigger quarters. “It seems we looked at a thousand houses,” says Gustavo, “but none of them had all the features we wanted, or the convenient location of Cos Cob, where you’re minutes from everywhere.” It was teardown time. They interviewed six architects before choosing Greenwich-based Steven Mueller. For the exterior of the new house, they settled on what the architect calls New England coastal Shingle style. “The real challenge of the site was that Summer 2012 New England Home’s Connecticut 87
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The pool area, complete with a fireplace and multiple areas for relaxing, features Royal Botania furniture. Facing page, left: Adriana’s love of symmetry and angular design are evident in both the house’s exterior and the landscaping.
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Artemide’s Mercury ceiling lamp illuminates the fluid, cantilevered chairs and square table of the breakfast area. Facing page, clockwise from left: The double-height living room’s neutral color palette serves as a backdrop to dramatic artwork, such as Carlos Blanco’s large round painting of a Venezuelan tepuy and Rafael Barrios’s seemingly weightless sculptures.
it was a hillside,” Mueller says. “But the Shingle style is especially suited to a sloping site.” The stonework seen so often on Shingle-style homes meant the house could be gently set into the landscape, appearing to rise from it organically. Clever architectural decisions, like the large elliptical window set into a gable and surrounded by brackets on the house’s east side, help keep it from being “subsumed by the hillside,” Mueller explains. The extensive paneling and wood trim throughout the house is “transitional,” Mueller says, congenial to the Shingle style while keeping the focus on his clients’ contemporary artwork. That art includes a six-and-a-half-foot-diameter round painting of a tepuy, the tabletop mesa mountains found in the Guiana Highlands of south central Venezuela. Mueller designed an upstairs hallway that uses the painting, by Venezuelan Carlos Blanco, as a centerpiece, drawing the viewer toward the balcony overlooking the double-height living room. Works by Rafael Barrios, another Venezuelan—a hanging mobile and desktop stabile sculptures—play on the viewer’s sense of depth and perspective.
European pieces also figure into the couple’s collection. Two Plexiglas tables by French artist Yves Klein are filled with vivid blue and pink pigments. His countryman Arman conceived what appears to be a melting porcelain tea service. North American artists, including Jeff Koons and Robert Indiana, make the cut as well. Lighting designer Amy Vitale of ALV Lighting Solutions in Stamford was brought in to assure that each piece would be visible and hold its own. “Much of the architectural lighting is meant to disappear and let the artwork glow,” says Vitale. “For example, in the living room, a low-voltage cable system with halogen lighting spans the room like a trapeze, but it’s hardly visible.” Vitale credits Adriana with picking Artemide’s Mercury ceiling lamp to light the kitchen’s breakfast table. “I didn’t think it was going to work, and it looks spectacular,” she says. Spectacular could also describe the kitchen itself. Designed by Deane, Inc., of Stamford and New Canaan, the space is a pure, clean white accented with minimalist stainless steel. A large custom Summer 2012 New England Home’s Connecticut 91
Clockwise from this page: Barcelona chairs and upholstered Midcentury benches add verve to a serene master bedroom. The master bath features a large oval tub by Oceania. A plush white rug grounds a daughter’s colorful bedroom. A detail of Red Balloon Dog, by Jeff Koons, in the master bedroom.
stainless-steel ventilation hood seems to float above two kinds of stoves—an induction cooktop and a more conventional gas cooktop. It’s all backed up by a wall of Calcutta marble. “We could be really bold with the marble,” says Deane’s Veronica Campbell. “This particular piece was chosen because of its dramatic veins.” The custom cabinets were kept clean and sleek by forgoing hardware in favor of a stainless-steel channel shaped like a J, which opens drawers and doors with an effortless tug. Two islands allow plenty of space for kitchen prep and casual family dining. Adriana’s love of geometry and symmetry informed the design of the landscaping. “We strove for a clean modern aesthetic with the choice of plantings and materials,” says James Doyle, principal of Doyle Herman Design Associates in Greenwich. “The plantings are linear with taller fastigiate [narrowing as they rise] columnar horn92 New England Home’s Connecticut Summer 2012
beam trees, and we have a small palette of plants that are textural and sheared. We also used steel edging and gravel for a clean, modern look.” One of the Gabaldóns’ greatest joys is seeing the pride their two teenagers have in their new home. Both girls agreed that the house should celebrate their roots. “The younger one, Corina, wanted to have something that reminded her of Cerro El Ávila, a famous mountain in Caracas. Adriana bought her a painting of it for her bedroom by Venezuelan artist Roberto de la Fuente,” Gustavo says. Older daughter Isabella chose folk art as the basis for her room’s decor. It’s a surprise, indeed, to open the doors of this genteel, traditional house to find so much color and excitement inside. But it’s a happy surprise, and just right for a family looking for a pleasing blend of two worlds. • Resources For more information about this home, see page 140.
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Country Club Homes, Michael Smith Architects and TotalCare would like to thank....
Thank you Fairfield County Community Foundation, vendors, sponsors, volunteers and participants. Because of you, our 2012 Design Build Showcase at 731 Smith Ridge Rd., New Canaan was a great success!
The event, held on May 16th, offered participants an opportunity to become better informed about the latest possibilities in home design and technology. Experts in the industry discussed the most important things to consider when building or renovating a home. All ticket proceeds benefited the valuable work that Fairfield County Community Foundation does in our communities, www.fccfoundation.org.
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SHARON MC CORMICK DESIGN FINE INTERIOR DESIGN Hartford | Greenwich | Cape Cod & The Islands 8 8 8 - 4 9 8 - 5 9 8 8 | i n f o @ s h a r o nm c c o r m i c kd e s i g n . c o m W W W. S H A R O N M C C O R M I C K D E S I G N . C O M
A favorite relaxation spot, the sunny study seamlessly marries past and present. Top right: Versatile antique stacked boxes serve as sculpture. Bottom right: Contemplate homeowner/ designer Roch’s vignettes and a subtle similarity of shapes emerges.
A STUDY IN CONTRASTS 96 New England Home’s Connecticut Summer 2012
Who says an eighteenth-century house calls for colonial decor? Not the savvy designer whose genius for clever mixing and matching gave a tiny Litchfield County house outsize charm. TEXT BY MEGAN FULWEILER • INTERIOR DESIGN: JOHN ROCH, ROCH AND CHASE INTERIORS • PHOTOGRAPHY BY BRUCE BUCK • PRODUCED BY STACY KUNSTEL Summer 2012 New England Home’s Connecticut 97
A convex mirror makes an interesting focal point above the great room’s fireplace. The refurbished 1940s sofa is by Danish designer Frits Henningsen. Top right: Manicured topiaries suit the tidy porch. Bottom right: Brimming with history, the home’s core dates to 1793.
nyone who believes an eighteenth-century house should always be period-appropriate has only to visit the home of interior designer John Roch and architect Richard Campbell. Nestled on the edge of a wee village in Litchfield County—a picturesque area where seriously creative types have long gravitated—their house is a study in clever juxtapositions. Antiques and modern furnishings coexist as happily as peas in the proverbial pod. A tour reveals a clutch of Hans Wegner wishbone chairs here, a nineteenth-century pine cabinet there. Having designed scores of homes in myriad styles, Roch prefers a clean, orderly vibe in his own sur98 New England Home’s Connecticut Summer 2012
roundings. Every space is carefully edited, and every object that makes the cut is thoughtfully placed. As a result, the little house exudes a sense of style as big as nearby Bear Mountain. Of course, some credit must go to previous owners for their renovations. A long way removed from its original state, the house’s interior already had a contemporary outlook. Thrilled to find a small home with a spacious great room—one that could hold a dining table that seats twelve along with a congenial living area—the men looked no further in their search for a weekend retreat. The user-friendly interior, not typical in a colonial, freed them to
Every piece is carefully edited, and every object that makes the cut is thoughtfully placed.
