New England Home Connecticut Spring 2021

Celebrating Fine Design, Architecture, and Building

CT Lighten Up!

Spring 2021

Display until August 2, 2021 nehomemag.com

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E L E I S H VA N B R E E M S H O M E WESTPORT • NANTUCKET

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EVBANTIQUES.COM

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Connecting You With Nature Connecticut, New York, Rhode Island, Boston and beyond

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Destination projects begin with a call 833-BY-DEANE Nantucket Martha’s Vineyard Cape Cod Hamptons Naples Palm Beach Ocean Reef Jackson Hole Kiawah Island Stratton Stowe Newport Watch Hill

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Custom cabinetry for every room Kitchens | Vanities | Wardrobes | Bars | Outdoor Kitchens Visit our design showroom in Stamford or online at deaneinc.com

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residential architecture of distinction

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Amy Andrews for

Hilton Interiors

Tel: 203.717.1005 | @hiltoninteriors | hilton-interiors.com

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132 Water Street, South Norwalk, CT 203-831-9000 203-831-9000 nukitchens.com

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Imagine the Possibilities…

Barn constructed on the homeowner’s property as a space for entertaining.

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Corners

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241 Westport Ave., Norwalk, CT 203-908-5833 | klarstudio.com

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karenwells@me.com | 203-273-7897 karenwellsdesign.com

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MICHAEL SMITH ARCHITECTS JIM FUHRMANN PHOTOGRAPHY

CUSTOM LIVING DEFINED

JIM FUHRMANN PHOTOGRAPHY

C E L E B R AT I N G O U R 2 0 T H A N N I V E R S A RY

For your own custom home project, contact Chris at chris@domusllc.com.

2017 WINNER OF THREE HOBI AWARDS WINNER, BEST OF HOUZZ 2017

C O N S T R U C T O R S , G R E E N S FA R M S , C T

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Spring 2021 |

VOLUME 12, ISSUE NO. 2

118 Features 118 Tidal Track

A meandering coastal creek sets the course for a renewed shoreline property.

Cover photograph by Jared Kuzia

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128 Sunshine Day

Designer Cindy Kramer breathes new life into a dark and drab colonial in Stonington.

136 This New Old House

A Fairfield home is so transformed, even its owners hardly recognize it as the house they’ve lived in for two decades.

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Spring 2021 |

VOLUME 12, ISSUE NO. 2

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72 Artistry Bright colors and bold strokes suffuse Sunil Howlader’s energetic paintings with emotion and a deeply felt sense of place.

78 Shop Visit Want to shop global artisans without venturing beyond New England? Make an appointment to explore Michael Trapp’s barn in Sharon.

88 The Scene A look back at Innovations in Outdoor Living.

Special Marketing Section 93 Portfolio of Fine Landscape Design & Outdoor Living

In Every Issue 28 Editor’s Note 86 Design Dispatches 158 Resources 158 Advertiser Index 160 Last Look

Here & There 39 Special Spaces Two accessory buildings act as onsite retreats for housebound families.

50 Smith on Style Get guest-ready with simple entry updates.

56 Outside Interest This Rowayton backyard with its century-old magnolia tree embraces public and private.

64 Things We Love These spirited alfresco furnishings and accessories will have you pining to get outside.

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One-of-a-kind. In so many ways.

Designer Lawrence Levy has a passion for making every project special. “That’s why I send my clients to Bender. They find everything they need right there to create their own unique spaces. Plus, Bender’s knowledgeable and eager showroom consultants go out of their way to bring your vision to life.

Chris O’Dell The O’Dell Group

No wonder designers and builders like Chris O’Dell collaborate with Bender. The result is always uniquely special.”

Visit us in person or go to BenderShowrooms.com to take a 3D tour of our Norwalk or New Haven showrooms.

Lawrence Levy Interior Designer

Hartford | New Haven | Norwalk | Waterbury decorative plumbing | kitchen & bath cabinetry | tile & stone © 2021 Bender Plumbing

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TO THE TRADE ONLY

Curated by Designers for Designers.

T: 203.358.0818 | wakefielddesigncenter.com | @wakefielddesign Wakefield_NEXT20_1.00_v2.indd 1

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Welcome

P.S.

S

pring in New England will test your patience. We suffer (or embrace, depending on your mindset) a series of false starts, and then one day, the world is greener than you ever imagined possible, and the air buzzes with birdsong and life. So, what to do as we wait it out? This is what works for me: I’m a spring baby, and I happily celebrate my entire birth month rather than just the one day, when there could well be a snowstorm.

I also plan my garden and enthusiastically start seeds indoors.

You’d think I’d make note of past successes, of which there are few, to properly focus my energy but, alas, no. I cheer every sprout—and mourn those that inevitably die from over-watering—in what has become my waiting-for-spring-during-spring ritual.

This year, the waiting is a bit more fraught, and the promise of spring brings far more than flowers. I suggest we all embrace new rituals—and go grand. Make this the year you break ground on the lush landscape of your dreams (don’t forget a veggie garden!) or plan the guest house that doubles as a home away from home…just steps from home. We’ve all become practiced at outdoor soirées, haven’t we? Prepare the patio or poolside for your first post-lockdown guests with a statement piece or jolt of joyful color. Whatever it is, immerse yourself in the planning, and before you know it, spring will really be here.

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The Kaleidoscope Project Designer Showhouse opens with a gala on May 15. In-person tours take place May 16 through June 6 at the Cornell Inn in Lenox, Massachusetts. Eighteen guest rooms will be reimagined by more than twenty BIPOC design professionals. New England Home is the event’s regional media sponsor.

Visit thekaleidoscopeproject.com.

When we learned our “Go Big” feature was the home of Karen “Duff” Duffy Lambros, we loved it even more. Once a fixture in ‘90s pop culture, the former MTV veejay shared a family photo taken at her country house. See her home on page tk.

JENNA TALBOTT @jennatalbott

In Print To subscribe to the magazine or to inquire about back issues, call 800-765-1225

Share in Christopher Spitzmiller’s spring rituals as detailed in his new book, A Year at Clove Brook Farm, cowritten by our own editor at large, Clinton Smith. New England Home hosts a virtual event with Clint and Christopher for Boston Design Week on May 4. Visit bostondesignweek.com for more information.

Online Explore luxury home design professionals, inspiration, and resources at nehomemag.com

Newsletter Sign up for our weekly curated home and style updates at nehomemag.com/newsletters

Social Media Interact with us at @nehomemagazine on Instagram + Pinterest + Facebook Portrait by Kelly Davidson

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Greenwich & Palm Beach 203-622-0000 | www.rinfretltd.com

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Connecticut’s Premier Lighting and Home Accessory Showroom 51 Railroad Ave. | West Haven, CT 06516 475-655-7557 | yourlightingsource.com

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nehomemag.com

CT

Editor in Chief

Jenna Talbott

jtalbott@nehomemag.com

Editor at Large

Clinton Smith

csmith@nehomemag.com Creative Director

Robert Lesser

rlesser@nehomemag.com Managing Editor

Erika Ayn Finch

efinch@nehomemag.com Market Editor

Lynda Simonton

lsimonton@nehomemag.com Copy Editor

Lisa H. Speidel

lspeidel@nehomemag.com Senior Contributing Editor

Paula M. Bodah

Contributing Editors

Karin Lidbeck Brent

klidbeck@nehomemag.com

Stacy Kunstel

skunstel@nehomemag.com

Kaitlin Madden

kmadden@nehomemag.com

Contributing Writers Alyssa Bird, Bob Curley, Tovah Martin, Meaghan O’Neill, Debra Judge Silber

Contributing Photographers Jane Beiles, Kindra Clineff, Tria Giovan, Jared Kuzia, Neil Landino, Laura Moss, Greg Premru, Emily Sidoti nnn

Editorial Submissions

Designers, architects, builders, and homeowners are invited to submit projects for editorial consideration. For information, e-mail e ­ dit@nehomemag. com.

Letters to the Editor

We’d love to hear from you! E-mail us at ­letters@nehomemag.com.

Upcoming Events

Are you planning an event that we can feature in our calendar? E-mail information to calendar@nehomemag. com.

Parties

1-888-THE-CLOSET closetandstorageconcepts.com/norwalk

HOBI

AWARD WINNER HOME BUILDING INDUSTRY AWARDS HBRA OF CONNECTICUT

We welcome photographs from designor architecture-related parties. Send high-resolution photos with information about the party and the people pictured to eediger@nehomemag.com.

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DECORATIVE PLUMBING & LIGHTING | VANITIES | CABINET & DOOR HARDWARE

SCHEDULE AN APPOINTMENT WITH US AND LET OUR DESIGN EXPERTS HELP YOU CREATE A SANCTUARY IN YOUR HOME.

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nehomemag.com

CT

Publisher

Kathy Bush-Dutton

kbushdutton@nehomemag.com Associate Publisher, New England Home Connecticut

Roberta Thomas Mancuso

rmancuso@nehomemag.com Sales Manager, New England Home Connecticut

Beth Emerich

bemerich@nehomemag.com Executive Sales Manager

Jill Korff

jkorff@nehomemag.com Sales Managers

Joyce Leavitt

jleavitt@nehomemag.com

Kim Sansoucy

ksansoucy@nehomemag.com Marketing Designer

Jared Ainscough

jainscough@nehomemag.com Production Manager

Glenn Sadin

gsadin@nehomemag.com Marketing Coordinator

Emily Ediger

eediger@nehomemag.com

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Subscriptions

To subscribe to New England Home ($19.95 for one year), New England Home Connecticut ($15.95 for one year), or for customer service, call 800-765-1225 or visit our website, nehomemag.com.

Advertising Information

To receive information about advertising in New England Home, please contact us at 800-609-5154, ext. 713, or info@nehomemag.com.

Editorial and Advertising Office 530 Harrison Ave., Suite 302 Boston, MA 02118 617-938-3991, 800-609-5154 nnn

New England Home Magazine, LLC Managing Partners

Adam Japko, Chris Legg Finance Manager

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kdebay@nehomemag.com Circulation Manager

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Newsstand Manager

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Media partners with:

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Architecture: John B. Murray Architects Photography: Francesco Lagnese

DISTINCTIVE HOMES, ADDITIONS & RENOVATIONS 203.966.0726

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CONNECTICUT • NEW YORK • NEW JERSEY

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KITCHENS

BATHROOMS

OFFICES

MUDROOMS

AND MORE

FRONT ROW KITCHENS 117 NEW CANAAN AVENUE | NORWALK, CT 06850 | 203.849.0302 | FRONTROWKITCHENS.COM

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Without Marco, it wouldn’t be Clarke.

