athome Magazine, March - April 2018

GARDEN ISSUE e x p e rt a dv i c e

h au t e s t u f f

LANDSCAPE TRENDS

VASES + VESSELS

$5.95 MARCH/APRIL 2018

athomefc. com

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BOOKS TO INSPIRE

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TANGERINE DREAM

Hilton Interiors

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amyhirsch.com | 203.661.1266

pimlicointeriors.com 215 Elm Street, 2nd floor, New Canaan, CT 203 972 8166

REdress YOUR WINDOWS

RingsEnd.com

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Designer Roller Shades

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contents MAR/APR 2018 vol. 13 | issue 2

features

76

38

departments 14 EDITOR’S NOTE

NATURAL SELECTION A contemporary yet tranquil landscape is history in the making. i n te rv i ew b y nanc y ruh ling

56

16 GET THE GOODS Color trend: Tangerine; Tuft Love; Bold Blooms

CUSTOM BLEND

22 HAUTE STUFF Vase Study

Transitional and modern elements offer a new take on traditional style.

24 FASHION HOUSE Hide + Chic

in te rv i ew b y l au re n f et ter man

26 ENTERTAINING THOUGHTS Greek Tweak

76

28 EXPERT ADVICE Garden tips from the pros

TRÈS BELLE A French-style garden exudes a resplendent joie de vivre.

30 SHOP TALK Local design news, the latest collections, haute happenings and more

i n terv i ew b y l au re n f et ter man

37 HOUSE PARTIES Sandra Nunnerley rug preview and book signing; Rinfret, Ltd., holiday party 96 LAST WORD Garden inspiration for your bookshelf

ATHOME IN FAIRFIELD COUNTY MAR/APR 2018, VOL. 13, NO. 2. ATHOME IN FAIRFIELD COUNTY (ISSN 1941-9503) is published six times annually (Jan/Feb, Mar/Apr, May/Jun, Jul/Aug, Sep/Oct, Nov/Dec) by Moffly Media, Inc., 205 Main St, Westport, CT 06880. Periodical postage paid at Westport, CT, and additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: Send address changes (Form 3579) to ATHOME IN FAIRFIELD COUNTY, PO BOX 9309, Big Sandy, TX 75755-9607. US subscription rates: $19.95/1 year, $29.95/2 years; Canada and foreign US$40/1 year, US$60/2 years.

on the c ove r d oyle h erm a n desig n asso ciates | ph ot o gr a ph y nei l l a ndi no athomefc.com

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35 elm street

westport

san francisco | east hampton | los angeles | newport beach | atlanta | summit

serenaandlily.com

VOLUME 13

ISSUE 2

MARCH/APRIL 2018

creative/editorial director Amy Vischio

chief revenue officer Pete Michalsky

editorial

sales

senior associate editor Lauren Fetterman

sales management moffly media

market editor Megan Gagnon advisory editor Donna Moffly

publisher, greenwich Trish Kirsch

contributing editors

Lauren F

Jeanne Craig - editor, new canaan - darien Camilla A. Herrera - editor, stamford Cristin Marandino - executive editor, greenwich Diane Sembrot - editor, fairfield living; westport

art director Garvin Burke production director Kerri Rak digital media manager Amber Scinto digital editor Diane Sembrot ad operations/web coordinator Lauren Stevens

Amy V Every year I kick off spring with a visit to Oliver Nurseries—it’s magical. I am not an avid gardener, but I leave there inspired and feeling like one.

publisher, new canaan - darien Lisa Phillips Hingst categories: automotive/builders/landscape/ sports & fitness publisher, stamford Karen Kelly category: travel publisher, westport Gabriella Mays categories: architects/interior design/home furnishing/ art & collectibles sales directors

Jennifer Petersen category: jewelry

Monique de Boer

>>

WE ASKED: How are you gearing up for garden season?

Monique D I’m buying a pair of light blue (“Forget Me Not”) Hunter rubber boots and checking on the tulip bulbs I planted this fall. All of this color brings me back to my Dutch roots.

Megan G

categories: fashion and beauty

If I were someone who lived in a house that wasn’t completely devoid of natural light and who didn’t have small children who love to throw dirt around, I’d be setting up a weeping fig in this planter from Force/Collide.

Mary Joe Clark sales director, boston

Stephanie Delaney regional account executive, southeast category: regional travel

Jennifer Frank categories: doctors/dentists/finance/insurance/ business consulting

Rick Johnson categories: real estate/lawyers

Ellyn Weitzman categories: restaurants/wine & spirits/catering

business

Hilary Hotchkiss

chief financial officer Brian R. Feidt

contract sales

business manager Elena Moffly

category: schools & universities

marketing

president Jonathan W. Moffly vice president/editorial & design Amy Vischio vice president/finance & operations Brian R. Feidt vice president/sales & marketing Pete Michalsky vice president/treasurer Elena Moffly founder & chairman emeritus John W. Moffly IV

Jennifer P In April, I turn the soil, clean my tools and make trips to McArdle’s for bulbs, seeds and plants.

My favorite flowers are dahlias—I plant the bulbs in the spring, and they flower all summer.

founder & editorial advisor Donna C. Moffly

executive director, event marketing Laurinda Finelli director, event marketing Caroline C. Steber partnership manager Kathleen Godbold event coordinator Alexandra Pemberton strategic marketing director Wendy Horwitz creative services art director Molly Cottingham

published by 205 Main Street, Westport, CT 06880 phone: 203-222-0600 fax: 203-222-0937 mail@mofflymedia.com Publishers of FAIRFIELD LIVING, GREENWICH, NEW CANAAN - DARIEN, WESTPORT, STAMFORD and athome Magazines for advertising inquiries, email advertise@mofflymedia.com.

TO SUBSCRIBE, renew, or change your address, please e-mail us at subscribe@athomefc.com, call 1-877-467-1735, or write to athome in Fairfield County Magazine, 111 Corporate Drive, Big Sandy, TX 75755. U.S. subscription rates: $19.95/1 year (6 issues); $34.95/2 years (12 issues); $44.95/3 years (18 issues). Canada and foreign, US $36/year. Prices are subject to change without notice. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. No part of this periodical may be reproduced without express permission of the publisher. ©2014 athome in Fairfield County Magazine is a registered trademark owned by Moffly Media.

The opinions expressed by writers commissioned for articles published by athome in Fairfield County are not necessarily those of the magazine.

FOR QUALITY CUSTOM REPRINTS/E-PRINTS, please call 203-571-1645 or e-mail reprints@mofflymedia.com

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ALL PRODUCT IMAGES: COURTESY OF BRANDS/STORES; PORTRAITS: AMY VISCHIO: KRISTIN BURKE HYNES; MEGAN GAGNON AND MONIQUE DE BOER: VENERA ALEXANDROVA

art

I’m excited to grow my own herbs.

Basil, parsley and oregano are on the menu, and Modern Sprout’s Garden Jar Herb Kit will help me get started.

editor’s note /WELL SEASONED

“I

t is so beautiful.” That was my first thought when winter made its mark this year with six inches of powdery, fluffy snow. But that cozy blanket of glistening, white magic didn’t last long—it had to be shoveled, and it had to be plowed. Within hours, what was once pristine became a gray, grimy slush resembling “city snow” (which inevitably iced over at night and made me think, “I cannot wait for spring!”). Despite the fact that every season has its challenges, they are far outweighed by how much there is to love about whichever one we’re in. I’m grateful for the way the different seasons cast what I see every day in a new light. The view out of my office window is always the same, yet it’s constantly changing—the trees outside can be dotted with young buds, covered with bright green leaves, tinged burnt orange and crisp red, or frosted a snowy white. I find I better appreciate the beauty I see in every season knowing it’s not here to stay. ¶ With that in mind, we’re excited to bring you our annual garden issue, which celebrates the very best of what spring has to offer. First up is a contemporary yet bucolic landscape designed by Doyle Herman Design Associates that seamlessly melds with the antique, rustic architecture of the clients’ home (“Natural Selection” on page 38). In New Canaan, architect Neil Hauck and designer Michelle Morgan Harrison crafted a new traditional-style home infused with transitional and modern elements for a truly tailor-made feel (“Custom Blend” on page 56). And finally, we take you to a stunning waterfront landscape by Wilber & King, which marries the feel of a formal French garden with the ambience of a country French chateau (“Très Belle” on page 76). ¶ While soaking up inspiration for your next outdoor project, we also hope you’re ready for the A-List Awards!

You have until May 1 to enter your best interior design, landscape and architecture projects at athomefc.com. Last year’s competition had more entries from more firms in more categories than ever before, and that speaks to the caliber of talent we have in our midst. The A-List is your chance to gain major exposure, network with the best in the business and celebrate what makes our design community so special. Enter today!

PHOTOGRAPHY BY JULIEN JARRY

Me and Lauren Fetterman

AMY VISCHIO Creative/Editorial Director amy.vischio@moffly.com

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THERE’S NO PLACE LIKE

LILLIAN

A N U N PA R A L L E L E D S E L E C TI O N O F C U R AT E D D E S I G N R E S O U R C E S .

NORWALK DESIGN CENTER | GREENWICH ATELIER | SONO ANNEX | STAMFORD WAREHOUSE | TRADE WELCOME | LILLIANAUGUST.COM

goods/COLOR by megan gagnon

DREAM IN TANGERINE

at o omph, we think of or ange as a neu tr al. who d oesn’t l ove it with navy, or just ab ou t any other c ol or in the r ainb ow? somehow, it just always works.

—amy rice, founding partner, oomph

BLU DOT Bubbie pillow; $99. bludot.com

CRAFT ADVISORY Textured twist tumbler; $54. barneys.com

2

GILLES CLEMENT DESIGNS Chair; price upon request. Greenwich, 203-717-1919; Westport, 203-349-5300; gclementdesigns.com

4

LILLIAN AUGUST

Ziegler Collection area rug; $9,699.

Norwalk, 203-847-3314; lillianaugust.com

5

OOMPH Easton double chest in Knockout Orange; $5,795. Greenwich, 203-518-8068; oomphhome.com

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6

ERIN ADAMS DESIGNS Lee collection concrete tiles; $25 per square foot. erinadams designs.com

ALL IMAGES COURTESY OF DESIGNERS/BRANDS

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goods/TUFT LOVE

CHANNEL MODERN SOPHISTICATION WITH LINEAR TUFTING

1 channel tufting can add linear dimension t o a ro om, leading the eye h oriz ontally or vertically through the space.

2

—martha hamalidis, creative director, chris upholstery

3 5 1 ABC CARPET & HOME Verona storage bed; starting at $2,995.

New York, 212-473-3000; abchome.com

6

7

2 ARTERIORS

3 SHO MODERN

4 WEIMAN HOME

5 CB2

Springsteen chair in champagne swivel; $2,300.

Trovare Home, Cos Cob, 203-869-5512; trovarehome design.com

Rollin large dresser; $4,820. Schwartz Design Showroom, Stamford, 203-817-0433; schwartzdesign showroom.com

Channel sofa; $4,826. Wakefield Design Center, Stamford, 203-3580818; wakefield designcenter.com

18” channeled Sienna Red velvet pillow with feather-down insert; $49.95. cb2.com

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6 THEODORE ALEXANDER Allure Attraction cocktail table; price upon request.

Wakefield Design Center, Stamford, 203-358-0818; wakefield designcenter.com

7 KELLY WEARSTLER Laurel stool with burnished brass legs; $5,760. kellywearstler.com

ALL IMAGES COURTESY OF DESIGNERS/BRANDS

4

Exceptional Products, Personal Service WESTPORT SHOWROOM

203.227.5181

FAMILY COMPANIES STONE & LANDSCAPE SUPPLIES

BETHEL SHOWROOM

203.790.9023 gaultstone.com

goods /BOLD BLOOMS

THIS SPRING, FLORAL PRINTS GET GRAPHIC

1 CRATE & BARREL

2

1

Maison cobalt blue dessert plates; $49.95 for set of four. Westport, 203-222-9500; crateandbarrel.com

2 CURATED KRAVET Upholstered bergere; to the trade. curatedkravet.com

3 CLARE V. X WALLSHOPPE Hollyhock wallpaper; $136 per roll. wallshoppe.com

4 SERENA & LILY Larkspur quilt; starting at $248.

Westport, 203-635-8000; serenaandlily.com

5 BENDER Bouquette series

by Glazzio Tiles in Hydrangea Thicket; $32 per square foot.

Norwalk, 800-321-7224; bendershowrooms.com

6 SCHUMACHER

we l ove the multiple l ayers of c ol or and movement in fl or al pat terns that add an illusion of depth and interest t o any ro om.

3

Leaf Stripe, 5007512 in Marine; Ginkgo Embroidery, 73081 in Marine; to the trade. fschumacher.com

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6

4 athomefc.com

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ALL IMAGES COURTESY OF DESIGNERS/BRANDS

—kirsty williams, svp of design, serena & lily

CELEBRATING 20 YEARS SERVING THE DESIGN COMMUNITY

Curated by Designers for Designers

WAKEFIELD design center

Instant Gratification | Finishing Touches and Makeovers by Appointment Only

To The Trade Only 652 Glenbrook Road, Stamford, CT 06906 T: (203) 358-0818 F: (203) 602-7738 info@wakefielddesigncenter.com | www.wakefielddesigncenter.com

haute stuff / VASE STUDY by megan gagnon

STYLISH VESSELS THAT HOLD THEIR OWN

SOMMERSO

MITCHELL GOLD + BOB WILLIAMS Petal vases; starting at $57. Greenwich, 203-661-4480; mgbwhome.com

2

3 JULISKA

Harriet fan vase; $120.

Stamford, 203-316-9118; juliska.com

4

5 KLEIN REID

Nimbus tall vase; $1,260.

The Glass House Design Store, New Canaan, 203-594-9884; theglasshouse.org

MURANO VASE: THE ANTIQUE AND ARTISAN GALLERY/ JOE WARD. IMAGES COURTESY OF DESIGNERS/BRANDS

1

TOM DIXON Bump Vase, tall; $165. tomdixon.net

Three-color Murano vase; $896.25.

The Antique and Artisan Gallery, Stamford, 203-327-6022; theantiqueandartisan gallery.com

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MIDDLE KINGDOM Double gourd mini vase; $28.

SM Home, Greenwich, 203-629-8121; sandramorgan interiors.com

6

7

SIMON PEARCE

CHRISTOFLE

Pure crystalline rose teardrop vase; $175.

Greenwich, 203-861-0780; Westport, 203-226-2353; simonpearce.com

Madison crystal vase; $430.

The Perfect Provenance, Greenwich, 203-900-1133; theperfect provenance.com

8

FFERRONE DESIGN

9 ZODAX

Stella vases; starting at $140. shophorne.com

Onion vase; $98. Pimlico, New Canaan, 203-972-8166; pimlicointeriors.com

MAR/APR 2018

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fashion house/ HIDE & CHIC by megan gagnon

ROOMS THAT START ON THE RUNWAY

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7

2

3

model: Tod’s Spring/ Summer 2018 room: A custom bar by Forehand + Lake Interior Design; wall tiles by Studioart Leather Interiors

4 1 LANCE WOVEN LEATHER Watercolor pillow in Natural; $720.

East Norwalk, 203-852-6829; lancewovens.com

5

2 AVO

3 MADE GOODS

4 ERIC TRINE

5 TERRAIN

6 FERM LIVING

7 NGALA TRADING

Scallop cowhide leather wall tiles; price upon request.

Brooklyn, 917-924-2861; avoavo.com

Vaughn stool in Storm Grey; $950.

A. Home, Summit, NJ, 908-273-3737; ahomesummit.com

Rod + Weave chair; $1,350. erictrine.com

Woven leather baskets; starting at $148. Westport, 203-226-2750; shopterrain.com

Enter mirror, large; $159. finnishdesign shop.com

Extra-large Whisper leather chandelier; $4,995. Circa Antiques, Westport, 203-222-8642; circaantiques.com

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ROOM; AMY VISCHIO. ALL IMAGES COURTESY OF DESIGNERS/BRANDS

6

Access this one-of-a-kind experience at clarkeliving.com

New England’s Official Sub-Zero & Wolf Showroom and Test Kitchen

South Norwalk, CT • 800-845-8247 • clarkeliving.com

entertaining thoughts WITH MARCIA SELDEN CATERING

GREEK TWEAK It can be tricky to get a crowd excited for salad, but reimagining the presentation will make for a memorable course. Get creative as you layer the colorful components, artfully arranging your greens around creamy hummus and a briny slice of feta. The end result is almost too pretty to eat. Almost.

INGREDIENTS Romaine lettuce Red onion Kalamata olives Cucumbers Cherry tomatoes Pepperoncini Feta cheese Hummus Ficelle (thin baguette) Greek salad dressing (recipe below)

SALAD Toss the romaine with a tablespoon of Greek salad dressing along with tomatoes, olives, cucumbers, pepperoncini and red onion in a bowl and set aside. Swipe the middle of a large plate with hummus and arrange the salad on the left side in a half moon. Lay a block of feta cheese over the lettuce and crack fresh black pepper all over the plate. Arrange two grilled ficelles on the top right of the plate.

DRESSING

Directions: Whisk all ingredients together in a bowl until emulsified.

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PH0TOGRAPH BY JULIE BIDWELL

2 garlic cloves, minced 1 teaspoon dried oregano ½ teaspoon Dijon mustard ¼ cup red wine vinegar 1 teaspoon kosher salt ½ teaspoon black pepper ½ cup extra virgin olive oil

Architect: Neil Hauck Architects Photographer: Tim Lee

DISTINCTIVE HOMES, ADDITIONS & RENOVATIONS CONNECTICUT • NEW YORK • NEW JERSEY • RHODE ISLAND

203.966.0726 www.hobbsinc.com

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MAR/APR 2018

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athome

expert advice/ SPRING AHEAD by mary k ate ho gan

DIG IN TO THESE TRENDS AND TIPS

L

1

2

3

4

GREEN APPROACH

SENSORY GARDENS

HIGH-TECH

PAINTING WITH PLANTS

Recycled materials are big.

“We just finished a landscape at a historic farm where the walls, terraces and walks were comprised of locally sourced repurposed materials,” says Justin Quinn, studio director of Doyle Herman Design Associates. “The bluestone terracing once served as public sidewalks; the granite walks once curbed roadways.

We even approached a nearby neighbor and purchased a stockpile of wall stone, which sat in a farmer’s field for over twenty years. Not only is this sustainable, but the newly completed landscape begins its life with some much desired patina.”

Creating an interesting garden goes beyond what we see, explains Cleo AbramsHorsburgh, partner landscape architect at Conte & Conte.

“Sensory gardens and components that involve sound, light, music, color, texture— things that in the past were designed for healing or therapeutic gardens—are now in demand with much more mainstream audiences.”

Among many elements Conte & Conte has used are laminar jugs, high-tech arching fountains that have visual and tactile interest, and musical elements such as chimes and gongs.

Heated patios, terraces and driveways have become more popular. So, too, have outdoor spotlight speaker systems that are controlled by smartphones and direct a rich sound toward the middle of a property so it doesn’t bother the neighbors. And techy tools are being used in planning landscapes, says Abrams-Horsburgh, including drone photography to create 3-D models of properties and virtual reality goggles that give clients a realistic sense of what it would feel like to walk through a garden.

Creating art with plants, hardscape and nature’s beauty isn’t a new theory, but it is slowly being revived, says James McArdle of McArdle’s.

Think simple lines, more greenery and symmetry in the landscape with container plantings to add color.

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above: When hardscape, landscape and nature all work together, your space is in true harmony.

PHOTO: CONTRIBUTED BY MCARDLE’S

trending now

ike impatient kids near the end of a long road trip, garden enthusiasts reach this time of year and can’t help thinking, Is it spring yet? Still the months leading up to the greenest season have their perks, providing muchneeded time for dreaming and planning. To help get your creative juices flowing for the upcoming season, we talked to some local pros for inspiration, ideas and advice on gardening do’s and don’ts.

foliage faux pas ALWAYS PLANTING IN PAIRS

It’s better to stick to odd numbers when planting a group that’s less than nine, says Maggie Bridge, manager of sales and marketing for Sam Bridge Nursery. She also advises gardeners against “volcano mulching,” which is when mulch is piled too high around a tree trunk and can lead to insect and rodent damage and create too much moisture. Instead, leave a twoto-three-inch ring that’s free of mulch around the tree trunk.

OVERBUILDING

“Too often we’re called to projects where the home’s footprint is too large,” says Quinn. Instead, work with your design team to select a footprint that achieves your goals while preserving important site resources. Also, Pinterest can be inspiring, but don’t try to incorporate all of your favorite ideas into one landscape or you’ll wind up with a mishmash of elements.

SIZING IT WRONG

The biggest mistake made by inexperienced landscapers is planting the wrong plant in the wrong space, says McArdle. Know what you’re planting and the size it will be. “Stop trying to fit a large hydrangea where you need a dwarf hydrangea; stop planting green giant arborvitaes where you need emerald green arborvitaes.”

MISSING TEAM PLAYERS

If you rely on an architect to be the driver of a new home and bring in a landscape architect only after the fact, you won’t have the best design outcome, says John Conte, co-owner of Conte & Conte.

“A project works best starting with the landscape architect and civil engineers looking at the project and its constraints,” he says. “The landscape as it exists naturally should direct the architectural features; the architecture shouldn’t force the landscape.”

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athome

shoptalk

THE LATEST DESIGN NEWS by diane sembrot

COLOR FULL

KAREN LEGAN OF LEMON DAHLIA DELIGHTS THE SENSES WITH IMAGINATIVE FLORAL DESIGNS

BLUE is Legan’s

go-to hue

2

3

FAVORITE SHADE

EMBRACING COLOR

GARDEN PARTY

“My home is a sea of blue. Blue is a neutral and natural companion to green. I love the way green foliage and brightly colored flowers pop out of a blue-and-white vase.”

“Don’t be afraid of color. Forget trends and surround yourself with colors that speak to your heart. Be true to yourself.

A colorful home filled with plants and flowers is always a happy place.”

“It’s a party in my garden every day. I am happiest tending to the flowers I have planted and marveling in the beauty of the life cycle of all types of flora. Bees and hummingbirds are always invited.”

PORTRAIT: PAMELA EINARSEN; FLOWERS IN VASE: CAROLINE O’KANE; BEE BY © ©ANATCHANT - STOCK.ADOBE.COM; PAINT LID BY GOIR - FOTOLIA © STOCK.ADOBE.COM

A

fter spending many years working with flowers in her gardens, Karen Legan established her own floral design business and dubbed it the merry name LEMON DAHLIA. Based in Wilton, she uses flowers as language in surprising combinations that lift the spirit, especially at the far end of a long winter.

“I love to encourage my clients to trust me and be open-minded to bringing a progression of color into their homes or events,”

1

she says, explaining that she might add a touch of color at an entryway and then go with something dramatic and exuberant in the middle of a room. Much like the many sizes and colors of dahlias (it has forty-two species), Legan designs flowers in surprising and perfectly delightful combinations. “Truly believing nature is beautiful, in all ways, I wanted to share how it can translate into floral design— flowers grow in front of trees, with grass and herbs peeping through,” she notes. “It is all a blend—what grows and is found outside, in all seasons, is unique and special.” Honing her skills at FlowerSchool New York, she now creates bouquets, arrangements, boutonnieres and many kinds of floral expression year-round.

Lemon Dahlia, Wilton; 203-2607886; lemondahlia.com —DS athomefc.com

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SUSAN COHEN LANDSCAPE ARCHITECT F e l l o w, A m e r i c a n S o c i e t y o f L a n d s c a p e A r c h i t e c t s susancohenlandscapes.com

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athome

shoptalk

spaced out The interior decorating hub at SCONSET SQUARE makes the most of change

W

hen Sconset Square, an unofficial home design corner of Westport, was sold in 2017 to David Waldman (David Adam Realty) and Roger Leifer (Leifer Properties), fans of its home shops wondered if they would remain. Now it’s clear that they’re staying and even made the best of change. “We’re currently working on new plans for both the White Birch building and Kerri’s old space,” says Waldman, referencing Kerri Rosenthal’s studio, which moved into the space previously occupied

by HB Home. While close to a deal for Rosenthal’s space— pending design considerations—he adds that it’s premature to market the former White Birch location. “We may do a pop-up store in both spaces while we obtain approvals.”

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BUNGALOW As adorable as its name, Bungalow was founded by Wende Cohen in 1996. The home shop is always brimming with chic furnishings, from creative lighting to candles, throw pillows and jewelry. It’s a lot, in a good way, because of the owner’s good taste. As a result, the shop’s vibe is of an upscale global bazaar, making it fun to explore when you’re hunting for something new. 4 Sconset Square; bungalowdecor.com KERRI ROSENTHAL An award-winning artist and interior decorator, Kerri Rosenthal is known for her love of bright pops of color within a clean, white environment—as well as a sense of fun. Her new studio is a perfect reflection of that style. It’s crisp and tidy, yet organic and joyful.

shoptalk

The style pours into her own artwork, with its bold color strokes and signature hearts (a look now layered on top of her photography), as well as in her line XOKR, a collection of fabrics and home accessories inspired by her art.

“I can breathe more in this space. It’s much larger, and it’s allowing me to show my true colors in lots of different ways,” she says. “I think with color, and I love color. You always need the yin and the yang. It’s all about the balance for me. The organic, natural textures and wood in the space allow my art and wallpapers to just shine.” The new studio is such a natural fit that she brought it all together in just five days.

A Westporter, Rosenthal adds that it’s “sort of like a reboot in that we have taken a space that is four times the size of our previous shop. There is

now room for our growing team, for the colors in the artwork to shine along with the home collection and apparel. All of these elements can now breathe amongst the bleached plywood barn floors and the reclaimed wooden tables. It’s a fresh backdrop to my story.” At work on new concepts and product categories, she says she’s inspired. 1 Sconset Square; kerrirosenthal.com and krinteriors.co SWOON “Chalky whites, pearl grays and natural stone all feel fresh when accented with colors from nature, like spring green, pale blue, lilac and blush pink,” says Sue Appleton-Webster, predicting soothing neutrals. Her bright personality complements her shop, Swoon. It’s carefully arranged with vintage home furnishings that assert commanding presence

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in contemporary arrangements. It also offers new art, custom pillows and furniture and design services. 9 Sconset Square; swoonwestport.com WHITE BIRCH STUDIO After years in the corner of Sconset Square, White Birch Studio branched out. This past season, owner Susan Anderson pulled up roots and replanted her studio around the corner from the former location.

In its new spot, with plenty of pedestrian traffic, it continues to offer stylish home furnishings and award-winning accessories along with interior design services. Anderson and her team take on complete interior design transformations as well as small projects—like those custom built-ins you’ve been dreaming about. 15 Myrtle Avenue; whitebirchstudio. com —DS

shoptalk

CLASSIC STUDY

A NEW BOOK SHOWCASES BEST PRACTICE IN CLASSICAL DESIGN

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ee inside many of the most beautiful new homes built in the United States in the classical style with The Classical American House (Images Publishing; $95).

This new title takes you on a tour of new homes and renovations, together with a new apartment fit-out, designed by seven leading exponents of classical architecture in the United States today.

Featuring many of the top names in the industry, including Charles Hilton of the A-List Award-winning firm CHARLES HILTON ARCHITECTS, this book is a showcase of best practice in classical design in the country.

Edited by well-known classical architecture commentator PHILLIP JAMES DODD, this latest compilation volume offers

DHDA recognized for their award-worthy landscapes

D

oyle Herman Design Associates walked away a winner in the 2018 Connecticut Chapter of the American Society of Landscape Architects (CTASLA) Professional Awards. DHDA won the highest honors with the Honor Award for Residential Design for their project “Engaging the Native Landscape” in Rye, New York. In addition, DHDA also won the Merit Award for Residential Design with their project “A New England Respite” in New Canaan.

The awards ceremony took place this past December at the New Haven Lawn Club, and judging and selection of the awards were adjudicated by their peers in the Alaska Chapter of the ASLA. The CTASLA Professional Awards identify, recognize and publicize outstanding examples of recent works by Connecticut landscape architects and designers. Doyle Herman Design Associates, 125 Greenwich Avenue, Greenwich; 203-869-2900; dhda.com

2018 CTASLA HONOR AWARD FOR RESIDENTIAL DESIGN For the “Engaging the Native Landscape” project, the home is perched above one of the largest privately owned freshwater wetlands in Rye. The goal of DHDA’s landscape design was to engage the wetland as an asset, and concurrently provide outdoor living spaces around the house that reflected the naturalistic feel of the property.

On the 3.2-acre property, with one-third of it wetland, it was essential to embrace this natural feature in the design.

2018 CTASLA MERIT AWARD FOR RESIDENTIAL DESIGN For the “A New England Respite” project in New Canaan, DHDA’s family-focused design program included the siting of architecture, various site amenities and, of paramount importance, the desire to insulate the property from the surrounding suburban cluster. athomefc.com

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PHOTOGRAPHY: TOP: WOODRUFF/BROWN ARCHITECTURAL PHOTOGRAPHY; BOTTOM: NEIL LANDINO

WINNER’S CIRCLE

an enticing glimpse into the exquisite architectural works of innovative and skilled contemporary classicists. While remaining loyal to traditional classic design, the featured projects within display a remarkable talent for versatility and adaptability within the fundamental classical language of architecture.

The richly photographed book masterfully presents a number of preeminent classicists who offer unique insight into their interpretation of the theory of classical design in their works. This compilation also highlights the collaboration between the architects’ applications of excellent detailing, the use of fine material and exceptional craftsmanship, and how, all the while, they are creating a refined and seamless fusion with the surrounding landscape and environment.

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universal appeal AKDO debuts new mosaic collection

Fresh, inventive, and timeless architecture.

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therworldly style radiates from Ethereal, AKDO’s marble and metal collection of mosaics. The contemporary, geometric patterns are created using thin pieces of inlaid metal, and the result is reminiscent of brightly shining constellations. Ethereal brings that same light into spaces while maintaining a customizable design aspect thanks to a variety of striking shapes ranging from intricate stars to sleek triangles. akdo.com

LUNA In the Luna pattern, a quartet of diamonds creates a geometric shape that resembles the North Star.

It also features a larger-scale octagon, which offers a refreshingly modern feel.

NOVA The Nova pattern features a series of intertwined hexagons with a very graphic look. The interconnectivity of the shapes presents an unending pattern that has a mesmerizing effect when used in spaces.

PRODUCT IMAGES: COURTESY OF AKDO

TRIANGLES

STELLA The Stella pattern showcases three interlocking hexagons, all of which link together to form an eye-catching, transitional star shape.

Use it to create scintillating feature walls in a variety of commercial and residential applications.

The Ethereal collection includes a range of triangle tiles that can be used alone or in playful combinations.

There are three patterned triangles—Prism, Flicker and Gleam—and one solid triangle, the Ethereal Triangle.

The variety of motifs allows for an endless array of patterns, and their versatility makes them ideal for creating memorable hospitality and residential spaces.

Southport | Quogue | apdarchitects.com

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Think Outside the Box Connecticut 203.353.8000

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interview with k athryn herman, d oyle herman design asso ciates | phot o gr apher neil l andino

NATURAL SELECTION

A contemporary yet tranquil landscape is history in the making

“Our plan created a clear way to walk around and enjoy the individual spaces. ”

This five-acre property, which is on a ridge overlooking the New Canaan Reservoir, has a lot of history reflected in its new landscaping.

Yes, it has deep roots. The house, which dates to the late 1800s, had been a cow barn for a nearby farmhouse. It still has its rustic look, and I used that aesthetic to create a landscape that speaks to then and now. It was all one big space, and there wasn’t much in it other than one great oak tree outside the front door, which we kept. We also retained the footprint of the front drive as well as the existing swimming pool and the pergola. We created some smaller garden rooms and enclosed them with hedging, but alternated them with large, unbroken spaces, which include a meadow and an herbaceous border with a water feature.

—kathryn herman

What did the owners envision for the property? They are a young

couple, so they wanted a somewhat contemporary look that melded with the antique architecture of the house. The front of the property faces a well-traveled main road, so they wanted a way to subdue the traffic and to make everything private. We created a large screening of greenery on the south side of the property by replacing a row of white pines that had thinned out with Norway spruces, hydrangeas and large, flowering viburnum shrubs. athomefc.com

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this page: The property includes an apple orchard and a meadow filled with wildflowers, including Queen Anne’s lace. opposite: An allÊe of linden trees lines the straight drive to the house. The home, which was built in the late 1800s, had been a cow barn.

above: The parking courtyard is defined by a border of inlaid cobblestones; its center is oil and stone gravel. opposite top: An existing fieldstone wall encloses the parking courtyard.

Boxwood and linden trees were added. opposite bottom: The three-car garage and house were repainted with Farrow & Ball Pavilion Gray.

The front entrance acts as a gentle, green barrier between street and

The orchard that runs along the north side of the entry drive is a

house. How did you achieve this look? We created the main entry gate,

wonderfully old-fashioned feature. There’s an apple orchard on the

whose design was derived from other fencing on the property. Then we planted two rows of Japanese holly in overlapping layers so that as you pass by you get little peeks out through them, but if you’re stopped, they look solid. The height of this hedge was based on what was needed to ensure that passing cars were blocked from view.

property across the street, and the clients wished to have an orchard as well. The nine trees came from a working orchard on Long Island. They counterbalance the formal, sphere-shaped linden trees that flank the oil-and-stone driveway. They pave the way for the sheared row of eight lindens and an existing fieldstone wall that we lined with a boxwood hedge and pachysandra.

It looks protected yet inviting. The property across the street is beau-

tiful, so we wanted to continue to borrow that view. We also didn’t want to turn our back on it and the neighboring properties with an unfriendly barrier.

The garden off the parking courtyard includes an unusual water feature.

What inspired it? The owners had been to Bali and wanted a Balinese water feature. We chose floating steps made of reclaimed granite because

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this spread: Surrounded by high hedges, a traditionalstyle bench is approached via floating steps.

The outdoor “room� includes a dining space as well.

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The Balinese water feature is surrounded by a garden enclosed with an evergreen hedge of Japanese holly.

The property has three levels that flow naturally into each other: the house, the pool and the large meadow.

above: The fieldstone fireplace is reflected in the rectangular swimming pool. The stone and style match those on the property. opposite: The clients chose the floral color palette, which includes whites.

they have an old agricultural feel that is appropriate to the original use of the property. Then we replanted and enlarged the surrounding garden, enclosing it with an evergreen hedge of Japanese holly. We planted it with perennials, including peonies, ferns and Nepeta, in the colors the owners requested—whites, pinks and blues.

I see there’s a boulder leading to the large meadow. What is the story

That garden leads to the back of the house and the more recreational

I noticed there’s a series of granite slabs leading to the large meadow.

areas of the property. The swimming pool was there–the husband loves

Why did you choose that material? You see a lot of granite in older

to swim–so we simply cleaned up the space and removed the diving board for aesthetic and safety reasons. The existing yew hedge was left against the fieldstone retaining wall, and we added a matching fieldstone fireplace on the opposite side of the pool from the pergola. The mason matched the stone of the existing walls near the pool.

homes. It’s durable, and it felt appropriate for this property. In fact, reclaimed granite was used as a common thread to unite the various garden rooms throughout the property. We used it on the path leading to the front door, to surround the terraces that we infilled with bluestone and on the pathways and new stairs.

of that? This is the meditation rock. We had originally suggested siting a

large granite stone in place of the diving board, but we decided to put it in the meadow instead. Sitting on it gives a nice serenity and a view of the flower-filled meadow. Using it this way was a nice serendipity.

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Speaking of older homes, how did you choose the clean, crisp paint color for the house and three-car garage? When we started work, they

were a greenish gray, and the window trim was burgundy, which made the windows recede. It had a very antique look, and the owners wanted something more contemporary. We chose Farrow & Ball Pavilion Gray and painted everything that color to get a more up-to-date look that was more in keeping with the new landscaping, which cleaned up and simplified the plantings and used a much narrower color palette.

I’m struck by how peaceful the property looks and how seamlessly each space greets the next. It’s a very bucolic and tranquil landscape befitting

the architecture of the house. The property has three distinct levels: from the house, you go down to the pool, and from the pool, you go down to the large meadow, which gives an open view of the reservoir. It’s about transition and how each level relates to each other.

The large meadow, which is at the lowest point on the property, is filled with a variety of wildflowers.

above: A wooden gate, whose design complements existing fencing on the property, leads to a series of granite slabs that go down to the large meadow. opposite: The meadow, which features a meditation rock, stretches to meet the wider landscape.

It must be rewarding to watch the garden grow. Our work continues to mature and evolve with time. Every time I walk through the property, I’m reminded that none of these spaces were there. Our plan created a clear way to walk around and enjoy the individual spaces. The juxtaposition of formal and informal spaces, of clipped and wild, is what makes the landscape dynamic.

line across the way. What’s so vital about the landscape is the simplicity of the horizontal hedge against the verticality of the bordering trees and the broader landscape. —interview by nancy ruhling Resources: Landscape designer: Blake Guidry, Doyle Herman Design Associates, Greenwich; 203-869-2900; dhda.com

What’s your favorite part of the garden? There is a photo of the garden as the sun is setting that captures its feeling particularly well. It’s taken above the fieldstone fireplace, and it looks over the meadow to the tree

Mason: Sandoval’s Landscaping and Masonry, Stamford; 203-969-7991; sandovalslm.com Bench: Munder Skiles, New York City; 212-717-0150; munder-skiles.com

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“It’s a very bucolic and tranquil landscape befitting the architecture of the house.”

—kathryn herman

CUSTOM Transitional and modern elements offer a new take on traditional style

interview with neil hauck, neil hauck architects & michelle morgan harrison, morgan harrison home | phot o gr apher jane beiles

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BLEND

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but with a very transitional, modern feel to it, where they could have more traditional furniture and it would still feel right.

This home has an interesting backstory. What can you tell me about it?

Neil Hauck: I did a project for the clients about ten years ago, and I have

a really great working relationship with them. We had taken a mediocre Colonial and turned it into a very nice Nantucket Shingle-style house. It gave them a lot more living space, but as their three boys became teenagers, the family outgrew that house. The clients had good friends who had purchased a four-and-a-half-acre property. There was an old house on the site that needed serious renovations, so the friends decided to demolish the house and subdivide the property. They then asked the clients if they’d like to buy one of the lots, and that’s how the project started. The clients wanted to build a new house that was better suited to their current lifestyle and their needs.

Michelle Morgan Harrison: I met the wife years ago doing a house tour, and she hired me to do their first home, which is actually right around the corner. For this home, they were looking for something more traditional

Given this unique setup, were there any challenges? NH: It was fairly

straightforward. At the beginning, there was already a plan for one of the houses in terms of its layout and orientation. Since siting was spoken for, I think the final orientation of this house was the best in terms of giving it presence from the drive as you enter, taking the best advantage of the path of the sun so certain rooms get sun at certain times of day, and maximizing views while protecting privacy.

How did the plan for the house evolve? NH: One of my first designs was

more along the lines of what I would call a Shingle-style house, but as we got further into it, the wife decided she really wanted something a little more akin to a white country farmhouse. We then changed the façade, the

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“A traditional -style house that embraces a european sensibility yet has a modern point of view? That makes me happy .� —michelle morgan harrison

above left: The living room anchors one end of the vista that runs along the back of the first floor. To Morgan Harrison, the most important focal point in the house is the bookshelf that can be glimpsed in that room.

To make the most of the view, the shelves are backed with a metallic wallpaper in white, silver and gold.

In the foyer, artwork provided by Heather Gaudio Fine Art sits above an Oly brass demi-lune table. right: Jeffersonian-style fretwork adorns the portico over the front door; the formal powder room features a custom stone vanity in polished gray Argento marble and Schumacher wallpaper. opposite: Encased in windows, the main stairway encourages outward reflection. The millwork paneling is painted Benjamin Moore Super White in a satin finish, and the Vanguard settee is covered in a textured linen by Larsen.

The living room centers around a stone-topped coffee table with a brass base by Century. Seating includes a Baker sofa, upholstered in a Romo silver-green panne velvet and accessorized with a Kravet satin lumbar and Donghia ikat pillows, as well as Baker chairs in a Schumacher glazed linen. Cowtan & Tout gray silk draperies with a Schumacher Greek key trim frame the windows.

Artwork above the sofa was provided by Heather Gaudio Fine Art.

above: Mr. & Mrs. Howard X benches in a Pindler blue velvet offer a hit of saturated color in the living room. A Hickory Chair wingback in a Robert Allen chenille is seated beside a gilded silver Pearson side table. opposite: With Visual Comfort gilded iron lamps on top, a pair of Hickory Chair side tables fit the scale of the room and unite the blend of aesthetics.

style, to what you see today. There’s no such thing as a pure style; there are elements of colonial architecture, elements of classical architecture and then the feel of a farmhouse. I would probably call it a more formal version of a farmhouse.

MMH: The wife would find images of homes that had a very European feel to them, with long hallways and vistas, and that’s what she gave to Neil, saying, “This is where I want to go.” The house is actually a series of architectural gateways, of layers, and there’s a long vista that runs from the living room to the breakfast room.

NH: The circulation is pushed to the back of the house, so you pass along the edge of the rooms, not through the middle of them.

What materials did you use to create the exterior look they wanted?

NH: The siding is clapboard, the main roof is clad in Western red cedar shingles, and the gutters, downspouts, flashing and standing-seam metal roofing are all done with lead-coated copper. For flat portico roofs, I like a more elaborate fretwork rather than just square, vertical balustrades.

This one is Jeffersonian in layout, hearkening back to Monticello, and it was one area where we could introduce a little ornamentation. And the arched doors were actually the wife’s idea—she saw a house that had arched doors, and she fell in love with them. I give her full credit for those!

The home is filled with natural light. Was that a priority? NH: I designed

the house so it was fairly narrow in terms of its depth from front to back. athomefc.com

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“IT’S GREAT TO WORK WITH CLIENTS WHO BUY A HOUSE BECAUSE THEY LOVE IT AND HAVE RESPECT FOR WHAT WAS THERE.” —frank marsella

above: A Hickory Chair buffet, table and chairs furnish the dining room.

The fronts and seats of the chairs are covered in Kravet Strie velvet, and the backs are in a Beacon Hill silk.

The light fixture is the clients’ own, and a Carvers’ Guild mirror is an additional reflective touch. left and right: The butler’s pantry gleams, thanks to cabinetry painted in highgloss Benjamin Moore Yorktowne Green, a hammered Elkay sink, Kallista faucet, custom polished nickel-andglass shelving and Carrara-and-Thassos herringbone wall tile from Tile America. opposite: In the kitchen, a custom hood presides over the Wolf range.

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That allowed a lot of natural light to come in from both sides in many of the rooms.

MMH: One of the most important things was making sure the house was light. Not only was there a ton of light spilling in through all the windows and the two-story foyer, but there was a lightness with the palette and the whitewashed wood floors. Front-to-back light is a repeated theme throughout the house.

contrast-bordered area rug is the same as the stair runner but reversed— it’s a square within a square.

How did the clients want the interiors to look and feel?

MMH: We wanted to go a little more modern, but still have one foot in traditional, and bring in some deeper colors to balance out the lightness. For me, it was about playing with light throughout the entire house, pushing things forward where we could, pulling back and being more restrained where appropriate. It’s a very elegant, chic house, but it’s hard to put your finger on it because it has modern sensibilities, with the beams, the casings, the baseboard with its clean lines, and yet there’s double-stick Shaker. The way it’s done definitely has a more European vibe to it, which sets it apart from what everyone else is doing. I helped the clients make all of the finish selections—plumbing, tile, hardware, paint—and it was a very easy house to figure out with where you wanted to take it.

That two-story foyer is a really interesting element inside and out.

NH: I like to make a feature of the stairs in my houses when I can.

In most rooms, you’re sitting, talking, watching TV, eating—the focus isn’t always on the outside. I think walking on the stairs, going from floor to floor, presents a great opportunity to pause on the landings and look out onto the landscape. In this case, this main staircase is straight ahead on axis with the front door, and the windows wrapping the staircase offer great views outside.

MMH: The foyer opens up into a big square, so I played with squares here with the way the stair carpet was banded. The foyer’s custom

Did you start fresh with furnishings? MMH: I had done the dining room and living room in their previous house, so we brought over the dining

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“The floor plan is wonderful , the circulation through the rooms is optimal , and it really captures what the clients wanted.”

—neil hauck

The kitchen’s perimeter cabinetry is in Benjamin Moore Nimbus, while the islands are in Benjamin Moore Gray Huskie.

The counters and backsplash are honed statuary marble, and the polished nickel faucet

by Kallista ties into the Fuse Lighting fixture in polished nickel and crackled glass.

Seated at the island are Vanguard counter stools in a Pollack ostrich vinyl.

Glass-paneled cabinets provide storage while maintaining the openness of the kitchen and the light-filled breakfast room.

A Visual Comfort polished nickel lantern hangs above the Tritter Feefer table, and the gray Vanguard chairs have seats in a taupe Holly Hunt vinyl with backs in a Lee Jofa fabric.

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room and made it a little more modern and fresh-looking with a striped grasscloth, a new rug from J.D. Staron and green Rogers & Goffigon sheers, which are one of my favorite window treatments. We did them with Zimmer + Rohde fret-patterned tape, and they’re really yummy— something about them just makes me crazy! I was able to bring some of the living room over as well. I reupholstered the sofa, left the chairs, reupholstered the wing chair and got a new coffee table because their old living room was small and narrow. Big, round side lamp tables were replaced with small, narrow ones, so we did things like that to fit the scale.

The living room has a bunch of different tones and textures, from the very cool bamboo silk J.D. Staron rug with shades of green and deeper forest green, to the velvet sofa and metallic chairs, to the pop of dark blue velvet on the X benches. It was a fun house to accessorize and pull together.

Any special requests for the kitchen? NH: They wanted it to function

well for everyday but also for entertaining. The circulation goes around the kitchen, so as you pass through between the kitchen and the family room, you don’t walk through the working part of the kitchen at any point. People can be working in the kitchen while a party is going on or during a family gathering. We designed it so the kitchen, breakfast room and family room are open to each other so there’s good flow between them, but they’re still distinctly defined spaces, as opposed to them being just one big room.

MMH: The wife is a big cook—every time I go there, there are always muffins!—so there were definitely certain things she wanted. She’s very educated and had already been through the process once before, so she knew what did and didn’t work for her. The size of the range was a bit of a challenge—I went ahead with a really big hood as opposed to creating little cabinets surrounding a smaller hood. There’s plenty of storage and a full pantry—it’s quite ideal.

How important was indoor/outdoor flow? NH: That was critical to the

design from the beginning. I like a lot of interaction between outdoors and indoors, so I try to provide opportunities for multiple rooms to go from inside to outside easily. I also did a conceptual layout of the patios.

MMH: Their home is walkable to town, and with three very active boys, their house has become the hangout of choice with all of the middle school boys in the area. The landscape designer, Anna Haines, is someone I’ve worked with for years, and she placed the pool and did the landscape design. Considering the house is new, it’s a nicely filled-out yard. Outdoor furnishings are a mix of Kingsley Bate and RH, and again it was about balancing traditional with transitional.

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left: In the master bedroom, the Vanguard light gray linen upholstered bed is studded with nickel nailheads, and the Redford House side tables are paired with hand-blown glass lamps from Visual Comfort. below: The master bath leads to a private terrace overlooking the side of the property. Carrara marble was selected for the flooring, counters and bath, and Farrow & Ball Blackened is on the walls. The shower boasts Rohl plumbing and an accent wall of white Thassos and Carrara by Tile America. opposite: A Hickory Chair chaise and a Kelly Wearstler marble stool beckon at the room’s entrance, and a capiz bowl chandelier from Oly is a delicate touch.

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“For me, it was about playing with light

throughout the entire house.”

—michelle morgan harrison

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The outdoor dining area is nestled in the corner of the rear patio with easy access to the family room and dining room. Kingsley Bate outdoor furniture and Visual Comfort exterior sconces are the ideal blend of traditional and transitional.

What do you love most? NH: The floor plan is wonderful, the circula-

the interiors reflect the architecture. The fact that it’s a traditional-style house that embraces a European sensibility yet has a modern point of view? That makes me happy. —interview by lauren fetterman

tion through the rooms is optimal, and it really captures what the clients wanted in terms of relationships and adjacencies between spaces, but also in terms of creating privacy where necessary, either within the house or with neighbors. It’s a handsome house.

MMH: I love how the finishing touches really complete this house.

They bring warmth and texture to what we did, and they perfectly punctuate it. There are organic textures mixed in throughout, from the shags to the woods, and there’s a bit of a hygge vibe to it. It’s a nice blend;

Resources: Architect: Neil Hauck Architects, Darien; 203-655-9340; neilhauckarchitects.com Interior designer: Morgan Harrison Home, New Canaan; 203-594-7875; morganharrisonhome.com Builder: Coastal Construction, Westport; 203-292-3210; ctcoastal.com Landscape designer: Anna Haines, Avant Gardens, Woodbury; avantgardensllc.com

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left: The home’s clapboard siding is enhanced by a veneer of native fieldstone covering the chimneys and the lower portion of the two-story foyer.

Multiple outdoor seating and entertaining spaces encourage both mingling and intimate conversations during parties and family gatherings.

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TRĂˆS BELLE A french-style garden exudes a resplendent joie de vivre

interview with rob wilber, wilber & king | phot o gr apher stacy bass ( photog raph s p. 83 + 92 by ne il l andino)

For a distinctly French look, Wilber opted to forgo foundation plantings and designed the native gravel driveway with Phoenicia Buff runner and curbing to lead directly to the front door. In the back, a cross-patterned courtyard connects the garden spaces.

“The best thing that can happen to me is when people pull up and say, ‘Wow, this is very french .’”

How long have you known these clients? I met them thirty years ago.

I designed and implemented the landscape for their first house, then their second house and now this house. They’ve always liked a garden with a French feel to it, with some formality but still like a country French chateau, and I’ve been able to deliver that for them. They’ve done this for all three of their gardens.

—rob wilber

What did this landscape look like before? It’s a waterfront property on

Long Island Sound, with views of the New York City skyline, on a long, skinny lot. It’s very narrow—I would say it’s five times as long as it is wide.

Did that present any challenges? It did in trying to maximize the views.

The house was new construction, and I was involved from the very beginning in the placement of the house. The location of the house was important, and how the house was built, so that you could get views of the water and then go outside into the garden and see beautiful views in a way that didn’t make you feel like you were in a tunnel. We wanted to expand the gardens out as wide as possible. Rather than looking at the narrowness of the property as a problem, we looked at it as an opportunity.

I love the approach to the home—it’s so unique. We did a very formal

oval hedgerow around the driveway for their last property, which matured and looked beautiful. We wanted to do something similar here, so we decided to have no landscaping in the front. We had the gravel driveway and pavement pattern go right up to the front door with this very straight line of linden trees, all pruned in squares. We designed the driveway, picked out the stone and installed it with the ribbon and medallions that we did for drainage, which is very French and has a European feel. From the road, you see that center line go right up to the front door, and on a sunny day, you can see right through the house and view the water from the street. The driveway is really telling the story here. If you go to old French chateaus in France and villas in Italy, that’s what you see—it’s very clean and goes up to the foundation of the house, which is very different than other houses around here.

How did the architecture of the home factor into the landscape design?

They worked in concert. In the beginning, we worked with the architect, Doug VanderHorn, on the placement of the house and siting it on the lot.

Throughout the process, we could see how the architecture of the home was developing, and because of the narrowness of the property, we had a feel that we were definitely going for in regards to the landscape. We designed and implemented all of the patio work and the outside stonework. As design patterns for the house developed, that then determined

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A sunken patio on the right offers privacy for a hot tub and adds another dimension to the level property. Existing mature trees near the water were incorporated into the new landscape.

PHOTOGRAPH BY NEIL LANDINO

this spread: A formal knot garden, sculpted from Korean boxwood, American boxwood and ‘Morris Midget’ boxwood, is a visual delight from the screened-in porch and veranda.

the materials selection on our part. Once they chose the brick and limestone combination for the house, we incorporated patterns in our pavement pattern to match. There was a lot of wood in one part of the house called the “barn,” so we wanted to get some of those “timber” feelings in the landscape somehow. That’s why we did an allée of wooden obelisks on the other side and balanced all the wood with the arbor built into the house. The architecture of the home is stunning, and I think the gardens go very well with it.

and we decided here to just do gravel and grass. It’s fairly simple, and it brings the theme of the gravel driveway going right up to the house and carries it through to the back. The paths line up well with the visual aspects of the house and the ways in which you enter the garden from the house, the screened-in porch and the patio.

One destination is the knot garden—what was the thought behind this?

The point was to bring the formality of a knot garden together with the informality of being a country estate. It’s a little bit more free-form, but it’s a true knot garden, where the plants go under one another, or appear to go under one another, and form knots and cross over. This actually has a third dimension to it, going underneath and on top and swirling, which is fun. It takes a bit more work to maintain, but in the end, it’s a true knot

The network of crisscrossing paths in the back is very striking.

The plan, in formal French gardens, plays a lot with geometric patterns.

It’s done with grass and gravel paths and/or very strict, defined hedgerows that have that geometric pattern to them. We did that in their last house, MAR/APR 2018

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“We wanted to expand the gardens out as wide as possible .”

—rob wilber

Modeled after directional road signs, the custom locust wood obelisks were designed and made

by Wilber & King.

Boxwood spheres line the raised cutting garden, which offers a variety of flowers to use and display in the house. The sculpture was brought over from the clients’ previous property.

Bursts of colorful blooms enhance the various shades of green found throughout the garden rooms.

Every angle on the property offers a pleasing sight and enchanting points of interest.

The various garden spaces frame views of the water and the harbor, and Long Island and New York City can be glimpsed in the distance as well.

above: A bluestone patio centered around a limestone gas fire pit offers both relaxation and sightseeing opportunities; bright Cosmos flowers adorn the landscape; boxwoods in the obelisk garden form a serpentine aisle down to the water. opposite: Drifts of blue lyme grass dot the conservation area.

“The drifts have a Scottish feel, like you’re in the Scottish Highlands, with clumps of grass and heather,” Wilber says.

garden, not a formal French garden, which we had in their other gardens; we just wanted to do something different. The informality of it is nice because we knew it would be strictly visual from the screened-in porch, and it worked out well.

house. Next is a true cutting garden with an array of flowers used yearround in the house. That’s getting into the informality of it, since there’s formality with the cross pattern of the grass paths and the dark foliage of the weigela.

The seating area at the end of the gravel paths must provide great views.

What are the plans for the obelisk garden? Eventually there will be roses

The clients wanted a fire pit area where they could get away from the house and enjoy the view up the harbor toward the yacht club as well as of New York City. You can see Long Island very well from there as well.

There’s a whole bed of pink ‘Knockout’ roses there that will eventually become one big buffer of flowers.

coming up through and in between the obelisks to create a bit of privacy.

We didn’t want a fence or hedge on the property, but we did want to break it up a bit, so it was about having these fingers of climbing roses working up. It’s going to take a few years. The serpentine line of this garden softens the straightness of it all and incorporates the feel of the boxwood. It was meant to deformalize the formality of it, if that makes sense!

How do the defined gardens opposite the patio relate to each other?

The first one was to again get that French feeling—we used ‘Wine and Roses’ weigela to play up the foliage factor. That bed is heavy on color and helps balance out the heaviness of the barn and brick on the left. It’s striking color-wise and keeps the center line focused on the center line of the lawn, and the sculpture is something we moved over from their other

How did you create a transition down to the water? This is a conserva-

tion area, and it gets flooded with saltwater. The blue lyme grass is very tolerant of being soaked, so that was a major grass we used down there, and we slowly naturalized it up the hill a little bit to add color. The area isn’t formal at all; it’s sort of these drifts and as naturalistic as possible, and

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“They like a garden with a French feel to it, with some formality but still like a country French chateau.”

PHOTOGRAPH BY NEIL LANDINO

—rob wilber

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that’s what we were required to do. Would we have done that normally?

Probably not. So it was a transition zone between the conservation area and the formality of the garden.

Overall, what planting palette did you use? What drove the decisions

were the type of plantings that you could prune and shape into certain shapes, ones that would still, long-term, give you that European feel.

In the front of the house, we have just beds of lavender—that’s a very, very French thing to do. In the springtime when you go by, you really do think you’re seeing a French chateau—it’s the lavender, the stone of the driveway going up to the front, the square pruned trees.

And how fortunate that the distant views work so seamlessly with what you’ve done here. The clients’ old home is actually the big stone house

next door. Because they bought the property next door, we were able to change some of the planting on their old property to help with this new property, and vice versa, to make sure that their old property was screened off from the new house. It was beneficial for everyone, and everyone got their privacy.

Any obstacles you needed to overcome? Since the property is so narrow,

you need tall, skinnier trees on the property line, with the drawback being that you have this row of “soldiers” going straight down. Fortunately, the detached garage and the generator shed on the right helped break that up and allowed us to plant a few larger plants along the property line. It was a challenge to get that to happen, to get the placement of the house and the garage right so that you could do that and not have this long tunnel.

Given your history with the clients, did they give you free reign?

They definitely let me go a bit. I think they’re very happy with it, and they get a lot of compliments. The best thing that can happen to me is when people pull up and say, “Wow, this is very French.” That means we achieved our goal. When you drive down the road, every house has this New England landscape feel to it, and this one is so different; it’s not the typical stone wall in the front. You can see trees lining driveways everywhere, but the fact that they’re pruned in squares, there’s no foundation planting, the rows of lavender—it’s just so different.

Do you have a favorite feature? I’m a big fan of the driveway. How many

The landscape design and the architecture of the home work in harmony to create a true French look and feel.

times have you been in Europe, walking down the street, and you see that? It makes it so a very simple part of a street or parking area there is beautiful. A driveway can be beautiful. —interview by lauren fetterman Resources: Landscape designer: Wilber & King, Stony Creek; 203-488-0201; wilberandking.com Residence architect: Douglas VanderHorn Architects, Greenwich; 203-622-7000; vanderhornarchitects.com General contractor: Significant Homes, LLC, New Canaan; 203-966-5700; significanthomesllc.com

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