focus on cosmetic changes. Still, the makeover was fairly epic. There was a roof to replace (make that two roofs—the barn also needed one), aluminum siding to remove, clapboards to be added and much painting to be done. For a decade, the property had tended itself, too. Initially, due to overgrown plantings, the men couldn’t see out their firstfloor windows! Underneath it all, though, were the abode’s handsome Yankee bones and feeling of openness. Four years later, the duo gave up the idea of weekly visits and claimed the charming house as their permanent address. Roch commutes daily to his Fairfield firm, Summer 2012 New England Home’s Connecticut 99
Roch and Chase Interiors, while Campbell’s office—Richard Swift Campbell Architects—is based at home. “It was a compromise, but we wanted to make this our year-round residence,” Roch explains without a tinge of regret. And it’s certainly easy to see why. Comfortable and bright—the sun pours in all day—it’s a wonderfully stylish place up and down. Gone is the theme of avocado, gold and blue the kitchen sported when the couple moved in. Now the walls are a handsome dark gray, the color of the sky before a storm, and the floor is covered in an old-school black-and-white pattern. “It was just supposed to be a temporary fix, but we like it so much we’re keeping it. It’s hum100 New England Home’s Connecticut Summer 2012
Roch swapped the dining table’s glass top for one of handsome elm. Top left: An antique game board echoes the kitchen floor. Bottom left: The homeowners collect unusual pieces from the past, like the harness-making equipment by the bookcase, that add sculptural elements.
ble, like our house, but graphic,” Roch says. The cool Arne Jacobsen chairs married to the eighteenth-century kitchen table were another of Roch’s just-for-now maneuvers. In the end, this union also turned out to be too delicious to alter. The contrasts Roch concocts seem effortless, but study them for any length of time and you’ll notice a pattern. Consider, for instance, the Charles and Ray Eames lounge chairs and antique table cozying up to each other in the sitting room. The curve of the old table speaks to the chair’s contours, and even the antlers on the wall have a subtle similarity of shape. Roch modestly claims he doesn’t think about it; he just does it. Whatever the case, his ingenious
marrying of disparate eras and elements propels the decor into the current century. Like yin and yang, the interaction brings harmony. Clutter is forbidden, of course. In this home, there’s a place for everything and everything’s in its place, though not necessarily out in the open. “Things The contrasts Roch concocts go away. Negative space is imseem effortless, but study portant; it complements where them for any length of time you do have things. Our house is always camera-ready,” Roch and you’ll notice a pattern. admits with a laugh. The owners removed miles of bookshelves (the former inhabitant, a travel writer, was an avid reader) to maximize square footage and Summer 2012 New England Home’s Connecticut 101
forge wall space for their burgeoning art collection. As a result, antiques become more beautiful given room to show off; modern pieces better flaunt their lines. And good-looking artifacts, like the wood piece once used in harness-making that now poses by the great room’s bookcase, assume a sculptural presence. According to Roch, Campbell has a talent for finding charming treasures and oddities from the past. The wood pillars supporting candlesticks alongside the dining table are among his discoveries. Their lean silhouettes frame a favorite painting and strike an elegant note in a setting that includes a Le Corbusier–designed table base (Roch commissioned a custom It’s all proof that a house wood top). Sitting doesn’t have to be overly nearby, an antique grand to be celebrated, just lantern from Robert Walin and Tucker brilliantly conceived. Frey Antiques in Woodbury is more than another interesting form: frequently lit at mealtimes, it casts a flattering glow. On balmy summer evenings, Roch and Campbell are apt to have their dinner on the screened porch. Unperturbed by nasty bugs, the men can linger around the gateleg table till the stars appear. Roch painted the table and the reproduction Windsor chairs jet black—a perfect foil to the porch’s crisp, green-as-a-leaf floor. It comes as no surprise that the home’s bedrooms are equally appealing. In the master bedroom, where walls are painted Benjamin Moore’s Mink, the reproduction pencil-post bed wears a geometric Pendleton Mills blanket. Lithographs by Alicia Penalba, from Stair Galleries in Hudson, New York, pop against the sultry background. The windows are kitted out with nonfussy linen curtains. It’s all so wonderfully simple—think Shaker given a fashionable twist. In the guest bedroom, Roch again expertly interweaves old and new. A drop-leaf table tucked beside an aged iron bed displays an edgy reading lamp. A sisal carpet (“they’re so forgiving,” the designer explains) covers the wood floor. Visitors can’t help but feel that sleeping in this serene room—or spending any length of time in this chic, understated house, for that matter—will lower stress levels. It’s additional proof, should anyone need it, that a house doesn’t have to be overly grand to be celebrated, just brilliantly conceived. • Resources For more information about this home, see page 140. 102 New England Home’s Connecticut Summer 2012
Who needs a fussy canopy? Certainly not the spare, but warm, master bedroom. Facing page top: A Jack Sonenberg lithograph lends a punch to the upstairs hall. Facing page bottom: Homeowner Richard Campbell fashioned the bath’s sconces from found parts.
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A hint of blue on the ceiling quietly enhances the living room’s airiness, as do the upholstery’s neutral tones. “Nothing is overdone in this house,” says designer Amy Aidinis Hirsch. The painting, Parisian Boulevard, is by Constantine Kluge.
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When an elegant new house calls for a sparer look, a designer’s practiced eye helps the homeowners edit their collections without giving up the things they cherish most. Text by Megan Fulweiler • Photography by Michael Partenio • Architecture: Alex Kaali-Nagy • Interior design: Amy Aidinis Hirsch, Amy Aidinis Hirsch Interior Design • Builder: The Kaali-Nagy Company • Landscape design: Wesley Stout Associates • Produced by Stacy Kunstel
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leaning out a closet—shedding the gaudy Hawaiian shirt you never wore and those outdated shoes—is one thing. Editing years of acquired furniture and keepsakes is quite another. A silver tray can transport us back in time as readily as a photograph. Memories of people and places we love lodge themselves inside books and cupboards, only waiting for us to turn a page or open a door. So Greenwich-based interior designer Amy Aidinis Hirsch faced a monumental challenge. Over time, her clients’ tastes had ranged wide, with a special affection for English and Swedish antiques. Now, however, they were relocating to New Canaan. Their elegant new home, designed by New Canaan architect Alex Kaali-Nagy, was filled with fantastic light-streaming windows, which put wall space at a bit of a premium and required a less-is-more approach. Fortunately, Hirsch sympathized with having to pare down. “Collaborating with clients who had a lifetime of items was wonderful,” she explains. “It was representational of them. My job was to take the existing furniture and items that meant the most and tell their story. The architectural box Alex KaaliNagy created was a beautiful foundation on which to begin.” Inspired by New England’s historic houses in general and New Canaan’s in particular, Kaali-Nagy had designed the home to reflect a similar feeling. Proportions and classic details were paramount, as was meshing the building with its surroundings. “We always design a house to fit its site,” Kaali-Nagy says. “This property, being high and flat, was perfect.” Passersby often mistake the structure for an old house, which, for him, is the supreme compliment. Still, where to begin with the interior? The symmetrical floor plan—living room to one side, dining room to the other—was ideal. And the quality of construction and millwork—the numerous columns, handsome paneling and glorious moldings—gave every room equal importance. A dramatic jumping-off point was called 108 New England Home’s Connecticut Summer 2012
The entry is a fantastic stopover coming or going. Facing page, clockwise from top: Architect Alex Kaali-Nagy’s design is simple and elegant. Fittingly, the owners display gleaming silver from their collection throughout. Exquisite details elevate the club chairs.
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for. The talented Hirsch knew exactly the right spot. Where better than the entry, the place where first impressions are made? Installing custom hand-painted chinoiserie wall panels in a heady marriage of soothing sage green, blue and white, she set the tone for the decor. An antique round table with a stone top and a prized antique Konya rug complete the scene. In the adjacent dining room, Hirsch ingeniously combined Chippendale chairs with more casual hand-carved white Oly Studio seats. The chalky finish of the latter, she points out, riffs on the room’s Swedish clock. Over on the sideboard, a set of Chinese lamps—formerly jars—frame a neoclassical mirror with a black and gold-leaf finish from Niermann Weeks. “I absolutely love layers,” Hirsch says. “And that’s what is going on here. It’s all about mixing eye-catching textures.” The pale living room across the way is anchored with a needlepoint rug in a Greek key pattern. Seating by the fireplace includes a Holly Hunt custom sofa and twin armchairs with fabulous ram’s head details along their flanks. Hirsch designed the chairs not only to stop you visually in your tracks but also afford maximum comfort. The curtains of Holland & Sherry wool-flannel emphasize the room’s loftiness while barely kissing the floor. But the key piece that gives the setting a sense of history is the antique secretary with its drop-front desk and bookcase, which the designer skillfully positioned opposite the windows. The beloved object was a must-keep, and its stature tempers the newer acquisitions. Of course, the adjacent library is not to be outdone. A modern mahogany coffee table parks beside a custom sofa—another Hirsch design— covered in Milano wool and strewn with flowery pillows. The bookcase shelves are lined with indigo-blue embossed leather. In such a spectacular home, this bit of finesse doesn’t seem over the top in the least. Instead, the luscious leather helps showcase the architecture and calls attention to favorite books and mementoes. Kaali-Nagy’s kitchen design is exactly what the owners wanted. A bounty of snowy cabinets soar 110 New England Home’s Connecticut Summer 2012
The breakfast room’s Holly Hunt lantern adds an artful note. Facing page, clockwise from top: Chippendale chairs partner with hand-carved white Oly Studio seats around the dining table. Roman shades bring color to the pale kitchen. The reupholstered settee is a treasured family heirloom.
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Memories of people and places we love lodge themselves inside books and cupboards, only waiting for us to turn a page or open a door.
112 New England Home’s Connecticut
Hirsch refurbished the owner’s existing chairs for the library. Montmartre, by Jacques Bouyssou, hangs above a sofa strewn with oral-patterned pillows. Left: The landing sports a JD Staron carpet.
A pretty Cowtan & Tout fabric dresses the guest room’s windows. Facing page, clockwise from top: A Waterford chandelier adds glamour to the master bedroom. Classic marble counters and floor and a modern drum-shade ceiling light share space in the master bath.
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all the way to the ceiling—“just as in old-time kitchens,” the architect says. With a pristine white tile backsplash, the space practically hollers cleanliness no matter how many weekend cooks crowd about. The butcher-block table Hirsch designed for the sunny breakfast room welcomes family and friends without worry, too. Set atop a curvaceous painted base and teamed with upholstered chairs, the sturdy table looks as refined as a teacup. Its partner is a large Holly Hunt lantern that’s also as pretty as it is functional. At the windows, John Rosselli’s crisp green-and-white fabric is a morning tonic that plays off the outdoor views. Traffic at this address flows as readily as the seasons, which Kaali-Nagy facilitated by equipping the house with two staircases. “I always design my homes envisioning how people will live in them,” the architect says. The less-formal back staircase climbs to a second-floor landing that has become an inviting resting place. The oversize light-reflecting mirror and sweet settee came along with the clients from their previous home. So did the silk carpet, antique Waterford chandelier and bed in the owners’ private domain, where a gauzy canopy drifting over the bed makes a pleasing contrast to tailored wool-flannel drapes. “I sort of imagined this space as being a chic hotel,” Hirsch says. With an adjoining sitting room and luxe bath, the master suite certainly rates five stars, merging a sense of the past with a decidedly of-today ambience. The guest room follows a similar formula. Art and refurbished furniture from the clients’ previous abode coexist with a new Niermann Weeks lantern, while Cowtan & Tout’s Uppermarsh fabric—a medley of foliage and flowers—dresses the windows. If the owners ever harbored doubts about having to edit, they’ve evaporated. Kaali-Nagy and Hirsch have created a stunning world that preserves their clients’ fondest memories. More than a move, it’s been an evolution, as if everything the owners really treasured was just waiting for this moment—this house—to shine. • Resources For more information about this home, see page 140. Summer 2012 New England Home’s Connecticut 115
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The Power Team | 203.544.9591
RIDGEFIELD, CONNECTICUT Superbly-restored Queen Anne home circa 1890 with exquisite wrap-around porch, elegant patio and free-form pool, and gorgeous interior showcasing stunning period detail. $1,949,000
WESTON, CONNECTICUT 16-room Colonial overlooking the Saugatuck River in a prestigious neighborhood features a gourmet kitchen, pool, tennis court, and rolling lawns stretching to the water. $3,245,000
WESTPORT, CONNECTICUT Exquisite five-bedroom home set on a private cul-de-sac with 360-degree views of Westport, 16 superbly-crafted rooms, luxurious master suite, finished lower level and heated pool. $2,999,000
The Power Team | 203.544.9591
Bunny Mostad & Deb Alderson | 203.227.1269
Linda Skolnick | 203.227.8424
DARIEN, CONNECTICUT Beautiful five-bedroom Colonial bordering the Country Club of Darien. Elegant, inviting rooms, large gourmet kitchen, luxurious master suite, level acre and heated pool. $2,795,000
WATERFORD, CONNECTICUT Magnificent five-bedroom, 5.2-bath waterfront Colonial on the Niantic River, 550 feet of beachfront, 6,300-square-foot home, superbly-crafted rooms & state-of-the-art systems. Dock permit. $2,400,000
REDDING, CONNECTICUT Custom 6,200-square-foot masterwork featuring a family room with floor-to-ceiling stone hearth, designer kitchen, wine-tasting room, pool, cabana, and smart house technology. $1,999,000
Rosemary Vita & Charles Nedder 203.554.5569 | 203.524.4303
Joe Rhodes III | 860.227.0921
Gail Lilley Zawacki | 203.227.8424
KNOWLEDGE IS THE DIFFERENCE Bringing out your home’s exceptional qualities and skillfully marketing them to the widest audience of qualified luxury home buyers – that’s the winning combination of experience, expertise and resources that Coldwell Banker Previews International® Property Specialists employ to consistently deliver the exceptional results you desire. Uniquely qualified to represent your interests, they’ve mastered the fine art of handling exceptional properties.
COLDWELLBANKERPREVIEWS.COM © 2012 Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage. All Rights Reserved. Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage fully supports the principles of the Fair Housing Act and the Equal Opportunity Act. Operated by a subsidiary of NRT LLC. Coldwell Banker, the Coldwell Banker Logo, Coldwell Banker International Previews, the Previews International logo and “Dedicated to Luxury Real Estate” are registered and unregistered service marks owned by Coldwell Banker Real Estate LLC.