Spend an hour at a Clarke Showroom and one thing is clear: your time with a Clarke Consultant is the most valuable part of your kitchen journey. While they’re not designers, these are the people designers call on when it comes to appliance recommendations. You won’t buy anything at Clarke, so there’s simply no pressure. What you can do is compare more Sub-Zero, Wolf and Cove models than anywhere in New England. And explore a living portfolio of kitchens created by the region’s top designers. You’ll leave inspired with new knowledge to make your appliance selections with confidence.

With a global luxury perspective informed by living in the Seychelles, Marco Barallon is perhaps the savviest appliance expert in the Northeast.

For more than 20 years, architects, designers and homeowners have relied on his expertise.

New England’s Official Showroom and Test Kitchen Boston & Milford, MA • South Norwalk, CT 800-842-5275 • clarkeliving.com

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Here&There D ESI G N D I SC OV E R I ES FRO M A RO U N D C O NNECTIC U T

This guest house has versatile indoor and outdoor spaces, including a covered patio for lounging close to the in-ground pool in front. Parapets keep the rooftop solar panels unobtrusive, maintaining the building’s clean, Scandinavian-inspired lines.

BREATHING SPACE Two accessory buildings act as onsite retreats for housebound families.

BY BOB CURLEY

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Here&There |

SPECIAL SPACES

SUN BELT Practicality can sometimes yield artistry, and a guest house designed by Sherman Building Design partners Michael Carpanzano and Lauren Neill on their Sherman property ticks a lot of usability boxes: pandemic-friendly quarters for visiting family, pool house, lake house, a couple’s date-night hideout,

CLOCKWISE FROM ABOVE: Ladder

stairs inset into a living area wall provide access to a loft bedroom.

Copious use of native stone for pathways and hardscaping allows the space to blend seamlessly with the exposed bedrock upon which the building resides. While the design in the main living space nods to the rustic setting with furnishings such as a fur-covered bench, Lucite and glass materials also play well with the ample natural light.

workshop, business office, and—not insignificantly—a platform for a rooftop solar-panel array. All of that within a zoning-limited 750 square feet.

The Scandinavian-inspired, offset A-frame guest house’s light wood exterior and clean lines make it seem ordinary from the side. Only when viewed from the front does the unconventional silhouette become apparent: the roof plane is pitched to accommodate the solar field that powers

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every property has a story it begins with a vision seventyacres.com

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Here&There |

SPECIAL SPACES The design team chose western red cedar for the interior and exterior walls due to its durability, economy, and availability during the pandemic, as well as its beautiful appearance. The vintage chairs were an auction find.

the guest house, an adjacent in-ground pool, and the main residence. Raised parapets make the solar panels appear flush to the roofline rather than an awkward appendage.

Bathed in natural light, Neill’s interior design emphasizes the casual, rustic setting with copious use of light wood and repur-

posed furniture. A project that began as a multifunctional alternative to siting solar panels in a field has played a critical role in the family’s pandemic-survival strategy.

“It’s important to stay connected to people, and now we have a place that everyone can safely enjoy,” says Carpanzano.

ARCHITECTURE AND BUILDER:

Michael Carpanzano, Sherman Building Design INTERIOR DESIGN: Lauren Neill, Sherman Building Design LANDSCAPE DESIGN: Sherman

Building Design and Cortina Gardens PHOTOGRAPHY: Emily Sidoti

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NEIL LANDINO

21 Bridge Square, Westport, CT 06880 t: 203.331.5578 f: 203.557.4321 jan@janhiltzinteriorsllc.com janhiltzinteriorsllc.com

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Here&There |

SPECIAL SPACES

ABOVE: An unassuming style and black stain help this barn fit in with its New Canaan neighbors, while aluminum-framed glass doors and square-edged eaves add a touch of modernity.

RIGHT: The bluestone patio includes dining space furnished with RH and a built-in spa.

BARN BREAK Detached barns are nothing unusual in the former farming community of New Canaan, but it’s safe to say that few include their own built-in spa and in-home gym.

Father-and-son architectural team James and Jim Schettino had previously expanded on the homeowners’ principal residence, which lacked for additional elbow room. They returned to conceive a detached structure based on a traditional barn design but with modern sensibilities like gunmetal-framed fifteen-foot-by-eight-foot floor-to-ceiling windows and doors. Roll-up doors in the back provide fresh air to the fitness room and also allow the barn to be converted into a garage—if desired—in the future.

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From simple to intricate designs, California Closets systems are custom designed specifically for you and the way you live.

C O N N E C T I C U T 565 Westport Ave, Norwalk 203.924.8444 W E S T C H E S T E R 16 Saw Mill River Rd, Hawthorne 914.592.1001 californiaclosets.com

@caliclosetsct

©2021 California Closet Company, Inc. All rights reserved. Each franchise independently owned and operated. CT HIC #0657205

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Here&There |

SPECIAL SPACES

LEFT: A pair of compact upstairs

bedrooms with pocket doors accommodate overnight guests while taking maximum advantage of the structure’s limited allowable footprint. BELOW: A comfortable living room and kitchen with an eat-in counter island are separated from the fitness area by sliding barn doors. In warm weather, the barn doors, glass sliders, and a roll-up garage door can all be opened to provide air circulation from the front of the space to the back.

Glass barn doors separate the living area and gym. The gabled aluminum roof is interrupted only by a small dormer, permitting stairway access to the two second-floor guest bedrooms. Nearly every inch of the town-permitted 1,000 square feet of interior space was put to work, with the living area extended to a bluestone patio that features an inviting spa.

With the owners’ college-age children back at home due to the pandemic, the extra space was particularly welcome for family dinners, movie nights, socially distanced cocktails, and other activities.

“We have four kids, and with them all at home, the barn saved us,” says owner Jen Richardson.

ARCHITECTURE: James and Jim Schettino, Schettino Architects INTERIOR DESIGN: Krista Fox, Krista Fox Interiors BUILDER: Vebi Gjyliqi, V&A

Construction PHOTOGRAPHY: Jane Beiles

EDITOR’S NOTE: For details, see Resources.

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WELLESLEY ~ EDGARTOWN DANGORDON.COM

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bespokedesigns.com • 203-557-6777

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KITCHEN AND BATH DESIGN 175 Post Road W, Westport, CT 06880 | 203-454-0032 | karenberkemeyerhome.com

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Here&There |

SMITH ON STYLE

FIRST IMPRESSIONS Get guest-ready with simple entry updates.

“Anybody home?

Add gravitas with a gracious door knocker.”

Editor at Large Clinton Smith helps you prep for your post-lockdown visitors.

Hexagon Door Knocker by P.E. Guerin, peguerin.com

“Classic or contemporary, stylish house numbers in unique finishes can give your home additional personality.”

ITC Bookman 1 and 3 House Numbers flank a 2 Century Gothic Number by Rocky Mountain Hardware, rockymountainhardware.com

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1. Green Blue by Farrow & Ball 2. Sea Star by Benjamin Moore 3. Amazing Gray

by Sherwin-Williams

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“Create a mood with a special paint color for your front door, maybe even the shutters.

Express your own personality, not your neighbor’s.” farrow-ball.com, benjaminmoore.com, sherwin-williams.com

“Make room for a friend with a place to perch—perfect for a tête-à-tête.”

Orlando Bench by JANUS et Cie, Elise Landscapes & Nursery, New Canaan, eliselandscapes.com

Center photo by Greg Premru. Produced by Karin Lidbeck Brent. Architecture: Draudt Design Architects.

Builder: Asher Nichols & Craftsmen. Landscape design: Matthew Cunningham Landscape Design

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photo By jane Beiles

Brooks & Falotico associates www.BrooksandFalotico.com 199 elm st. new canaan, ct

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203.966.8440

214 Brazilian ave. palm Beach, Fl

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Here&There |

SMITH ON STYLE

“Look to lighting for a fresh take on the popular modern farmhouse style.”

Touchdown LED 2-Light Stem-Mount Pendant by Barn Light Electric Company, barnlight.com

“Put your best foot forward with a fresh floor covering.”

Samode Fieldstone/Ivory Indoor/Outdoor Rug

by Annie Selke, annieselke.com

“Dress up your door.”

No. 6704 thumb latch by Nanz, nanz.com

“Think of incorporating color in a unique way.

A mailbox can provide a perfect pop.”

Steel Mail Box with Lock by Terrain, Westport, shopterrain.com

“Give your front porch the same pizazz as your living room with stylish outdoor seating.”

Outdoor Sheraton Armchair, Lars Bolander, Westport, larsbolander.com

“Nothing says ‘hello’ like pretty boxwoods flanking a door in pretty containers.”

Ocean Drive Planter by Oomph Home, Greenwich, oomphhome.com

“Just like the best interiors, great design is all about the mix. Blending classic and contemporary styles works outside, too.”

Smyth Sconce by Troy Lighting, Chloe Winston Lighting Design, Norwalk, chloewinstonlighting.com

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WALLS THAT SPEAK…

They have depth, they have interest, they have soul.

Venetian Plaster, Lime Plaster, Leafing, Glazing, Metal Inlay, and beyond.

H h

D E C O R A T I V E F I N I S H E S

Bring your walls to life, and give them something interesting to say.

( FA U X C O N C R E T E F I N I S H )

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HeidiHolzer.com @HeidiHolzerDesign 203-544-9471

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Here&There |

OUTSIDE INTEREST

A River Runs Through It

This Rowayton backyard with its century-old magnolia tree embraces public and private. BY MEAGHAN O’NEILL

T

he house on Five Mile River had terrific views across the water of a local park and charming downtown Rowayton village, but the homeowners wanted to maximize the long,

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narrow lot for outdoor living.

And while they wanted a certain amount of privacy, they were also acutely aware that their home was part of the visual landscape, too. The resulting

For a waterfront home in Rowayton, Kathryn Herman Design removed existing paving that was crowding the roots of a 150-year-old cucumber magnolia and sited a new pool to meet strict coastal requirements.

Hydrangea and boxwood along the foundation add shape and long-lasting color without a lot of fuss.

Photography by Neil Landino

3/16/21 4:09 PM

TISCHLER WINDOWS AND DOORS. UNCOMMON. UNCOMPROMISING.

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Here&There |

OUTSIDE INTEREST

“IT’S RARE TO HAVE TWO AWESOME SPECIMEN TREES, SO WE WERE REALLY LUCKY.” —Landscape architect Joe Werner plan for the outdoor spaces, by Kathryn Herman Design, was driven by both ideas.

“They wanted to be part of the community, which is a unique way of looking at things,” says landscape architect Joe Werner, director of operations at Kathryn Herman Design and lead on the project, “but it’s also very private.”

In the backyard, which leads to a private dock, the designers created a covered terrace and beautiful granite

ABOVE: An intricate linear path

across the back of the house adds visual interest and draws attention to the magnificent magnolia. LEFT: Having a fire feature was important to the homeowners; the design team fabricated one from reclaimed granite atop a bluestone terrace with Belgian block walls. Liriope and other plantings soften the stone.

fire feature, however, the existing pool needed to be replaced; its paving endangered the roots of a stunning, roughly 150-year-old cucumber magnolia, a rare survivor of 2012’s Hurricane Sandy.

Because it sat in a flood zone, though, the new pool would have to be sited within the footprint of the original one.

Working closely with the architect, engineer, and pool contractor, Werner and his design team devised an elegant solution that maintained the natural grade, could withstand a flood event, and, importantly, created a permeable surface surrounding the magnolia. As a bonus, the terraced pool coping now doubles as a

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3/16/21 4:09 PM

CLASSIC. MODERN. SOPHISTICATED. CONNECTICUT (860) 322-4228 // NANTUCKET (508) 257-0384 // olsontwombly.com

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Here&There OUTSIDE INTEREST

pretty seat wall.

To add layers of visual interest out front, the Kathryn Herman team redesigned the driveway as a curvilinear path that lends “a meandering, experiential quality” to the linear plot, says Werner.

Transplanting existing arborvitaes and rhododendrons along neighboring properties added screening, while new dogwoods and a deciduous beech hedge surrounding the parking area complement existing plantings. And while some trees were carefully removed, certain mature varieties, including white oaks, Norway maples, dogwoods, and a magnificent columnar beech specimen tree, were kept in place.

“This added nice age to the property, so it doesn’t feel like it’s all brand new,” explains Werner. “It’s rare to come onto a property and have two awesome specimen trees, so we were really lucky.”

EDITOR'S NOTE: For details, see Resources.

ABOVE: A stately columnar beech sits in the front yard of the roughly one-acre property. The design team rerouted the driveway to create a curvilinear entrance to the house and surrounded the parking area with a deciduous beech hedge.

LEFT: A cut through at the edge of the garage, which features fieldstone veneer cladding, leads to the backyard, while a curtain of Boston ivy delivers texture and red-orange foliage in the fall.

LANDSCAPE DESIGN: Joe Werner, Kathryn Herman Design ARCHITECTURE: Vicente-Burin

Architects BUILDER: ERI Building & Design

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3/16/21 4:09 PM

GARRETT WILSON BUILDERS

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Here&There |

THINGS WE LOVE

Fresh Air

These spirited alfresco furnishings and accessories will have you pining to get outside.

PRODUCED BY LYNDA SIMONTON

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Make an appointment to visit our Showrooms

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Here&There |

THINGS WE LOVE

Cirque Umbrella

by Santa Barbara Designs, Roy Mattson, roymattson.com

Outdoor Console Tray, Oomph, Greenwich, oomphhome.com Kantan Aluminum Lounge Chair, Suncloth Lace,

by Brown Jordan, Patio.com, Greenwich, patio.com Kent Lantern, Serena & Lily, Westport, serenaandlily.com

Bright Spot Cheerful, preppy, and colorful, these pieces add spunk to outdoor spaces.

Soleil L.A. Print by Trina Turk, Schumacher, New York, N.Y., fschumacher.com Outdoor Riviera Bar, Serena & Lily, Westport, serenaandlily.com

36" Hestan Outdoor Deluxe Grill with Double Side Burner, Aitoro Appliance, Westport, aitoro.com

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Building the Contemporary Home Building the Contemporary Home Phone: (203) 588-1556 Email: hello@yankeecustombuilders.com Phone: (203) 588-1556 hello@yankeecustombuilders.com 24 Field Point Rd Email: | Greenwich, CT 06830 Address: 24 Field Point Rd | Greenwich, CT 06830 Address: Website: www.yankeecustombuilders.com Website: www.yankeecustombuilders.com

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Here&There |

THINGS WE LOVE

Dragnet Lounge Chair

by JANUS et Cie, Elise Landscapes & Nursery, New Canaan, eliselandscapes.com

Chiquita Stool by JANUS et Cie, Elise Landscapes & Nursery, New Canaan, eliselandscapes.com Design with Light Lantern, Design Within Reach, Stamford and Westport, dwr.com

Love Birdbath

by Campania International, Oliver Nurseries & Design Associates, Fairfield, olivernurseries.com

Refined Naturals

Understated and elegant, these outdoor pieces will keep you feeling cool, calm, and collected even as temperatures soar.

Teak Circle Outdoor Dining Table with Teak EX 1 Outdoor Dining Chairs by Alain Van Havre for Ethnicraft, Mis en Scene, Woodbury, misenscenehome.com

Gondola 48” Round Dining Table

by McGuire, Wakefield Design Center, Stamford, wakefielddesigncenter.com Vetro Planters, RH, Greenwich, rh.com

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2020_NE_England_Home_Davco.pdf

1

2/25/20

4:49 PM

C

M

Y

CM

MY

CY

CMY

K

Charles Hilton Architects

203-324-6308 www.davenportcontracting.com

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203 966 8333 www.robertdeanarchitects.com

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3/12/21 4:37 PM

Here&There |

ARTISTRY

Natural-Born Artist

Bright colors and bold strokes suffuse Sunil Howlader’s energetic paintings with emotion and a deeply felt sense of place. BY PAULA M. BODAH

S

LEFT: Festival, 24"H x

30"W, oil on canvas.

BELOW: Meditation in

My Mind, 36"H x 48"W, mixed media.

unil Howlader can’t recall life before his compulsion to create art. He was barely past kindergarten age when he became fascinated with two photographs in one of his schoolbooks. The subjects of the photos, Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and Indian Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, didn’t mean much to the little boy, but the idea of setting down a lifelike image on paper spoke to him, and he did his best to copy what he saw.

This was the early 1970s, shortly after Bangladesh had won independence from Pakistan, and resources were scarce,

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Photography courtesy of the artist

3/16/21 3:53 PM

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Here&There |

ARTISTRY CLOCKWISE FROM BELOW LEFT: Crossing

the Shadows, 24"H x 48"W, mixed media.

Morning Light, 29"H x 21"W, acrylic.

The Image of Blossoms, 30"H x 40"W, oil.

Howlader, some things haven’t changed.

Vibrant color is still at the center of his art, and his bold, expressive, semiabstract work is rich with a sense of place, whether in reference to his native land or his adoptive country.

Some pieces, like his Festival series, recall his childhood and the Bengali New

especially in Howlader’s rural village.

If he wanted to make art, he would have to be resourceful. Pencils for drawing were available, but where was he to find the paints he needed?

He saw how his mother’s fingers turned yellow when she cooked with turmeric. With her permission, he mixed the spice with water to make a paste. He had also seen girls in his village using altha, a red dye, to color their feet and hands for special occasions. “I took it from my sister—

I didn’t tell her,” he confesses. Green beans, when mashed, provided a green liquid suitable for painting, he discovered. “So for me, the primary colors were yellow, red, and green,” he says.

It was a long journey from the copying of textbook pictures to the Master of Fine Arts from the University of Dhaka, Bangladesh, to International Artist in Residence at the Griffis Art Center in New London, to his current life as a resident of Mystic and a critically acclaimed artist, but for

Year celebrations that brought brightly decorated elephants to his village.

Others, such as his paintings of kayakers under the Mystic River Bascule Bridge, are a direct reflection of his life here.

“I paint what I see,” Howlader says.

But more than that, he adds, “I paint the essence of what I see.” Just as that little boy sought to do decades ago when he set about mixing his own paints.

EDITOR'S NOTE: Sunil Howlader is represented by Geary Gallery, Darien, gearygallery.com, Chase Young Gallery, Boston, chaseyounggallery.com, and Art 3 Gallery, Manchester, N.H., art3gallery.com. To see more of his work, visit sunilhowlader.com.

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THE FUTURE IS IN THE DETAILS...

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With convenient one-stop shopping, this one-of-a-kind combination supports our strong relationships with the most talented designers in the business.

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Here&There |

SHOP VISIT

Secret Stash

Want to shop global artisans without venturing beyond New England?

Make an appointment to explore Michael Trapp’s barn in Sharon. BY TOVAH MARTIN Meanwhile, Trapp’s annual winter escapades crisscrossing Northern Africa, the Middle East, Southeast Asia, and other far-flung destinations were originally slated as time out from working seven days a week.

“But every place I go, there’s always a shopping opportunity,” he pleads his own defense. As a result, when Trapp “goes fishing,” warehouses fill to overflowing.

That was Trapp’s dilemma ten years ago when he found a massive Dutch barn for sale in nearby Sharon. Not only was the cavernous former dairy barn begging to be stocked, it also boasted an adjacent thirty-by-100-foot concrete slab perfect for serving as a stone yard. Trapp made an offer, acquired the barn, and showered the oversized labyrinth of spaces with the love an old structure deserves.

CLOCKWISE FROM ABOVE: On the lower level of the barn, Michael Trapp’s cache of antique Greek oil jars in various sizes fills up the space.

In one of the side rooms, Vietnamese seventeenth- and eighteenth-century storage jars live above mounted and stacked plates, saucers, and tea bowls long ago salvaged from shipwrecks.

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M

ichael Trapp’s version of “vacation” would exhaust even the most fervent shopaholic. Since 1990, the famed interior and landscape designer has presided over his eponymous shop in West Cornwall, legendary for its eclectic and singular style.

Photography by Kindra Clineff

3/16/21 3:49 PM

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3/16/21 11:52 AM

Here&There |

SHOP VISIT

The barn’s loft holds French, Flemish, and Dutch Colonial furniture including cabinets, armoires, apothecaries, and tables. Durable Tuareg mats woven of leather and reed are stacked against the wall.

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21 ELM STREET NEW CANAAN, CONNECTICUT 203.972.0433 | thelinenshopct.com

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Here&There |

SHOP VISIT

Suddenly, those global “fishing trips” gained new importance, and now design lovers benefit from Trapp’s overdriven work ethic when shipping containers bursting with textiles, metalwork, tribal jewelry, colonial furniture, pottery, and every manner of curiosity known to mankind are unloaded into the barn in the wake of his expeditions. Even when the pandemic paused travel, overdue containers from

CLOCKWISE FROM ABOVE:

Trapp found a series of matching Ionic columns that once supported a porch in Springfield, Ohio; together with a pair of Doric supports, they line the central aisle leading to the stone yard. The climate-controlled rug room features a treasure trove of tribal rugs in a rainbow of colors. In the textile room, an apothecary cabinet organizes Anatolian- and Europeanwoven fabrics.

floor. Jewelry is displayed in cases, while curated collections of statuary, sculpture, terra-cotta, baskets, urns, oil jars, and you-name-it neatly line the aisles. “There’s something for everyone indoors or outside,” Trapp muses of his cache, “it’s like Aladdin’s cave.”

Open by appointment only. Call Michael Trapp’s office at 860-672-6098 or visit michaeltrapp.com for more information.

previous forays continued arriving. And customers can now make appointments to explore and purchase from the dizzying warren of temptations stored in the barn’s depths.

It’s mindboggling, for sure, but the array is also neatly organized. Every item is meticulously chronicled and categorically stored beside similar items from craftspeople in exotic locales. Linens are numbered, folded, and stacked into glass cabinets within climate-controlled rooms.

Dozens of colonial teak benches that could double as daybeds are lined up like pews to fill most of the two-story structure’s top

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3/16/21 3:49 PM

HUELSTER DESIGN STUDIO

Architecture - Landscape Architecture - Furniture Design

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The First Thing We Build Is Trust

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3/16/21 5:30 PM

LUXURY HOME DE SIGN SUMMIT

Live an In-Pers d on!

Register Now for the Early Bird Rate!

We are excited to bring back the Luxury Home Design Summit, presented by New England Home with Esteem Media (the team behind the Design Influencers Conference).

The Luxury Home Design Summit is an advanced educational and networking forum for owners and leaders of professional design businesses. Attendees will include architects, interior designers, landscape architects/designers, custom builders, contractors, showroom operators, suppliers who serve the luxury design market, and more. In addition to providing top tier industry networking opportunities, the mission of this 3-day event is to help attendees develop foundational market knowledge, business vision, and problem-solving skills by providing face-to-face access to leading experts on innovation, affluent consumers, effective leadership, and maximizing performance.

luxuryhomedesignsummit.com PRODUCED BY:

KEYNOTES: Bobby McAlpine Renowned Architect and Entrepreneur Madeline Stuart Celebrated Interior and Architectural Designer Andrew Davis Top Global Marketing Influencer and Speaker

Announcing New Dates!

October 26-28, 2021

Chatham, MA | Chatham Bars Inn Resort & Spa SPONSORED BY:

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SAVE THESE DATES!

HEATHER HARRIS

CELEBRATE NEW ENGLAND’S FINEST EMERGING DESIGN TALENT VIRTUALLY AND IN PERSON!

Landscape Design

GABRIELLE PITOCCO BOVE

Interior Design

Thursday, April 8 @ 4:00 PM Join us in a virtual toast as we recognize this year’s winners.

This webinar is free to attend: nehomemag.com/event/meet-5-under-40-winners-21

MIKA DURRELL

Interior Design

HEATHER SOUZA

Thursday, September 16 @ 6:00 PM

MEAGHAN MOYNAHAN

Specialty Design PRESENTING SPONSOR

FIVE

Tickets will be on sale in July, make sure to check our website for more details: nehomemag.com

S I G N AT U R E S P O N S O R S

AWARDS

#NEH5UNDER40 T R E AT- T O - G O SPONSOR

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0 5 New England Home’s

UNDER FORTY

Join us in person— yes, in person!— as we celebrate exceptional design at this year’s 5 under 40 Awards Gala. We’re excited to bring back our annual event with food, fun, and cocktails. Reconnect with your friends from the design community and party with the 5 Under 40 winners! You’ll be able to bid on their one-of-kind rugs with all proceeds going to Barakat, a charity that strengthens education and literacy in Central and South Asia.

Architecture

PHOTOGRAPHY SPONSOR

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3/17/21 2:37 PM

The Good Life |

DESIGN DISPATCHES

EDITED BY LYNDA SIMONTON

Notebook

‹‹ 100

Objects

ONGOING

A popular Westport Museum for History and Culture Virtual exhibit makes its digital debut. Learn about Event Westport’s past through art and artifacts. virtualhistorywestport.org

Virtual Event ›› Texture

+ Transparency

Design Influencers Connect

ONGOING

Enjoy one of Connecticut’s Virtual Event most noted architectural landmarks through a series of short visual tours of New Canaan’s Glass House created by filmmaker Michael Biondo and MYND Workshop. theglasshouse.org

APRIL 5–6 AND MAY 3–4

The Design Influencers Conference makes its digital debut in 2021 with free networking and content for design industry professionals. designinfluencersconference. com

‹‹ KUSAMA:

Cosmic Nature

APRIL 10–OCTOBER 31

The New York Botanical Gardens come alive through the creativity of famed Japanese artist Yayoi Kusama.

Advanced tickets required. nybg.org

›› Gertrude

Mind Your Matrix: Successful Plant Combinations to Create a Living Landscape

Jekyll Garden

‹‹

Do you have news to share with New England Home? Email Lynda Simonton at lsimonton@nehomemag.com.

EDITOR’S NOTE: These events were compiled during the evolving COVID-19 crisis and are subject to postponement or cancellation. We encourage you to call or visit the websites to confirm event details.

‹‹

Two local female-owned businesses have joined forces. The Brady Collection, founded by brand representative Maggie Brady, now includes Heidi Holzer’s Trowel & Paper wallcoverings company.

Trowel & Paper features luxurious wallcoverings that evolved from the custom treatments that Holzer and her team create.

Happy anniversary to D2 Interieurs. The Weston-based firm is celebrating a decade of designing beautiful spaces. Denise Davies’s company began with a small mudroom renovation and has expanded to include projects all over the country. The firm’s work has been published a remarkable seventy-five times. Cheers to the next decade!

Shopping in Fairfield County keeps getting better and better.

Eleish Van Breems Home is expanding once again, opening the first free-standing Verellen furniture shop in Connecticut.

In other showroom news, Wakefield Design Center now offers South + English, a witty mix of furnishings and accessories.

The company was started by industry veterans Palmer Linwood Smith and David Ebbetts, and it has quickly become a favorite of designers.

Bespoke Designs is on the move, but don’t worry, it’s not going far.

The custom invitation and stationary shop will stay in Westport’s Sconset Square, however, beginning in May, it will move from its second-floor space to a larger ground-level shop.

The company’s new Semi-Bespoke Collection features notecards, candles, and home accessories.

Style Scene

MAY–OCTOBER

Spend a day outdoors touring this historic garden designed

by Gertrude Jekyll and located on the grounds of The Glebe House Museum in Woodbury.

MAY 8

Robert Clyde Anderson teaches his matrix gardening technique at Hollister House Garden in Washington.

glebehousemuseum.org

hollisterhousegarden.org

The Kaleidoscope Project Designer Showhouse MAY 16–JUNE 6

The Cornell Inn, located in Lenox, Mass., will be transformed by more than twenty BIPOC designers.

Advanced tickets are encouraged. thekaleidoscopeproject.com

Digging Deeper: Change and Continuity—The Evolution of a Garden

Connecticut’s Historic Gardens Day

JUNE 6

Visit notable historic gardens throughout the state. The 2021 event will be a mix of videos and in-person tours.

Landscape designer Cindy Shumate shares how to add flow to your outdoor space at Prospect Gardens in Westport.

JUNE 27

cthistoricgardens.org

gardenconservancy.org/ open-days

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ivesfence.com |

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Here&There |

THE SCENE

EDITED BY EMILY EDIGER

Innovations in Outdoor Living In 2020, the entirety of our world shrunk to fit into our living space, driving many of us to seek ways to elevate our home’s outdoor areas.

We long for private escapes and chic spaces to entertain friends, even when the temperatures dip. Innovations in Outdoor Living featured a panel of professionals representing nearly every industry necessary to create the four-season oasis of your dreams.

The panelists discussed the best ways to tailor your landscape to your needs as well as trends to watch in 2021, including contemporary tech solutions and the reemergence of the home vegetable garden. Catch the presentation in its entirety on our website at nehomemag.com/ innovations-in-outdoor-living/.

Bill Charney of Advanced Home Audio

Charles Hilton of Charles Hilton Architects

Fred Albano of Albano Appliance & Service

Estuardo Juarez of Gault Stone & Landscape Supplies

Eva Chiamulera of Austin Ganim Landscape Design

John Carlson of Homefront Farmers

Stephen Elton of Brown Jordan

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Built to

ENDURE

Realizing client dreams for decades of healthy living

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HOME BUILDERS & REMODELERS ASSOCIATION OF FAIRFIELD COUNTY BUILDERS | REMODELERS | DESIGN PROFESSIONALS | VENDORS | SUBCONTRACTORS

EDUCATION OPPORTUNITIES

NETWORKING

The HBRA offers a variety of courses including OSHA10, Energy Codes, CAPS, and productivity and marketing seminars, among others. We are constantly adding to our course curriculum.

The HBRA provides numerous networking opportunities throughout the year at membership meetings, showcases, and at other specialty events. Our main goal is to help you build relationships.

ADVOCACY

401 K PROGRAM

Your 3-in-1 Membership includes lobbying efforts at the national and state levels to fight for laws and regulations favorable to the home building industry and to your business.

The HBRA Retirement Plan powered

by TAG Resources is now available and another benefit for HBRA members to utilize for their businesses.

AWARDS & RECOGNITION

DISCOUNTS & REBATES

Your membership to the HBRA enables you to be eligible for the HBRA Annual awards and the prestigious HOBI Awards.

The HBRA membership can pay for itself through a variety of discount and rebate programs and special member to member discounts and opportunities.

Visit www.buildfairfieldcounty.com to join the best builders, remodelers, subcontractors, and design specialists in Fairfield County.

Our association is made up of a diverse group of building industry professionals. 203-335-7008 | hbra@buildfairfieldcounty.com | www.buildfairfieldcounty.com

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SH O P LU XU RY

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Beth Krupa Interiors collaborates with artisans to create one-of-a-kind pieces, like this stunning chandelier made from found objects — tailored to your color palette and design style. Let your imagination soar!

Design Studio & Boutique 19 E. Elm Street Greenwich, CT 06830 203-890-9292 bethkrupainteriors.com

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FINE LANDSCAPE DESIGN & OUTDOOR LIVING

IMAGE COURTESY OF CHRISTENSEN LANDSCAPE SERVICES

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Fine Landscape Design & Outdoor Living

Advanced Home Audio, Inc.

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dvanced Home Audio, Inc., is the preeminent designer of sophisticated technology for our clients, helping to create the ultimate ambiance in your outdoor spaces. We believe that technology, when refined to be simple and intuitive, will enhance your life. Whether you are building a new home or are considering a spring upgrade to your outdoor living space, we would be happy to explore, with you, the exciting possibilities our systems and services provide.

Premium music, outdoor movies, fast and secure Wi-Fi, pool and spa control, landscape lighting, motorized insect screens, solar shades, heated spaces, and security cameras are all custom designed and installed by Advanced Home Audio. The latest technology can blend seamlessly with your home’s architecture and landscape, inspiring and defining your outdoor escape. We have a passion for bringing indoor comfort to outdoor living!

Our team has the highest level of expertise and a unique client-focused

approach. We will provide a simple “turn-key” solution to your backyard oasis for gatherings with family and friends this summer. Behind the scenes, our staff manages everything: the design, engineering, installation, and most important, white-glove service and support. We are available when you need us, day or night.

Advanced Home Audio serves Fairfield County, Westchester County, The Hamptons, New York City, and South Florida.

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➊ An outdoor oasis that features an eightysix-inch TV and music everywhere, with pool and spa control from a single smart phone app. ➋ This outdoor patio features great lighting, TV, and sound. ➌ This pool house oasis offers heated pool and spa controls with a waterfall, premium music, and solar shades in a backyard surrounded by landscape lighting. ➍ This covered patio features wrap-around motorized insect screens, an outdoor TV, music, Wi-Fi, lighting and fan control, and heaters to take the chill off in the evening hours.

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We provide a simple “turn-key” solution to your backyard oasis for gatherings with family and friends this summer.

120 Long Hill Cross Road Shelton, CT 06484 203-922-0051 advancedhomeaudio.com

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➊ Fine Landscape Design & Outdoor Living

Austin Ganim Landscape Design, LLC

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ustin Ganim Landscape Design offers a full range of design, installation, and maintenance services for properties of all sizes and styles. Our staff includes licensed landscape architects, horticulturalists, and landscape designers. Our designs, influenced by our backgrounds as well as hands-on experience, create a seamless transition between the home and garden.

Whether renovating an existing landscape or starting from scratch,

our design-build team assists clients through the entire process. After the initial meeting at your home to review the property and discuss your landscape needs to determine the necessary services, we will develop a custom landscape plan, review materials, and provide an estimate to implement the concept. Once the scope of work has been finalized, our skilled crews will install your landscape and hardscape in a timely manner, with the utmost of professionalism.

After installation, proper maintenance by trained professionals, who understand not only the appropriate pruning techniques for the specific plant material at your home but also the desired style, is essential to the garden’s success. AGLD offers a variety of lawn and landscape maintenance services, with organic and hybrid options, to keep your property looking its best.

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➊ The morning light captures the soft textures of the fountain grasses along the edge of the path between the pool and putting green. ➋ Drifts of colorful perennials and switchgrass attract a wide variety of butterflies and songbirds to this suburban meadow that softens the evergreen perimeter hedges. ➌ This outdoor living area incorporates a putting green into the garden beds, providing entertainment for family members of all ages. ➍ This symmetrical patio design incorporates a monochromatic blend of boardwalk brick with bluestone coping and bands, to complement the architectural style and materials of the home.

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Our goal is to create timeless landscapes that our clients are pleased with not only at completion but will enjoy for years to come.

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Austin Ganim Landscape Design, LLC Austin Ganim & Eva Chiamulera, ASLA, PLA 320 Kings Highway Cutoff Fairfield, CT 06824 203-333-2003 austinganimlandscapedesign.com

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Fine Landscape Design & Outdoor Living

Christensen Landscape Services

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hristensen Landscape Services is a full-service landscape firm widely recognized for innovative, sustainable design and quality installations. Their expertise enhances your home with a broad complement of landscape options. Because they offer complete hardscape capabilities, including stone masonry, concrete finishing, and on-site carpentry, there is virtually no limit to what they can create in your landscape. Whether

your plan calls for intricate stonework, native plantings, or a luxurious water feature, the professionals at Christensen Landscape Services take pride in providing quality and excellence.

The family-owned business has earned numerous awards for design, installation, and maintenance. Owner David Christensen and lead designer Donna Christensen work with a team of managers, designers, carpenters, masons, and certified landscape

gardening professionals who take great pride in upholding their tradition of building and maintaining beautiful, functional, and long-lasting gardens.

Their services include full garden and estate maintenance throughout New Haven, Middlesex, and Fairfield counties. They provide custom fertilization and weed control packages, and are a NOFA Certified Organic Landscape Supplier specializing in sustainable and organic landscape design and maintenance.

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Designers at Christensen enjoy working with many clients to enliven their landscapes by transforming forgotten outdoor areas into meaningful living spaces that invite interaction, nourishment, and reflection.

325 Reeds Gap Road Northford, CT 203-484-0424 christensenlandscape.com

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Fine Landscape Design & Outdoor Living

Connecticut Stone

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elebrating their 70th anniversary, Connecticut Stone is proud of the experience and knowledge we’ve built over the years and the relationships we’ve maintained with landscape architects, homeowners, and design professionals to help bring one-of-a-kind design projects to life.

With over 10,000 different stock products available, such as bluestone, granite pavers, wallstone,

aggregates, ThinStone, and more, our team of expert craftsmen can manufacture, fabricate, custom cut, and shape stone products for both residential and commercial projects.

Whether you’re looking for coping and treads for swimming pools and patios, building stone veneer for retaining walls, or to clad your home in natural stone, Connecticut Stone has the materials and expertise to bring your vision to fruition.

It doesn’t matter if you’re down the street or across the country, we take on any project, big or small.

If you’re in the area, stop by our 13,000-square-foot showroom or give us a call at 203-882-1000 to talk to one of our staff members.

No matter where you are, our team is here to help bring any landscape designer or landscape architect’s dream concept to life.

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➊ Architect Peter Cadoux and builder Hobbs, Inc., created a custom blend of square- and strip-cut building stone veneer for the main part of the home. ➋ For the fireplace, Beinfield Architecture, Clarity Home Interiors, and Artisan Builders used a custom blend of square cut veneer. The paving is sandblasted Jerusalem Grey Limestone. ➌ Created by architect Peter Cadoux and builder Hobbs, Inc., this exterior gourmet kitchen combines veneer with two-inch-thick Honed Absolute Black countertops. ➍ The Jerusalem Grey Sandblasted Limestone that was used for this pool coping and paving creates an anti-slip texture that stays cool in the summer months.

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This spring, updating outdoor living spaces will be at the top of a homeowner’s renovation wish list. They will be focusing on expanding to create a luxurious gathering place for guests.

Connecticut Stone 138 Woodmont Road Milford, CT 06460 203-882-1000 tyra@connecticutstone.com connecticutstone.com

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Fine Landscape Design & Outdoor Living

Freddy & Co. Fine Landscape Services

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reddy & Co. Fine Landscape Services has been making outdoor spaces more beautiful for more than twenty years. The company has earned a reputation throughout Fairfield County for quality landscape installation and maintenance, planting, and tending to the “softscape” around the home. Freddy & Co. Fine Landscape Services is also known for creating outdoor living spaces complemented with custom-designed fireplaces, cooking, and dining areas.

To complete the perfect entertainment setting, they design fences,

masonry walls, and driveways; install outdoor lighting; and create arbors, pergolas, and gazebos.

Freddy & Co. Fine Landscape Service’s work also includes traditional pool design and maintenance, and they are the only distributor of BioNova® allnatural swimming pools in Connecticut.

These swimming pools are 100 percent organic and have been widely accepted in Europe as the ideal standard. Because the water is filtered using plants and organic filtration systems, not chemicals, these pools are completely safe for the entire family. BioNova® pools can be

custom designed to meet any client’s design wishes. Existing pools can also be retrofitted to become chemical free.

Freddy & Co. Fine Landscape Services enhances, maintains, and preserves residences throughout every season. Freddy’s also has a seasonal nursery at the Fairfield location to supply clients with quality trees, shrubs, and plants.

Principal Freddy Miraballes has a proven history of working with homeowners and designers to create award-winning gardens and outdoor spaces that are beautiful and timeless.

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Freddy & Co. Fine Landscape Services 40 Belmont Street Fairfield, CT 06824 203-855-7854 freddyandco.net

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Fine Landscape Design & Outdoor Living

Gault Stone & Landscape Supplies

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ou First. This has been our philosophy for more than 155 years and is what has made Gault Stone & Landscape Supplies the premier choice for stone in New England. Our seasoned professionals, wide selection of both natural and manmade stone as well as personalized and consultative service is why

homeowners and the trade alike choose to partner with Gault for all of their stone needs.

From interiors and exterior countertops to fireplace surrounds, pool coping, and custom veneer stones, our state-of-the-art fabrication facility is where Old World craftsmanship meets modern-day technology. With

high-tech waterjet saws and stone splitters, as well as hand carvings done by our stone craftsmen, Gault is able to bring any project to life.

Whether you know exactly what you are looking for or need professional guidance, we are here to provide you with the perfect stone for your home.

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Gault Stone & Landscape Supplies 11 Ferry Lane West Westport, CT 06880 203-227-5181 gaultstone.com

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Fine Landscape Design & Outdoor Living

Homefront Farmers, LLC

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here’s something about growing vegetables that simplifies life, that literally “grounds” us.

Talk to most people about vegetable gardens and they’ll get nostalgic about their parents’ or their grandparents’ garden and wish they could have one of their own.

That’s where Homefront Farmers comes in. Homefront Farmers designs, builds, and maintains organic raisedbed vegetable gardens throughout Fairfield County. Each carefully crafted garden is designed to be healthy,

productive, and a beautiful enhancement to the owners’ property. “People want gardens for many reasons,” says John Carlson, founder of Homefront Farmers. “Our clients want to feed their families food that they know is grown in a healthy and sustainable way—food that’s free of chemicals. For other clients it’s about lifestyle, teaching their children where food comes from, and sharing the experience of watching it grow. And everyone raves about the homegrown taste of fresh organic vegetables picked from their

own backyards.”

The company has developed an enthusiastic following throughout Fairfield County. Many families who already have gardens also turn to Homefront to make them more productive. Through strategies like succession planting and season extension, most gardens in our area can be productive from March through November.

Beautifully crafted gardens, healthy, tasty food, and benefits to the environment…what’s not to love?

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➊ Gardens fit beautifully into the landscape, whether standing alone in an open yard, tucked into a sunny spot, or positioned for convenience right outside the kitchen. ➋ The garden designs often include cutting flowers, which beautify the garden and attract beneficial insects that keep vegetable plants healthy. ➌ Homefront Farmers has a crew of professional gardeners to care for any Fairfield or Westchester County garden. ➍➎ The garden maintenance service includes a personalized garden plan and weekly care and harvest visits. Here are spring and summer harvest baskets.

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Homefront Farmers, LLC 130 Picketts Ridge Rd. Redding, CT 06896 203-470-3655 homefrontfarmers.com

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Fine Landscape Design & Outdoor Living

InnerSpace Electronics, Inc.

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or decades InnerSpace Electronics has delivered innovative technology solutions and entertainment systems to enhance outdoor living. We believe an exterior space should reflect similar usability as interior spaces—a place to gather and enjoy the outdoors without sacrificing the ability to entertain.

From discreet, all-weather, highperformance landscape audio systems and outdoor televisions that output a brighter picture, reduce glare, and are engineered to handle extreme 108

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climate conditions, to motorized insect screens that enable an exterior porch to quickly transform into a screened-in porch, InnerSpace will design a system that brings lasting memories to a home. The possibilities are endless.

A well-lit landscape creates additional livable square footage, showcases beautifully landscaped properties, and offers an extra layer of home security. A lighting-control system, paired with energy-efficient fixtures, can be programmed to match your

lifestyle, and add hours of outdoor time to the day.

Exclusive partnerships with leading manufacturers allow us to specify the right products per project and budget. Our experience with the designbuild community in Fairfield County, coupled with our esteemed project management and engineering team, makes us effective collaborators, ensuring a project runs seamlessly— keeping the focus on delivering a one-of-a-kind, technology-driven outdoor livable environment.

PHOTO CREDIT: 1,2 PHILLIP ENNIS PRODUCTIONS; 3,4 JAMES MERRELL, ASHLEY KLINGER & CO.

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➋ Outdoor living zones combine natural elements with discreet technologies. ➌ Landscape lighting design and exterior fixtures can transform and enhance a property. ➍ Set and control pool temperature remotely from an app on any smart device.

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We believe an exterior space should reflect similar usability as interior spaces.

InnerSpace Electronics, Inc. 45 Kensico Drive Mount Kisco, NY 10549 914-937-9700 innerspaceelectronics.com

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Fine Landscape Design & Outdoor Living

James Doyle Design Associates

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ames Doyle Design Associates has a clear vision—to create beautiful and innovative landscapes that deliver world-class designs while enriching the lives of the people who use these outdoor spaces. We are as inspired by the future as we have been by the past.

As we move forward, we strive to create beautiful and sustainable solutions that blend a unique sense of place with a thorough knowledge of the principles

and practices of landscape architecture today.

We are always inspired by the land we work on, and we care about how our clients want to live and what really matters to them. We believe that full collaboration with our clients and all affiliated professionals is fundamental to the success of our projects. We are passionate about design, and we are known for our consistent, innova-

tive, and sustainable designs and our unwavering attention to detail in crafting. We are innovators with a sensitivity to our changing world.

We care about the world we live in, and our landscapes have the power to become our sanctuaries—to be uplifting, relaxing, and thought-provoking, with an appreciation for nature.

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Our work reflects the intersection of nature and art, the juxtaposition of the designed and the natural, with bold, contemporary, dynamic gestures in the form of structural plant material, innovative hardscaping, and an infusion of landscape art.

➊ A new pool was designed to complement the pool house that distinctly matches the Shingle-style architecture of the home. ➋ The tennis court was integrated into the landscape and softened with meadow grasses and cherry trees. ➌ A juxtaposition of natural plantings, sculpted hedging, and garden sculpture. ➍ An allée of hydrangea paniculata ‘Tardiva,’ Nepeta faassenii ‘Walker’s Low,’ and mounded boxwoods is a threshold between the different garden spaces.

125 Greenwich Ave. Greenwich, CT 06830 203-869-2900 JDDA.com

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Fine Landscape Design & Outdoor Living

Torrison Stone & Garden

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orrison Stone & Garden has been creating stunning outdoor living spaces for customers across Connecticut since 2000. As an award-winning design-build company, Torrison specializes in year-round hardscape and landscape design, installation, repair, and maintenance.

Through a network of trusted industry professionals, the company offers solutions to projects ranging in scope from lawn maintenance to complete landscape redesign and planning. Torrison sources the best-quality products in the

industry, including bluestone, travertine, and granite, plus a wide variety of pavers and natural stone veneer. Thousands of Connecticut homeowners have worked with Torrison to realize their inspired visions through the installation of stone patios, outdoor kitchens, fireplaces and firepits, poolscapes, custom gardens, and more!

The team at Torrison includes a licensed landscape architect for professional design, knowledgeable project managers, landscape and fine gardening experts, and stonemasons skilled in the

craft. A friendly office support staff is available to offer guidance, answer questions, and keep each project on track.

Torrison Stone & Garden has built a reputation for exceeding client expectations with quality work, excellent customer service, and knowledge of the latest industry trends. Before starting your next project, visit us on Main Street in Durham to experience our Outdoor Showroom and new indoor veneer showcase, Torrison Stone & Fire.

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➊ The Outdoor Showroom is a 10,000-square-foot showcase for project inspiration. The perfect blend of form and function, the space is also available to rent for private events. ➋ A bluestone patio and fireplace with granite veneer create a cozy outdoor living space. ➌ Destination: backyard!

A beautiful travertine pool surround offers unparalleled style and comfort. ➍ Torrison Garden expertly designs showstopping landscapes with year-round interest, color, and texture.

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From inspiration to installation, we offer complete outdoor living solutions for your next project!

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Torrison Stone & Garden 422 Main Street Durham, CT 0642 860-349-0119 torrisonstone.com

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ARCHITECTS

Design Lifestyles W

hether it is new construction, renovations or remodeling, choosing the right architect is vital to balance art and functionality in designing and creating your perfect lifestyle.

The architect is the one professional who has the education, training, and experience, to guide your vision through the entire design and construction process, helping you define what you want and helping you get the most for your construction dollar.

The Connecticut American Institute of Architects (AIACT) serves the architectural profession, encourages design excellence, and works to improve society through a concern for the quality of the built and natural environments. Our members commit themselves to the highest standards of practice and code of ethics that addresses responsibilities to the public, clients, the building industry, and the art and science of architecture.

Looking for an architect for your next project?

Visit AIACT.org for our FIND AN ARCHITECT directory with over 1,000 licensed architects in Connecticut.

2020 AIA CT Excellance Winner Joeb Moore & Partners Architects Photo Credit: David Sundberg/ESTO

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Join us on May 5th @ 4pm EST

Join noted ceramicist, tastemaker, and author Christopher Spitzmiller and New England Home Editor at Large Clinton Smith for a lively chat on the art of living well, both indoors and out!

Christopher’s new book, A Year at Clove Brook Farm, is both a visual delight, as well as a road map to great gardening, al fresco entertaining, interior and exterior decorating, and more. Join them as they discuss timely (and timeless!) farm-to-table ideas and inspiration— just in time for summer.

Register for this virtual event via: CLINTON SMITH

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CHRISTOPHER SPITZMILLER

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Reminiscent of lobster traps, these gabion walls invite creekside meanderings, especially as the days grow longer.

See story on page 118.

Photograph by Neil Landino

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Tidal Track

A meandering coastal creek sets the course for a renewed shoreline property.

Text by DEBRA JUDGE SILBER | Photography by NEIL LANDINO

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The structures and plantings in this Westport landscape mimic the flow of the tidal creek it borders while protecting the lawn from erosion and the creek from runoff. The design,

by Sandy Hook landscape architect Tara Vincenta, won a 2020 honor award from the Connecticut Chapter of the American Society of Landscape Architects.

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A contemporary water fountain alongside the front entrance features a scupper set in a Corten steel knee wall that echoes the home’s siding. The concrete pool is laid with gray river stone.

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ara Vincenta loves working on the edge. ¶ For the landscape architect, a childhood spent sailing on Long Island Sound has evolved into a knack for curating the balance between land and water. “I love marine environments—so designing them and designing for their sustainability is a passion of mine,” she says. She also relishes the puzzle of piecing together ecological features, clients’ needs, and coastal regulations in a seamless landscape. “When someone looks at the end result,” Vincenta says, “they have no idea of the baby steps it took to get there.”

The property on Westport’s Mill Creek was the perfect puzzle. Snug against the winding waterway, its failings included a decrepit driveway, a slope that hindered access to a tennis court alongside the house, predictable plantings, and erosion along the

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LEFT: A galvanized-steel cable railing and a resin additive that binds the gravel into a permeable, nonskid surface enhances safety, while limelight hydrangeas spill over a new walkway that provides a scenic approach to the tennis court.

RIGHT: The existing gravel driveway was realigned and resurfaced. Deerand shade-tolerant native plants, including fern, astilbe, lady’s mantle, and andromeda, line its edges.

shore. Having remodeled the contemporary-styled house, the homeowners sought to remedy those problems as well as enhance the view from their new windows. “They wanted a landscape that was beautiful to look at from inside, with that spectacular view of the creek and landscape below,” Vincenta says. “And they also wanted to be able to engage with the landscape.”

Vincenta could see why. “When I walked onto the site, I was truly captivated by the marshlands,” she recalls. “It became the inspiration for the design of the property.”

She began by extending the house into the landscape, using Corten steel walls to tame the slope between the house and the tennis court. A resin-reinforced gravel path now cuts across the slope with

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“When I walked onto the site, I was truly captivated by the marshlands. It became the inspiration for the design of the property.”

—LANDSCAPE ARCHITECT TARA VINCENTA

steps leading safely downward among lush beds of hydrangea, echinacea, and fountain grass. Alongside the front entrance, a new, industrial-styled water feature greets arrivals with the soothing music of trickling water.

In back, a crumbling stone wall and unsightly chain-link fence between an existing pool and the shoreline was

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CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: The steel-and-

replaced with a dry-stack wall that filters lawn contaminants and checks erosion, and a lightweight galvanized-steel fence that meets pool codes and confines the clients’ two rambunctious dogs. Tall grasses camouflage the fence at ground level, preserving the view from the house above while providing privacy from kayakers skimming up and down the waterway.

At the yard’s edge, a gravel walkway invites a stroll along the sinuous curves of the creek. To define the path and reduce the rate of runoff from the lawn, Vincenta used gabion walls—stone-filled steel cages originally engineered to stabilize slopes—that are illuminated at night. Though not necessarily native to New England, their basket-like forms

stone structure of gabion walls seems right at home in the coastal New England environment; mounds of hyssop and twilight aster add color along their curves.

Between the path and the creek, a mix of salt-tolerant native plants provide interest, while taller grasses, strategically placed, form a privacy screen between the creek and pool. The introduction of native plants draws butterflies, dragonflies, and a variety of birds, like this goldfinch, to the yard.

LANDSCAPE DESIGN: Tara M. Vincenta,

Artemis Landscape Architects LANDSCAPE CONTRACTOR: Luppino

Landscaping and Masonry ARCHITECTURE: Tom Murdough, Murdough

Design

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“It’s one thing to have a big vision for a property, but it’s being able to create details to implement those ideas that makes or breaks a project.”

—TARA VINCENTA

call to mind old-time lobster traps, weighted down with stones harvested from one of the region’s rocky beaches. “They’re a great reflection not only of a place, but the steel detailing speaks to the architecture [of the house],” says Vincenta. “From above, they become a sculptural element that’s reflective of the marshlands.”

The walls’ unique construction is also a reminder that the solution

“I was mindful of creating scenes that were soft and billowing, that the light would play off of,” Vincenta says, describing her approach to the site. “You want the eye to go to the greater landscape beyond.”

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to any landscape puzzle lies in each individual piece. “It’s one thing to have a big vision for a property, but it’s being able to create details to implement those ideas that makes or breaks a project,” Vincenta says. “On a plan, those walls could be any type of curved shape. But how well those curved walls are executed will determine how well they stand the test of time.”

EDITOR’S NOTE: For details, see Resources.

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sunshine day DESIGNER CINDY KRAMER BREATHES NEW LIFE INTO A DARK AND DRAB COLONIAL IN STONINGTON. Text by ALYSSA BIRD Photography by JARED KUZIA

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Located off the entry is a spacious room containing this sitting area as well as a formal dining space. Builder Paul Kezer added architectural interest through new moldings and wainscotting, while a grasscloth ceiling, Serena & Lily wicker chairs, and two Fibreworks jute rugs lend texture and warmth.

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A

s any designer will attest, making a client feel at home is the ultimate goal of any project. In the case of designer Cindy Kramer, her client—a Connecticut native who had recently moved back to the state after living in Florida for two decades—was unhappy with the new Stonington residence she shared with her teenage daughter. “The existing interiors were very traditional, with dark colors and deep wood tones,” says Kramer. “It was lacking the energetic spirit of the homeowner, who wanted a house that matched her personality.” What began as a light refresh of the dining

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CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: The sitting

area serves as a multifunctional space, perfect for greeting guests, reading, playing games, or enjoying after-dinner drinks. Kramer selected Schumacher’s Huntington Gardens as the jumping-off point for the room; the coral fabric is by Perennials, and the light fixture is

by Aerin. The designer refreshed an older sideboard with a glossy coat of Farrow & Ball Dimity, the same shade of paint that’s on the walls.

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Kramer carried the dining room’s natural woven elements into a newly constructed breakfast porch off the kitchen. A porcelain tile floor adds to the indoor-outdoor aesthetic the designer had in mind, while a custom table and chandelier, both from Dunes and Duchess, and a built-in banquette make for the perfect casual dining spot.

Grasscloth, wicker, jute, and linens round out what Kramer calls a “New EnglandFloridian vibe.” room quickly escalated to a multi-space renovation and addition that focused on the colonial’s main entertaining areas.

At the top of the client’s wish list was a new dining room. “The house was built in 2006 and simply lacked character,” recalls the Stonington-based designer. To remedy this, Kramer worked with local firm Jeremy Hill Builders to add architectural interest in the form of ceiling and window moldings and wainscotting.

As a jumping-off point for a “more friendly and comfortable” dining room, the designer selected a cheery floral Schumacher print to adorn a pair of antique wing chairs holding court at either end of the table. On the opposite side of the room is a cozy sitting area, which can be used for everything from greeting guests (the room is located off the entry), to gathering for after-dinner drinks, to curling up with a book.

“This client isn’t afraid of color and pattern, so I gave her a pretty palette that feels light and bright in this sun-filled room,” says Kramer. Grasscloth, wicker, jute, and linens round out the “New

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“I just love how springy and summery this home feels now.” —INTERIOR DESIGNER CINDY KR AMER INTERIOR DESIGN:

Cindy Kramer, C. Kramer Interiors BUILDER: Paul Kezer,

Jeremy Hill Builders

England−Floridian vibe,” as Kramer calls it. “It’s a bit coastal, which is not only a nod to Florida, where the client lived for so long, but to the water in and around Stonington.”

Next up, Kramer worked with the client to reimagine the dated kitchen, designing custom cabinetry with a glass-front built-in that “recalls a piece of furniture,” says the designer. The new white cabinetry complements classic subway tiles, durable quartz countertops that resemble marble, and antique brass fixtures.

And off the kitchen is a newly constructed breakfast porch, where the homeowner enjoys casual meals. “I wanted this room to relate to the dining room, with its springy

colors and natural textures,” says Kramer of the porch. An abundance of windows makes for an indoor-outdoor experience.

Here, the grasscloth from the dining room ceiling appears on the walls, and white coastal-inspired paneling adorns the ceiling.

A large pedestal table, built-in banquette, and extra chairs allow for various seating options.

Indeed, the refreshed spaces are both functional and beautiful. “I just love how springy and summery this home feels now,” says Kramer. “Even in the dead of a New England winter, it’s bright, happy, and inviting.”

EDITOR’S NOTE: For details, see Resources.

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In the chic kitchen, Kramer sourced the Chapman & Myers pendants from Circa Lighting, and the barstools are by Serena & Lily. FACING PAGE: Kramer gutted the existing kitchen and installed new custom cabinetry, subway tile, quartz countertops, and antique brass fixtures.

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This New Old House

Landscape architect Neil Brunetti completely reworked the backyard, creating a series of relaxing and entertaining spaces linked by stonework, fencing, and low-maintenance plants in a variety of shapes and textures.

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A Fairfield home is so transformed, even its owners hardly recognize it as the house they’ve lived in for two decades.

Text by PAULA M. BODAH Photography by LAURA MOSS Styled by ANNA MOLVIK

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BELOW: Architect Michael Smith brought symmetry and consistency to the front of the house with simple two-over-two windows flanked with shutters.

Removing the porch railing exposed the attractive stonework skirting; Brunetti replaced the overgrown shrubbery with dwarf boxwoods and low-growing perennials. FACING PAGE: Paneling inset with shiplap adds a casual note to the dramatically tall foyer. The stair’s spindles wear Benjamin Moore’s Bachelor Blue, a color that repeats throughout the home.

B

ack in the early 2000s, their new house was just what the couple wanted. The two-story dwelling combined gabled and hipped rooflines and sported a columned front portico, a generous porch, and the asymmetrical

combination of arched and rectangular windows that had a moment of popularity as the century was turning. And its location, a pretty and spacious lot in a Fairfield neighborhood, made for a fine place to raise a family.

Time passed, as it does, and the children grew into adulthood and moved on to lives of their own. The husband and wife took a hard look at their home and realized it could use an update.

While some couples might have chosen to downsize, this pair liked the idea of keeping the house that held so many happy memories. “We wanted it to feel fresher and more modern,” the wife says.

A new look, chic and elegant but casual and comfortable, was really all the house needed to suit the next phase of the couple’s life, which the wife confesses she hopes includes entertaining grandchildren in the not too distant future.

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Interior designer Christine McGovern went for plenty of texture in the living room, starting with the abstract rug the homeowners already had and adding a crushed velvet sofa, Phillip Jeffries jute wallpaper, and draperies of linen by Anna French for Thibaut.

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“I

’m always thinking about ceilings. They tend to get overlooked, but there are so many design possibilities.”

— ARCHITECT MICHAEL SMITH

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Of course, when it comes to home renovations, nothing is ever as simple as it sounds. The overhaul turned into a ten-month project that involved gutting the inside almost entirely. “We replaced every surface, every door, every piece of trim,” says architect Michael Smith.

The essential structure and footprint are the same, but the changes wrought

by Smith, along with interior designer Christine McGovern and landscape architect Neil Brunetti, are so profound, it almost seems like magic.

Outside, Smith introduced simplicity

and symmetry for a timeless farmhouse look. He swapped out fussy windows with simple two-over-twos flanked by shutters.

An Alaskan cedar roof will weather to a pleasing gray to complement the new white siding. The only additions are the cupolatopped detached garage and a sitting room that takes advantage of the sunny rear of the house.

The front door opens to a double-height foyer that might be called grand if not for a certain playfulness. A dazzling Shakúff chandelier of glass cylinders hangs from a brass herringbone-patterned plate

Simple kitchen cabinets sport polished white-bronze pulls to match the trim of the range hood. Pendant lights from Circa Lighting hang above an island topped with leathered white quartzite. FACING PAGE: The jewel box of a dining room wows with its glossy blue ceiling, a live-edge walnut table, and OCHRE’s Arctic Pear chandelier.

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ARCHITECTURE: Michael Smith,

Michael Smith Architects INTERIOR DESIGN: Christine McGovern, Christine McGovern Design BUILDER: Chris Shea, Domus

Constructors LANDSCAPE DESIGN: Neil Brunetti,

Brunetti Design Group

that echoes the wood floor below. Smith outfitted the high walls with square panels inset with horizontal shiplap.

The foyer holds the first glimpse of the blue hue that carries through the design.

“The starting point for the palette came from the kitchen’s Lacanche French-blue range,” McGovern explains. Here in the

foyer, it manifests in the staircase; McGovern called on decorative painter Deidre Mannix, who cerused the columns of the railing with black stain then rubbed Benjamin Moore Bachelor Blue into the grain of the wood.

The same blue makes an appearance again in the dining room, this time in the

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CLOCKWISE FROM LEFT: The Galahad chandelier from Currey & Company, a stunner of sea-green glass disks of varying sizes, hangs in the main bedroom above a custom platform bed by Baker, while Vanguard club chairs upholstered in chenille flank the fireplace. A hallway is outfitted in Phillip Jeffries Husk wallcovering in Iris Root. The main bathroom’s shower is clad in Fior Di Bosco quartzite.

stunning high-gloss finish on the ceiling, a design triumph with its X-spoke coffers and shiplap. “I’m always thinking about ceilings,” Smith says. “They tend to get overlooked, but there are so many design possibilities.” In fact, every room has a unique ceiling treatment, from the relatively simple cedar of the sunroom to

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The sunroom is everybody’s favorite indoor spot, tailor-made for relaxing by the fire with a cocktail or a good book. Summer Classics woven sofas face off over a low coffee table crafted of reclaimed Russian oak.

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the deep coffers of the main bedroom.

The interior design plan, which both the homeowner and McGovern say was a close collaboration, emphasizes texture—a crushed velvet sofa in the living room (in that same luscious French blue), Phillip Jeffries silk and abaca wallcovering in the main bedroom, the rustic live edge of the dining room table—with furniture

and fixtures in a mix of classic and contemporary style.

The design team and their clients agree the end result is a true transformation.

“It really looks like a different house,” the homeowner reports. Even her kids, she says with a laugh, can hardly believe this beautiful “new” house is their childhood home.

EDITOR’S NOTE: For details, see Resources.

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A walkway and stairs of Hispania granite run between the pergolacovered dining area and the swimming pool.

FAR LEFT: A walkway between the house and the garage leads through the arched gate to the backyard swimming pool.

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GO BIG

When a former MTV veejay enlists her childhood friend to decorate her country house, they prove traditional can be fearless.

Homeowner Karen Duffy Lambros refers to her favorite room, swathed in a Schumacher fern pattern, as the Jungle Room.

“I do my video calls from there, especially on dark winter days,” she says. FACING PAGE: In this top-floor guest room, interior designer Gregory Shano embraced Brunschwig & Fils On Point toile print—it shows up on the chair, wallpaper, and Roman shades.

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Actress, author, and MTV veejay (1991–1996) Karen Duffy Lambros— better known as Duff to MTV fans— and interior designer Gregory Shano have been friends since he was eleven, she was fourteen, and they were both growing up in New Jersey. “I have probably had more fun and laughs with Greg than just about anyone else on Earth,” says Lambros. Three years ago, when the timing felt right to refresh the Litchfield County country home Lambros and her husband, John, inherited from John’s father when he passed away in 2001, she immediately reached out to Shano, who had designed the couple’s colorful Manhattan apartment a few years earlier.

The home, built in 1790 and part of the Lambros family since the 1980s, sits on 200 acres and boasts a working farm with six Belted Galloway cows (“bovine lawn ornaments,” laughs Lambros) and two rescued donkeys. Shano, who has a background in fashion and a passion

From the living room windows, Lambros likes to watch the sun rise over the barn and pasture. The Persian rug on the floor was gifted to her in-laws (she and her husband inherited the home from her father-in-law) on their wedding day.

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ABOVE: The home was built in 1790, but the wings were added in the 1920s. BELOW: House guests request their favorite rooms when spending the night on the farm. FACING PAGE: A portrait of homeowner John Lambros’s great-great-grandfather, who was a

patron of sculptor Auguste Rodin, hangs in the dining room. (This one is a replica—Spain’s Museo Nacional del Prado houses the original, painted by Joaquin Sorolla.)

for quirky farmhouses, says he didn’t want to erase the home’s past—not even the creaky stairs and floorboards. Instead, he embraced the existing collection of antiques and oddly shaped rooms with fabric and wallpaper that honor the history of the house.

The first room to receive an update belongs to the couple’s seventeen-year-old son, Jack. With the goal of making each room in the rambling layout serve at least two purposes, Shano turned Jack’s room into a young gentleman’s retreat that could also be used as a guest room in a pinch.

It’s hard to imagine a scenario when Jack would need to give up his space in a house that boasts seven guest rooms, but when your circle of friends includes director Wes Anderson, who showed up in 2009 to record voices with the cast and crew of Fantastic

“FOR ME, THERE CAN NEVER BE ENOUGH PATTERN IN A ROOM.” —INTERIOR DESIGNER GREGORY SHANO

Mr. Fox, needing extra beds isn’t unusual.

(Coincidentally, Anderson slept in Jack’s room.)

Inspired by cozy New England inns, Shano sought to turn each guest room into its own story. He made a point of spending the night in each one in order to fully understand the personality of the space. There’s Lambros’s favorite, dubbed the Jungle Room, where Shano used Schumacher’s Les Fougeres fabric on the bed, walls, chair, and Roman shades for a cocoon affect. Lambros admits that’s where she FaceTimes friends

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these days. (Before it was deemed the Jungle Room, it served as George Clooney’s bedroom when Clooney voiced Mr. Fox in the aforementioned film.) In a closet-sized room that Lambros anticipated would only ever be used for naps, Shano pulled elements of color from Sanderson Design Group’s equestrian-themed Tally Ho wallpaper.

He painted the cornice and casings highgloss black to mimic the riders’ top hats, while the red twin bed echoes their blazers.

“For me, there can never be enough pattern in a room,” says Shano. In spite of its size, visiting friends frequently request it.

But the room that just might be the showstopper—for now anyway: the home’s

The first room to receive a makeover belongs to seventeen-year-old Jack Lambros, who helped choose the Ralph Lauren wallpaper. FACING PAGE: The colors in Sanderson Design Group’s Tally Ho wallpaper informed this small guest room, which only has space for a twin bed and a Scalamandre reading chair upholstered in Jane Churchill.

“It’s one of my favorite rooms because there’s lots of interest for the eye,” says Shano.

redesign is still in progress—sits on the top floor. The house’s dormers resulted in sharp angles that Shano sought to blur using a busy Brunschwig & Fils red toile pattern.

The same pattern appears on the shades that adorn the room’s tiny window, and it also covers an RH chair. A candy-apple-red wool carpet from ABC Carpet & Home ties it all together. “If you’re going to hire someone to do a big job, it’s important to go for it,” says Lambros. “I didn’t want restrained. I wanted fearless.”

INTERIOR DESIGN:

Gregory Shano, Gregory Shano Interiors

EDITOR’S NOTE: For details, see Resources.

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Resources |

A GUIDE TO THE PROFESSIONALS IN THIS

ISSUE’S FEATURED PROJECTS

BREATHING SPACE SUN BELT PAGES 39–42 Architecture, builder, interior millwork, kitchen design, and lighting design: Michael Carpanzano, Sherman Building Design, Sherman, 860-354-4411, shermanbuildingdesign.com Interior design: Lauren Neill, Sherman Building Design, Sherman, 860-354-4411, shermanbuildingdesign.com Cabinetry: Whitman Wood Products, New Milford, 860-355-3324, whitmanwood.com Audio/video: Cagenio Home Technology, Roxbury, 860-619-2400, cagenio.com Landscape design and contractor: Sherman Building Design, Sherman, 860-354-4411, shermanbuildingdesign.com; Cortina Gardens, New Milford, 860-354-8120 Swimming pool: Precision Pool & Aquatics, New Milford, 203-998-6399, precisionpoolandaquatics.com Masonry: Two Brothers Mason, Sherman, 860-350-5754 BARN BREAK PAGES 44–46 Architecture: Jim Schettino and James Schettino, James Schettino Architects, New Canaan, 203-966-5552, schettinoarchitects.com Interior design: Krista Fox, Krista Fox Interiors, New Canaan, 203-912-3103, kristafoxinteriors.com Builder: Vebi Gjyliqi, V&A Construction, Darien, 203-667-1707, vnaconstruction.com A RIVER RUNS THROUGH IT PAGES 56–60 Architecture: Vicente-Burin Architects, Fairfield, 203-319-9571, vbarchitect.com Builder: ERI Building & Design, Darien, 203-655-6952, eribuild.com Landscape design: Joe Werner, Kathryn Herman Design, New Canaan, 203-966-1221, kathrynhermandesign.com Landscape contractor: Q. alba, Greenwich, 203-321-5611 Swimming pool: Meehan & Ramos Pools, Stratford, 203-378-8900, meehanramos.com Civil engineer: McChord Engineering Associates, Wilton, 203-834-0569 Color consultation: Eve Ashcraft Studio, New York, N.Y., 212-966-1506, eveashcraft.com Arborist: John Pagano, Bartlett Tree Experts, Stamford, 203-327-9378, bartlett.com TIDAL TRACK PAGES 118–127 Architecture: Tom Murdough, Murdough

Advertiser Index 5 Under 40 85

Design, Concord, Mass., 978-341-4100, murdoughdesign.com Landscape designer: Tara M. Vincenta, Artemis Landscape Architects, Sandy Hook, 203-683-1808, artemisla.com Landscape contractor: Luppino Landscaping and Masonry, Mount Kisco, N.Y., 914-666-7028, luppinolm.com

Artemis Landscape Architects 2–3

Paving: Tri State Flexi Pave, Danbury, 203-628-7613

Austin Ganim Landscape Design, LLC 96–97

SUNSHINE DAY PAGES 128–135 Interior design: Cindy Kramer, C. Kramer Interiors, Stonington, 860-287-2927, ckramerinteriors.com Builder: Paul Kezer, Jeremy Hill Builders, Stonington, 860-984-4576 Interior millwork: Jeremy Hill Builders, Stonington, 860-984-4576 Cabinetry: Omega Cabinetry, Jasper, Ind., 800-328-8531, omegacabinetry.com Kitchen design: C. Kramer Interiors, Stonington, 860-287-2927, ckramerinteriors.com Landscape contractor: Christie Landscaping, North Stonington, 860-5358313, christielandscaping.wordpress.com Decorative painter: Michael Morse, Prime Painting Services, Stonington, 860-961-5301 Upholstery: Surface Home Design, Westerly, R.I., 401-322-0100, surfacehomedesign.com

A&D Building 22 Acorn Deck House Company 73 Advanced Home Audio 94–95 AIA Connecticut 114

Bender 26 Bespoke Designs 48 Beth Krupa Interiors 69, 91 Breakwater Renovation & Design, LLC 76 Brooks and Falotico Associates, LLC 51 California Closets 45 Chloe Winston Lighting Design 91 Christensen Landscape Services 98–99 Christopher Pagliaro Architects 25 City Bench 116 Clarke Distribution Corporation 37 Closet & Storage Concepts 32 Connecticut Stone 100–101 CORNERSTONE Contracting 16–17 Crown Point Cabinetry 55 Crown Select 75 Dan Gordon Landscape Architects 47 Daniel Conlon Architects 89

THIS NEW OLD HOUSE PAGES 136–149 Architecture: Michael Smith, Michael Smith Architects, Norwalk, 203-563-0553, michaelsmitharchitects.com Interior design: Christine McGovern Design, Norwalk, 203-722-4828, cmcgovern.com Builder: Chris Shea, Domus Constructors, Norwalk, 203-852-6789, domusllc.com Landscape design: Neil Brunetti, Brunetti Design Group, Ocean City, N.J., 609-464-3877, brunettidesigngroup.com Decorative painter: Deidre Mannix, Wilton, 203-984-0102 GO BIG PAGES 150–157 Interior design: Gregory Shano, Gregory Shano Interiors, New York, N.Y., 917-399-4334, gregoryshano.com Window treatments: Ewald’s Furniture & Upholstery Company, Torrington, 860-489-8901, ewalds.net Paint and wallpaper: Rollin Rivers Painting, Harwinton, 860-485-9871 Upholstery: JCF Decorations, Upholstery, Window Treatments, White Plains, N.Y., 914-949-2962, decupholstery.com

Davenport Contracting 70 Deane Distinctive Design & Cabinetry 4–5 Diane James Home 91 Dina Spaidal Interiors 87 Domus Constructors, LLC 21 Dumais 38 Eleish Van Breems Home inside front cover Frank Webb Home 63 Freddy & Co. Fine Landscape Services 102–103 Front Row Kitchens, Inc. 36 Garrett Wilson Builders 61 Gatehouse Partners 10–11 Gault Stone & Landscape Supplies 104–105 Heidi Holzer Design & Decorative 53 Hilton Interiors 8–9 Hobbs, Inc. 35 Home Builders & Remodelers of Fairfield County 90 Homefront Farmers, LLC 106–107

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WELCOME

TO OUR ONLINE

Hometronics Lifestyles 65 Huelster Design Studio, LLC 83 InnerSpace Electronics, Inc. 108–109

HOME

Ives Fence 87 James Doyle Design Associates 110–111 Jan Hiltz Interiors, LLC 43 JMKA | architects inside back cover Karen Berkemeyer Home 49 Karen Wells Design 20 Kebabian’s 70 Klar Studio, