Lillian August Antiquaire
LOVE HOW YOU LIVE WELCOME TO LILLIAN AUGUST WHERE OUR MISSION IS SIMPLE: To provide you with the best products and the best services available in Home Furnishings today. For over 20 years we have been creating a one-stop resource with extraordinary merchandise, enduring quality, thoughtful service and value for all your home furnishings and interior design needs. We are a one-of-a-kind combination of furniture showroom, gift store, antique emporium and full-service design studio - we are passionate about what we do and the relationships that we form. We love to inspire, we love to create, we love to help. Experience Lillian August and Love How You Live.
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From the Editor
Elegance, and Something More ONLY FIVE YEARS AGO—SOMEHOW IT SEEMS LIKE MUCH
longer—New England Home was launched to celebrate the finest architecture and design in our very special region. We knew from the beginning, and have rediscovered again and again in our journeys across six states to search out the cream of the residential experience, that the true story of New England’s homes is much more than just a matter of furniture, finishes and square footage. New England as a whole is one of those places blessed with riches beyond the ordinary: terrain ranging from the rugged granite mountains of the north through quiet vales and pastureland to the sandy reaches of Cape Cod and the islands; built environments ranging from intensely cosmopolitan downtown Boston to the bucolic seclusion of a farmhouse in the Litchfield Hills; aesthetic styles ranging from a glass-and-concrete loft in Portland to the baronial splendor of a Berkshires horse farm—and none of this even mentions our unparalleled historic heritage or the thriving intellectual, cultural and business life we enjoy.
12
New England Home’s Connecticut Spring/Summer 2010
But there are still some areas that exude an additional charm of their own. Southern Connecticut is one of those happy places, as we’ve gradually discovered through dozens of scouting trips and talks with families, friends, artists, builders and the designers and architects who do the truly world-class work we are privileged to showcase. Although the media, when discussing the Gold Coast, tend to dwell on simple wealth, we know that living well in Connecticut means much more. I think it’s entirely appropriate that one of the earlier architectural treasures of Fairfield County, the so-called Putnam Cottage, wasn’t simply a house, but did a long stint as Knapp’s Tavern. I’m sure Israel Putnam, the night before his lucky escape from the British, fully enjoyed the creature comforts it afforded. Even in Colonial times home life centered around the pleasures of the hearth. Today, as kitchens have again become a focus of family life, we’re not so far away from that. Contemplating Connecticut’s lower corner always evokes for me visions of a characteristic mellowness. Soft, sunlit woods with perhaps a lively brook for contrast. Occasional glimpses of white clapboarding and fieldstone through leafy boughs. The wonderfully diverse bridges along a misty Merritt Parkway. But being who I am, the taste of a buttery French pastry munched in downtown Greenwich or a Cheval Blanc sipped on a stone patio with friends also comes powerfully to mind. We know that warmth and togetherness are two of the qualities fostered by a truly successful home, and we prize the best-designed houses for their sense of place and possibility as much as for any purely visual elegance. So welcome to the first issue of New England Home’s Connecticut! We are delighted to focus on a particularly special bit of New England and showcase the particularly rich trove of design and architecture found there. I hope you will continue the journey with us for many issues to come.
Kyle Hoepner, Editor-in-Chief khoepner@nehomemag.com
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Featured Homes
SPRING/SUMMER 2010 • VOLUME 1, NUMBER 1
54 Second Act Its star turn as a show house met rave reviews, but this Greenwich home revels
in its new role as a quietly glamorous family sanctuary. ARCHITECTURE: CHAD NEHRING • INTERIOR DESIGN: CINDY RINFRET • LANDSCAPE DESIGN: MICHAEL DUNSTER • PHOTOGRAPHY: MICHAEL PARTENIO • TEXT: MEGAN FULWEILER • PRODUCED BY STACY KUNSTEL
66 Swept Away Scaling down doesn’t mean scaling back the style in this Darien cottage, where
a mom is creating a haven in her soon-to-be-empty nest. INTERIOR DESIGN: CAREY KARLAN, LAST DETAIL • RENOVATION: SCOTT CONNERY, INFINITE DESIGN • PHOTOGRAPHY: LAURA MOSS • WRITTEN AND PRODUCED BY STACY KUNSTEL
78 Designer Knows Best The owners of a nearly new house in New Canaan give designer
28
Maureen Griffin-Balsbaugh full license to transform their purchase from big, beautiful house to warm, welcoming home. ARCHITECT: JUDITH LARSON • INTERIOR DESIGN: MAUREEN GRIFFINBALSBAUGH • PHOTOGRAPHY: JOHN GRUEN • TEXT: ERIN MARVIN • PRODUCED BY STACY KUNSTEL
88 An Epic Undertaking A New Canaan architect lovingly renovates an old English-style cot-
tage, using as inspiration the words of a favorite poem by a literary superstar from his native India. ARCHITECTURE: DINYAR WADIA AND ROBERT BUTSCHER, WADIA ASSOCIATES • INTERIOR DESIGN: DINYAR WADIA • STYLING: RONNY CARROLL • PHOTOGRAPHY: MICHAEL PARTENIO • TEXT: PAULA M. BODAH • PRODUCED BY STACY KUNSTEL
Departments 12 From the Editor 28 Artistry: Natural Reactions Cornelia Kubler Kavanagh’s sensuous, vivacious sculptures ex-
plore the rhythms of life, the caprices of nature and the interplay between man and the natural world. TEXT BY ELENA M. DIXON • PORTRAIT BY RODERICK MICKENS 40 Special Spaces: Modern Makeover A New Canaan house designed by the legendary
architect Philip Johnson gets a twenty-first-century update while staying true to its 1950s pedigree. INTERIOR DESIGN: VICTORIA LYON • RESTORED BY CRISTINA ROSS • TEXT BY ERIN MARVIN • PHOTOGRAPHY BY ERIC ROTH
66
• • • 100 Perspectives Three Fairfield County designers offer luxurious appointments for the home. 110 New in the Showrooms Unique, beautiful and now appearing at Connecticut shops and
On the cover: Designer Cindy Rinfret’s harmonious mix of patterns and textures in a serene palette of blues and tans brings quiet glamour to a Greenwich home. Photograph by Michael Partenio. To see more of this home, turn to page 54.
showrooms. 114 Resources A guide to the professionals and products in this issue’s featured homes. 118 Advertiser Index 120 Sketch Pad For South Norwalk architect Bernard Wharton, even Dempsey, the family dog,
deserves a house designed to suit his personality. 16 New England Home’s Connecticut Spring/Summer 2010
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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
Erin Marvin emarvin@nehomemag.com ASSISTANT ART DIRECTOR
Jared Ainscough jainscough@nehomemag.com CONTRIBUTING EDITORS
Cheryl and Jeffrey Katz candjkatz@nehomemag.com Louis Postel lpostel@nehomemag.com CONTRIBUTING WRITERS
Regina Cole, Deblina Chakraborty, Caroline Cunningham, Megan Fulweiler, Jessica Keener, Robert Kiener, Kara Lashley, Christine Temin CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS
Robert Benson, Tria Giovan, Sam Gray, John Gruen, Warren Jagger, Richard Mandelkorn, Laura Moss, Michael Partenio, Greg Premru, Nat Rea, Eric Roth, James R. Salomon, Brian Vanden Brink EDITORIAL INTERN
Carling Sturino ••• Editorial and Advertising Office 530 Harrison Ave., Suite 302 Boston, MA 02118 (617) 938-3991 (800) 609-5154
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D a v i d D. H a r l a n A r c h i t e c t s, l l c
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20 New England Home’s Connecticut Spring/Summer 2010
Editorial Submissions Designers, architects, builders and homeowners are invited to submit projects for editorial consideration. For information about submitting projects, e-mail emarvin @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. Subscriptions To subscribe to New England Home ($19.95 for one year) or for customer service, call (800) 765-1225 or visit our Web site, www .nehomemag.com. 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.
linda ruderman interiors inc.
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ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER/SALES DIRECTOR
Betsy Abeles Kravitz bkravitz@nehomemag.com SENIOR ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES
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Glenn Sadin gsadin@nehomemag.com SALES COORDINATOR
Janelle Driscoll jdriscoll@nehomemag.com CIRCULATION MANAGER
Kurt Coey NEWSSTAND MANAGER
Bob Moenster ••• Editorial and Advertising Office 530 Harrison Ave., Suite 302 Boston, MA 02118 (617) 938-3991 (800) 609-5154 Advertising Information To receive information about advertising in New England Home, please contact us at (800) 609-5154, ext. 713 or info@nehome mag.com.
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A M I D C E N T U RY M O D E R N G A L L E RY O F F U R N I T U R E , LIGHTING, ART AND DECORATIVE OBJECTS
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In the heart of Stamford’s Arts and Antiques District CHAIRMAN/CEO
583 PACIFIC ST, STAMFORD, CT www.irwinfelddesign.com | 203 588 0567 Showroom & Gallery Hours: Mon. - Fri. 10:30 - 5:30pm Sat. 11:00 – 5:00pm
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Gerry Parker GENERAL COUNSEL
Susan Deese 22 New England Home’s Connecticut Spring/Summer 2010
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Artistry
Natural Reactions Cornelia Kubler Kavanagh’s sensuous, vivacious sculptures explore the rhythms of life, the caprices of nature and the interplay between man and the natural world. TEXT BY ELENA M. DIXON • PORTRAIT BY RODERICK MICKENS
“A
ctuality is when the lighthouse is dark between flashes: it is the rupture between past and future, the void between events,” wrote noted art historian George Kubler in his 1962 book The Shape of Time: Remarks on the History of Things. His concept of cultural change as a series of moments knit together by manmade creations is something that his daughter, Cornelia Kubler Kavanagh, can’t help but illustrate in her own work. • The profound influence of her father’s words can be seen in the Norwalk
28 New England Home’s Connecticut Spring/Summer 2010
artist’s award-winning sculptures, which attempt to give shape to some of the significant events in our times. Her elegantly wrought images call on fluid arcs and vibrant color to depict the poignant duality in nature. A potent intellectual and emotional sensitivity courses through her iconographic forms, where counterpoints of solid and void, light and shadow serve as a proxy for the vital rhythms of creation and destruction, living and dying. • Kavanagh was immersed in the metaphorical language of art at an early age. Her aesthetic
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Michael Gotowala’s Night Lighting Design Series is coming to Affordable Lighting. This free lighting design presentation includes a field trip to a local residence to see night lighting techniques firsthand. All are welcome. Free raffles include a $100 gift certificate at Affordable Lighting and an Astrological timer by Controlscape. Join us June 24th - 6:30 at Affordable. Register online at Mike.Preferred@att.net
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took root as the family moved around Latin America and Europe following her father’s scholarly work. “Visits to museums and cathedrals throughout western Europe created a rich background for my lifelong appreciation of art and its symbolic content,” she says. Still, becoming a professional artist came relatively late for the former art history teacher and mother of two. Driving through Vermont with her son one day some twenty years ago, Kavanagh stopped at a quarry, where she bought a small block of marble. “I bashed at it in the garage with my husband’s hammer but nothing happened except for a loud ping,” she remembers. “In a moment that could have held frustration, I found my life’s work. I was forty-six years old and was about to become a sculptor.” She is entirely self-taught, learning her craft by trial and error and by emulating some of the artists she most admires, including Henry Above: Magdalena Moore, Barbara Abakanowicz II, from the Hepworth and Muse Project (2007), painted resin over foam, Isamu Noguchi. 20.5"H Right: Odalisque “Although most II, from the Muse Project of my early (2007), painted urework was pretty thane over foam, 42"H clunky, I loved the entire process of chipping away, turning ‘pings’ into sculpture,” she says. Eventually she found her own style, but echoes of her mentors remain. Henry Moore’s influence can be detected in Kavanagh’s 2007 Muse Project, a figural series honoring some of the heroic women whose work has inspired her. Each of her abstract muses wears colors designed to reflect aspects of their life: Buddhist nun Pema Chodron wears the saffron and red of a lama’s robe while British sculptor Barbara Hepworth is painted to represent the green grass and blue ocean of her Cornwall home. The colors and shapes of the ocean dominate Kavanagh’s work. Traveling be30 New England Home’s Connecticut Spring/Summer 2010
JAMES GROUT (2)
Artistry
photo by: Scott Frances
photo by: David Marlow
photos by: Durston Saylor
RICK SCANLAN PHOTOGRAPHY
Artistry
Melt: moulins of my mind, which was introduced as part of the 2009 International Polar Weekend at the American Museum of Natural History in New York City. She did a great deal of homework on the melt-
32 New England Home’s Connecticut Spring/Summer 2010
ing of the polar ice cap, going so far as to consult a leading climatologist who showed her videos of the seldom-witnessed phenomenon of ice moulins, the narrow holes worn into the glacier by surface water.
JAMES GROUT
tween homes on the Connecticut shore and in the Virgin Islands, the artist has become acutely aware of how the sea responds to environmental change. “Looking at the water every single day I’ve become sensitive to how imperiled we are by what we’re doing to our aquatic world,” she says. It was through this affinity that she found her ultimate voice. After the tsunami hit Southeast Asia in December 2004, she made a deliberate decision to focus on natural disasters in an effort to come to Above: Wing Form terms with nature’s (2004), Carrara mardual capacity for ble, 12" × 43.25" × 29" Right: Tsunami transcendent beauty VIII (2005), painted and cataclysmic debronze, 17"H × 18"W struction. “It’s no longer sufficient to create something that’s just beautiful,” she says. “Maybe it’s my age, but I feel it’s the time to do something with greater meaning.” She has traded stone for the more forgiving materials of foam and plaster, but a finished series can still take several years to complete. Working closely with her husband, Penn, who helps with the engineering of the often-monolithic pieces, Kavanagh spends weeks meticulously planning and drawing the details for each sculpture. This was clear in her exhibit Arctic Ice
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Artistry
RODERICK MICKENS (2)
Kavanagh is realistic about the possibility that she’s putting a lot of time and energy into work that may never sell, but she says that rendering her feelings into form has helped her deal with the horror of monumental destruction. New Haven–based designer Rosalyn Cama is among the admirers of Kavanagh’s unique ability to translate her empathy into beauty. When Cama, who specializes in healthcare facilities design and authored the 2009 book EvidenceBased Healthcare Design, was asked to design a therapeutic art program for the new Smilow Cancer Hospital at Yale New Haven, she selected Kavanagh’s Wing Form for the facility’s elevator lobby. The designer liked the scale and the uplifting exuberance of the large marble sculpture and felt that the sensual cool curves had a comforting tactile appeal. “It has a quality that makes you stand and contemplate it, which is a distraction for those who have bigger things on their minds,” she says. Cama explains that the elements that define soothing art are something that can’t be articulated. “You have to be able to feel it. It has got to be powerful to have that effect—therein lies the magic of how art becomes healing.” Kavanagh is currently working on a project that will help her express her concern about the environmental damage to coral populations worldwide. She’s also trying to imagine how to acknowledge the recent crisis in Haiti, but admits that the devastation is Above: Moulin I too raw to put her (2008), painted thoughts around at plaster on glass base, 14"H × 10"W Left: the moment. DeSolar Moulin (2008), spite the intensity painted aqua resin, of her process, she 50"H × 10.5"W finds balance with smaller projects on other beloved subjects like contemporary dance. In his book, Kubler referred to art as a “visible portrait of the collective identity.” Kavanagh’s work reveals the deeply personal impulse behind that phenomenon. The sculpture that results from her fusion of unique insights is a perfect example of how our creations can serve as the benchmarks of human experience that define the shape of time. • Editor’s Note A retrospective titled Cornelia Kubler Kavanagh—Sculpture, 2000–2010 will be on exhibit April 14–June 24 at the Hess Gallery at Pine Manor College, Chestnut Hill, Mass., (617) 731-7157. To see more of Kavanagh’s work, visit www.corneliakavanagh.com 34 New England Home’s Connecticut Spring/Summer 2010
CONTEMPORARY AMERICAN ART We feature a diverse selection of New England Artists. Just a 20 mile drive from Mystic, Connecticut.
A memorable visit on Rhode Island’s South Coast.
Paula Martiesian | Out My Front Door | 36x50 | oil on canvas
Antonia Tyz Peeples | Storm’s edge | 30x30 | oil on canvas
Shawn Kenney | Dusk | 30x40 | acrylic on canvas
5000 South County Trail Charlestown, Rhode Island 02813 401-364-0120 Visit our website for more paintings www.charlestowngalleryri.com
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Special Spaces
Modern Makeover A New Canaan house designed by the legendary architect Philip Johnson gets a twentyfirst-century update while staying true to its 1950s pedigree. TEXT BY ERIN MARVIN • PHOTOGRAPHY BY ERIC ROTH • INTERIOR DESIGN: VICTORIA LYON • RESTORED BY CRISTINA ROSS
I
n the midst of the sprawling homes along one of New Canaan’s premier residential streets sits a small, somewhat nondescript white house set far back from the road. It is unassuming and easy to miss when driving by. . . or it was, before a sixteen-foot reclining nude sculpture took up residence in the front yard last November. • Built in 1953 by noted modern architect Philip Johnson, the 1,800-square-foot Alice Ball House on Oenoke Ridge— one of approximately 100 modern houses throughout New 40 New England Home’s Connecticut Spring/Summer 2010
Caanan—was Johnson’s first commission after completing his own Glass House four years earlier. He was one of New Canaan’s renowned “Harvard Five,” a group of modern architects that also includes John M. Johansen, Marcel Breuer, Landis Gores and Eliot Noyes. • The outdoor sculpture was placed in front of the house by Greenwich, Connecticut–based interior designer Victoria Lyon, who staged the entire house—inside and out—for a fall fundraiser, a weekend house tour to benefit the New
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Canaan Historical Society. Lyon first saw the Alice Ball House while on a tour of modern houses run by The League of Women Voters of New Canaan. She was Above: Angel Face intrigued, and by Michael Manning approached the hangs in the guestroom. Right: Folded homeowner, archiLeaves Red, Blue and tect Cristina Ross, Orange by Hugh about giving a O’Donnell. Previous lecture there on page: The Black Metaphor by Robert the artistic and Natkin sits above the aesthetic value of living room fireplace. modern houses and what they have to offer in terms of lifestyle to those who want to live in them. Ross, who had lovingly restored the house and was putting it up for sale, had other ideas, suggesting that Lyon stage the entire house. Lyon agreed and, a mere three weeks later, the makeover was complete.
“Johnson is not one who would have sat still in terms of design development,” says Lyon of the famed architect. “I thought it was important to bring the house into the twenty-first century in terms of art and furnishings and make it more adaptable to how people might want to live in it today.” The project was a true collaboration between Lyon and her large network of artists and suppliers. Much of the original art and sculpture throughout the house and grounds was selected in collaboration
42 New England Home’s Connecticut Spring/Summer 2010
with art + interiors, and the furnishings and home accessories came from more than a dozen retailers, including custom pieces from Grain of Thought and Artifact Design Group. More than thirty pieces of art—some museum quality— from fifteen different artists decorate the house. It was important that the art not overpower the house or vice versa, but rather strike a delicate balance. Lyon likens the collaboration to conducting a symphony: “If the musical piece is the house itself and the
Interior Design & Decoration
Cindy Rinfret is the founder of Rinfret, Ltd., which is one of the leading design firms on the East Coast. Her work has appeared in numerous publications including her book, CLASSIC GREENWICH STYLE (Rizzoli). The garden photos featured here were taken at Rinfret’s Greenwich home, Laurel Hill, which was on the cover of the Holiday issue of TRADITIONAL HOME.
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art pieces are the soloists, I had to conduct it all and make it sing together.” Lyon set out to emphasize what she calls “the basic soul of the house,” which was to offer a serene, simple living environment that’s very connected to nature. She brought in natural elements to the design and mixed vintage and contemporary pieces, all while keeping things appropriately scaled to preserve the home’s sense of spaciousness. Much as Johnson had by counterbalancing the simple geometric lines of the house against the curvilinear landscape, Lyon played with offset-
ting these types of forms in the design pieces themselves. Within the open layout of the main living room and dining area, a malleable chain carved from cherry wood shares space with a tall rigid totem pole, which in turn plays off another white nude sculpture standing just outside the room’s floor-to-ceiling glass walls. Behind the living room seating area is a large dining table formed out of Brazilian mahogany that sits on glass slab legs and was created especially for this project. Neutral furniture—gray sofas, a glass coffee table, a
44 New England Home’s Connecticut Spring/Summer 2010
small light-wood side chair—allows colorful art on the wall to really pop. With all this art to take in, a TV hardly seems necessary, but this project is a design for today’s lifestyle, so the guest room/reading room/TV room sports a flat-screen, albeit ensconced in its own work of art, a TV stand built to look like an artist’s easel. Lyon says that Johnson believed the master bedroom was for sleeping, nothing more; accordingly, Above: Sherwood distractions are Island I, II, III and IV kept to a miniby Claudia Mengel mum. No extra hang over the bed; the seating, no TV, no painting on the side wall is Later On by Liz large dressing Dexheimer. Left: The area—it contains guest bathroom is lit little more than a by an Urchin lamp debed, twin bedside signed by Helen Bilt. tables and a small bench. The bed was created out of Macassar ebony, with two clear glass-and-resin panels on the headboard that are embedded with money plant (translucent leaves
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that look like silver dollars) and small lights that illuminate the panels when touched. MatchAbove: White fiberglass ing bedside tavases bring artistic flair bles are crafted to the house’s private courtyard. Below: Reclin- out of the same ing Woman sculpture by Macassar ebony, Matthias Alfen. with the grain
running vertically instead of horizontally as on the bed itself. Small lingerie drawers add additional storage, and black granite tops keep them functional for daily use without worry of scratching the wood when, say, setting down a glass of water before bedtime. Along with the guest room, the master bedroom opens to an
inner courtyard that Lyon turned into a studio space. It is the downstairs “pleasure den” that invites excess. Here, Lyon transformed the basement into a Editor’s Note cozy room with As of press time, the plush leather Alice Ball House is for sale (unfurnished) chairs, walls through William Pitt– hung with largeSotheby’s International scale art on canRealty of New Canaan, vas and a wine Connecticut; contact cellar, the perfect Prudy Parris at (203) 326-1695 for more place to relax, information. have a glass of wine and admire the art collection. Though the makeover is complete, the house tour is over, and the reclining nude sculpture and other eclectic furnishings are no longer in residence, surely Johnson would agree that the house remains, as it always was, a work of art in its own right. • Resources For more information about this home, see page 114.
46 New England Home’s Connecticut Spring/Summer 2010
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Once part of and contiguous to Dunellen Hall, this rare 27-plus acre estate on Topping Lake includes a main home, tennis court and many outbuildings.
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TAMAR LURIE
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MADISON, CT
$7,750,000
WESTPORT, CT
Waterfront magnificence on 1.16 acres with 200 feet of private, sandy beach, this 7,700 square-foot French Country estate resonates with grandeur.
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EVI COGHLAN
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GUILFORD, CT
$5,999,999
FAIRFIELD, CT
A Nantucket Shingle-style classic set on 3.68 acres is an unusual masterpiece of open design warmed by fireplaces and thoroughly embraces the compelling presence of the sea.
Georgian-style estate in prestigious Sasco Hill with 21 rooms replete with period details. 4.57 acres of pristine grounds with guest house and views of Long Island Sound.
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JESSIE FERRIS
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$5,195,000
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Second Act
Its star turn as a show house met rave reviews, but this Greenwich home revels in its new role as a quietly glamorous family sanctuary. TEXT BY MEGAN FULWEILER • PHOTOGRAPHY BY MICHAEL PARTENIO • ARCHITECTURE: CHAD NEHRING • INTERIOR DESIGN: CINDY RINFRET • LANDSCAPE DESIGN: MICHAEL DUNSTER • BUILDER: FRANK USOWSKI, FRANCIS DEVELOPMENT • PRODUCED BY STACY KUNSTEL
W
hat a show house it had been! Frescoes, faux finishes and fancy trims thrilled ticket holders. Every room hosted a different theme. But when the sell-out event ended and the doors closed, this lovely Greenwich house was left with a melange of colorful walls and glam finishes. Not in sync with the area—one renowned for gorgeous, traditional-style houses—and lacking continuity, she was a painted damsel in distress. The stunning architecture lay hidden behind all that decoration, and modern materials minimized, rather than enhanced, the thirty-some-year-old home’s charm. “It’s really a Cinderella story. Despite the good bones, too many ideas all at once gave the place a sort of craziness,” says Greenwich interior designer Cindy Rinfret. • A major player in the design world (Tommy Hilfiger has recruited her help on fourteen homes), Rinfret, in addition to heading an eponymous firm, has a book to her credit and a home and garden retail shop. But where to start on a vast four-story, five-bedroom house that sports almost as many sitting rooms as closets? “First, in my head, I picture how it will look when it’s all together. Then I work backwards. It’s like a treasure hunt, finding the right pieces,” says Rinfret. Her vision in this case was inspired by her close relationship with
54 New England Home’s Connecticut Spring/Summer 2010
The gracious foyer includes nickelstudded ottomans and classic porcelain. Facing page from far left: The TV room’s coffee table was once a gate. A hand-painted mirror adorns the living room mantel. The sunroom plays with patterns and textures.
Spring/Summer 2010 New England Home’s Connecticut 55
56 New England Home’s Connecticut Spring/Summer 2010
The living room is meant for entertaining, with a built in bar and (facing page, top) a billiard table. Facing page bottom: In contrast to the silk wallcovering, dining room curtains sport simple rings and poles.
her clients. Their lifestyle and tastes were familiar to her, as she’d already successfully guided a number of their previous homes. With three children and dogs, the owners had zero interest in taking the formal route. “What they wanted was a classic transitional look. Not grand, but comfortable, young and welcoming—a house where people like to hang out,” Rinfret explains. Accordingly, the complete gut, launched by Rinfret along with architect Chad Nehring of Danbury and Old Greenwich builder Frank Usowski, was primarily focused on undoing past errors, bringing to light once and for all the home’s best features and making it über livable. “In almost every room,” Nehring says, “there
was something to be done.” All the moldings and trimwork were replaced, new walnut floors were laid throughout and a variety of coffered and paneled ceilings went up to lend a more elegant tenor. Baths were modernized and the kitchen reborn. Today’s hub—given more footage with the removal of a wall—is outfitted with handsome Christopher Peacock cabinets and a beefy island wearing a stainless steel top. The owners also sought the sorts of upgrades that wouldn’t have been found in the most stateof-the-art homes of three decades ago. The house now also boasts a wine cellar and an exercise room and gym complete with basketball and lacrosse courts. The generous terraces were rebuilt to proSpring/Summer 2010 New England Home’s Connecticut 57
The many chandeliers, each more beguiling than the last,
F. Schumacher’s Imperial Trellis fabric frames the sunroom’s windows. Facing page top: An Art Deco sconce and custom mirror enliven the powder room. Facing page bottom: A tongue-and-groove ceiling heightens the breakfast room’s character.
58 New England Home’s Connecticut Spring/Summer 2010
help humanize the lofty spaces. vide for al fresco dining and entertaining. Even Mother Nature’s vagaries were tempered. “We installed radiant snow melt in the terraces and driveway. Winter is no problem,” Nehring says. The interior Rinfret created suits her clients and the house from top to bottom. A harmonious palette of pale blues, grays and tans unites the rooms and complements a blend of materials. “It’s all about textures and layering,” the designer says. “The house needed to be one period, but period with an edge—a meeting of old and new.” So deft was Rinfret’s handling of the decor, visitors get the distinct impression the family has been in residence for heaven knows how long. Inviting rooms like this take time to evolve, right? In reality, the work was completed in eight months. A masterly feat, when you consider the scope of the project and the details involved. Nothing—certainly, not the light fixtures—was chosen haphazardly. “There must be, at least, fifty fixtures,” Rinfret admits. “Lighting is important to me. It’s a home’s jewelry.” According to the designer, the many chandeliers, each more beguiling than the last, help “humanize” the lofty spaces. In the dining room, where walls are covered in misty blue de Gournay combed silk, two wood and crystal chandeliers hover above the table. “All crystal would have been an overload. I’m a silk shirt and blue jeans kind of person. I like mixing it up,” she says. From the spacious foyer (where an original black-and-white stone floor peeks from under a wool-and-linen rug) to the expansive living room (where two substantial mahogany chandeliers coexist without crowding), past and present easily marry. Neither staid nor sterile, the cheery comestay atmosphere is just the way it was meant to be. At the wife’s request, the living room includes a stellar walnut bar and a fun pool table. A handmade Tibetan carpet, soft upholstered furnishings and a revamped fireplace are welcoming elements, too. Only upon scrutiny are the clever contrasts evident. Antique nickel heads, for instance, finesse the wing chairs, while the hearth surround is cool steel. Head to the sunroom, where several intimate groupings of settees and tables afford opportunities for conversation or cocktails, and you’ll find more visual play: sisal, needlepoint, glass and wood. A woven Ralph Lauren wallcovering and a repetition of patterns on carpets, curtains and pillows are the linking threads. Spring/Summer 2010 New England Home’s Connecticut 59
60 New England Home’s Connecticut Spring/Summer 2010
Four shades of marble enrich the kitchen backsplash. Facing page top left and right: A festive awning shields luncheon parties that feature cool drinks and garden bouquets. Facing page bottom: Designer Cindy Rinfret on the terrace.
Spring/Summer 2010 New England Home’s Connecticut 61
62 New England Home’s Connecticut Spring/Summer 2010
Mirrored nightstands elevate the master bedroom’s glamour quotient. Facing page top: Mercury glass, silver and fresh flowers spell luxury. Facing page bottom: The haute master bath includes a dainty chair upholstered in snowy terry cloth.
In the TV room, an outdoor lantern swings from the ceiling to evoke a relaxed conservatorylike mood. “I love garden elements inside,” Rinfret says. Creature comforts here like a fox fur throw nabbed at a Wyoming sale are casual and classy. No surprise, the bedrooms have also been transformed. A teenage daughter’s summery blue-and-white sanctuary includes a sophisticated sitting area. A leather headboard in a son’s room pairs with suede-banded curtains and walls swathed in suiting cloth. Stunning each and every one. Yet, none so luxe as the parent’s retreat. Taking a silverpoint etch-
ing as her cue, Rinfret has concocted an iridescent scheme of pearl-like colors. A crystal chandelier dangles over an heirloom loveseat and hand-painted cornices above the bed and windows interject memorable character. The master bath, with its marble floor and mirrored vanity, unfolds with similar swankiness. “Baths should be wonderful. This is where you start the day,” Rinfret says. In truth, however, morning or night, she’s made certain every room in the house is life-enhancing. • Resources For more information about this home, see page 114. Spring/Summer 2010 New England Home’s Connecticut 63
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SWEPT AWAY
The entry to designer Carey Karlan’s Darien home doubles as a library and display area. From the entry, visitors get their ďŹ rst glimpse of the glass-domed conservatory.
Scaling down doesn’t mean scaling back the style in this Darien cottage, where a mom is creating a haven in her soon-to-be-empty nest. WRITTEN AND PRODUCED BY STACY KUNSTEL • PHOTOGRAPHY BY LAURA MOSS • INTERIOR DESIGN: CAREY KARLAN, LAST DETAIL • RENOVATION: SCOTT CONNERY, INFINITE DESIGN
Spring/Summer 2010 New England Home’s Connecticut 67
It certainly helped that the cottage had storybook charm, with its steeply pitched roof and brick details recalling a Cotswold cottage.
S
o what does it feel like to be swept off your feet by a house? “It was like a thunderbolt,” says Carey Karlan, who four years ago attended an open house to look at a tiny cottage not far from the grand Darien home where she was raising her five children. When she laid eyes on the 1920s structure, her heart beat faster and, just as any fairytale reads, she wanted to live with that house happily ever after. “It just had so much charm,” she says of her stucco-covered Prince Charming. At that moment, she gave little thought to where her family of six of would sleep or how the kids would even react to the notion of moving to a home one-quarter the size of the house they were living in now. “My only thought was, ‘I’m going to do it,’ ” says Karlan, the owner of Last Detail, her Fairfield County–based interior design firm. “It was like a mad love affair, and I had to have that house.” Once upon a time, Karlan needed a big house. As a divorced mom with five young children she needed the seven bedrooms, large kitchen and space for a grand piano in a sprawling home. But as her two older boys headed to college, Karlan could feel the house expanding beyond her comfort zone and her means. “Having a big house with growing kids was wonderful, but all I could think about was that they would be going away to school and I would be alone.” The older boys were out of the house and sympathetic to their mom’s thinking, but it took bribery to convince her three high schoolers (triplets, in fact) that they could all find happiness with the object of their mother’s affection. “I scaled down before it was 68 New England Home’s Connecticut Spring/Summer 2010
The open living room and dining room offer long vistas in the small cottage. Facing page top: An antique secretary in one corner of the living room offers a civilized space for bill paying. Facing page bottom: Homeowner and designer Karlan with Buckley, her three-year-old boxer.
The lime green ceiling was a bold choice by a previous owner that Karlan loved and kept. She brought the baby grand piano from her previous home, but rid herself of most of her things, choosing to go with smaller furnishings for the cottage.
The former garage gets an English hunt country treatment with horse stalls, red walls and the children’s trophies on display. Below: Karlan dressed the mudroom bureau with art. Facing page: Low ceiling angles create interest in the L-shaped kitchen that connects the dining room with the conservatory.
prudent,” Karlan says with a laugh. “We only moved after much negotiating.” Promises included a large-screen television (the family had lived without a TV until then) and the payment of the kids’ car insurance, and Karlan assuaged them with her pledge to renovate an attached garage at the new house into a hangout for them and their friends. “They were really good sports about it,” says Karlan. “I also let everybody decorate their room.” It certainly helped that the cottage had storybook charm, with its steeply pitched roof and brick details recalling a Cotswold cottage. An ivy-strewn lawn and an eccentric glass conservatory reminiscent of Cinderella’s carriage at the back of the house gave it added appeal. All it needed was Karlan’s eye for color and unerring sense of scale to make the small rooms and low ceilings yield a sense of cozy rather than cramped. On the main level of the house, the entryway, living and dining rooms, kitchen and conservatory work in a circular pattern, easing any traffic problems when everyone is home. One floor up are the master suite and two small bedrooms. One floor down lies the converted garage and an under-the-stair, built-in bed for one of the older boys. A 72 New England Home’s Connecticut Spring/Summer 2010
Karlan’s most fun project was tackling a decrepit garage, turning the space into a posh trophy room and mudroom.
third-floor attic acts as a bunkroom. “The house has the advantage of having lots of rooms that offer different experiences,” says Karlan. Dominated by a large fireplace, the living room is also the music room with that grand piano slipped into one corner. “Three of my kids are very musical,” says Karlan. “It was more important to have a piano than to have more seating.” Still, there are stools from the entryway to be pulled around when needed. That would be the entryway that also serves as a library and display space for portraits of the two older boys. The dining room pulls double—make that triple—duty as breakfast room, homework station and formal dining area. Karlan barely had to touch the kitchen, merely painting the Klaff ’s cabinetry. As for the conservatory, it makes the perfect display case for an enormous Christmas tree during the holidays and a bright painting studio for Karlan the rest of the year. Karlan’s most fun project in the house was tackling a decrepit garage with builder Scott Connery of Infinite Design in Darien, turning it into a space that doubles as the promised TV room and a good-sized mudroom. “As a mother of five,” she says, “there’s no sense in having a small mudroom.” Town zoning laws required that the space be Spring/Summer 2010 New England Home’s Connecticut 73
Reective colors and fabrics make the master bedroom light and airy. Facing page top: A lace-draped dressing table in the master suite holds a vintage mirror. Daughter Hayley chose the New York department store Henri Bendel as the color inspiration for her second-oor bedroom.
Karlan will be a true empty nester soon enough, so it was important that she create her own getaway now in the form of a soothing master suite.
large enough to accommodate a car, so interior framing had to be kept to a minimum. Connery and Karlan’s clever solution included separating the mudroom from the sitting area with a stall-like partition inspired by English horse barns. Old beams give the divider an authentically rustic feel, and a coat of paint in handsome hunting-jacket red completes the look. “I like a home that looks like it has a lot of age,” Karlan says. “I wanted to make it look like it had been a stable or barn for horses that had been converted into a living space.” About the hats, crops and equestrian paraphernalia she collected from tag sales and antiques stores, Karlan says, “We don’t even ride. I just think it’s charming.” The triplets are now freshmen in college and will be on their own in a few years. Karlan will be a true empty nester soon enough, so it was important that she create her own getaway now in the form of a soothing master suite. She painted the beams on the steeply pitched ceiling white to show off the room’s height, while a custom headboard mounted on one wall sits surrounded by windows. “There’s a reduction of distraction in here,” she says. “There’s no TV, no desk; I wanted it to be pretty, serene, relaxing, very simple.” The attached bath is small, but as the mom, she doesn’t have to share. As for every other space in the house, she’s living happily in closer quarters with her children. “Houses have gotten so big there’s no real family experience anymore,” says Karlan. “I think a smaller home encourages more quality time and less isolation. I’ve really enjoyed that part of it.” • Resources For more information about this home, see page 114. Spring/Summer 2010 New England Home’s Connecticut 75
Photography by Gary Sloan
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A LEGACY IN Extraordinary Craftsmanship SINCE 1980
Designer Maureen Griffin-Balsbaugh calls her style “a softer side of modern,” with traditional elements given a modern feel through materials, colors and silhouettes. Facing page: The exterior was inspired by New Canaan summer homes of the late 1800s.
78 New England Home’s Connecticut Spring/Summer 2010
Designer Knows Best The owners of a nearly new house in New Canaan give designer Maureen Griffin-Balsbaugh full license to transform their purchase from big, beautiful house to warm, welcoming home. TEXT BY ERIN MARVIN • PHOTOGRAPHY BY JOHN GRUEN • INTERIOR DESIGN: MAUREEN GRIFFIN-BALSBAUGH • ARCHITECTURAL DESIGNER: JUDITH LARSON • BUILDER: BILL GARDINER • PRODUCED BY STACY KUNSTEL When the new owners of this 12,000-square-foot house in New Canaan gave interior designer Maureen Griffin-Balsbaugh a folder filled with pictures of rooms, furnishings and other home decor items that they loved, Griffin-Balsbaugh instantly knew their collaboration was a good fit. “Ironically, there was something that I had done in there, so I knew a lot of things in that folder were exactly my style,” she says. • Her style, which she describes as “a softer side of modern,” was just what the homeowners had in mind. So the designer set to work bringing in all new furnishings and finishes, even inviting an art consultant to help the owners choose what artwork to hang on the walls. “They were so willing to learn about stuff and let me choose what was appropriate for different rooms,” says Griffin-Balsbaugh. “It was wonderful to work with them—I couldn’t ask for better clients.” • The house was originally built by the husband-and-wife design-build team of Judith Larson and Bill Gardiner for their own use. Architectural designer Larson was inspired by the shingle- and colonial revival–style summer houses popular in New Canaan at the turn of the last century, but here incorporated a more playful use of traditional classic detailing such as flared overhangs, squared and round tapered columns and shingles on top of New England fieldstone. With their children already grown and out of the house, Larson and Gardiner quickly realized it was too much space for
Spring/Summer 2010 New England Home’s Connecticut 79
The striĂŠd, salmon-glazed walls of the living room echo the chairs backed with pink silk-velvet in the adjacent dining room.
80 New England Home’s Connecticut Spring/Summer 2010
A light palette is used throughout the house except in the dining room, where chocolate-glazed walls and hot pink accents add drama. Facing page: The armchairs in the living room wear a commercial-grade fabric that looks elegant but is still durable, a must for this family with three children.
Spring/Summer 2010 New England Home’s Connecticut 81
The family often dines at the kitchen table, where large windows overlook the New Canaan Reservoir beyond. Facing page top: Two-inch-thick marble from Danby, Vermont, tops the kitchen island. Facing page bottom: GrifďŹ n-Balsbaugh customdesigned the natural linen chaise, chairs in crushed velvet and glazed linen and fauxleather ottoman in the upstairs sitting area.
82 New England Home’s Connecticut Spring/Summer 2010
just the two of them; they lived in the house for only about a year before selling. Griffin-Balsbaugh’s goal was to make this big beautiful house, with its six bedrooms, billiard room, media room, large children’s play area and more, into a real home for the new owners. Structural changes were extremely minor; she felt that the house’s open floor plan really fit the way the family lives, and the detailed interior architecture—paneling in some rooms, wainscoting in others; small tulip leaf details along the crown molding in places throughout the house and on leaded glass panels—was a perfect match for the decor she envisioned within its rooms. The designer added a few built-in bookcases throughout the house for this family of avid readers, as well as a custom work station with a twenty-fivefoot desk for the owners’ teenage daughter. “There were little elements of livability that needed to happen,” says Griffin-Balsbaugh. Quarter- and rift-sawn oak hardwood floors, beautiful as they are, are now adorned with area rugs to soften the echo that might otherwise occur in the large house. In many rooms, walls are upholstered in fabric to create an additional feeling of warmth. The layout of the house is oriented so that the principal rooms—the family, living and dining rooms, the kitchen and the master bedroom—open to the wonderful view. Over-scaled, doublehung windows bring in vistas of the lushly landscaped lawn and the sparkling New Canaan Reservoir beyond. Griffin-Balsbaugh wanted the color palette of the furnishings to echo that natural lightness. Such is the case in the living room, with its creams, light greens and pale blues. The room is divided into two seating areas: one near the fireplace offers a cozy spot for casual gatherings while the second, situated around the piano, is the perfect setup for a recital. Though Griffin-Balsbaugh tends to pick durable fabrics as a rule, she was especially careful in a house with three kids. “Someone came and treated all the fabrics in the house,” she says. “You could throw red wine all over the place and they come the next day and it’s gone.” Thus she felt no qualms about outfitting the living room with custommade cream-colored sofas. The striéd, salmon-glazed walls of the living room echo the chairs backed with Spring/Summer 2010 New England Home’s Connecticut 83
Varying textures add elements of surprise and delight throughout the house.
pink silk-velvet in the adjacent dining room. Chocolate-brown lacquered walls, a French-deco, rock-crystal chandelier and a large mercury-shaded mirror add a dose of drama. “There are certainly elements of the traditional in this room, but it’s not over-the-top traditionalism,” says the designer. White cabinetry and a white wainscoted backsplash brighten up the kitchen where, other than cosmetic changes, the original layout remains the same. Griffin-Balsbaugh painted faux cross-hatch on the walls, hung Roman shades above the sink and added drapery panels to the rounded windows that frame the kitchen table and overlook the backyard. Stools gather around the Danby marble-topped walnut kitchen island, which also has a built-in cushioned window seat that faces a raised-hearth gas fireplace. Multiple hanging brass fixtures illuminate the island while a European-inspired, two-tier chandelier is suspended above the kitchen table. This room was originally outfitted with Frank Lloyd Wright–like sconces, which GriffinBalsbaugh and the owners felt had to go. “There were like 200 of them throughout the house,” she recalls. “We changed out every single sconce in the house and joked that we could have opened our own store!” Upstairs, the master suite decor is still soft and light, but with a slightly Asian flair. The adult’s private oasis comes complete with a sitting area with two plush wool chaises that invite lingering long after the kids have gone to bed. Varying textures—a natural linen chaise, crushed velvet chairs, a faux-leather ottoman, shimmery metallic pillows— add elements of surprise and delight throughout the house. “I like textures. It’s my thing,” Griffin-Balsbaugh says. “The texture and the quality of the fabrics makes things warm and interesting.” Interesting, too, how satisfying the results can be when the clients have so much faith in their designer. Knowing they’d chosen a pro whose tastes are so in synch with their own let these homeowners relax and trust Griffin-Balsbaugh to turn their new house into a warm, welcoming home. The designer couldn’t be more pleased with the outcome. “They let me take my talent and give them a beautiful home.” • Resources For more information about this home, see page 114.
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With its pale blue walls and plush cream wool chaises, the sitting area in the master suite is an oasis of calm. Facing page: The elegant powder room is swathed in blue floral fabrics: on the walls, the draperies and the chair. “I wanted to make it a jewel box,” says Griffin-Balsbaugh.
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J.N. RUDDY BUILDING & RESTORATION HAS RECEIVED TWO AWARDS FROM THE HOME BUILDERS ASSOCIATION OF CONNECTICUT FOR THE RESTORATION OF THE HISTORIC HOTEL CHESTERFIELD
~ 2009 Connecticut Home Building Industry Grand HOBI Award for Remodeling Project of the Year & 2009 Connecticut Home Building Industry HOBI Award for Best Old / New Remodeled Home ~ 1442 shippan avenue ~ stamford, ct 06902 ~ telephone 203 425-9594 ~ www.jnruddy.com
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PHONE
WEBSITE
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11 Riverfield Drive, Weston, CT 06883
203 454 9999
A New Canaan architect lovingly renovates an old English-style cottage, using as inspiration the words of a favorite poem by a literary superstar from his native India. TEXT BY PAULA M. BODAH • PHOTOGRAPHY BY MICHAEL PARTENIO • ARCHITEC TURE: DINYAR WADIA AND ROBERT BUTSCHER, WADIA ASSOCIATES • INTERIOR DESIGN: DINYAR WADIA • BUILDER: WADIA ASSOCIATES • PRODUCED
AnEpic Undertaking
BY STACY KUNSTEL • STYLING BY RONNY CARROLL
The new kitchen wing includes this cozy sitting room, where Chinese porcelain collected by the architect/ homeowner’s grandfather adorns the Indiana limestone mantel. The homeowners bought much of their furniture on buying trips to England.
The upstairs hallway, outďŹ tted with quartersawn white oak and moss-green paint, was moved from the center of the house to bring in light and garden views. Facing page top left: The breakfast room has sunny, turmeric-colored walls. Facing page top right: A see-through curio cabinet separates the mudroom and kitchen.
B
ack in the early part of the twentieth century, the Nobel Prize–winning author, playwright and poet Rabindranath Tagore published a poem called Gitanjali. Tagore, who was born and raised in Calcutta, India, wrote Gitanjali in his native Bengali, but even translated into our less melodious English, the piece—an epic, lyrical poem of devotion and praise whose title means, more or less, “an offering of song”—has inspired poets ever since. In the introduction to the first English translation, William Butler Yeats wrote that the poem has “stirred my blood as nothing has for years. . . .” Nearly a century later, architect Dinyar Wadia, a native of Bombay (now Mumbai), India, who lives and practices in Connecticut, bought a broken-down old house in New Canaan. The 1870 structure, once the guest cottage for a large estate, sat on ten bucolic acres that, like the house, had been neglected for years. The gardens were overgrown and the noble old trees were slowly succumbing to suffocation by poison ivy. Nevertheless, the place spoke to Wadia and his wife, Gool, on a deep level. Inspired by the poem written so long ago by his fellow countryman, he named his new home Gitanjali, and vowed to return the house and gardens to their former beauty. Initially, Wadia thought he would need to tear down the house, but to do so would have meant cutting down two enormous ash trees that flanked the building. Unwilling to kill the beautiful old trees, Wadia instead set about to salvage what he could of the house. The extensive renovations included moving the upstairs hall from its position in the center of the house, where it was flanked by a series of small bedrooms, to the side of the Spring/Summer 2010 New England Home’s Connecticut 91
house. The new hallway is painted an earthy moss green and outfitted with floors, builtin glass-front cabinets and moldings of quarter-sawn white oak. “Now as I go from the staircase to my bedroom I see a nice view of my gardens,” says Wadia. “It’s as pretty on a snowy day as it is on a summer day.” The master bedroom occupies the second floor of an addition, above the airy new kitchen with its informal dining area and sitting room looking out onto the loggia where the Wadias enjoy summer lunches. Still, were the original owners to happen by, they would hardly notice the changes. Wadia was careful to keep the home’s essential look—that of a rambling English cottage—intact. He even saved the climbing hydrangeas at the front door, peeling them off the house and holding them up with scaffolding until the rotting crossbeams were replaced and the facade given a new coat of stucco. The front door itself, a two-and-a-halfinch-thick slab of carved wood that came from a Spanish monastery, is original to the house, too, as is the brick trim on either side and the lamp that hangs above it. “It’s a gas fixture,” Wadia says. “It has a real flame.” At 5,500 square feet on two levels, the house is intimate, but not cramped. On the first floor, ceilings are kept to the lower height typical of an English cottage. “It’s exactly the kind of house I like to live in,” Wadia says. “It’s a very cozy house.” Upstairs, however, the new hallway rises high, and Wadia bowed to his wife’s wish for a tall ceiling in the master bedroom. “After forty-five years,” he says with a laugh, “I’ve learned that the key to a good marriage is compromise on the part of the husband.” The guestrooms, though larger than the tiny rooms that had flanked the old hallway, are still snug, and rather than adding closets that would make the rooms even smaller, the Wadias opted for antique armoires, which are, the architect notes, more in keeping with the character of an old English cottage. The new kitchen has cabinetry of quarter-sawn white oak and floors and counters of French limestone. A hood of copper and brass hangs above the stove-top, which sits conveniently in the kitchen island. “My wife is a fantastic cook,” Wadia says, and the kitchen 92 New England Home’s Connecticut Spring/Summer 2010
The formal dining room glows with persimmon-hued walls. Facing page top left: Informal dining takes place in the breakfast nook, tucked into an alcove in the kitchen suite. Facing page top right: French limestone oors and counters and oak woodwork give the kitchen a country ambience.
94 New England Home’s Connecticut Spring/Summer 2010
Clockwise from top left: Architect Wadia replicated many details, such as the carved roof fascia. Much of the original lush landscaping and hardscape was preserved. A greenhouse holds tropical specimens including dischidia, cycad and a tree fern. Among the things salvaged from the original house are the door, from a Spanish monastery, the brickwork and the glass lamp above the door.
The larger success lies in how perfectly house and gardens coexist; it’s hard to imagine one without the other. Spring/Summer 2010 New England Home’s Connecticut 95
was designed for maximum efficiency. The walls here, as well as in the nearby breakfast area and sitting room, are painted the warm, golden color of turmeric, a favorite spice in Indian cooking. In the sitting room, the golden paint is an accent for the oak paneling. A wide brick fireplace with an Indiana limestone surround and mantel takes center stage. On the mantel and in niches in the paneling above sit Chinese porcelain pieces collected by Wadia’s grandfather as well as antique Indian dolls of ivory and gold leaf. “We love bright color,” Wadia declares, pointing out the persimmon hue of the formal dining room’s walls. The Chippendale dining chairs and the table, like much of the furniture in the house, were purchased on trips to England from Lady Pamela Pidgeon who was, until her recent retirement, renowned for her combination home/shop in an eighteenth-century manor house in Herefordshire. Wadia rebuilt the living room, replacing the old paneling with new, adding glass-front cabinets and removing the wooden beams that crossed the ceiling. The couple’s love of color shows up here in the ruby-red oriental rug, the saffron-colored toss pillows on the sofa and the bittersweet-hued leather stools in front of the fireplace. Outside, Wadia has worked to preserve as many of the land’s trees, bushes and flowers as he could. “We have beautiful old maples, Atlantic cedar and beech trees,” he notes, as well as Japanese cut-leaf maples, ivies that cascade over walls and down stone steps and the hydrangeas that once again creep above and around the front door. Wadia succeeded in restoring the house to its original charm and the landscape to its original lush beauty. The larger success, though, lies in how perfectly house and gardens coexist; it’s hard to imagine one without the other. Early on in Rabindranath Tagore’s epic poem are these words: “All that is harsh and dissonant in my life melts into one sweet harmony. . .” Gitanjali, it would seem, is the perfect name for the Wadias’ piece of heaven. • Resources For more information about this home, see page 114. 96 New England Home’s Connecticut Spring/Summer 2010
Wadia replaced the paneling in the living room and removed wooden ceiling beams to give the room a less rustic look. Accents of saffron, ruby and bittersweet reect the owners’ love of bright color.
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Designs that Change Lives
Barbara McEntee 9:30-4:30 Mon.-Fri., Sat. by appointment Visit our showroom; A Design Destination 21 Lois Street Norwalk, CT • 203.354.0278
architectural consulting services • interior design • home staging
Perspectives Fresh outlooks on design and resources
• Three Fairfield County designers offer luxurious appointments for the home
Lighting
ROBERT RIZZO
Boyd Lighting’s Parisian Pendant Light “Crown the table, the entry or a long hallway with this fabulous pendant.” AVAILABLE THROUGH COBBLE COURT INTERIORS, NEW CANAAN, (203) 972-7878, WWW .COBBLECOURTINTERIORS.COM
KENLEIGH LAROCK
Blue Sara Lamp from Canopy Designs “This gorgeous fixture is a favorite of mine. It’s a new interpretation of an ancient classic, inspired by an antique Egyptian light fixture.” AVAILABLE THROUGH THE DRAWING ROOM, COS COB, (203) 660-3406, WWW.THEDRAWINGROOM.CC, OR THROUGH WWW.CANOPYDESIGNS.COM
LYNNE SCALO
Silver Baubles Chandelier “Lighting is one way to add glamour— just as jewelry adds glamour to your favorite little black dress.” AVAILABLE THROUGH LYNNE SCALO DESIGNS, WESTPORT, (203) 222-4991, WWW.LYNNESCALO.COM
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Custom Homes Renovations Fine Cabinetry
Design-Build Millwork Property Management
WWW.RAMCONSTRUCTIONLLC.COM
|
T. 203.325.0503
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F. 203.325.0570
Perspectives
Furniture KENLEIGH LAROCK
Jacqueline Bench “This tufted bench is a timeless piece. With its generous dimensions, it could be used as a coffee table, at the foot of a bed or on its own in a foyer with a great piece of artwork hanging above. I love it in this delicious plum velvet.” AVAILABLE THROUGH THE DRAWING ROOM
LYNNE SCALO
Modern Wing Chair “This is traditional, but with a twist that results in exquisite balance between practical and posh.” AVAILABLE THROUGH LYNNE SCALO DESIGNS
ROBERT RIZZO
Kenleigh Larock owns The Drawing Room, a stylish design boutique and tea house that she runs with her husband, Michael, whom she met in design school. 102 New England Home’s Connecticut Spring/Summer 2010
Jackson Skirted Wing Chair by Hickory Chair “Proportioned for use as a desk chair, host chair or occasional chair, this elegant piece is distinguished by the gently flared wing that curves into trim, well-scaled arms. It’s completed with a dressmaker skirt.” AVAILABLE THROUGH COBBLE COURT INTERIORS
Nature made it
Beautiful
We made it
Available
VERMONT
ANTIQUE WORLD’S FINEST S E R P E N T I N E (802) 767-4421 vtverde.com
Perspectives
Floor Coverings
KENLEIGH LAROCK
Metallic Acid Wash Hide Rug “This is quite the show stopper, and a great way to add glitz to any room. The hide is treated with a metallic acid wash that gives it a unique texture and delightful sparkle. And it can be ordered in any width or length you want.” AVAILABLE THROUGH THE DRAWING ROOM
LYNNE SCALO
Mongolian Snow Rug “Dreamlike! It creates a sexy, ‘wow’ factor any room.” AVAILABLE THROUGH LYNNE SCALO DESIGNS
ROBERT RIZZO
Robert Rizzo is known for his stylish transitional spaces, and he likes to mix modern and traditional design components for an elegant result. 104 New England Home’s Connecticut Spring/Summer 2010
Chenille and Linen Rug by J.D. Staron “Inspired by the past but with a thoroughly modern sensibility, this hand-knotted rug, available in custom colors and sizes, would make a fabulous addition to the living or dining room.” AVAILABLE THROUGH COBBLE COURT INTERIORS
Models on Display
Robert Storm Architects 315 Main Street • Westport, CT 203/222-9055 www.ArchitectStorm.com
Perspectives
KENLEIGH LAROCK
Accessories
White Horn Boxes “I fell in love with these boxes! They’re made from naturally shed water buffalo horn, and the craftsmanship is impeccable, transforming a gift of nature into a work of art.” AVAILABLE THROUGH THE DRAWING ROOM
LYNNE SCALO
Green Glam Wall Panel “Recycled teak and small bubble mirrors create a juxtaposition that can add an exotic touch anywhere.” AVAILABLE THROUGH LYNNE SCALO DESIGNS
ROBERT RIZZO
Lynne Scalo describes her design aesthetic as “classic style for a modern age.” Her passion for fine arts, design and beauty are reflected in her line of bespoke furniture. 106 New England Home’s Connecticut Spring/Summer 2010
Bradley Collection Hardware “Bradley’s innovative hardware is designed to accentuate accent-driven interiors. I find it’s the ideal canvas on which to hang my window treatment creations.” AVAILABLE THROUGH COBBLE COURT INTERIORS
We sell solutions for all your lighting, fans and home accent needs. At Connecticut Lighting Centers you’ll find the largest display of lighting, fans and home accents in New England. Talk with our lighting experts and discover how we can help design solutions for your home.
www.ctlighting.com
Open 7 days and 5 nights
HARTFORD 860-249-7631 160 BRAINARD ROAD (I-91• EXIT 27)
SOUTHINGTON 860-621-7585 RT 10 WAL-MART PLAZA (I-84 • EXIT 32)
TWO COMPANIES, ONE GOAL
Providing Quality Lighting Products and Professional Service Extraordinary lighting is yours for the asking at Restoration Lighting Gallery. Come to New England’s finest lighting and shade boutique. You’ll find feature chandeliers, vintage & reproduction lighting, lamps, shades, unique home accents & so much more. Our restoration department has an experienced team of experts that will restore and repair lighting and other decorative accessories.
www.myRLG.com HARTFORD 860-493-2532 167 BRAINARD ROAD (I-91 • EXIT 27) Across from Connecticut Lighting Centers
Open 7 days and 2 nights
Photo by Eric Roth. Painting by Bart Gulley, courtesy of art+interiors.
FROM TRADITIONAL TO MODERN
26 Arcadia Rd., Suite 6 | Old Greenwich, CT | (203) 540-5350 | www.VictoriaLyonInteriors.com
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108 River Road, Cos Cob, CT • (230) 661-1107
WWW.COSTALPT.COM CT license #’s NHC 0010367 & HIC 0607818
New in the Showrooms Unique, beautiful and now appearing in Connecticut shops and showrooms BY ERIN MARVIN
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1 The pure, polished glaze of the contemporary Cavendish collection at Simon Pearce is versatile enough for use at either an intimate breakfast or a formal dinner party. Each piece is handcrafted; matching glassware, vases and candlesticks are available to complement the new tableware. GREENWICH, (203) 8610780, WWW.SIMONPEARCE.COM
2 Those in the know turn to Irwin Feld Design for all things mid-century modern. This chic, 1950s-era coffee table caught our eye with its mercury mirrored top with beveled baguette trim atop a chocolate brown base. It just goes to show that sometimes the season’s best new finds aren’t so new after all. STAMFORD, (203)
3 HM Oliver Interiors puts your animal instincts to the test with a fantastic new selection of neutral-colored and classic cowhides, including the eye-catching silver and white option shown here. The cowhides can be used as area rugs or for upholstering ottomans, chairs or footstools. DANBURY, (203) 210-7268, WWW. MARVIN GARDENSUSA.COM
4 Life is about simple pleasures, as evidenced by the new Teff Collection from Elizabeth Eakins. All of the new rugs have a linen warp and wool weft; Basket Stripe in Grassy Green is shown here, the perfect shade for spring. SOUTH NORWALK, (203) 831-9347, WWW. ELIZABETH EAKINS.COM
588-0567, WWW.IRWINFELDDESIGN.COM
110 New England Home’s Connecticut Spring/Summer 2010
5 Sleep peacefully on a deluxe Hästens mattress, now available at Lillian August. The Luxuria, shown here, provides both sumptuousness and support with Hästens’ patented spring system, which is then padded by two layers of handplaced genuine horsehair and four layers of natural cotton and wool. NORWALK, (203) 847-3314, WWW.LILLIANAUGUST.COM
6 Ethan Allen’s large shade pendant is available in three sizes and finish options (including silk, linen and other textured materials) and ten stylish colors. Each is made to order, so designs run the gamut from modern to traditional, helping to shed some light on the spring and summer seasons in any interior. DANBURY, (203) 743-8500, WWW.ETHANALLEN.COM
“It’s like a museum of stone*.� Dream. Design. Discover
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Thomas N. Armstrong, Whitney B. Armstrong and Amory A. Spizzirri 15 Flintlock Road,Greenwich, CT 203.869.6948 • armstrongassoc@aol.com
New in the Showrooms
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8 7 Bina Collections, a new line from FourHands, is now available at Homeward Bound. Eco-conscious designer Thomas Bina mixes modern design with reclaimed woods for an innovative take on home furniture. We’re especially enamored with the distressed-cushioned bench shown here. WEST HARTFORD, (860) 233-9500,
10 9 How does your garden grow? Quite stylishly, thanks to these beautiful new ceramic hand-glazed stools from Rinfret Home & Garden. Stools are in stock in a number of exciting colors and can also be custom-ordered in a specific color based on a client’s needs. GREENWICH, (203) 622-0204, WWW.RINFRETLTD.COM
WWW.HOMEWARDBOUNDSTYLE.COM
8 Whether your home is on the water, or you just want it to feel like it is, these colorful fish from Redding artist Suzanne Nicoll, new at Cottage & Bungalow, will add coastal flair to any home. Created out of weathered fence posts, each is hand-painted and approximately 3 inches wide by 22 inches long. (877) 441-9222,
11 Meet Anna, arriving this spring at Pimlico. A patinated steel-frame fretwork chandelier with arts-and-crafts-inspired lattice work and glass panels, the Anna Lantern can be finished in either dirty gold (pictured) or dirty silver. Anna is one houseguest you’ll want to keep around all year. NEW CANAAN, (203) 972-8166, WWW. PIMLICOHOME.COM
10Perfect for serving outdoors or in, the elaborate detailing and whimsical design of Juliska’s new Jardins du Monde Beehive pitcher evokes the splendor of European gardens. A matching sugar and creamer set is also available. STAMFORD, (203) 316-0212, WWW.JULISKA.COM
WWW.COTTAGE AND BUNGALOW.COM
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12 Your home’s interior will look even better when reflected in one of the many new mirror styles available at Cobble Court Interiors: The rectangular Melia is one of our favorites, with its artfully reproduced lettuce coral border that’s available in a coral white or coral blue finish. NEW CANAAN, (203) 972-7878, WWW.COBBLE COURTINTERIORS.COM
We are Outdoor Kitchen and Living Specialists
HGTV was here to film an outdoor kitchen designed and built by Preferred Properties Lsc. SEE FOR YOURSELVES: on YouTube http://www.youtube.com/user/Preferredworld#p/a/u/0/7GZpOCg7D6s 203.250.1030 • Mike.Preferred@att.net www.NightlightingDesigner.com • www.OutdoorlivingCt.com
Making Fine Custom Lampshades For More Than 100 Years As Seen in New England Home Interior Design By Nancy Taylor 617.423.0715 • 212-355-6616
Photo by Tria Giovan
WWW.BLANCHEFIELD.COM
Resources A guide to the products and professionals in this issue’s featured homes
MODERN MAKEOVER PAGES 40–46 Interior designer: Victoria Lyon, Victoria Lyon Interiors, Greenwich, Conn., (203) 540-5350, www.victorialyoninteriors.com Restored by: Cristina A Ross, New Canaan and Norwalk, Conn., (203) 550-6283 Page 40: Painting above fireplace The Black Metaphor by Robert Natkin, from art + interiors, Westport, Conn., (203) 581-3133, www.art andinteriors.net; painting above console table Untitled I, 2005 by Bart Gulley, from art + interiors; standing sculpture next to console table Vertebrae, 2004, sculpture on floor under console table Cherry Chain, and sculpture on console table Bunch, all by Bryan Nash Gill from art + interiors; specimen lizard in Lucite, c. 1950, on console table from Mondo Cane, New York City, (212) 219-9244, www.mondocane .com; Tora wooden tray, Fino wooden vases and Quilombo wooden sideboard from Espasso, New York City, (212) 219-0017, www.espasso .com; Wells sofas, Portica stainless steel and stone end table, tall wooden Manako floor lamp, limited-edition Hans Wegner Sawbuck chair and Spectrum carpet from Room & Board, New York City, (212) 334-4343 www .roomandboard.com; twin glass coffee tables, Carat and Japon lamps and Touron lemon enameled bowl from The Conran Shop, New York City, (866) 755 9079, www.conranusa .com; Dransfield & Ross ostrich feather pillows from Pimlico, New Canaan, Conn., (203) 9728166, www.pimlicohome.com. Page 42: Painting over daybed Angel Face by Michael Manning, from art + interiors; painting on side wall Still Life I by Liz Dexheimer, from art + interiors; Portland Studio sofa, Quinn chai and Tiki small round table from Room & Board; Zoe side table, Ceramic Matters Cabbage Head vase and T1210 lamp from The Conran Shop; giraffe cowhide rug from Cobble Court, New Canaan, Conn., (203) 972-7878, www.cobble court.com; orange wool throw and Dransfield & Ross pillows from Mis En Scene, Greenwich, Conn., (203) 422-0567, www.misenscene greenwich.com; Folded Leaves Red, Folded Leaves Blue and Folded Leaves Orange wall art all by Hugh O’Donnell from art + interiors. Page 44: Paintings over bed Sherwood Island I, II, III and IV by Claudia Mengel from art + interiors; painting on side wall Later On by Liz Dexheimer from art + interiors; custom bed, side tables and bench from Artifact Design Group, Wilton, Conn., (203) 834-7757, www.artifact designgroup.com; wedding quilt and chunky cable-knit throw from The Conran Shop; table lamps from Pimlico; Urchin lamp in bathroom by Helen Bilt from ROOM, Westport, Conn., (203) 577-9066; vintage Lucite stool from Irwin Feld Design, Stamford, Conn., (203) 5880567, www.irwinfelddesign.com; shower curtain and towels from Waterworks, Greenwich, Conn., (203) 869-7766, www.waterworks.com; Block lamp from The Conran Shop. Page 46: Tall white fiberglass vases, Grey Cloth rubber and aluminum patio table, Haven mesh chairs and pewter platter with cups and bowls from The Conran Shop; Quinn orange chair
(inside) from Room & Board; Reclining Woman sculpture by Matthias Alfen, Norwalk, Conn., (203) 722-8143.
SECOND ACT PAGES 54–63 Architect: Chad Nehring + Associates, Danbury, Conn., (203) 743-9878, www.nehringarchitects .net Interior designer: Cindy Rinfret, Rinfret Ltd., Greenwich, Conn., (203) 622-0000, www .rinfretltd.com Landscape designer: Michael Dunster, Dunster Landscaping, Riverside, Conn., (203) 637-9444 Builder: Frank Usowski, Francis Development, Old Greenwich, Conn., (203) 637-3222 Page 54: Living room fireplace mantel from Chesney’s, New York City, (646) 840-0609, www.chesneys.co.uk; mirror over mantel from Rinfret Home & Garden, Greenwich, Conn., (203) 622-0204; www.rinfretltd.com. Page 55: Blue and white accessories from Rinfret Home & Garden; wallcovering by Zoffany, (800) 395-8760, www.zoffany.com; lantern by Dennis & Leen, Los Angeles, Calif., (310) 6520855, www.dennisandleen.com; upholstered ottomans by Kravet, Bethpage, N.Y., (516) 2932000, www.kravet.com, in Clarence House fabric, New York City, (212) 752-2890, www .clarencehouse.com; mirror by John Richards, Greenwood, Mich., (662) 453-5809, www.john richard.com; lamps on chest from Charles Edwards, London, +44 (0) 20 7736 8490, www .charlesedwards.com,; area rugs from Patterson, Flynn & Martin, New York City, (212) 6887700, www.pattersonflynnmartin.com. Pages 56–57: Living room window fabric by Rogers & Goffigon, New York City, (212) 8883242, with banding by Robert Allen, Boston Design Center, (800) 333-3777, www.robert allendesign.com; wood blinds from Hartmann & Forbes, Tualatin, Oreg., (503) 692-9315, www .hfshades.com; hardware from Sarkis Studio, (800) 793-0337, www.sarkisstudio.com; custom area rug from J.D. Staron, Stamford, Conn., (203) 351-1130, www.jdstaron.com; wood and mirror pedestal by Aidan Gray, Carlton, Tex., (888) 273-4229, www.aidangrayhome.com, with vase from Rinfret Home & Garden; dining room silk wallcovering by de Gournay, New York City, (212) 564-9750, www.degournay .com; carpet from Patterson, Flynn & Martin; window panels by Zoffany with Samuel & Sons tape inset, New York City, (212) 704-8000, www.samuelandsons.com, and contrast lining by Pindler & Pindler, Moon Park, Calif., (805) 531-9090, www.pindler.com; hardware by Sarkis Studio; chandeliers by David Iatesta, New York City, (212) 593-2060, www.david iatesta.com; dining chair fabric by Lee Jofa, Bethpage, N.Y., (800) 453-3563, www.leejofa .com; living room wall and trim paint by Farrow & Ball, www.farrow-ball.com; ceiling paint by Benjamin Moore, www.benjaminmoore.com; custom-built wall unit with mirrors and bar designed by Cindy Rinfret and built by Frank Usowski; Donghia bar stools, New York City, (212) 935-3713, www.donghia.com; stool fabric by Clarence House; sofa from Vanguard, Hickory, N.C., (828) 328-5601, www.vanguard furniture.com, in Henry Calvin Fabric, Medford,
114 New England Home’s Connecticut Spring/Summer 2010
Oreg., (541) 732-1996, www.henrycalvin.com; pillows by Clarence House and Robert Allen with Samuel & Sons tape; wood coffee table from Payne Street Imports, High Point, N.C., (847) 967-8300, www.paynestreetimports.com; Nancy Corzine console, New York City, (212) 223-8340, www.nancycorzine.com; wing chairs by Vanguard with fabric from F. Schumacher, New York City, (800) 523-1200, www .fschumacher.com; round side tables with granite tops from Global Views, Dallas, Tex., (214) 956-0031, www.globalviews.com; lanterns by John Rosselli, New York City, (212) 593-2060, www.johnrosselliassociates.com. Page 58: Sun room curtain fabric by F. Schumacher with wood bead trim from Samuel & Sons and contrast lining from Pindler & Pindler; hardware from Morgik Metal, Patterson, N.J., (212) 463-0304, www.morgik.com; patterned area rug from Asmara, Boston, (800) 451-7240, www.asmarainc.com; wallpaper by Ralph Lauren, New York City, (888) 475-7674, www.ralph laurenhome.com; lanterns from Dennis & Leen; armless sofa and Lattice pillows from Rinfret Home & Garden; plaid pillows from Beacon Hill, Foxboro, Mass., (800) 333-3777, www.beacon hilldesign.com; floral pillows from Stroheim & Roman, New York City, (718) 706-7000, www .stroheim.com; wood and glass tables from Palecek, (800) 274-7730, www.palecek.com; boxes, end tables and small round tables from Global Views; camel and silver-leaf finish chairs from Niermann Weeks, New York City, (212) 319-7979, www.niermannweeks.com; Highland Court chair fabric by Duralee, Bay Shore, N.Y., (800) 275-3872, www.duralee.com; urns from Rinfret Home & Garden. Page 59: Powder room wall fabric by Lee Jofa with trim from Samuel & Sons; silver leaf oval mirror from Manor House, Collierville, Tex., (901) 861-1957; breakfast room wallpaper from F. Schumacher; ceiling and trim paint from Farrow & Ball; curtain fabric by Jasper Michael Smith at John Rosselli; contrast lining by Pindler & Pindler; wood bead trim from Samuel & Sons; hardware by Morgik; rug by Merida Meridian, Boston, (800) 345-2200; lantern from Dennis & Leen; round table from Bausman, Ontario, Canada, (909) 947-0139, www .bausman.net; dining chairs from Vanguard covered in Highland Court fabric from Duralee; accessories from Rinfret Home & Garden. Page 60: Outdoor furniture from Gloster, South Boston, Va., (434) 575-1003, www.gloster.com, and Restoration Hardware, www.restoration hardware.com; pillows from Rinfret Home & Garden. Page 61: Roman shade fabric by Lee Jofa with bead trim by Kravet; valance fabric and trim by Kravet; stools from Lee Industries, Newton, N.C., (800) 892-7150, www.leeindustries.com; stool seats in faux leather by Robert Allen; lantern from Holly Hunt, New York City, (212) 755-6555, www.hollyhunt.com. Pages 62–63: Master bath wallpaper from Cowtan & Tout, New York City, (212) 647-6900, www.cowtan.com; curtain fabric by Kravat with lining by Norbar, Boca Raton, Fla., (800) 6458501, www.norbarfabrics.com; curtain poles by Morgik Metal; dressing table and chair from
Hickory Chair, Hickory, N.C., www.hickorychair .com; chair fabric and contrast buttons from Holland & Sherry, New York City, (212) 3556241, www.hollandsherry.com; ceiling fixture from John Richards; custom built-in designed by Cindy Rinfret and built by Frank Usowski; area rug from Stark Carpet, New York City, (212) 752-9000, www.starkcarpet.com; master bedroom wall, trim and ceiling paint from Farrow & Ball; window panels with cornice from Friedman Brothers, Medley, Fla., (305) 8873170, www.friedmanmirrors.com; curtain fabric by Hodsoll McKenzie, London, +44 (0) 20 7254 9940, with lining by Pindlar & Pindlar; wood blinds from Hartmann & Forbe; mirrored headboard by Amy Howard, Memphis, Tenn., (901) 547-1448, www.amyhowardcollection.com; headboard upholstery fabric from Rogers & Goffigon; canopy fabric by Hodsoll McKenzie; custom fringe by Samuel & Sons; tailored bed skirt fabric by Hodsoll McKenzie with tape from Lee Jofa; velvet bed pillows with tape and cord from Kravet; chandelier from Ochre, New York City, (212) 414-4332, www.ochre.net; bedside tables from F. Schumacher; bedside lamps from Currey, Atlanta, Ga., (678) 533-1500, www .curreycodealers.com; chair by Lee Industries; settee pillows in Zoffany; round table from Worlds-Away, (901) 529-0844, www.worldsaway.com; custom area rug by J.D. Staron.
SWEPT AWAY PAGES 66–75 Interior design: Carey Karlan, Darien, Conn., (203) 921-5151 Renovaton: Scott Connery, Infinite Design, Darien, Conn., (203) 243-0373 Page 67: Polka dot pillows from the Wakefield Collections, Stamford, Conn., (203) 358-0818; sofa from Lee Industries, Newton, N.C., (800) 892-7150, www.leeindustries.com; rattan chair from Wisteria, Carrollton, Tex., (800) 320-9757, www.wisteria.com; stools from Bungalow 5, Oakland, N.J., (201) 405-1800, www.bungalow5 .com. Pages 68–71: Desk chair fabric from Zoffany, (800) 395-8760, www.zoffany.com; dragon-fly pillow and sofa from Wakefield Collections; round, two-tiered table from Dovecote, Westport, Conn., (203) 222-7500; www.dovecotewestport.com; ottoman fabric from Cowtan & Tout, New York City, (212) 647-6900, www .cowtan.com. Page 72: Paint in Picture Gallery Red from Farrow & Ball, www.farrow-ball.com; oriental rug from J.D. Staron, Stamford, Conn., (203) 3511130, www.jdstaron.com. Page 74: Wall color from Donald Kaufman, New York City, www.donaldkaufmancolor.com; headboard fabric from Osborne & Little, Stamford, Conn., (203) 359-1500, www .osborneandlittle.com; nightstand from West Elm, (888) 922-4119, www.westelm.com; lamp from the Wakefield Collections; carpet from J.D. Staron. Page 75: Wall color in Barrista from Benjamin Moore, www.benjaminmoore.com; rug from Williams-Sonoma, www.williams-sonoma.com; desk from Pottery Barn, www.potterybarn.com; headboard fabricated by Traditional Draperies,
r o b e r t
d e a n
a r c h i t e c t s
Robert Bruce Dean, AIA
111 Cherry Street, New Canaan, CT 06840
(203) 966-8333
w w w. ro b e r t d e a n a rch i t e c t s . c o m
Spring/Summer 2010 New England Home’s Connecticut 115
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DESIGNER KNOWS BEST PAGES 78–85 Interior design: Maureen Griffin-Balsbaugh, Griffin Balsbaugh Interiors, Brookline, Mass., (617) 264-9006 Architect: Judith Larson, Judith Larson Associates, New Canaan, Conn., (203) 972-1409, www.gardinerlarsonhomes.com Builder: Bill Gardiner, The Gardiner Group, (203) 972-1409, www.gardinerlarsonhomes .com Page 78: Minton-Spidell chairs through MGeough, Boston Design Center, (617) 451-1412, www.m-geough.com, with Orleans fabric in Astor from Classic Cloth, New York City, (212) 758-0844, www.dessinfournir.com; table from Formations through Webster & Co., Boston Design Center, (617) 261-9660, www.webster company.com; large white vase from The Drawing Room, Cos Cob, Conn., (203) 6613737, www.thedrawingroom.cc; Chinese paintbrushes on table from Red Chair Antiques & Collectibles, Peterborough, N.H., (603) 9245953, www.redchair-antiques.com; custom rug from Stark Carpet, Norwalk, Conn., (203) 8991771, www.starkcarpet.com. Page 80: Custom sofas by Griffin Balsbaugh Interiors; French Blue floral fabric on throw pillows by Verlaine from Clarence House, New York City, (212) 752-2890, www.clarencehouse .com; brown center lumbar pillow is Cervo in Loam from Rogers & Goffingon Ltd., Greenwich, Conn., (203) 532-8068, with trim from Samuel and Sons, New York City, (212) 7048000, www.samuelandsons.com; Gregorius Pineo New Castle armchairs, Culver City, Calif., (310) 204-0400, www.gregoriuspineo.com, upholstered in Lacey fabric from Rogers & Goffigon; Romney side tables and Paxton Bouillotte table lamps from Dessin Fournir, New York City, (212) 758-0844, www.dessinfournir .com; white lacquered cocktail table from Gracie, New York City, (212) 924-6816; blue throw on ottoman, green vase on side table and horse head sculpture on the coffee table from The Drawing Room; custom rug from Hokanson Carpet, Boston, (888) 361-9900, www .hokansoncarpet.com; drapery fabric from Brunschwig & Fils, Boston Design Center, (617) 348-2855, www.brunschwig.com, by PMK Designs Workroom, Boston, (617) 268-9980. Page 81: Dining table and chairs from owners’ collection; back of chairs upholstered in Castello Rose from Clarence House, and leather on front of chairs from Edelman Leather, Boston, (617) 330-1244, www.edelmanleather.com; mirror and rock crystal chandelier from Niermann Weeks, New York City, (212) 319-7979 www .niermannweeks.com. Page 82: Dining chairs from A. Rudin, New York City, (212) 644-3766, www.arudin.com, with upholstered fabric in Jaipur Tree from F. Schumacher, Boston Design Center, (617) 4829165, www.fschumacher.com; Ponti chandelier from Dessin Fournir; drapery fabric from Glant
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through Webster & Co. by PMK Designs Workroom. Page 83: Green Roman kitchen shade fabric from Glant through Webster & Co. with brown Great Plains inset fabric from Holly Hunt, New York City, (212) 891-2500, www.hollyhunt.com; kitchen lamp from Urban Archaeology, Boston Design Center, (617) 737-4646, www.urban archaeology.com; kitchen stools from MintonSpidell through M-Geough; sitting room custom chaise, chairs and ottoman from Griffin Balsbaugh Interiors; chaise upholstered in natural linen fabric from Rogers & Goffigon; pillows on chaise from The Drawing Room; sconces in sitting area from Paul Ferrante, Los Angeles, Calif., (323) 653-4142, www.paulferrante.com; sitting room drapery fabric from Classic Cloth by PMK Designs Workroom. Page 84: Powder room walls upholstered in Monferatov by Groves Brothers through Furn & Co., Boston Design Center, (617) 342-1500, www.furnco.us; chair from Jan Showers, Dallas, Tex., (214) 747-5252, www.janshowers.com. Page 85: Custom chaises from Griffin Balsbaugh Interiors in Saville Row fabric from Carleton V, New York City, (212) 355-4525, www.carletonvltd.com; Blossom Tree pillow fabric from Sanderson, www.sandersonfabrics .co.uk; brown throw on chaise from The Drawing Room; Lisbon desk from Formations through Webster & Co.; Gustavian Klismos chair from Niermann Weeks, upholstered in Delphina Lady Slipper fabric from Rogers & Goffigon; rock crystal desk lamp from Vaughan Lighting, New York City, (212) 319-7070, www .vaughandesigns.com; Fortuny chandelier, www .fortuny.com; custom carpet from Hokanson Carpet.
AN EPIC UNDERTAKING PAGES 88–97 Architects: Dinyar Wadia and Robert Butscher, Wadia Associates, New Canaan, Conn., (203) 966-0048, www.wadiaassociates.com Interior designer: Dinyar Wadia Builder: Wadia Associates Furniture and rugs: Unless otherwise noted from the owners’ collection or from Lady Pamela Pidgeon (now retired), Madley, Herefordshire, England Pages 88–89: Wall color by Donald Kaufman, New York City, www.donaldkaufmancolor.com, through Benjamin Moore, www.benjaminmoore .com; ceiling light fixture from The Brighton Collection, Fairfield, N.J., (973) 227-5280, www .brightoncollection.com. Page 90: Donald Kaufman wall color through Benjamin Moore. Page 93: Donald Kaufman wall color through Benjamin Moore; hanging lamp from The Brighton Collection; sconces from Vaughan Lighting, New York City, (212) 319-7070, www .vaughandesigns.com. Pages 96–97: Coffee table designed by Dinyar Wadia and crafted by Stuart Interiors, Somerset, England, +44 (0) 1935 826659, www.stuart interiors.ltd.uk; leather stools from Dovecote, Westport, (203) 222-7500, www.dovecotewestport.com; fabrics on sofa and armchairs from Stuart Interiors. •
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Advertiser Index A helpful resource for finding the advertisers featured in this issue
Aqua Pool & Patio 14
Armstrong Associates 111
Gardiner & Larson Homes 2–3
Ram Construction 101
Glen Gate Properties 49
Ridberg & Associates 10
Hemingway Custom Cabinetry 4–5
Rinfret Design Limited 43
Hilton-VanderHorn Architects 15
Robert Dean Architects 115
HM Oliver Interiors 25
Robert Storm Architects 105
Irwin Feld Design 22
Robin McGarry 87
Back Bay Shutter Co. 24
Barbara McEntee 99
Blanche P. Field 113
Brooks and Falotico Associates 27 Jablonski Associates 119
Runtal North America 50
Charlestown Gallery 35 Jia Moderne 39
Sachs Plumbing Supplies 119
Clarke Distributors 98 JN Ruddy Construction 86
Shope Reno Wharton 31
Clear Design 33 Katherine Cowdin 48
Skyline Flight 108
Coastal Point Construction 109 Lillian August Inside front cover Cobble Court Interiors 19 Linda Ruderman Interiors 21 Coldwell Banker Previews International 52
Sudbury Design Group 38
Suzanne Novik 76
Lynne Scalo Design 13 Vermont Verde Antique Marble Co. 103
Colony Rug Company 11 Mar Silver Design 26
Victoria Lyon Interiors 107
Connecticut Lighting 107 Marble and Granite 111 Connie Beale Back cover
Country Carpenters 105
Country Club Homes 37
Creative Interior Design 51
David D. Harlan Architects 20
Wadia Associates Inside back cover Michael Smith Architects 36 Wainscot Solutions 45 Ocean House 41 Woodmeister Master Builders 77 Olson Development 17 Wright Brothers Builders 23 Orrick & Company 109 Zen Associates 18
The Drawing Room 6–7
Peacock and Beale 117
Earthscapes 8–9
Peter Cadoux Architects P.C. 53
Ed’s Garage Doors 65
Preferred Properties 29, 113
Engel & Völkers Greenwich 64
Quidley & Company 47
118 New England Home’s Connecticut Spring/Summer 2010
New England Home’s Connecticut, Spring/ Summer 2010 © 2010 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.
Jablonski A s s o c i a t e s
Timeless Homes Fine Renovations Exquisite Baths
richmond hill avenue | stamford, ct 203-325-1355
www.sachsplumbingsupplies.com
WWW.JABLONSKIASSOCIATES.COM
wilton, ct 203.210.7719
Sketch Pad Design ideas in the making
A DOGHOUSE MAY SEEM trivial and a bit indulgent to some, but to Dempsey, our beagle, it was very important.
How often does an architect have the opportunity to design such a building, especially for a beloved member of the family who in this case just happens to be a dog? It was paramount to me that Dempsey have the most beautiful doghouse on the block. His keen eye for scale and proportion made this project particularly challenging for his architect. The doghouse had to fit into its environs (our backyard) and be stylistically sensitive to the surrounding buildings on the site, yet still reflect Dempsey’s own style and personality. The structure is clad in red cedar shingles, while the trim is a dark green reflective of the main house. The curved projecting rafter tails add a sense of whimsy, while also providing much needed shade. The sawtooth shingles above the door add distinction and offer a foreboding appearance to other dogs who might want to trespass. It is sometimes the most modest and unusual structures that can bring the biggest grin of satisfaction to the architect. BERNARD WHARTON, SHOPE RENO WHARTON ARCHITECTS, SOUTH NORWALK, (203) 852-7250, WWW.SHOPERENOWHARTON.COM
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