Design Life Out and about in celebration of design and architecture in Connecticut
IT WAS A BUSY SPRING, WHAT WITH OPENINGS, SEMINARS,
fundraisers and other festive events. The circa-1913 Bartlett Arboretum was more beautiful than ever with the botanical-themed rooms created for the fundraiser GARDEN ROOMS BY DESIGN. New England Home’s Connecticut and COUNTRY CLUB HOMES were among the sponsors of a day of tours and seminars at New Canaan’s Smith Meadows Estate to benefit the Fairfield County Community Foundation. Design professionals had the chance to keep current on kitchen trends at the latest of the seminars NuKITCHENS has been running at their Norwalk showroom. The WAKEFIELD Should DESIGN CENTER’s To the Trade your party be here? Send photographs Only day was a big success, and inor high-resolution images, cluded a talk by New England with information about the Home’s own Stacy Kunstel. Bunny event and the people in the photos, to New England Home, Williams’s twelfth annual garden 530 Harrison Ave., Suite 302, weekend, TRADE SECRETS, drew Boston, MA 02118, or e-mail garden lovers from all over to the images and information to pbodah@nehome Litchfield Hills. Guests gathered to mag.com. enjoy the vivid paintings of Asa Jackson at Greenwich’s SAMUEL OWEN GALLERY. All sorts of fabulous fabrics were available to browsers at the PARC MONCEAU fabric fair in Westport. THOS. MOSER celebrated the grand opening of its new Greenwich location. The Milford location of MARBLE AND GRANITE played host for a get-together in its good-looking showroom. Festive tablescapes by area designers decorated the room for the annual RED & WHITE BALL in Greenwich. And we were delighted to join with LILLIAN AUGUST to host A Masterful Plan, a three-day set of events all about creating beautiful homes.
NuKITCHENS From top to bottom: Terri Reilly and Hollie Sutherland • Kevin Daly, Rob Knorr and Dan Conlon • Joe Najmy, Amy Eisenberg and Nance Vigneau
TRADE SECRETS From left to right: Richard Lambertson and Suzanne Cassano • Michael Trapp and New England Home’s Stacy Kunstel • Lydia Pursell, Tammy Connor, Stacy Kunstel and Michael Partenio • Greg and Natalie Randall
KAREN CARROLL
118 New England Home’s Connecticut Summer 2012
%&4*(/ '03 5)& 8": :06 -*7& 803, 8&451035 t .*-'03%
Interior Design Studio Professional Residential and Commercial Interior Design Services Remodeling • Decorating • Custom Window Treatments
203.301.4886 VISIT US NOW AT www.shelterinteriorsllc.com
Design Life MARBLE & GRANITE From top to bottom: Neeraj Sharma and Gardner Stevens • Lisa Cavataro with Dick and Barbara Lawton • Chuck Agapiou, Gardner Stevens, Tony Aitoro and Kyong Agapiou
SAMUEL OWEN GALLERY From left to right: Allan and Tamara Houston with Asa Jackson • Asa Jackson with Lee and Cindy Milazzo
WAKEFIELD DESIGN CENTER Clockwise from top left: • Arnold Karp, New England Home’s Stacy Kunstel and George Snead • Eileen Kathryn Boyd and Beth Haridopolos • Victoria Vandamm, Beth Dempsey and Sharol Harwood • Oscar Yague and George Snead
120 New England Home’s Connecticut Summer 2012
PARC MONCEAU From left to right: Katie O’Keefe, Avor Breiner, Roberta Singman, Tracy Dwyer and Gretchen Nazaruk • Amy Miller, Colleen Coffey and Lee DeMonico • Sandra Visnapuu, Jean-Marie Hunt and Tracy Dwyer
Design Life
GARDEN ROOMS BY DESIGN From left to right: Robert Bartlett Jr. and Kate Bartlett • Victoria Vandamm, Robert Knorr and Helen White
THOS. MOSER RED & WHITE BALL
BOB CAPAZZO
Clockwise from top left: Elizabeth and David Boutry • Bob and Carol Santoro • Jill and Richard Ganoff • Lia Deney and Colleen Hempleman
From top to bottom: Shannon and Ben Gershel • Mary Moser, Thomas Moser, Pamela Boyd and Patricia Jaumin
COUNTRY CLUB HOMES From left to right: Sam LaRosa and Larry Bues • Andy Dehler, Tom Astram and Joe Flanagan
LILLIAN AUGUST From top to bottom: New England Home’s Kathy Bush-Dutton, Jeffrey Kaufman and Michael Yedowitz • Dan Weiss, Barbara Salik, Steven Toia and Skye Kirby • Anthony Fortuno, Mia Schipani and Vincent Vetrini
122 New England Home’s Connecticut Summer 2012
Visit raveis.com & type in MLS# for multiple photos/detailed descriptions on these homes
Greenwich $7,495,000 MLS#81345, Janet Milligan, 203.253.1770
Greenwich $5,695,000 MLS#81274, Janet Milligan, 203.253.1770
Westport $5,495,000 MLS#98533025, Michelle&Co., 203.454.4663
Fairfield $4,998,000 MLS#98523934, Michelle&Co., 203.454.4663
Westport $4,850,000 MLS#98530133, Michelle&Co., 203.454.4663
Riverside $4,475,000 MLS#81964, Janet Milligan, 203.253.1770
Greenwich $4,295,000 MLS#82471, Jean Ruggiero, 203.912.1284
Fairfield $3,900,000 MLS#98535745, Edie Baum, 203.659.1624
Greenwich $3,495,000 MLS#81305, Jean Ruggiero, 203.912.1284
New Canaan $3,495,000 MLS#98534702, NC Office, 203.966.3555
Fairfield $3,100,000 MLS#98537686, Lois Lehman, 203.520.2846
New Canaan $2,995,000 MLS#98524080, Sneddon Assoc., 203.219.3769
Weston $2,850,000 MLS#98527256, Susy Hayes Jones, 203.984.0902
Stamford $2,595,000 MLS#98537209, Steve Anastos, 203.461.0153
Fairfield $2,095,000 MLS#98534403,Al Filippone Assoc., 203.339.1277
Wilton $1,999,000 MLS#98536483, Lyn Marchellos, 203.952.9888
Agent/Owner
Westport $1,795,000 MLS#98532384, Karen Amaru, 203.858.6329
Fairfield $1,695,000 MLS#98527520, Doris Ghitelman, 203.856.8022
Southport $1,589,000 MLS#98530202, Gigliotti & Walsh, 203.255.1116
Fairfield $1,500,000 MLS#98536472, Edie Baum, 203.659.1624
Fairfield $1,475,000 MLS#98533052, Krista Alecia, 203.610.3550
Fairfield $1,395,000 MLS#98533318, N. Collins/A. Healy 203.521.6503
Easton $1,189,000 MLS#98528237, Gigliotti & Walsh, 203.255.1116
Newtown $925,000 MLS#98534473, Jackie Himmelfarb, 203.770.7612
raveis.com
I N T E R N A T I O N A L
"The Best Website in Real Estate"
For more information on these and other luxury homes or to speak to an Exceptional Properties Specialist, call 877.298.2780.
Trade Notes New and noteworthy happenings in the Connecticut design business Growing fresh vegetables in your own backyard just got a lot easier, thanks to
Homefront Farmers, a company that will design, plant and maintain a beautiful organic vegetable or herb garden to suit your house and landscape. Just think—fresh, pesticide-free veggies, and you don’t even have to do the weeding! Co-founders Vonne Whittleton and John Carlson also offer chicken coop designs and backyard poultry farming and they’ll set up a honeybee hive for you.
Hot off the presses: House, Home, Heart, a tome from the highly regarded architecture firm Shope Reno Wharton. Subtitled “Artistry and Craftsmanship in the Architecture of Shope Reno Wharton,” the book features hundreds of photographs of the company’s proudest accomplishments. Inside, Bernard Wharton takes readers behind the scenes, describing the designs processes behind the houses. The book is published by Pointed Leaf Press and has a foreword by the Pulitzer Prize–winning architecture critic Paul Goldberger. South Norwalk, (203) 852-7250, www.shoperenowharton.com, www.pointedleafpress.com
Westport, (203) 470-3655, www.homefrontfarmers.com
won the Alice Washburn 2012 House Award from the Connecticut chapter of the American Institute of Architects for a sensitive and inspired refurbishing of the 1930s cottage on the eighteenth-century Extown Farm in New Canaan. Harlan was able to save most of the foundation and much of the framing as he re-conceived the tiny saltbox as a Georgian beauty.
Who doesn’t love a bargain? That’s exactly what you’ll find on the website of the New Canaan showroom Oomph, where there’s now a Sample Sale Room. Among the items you can find there are custom-made pieces from designer show houses, pieces that were used in Oomph’s in-showroom displays and furnishings that have been discontinued but are just as stylish as ever—and all at steep discounts.
New Haven, (203) 495-8032, www.ddharch.com
www.oomphonline.com
Congratulations to
David D. Harlan Architects, who recently
Cara Hotchkiss is known for her wonderful jewelry, but now the designer has expanded her shop, Oliphant, to include her other passion—all things home. The 1,500-square-foot shop now holds furniture, rugs, pillows, topiaries and other accessories. “It’s a funky pop of color,” Hotchkiss says. “It’s happy and fun, and everything is a little bit different from the usual.” Litchfield, (860) 567-8199, www.oliphantdesign.com
124 New England Home’s Connecticut Summer 2012
New York TEL
212.391.2033 |
FAX
212.391.2044
FAX
203.567.8512
Connecticut TEL
H O S P I TA L I T Y
|
RESIDENTIAL
203.274.8659 |
www.rdycny.com | info@rdycny.com
....breezy beach house style!
877-441-9222 | www.CottageandBungalow.com
Perspectives Fresh outlooks on design and resources
• Three designers
set the scene for dinner al fresco
Outdoor Entertaining: Dining Sets
DONNA BENEDETTO
Laax Table and Bench by Exceptional Outdoor Furnishings “I absolutely love the versatility of this table and bench set. Every time you entertain, it can have a new feel or mood based on what you fill the trough with. Fresh flowers, succulents, miniature boxwood, candles—the options are limitless.” MECOX GARDENS, NEW YORK CITY, (212) 249-5301, WWW.MECOXGARDENS.COM
PATRICIA HERSON
Roma Dining Set by Gloster “This set has a refinement not typically found in outdoor furniture. The modern take on the Regency-style X-back chair is beautifully executed, setting the stage for an elegant gathering in pure white.” THE PATIO SHOPPE, WILTON, (203) 544-7022, WWW.PATIOSHOPPE.NET
SHELLY LINDER
Barlow Tyrie’s Equinox Dining Table and Armchairs “The Equinox table and chairs deliver a stylish combination of teak and stainless steel. The clean lines of the square table are so versatile; it would look wonderful in an inside space as well—in a new stainless and white kitchen or used as a game table in a family room.” PATIO.COM, FOUR CONNECTICUT LOCATIONS, (203) 353-9663, WWW.PATIO.COM
126 New England Home’s Connecticut Summer 2012
To The Trade Only
Photo: Paul Johnson
Fabric▪ Furniture Lighting ▪Wallcovering Accessories▪ Art
652 Glenbrook Road Stamford, CT 06906 T: (203) 358-0818 F: (203) 602-7738 E: info@wakefielddesigncenter.com
Save the Date Thursday, November 1st
New England Home’s Connecticut and Wakefield Design Center present
To The Trade Only Market Day Featuring the latest trends in home furnishings, new product introductions, lectures, and much more... Wakefield Design Center 652 Glenbrook Road | Stamford, CT Refreshments will be served
For more information Please call us @203.358.0818
PRESENTED BY
Perspectives
Tabletop Pieces
DONNA BENEDETTO
Juliska’s Classic Bamboo Dinnerware “The bamboo detail on these ceramic dishes adds a natural element, making them right at home for outdoor dining. The dishes look fantastic on their own or layered with other, more colorful pieces.” STAMFORD, (203) 316-0212, WWW.JULISKA.COM
PATRICIA HERSON
Embossed Coral Server by Mud Pie “This milk-glazed terra-cotta server makes a beautiful presentation and is one of those gifts that you have to get for the hostess and for yourself. It’s so pretty you almost don’t want to put anything in it!” THE
SHELLY LINDER
Woven Paper Bowl from Serena & Lily “I just love this woven bowl to add a spot of fresh color to any summer table. Handwrapped seagrass coils create a naturally energetic-looking design. Use a few on the table for impact!” WWW.SERENAANDLILY.COM
Always striving for a timeless look, Donna Benedetto likes to combine antique, custom and of-the-moment pieces to make every home unique. She blogs about her design inspirations at www.thebeneblog .com. DONNA BENEDETTO DESIGNS, EASTON, (203) 556-1705, WWW.DONNABENEDETTO.COM
128 New England Home’s Connecticut Summer 2012
VILLA GOURMET, MILFORD, (203) 8788646, WWW.THEVILLAGOURMET.COM
KWC EVE with LUMINAQUA® LED light ring aerator
Light and water. Diverse functionality.
SHOWROOMS
PLUMBING
LIGHTING
HARDWARE
79A Tom Harvey Road, Westerly, RI (right near the airport)
401.315.2727 water-spot.com
AUSTIN GANIM LANDSCAPE DESIGN, LLC Confined only by our imagination & your property lines, let us transform your landscape dreams to reality.
-BOETDBQF "SDIJUFDUVSF t (BSEFO %FTJHO t *OTUBMMBUJPO t .BJOUFOBODF t 4JUF 'VSOJUVSF t $POUBJOFS 1MBOUJOHT -BOETDBQF "SDIJUFDUVSF t (BSEFO %FTJHO t *OTUBMMBUJPO t .BJOUFOBODF t 4JUF 'VSOJUVSF t $POUBJOFS 1MBOUJOHT
www.AustinGanimLandscapeDesign.com
(YD &KLDPXOHUD /DQGVFDSH $UFKLWHFW ‡ $XVWLQ *DQLP +RUWLFXOWXUDOLVW 'HVLJQHU ‡ (YD &KLDPXOHUD /DQGVFDSH $UFKLWHFW ‡ $XVWLQ *DQLP +RUWLFXOWXUDOLVW 'HVLJQHU ‡ Licensed & Insured: B-2036, HIC.0602611, HIC.0602612, S4820
Perspectives
Table Linens
SHELLY LINDER
Corsica Napkins and Placemats “Whether you’re serving dinner on your yacht or by the pool, these color-rich napkins and placemats are perfect for summer. I would use them with simple white dishes, which are so easily dressed up with brilliantly colored accessories.” SERENA & LILY
DONNA BENEDETTO
PATRICIA HERSON
Dahlia Napkin Ring “I’m a big fan of texture, and Juliska delivers that with flair. This napkin ring is a great accessory if you love lime (they call it pistachio), bringing a little bit of whimsy to the table. The straw flower is jazzed up with a little sparkle in the center. Fun!” JULISKA
Natural Cane Placemats “These cane placemats make a great backdrop for Juliska’s bamboo dinnerware, lending a touch of sophisticated texture to the table.” JULISKA
Working throughout Connecticut, New York City and Westchester County, Patricia Herson taps into fifteen years of experience to create innovative residential and corporate spaces. The busy designer recently branched out to hospitality work and is also involved in a lighting consulting business. PATRICIA HERSON DESIGN, MILFORD, (203) 878-1013, WWW.PATRICIAHERSONDESIGN.COM
130 New England Home’s Connecticut Summer 2012
Specializing in Additions, Kitchens, Bathrooms and Historic Renovations throughout Fairfield County and Connecticut
Perspectives
Evening Lighting DONNA BENEDETTO
Early Nineteenth-Century Italian Chandelier “Vintage candle chandeliers are my choice for evening lighting. Hanging a chandelier outside brings the indoors out, a more unexpected approach. My favorite pillar candles are Aspen Flower from Pier 1.” INTERI, (803) 447-4024, WWW.INTERIBLOG.COM
PATRICIA HERSON
Large Lighted Pot “A lighted planter is a great way to bring ambience to your evening entertaining. Not the usual lantern or planter, this unexpected gem and adds that ‘extra something’ to the party.” THE PATIO SHOPPE
SHELLY LINDER
Superarchimoon Floor Lamp “Versatile and clean, this outdoor floor lamp designed by Philippe Starck for Dedon just seems to float perfectly over any outdoor table. Or imagine it hovering over a couple of lounge chairs on a sultry summer evening.” DEDON, NEW YORK CITY, (212) 334-3345, WWW.DEDON.DE
For the past twelve years, Shelly Linder has been bringing her warm personal style to design projects across the country, from Greenwich estates to residences in Chicago and Florida. “I enjoy creating elegant yet comfortable homes that cater to the dreams and lifestyles of my clients,” she says. SHELL DÉCOR, GREENWICH, (203) 422-2034, WWW.SHELLDECOR.COM
132 New England Home’s Connecticut Summer 2012
An intense lifestyle deserves intense relaxation.
p www.innerspaceelectronics.com
Award-winning leader in the lifestyle technology industry, InnerSpace Electronics provides the most advanced in “home spaces for the digital age� including home theater, home automation, multi-room audio/ video systems, lighting control, automated window treatments and telecommunications.
I N T E R I O R A R C H I T E C T U R E & D E S I G N | C U S T O M M I L LW O R K Jean Marie McLaughlin, ASID jm@jmacinteriors.net | blog.jmacinteriors.net 203.966.0828 | www.jmacinteriors.net
“Quite Simply...The Best”™ tel 203.353.8000 www.marciaselden.com
Ma r bl e | G r a n i t e | L i mest on e Ti l es | Ta bl es | C ou n t er Top s Va n i t y Top s | F i r ep l a ces
34 Riverside Avenue, Norwalk, CT 06850 tel (203) 847-6880, fax (203) 847-3902 www.casatellimarbleandtile.com Custom fabrication of marble and granite since 1988
IMAGES BY LAURA MOSS PHOTOGRAPHY
New in the Showrooms Unique, beautiful and now appearing in Connecticut shops and showrooms BY KARA LASHLEY
1 Bowled Over
1
2
Coming soon to LCRwestport, this shapely three-bowl set from Mary Jurek Design’s Paloma collection shines in handhammered stainless steel with a braided edge. WESTPORT, (203) 221-8131, WWW.LCRWESTPORT.COM
2 Garden Magic Just in for summer at Marvin Gardens, these large teakroot mushrooms could help transform any backyard into an enchanted outdoor oasis. WILTON, (203) 544-2020, WWW .MARVIN GARDENS USA.COM
3 Mildly Wild An understated take on animal print, Thibaut’s Etosha wallpaper in soft gray—available through DesignSourceCT—is a great way to add subtle sizzle to a room. HARTFORD, (860) 951-3145, WWW.DESIGNSOURCECT.COM
3
4
4 Inside Out The Eames Aluminum Group’s iconic lounge chair moves outdoors with this patio-friendly model, available at Design Within Reach. STAMFORD, (203) 614-0787, AND WESTPORT, (203) 227-9707, WWW.DWR.COM
5 Guiding Light The Hobe Sound lantern from Oomph has personality to spare. Perfect in pairs, the fixture can’t help but make a big impression in brilliant Fireworks red. NEW CANAAN, (203) 2169848, WWW.OOMPHONLINE.COM
6 Clean Design Made in Brooklyn, New York, the Edge faucet by Watermark Designs brings a super-sleek look to the bath. Find it at Modern Plumbing showrooms. BERLIN, (860) 829-1778, AND
5
6
NEW MILFORD, (860) 354-4448, WWW.MODERNPLUMBING.BIZ
136 New England Home’s Connecticut Summer 2012
What you will never forget...
Timeless Beauty
BEST EXAMPLE OF CREATIVITY
SHOOTING STAR AWARD Trudy Dujardin, ASID, LEED Accredited Professional +ID + C
design and decorative work
REDDING. CT
We create uniquely personalized and beautiful living spaces by providing our clients the finest decorative artistry finishes for walls, ceilings, floors, cabinetry and furniture.
DISTRESSED GOLD LEAF ON BLACK BACKGROUND
|
AMERICAN SOCIETY INTERIOR DESIGNERS
508.228.1120 NANTUCKET, MA. 203.838.8100 WESTPORT, CT. DUJARDINDESIGN.COM
Heidi Holzer
WALLS IN FAUX TRAVERTINE WITH CUSTOM GLAZED CEILING
BEST HISTORIC PRESERVATION DESIGN
W W W. H E I D I H O L Z E R . C O M
WALLS IN VENETIAN PLASTER WITH MICAS
|
203.544.9471
CHRIS VOLPE
New in the Showrooms
7 Out of This World Finished in chrome with gunmetal accents, Crystorama’s Galaxy chandelier steals the scene at Connecticut Lighting Centers with a contemporary starburst design. HARTFORD, (860) 249-7631, AND SOUTH -
7
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INGTON, (860) 621-7585, WWW .C T LIGHTING .COM
8 Play’s the Thing It’s a bench! It’s a slide! It’s a coffee table! Designed for kids and adults alike, Playable Studio’s Vio makes a sculptural statement in the living room, no matter how you use it. NEW HAVEN, (203) 654-9566, WWW.PLAYABLE STUDIO.COM
9 Passage to India Inspired by the saris and spice markets of the Far East, John Robshaw’s fabric collection for Duralee, available through Wakefield Design Center, features four lively color families. STAMFORD, (203) 358-0818
10 Well Suited 9
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A standout at Rinfret Home & Garden, the bench-made Humphrey ottoman wears a classy pinstripe fabric accessorized with polished brass nailheads in an eye-catching pattern. GREENWICH, (203) 6220204, WWW.RINFRETLTD.COM
11 Provençal Charm Usher in garden party season with the elegant Maison Jardin trestle table by Richard Frinier for Century Furniture, available from Tulip Tree Collection. WASHINGTON DEPOT, (860) 868-2802, WWW.TULIP TREE COLLECTION .COM
12 Split Personality
11
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Double your pleasure with Sheridan Interiors’ new line of reversible down-filled pillows. They come in an array of fun fabrics, including this summery starfish motif. WILTON, (203) 762-2888, WWW.SHERIDANINTERIORS.COM
138 New England Home’s Connecticut Summer 2012
LUXURIOUS LINENS F O R B E D , B AT H & TA B L E EXCEPTIONAL HOME ACCESSORIES BESPOKE CUSTOM FA B R I C AT I O N S
21 ELM STREET NEW CANAAN, CONNECTICUT 203.972.0433
117 NEW CANAAN AVENUE | NORWALK , CT 06850 | 203.849.0302 | WWW.FRONT ROWK ITCHENS.COM
Resources A guide to the products and professionals in this issue’s featured homes
SPECIAL SPACES: HARDLY GARDEN VARIETY PAGES 30–33 Architects: Charles Hilton, Daniel Pardy, David Newcomb and Thomas Danis, HiltonVanderHorn Architects, Greenwich, (203) 862-9011, www.hiltonvanderhorn.com Landscape architect: Charles J. Stick, Charlottesville, Va., (434) 296-1628 Interior designer: Isabelle Vanneck, Davenport North, Greenwich, (203) 629-9181 Builder: Bob Levine, Home Construction, New Canaan, (203) 276-8625
DRESSED TO IMPRESS PAGES 72–81 Interior designer: Carole A. Winer-Sorensen, Country Loft Antiques, Woodbury, (203) 2664500, www.countryloftantiques.com Landscape designer: Kurt Klimak, Klimak Horticultural Services, Woodbury, (203) 560-8368 Kitchen contractor: David Semeraro, Waterbury, (203) 558-1278 Furnishings: Unless otherwise noted, from the owners’ collection or through Carole A. WinerSorensen Pages 74–75: Banquette designed by Carole A. Winer-Sorensen, fabricated by Tudor House, www.tudorhousefurniture.com. Page 77: Dining table from Restoration Hardware, www.restorationhardware.com. Page 80: Bedroom chairs from Restoration Hardware.
LATIN LOVE PAGES 84–93 Architect: Steven Mueller, Steven Mueller Architects, Greenwich, (203) 869-3758, www.steven muellerarchitects.com Kitchen design and cabinetry: Deane, Inc., Stamford, (203) 327-7008, and New Canaan, (203) 972-8836, www.kitchensbydeane.com Builder: Wright Building Company, Westport, (203) 227-4134, www.wrightbuilding company.com Interior millwork: All Styles Trim, Stamford, (203) 253-9740 Landscape designer: Doyle Herman Design Associates, Greenwich, (203) 869-2900, http:// dhda.com Stonework and hardscaping: W.E. Masons, Stratford, (203) 253-5788, www.wemasons.com Pages 84–85: Leather bench by Zanotta through Maxalto, www.maxaltomiami.com; Sigfredo Chacón painting from Galería D’Museo, www.dmuseo.com; rug by Nanimarquina, www.nanimarquina.com. Pages 86–87: Yves Klein tables from De Buck Gallery, www.debuckgallery.com; Zanotta 5800 Vogue Bench by Alessandro Dubini, www.style park.com; dining room furniture from Mis en Scene, www.misenscenegreenwich.com. Pages 88–89: All poolside furniture by Royal Botania, www.royalbotania.com. Page 90: Breakfast table by Kartell, www .kartell.it; white Verner Panton chairs from ABC Carpet & Home, www.abccarpet.com; mercury
lamp from Artemide, www.artemide.us. Page 91: Living room sectional sofa by Artefacto, www.artefacto.com; rug from Stark, www .starkcarpet.com; Carlos Blanco painting from Galería D’Museo; Rafael Barrios sculpture from Art Nouveau Gallery Miami, www.artnouve aumiami.com. Pages 92–93: Mies van der Rohe Barcelona chairs, ottomans and benches from Design Within Reach, www.dwr.com; master bathtub by Oceania, www.oceaniabaths.com; Jeff Koons sculpture, www.jeffkoons.com.
A STUDY IN CONTRASTS PAGES 96–103 Interior designer: John Roch, Roch and Chase Interiors, Fairfield, (203) 256-0558 Pages 96–97: Painting by Thomas McKnight, www.thomasmcknight.com; carpet by Stark, www.starkcarpet.com; chairs and table designed by Charles and Ray Eames, through Roch and Chase Interiors; stacked boxes in entry from Millerton Antique Center, Millerton, N.Y., (518) 789-6004; side table from Linda Rosen Antiques, www.lindarosenantiques.com; antlers from Jennings and Rohn Antiques, www.jenningsandrohnantiques.com. Pages 98–99: Sofa by Frits Henningsen from Arenskjold Antiques, www.arenskjold.com; hide throw rug from Red Chair Antiques, www.red chair-antiques.com; mirror from Millerton Antique Center; lounge designed by Le Corbusier, through Roch and Chase Interiors. Pages 100–101: Kitchen cabinet from R.T. Facts, www.rtfacts.com; game board from Vincent Mulford Antiques, www.vmulford.com; table from Walin & Frey Antiques, www.walinfrey antiques.com; chairs designed by Arne Jacobsen, through Roch and Chase Interiors; large lithograph by Alicia Penalba from Stair Galleries, www.stairgalleries.com; pillow from East Meets West Antiques, www.emwantiques.com; Mies van der Rohe coffee table through Roch and Chase Interiors; lantern in dining area from Walin & Frey Antiques; chairs by Hans Wegner through Roch and Chase Interiors; table base designed by Le Corbusier with tabletop from Berkshire Products, Sheffield, Mass., (413) 2297919; Gray Horse wall color from Benjamin Moore, www.benjaminmoore.com. Page 102: Blanket from Pendleton Mills, www.pendleton-usa.com; lithographs by Alicia Penalba from Stair Galleries.
ALL THAT MATTERS PAGES 106–115 Architect: Alex Kaali-Nagy, The Kaali-Nagy Company, New Canaan, (203) 966-8254, www.kaali-nagy.com Interior designer: Amy Aidinis Hirsch, Amy Aidinis Hirsch Interior Design, Greenwich, (203) 661-1266, www.aahirsch.com Builder: The Kaali-Nagy Company Landscape architect: Wesley Stout Associates, New Canaan, (203) 966-3100, www.wesley stout.com Pages 106–108: Wool flannel drapery fabric in Dill by Holland & Sherry, www.hollandsherry.com; ram’s-horn detail club chair designed by Amy
140 New England Home’s Connecticut Summer 2012
Aidinis Hirsch with Serge fabric from Claremont, www.claremontfurnishing.com; Bridgewater club chair designed by Amy Aidinis Hirsch with Mansfield fabric by Clarence House, www .clarencehouse.com; Gainsborough sofa by Holly Hunt, www.hollyhunt.com; painting above mantel, Parisian Boulevard by Constantine Kluge, from C. Parker Gallery, www.cparkergallery.com. Page 109: Antique Konya rug from Apadana, www.apadanafinerugs.com; custom hand-painted Chinese scenic panels from Gracie, www .graciestudio.com; Brant Lantern light fixture from Dessin Fournir, www.dessinfournir.com. Page 110: Dining room mirror and Danieli chandelier from Niermann Weeks, www .niermannweeks.com; hand-carved white Sophie chairs from Oly Studio, www.olystudio .com; hand-printed Raffles wallcovering from Jerry Pair, www.jerrypair.com. Page 111: Adeline Look drapery fabric from John Rosselli & Associates, www.johnrosselli associates.com; custom-designed round butcher block table by Amy Aidinis Hirsch; Crowther light fixture from Holly Hunt. Pages 112–113: Macassa embossed bookcase leather from Rose Tarlow, www.rosetarlow.com; custom sofa by Amy Aidinis Hirsch in Milano wool fabric by Travers from Zimmer & Rohde, www.zimmer-rohde.com; Dahlia pillow fabric from John Rosselli; additional pillow fabric, Scarborough, from Dessin Fournir; pair of antique Jumu tea canisters from Amy Aidinis Hirsch; landing carpet from J.D. Staron, www .jdstaron.com. Page 113: Guest room drapery fabric, Uppermarsh, by Cowtan & Tout, www.cowtan.com; table skirt fabric, Piena by C&C Milano, from Holland & Sherry; zinc lantern by Niermann Weeks. Page 115: Wool flannel drapery fabric in Dill from Holland & Sherry; duvet and Euro sham fabric, Birds & Basket, from Bennison Fabrics, www .bennisonfabrics.com; loveseat fabric, Matchsticks in Sienna, from Rose Tarlow; Ralph Lauren Brooksend light fixture in bath from Circa Lighting, www.circalighting.com; Ranelagh wallcovering by Farrow & Ball, www.farrow-ball.com.
ROOMS WE LOVE PAGE 144 A. Interior designer: Cynthia Mason Hernandez, Cynthia Mason Interiors, Farmington, Conn., (860) 838-1919, www.exuberanthome.com Muralist: Patrick Ganino, Creative Evolution, Durham, Conn., (860) 334-5504, www.creative evolution.net B. Interior designer: Richard Ott, Richard Ott Interior Spaces, Hartford, Conn., (860) 8800246, www.richardottinteriors.com C. Interior designer: Sharon McCormick, Sharon McCormick Design, Durham, Conn., (860) 3491349, www.sharonmccormickdesign.com D. Interior designers: Peter Robbin and Robin Jones, Lafalce, Campbell, Robbin, West Hartford, Conn., (860) 231-7712, www.lcrcollection.com E. Interior designers: Keatha McCue and Cynthia Kranz, Galway Stallard, Avon, Conn., (860) 678-7180 F. Interior designer: Jean Poulin, Jean Poulin Interiors, Farmington, Conn., (860) 677-5661 •
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Advertiser Index A helpful resource for finding the advertisers featured in this issue
The LaurelRock Company 39 Lillian August 15
Albano Appliances 70 Amy Aidinis Hirsch 2–3 The Antique and Artisan Center 18 Aqua Pool & Patio, Inc. 135 Ardente Supply Company 129 ASID CT 116
Longwood Events 104 Mar Silver Design 29 Marcia Delden Catering and Event Planning 134
Marianne Donahue Interiors 105
Bartels-Pagliaro 143
Marvin Gardens 71
Breakwater Renovation & Design, LLC 131
Michael Smith Architects 58–59
Brooks and Falotico Associates, Inc. 46–47
Mitchell Gold+Bob Williams 43
Casatelli Marble and Tile Imports 135
Nina Cuccio Peck Architecture and Interiors 60–61
Colony Rug Company 27
NuKitchens 20
Connecticut Stone Supplies 44
Olson Development 37
Connie Giuliani, Inc. 28
Paramount Stone 40
Construction Management Group 141
RDYC Interior Design + Architectural Development 125
Cottage & Bungalow 125 Country Club Homes 94 Daniel Conlon Architects 48–49 DEANE–Rooms Everlasting Inside back cover Design Source CT 21 The Drawing Room 31 Dujardin Design Associates, Inc. 137 Erskine Middeleer Associates 50–51 Finished in Fabric, LLC 131 Fordham Marble 141 Front Row Kitchens 139 The Granite Group 34 Gregory Lombardi Design 11 Heidi Holzer Design and Decorative Work 137
blog.nehomemag.com
The Linen Shop 139
Austin Ganim Landscape Design, LLC 129
Coldwell Banker Previews International 117
Get daily updates on the hottest new products and design ideas at blog.nehomemag.com, where our editorial staff and a fascinating lineup of guest bloggers share beautiful photography, insights and advice five times a week. You’ll also find behindthe-scenes information from our photo shoots and scouting trips and sneak peeks from upcoming issues of the magazine. Have posts delivered directly to your inbox, or just check in every morning—but don’t miss out!
Linda Ruderman Interiors 33
Hilton-VanderHorn Architects 52–53 Homefront Farmers 8–9 Huelster Design Studio, LLC 54–55 iH Design Studio 6–7 InnerSpace Electronics 133 J. Namnoun Oriental Rug Gallery Inside front cover
Jan Hiltz Interiors 83 JMac Interiors 133 JMKA Architects 56–57 Karp Associates 10 Katherine Cowdin 19 Katherine Field and Associates, Inc. 25 Klaff ’s Back cover
142 New England Home’s Connecticut Summer 2012
Rinfret Design Limited 13 Rob Sanders Architects 62–63 Robert Cardello Architects 64–65 Robert Dean Architects 66–67 Runtal North America 23 Samuel Owen Gallery 143 Sharon McCormick Design LLC 95 Shell Decor 17 Shelter Interiors 119 Sheridan Interiors 41 Shope Reno Wharton 1 Smart Vent Products/Olson Development 22 Stirling Design Associates 35 Sudbury Design Group 4–5 Thos. Moser Cabinetmakers 14 VAS Construction 26 Victoria Lyon Interiors 38 Wakefield Design Center 127 William Kleinmann Architect 68–69 William Raveis Real Estate 123 Zerodraft Connecticut 121 New England Home’s Connecticut, Summer 2012 © 2012 by Network Communications, Inc. All rights reserved. Permission to reprint or quote excerpts granted by written request only. Editorial and advertising office: New England Home, 530 Harrison Avenue, Suite 302, Boston, MA 02118, (617) 938-3991, (800) 609-5154. Corporate office: Network Communications, Inc., 2 Sun Court NW, Suite 300, Norcross, GA 30092 (678) 346-9300.
Roger Bartels, AIA • Christopher Pagliaro, AIA • Nicholas Sajda, AIA 27 Elizabeth Stret, South Norwalk, CT (203) 838-5517 www.bartels-pagliaro.com
Rooms We Love Engaging spaces created by Connecticut designers B
PHOTOGRAPHY BY MICHAEL PARTENIO
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A D
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THE LOVELY HOME OF the Wechsler family in Hartford’s West End was the site for the Junior League of Hartford’s Decorator Show House 2012. The stately 1921 house made an inspiring backdrop for the work of some of Connecticut’s most talented designers. Here are a few of our favorite rooms. A. A boy’s bedroom with a camping theme by Cynthia Mason Interiors is both plush and adventurous with walls and ceiling of canvas tenting and a mural by artist Patrick Ganino. B. In Richard Ott’s stylish yet relaxed living room, layers of texture—an oriental rug atop sisal, for example—and rich red tones create a warm space. C. An upstairs room became a cozy sitting room. Sharon McCormick brought elegance to the space with new millwork, linen wallcovering and a ceiling painted to look like gilded leather. D. A lavender ceiling glows above a dining room designed with an eclectic mix of antiques and Midcentury pieces by Peter Robbin and Robin Jones of Lafalce, Campbell, Robbin. E. Bright white and luscious aqua perfectly suit the airy sun porch designed by Keatha McCue and Cynthia Kranz. F. What little girl wouldn’t love the sweet bedroom of pink and yellow on white designed by Jean Poulin? (For information about the designers, see page 140.) 144 New England Home’s Connecticut Summer 2012
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