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From the Editor
IT MAY SEEM A LITTLE ODD, AT THE START OF
MICHAEL FEIN
a magazine issue that happens to show a lot of fairly traditional-looking New England houses, to write about contemporary style. Flip through the four features beginning on page 74 and you’ll find nary a cantilevered steel beam or concrete piloti in sight. But a closer examination is illuminating. Yes, the four houses conform to four different historical looks, but modern touches lurk subtly in each one. Once upon a time this might have been interpreted as a deplorable lack of consistency; today, however, I see these homes as embodying an admirable synthesis. Decades back, traditional vs. modern was presented as an either-or choice. You could either have your rambling, Newport-style cottage or you could have Philip Johnson’s Glass House (or a similar production by another of New Canaan’s “Harvard Five”). Likewise the 1970s brought their bio-blobs and the ’80s their pasted-on PoMo ornament. Many Connecticut architects would do work oriented either toward the future or the past, as it were, but even within each person’s oeuvre the two outlooks were generally kept quite distinct. Contemporary architecture, in the residential realm, was still always a foreign intrusion, indulged in by the suspect few and mostly just tolerated by the quietly grumbling many. No more. Look at the high-end houses going up today, and a fascinating change is apparent: very little is just contemporary or just traditional. Even within the most doctrinaire-looking, flush-boarded Greek Revival, sleek Italian sofas perch cheek-by-jowl with fifteenth-century Italian commodes, the staircase railing is a minimalist construction of anodized aluminum and glass and Harry Bertoia chairs flank the rustic farmhouse table in the kitchen. Be it new construction or renovation, a home’s interior layout will obey a modern “form follows function” program, and it makes no real difference to the livability of the result if there happen to be classical pilasters involved. Intentionally or not, we’ve come over time to an interesting and healthy realization: a Corbusian “machine for living” can work just as well regardless of the aesthetic style of its constituent parts. The relative proportions of each may differ, but old vs. new no longer matters much overall. This is a melding that’s here to stay.
Modern Styles, Old and New
Kyle Hoepner, Editor-in-Chief khoepner@nehomemag.com
12
New England Home’s Connecticut Spring 2012
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SPRING 2012 VOLUME 3, NUMBER 2
74
104
Featured Homes 74 Picture Perfect An art consultant turns her connoisseur’s eye to her own home, blending
beauty and utility, elegance and ease. INTERIOR DESIGN: LAUREN DELLA MONICA, LPDM FINE ART CONSTULTING • PHOTOGRAPHY: MICHAEL PARTENIO • TEXT: MEGAN FULWEILER • PRODUCED BY STACY KUNSTEL
84 Bright and Breezy A Westport home combines equal parts practicality, whimsy and classic
style. ARCHITECTURE: ROBERT STORM • INTERIOR DESIGN: JAN HILTZ • PHOTOGRAPHY: JOHN GOULD BESSLER • WRITTEN AND PRODUCED BY STACY KUNSTEL
94 Be My Guest The no-frills interior of an old Fairfield County carriage house gets dressed up
to match the enchantment its charming exterior promises. INTERIOR DESIGN: VICTORIA VANDAMM • ARCHITECTURE: MICHIEL A. BOENDER, EDGEWATER GROUP ARCHITECTS • PHOTOGRAPHY: MICHAEL PARTENIO • TEXT: DAN SHAW • PRODUCED BY STACY KUNSTEL
104 Chance of a Lifetime A design team’s respectful, sensitive remodeling turns an Elizabethan-
style beauty into the perfect family home. ARCHITECTURE: DINYAR WADIA AND ROB LOMINSKI, 94
WADIA ASSOCIATES • INTERIOR DESIGN: GEORGE SNEAD • PHOTOGRAPHY: TRIA GIOVAN • TEXT: PAULA M. BODAH • PRODUCED BY KARIN LIDBECK BRENT
Special Marketing Section:
PORTFOLIO OF FINE LANDSCAPE AND OUTDOOR LIVING page 51
Departments 12 From the Editor 26 Interview: Privet House In four short years, Privet House has become beloved by design
aficionados. Soon a much larger public will be able to join in the fun. INTERVIEW BY KYLE HOEPNER • PORTRAITS BY MIKI DUISTERHOF
34 Artistry: No Holds Barred Roxanne Faber Savage takes a fearless approach to printmaking,
harnessing bold color and imagery to create works of remarkable power. BY KRIS WILTON
FIND MORE AT NEHOMEMAG.COM: Check out our online
CALENDAR OF EVENTS for people who are passionate about design
40 Made Here: In Full Bloom An accidental entrepreneur, Diane James built a thriving
business by showing just how fabulous faux flowers can be. BY MARIA LAPIANA • • • 116 Design Life Our candid camera snaps recent gatherings that celebrate architecture and design. 118 Trade Notes New and noteworthy happenings in the Connecticut design business. 122 Perspectives Area designers Laurie Dragunoff, Melissa Makris and Alicia Orrick imagine
an inviting front porch. On the cover: Stylish as it looks, the breakfast area Jan Hiltz designed for a young family’s Westport home makes use of indoor-outdoor fabric and faux croc, the better to withstand sticky little fingers. Photograph by John Gould Bessler. To see more of this home, turn to page 84.
132 New in the Showrooms Unique, beautiful and now appearing in Connecticut shops and
showrooms. BY KARA LASHLEY 134 Resources A guide to the professionals and products featured in this issue. 140 Advertiser Index 144 Sketch Pad A garden is so much more than just pretty plants, as landscape architect Dickson
DeMarche illustrates. 16 New England Home’s Connecticut Spring 2012
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EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
Kyle Hoepner khoepner@nehomemag.com HOMES EDITOR
Stacy Kunstel skunstel@nehomemag.com SENIOR EDITOR
Paula M. Bodah pbodah@nehomemag.com MANAGING EDITOR
Debbie Hagan dhagan@nehomemag.com ASSISTANT ART DIRECTOR
Jared Ainscough jainscough@nehomemag.com ASSOCIATE EDITOR
Kara Lashley klashley@nehomemag.com CONTRIBUTING EDITORS
chic to unique
Cheryl and Jeffrey Katz candjkatz@nehomemag.com Karin Lidbeck Brent klidbeck@nehomemag.com Louis Postel lpostel@nehomemag.com CONTRIBUTING WRITERS
Regina Cole, Janice Randall Rohlf, Megan Fulweiler, 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 Web site, 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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20 New England Home’s Connecticut Spring 2012
Upcoming Events Are you planning an event that we can feature in our Calendar of Events? E-mail information to calendar@nehome mag.com, or mail to Calendar Editor, New England Home, 530 Harrison Ave., Suite 302, Boston, MA 02118. Parties We welcome photographs from designor architecture-related parties. Send highresolution photos with information about the party and the people pictured to pbodah@nehomemag.com.
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WESTPORT
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Interview
Privet House In four short years, Privet House has become beloved by design aficionados. Soon a much larger public will be able to join in the fun. PORTRAITS BY MIKI DUISTERHOF
S
uzanne Cassano and Richard Lambertson joined forces four years ago to create a quirky, delight-filled pair of shops that quickly found a place on the buying itineraries of design lovers in the know. As they prepare now for a new national partnership with Target, we sat down to talk about how all the right pieces came together for them. Kyle Hoepner: When and how did the two of you meet? Privet House: Quite simply, we met as neighbors in Sharon. Both “Olympic shoppers,” we loved going to antiques fairs and markets, always searching for the perfect 26 New England Home’s Connecticut Spring 2012
something. It was a form of therapy. Suzanne is a corporate refugee who, after years of shopping and collecting, realized that what began as a weekend hobby had become a passion that bordered on obsession—one that finally, out of necessity, had to become a business. So Suzanne opened VOL. 1 Antiques, a very eclectic antiques and decorative accessories shop, in Warren in the fall of 2006. Richard (a former creative director of Gucci and Bergdorf Goodman, as well as co-founder of the leather-goods design firm Lambertson Truex) also has a passion for interiors and
Interview
LR
Linda Ruderman Interiors
Design For Modern Day Living
www.LindaRuderman.com 19 East Elm Street www.LindaRuderman.com Greenwich, 06830 19 East Elm CT Street 203-552-9700 Greenwich, CT 06830 877-730-8311 203-552-9700 877-730-8311
28 New England Home’s Connecticut Spring 2012
home design. He quickly became one of Suzanne’s biggest supporters and the unofficial PR person for her shop. KH: How did the idea of Privet House come into being? PH: When the space a few doors down from Suzanne’s antiques shop became available, she asked Richard, who had always talked about owning a shop, to consider opening one. After giving it some thought, Richard said he would consider opening a shop if Suzanne became his “partner in retail.” When we first started talking about opening Privet House, we felt there really was a need for a shop that felt like an emporium . . . a place where you could just wander around and always feel an unexpected sense of discovery. KH: Is there a particular design philosophy behind the things you show at the two shops? And how you present them? PH: From the outset, we wanted Privet House to have its own unique voice that would resonate in everything that we do: in the physical presence of the shops, in the product assortment, in the visual merchandising, in the overall ambience and shopping experience, in our website and social networking and all public relations and marketing initiatives. Regarding the merchandise itself, from the beginning we agreed that, when shopping, if we both got that “love it . . . can’t live without it . . . want it for myself ” feeling about something, then we could buy it for Privet House. KH: From having begun in a tiny town in Litchfield County, you seem to have developed a very large footprint in the design world further afield. How did that happen? PH: That is very flattering . . . but we do both come from the worlds of fashion and design, and neither of us is a stranger to building a brand. That said, it is always nice to know you have a fan club out there, encouraging you to do your best and being supportive of your efforts. KH: How do your Warren and Greenwich stores differ? Do the differences extend to the people who shop there? PH: Physically, the shop in Warren is a larger, loft-like space located in a small hamlet in the middle of nowhere, while the Greenwich shop is a series of rooms on two floors in a very charming nineteenthcentury house located just off of very busy Greenwich Avenue.
Interview
Photographer - James K. Lindley | Private Residence - Martha's Vineyard, MA
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I would say that our Warren customer, generally speaking, is more of a weekender. This particular area in northwestern Connecticut is a popular weekend community for many New Yorkers, particularly artists, writers, composers and interior and fashion designers. Greenwich is more of a primary-home community, and homeowners from Fairfield County, as well as interior designers with businesses based in the surrounding communities, frequent that shop. Also, although Privet House as a whole does have a distinctive look, so much of what we sell is either vintage or antique that
the one-of-a-kind pieces lend a distinctive personality to each shop at any given time. KH: Both of you have strong New York City connections, but there is no Privet House there. Why is that? PH: We are both New Yorkers and definitely can envision ourselves keeping shop there. Maybe Privet House is like a Broadway production—we are perfecting our craft outside the city first. Or maybe we’re just waiting for Mayor Michael Bloomberg to make us an offer we can’t refuse! KH: Has the trade—and how you practice it—changed over the time you’ve been operating? PH: The retail landscape has changed drastically in recent years. So many smaller, independently owned specialty shops have disappeared, discounting has become the way of the world, and online shopping is one of the fastest-growing segments of the retail business. The tougher economy has taken its toll on independent retailers and has put
greater demands on the survivors. Smaller businesses like ours have to be much shrewder about identifying opportunities and creating interest; we really have to give our customers a reason to get in their cars and come visit us. And our hope is that once they do, the experience will be one that is memorable and one they will want to share with their friends. KH: Over these past four years, are there any things you wish you had done, but didn’t, or things you did do and wish you hadn’t? PH: We opened our first shop in May, 2008, which was just four months before the world started to end that September. In hindsight, our timing could not have been worse, and as a result we have never had the opportunity to “ride the crest of the wave.” But as the economy slowly starts to improve, it is certainly something we are looking forward to. KH: A major bit of buzz right now, of course, is about your new collaboration with Target. What’s the low-down on that? PH: We are really excited about our exclusive collaboration with Target and being part of The Shops at Target. Our collection for Target was inspired by, and reflects the aesthetic and appeal of, many of the pieces and products you will find at our Privet House shops. It’s a beautiful collection of home decor and accessories, from tabletop to garden items, storage crates and baskets, as well as an assortment of candles. The more than 125 pieces in the assortment range in price from $1.99 for a gift bag to $159.99 for a large, rope-textured pouf. (By the way, the line will be available at all Target stores and on Target.com for a limited time beginning May 6.) KH: Is there anything else you’d like to add? PH: Target is known for its innovative partnerships, and we are so pleased to be a part of this new collaborative model. Target is truly showing its support for distinctive specialty retailers like Privet House, and this arrangement allows us to share our brand with a national audience of shoppers who, like us, want to discover good design that is affordably priced. KH: Finally, visitors to your website will undoubtedly want to know: have you ever actually been to Capri together? PH: We have both been to Capri—but together, not yet . . . only in spirit. •
Visit us at the Lillian August Builder/Architect Showcase, April 27-29
Spring 2012 New England Home’s Connecticut 31
Visit us at the Lillian August Builder/Architect Showcase, April 27-29
JMKA
architects
www.jmkarchitects.com A-List Finalist HOBI Award Winner 3 time Innovation and Design Award
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SHARON MC CORMICK DESIGN FINE INTERIOR DESIGN Greenwich | Hartford | 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
Artistry
No Holds Barred Roxanne Faber Savage takes a fearless approach to printmaking, harnessing bold color and imagery to create works of remarkable power. BY KRIS WILTON
R
ich with archetypal images and evocative color, Roxanne Faber Savage’s uninhibited printmaking reflects the psychologist Carl Rogers’s idea that “what is most personal is most universal.” Savage mines everything from the art-historical canon to her deepest memories and fears, employing familiar images like houses and birds, often rendered with almost primitive gusto. If anything unifies Savage’s output, with its easy range of palettes, techniques and imagery, it’s her raw ener-
gy and frank humility: this is an artist who’s willing to put it all on the line, and can’t wait to do so. Born in Boston, Savage studied at Boston University, Pratt Institute and Queens College before settling in Connecticut, where she currently lives and Clockwise from above: Flock keeps a studio. She and her (2011), photo etching with husband chose Fairfield Counspit bite; 100 Lbs. of Water ty for its easy access to New (2007), from the Swimmer series, monotype; Red Box/ York City, where he works in Nature (2010), paper lithobroadcasting and she works graph with mixed media with the master printer Kathy Caraccio. But in Connecticut, she says, she’s found a vibrant art scene in which to show, teach and trade ideas with a community of passionate peers. As tantalizingly messy as her work can be, Savage defies the stereotype of the scattered artist, managing a sizeable teaching load while actively applying for fellowships, residen34 New England Home’s Connecticut Spring 2012
cies and juried exhibitions. This spring alone, she has a solo show at The Orison Project, a new contemporary art gallery in Essex; she is one of six artists featured in the first annual Connecticut Printmakers Invitational at the Windsor Art Center; and her work will be shown in the annual members’ exhibition Panorama, opening April 1 at the Center for Contemporary Printmaking in Norwalk, where Savage prints and is a regular teacher. In May she’ll be included in Silvermine Arts Center’s ninetieth anniversary exhibition in New Canaan. The Orison show will present the greatest range of Savage’s work, including prints on Plexiglas, metal and silk as well as her
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Artistry
Warholian wall installation Chemical Landscape. Here, Savage repeats one silk-screened image—rows of birds sitting on power lines—which she transferred from a photograph using paper lithography, a technique she considers among her specialties. “There’s something about the grittiness of a paper lithograph that I really like,” she says. “I like clarity but also that worn-out kind of feeling.” Clockwise from above: Noose, Part of an extended Lampwick, and Roxy’s Cell Tower, body of work dealing all from the Blue Plate Specials both with birds themseries (2010), paper lithograph monoprints; Quattro (2009), selves and also with things carborundum aquatint with “birdish”—power lines, mixed media; Maison Series I–VIII cages, clouds, the urban (2012), charcoal/eraser drawings environment—the image was inspired by a car ride during which Savage and her family spotted thousands of birds spanning power lines near Monomoy Island off Cape Cod. “Stop the car for art!” she cried, leaping out to capture the scene with her camera. Set against a range of shades brighter or more “chemical” than the typical sunset, the repeated Xerox-like image nonetheless calls to mind common experiences: peering out car windows as a child and languorous evenings spent staring at a fading sky. At once familiar and mysterious, Savage’s
avian imagery tends to spark viewers’ own memories. At a dinner party one night, she recalls, “Every single person had a story about birds.” If Chemical Landscape presents a stylized, ordered world, Savage’s more recent work delves into something much messier. Here she’s moved on from birds to houses, an image whose personal resonance she admits she’s still uncovering. In work after work Savage manipulates the core image—a childish stick-figure house—using, it seems, every tool at her disposal. There are scratchy, primitive-looking etchings; triptychs adorned with disorganized doodles and drips and blobs of color; a crayon series in which the title Maison is furiously obliterated with thick, scrawling black strokes. It’s clear that Savage’s technical skill is such that she no longer needs to adhere to the rules; the effect is of a virtuoso cellist laying down the bow and going for the strings directly. “I think one of the things that makes my teaching and my artwork unique is that I try to be fearless,” she says. “I’m at the point of my life where it’s coming out of me. Yeah, I’m afraid, but if I’m afraid, so what?” The key, she says, is getting it all out: “Then you refine it, you hone it, and there’s the beauty.” • Editor’s Note To see more of Savage’s work, visit www.roxanneprints.com.
36 New England Home’s Connecticut Spring 2012
seaside G L A M O U R
by
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LONGWOODEVENTS.COM
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The Home Builders Association of Connecticut, Inc. has honored Country Club Homes, Inc. with
17 HOBI Awa rd s For information regarding the sale of this home, please contact our office.
Principals: Carolyn C. Wheeler and Walter B. Cromwell, Jr. 462 Danbury Road | Wilton, Connecticut 06897 | Telephone 203.762.0550 | Facsimile 203.762.7933 | www.countryclubhomesinc.com
Made Here
In Full Bloom An accidental entrepreneur, Diane James built a thriving business by showing just how fabulous faux flowers can be. BY MARIA LAPIANA
D
iane James is sitting in her busy workroom in downtown Norwalk, hands folded neatly in her lap, telling how she came to be the queen bee of faux flowers. “You won’t believe it,” she says, dropping her voice to a whisper, “but I was always a snob when it came to silk flowers.” Of course, she adds with a grin, that was back in the day, when silk was synonymous with fake. “Oh, the colors were awful, and when you opened a box of stiff stems it looked like they were shot out of an electrical socket!” recalls James, whose short dark hair and bright eyes give no hint of her seventy-six years. But as time went on and faux flowers became more lifelike—thanks to new fabrics, finishes and manufacturing techniques—her disdain faded away.
Clockwise from above: The prettiest blooms are lined up for arranging; cream and green bouquets are perennial favorites; moss and raffia give orchid stems a realistic look.
Today, James has taken silk flowers to a luxurious new level. Her stunning blooms grace foyer tables in the finest homes, have filled the Channel Gardens at Rockefeller Center and are sold at Bergdorf Goodman and Neiman Marcus. If you’ve been to a charity dinner, a designer show house or the newly refurbished Connecticut Governor’s Mansion, you’ve likely seen James’s work. From stat40 New England Home’s Connecticut Spring 2012
uesque statement pieces to the most delicate single peony in a miniature glass vase, her incredibly naturallooking arrangements inspire awe and double-takes. Even as a child, James was surrounded by flowers. Her mother “was always carrying in armfuls and arranging them,” she says. But it wasn’t until James went to live in Belgium with her husband in 1964 that her passion blossomed. “They have the most beautiful flowers over there, and the dollar was strong,” she recalls. “So you could absolutely fill your car for very little money.”
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Made Here Enchanted by the European style of floral arranging, James went to London to study with renowned florists Pulbrook & Gould, returning to the States in 1979, twin daughters and newfound skills in tow. For many years, she mostly dabbled, making arrangements Diane James Home for herself and friends. One (203) 846-0303 day she happened to poke www.dianejameshome.com around in a silk flower warehouse—“I just put some things Clockwise from below: New together,” she remembers—and this spring, a large succulent was sold. arrangement in a faux concrete bowl; natural moss is James knew she had a gift, trimmed before “planting” in and a potentially lucrative one, pots; a popular combination, when a silk arrangement she pink and cream roses marry donated for a silent auction at well with peonies. the Bruce Museum sold for $1,700, well above the starting bid. The winning bidder was so pleased she promptly ordered eleven more arrangements. Serendipity played its part over the years, too. When
James provided flowers to liven up a friend’s display of silver vases at Bergdorf Goodman, the merchandising manager was smitten and commissioned her to create a line for the store. Her first collection sold out in two weeks. “It was 1997, and she was newly divorced at the time,” says James’s daughter Cynthia James Matrullo. “She was single after more than forty years, so her success, it was a kind of a rebirth, a reawakening for her.” These days, Cynthia and her twin, Carolyn James McDonough, run the business side of the company, while James serves as chief creative officer. Their mainstay, the flowers themselves, are manufactured overseas (most aren’t made of silk at all, but rather cotton or a polyester blend) and purchased through U.S. importers. James personally designs every arrangement, creating two new collections each year. Her samples are painstakingly reproduced by a few talented women, many of whom have been with her since the start. With extraordinary attention 42 New England Home’s Connecticut Spring 2012
to detail, the workers touch up the colors on petals, then neatly trim stems and place them gingerly into vases or pots filled with “water,” a polyurethane compound that is perfectly clear when it hardens. Finally, James says, the workers carefully perfect the composition and fluff the blossoms so they look as much as possible “like something God designed.” Prices for James’s creations start at $110 for a single bloom and climb upward of $900 for a tall custom arrangement. With sales of just under $1 million last year and orders steadily increasing, optimism is the order of the day, every day. “We’re shipping to England, Australia, Japan . . . all over the world,” says Carolyn. “It’s a very exciting time for us.” •
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To The Trade Only Fabric▪ Furniture▪ Lighting ▪Wallcovering▪ Accessories▪ Art 652 Glenbrook Road, Stamford, CT 06906 T: (203) 358-0818 F: (203) 602-7738 E: info@wakefielddesigncenter.com
raveis.com
“The Best Website in Real Estate” 300,000+ L i s ti ngs • Sol d Propert i es • A l l Local Housing Da ta & Gr aphs • All MLS Ope n House s
10 million world-wide visits annually Visit raveis.com & type in MLS# for multiple photos/detailed descriptions on these homes
Greenwich, CT $11,950,000 Westport, CT $11,998,000 MLS#98515405, Michelle&Company, 203.454.4663 MLS#98523935, Jean Ruggiero, 203.552.0937
New Canaan, CT $6,495,000 Ridgefield, CT $5,295,000 MLS#98488857, Sharon Rosano, 203.962.1264 MLS#98525065, David Everson, 203.246.7150
Fairfield, CT $4,900,000 Westport, CT $4,650,000 MLS#98507986, E. Baum/F. Burger, 203.255.1013 MLS#98526653, Edie Anderson, 203.858.4668
New Canaan, CT $3,595,000 Westport, CT $2,799,000 MLS#133630, Sneddon Associates, 203.219.3769 MLS#98528201, Jillian Klaff Homes, 203.858.2095
Stamford, CT $2,495,000 MLS#98519286, Jan Milligan, 203.253.1770
Westport, CT $2,350,000 MLS#98527089, Leslie Smith Clarke, 203.984.1856
Fairfield, CT $2,199,000 MLS#81154, Phyllis Doonan, 203.363.7142
New Canaan, CT $2,199,000 MLS#98525926, Hannelore Kaplan, 914.450.3880
Stamford, CT $1,995,000 Stamford, CT $1,995,000 MLS#98520903, Richard Kent, 203.324.5427 MLS#98501427, Jean Ruggiero, 203.912.1284
New Canaan, CT $1,995,000 MLS#98524724, Kelly DeFrancesco, 203.667.4074
Westport, CT $1,849,000 MLS#98527140, John Gray, 203.524.3386
Westport, CT $1,849,000 Fairfield, CT $1,699,000 MLS#98527424, Donna Beretta, 203.451.1540 MLS#98525234,Al Filippone Associates, 203.368.8754
Stamford, CT $1,299,000 MLS#98528274, Marianne Broekmeijer, 203.913.6068
Newtown, CT $1,295,000 MLS#98503472, Marcia Izzo, 203.733.9655
Stamford, CT $1,250,000 Danbury, CT $1,160,000 MLS#98525301, Chris Carozza, 203.912.6819 MLS#98525429, Patty McCarthy, 203.733.7006
Easton, CT $1,050,000 MLS#98523986,Al Filippone Associates, 203.895.0961
Southbury, CT $874,000 MLS#98516045, Shari Sirkin, 203.910.3207
I N T E R N A T I O N A L
For more information on these and other luxury homes or to speak to an Exceptional Properties Specialist, call 877.298.2780.
Photos by Phil Nelson
By Invitation
Only
The New England Home’s Connecticut Winter Networking Event at Lillian August Furnishings + Design On January 26, Lillian August’s spacious and enticing showroom welcomed advertisers for our winter networking event. From gorgeous fabrics to beautiful antiques, there was no shortage of accessories, furniture and rugs to spark conversation and keep the mood fun. Along with ample opportunity to network, attendees also snacked on appetizers and sipped wine—and one lucky guest took home the Lillian August gift card raffle prize!
Skye Kirby of Lillian August with Peter M. Deane of Deane, Inc. • Lisa Cavataro, Dick Laughton and Barb Laughton of Front Row Kitchens • New England Home’s Kyle Hoepner with Frank Fasanella and Trudy Dujardin of Dujardin Design Associates, Inc. and Bob Gaynor of RDYC Interior Design + Architectural Development • Molly Hirsch of Molly Hirsch Interiors, Mayson Linn of Fordham Marble, Vincent Sciarretta of VAS Construction and furniture maker Jeff Soderbergh • Katya Kopaskie with Jerry Hupy and Michael McClung of Shope Reno Wharton and Joyce Sardo of Fordham Marble • Jay Hanseman and Michael Smith of Michael Smith Architects LLC with New England Home’s Roberta Thomas Mancuso • Beth Cannon of Wakefield Design Center with Ron Cerrito and Shirley Cerrito of Cerrito Furniture • Suzanne Bellehumeur of Mural Interiors with Joe Najmy and Mary Najmy of NuKitchens
Creating well-designed outdoor spaces allows you to make the most of your home year round. From seating and tables to umbrellas, accessories and outdoor upholstery, we can help you build your ideal entertainment destination.
Love how you live Outdoors.
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Visit us at the Lillian August Builder/Architect Showcase, April 27-29
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Special Advertising Section
PORTFOLIO OF FINE
Landscape and Outdoor Living Design
PORTFOLIO OF FINE
Landscape and Outdoor Living Design
AQUA POOL
&
PAT I O , I N C .
The complete source for a lifetime of pool enjoyment.
For more than forty-two years of continuous operation, Aqua Pool & Patio, Inc., has been enhancing finer homes throughout southern New England with its unique, custom designed, in-ground Gunite swimming pools. Using our outdoor living room design concept, the staff at Aqua Pool can create special designs for customers’ homes, which accurately reflect their individual lifestyles. Aqua Pool provides a handcrafted addition to the home produced by trained and experienced artisans and craftsmen. While traditional methods and values are important in Aqua’s family-owned business, the company also embraces the advantages of modern technology. Aqua encourages the incorporation of in-floor automatic pool cleaning systems to reduce owner maintenance time to a minimum. It also recommends electronic controls for pool functions and waterfeature controls. The ability for customers to control their
52 Special Marketing Section
complete pool environments from inside their hot spas is convenient. The ability to exercise this control from in the home or even from the car is amazing. From stone-covered natural pools tucked away in the woods to classical designs adjacent to the home, Aqua’s designers can fulfill all your wishes. Aqua Pool also can provide Gunite pool renovations. From a simple coping or tile replacement to a complete pool refurbishing, Aqua can give pools a refreshing new look. With the addition of new, upgraded mechanical equipment, Aqua can create the feeling of a brand-new pool. For pool owners with very busy schedules, Aqua also offers pool service, maintenance and repairs. It can provide annual services, including spring openings, weekly cleanings and service and fall closings. In addition, the company offers vacation pool sitting or repairs as needed.
53 Newberry Road East Windsor, CT 06088 (860) 623-9886 (800) 722-2782 www.aquapool.com Special Marketing Section 53
PORTFOLIO OF FINE
Landscape and Outdoor Living Design
AUSTIN GANIM LANDSCAPE DESIGN , LLC
Austin Ganim Landscape Design offers a full range of design, installation and maintenance services for properties of all sizes and styles. Whether renovating an existing landscape or starting from scratch, the Austin Ganim Landscape Design team assists clients through the entire process. Our design-build division works with homeowners to create timeless landscapes that not only please clients at completion but provide enjoyment for years to come. Having backgrounds in horticulture, garden design, historic preservation and landscape architecture, as well as hands-on experience in landscape design, installation and maintenance services, the staff at Austin Ganim is able to create a seamless transition between the home and garden. Our professional services division offers landscape services to other design and construction professionals and their clients. Whether it’s a builder in need of design-build servic-
54 Special Marketing Section
es or a landscape architect searching for a firm to install its design, Austin Ganim’s client-care associates assist each client to ensure the project is a success. Austin Ganim Landscape Design guides projects from start to finish. Its staff meets with clients at the property to discuss the scope of work. After an initial consultation, the Austin Ganim staff determines the appropriate type of services, and, if needed, the landscape architect or garden designers develop a tailored landscape plan, review the material selection with the clients and provide a cost estimate. In addition, they work with clients or their team to coordinate the installation, to source specialty plant materials and, assist with project phasing. Once the scope of work has been finalized, the company’s skilled crews install the landscape and hardscape. After installation Austin Ganim offers lawn and landscape maintenance services to keep the property looking its best.
Austin Ganim & Eva Chiamulera, ASLA 320 Kings Highway Cutoff Fairfield, CT 06824 P: 203.333.2003 www.AustinGanimLandscapeDesign.com Special Marketing Section 55
PORTFOLIO OF FINE
Landscape and Outdoor Living Design
CONNECTICUT STONE SUPPLIES
As the solemn hibernation of winter yields to the budding hopefulness of spring, we find ourselves looking for inspiration. The folks at Connecticut Stone believe that outdoor environments are oases. Whether celebrating with family and friends or enjoying a much needed afternoon of solitude, the backyards created by Connecticut Stone host some of the most memorable and important times. This year, the staff at Connecticut Stone promises to spend even more time outside enjoying the peace and tranquility of home. They look forward to the arrival of the first
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sign of spring: the crocus. It’s a reminder that it’s time to start planning gardens, walkways and pool decks. They gather ’round the fire to enjoy life’s simple pleasures. They dine out and barbeque on the patio while enjoying the happy chatter of loved ones. They pledge to create a landscape that lasts a lifetime. For ideas and inspiration, visit Connecticut Stone’s showroom in Milford or Middletown. Its knowledgeable staff will be happy to help turn dreams into reality.
Connecticut Stone Supplies 138 Woodmont Road Milford, CT 06460 (203) 882-1000 www.connecticutstone.com Special Marketing Section 57
PORTFOLIO OF FINE
Landscape and Outdoor Living Design
E A RT H S C A P E S Landscape Management & Development, Inc.
For more than seventeen years, Earthscapes has created timeless designs that blend seamlessly with the existing architecture of the home and its surrounding environment. The company accomplishes this by using a dedicated team of creative designers, knowledgeable horticulturists and tireless craftsmen who bring a repertoire of skilled perspectives to make each and every project a unique blend of talent meeting each client’s individual needs. Earthscape’s goal is to form a valuable and long-lasting relationship with its clients, educating them in the process of hardscape and plant material selection, construction techniques and the delicate ecological balance of a landscape design that harmonizes with their home and family. Our staff researches the best materials and resources for designs, down to the smallest detail, such as choosing the right color cover for a fire-pit or the perfectly scented lilac to
58 Special Marketing Section
place near a favorite chair. Earthscapes also offers a full maintenance department to serve all yearly landscaping needs, from the simplest of services, such as lawn mowing and snow plowing, to the more complex all-inclusive services required by many of the finer homes in the area. As caretakers of our clients’ property, Earthscapes helps them identify their property’s specific requirements, makes suggestions and informs them of any issues, so they can make the best decisions for the well-being and keeping of their landscapes. Whether creating a new environment or taking care of an existing landscape, Earthscapes will be there every step of the way to fulfill clients’ visions and maintain their property to its full potential, creating a setting where friends and family will experience the joy and beauty of a functional and timeless outdoor living space.
Earthscapes Landscape Management & Development, Inc. P.O. Box 1093 New Canaan, CT 06840 (203) 966-2843 www.escapesinc.com Special Marketing Section 59
PORTFOLIO OF FINE
Landscape and Outdoor Living Design
ERSKINE MIDDELEER A S S O C I AT E S L L C
GUS FORD PHOTOGRAPHY
Erskine-Middeleer Associates LLC is an award-winning, fullservice design firm based in Wilton, Connecticut, 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 which meld the 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 firmâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s residential landscape work includes a wide range of project types, from shoreline sites to eighteenthcentury farm properties. Each project, regardless of size, is
60 Special Marketing Section
approached with the same commitment to site stewardship and creative detailing, with special emphasis on quality materials and year-round interest. The natural characteristics of the site and the architecture of the home inform the design of each garden, and particular attention is paid to enhancing a sense of place through thoughtful artistic intervention. Plants, stone, water and light are combined to create timeless, elegant spaces. The firmâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s landscape portfolio also includes municipal and institutional projects such as 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 www.erskinemiddeleer.com.
Erskine Middeleer Associates LLC 487 Danbury Road Wilton, Connecticut 06897 (203) 762-9017 www.erskinemiddeleer.com Special Marketing Section 61
PORTFOLIO OF FINE
Landscape and Outdoor Living Design
H O M E F R O N T FA R M E R S
There’s something about growing vegetables that simplifies life, that literally “grounds” us. Talk to most people about vegetable gardens and they’ll get nostalgic about their parents’ or their grandparents’ garden and wish they could have one of their own. But growing food is not something we’re taught these days; it’s been bumped from life’s curriculum to make room for texting and GPS navigation. That’s where Homefront Farmers comes in. Homefront Farmers designs, builds and maintains organic raised-bed vegetable gardens throughout Fairfield County. Each carefully crafted garden is designed to be healthy, productive and a beautiful enhancement to the owners’ property. “People want gardens for many reasons,” says Vonne Whittleton, a founder of Homefront Farmers. “My clients want to feed their families food that they know is grown in a healthy and nutritious way—food that’s free of chemi-
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cals. For other clients it’s about lifestyle, teaching their children where food comes from and sharing the experience of watching it grow.” Co-founder John Carlson takes a more global perspective on the enterprise. For him, it’s not just about providing a product and service that people will love, it’s about helping the environment. “The local food movement is about a very simple idea, that it’s crazy to ship lettuce all the way from California when a better-tasting head can be grown fifty feet from your door,” says Carlson. Clients love the “additional outdoor room” that the garden structures provide and rave about the homegrown taste of fresh organic vegetables picked from their own backyards. Beautifully crafted gardens, healthy tasty food and benefits to the environment…what’s not to love!
Homefront Farmers ( HIC 0622962) 22 Boulder Hill Lane Ridgefield, CT 06877 (203) 470-3655 www.homefrontfarmers.com Special Marketing Section 63
PORTFOLIO OF FINE
Landscape and Outdoor Living Design
T H E L A U R E L R O C K C O M PA N Y
LaurelRock’s Landscape architects believe a home’s outdoor landscape is a natural extension of its interior living spaces and an expression of a client’s lifestyle and design sensibility. LaurelRock’s mission of enhancing Connecticut’s outdoor lifestyle, while preserving the health and beauty of our natural environment, has become the company’s hallmark, among residents and the trade alike. Over the last thirty-six years, LaurelRock’s award-winning landscape architects have created more than 1,000 residential landscapes for the region’s most beautiful homes, with an eye for integrating a home’s architectural style and keeping the views, from the inside-out, always in mind. LaurelRock is one of the only landscape design/build and maintenance firms in Fairfield County that started as a landscape architectural firm. Its design-driven approach, together with its construction and landscape management services, enables the
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company to meet all of its client’s outdoor needs. During the conceptual design process, LaurelRock designers ask questions, listen carefully, sketch ideas, research products and share options. The result is a master plan and cost analysis, ensuring that clients receive the highest value for their investments. Working with LaurelRock throughout the design/build process not only ensures that the design is brought to life in the way it’s envisioned, but also ensures that the project is completed on budget and on time, delivering exceptional quality and creativity every step of the way. And because LaurelRock’s continued involvement with a client’s property is key to helping the landscape mature properly, the company makes caring for and maintaining every aspect of a client’s property its business. As a full-service firm, LaurelRock does the fine gardening so that clients can sit back, relax and enjoy the view.
The Laurelrock Company 969 Danbury Road Wilton, CT 06897 (203) 544-0062 info@laurelrock.com www.laurelrock.com Special Marketing Section 65
PORTFOLIO OF FINE
Landscape and Outdoor Living Design
M A RV I N G A R D E N S
If you’re interested in amassing a collection of objects for your home that conveys a strong sense of individuality and energy, you’ve found your creative partner at Marvin Gardens. Owner Amabel Chan constantly searches for home and garden elements that can be used indoors and outdoors—be they antique, vintage, contemporary or traditional. The current range of services offered by Marvin Gardens includes interior and exterior designs, on-site container planting, re-upholstery, custom-made tables, consoles and bookcases, furniture refinishing and contractor service referrals, electrical, plumbing, custom cabinetry, painting, lawn maintenance and stonework. “Our design philosophy encourages risk taking on the homeowner’s part and the willingness to incorporate unusual and unexpected elements,” says Chan. Marvin Gardens’ products include an extremely large se-
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lection of outdoor iron, cement and stone containers, iron sculpture, architectural elements, wrought-iron garden and driveway gates, antique floorboards and hand-hewn beams. There is also interior furnishing, accessories, lighting, home decor accents and repurposed items. One of Marvin Gardens’ main goals is to determine whether or not the client has furniture/accessories with good form. If so, Chan strives to incorporate these pieces into the design and then move to the design’s “bones.” For services that are beyond Marvin Gardens’ scope, the store provides great resources for clients to select architects, home builders, landscape designers, commissioned artists, etc. Through this foundation, known as Eleven Shades of Grey, local artisans, companies and others with entrepreneurial spirit can come together to create a sense of community.
Marvin Gardens 713 Danbury Road Wilton, CT 06897 (203) 544-2020 www.marvingardensusa.com
Special Marketing Section 67
PORTFOLIO OF FINE
Landscape and Outdoor Living Design
PA R A M O U N T S T O N E C O .
Paramount Stone is a leading fabricator of natural stone—all done in-house and under the watchful eye of skilled craftsmen. The company’s staff works closely with homeowners, designers, builders and architects to help them achieve their vision. Customer satisfaction is the company’s highest priority. Since Egyptian, Greek and Roman times, natural stone fabrication has been chosen because of its abundance and durability. Granite, marble, travertine and limestone can be obtained in a wide variety of colors and patterns. Skilled artisans can work with the stone’s natural beauty to create a showpiece that will enhance a home for generations. For projects like kitchens and baths , stone’s natural beauty and economical cost make it highly desirable. Homeowners and designers alike are often pleasantly surprised to discover that natural stone is often less costly than manmade imitations. Paramount Stone has the capability to service all natural
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stone requirements. Craftsmanship is done in the company’s state-of-the-art fabrication facility. Its showroom offers samples displaying the majority of natural stones that are currently imported into the United States, as well as stones indigenous to this area. For customers’ convenience, Paramount stocks all loose and palletized materials on site, including tiles and granite, marble and limestone slabs. Also, customers have the option to view additional slabs at importers’ yards. Paramount Stone has become an important tool to industry trades people by offering the finest in service and quality, as well as competitive pricing. Customers visiting the showroom will find it a comfortable and relaxed place in which to make selections. Paramount’s knowledgeable staff, who have decades of experience, are readily available to offer assistance. Customers who are thinking about a project should stop by the facility, look at Paramount’s selection and talk with its experts.
Paramount Stone 338 Courtland Avenue Stamford, CT 06906 (203) 353-9119 www.paramountstone.com Special Marketing Section 69
PORTFOLIO OF FINE
Landscape and Outdoor Living Design
YOUNG’S NURSERIES, INC.
In business for more than eighty years, Young’s Nurseries is the area’s premier landscape supply, design and installation resource, featuring everything from the largest trees to the smallest garden tool. Young’s Nurseries grows and stocks more than sixty acres of plant material and sources it all over the country. Whether you’re looking for a creative landscape design or a few ideas to enhance a certain area, Young’s Nurseries is pleased to offer complimentary onsite landscaping consultations. Young’s Nurseries has been listed as one of the top 100 nurseries in Nursery Retail Magazine for more than seven years. It is dedicated to supplying customers with the highest quality and most extensive selection of plant material possible. Young’s is the go-to provider of large trees, shrubs and plants in the region. Growing in the fields at the Woodbury location you can find everything from specimen flowering
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trees, specimen shade trees and dwarf specialty conifers to screening evergreens ranging from 5 to 35 feet and a large selection of ornamentals. Young’s Nurseries experienced staff and dedicated crew are devoted to customer service so that replacements and follow-up tasks can be handled in a timely manner. The garden center offers a full array of gardening items including pottery, tools, supplies and gift items. One unique service the garden center offers is customized containers. The garden center staff can help you select materials or design a container specifically for you. The greenhouse is stocked with a unique selection of tropicals, houseplants and seasonal annuals. View Young’s online catalog and be sure to visit its two locations: Wilton and Woodbury, serving Fairfield, Litchfield and Westchester counties and beyond. You can also find us on Facebook.
Youngâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Nurseries, Inc. 211 Danbury Road Wilton, CT 06897 (203) 762-5511 130 Washington Road Woodbury, CT 06798 (203) 266-9136 www.youngsnurseries.com Special Marketing Section 71
Save the Date May 3rd, 2012
Thank you to our presenting sponsors Benjamin Moore is continually reinventing paint, like premium performance low-VOC Aura—the finest paint we’ve ever made. There’s no sacrificing performance with Aura. It’s self-priming, requires no more than two coats, and is available in all of Benjamin Moore’s 3,300 colors, including the new 240-hue Color Stories palette of full spectrum colors. What’s more Aura can be custom matched to any hue, and there’s never a worry that the tinting will add VOCs. That’s because of Benjamin Moore’s patented waterborne colorant technology and because its colorants are VOC-free. Aura is available in matte, eggshell, satin and semi-gloss finishes. www.benjaminmoore.com
Karp Associates award winning builders for more than 25 years in Connecticut, New York and Rhode Island. Building everything from castles KARP Associates and cottages to man caves and mudrooms. Their professional team consistently delivers on time and on budget. 203.972.3366 | 80 Main Street, New Canaan, CT 06840 | www.karpassociatesinc.com
R e n o vat i on · C u s t o m H o m e s Construction Management C on s ult i ng
PicturePerfect
74 New England Home’s Connecticut Spring 2012
An art consultant turns her connoisseur’s eye to her own home, giving the historic Litchfield house a design update that blends beauty and practicality, elegance and ease. Text by Megan Fulweiler • Photography by Michael Partenio • Interior design: Lauren Della Monica, LPDM Fine Art Consulting • Builder: John Cappello and Sons • Produced by Stacy Kunstel
Watercolors by artist Vico Fabbris line the stairs. Facing page left to right: An antique Federal mirror lends grace to the entry hearth. The beautifully symmetrical, classic exterior enthralled Lauren Della Monica right from the start.
Spring 2012 New England Homeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Connecticut 75
Walls painted Benjamin Moore Cloud White complement the living room’s pale furnishings. Facing page top: An antique sconce is a grace note above a canebacked settee. Facing page bottom: A sunny conversation area in the living room centers around a sculptural modern table.
ot every wife has a spouse who so trusts her judgment he would suggest she purchase a house without his involvement. But, then, Lauren Della Monica is a woman apart. A sought-after art consultant and an author (she co-authored Flying the Colors: The Unseen Treasures of Nineteenth-Century American Marine Art and is working on a second book that concentrates on contemporary American landscape paintings), Della Monica is known for her keen eye. It might also have helped that, since her family was in the real estate business, her husband knows an apti-
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tude for spotting gem-like homes is in her DNA. And truth be told, he could have been growing just a tad weary. “We’d been searching three and a half years when a new listing popped up,” Della Monica remembers. “It was too big. But I showed it to my husband as an example of the perfect house.” Armand was the epitome of encouragement. “Get in the car and go make an offer,” he urged. Long story short: patience and perseverance paid off. The lovely 1773 Ephraim Kirby house in Litchfield is theirs, and Della Monica’s affection for the place has deepened with every passing hour. Over the years since it was built, the home had been hauled back from the street twice to escape the en-
croachment of civilization. Now perched in the very middle of three verdant acres, it’s the best of two worlds—private, yet accessible to the town’s goings-on. Dotted with trees both pedigreed and newly introduced, the setting is as peaceful as one of the pastoral pictures Della Monica so admires. And the interior? Well, that’s where the happy surprise plays out. The structure was sound, which made cosmetic changes the primary order of business. Rather than attempt to replicate the past, though, Della Monica launched a sensitive reinterpretation. Her goal was to maintain the home’s sense of history while introducing her own modern sensibility. “We’re young and I wanted Spring 2012 New England Home’s Connecticut 77
Antique green glass from Della Monicaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s collection enlivens the dining room. Facing page top: A painting by Sarah Hinckley makes a statement in the dining room. Facing page bottom: George, a Welsh terrier, relaxes in the study below a portrait of himself by Susan Randall.
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our home to have that young feeling,” she says. “I’m not stuck on historic colors. Things like comfort are more important.” Della Monica ushered in a pleasing neutral palette throughout the home’s public spaces, paired traditional and contemporary furnishings and sought out forgiving materials like sisal, linen and Ultrasuede to accommodate the couple’s army of family and friends. When her Welsh terrier, George, catapults himself onto a sofa, as he frequently does, no one frets. A welcoming make-yourself-at-home-spirit resonates year round. In winter, visitors step through the front door into the generous entry hall to find a fire blazing on the hearth. The floor is a stenciled checkerboard wrought by previous inhabitants and too wonderful, the owners wisely decided, to edit. Come spring and summer, guests move from the cream-colored living room through French doors onto the south veranda for a view of the property’s most historic tree: a 200-year-old copper beech. The living room projects a formal air at first, with its gleaming dark floor and gold accents, but Della Monica made sure to design it to accommodate real life, too. The sofa’s linen slipcover, for example, can be whisked off in a jiff for cleaning. Charming juxtapositions like the delicate hand-painted antique cane bench perched alongside an edgy chrome tray table keep the mood lighthearted. And then there’s the glorious art—a Charles Burchfield lithograph above the tray table and a still life by Katherine Ann Hartley (one of two in the couple’s collection) over the mantel. The dining room owes its cozy feel to its six-foot-teninch ceiling, the lowest in the house. Why it should be this way, Della Monica says, is a mystery. The chandelier had to be rescaled to be a bit shorter and wider to make it the perfect fit. Nixing the classic combo of dark chairs and table, Della Monica fearlessly lacquered the table snow-white. At its center sits a handcrafted lamb’s-ear sphere by Bethlehem artist Ray Baker. An arresting oil painting by Sarah Hinckley provides an unexpected splash of dreamy color. Della Monica ushered in a pleasing neutral In the kitchen and family room, everyone’s favorite palette throughout the home’s public spaces. place to spend time, Della Monica fostered a countrified air by transforming the previously bright-colored space with walls painted Benjamin Moore’s Briarwood, a shade that fluctuates between gray and olive green with the day’s passing, and a custom-stained maple floor. Two beefy ceiling beams
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were installed, making the spacious kitchen feel more warm and inviting. Della Monica also commissioned Bethlehem cabinetmaker Woody Mosch to craft a top using 200-year-old barn wood—in a nod to the age of the original house—for the existing island. The stainless-steel vent hood and soaring metal backsplash were painted jet black to help visually balance the galley with the adjacent family room and its new floor-to-ceiling stone fireplace. An avid chef, Della Monica is delighted that Armand has begun to get enthused about cooking, too. One of the culinary duo’s recent dinner party menus is impressive even by Julia Child’s standards: lobster ravioli, coq au vin and chocolate mousse. 80 New England Home’s Connecticut Spring 2012
Kitchen amenities include custom pendants and charming linen valances. Facing page top: The guestroom’s cottagey air appeals to all ages. Facing page bottom: Gleaming copper pots and a dark hood enhance the kitchen’s country ambience.
The house sports five bedrooms, so overnight guests are teamed with her practical “who cares about spills?” approach has made for the grandest, happiest kind of home. easily accommodated. The most requested guest room, though, is the “cottage room,” a sweet green bedroom accessible from the kitchen by a back staircase. Della Monica grew up on Cape Cod, Rather than attempt to replicate the past, Della where blue and white make a familiar marriage. In Litchfield, though, it’s about the Monica launched a sensitive reinterpretation. woods and rolling hills, she says. “There’s so much green outside, I wanted some inside.” She chose complementary shades of green to People sense this is a nest to be cherished and enjoyed— cover the room’s walls and floor, and added pert painted not unlike a work of fine art. • beds that once graced her childhood bedroom. In the end, Della Monica’s fine-tuned connoisseurship Resources For more information about this home, see page 134. Spring 2012 New England Home’s Connecticut 81
Marianne Donahue
INTERIORS 1429 PARK STREET SUITE 111 • HARTFORD, CT • 860.550.1876
WWW.MARIANNEDONAHUEINTERIORS.COM
Designer Jan Hiltz played up the living roomâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s brightness with a ceiling covered in gold grasscloth, gold accessories and a geometric print Victoria Hagen fabric for the draperies that has its own golden glow. Spring hues of turquoise and green add to the roomâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s elegantly playful feel.
Written and produced by Stacy Kunstel • Photography by John Gould Bessler • Interior Design: Jan Hiltz • Architecture: Robert Storm • Builder: Able Construction
A family’s wish for youthful, colorful surroundings is met in a Westport home that blends practicality, whimsy and classic style.
BRIGHTAND BREEZY
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Durable fabrics, including the faux ostrichprint vinyl on the ottoman, are pretty and kid-proof in the family room. Facing page clockwise from top: A niche in the family room makes a fiery focal point with its yellow grasscloth. Interior designer Jan Hiltz. The homeowners were attracted to the rooflines of the Westport home.
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here are a few things a Californiaraised girl needs if she is to live happily in New England. The practical items include an attached garage and a mudroom, particularly if she’s the mother of three little ones under the age of four and has a 130-pound Bernese mountain dog. The others—likely even more important—are pieces that remind her of her family, along with punches of color to get her through the New England winter. “They wanted bright and fresh and young and colorful,” says interior designer Jan Hiltz of the owners of this house in Westport. Hiltz first worked with the couple when they were newlyweds, buying furnishings and redo-
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ing a kitchen in their first house. As their family expanded, they needed a larger place that they would want to call home for years to come. “I drove by and I loved the architecture of the house, and I loved the rooflines and the shingles,” the wife says. “Growing up in California you could never have wooden shingles on the roof because of the fire hazard. I thought if I was going to live in New England, I wanted to live in a house that looked like New England.” Architect Robert Storm of Westport had designed the white clapboard structure with its gracefully swooping rooflines, and Able Construction was just getting ready to put up the drywall when the couple purchased the home, giving them the opportunity to make minor
“If I was going to live in New England, I wanted a house that looked like New England.”
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Indoor-outdoor fabric on the bench and faux crocodile on the chair seats make it easy to clean the breakfast room after feeding three children under the age of four. Facing page top: French cafe–style barstools bring color and texture to the white kitchen. Facing page bottom: Hiltz added punch to a boy’s room by rimming one wall in nail-head trim.
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changes and to choose tile and finishes. While Hiltz and the homeowners got to work from scratch on the interiors, it didn’t mean that they started with all-new furnishings. “We used every piece from her previous house,” says Hiltz. “It can’t all be new. It wouldn’t have any personality if it was.” Fabrics and furniture in the house had to be kid-friendly, too. “Durability was really important for me,” says the homeowner. “I have three kids under the age of four and host play dates with four to twelve kids.” Just past the mudroom, the open kitchen, breakfast area and family room are the heart of the home for the family. Different shades of gray paint on the walls unify the spaces, and multiple windows offer views to the backyard. Like any thirty-something planning and designing a home, the homeowner, Hiltz says, “has every design magazine and is constantly reading them. She’s online, she’s savvy and she’s involved.” “Color was really important to me. I love color,” the homeowner says. In a China Seas fabric, the family room curtains play navy and aqua off one another, lightening up the light-gray walls and charcoal-gray sectional sofa, which wears a kid-proof polyester velvet and holds a number of pillows in indoor-outdoor fabric. A bright-white customdesigned ottoman in faux ostrich with nailhead trim is as impervious to peanut butter and jelly as it is to Bordeaux. “I didn’t want to do just a navy and aqua room,” says Hiltz. “The room needed a pop and a surprise.” She took a niche that was to be a built-in bookshelf and covered it in a bright-yellow Phillip Jeffries grasscloth. A pair of navy lamps and a colorful abstract by Weston The open kitchen, artist Kerri Rosenthal give the breakfast area and room an added jolt. An open breakfast area sits family room are the between the family room and heart of the home kitchen. Hiltz chose a table with for the family. elegant lines by Bungalow 5 and designed a bench covered in indoor-outdoor fabric to go with it, making the room feel like an additional sitting area as much as a place to eat cereal. She covered the seats of the Oly dining chairs in faux croc, but chose a more delicate botanical by Osborne & Little to sheathe the backs. “We figured kids aren’t going to put their hands inside the backs of the chairs,” she says. As much as the homeowner likes whimsy, the branchelier chandelier was a leap even for her. “Jan has strong Spring 2012 New England Home’s Connecticut 89
A custom headboard of white velvet dominates one wall of the master bedroom, while navy silk draperies pick up the bedding’s navy trim. Top right: In the master bath, a family heirloom chair was recovered to fit the navy and turquoise theme. Bottom right: Custom vanities have simple nickel fixtures.
opinions and I have strong opinions, and we meet in the middle,” the homeowner says. “Sometimes she pushes me to the edge of my comfort zone and it ends up being one of my favorite things.” Among the homeowner’s prized possessions are the pieces of furniture she inherited from her great-grandmother. A caned sofa and chair ended up in the living room paired with a contemporary Oly coffee table and geometric-patterned drapes by Victoria Hagan. “It looks so much better when everything isn’t brand spanking new,” says Hiltz, who loved incorporating the older pieces into the design. The drapes had hung in the homeowner’s previous living room, but the ceilings there were only seven-and-a-half feet tall. “In this house the liv90 New England Home’s Connecticut Spring 2012
ing room ceilings are nine feet,” says Hiltz. “We added white to the tops of the draperies to lengthen them. They look even better than they did in the last home!” After the public areas and the children’s rooms were completed, Hiltz and her clients turned their attention to the master bedroom. “The master bedroom was the last space in the house that we finished,” says Hiltz. “At first we just painted, constructed the headboard and put up the draperies.” Now, to go with the custom white-velvet-upholstered headboard—“a little touch of luxury for the couple,” the designer says—there are equally luxurious lacquered nightstands and silver Festoni lamps. In the master bath, awash in white, another family
With its blending of old and new, the house is a family-friendly mix of elegance and exuberance.
piece sits near the tub. The wood-framed antique chair is now covered in Aqua Trellis fabric by S. Harris, giving it the updated look that suits a young family’s home. “That’s what makes her home so beautiful,” says Hiltz. “She includes pieces from her family in her contemporary look.” “I wanted my house to feel young,” says the homeowner. “We’re in our thirties and we didn’t want to feel like we were walking into our parents’ homes.” And indeed, with its blending of old and new, neutrals and bright colors, classic style and whimsy, this house is a family-friendly mix of elegance and youthful exuberance. •
Resources For more information about this home, see page 134. Spring 2012 New England Home’s Connecticut 91
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GREENWICH, CONNECTICUT Classic English Country manor on 4.17 acres, behind gates. Four years of restoration a stunning visual by Bilhuber. Billiard, gym and massage rooms, guest house, total privacy. $18,750,000
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GUILFORD, CONNECTICUT Uncas Point is the setting for this circa 1915 Colonial with 9,673 square feet, 15 rooms, eight bedrooms, high ceilings and crown moldings. Offering a dock, tennis court and guest cottage. $8,500,000
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NEW CANAAN, CONNECTICUT Masterfully-renovated 9,000-square-foot residence with a top-of-the-line kitchen and deluxe first-floor master wing, new greenhouse, heated pool, tennis court, and exquisite landscaping. $3,950,000
OLD LYME, CONNECTICUT Offering access to the Connecticut River and beyond, this 13-room home features an eat-in kitchen, spacious first-floor master and a free-form heated pool. $3,495,000
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Be My Guest When this stone-and-stucco carriage house was built in 1905 at the foot of the driveway leading to a waterfront mansion on Long Island Sound, it was designed to be charming on the outside and utilitarian on the inside. “It originally had cement floors with drains so they could wash off the horses,” says Stamford-based interior designer Victoria Vandamm. “It had been renovated many years ago in the most rustic way so it could be rented out as an apartment. My client wanted to transform it into a guesthouse where friends and relatives would feel comfortable, perhaps pampered.” • The homeowner, an accomplished artist with a keen color sense, had started the project on her own by purchasing two floral armchairs, chosen because they evoked the blowsy pink roses that envelop the Fairfield County cottage in the summer. But when her life suddenly got too hectic, she called on Vandamm to take over the job. “It would have been easier for Victoria to start from scratch,” says the owner, “but I liked the chairs and I never imagined that we’d make so many changes. The original plan was just to spruce the place up.” • As they talked about redecorating the living room, the women quickly recognized that a full-scale renovation of the open kitchen would be necessary. “It became obvious that the kitchen had to have cabinetry that looked like real furniture because it is part of the living room after all,” says the owner. “It dictated everything we would do.” • After visiting several kitchen showrooms, Vandamm concluded that she would have to design custom cabinetry to get the effect—and efficiency—they wanted. The centerpiece would be an island and dining
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The no-frills interior of an old Fairfield County carriage house turned visitors’ quarters gets dressed up to match the enchantment its charming exterior promises. Text by Dan Shaw • Photography by Michael Partenio • Interior Design: Victoria Vandamm • Architect: Michiel A. Boender, Edgewater Group Architects • Builder: Andy Moore, Ram Construction • Produced by Stacy Kunstel
A medley of pinks and greens brings harmony to the living room. The desk behind the sofa unfolds to become a dining table, and the painting behind it is by the homeowner. Previous pages: Designer Victoria Vandammâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s attention to detail is evident in every room of the two-story stone-andstucco guest cottage with its mix of Mediterranean and Arts and Crafts styles.
96 New England Homeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Connecticut Spring 2012
Spring 2012 New England Homeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Connecticut 97
Decorative painter Suzanne Bellehumeur gave the kitchen cabinets an aged French country look with multiple layers of paint and a seal of tinted furniture wax. Facing page top and bottom: The cabinets display both everyday dishes and ceramic art, like the plate by potter Lala Howard that holds a place of honor on the top shelf.
bar that would bridge the two spaces, emerging organically from the new floors made from planks of reclaimed wood. “The kitchen became a labor of love,” says Vandamm, explaining how she created an appropriately Old World aura by choosing soapstone counters, crackled glass for the cabinet doors and a farmhouse sink the color of a worn penny. Vandamm hired decorative painter Suzanne Bellehumeur, who stained the island an antique brown and gave the cabinets a French country patina by using multiple layers of paint in two shades, aging them with strategic sanding and topping them with a layer of tinted wax to minimize wear and tear. Making the most of a galley kitchen is second nature to Vandamm, who tucked refrigerator drawers into the 98 New England Home’s Connecticut Spring 2012
island, stashed the microwave into a cabinet and camouflaged the washer/dryer with a rough-hewn door that creates the illusion that there’s another room beyond. “My husband is a yacht broker and we sail,” she says. “That’s why I am so organized and make sure to use every nook and cranny when I design a kitchen.” Once the kitchen was figured out, she could focus on the living room. The pink flowers on the club chairs could not be ignored. “But we didn’t want a pink and green room!” says Vandamm, laughing at the preppy connotation those colors have in this coastal corner of the state. Nevertheless, the room is a tone poem in nuanced shades of pink and green. “I am very careful how colors must be worked out, so I
went in the direction of rose and rust in the curtains by Jim Thompson,” says Vandamm, who upholstered the sofa in a primarily pink Lee Jofa fabric based on an old tapestry that’s more gutsy than girly. “We painted the walls a buffed-out celery that doesn’t hit you in the eye as a color but plays wonderfully with the green outside in the spring and summer.”
“I make sure to use every nook and cranny when I design a kitchen,” says Vandamm. Then she doubled back to the kitchen, setting zippy barstools upholstered in leafy green leather at the island between the kitchen and living space, and installing pink Spring 2012 New England Home’s Connecticut 99
The bedroom, designed around the fourposter bed, gets a cozy European country house feel from the paper that covers the walls as well as the rustic beamed ceiling. Facing page top: An antique desk doubles as a dressing table. Facing page bottom: Romoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Mirabel wallpaper dresses the charming bathroom.
100 New England Homeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Connecticut Spring 2012
Moroccan glass tiles for the stovetop’s backsplash. “It’s a rose-based theme that doesn’t hit you as pink,” she says. The master bedroom is equally enchanting. “This is my love—what I am most proud of,” confesses Vandamm as she looks up at the peaked ceiling that follows the lines of the roof. “None of these beams were here. I immediately pictured a Cotswold cottage with antique beams and wallpaper on the ceiling, which is so cozy. I am lucky to have a magician of a wallpaper guy, because at one point the roof leaked and he had to patch the paper, which is not so easy when you have all these beams at crazy angles.” While other decorators might have felt that enveloping the room in Osborne & Little’s Scroll wallpaper made a bold enough statement, Vandamm decided to push the European country look with Lambourne Sage curtains from Lee Jofa that feature birds perched on tree branches (which is exactly what you might see out the window). “If you used a solid fabric, you would feel like you’d hit a wall,” she says, noting that the simply dressed fourposter bed the client moved from her main house offers a nice counterpoint to the cacophony of patterns. “I like that the room is jazzy and that it’s both English and French,” says the owner. “I don’t like things to be too theme-parky.” Vandamm was confident that the patterned carpet and reading chair upholstered in another bird fabric from Sanderson would harmonize in a way that feels calming, not chaotic. “When I work, it’s a layering of patterns and textures, and I look at them all together until I find the ones that can play together and shake hands,” she says. “I wanted you to be able to pull the curtains closed and feel really cozy,” she adds, noting that the windows were slightly crooked so “it was quite a balancing act to hang the
“I like that the room is jazzy, and both English and French. I don’t like things to be too theme-parky.” shades and curtains to get a sense that everything was straight, because, in fact, nothing lines up perfectly. But that’s the wonderful feel of an old house.” The client says she’s overjoyed that the guest cottage is now as romantic on the inside as it is on the outside. “We think of it as a place for couples to stay without their kids,” she says. “Now, we call it the ‘honeymoon cottage.’ ” • Resources For more information about this home, see page 134. Spring 2012 New England Home’s Connecticut 101
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104 New England Homeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Connecticut Spring 2012
The Elizabethan-style home drew the owners with both its charm and its solid construction. Left, top to bottom: Many details, including the front door, are original to the house. An antique umbrella stand holds old canes designer George Snead found in a Paris shop. The oak woodwork of the graceful staircase was restored to its original luster.
Chance of aLifetime
Serendipity led a couple to their new house, but the Elizabethan-style beauty’s new role as the perfect family home is the result of the design team’s respectful, sensitive remodeling. TEXT BY PAULA M. BODAH • INTERIOR PHOTOGRAPHY
BY TRIA GIOVAN • EXTERIOR PHOTOGRAPHY BY JONATHAN WALLEN • INTERIOR DESIGN: GEORGE SNEAD • ARCHITECTURE: DINYAR WADIA AND ROB LOMINSKI, WADIA ASSOCIATES • LANDSCAPE DESIGN: DOYLE HERMAN DESIGN ASSOCIATES • PRODUCED BY KARIN LIDBECK BRENT
Spring 2012 New England Home’s Connecticut 105
A new diamond-pattern rug from Nepal in the living room forms a transitional backdrop for the homeowners’ favorite, more traditional, furniture from previous houses. Right, clockwise from top: Snead custom-blended the soft mushroom wall color. Blue accents enliven the neutral palette. The gilt on a hand-carved Italian sconce gleams against the restored woodwork.
E
veryone knows about the benefits of exercise. But who’d have thought a husband’s passion for weekend bicycle rides would yield the lifelong payback of the perfect home for him and his young family? “We’d been in New Canaan for a couple of years, but we knew our house wasn’t our forever house,” his wife says. “My husband loves to bike, and he rode every street in town. One day he came home and said, ‘I found our house.’ We went back to look at it that afternoon. We got halfway up the driveway and said, ‘This is it.’ It was destiny.” From the outside, the 1910 Elizabethan-style house had everything the couple wanted. Its four acres included big swathes of lawn in front and back—perfect for the pair’s energetic ten-year-old twins. The landscaping was pretty,
106 New England Home’s Connecticut Spring 2012
if a bit overgrown, and included many ornamental trees and bushes. And the house itself was as solidly built as it was enchanting. “It’s built like a fortress, with concrete and steel construction,” says the homeowner. Inside, some decorative updating was in order. “There was white shag wall-to-wall carpeting on every inch of the floors, even the bathrooms,” the wife says. “And the beautiful old woodwork had been pickled a tannish-green color.” Beyond the cosmetic renewal, the couple knew some architectural change would be necessary. The old kitchen with its butler’s pantry and the floor plan of separate, somewhat formal rooms didn’t quite meet a modern family’s needs. “It was a true old-style house,” the homeowner says. “We wanted to keep the history and the architecture, but make
it a house for the way people live today.” Before going ahead with the purchase, the couple asked New Canaan–based architect Dinyar Wadia whether the changes they imagined were possible. “Mr. Wadia was very excited,” the homeowner says. “He could envision the house, keeping it the way it should be, historically, but working with us to make it work for our living style. It was a good match from the beginning.” Wadia and project architect Rob Lominski forged a new design based on respect for the original architecture. “The key,” says Wadia, “is integrating the changes with the existSpring 2012 New England Home’s Connecticut 107
ing design. It has its roots in history. You don’t want to put your own imprint on it; it just wouldn’t be right.” The architects bumped out the back of the house to add a family room and a porch and to enlarge the kitchen. “As in most houses today, there’s a connection between the kitchen, breakfast room and family room,” Wadia explains.
“We wanted to keep the history but make it a house for the way people live today.” “It’s a nice, pleasant place to begin and end your day.” A new master bedroom was added above the family room, and on the first floor, a small addition next to the 108 New England Home’s Connecticut Spring 2012
New transitional dining chairs from Hickory Chair surround the homeowners’ traditional double-pedestal dining table. Left top: Richer tones and an eclectic furniture selection give the new family room a more contemporary touch. Left bottom: The small kitchen was gutted and enlarged.
living room holds a new study. Existing parts of the house were returned to a more era-appropriate look: walls were re-plastered, the old oak woodwork was stripped and restored to its former beauty, and the steel window casings were removed, cleaned and put back in place. “We used as many of the existing doors and windows as possible,” Wadia says. It’s impossible to distinguish the old parts of the house from the new. Outside, the addition follows the original rooflines of the house. Inside, tray ceilings, half columns and other architectural elements bring old and new together seamlessly.
Interior designer George Snead, who had worked with the couple on their previous house, joined the process early on. When his client called, Snead says, “She said it’s never too early for the designer. She wanted help with stain colors and paint and slate for the roof and a lot of those details. We probably spent two weeks driving all over Fairfield County looking at slate roofs!” Snead custom-blended interior paint colors in an array of browns—from mushroom to caramel to taupe—to suit the homeowner’s longstanding penchant for earthy neutrals. The palette is similar to that of her previous house, Snead notes. “Back when she chose this palette people Spring 2012 New England Home’s Connecticut 109
Architects Dinyar Wadia and Rob Lominski added a pleasing curve to the ceiling in the master bedroom. Facing page clockwise from top: The four-poster bed is from Leonards. An overscale chandelier brings an arts-and-crafts touch to the breakfast room. The addition on the back follows the rooflines of the original part of the house.
were more into jewel tones. It served her well because it’s still very current.” The similar palette also meant pieces from the old house could make themselves right at home in their new environment. “We used almost everything from the old house,” Snead says. Among the notable exceptions, Snead persuaded his client to buy new dining chairs to go with her double-pedestal table. Now the traditional table is surrounded by a collection of more transitional pieces from Hickory Chair. “It’s just a cleaner, slightly edgier look,” Snead says. The seats are upholstered in a khakiand-taupe mini-geometric fabric that’s just a shade darker than the tone-on-tone Tibetan rug that made the move from the living room of the previous house. Wanting to 110 New England Home’s Connecticut Spring 2012
highlight and soften the large windows without obscuring them or the view, Snead devised narrow panels of cut raised velvet on wool that hang to either side. For the living room, Snead set his clients’ well-loved furniture against mushroom-colored walls and atop a new diamond-pattern rug of wool and silk from Nepal. Shades of blue in the velvet sofa, toss pillows and a pair of Louis XVI–style chairs add a soft punch of color. Snead took the new family room in a slightly more transitional direction, matching a spindle-legged coffee table brought from the old house with clean-lined sofas and chairs. Walls painted a warm caramel color and then given a frottage treatment with a darker tobacco hue bring texture to the space, and accents of brick red add warmth.
The same mix of warmth and elegance continues in the breakfast room, with its arts-and-crafts–style rug (a rectangle Snead had cut into an octagon to better fit the shape of the room and the natural traffic pattern), simple table and chairs and a slightly overscale reproduction chandelier that looks like antique hand-forged metal. The remodeling, a two-year-long task, was daunting, but well worth it. “It was the project of a lifetime,” the wife says. “People ask when I’m going to do the next one and I say never. This is our forever home.” • Resources For more information about this home, see page 134. Spring 2012 New England Home’s Connecticut 111
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
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Design Life Out and about in celebration of design and architecture in Connecticut
THERE’S NO RESTING ON LAURELS AFTER FIFTEEN SUCCESS-
ful years for RMS COMPANIES. The Stamford-based developer recently did a bit of remodeling of its own firm, changing its name from RMS Construction and broadening its business strategy by creating separate divisions for its high-end residential building, commercial building and real estate development. Along with the name change came a logo and website redesign, Should new plans for engaging in a variety of your party be here? Send photographs online social media and, to kick it all or high-resolution images, off, a party at Stamford’s Hotel Zero, with information about the one of the many properties RMS event and the people in the photos, to New England Home, has developed. 530 Harrison Ave., Suite 302, It was all there in black and white Boston, MA 02118, or e-mail at THE SAMUEL OWEN GALLERY’s images and information to pbodah@nehome opening party for its exhibit Black and mag.com. White Carpet. The show featured photographs by Stéphane Kossmann, who has been taking photos of movie stars for two decades. The photographs in this exhibit were taken at the Cannes Film Festival and included images of such celebrities as Leonardo di Caprio, George Clooney, Madonna and Sean Penn. No standard redcarpet photos these; the black-and-white shots aim (successfully) to capture the humanity of their subjects. The exhibit and the opening gala at the Greenwich gallery made for a fun way to get into the mood for the annual Academy Awards.
RMS COMPANIES Clockwise from top to bottom: Catherine Cleare, Thomas Vozzella, Steve Folb and Debbie Brennan • Michael Cacace, Randy Salvatore and Sandy Goldstein • Steve Grasso, Timothy Gooding, Fernando Lopez and Vivie Lee • Tom O’Leary, Jonathan Moffly and Kate Schwartz
NEIL LANDINO JR.
From left to right: Cindy Rinfret, Stéphane Kossmann and Jennifer Sommer • Diane Brown, Kevin Dailey, Victoria Vandamm and Nancy Meckel • Florence Billotte Dercourt and Julien Crebassa • Olga Adler, New England Home’s Roberta Mancuso and Claire Maestroni
BOB CAPAZZO
SAMUEL OWEN GALLERY
116 New England Home’s Connecticut Spring 2012
PHOTOS BY ROBYN IVY
Your Rhode Island resource for vacation home design and renovation oversight. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We contacted Patti when we purchased our Newport home. She and her team brought the design talent, local resources and professional supervision we needed to create our getaway. Arriving in Newport every weekend is a stress-free pleasure, thanks to taste.â&#x20AC;? R.& K. Calo
renovation planning interior design decoration Patti Watson 401 . 423 . 3639 tastedesigninc.com
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Trade Notes New and noteworthy happenings in the Connecticut design business This pretty red barn only looks old. Actually it’s
Earthscapes Landscape Management & Development’s brand-new studio and office
building in Wilton. The eighteen-year-old company was careful to respect the aesthetics of the town, borrowing architectural clues from the area’s antique barns and the historic Cannondale train station. Despite its old countrybarn aesthetic, the new building incorporates all the most modern, state-of-art efficiencies. New Canaan and Wilton, (203) 544-7500, www.escapesinc.com
You’ve heard of man caves, but Karp Associates has won a 2011 HOBI Award for an “adult cave.” The New Canaan construction company earned Best Special Purpose Room accolades for transforming a couple’s dark basement into a hightech home theater and state-of-the-art wine cellar that both husband and wife love. Karp also took home an award for Best New Commercial Space (for Space NK Apothecary in New Canaan) and the Community Service Award for its renovations to the local YMCA. New Canaan, (203) 972-3366, www.karpassoc.com In the corporate equivalent of the saying “two heads are better than one,” Greenwich Contemporary Lighting and NuKitchens have formed a partnership that can only make the kitchen remodeling process easier than ever. The partnership offers expanded design resources and greater showroom space, including complete kitchen vignette lighting displays. Look for high-quality fixtures from Artemide, Foscarini, Bruck, Task Lighting, Fontana Arte, Tech Lighting, Willamette Lighting and the Modern Fan Company as well as extensive range of options including low voltage and LED lighting.
Back in 1944, Winston Flowers began as a pushcart on Boston’s Newbury Street. Today, the third generation of Winstons, brothers David and Ted, runs seven locations, including a brand-new one in the heart of Greenwich’s vibrant shopping district—the company’s first outside the Boston area. The 3,500-square-foot store offers the freshest flowers, of course, as well as custom floral design for the home and for weddings and other special events, signature gift baskets and garden design and installation. Greenwich, (203) 622-4222, www.winstonflowers.com
Norwalk, (203) 831-9000, www.nukitchens.com
How best to celebrate a fortieth anniversary? For Thos. Moser, moving into a fifth decade means building more opportunity for people to get their hands on the company’s beautiful hand-crafted furniture. This spring, the company opens its sixth and seventh new showrooms, in Philadelphia and a 2,150square-foot one in Greenwich, to showcase its work, including Ellipse Living and Vintage, its two newest lines of furniture.
While you’re waiting for your gardens to reach their full spring glory, take a walk through the 224 pages of gorgeous Connecticut gardens in In The Garden, a new book featuring the photography of Stacy Bass. Each of the eighteen chapters tells the story in words and pictures of a how an individual curator brought his or her vision of beauty to life, inspired by the lay of the land, a single blossom or a garden once glimpsed in a faraway place. The book, due out in May, will be available in area bookstores.
Greenwich, www.thosmoser.com
www.stacybassphotography.com
118 New England Home’s Connecticut Spring 2012
We Create Homes.
Visit us at the Lillian August Builder/Architect Showcase April 27-29
&
Gardiner Larson HOMES
Residential Design & Build
203.972.1409 www.GardinerL a r s o n . c o m
DesignSourceCTLLC
Connecticut’s premiere to-the-trade interior design showroom, Presents
From Show House to Your House…Trade Secrets! Visit the Junior League Show House www.jlhartford.org then visit our house, DesignSourceCT LLC Join us Thursdays at 2:00 pm, May 10th, 17th and 24th for additional design inspiration! Bring your Show House ticket to be eligible for our door prize drawings. May 10th-Artist Heidi Holzer Presents: Decorative Painting Techniques www.HeidiHolzer.com May 17th- Cynthia Dodd, Creator of Glorious Gardens & Perry Solomon of Pavilion Furniture Present: Designing a Pleasing Patio www.cynthiadodd.com www.pavilion-furniture.com May 24th- Lisa Curran Presents: Sophisticated & Chic Kitchen & Bath Resources from Waterworks www.waterworks.com
RSVP to attend: 860.951.3145 or RuthL@DesignSourceCT.com
DesignSourceCTLLC 25,000 square feet showcasing custom decorative resources: fabric, furniture, floor-covering, lighting, wall-covering, art, accessories & more. Ask about our Designer-on-Call Program.
1429 Park Street, Suite 100, Hartford, CT 06106, 860.951.3145.
www.DesignSourceCT.com
FABRIC BY SUZANNE KASLER FOR KRAVET
Light Refreshments will be served.
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Perspectives Fresh outlooks on design and resources
The Front Porch: Seating
• Three designers imagine an inviting front porch
ALICIA ORRICK
Richard Frinier Barcelona Two-Seater “This settee is a beautiful update of ubiquitous white wicker. It’s made of recyclable fiber, is sustainably produced and can be left outside year-round.” DEDON, NEW YORK CITY, (212) 334-3345, WWW.DEDON.DE
LAURIE DRAGUNOFF MELISSA MAKRIS
Thonet Bentwood and Cane Rocking Chair “I love this truly one-of-akind classic. Its graceful bentwood design originates from the late 1800s. The sculptural essence is light, airy and, quite simply, an ergonomic delight!” BRIGGS HOUSE ANTIQUES, MAMARONECK, N.Y., (914) 381-0650, WWW.BRIGGSHOUSE.COM
122 New England Home’s Connecticut Spring 2012
Al Fresco Hampton Chair by Palecek “Constructed of all-weather synthetic rattan, a pair of these Palecek chairs would be perfect on the front porch. They’re well made, beautiful and, best of all, durable.” DECORATIVE INTERIORS, GALLERIA DESIGN CENTER, MIDDLETOWN, (860) 638-3818, WWW.GREATSTYLENOW.COM
Specializing in Additions, Kitchens, Bathrooms and Historic Renovations throughout Fairfield County and Connecticut
Heidi Holzer
design and decorative work
FAUX TRAVERTINE PLASTER BLOCKS
REDDING. CT
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We create uniquely personalized and beautiful living spaces by providing our clients the finest decorative artistry finishes for walls, ceilings, floors, cabinetry and furniture.
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Perspectives
Side Tables
ALICIA ORRICK
Bronze Side Table “The organic, sculptural shape of this piece reminds me of waves. It doubles as a side table or extra seating.” MECOX
JULIE SAILLANT
GARDENS, SOUTHAMPTON, N.Y., (631) 287-5015, WWW.MECOXGARDENS.COM
MELISSA MAKRIS
W-A-V-E Table by Melissa Makris “Inspired by the world’s great oceans, this spinning table becomes kinetic sculpture as the silky-smooth waves roll around its stationary core. Bringing together people, art and style, the W-A-V-E table is an extraordinary interactive experience.” MELISSA MAKRIS DESIGN FOR LIVING, WESTPORT, (203) 226-4159, WWW.MELISSAMAKRIS.COM
Tin Patchwork Table “I love the distressed look of this unique side table. The tin top resembles remnants of old ceiling tiles hammered and pinned into a patchwork pattern.” DECORATIVE INTERIORS
124 New England Home’s Connecticut Spring 2012
JULIE SAILLANT
LAURIE DRAGUNOFF
For Laurie Dragunoff, “Decorating a porch is all about balancing comfort and durability with style.” At her 3,000-square-foot showroom, she offers furniture, lighting, window treatments and a vast library of fabrics and wallpapers. DECORATIVE INTERIORS, GALLERIA DESIGN CENTER, MIDDLETOWN, (860) 638-3818, WWW.GREATSTYLENOW.COM
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
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Perspectives
Pillows and Pillow Fabrics
LAURIE DRAGUNOFF
JULIE SAILLANT
Nature-Themed Cushions “Inspired by vintage French botanical prints, these appliquéd pillows would look charming on the front porch this spring. Both are handmade in America by skilled artisans.” DECORATIVE INTERIORS
ALICIA ORRICK
MELISSA MAKRIS
Flourish Scroll Fabric from Old World Weavers “In fresh, citrusy green, this fabric is sophisticated, classic and whimsical at the same time. It reminds me of an endless spring vine.” STARK CARPET, NORWALK,
DeLany & Long’s Sea Urchin Fabric “Although this new fabric from DeLany & Long is water-, mildew- and stain-resistant, it has the feel of luxurious chenille.” GREENWICH, (203) 532-0010, WWW.DELANYANDLONG.COM
(203) 899-1771, WWW.STARKCARPET.COM
“I focus on the art of living well and am on a constant quest for joie de vivre!” says designer and fine art photographer Melissa Makris. Inspired by history and the natural world, she specializes in integrating vintage pieces with classic modern style. MELISSA MAKRIS DESIGN FOR LIVING, WESTPORT, (203) 226-4159, WWW.MELISSAMAKRIS.COM
126 New England Home’s Connecticut Spring 2012
%&4*(/ '03 5)& 8": :06 -*7& 803, 8&451035 t .*-'03%
203.301.4886 VISIT US NOW AT www.shelterinteriorsllc.com
Interior Design Studio Professional Residential and Commercial Interior Design Services Remodeling • Decorating • Custom Window Treatments
Roger Bartels, AIA • Christopher Pagliaro, AIA • Nicholas Sajda, AIA 27 Elizabeth Street, South Norwalk, CT (203) 838-5517 www.bartels-pagliaro.com
Visit us at the Lillian August Builder/Architect Showcase, April 27-29
Perspectives
Decorative Accessories
ALICIA ORRICK
Aubergine Oil Jar by Elegant Earth “Unlike the costly and hard-to-find original antiques, these jars are economical and cast in a frost-proof concrete.”
JULIE SAILLANT
PICKETS, FAIRFIELD, (203) 254-0012, WWW.PICKETSFAIRFIELD.COM
LAURIE DRAGUNOFF
Hydrangea Wall Hanging “As in the rest of the home, accessories are key to demonstrating your personal style on the front porch. This floral print is handembellished and finished with a clear varnish to give it a more personal touch and original feel.” DECORATIVE INTERIORS
MELISSA MAKRIS
Vintage French Clock “This fabulous vintage train station clock face from France conveys the warmth of history and evokes travel stories abroad. It also makes us pause to contemplate the ways we choose to spend our time—and what better place for that than the front porch?” BUNGALOW, WESTPORT, (203) 227-4406
“The front porch is so evocative of lazy afternoons, cold iced tea and being lost in a book,” says Alicia Orrick. “Keep it comfortable and restful to the eye, letting sensuous textures and lines take the place of strong patterns. If it’s done right, who’d ever want to go back inside?” ORRICK & COMPANY, GREENWICH, (203) 532-1188, WWW.ORRICKANDCOMPANY.COM
128 New England Home’s Connecticut Spring 2012
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Building or renovating your home? Don’t miss this three-day educational event...
A MASTERFUL PLAN Presented by
Lillian August + New England Home’s Connecticut Friday, April 27 • Saturday, April 28 • Sunday, April 29 Lillian August Design Center @ 32 Knight Street, Norwalk Have all your home design questions answered during 3 days of seminars focused on the latest in residential design and technology solutions
Schedule of Presentations Friday 11am-4pm SUSTAINABLE LIVING: AUSTIN PATTERSON DISSTON SMART HOME TECHNOLOGY: INNERSPACE ELECTRONICS LATEST IN KITCHEN DESIGN TRENDS: DEANE INC.
Saturday 11am-4pm PAINT COLOR TRENDS: BENJAMIN MOORE INTERIOR FINISHING SOLUTIONS: WAINSCOT SOLUTIONS WHAT TO THINK ABOUT WHEN STARTING A HOME RENOVATION: KARP ASSOCIATES
Sunday 11am-4pm TILE & FIXTURES: WATERWORKS LATEST IN ARCHITECTURAL HARDWARE: RING’S END
Additional seminars being added, for latest schedule visit lillianaugust.com In addition to the on-going home design sessions, you’ll also get to meet some of the leading architects and builders in Fairfield County including:
BARTELS-PAGLIARO, JMKA, AUSTIN PATTERSON DISSTON SHOPE RENO WHARTON, ROBERT DEAN ARCHITECTS GARDINER LARSON HOMES, RMS COMPANIES
FOR MORE INFO OR DETAILS VISIT LILLIANAUGUST.COM
Private Retreats - Public Statements
203. 438.4743 W W W .O L G A A D L E R I N T E R I O R S .C O M GREENWICH
RIDGEFIELD
by appointment only
WESTPORT
New in the Showrooms Unique, beautiful and now appearing in Connecticut shops and showrooms BY KARA LASHLEY
1 French Connection The oh-so-elegant Crevecoeur chandelier is lighting up Parc Monceau. Stop by to bask in its luxurious glow and peruse other refined fixtures from Niermann Weeks. WESTPORT, (203) 3190001, WWW.PARC MONCEAU
1
2
WESTPORT.COM
2 Dash of Flash We’ve taken a shine to the Augustine Pearl side table by Interlude Home, one of many sophisticated new pieces at Wakefield Design Center. Its mother-of-pearl finish makes a glam statement for spring. STAMFORD, (203) 358-0818
3 Chic Storage Handcrafted of gray cerused oak with six handy drawers, the Fairfax cabinet by Bungalow 5— a new addition at Shelter Interiors—is just as practical as it is pretty. MILFORD, (203) 301-4886, WWW.SHELTERINTERIORSLLC.COM
4 Puttin’ on the Glitz 3
4
All the rage at Olley Court, the Bling pillow from Lance Wovens shines in soft Italian leather. The store stocks the cushions in a range of fashion-forward colors and designs. RIDGEFIELD, (203) 438-1270, WWW.OLLEYCOURT.COM
5 Spring Seating Pay a visit to Pergola for a peek at the Salt chair. Its lightweight powder-coated aluminum frame and resin slats promise stylish outdoor relaxation for many seasons to come. NEW PRESTON, (860) 8684769, WWW.PERGOLAHOME.COM
6 Blast from the Past Admire this giraffe-print bowl and other ceramic wares from Waylande Gregory Studios at The Summer House. Handmade in Peru, the pieces are based on designs from the 1930s and ’40s. NEW CANAAN,
5
6
(203) 594-9550, WWW.THE SUMMER HOUSE ONLINE.COM
132 New England Home’s Connecticut Spring 2012
Celebrating 70 years of furniture design and manufacturing.
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Resources A guide to the products and professionals in this issue’s featured homes
paintings by Kerri Rosenthal; gray throw from Fig Linens, www.figlinens.com; chandelier by Schonbek from Klaff’s Home Design Store, www.klaffs.com; master bath wall color from California Paints; painting by Kerri Rosenthal; great-grandmother’s chair recovered in fabric
BRIGHT AND BREEZY
from S. Harris in Aqua Trellis, www.sharris.com;
PAGES 84–91
vases on vanity from Lillian August.
PICTURE PERFECT
Interior designer: Jan Hiltz, Jan Hiltz Interiors,
PAGES 74–81
Westport, (203) 331-5578, www.janhiltzinteriors
Interior designer: Lauren Della Monica,
llc.com
LPDM Fine Art, New York City, (917) 697-0591,
Architect: Robert Storm, Westport, (203) 222-
www.lpdmfineart.com Builder: John Cappello and Sons, Litchfield, (860) 567-5515 Landscape design and plantings: Kent Greenhouse and Gardens, Kent, (860) 927-4436,
9055, www.architectstorm.com Pages 84–85: Ceiling grasscloth from York Wallcoverings, www.yorkwall.com; Ice Gray wall color by California Paints, www.californiapaints .com; Holland Sheer curtain fabric by Victoria Hagan, www.victoriahaganhome.com; coffee
www.kentgreenhouseandgardens.com Interior plants and flower arrangements: Sarah Worden Natural Design, (860) 361-9435, www.sarahwordennaturaldesign.com Page 75: Watercolors by Vico Fabbris through
table from Oly, www.olystudio.com; gold vases from Arteriors, www.arteriorshome.com; cocktail table next to arm chair from Worlds Away, www.worlds-away.com; lamps from Bungalow 5, www.bungalow5.com; rug from Design Mate-
BE MY GUEST PAGES 94–101: Interior designer: Victoria Vandamm, Vandamm Interiors, Stamford, (203) 622-9070, www .vandamminteriors.net Architect: Michiel A. Boender, Edgewater Group Architects, Greenwich, (203) 531-6870, www.edgewaterarchitects.com Builder: Andy Moore, RAM Construction,
LPDM Fine Art, www.lpdmfineart.com
rials, www.designmaterials.com; painting above
Stamford, (203) 325-0503, www.ram
Pages 76–77: Lithograph over bar by Charles
mantel by Janet Slom, through Westport Art
constructionllc.com
Burchfield and painting over mantel by
Center, www.westportartscenter.org; sofa table
Decorative painter: Suzanne Bellehumeur, Mural
Katherine Ann Hartley, both through LPDM
from Currey & Co., www.curreyco.com; chair
Interiors, Stamford, (203) 219-8988, www.mural
Fine Art; sofa upholstery and drapery fabrica-
with nailhead trim from Oly.
interiors.com
tion by Fabric Studio, Litchfield, (860) 567-
Pages 86–87: Family room drapery fabric from
Pages 96–97: Club chairs from Lee Industries,
7736.
China Seas, www.quadrillefabrics.com; custom
www.leeindustries.com; linen chairs from Parc
Pages 78–79: Oil painting by Sarah Hinckley
ottoman by Jan Hiltz; sofa from Patagonia
Monceau, www.parcmonceauwestport.com;
through LPDM Fine Art; Madeline Weinrib rug
Trading Company, www.patagoniatrading
tufted leather bench from Hallman Furniture,
from ABC Carpet and Home, www.abchome
co.com; floor lamps from Currey & Co.; white
www.hallmanfurniture.com; sofa from TCS De-
.com; custom Schumacher silk drapes by Zim-
tray and vase with branches from Lillian Au-
signs, www.tcsdesignsfurniture.com, with Car-
gust, www.lillianaugust.com; niche grasscloth
pet Bag fabric from Lee Jofa, www.leejofa.com;
from Phillip Jeffries. www.phillipjeffries.com;
toss pillows from Lillian August, www.lillian
painting by Kerri Rosenthal, www.kerrirosenthal
august.com; curtain fabric from Jim Thompson
art.com; navy lamps from Bungalow 5; grass-
Fabrics, www.jimthompsonfabrics.com; curtain
cloth painted table from Bungalow 5; gold tray
rods and rings from Brimar, www.brimarinc
from Lillian August.
.com; shades from Hartmann & Forbes, www
Page 88: Branchelier above breakfast table
.hfshades.com.
from Wishlist, www.shopwishlist.com; table from
Pages 98–99: Barstools by Bausman & Com-
Bungalow 5; chair back fabric from Osborne &
pany, www.bausmanandcompany.com, with
Little, www.osborneandlittle.com; custom bench
embossed leather seats from Edelman Leather,
by Jan Hiltz covered in indoor-outdoor fabric
www.edelmanleather.com.
from Pindler & Pindler, www.pindler.com.
Pages 100–101: Scroll bedroom wallpaper from
.woodymosch.com; custom pendant lights
Page 89: Kitchen island lights from Regina An-
Osborne & Little, www.osborneandlittle.com;
from The Urban Electric Company, www
drew, www.reginaandrew.com; boy’s bedroom
Lambourne Sage curtain fabric from Lee Jofa;
.urbanelectricco.com; custom valances by
wallpaper from Osborne & Little.
curtain rods and rings from B. Berger, www
Fabric Studio; vintage owl prints in guest
Pages 90–91: Lamps in master bedroom from
.bberger.com; shades from Carol’s Roman
room from Vintage Print Gallery, www.vintage
Festoni, www.festoni.com; nightstands from
Shades, www.carolsromanshades.com; antique
printgallery.com.
Worlds Away; custom headboard by Jan Hiltz;
stool covered in Pearl fabric from Lee Jofa with
man’s, www.zimmans.com; custom chandelier by Canopy Designs, www.canopydesigns.com; reproduction Swedish side table from Van Der Wolks Interiors, Osterville, Mass., (508) 4201175; lamb’s ear centerpiece crafted by Ray Baker, through LPDM Fine Art; chair upholstery by Fabric Studio; study sofa upholstered by Fabric Studio; portrait of George by Susan Randall through LPDM Fine Art. Pages 80–81: Hand-crafted kitchen island top by Woody Mosch Cabinetmaker, www
134 New England Home’s Connecticut Spring 2012
Shell Decor
LIVING WELL WITH ST YLE
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!
blog.nehomemag.com
WWW.SHELL-DECOR .COM Greenwich, CT 203-422-2034
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It’s not as easy as it looks on TV.
Great interior design takes hard work – and the skills of a qualified designer. Let us help you find someone with the education, experience and commitment to get it done right.
View portfolios for professional interior designers in your area at:
www.asidct.org AMERICAN SOCIETY OF INTERIOR DESIGNERS
Resources Annecy trim from Samuel & Sons, www.samuel andsons.com; Bittersweet Moss carpet from Silver Creek, www.bloomsburgcarpet.com; Chateau chandelier from Canopy Designs, www.canopydesigns.com; Mirabell wallpaper in bathroom by Romo, www.romo.com.
CHANCE OF A LIFETIME PAGES 104–111 Interior designer: George Snead, George Snead Interiors, Stamford, (203) 912-2004, george.snead@hotmail.com Architects: Dinyar Wadia and Rob Lominski, Wadia Associates, New Canaan, (203) 9660048, www.wadiaassociates.com Landscape design: Doyle Herman Design Associates, Greenwich, (203) 869-2900, www.dhda.com Pages 106–107: Rug from Palace Oriental Rug of Wilton, Wilton, (203) 762-7060; painting over fireplace by Stephano from Wakefield Design Center, Stamford, (203) 912-9735. Page 108: Chandelier from Niermann Weeks, www.niermannweeks.com; dining chairs from Hickory Chair Furniture, www.hickorychair.com; curtain fabric from Robert Allen | Beacon Hill, www.beaconhilldesign.com. Page 109: Sofas from Patagonia Trading Company, www.patagoniatradingco.com; chairs and ottoman from Wesley Hall, www.wesleyhall .com; coffee table from Milling Road by Baker, www.kohlerinteriors.com; rug from Turabian and Sariyan, turabianandsariyan.com; curtain fabrics from Duralee Fabrics, www.duralee.com. Pages 110–111: Master bed from Leonards, www.leonardsdirect.com; chairs and bench at foot of bed from Hickory Chair Furniture; dresser from Scott Thomas Furniture, www.scottthomasfurniture.com; botanical prints from Trowbridge Gallery, www .trowbridgegallery.com; chandelier from Currey
DANIEL CONLON
ARCHITECTS
& Co., www.curreyco.com; rug from Turabian and Sariyan; custom bedding from Wakefield Design Center; breakfast room chandelier from Currey & Co.; rug from Palace Oriental Rug of Wilton; table and chairs from Woodland Furniture, www.woodlandfurniture.com.
Daniel Conlon, AIA | LEED AP 4 Old Mill Road | P.O. Box 418 Georgetown, CT 06829 (203) 544-7988 | www.dconlonarchitects.com
• Spring 2012 New England Home’s Connecticut 137
THE EVOLUTION OF THE CUSTOM HOME A Day of Tours and Seminars at the Beautiful Smith Meadows Estate in New Canaan, Connecticut to benefit
Wednesday, May 16, 2012 Thinking about building or renovating? Sign up for this must-attend event to discover the latest possibilities in home design and technology. Tour this stunning estate, learn directly from industry experts about the most important things to consider when building or renovating a home, and support a worthwhile cause.
Experts on the following topics will demystify, clarify and inspire you to be in the know when embarking on your next home design project: Smart Home Technology Geothermal, HVAC, Solar Energy Home Appliances Kitchen and Bath Design Trends Benefits of Low and No-VOC Paint Finishes Decorative Painting Techniques Outdoor Living Solutions
Landscape Design The Latest Trends in Countertop and Tile What’s New in Home Insulation Green Energy Solutions LED Lighting Options Designing Comfortable Living Spaces and Much More
Join your hosts, Country Club Homes, Michael Smith Architects, and Total Care on Wednesday, May 16th. Sessions and tours are at 10 A.M., 12 P.M., 2 P.M. and 4 P.M. Refreshments will be served. Along with
Tickets are $45 each or two for $75 and must be purchased in advance. Space is limited.
For more information or to purchase tickets contact: info@countryclubhomesinc.com or call 203-762-0550 All ticket proceeds from this event will benefit the Fairfield County Community Foundation
Announcing the 2012 Continuing Education Series for Design Professionals presented by NuKitchens and New England Home Connecticut Save these dates and join us at the NuKitchens state of the art showroom for a series of educational sessions, networking and a chance to see firsthand, the latest products available in custom kitchen design. All sessions are 4 pm to 6 pm and refreshments will be served.
For more information contact Karin at 203 831-9000
Coming this spring: May 2, 2012 Recycled Glass Surfaces: From Curbside to Countertop This one hour long course is designed to teach individuals about the process of turning recycled glass into beautiful, sustainable and environmentally friendly countertops. It is also designed to educate those about the importance of using green materials and becoming LEED certified. June 6, 2012 LED Lighting: The Future of Illumination The industry is banking on LED lighting as the way forward, and it’s virtually the only bulb technology for the near term future. Learn how to design and implement LED lighting into your plans. And save these dates this fall for: September 12, 2012 Sustainable Kitchen Design: Materials Matter Sustainable design goes beyond beauty, durability, efficiency and budget. It is important to consider how such goals are achieved, about the effect on people and the environment. Learn about “cabinetry with a conscience”...that cares about air quality, resource management, environmental stewardship and community relations. Develop techniques and choose materials to help diminish a design’s impact on the world around us. November 7, 2012 Universal Design Born out of efforts to improve access for people with disabilities, Universal Design incorporates concepts that improve function and access for every household member and guest with regard for varying age, size and abilities.
Advertiser Index A helpful resource for finding the advertisers featured in this issue
Amy Aidinis Hirsch 4–5 The Antique and Artisan Center 20 Aqua Pool & Patio, Inc. 52–53
Spring
REDECORATING
Shutters. 2. Open Them.
1. Buy
ASID CT 136 Austin Ganim Landscape Design, LLC 54–55 Austin Patterson Disston 143 Back Bay Shutter Co., Inc. 140 Bartels-Pagliaro 127 Bartlett Arboretum & Gardens 142 Benjamin Moore 73 Breakwater Renovation & Design LLC 123 Brooks and Falotico Associates, Inc. 27 Casatelli Marble and Tile Imports 112 Cerrito Furniture 133 Clarke Distributors 18 Coldwell Banker Previews International 93 Colony Rug Company 30 Connecticut Stone 19, 56–57 Construction Management Group 129 Cottage and Bungalow 117 Country Club Homes 39, 138 Daniel Conlon Architects 137 DEANE–Rooms Everlasting Inside back cover Design Source CT 35, 120 Doyle Herman Design Associates 102 The Drawing Room 2–3 Dujardin Design Associates, Inc. 129
BACK BAY S HUTTER C O. I NC . totally passionate about shutters® (and shades too!)
Earthscapes, Inc. 58–59 Erskine Middeleer Associates 60–61 Finished in Fabric LLC 115 Fordham Marble 133
78i.22i.0i00 www.backbayshutter.com Geographically flexible.
Front Row Kitchens 115
The Granite Group 92
Like us on Facebook!
Gardiner & Larson Homes 119
Gregory Lombardi Design 25 Heidi Holzer 123 Hilton-VanderHorn Architects 17 Hollingsworth Design 43 Homefront Farmers 62–63 iH Design Studio 10–11 InnerSpace Electronics 125 J. Namnoun Oriental Rug Gallery Inside front cover JMac Interiors 141 JMKA Architects 32 Karp Associates 9, 73 Katherine Cowdin 21
140 New England Home’s Connecticut Spring 2012
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
Designer Showcase & Garden Tour June 2012 â&#x20AC;&#x153;Garden Rooms by Designâ&#x20AC;? . Designer Showcase Hours daily through June 15th
Garden Rooms by Design is a unique showcase of garden-themed rooms created to enhance the original homestead of Dr. Francis A. Bartlett, circa 1913, set on the idyllic 91-acre grounds of the Bartlett Arboretum & Gardens, a 501(c)(3) organization. Join us for our Spring Garden Tour featuring Two days only.
Thank you to our media sponsor
Sunday, June 10th, 12 p.m. - 4 p.m. Monday, June 11th, 10 a.m. - 4 p.m.
151 Brookdale Road, Stamford $5 t
www.bartlettarboretum.org
Advertiser Index Klaff ’s Back cover The LaurelRock Company 64–65 Lillian August 47, 130 Linda Ruderman Interiors 28 The Linen Shop 112 Longwood Events 38, 114 Mar Silver Design 23 Marianne Donahue Interiors 83 Marvin Gardens 66–67 Michael Smith Architects 49 Mitchell Gold+Bob Williams 15 Nina Cuccio Peck Architecture and Interiors 22 NuKitchens 37, 139 Olga Adler Interiors 131 Orrick & Company 119 Paramount Stone 68–69 Parc Monceau 103 Prutting & Company 121 RDYC Interior Design + Architectural Development 125 Rinfret Design Limited 13 Robert Cardello Architects 14 Robert Dean Architects 31 Runtal North America 41 Builder: Hobbs, Inc. Photos: Chi Chi Ubina
Samuel Owen Gallery 131 Sharon McCormick Design LLC 33 Shell Décor 135 Shelter Interiors 127 Sheridan Interiors 113 Shope Reno Wharton 1 Stage to Show 6–7 Stirling Design Associates 8 Taste Design, Inc. 117 Tiberias Construction, Inc. 24 Total Care 82 Upstate Door 139 VAS Construction 50 Victoria Lyon Interiors 102 Wainscot Solutions 48 Wakefield Design Center 44, 72–73
Visit us: Lillian August Builder/Architect Showcase, April 27-29. Stuart Disston Seminar Sustainability Meets Style, Friday, April 27, 11 a.m.
AUSTIN PATTERSON DISSTON
William Raveis Real Estate 45 Young’s Nurseries 70–71 Zerodraft Connecticut 29 ARCHITECTS
New England Home’s Connecticut, Spring 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. 2305 Newpoint Parkway, Lawrenceville, GA 30043, (770) 962-7220.
Southport, CT • (203) 255-4031 Quogue, NY • (631) 653-1481 apdarchitects.com Spring 2012 New England Home’s Connecticut 143
Sketch Pad Design ideas in the making
PLANTING DESIGN IS not just about the plant as a horticultural or ornamental object. It is also about our own
aesthetic preferences and, perhaps most important, our relationship with nature. A unified planting scheme marries indoor and outdoor environments, softens structural elements and provides texture, drama and color. The sketch above was created for a major renovation of a home, where this section of the landscape was redesigned to accommodate an existing brick fireplace. We also reconfigured and repaved the patio and added the sitting wall to help integrate the fireplace into its surroundings. The homeowners envisioned a simple, restrained planting composition— reflecting their desire to unwind at their weekend retreat. Our studio created broad, sweeping planting layers to balance the landscape against the square and rigid outdoor terrace. Together with the architect and clients, we explored a variety of alternatives inspired by New England’s shoreline vernacular. Planting scheme A envisioned using the existing wood’s edge while layering two ornamental grasses against an evergreen foil. Scheme B reinforces the foreground with a boxwood hedge set against large masses of hydrangea and Calamagrostis x acutiflora “Karl Foerster” feather reed grass. Ultimately our client chose a hybrid design, featuring hydrangea and a native wooded border. DICKSON DEMARCHE, THE LAURELROCK COMPANY, WILTON, (203) 544-0062, WWW.LAURELROCK.COM
144 New England Home’s Connecticut Spring 2012
Grand Central
l New Canaan l www.deaneinc.com Kitchens l Libraries l Baths l Media Rooms l Wardrobes Stamford
Our family proudly celebrates 50 years in the wish-fulfillment business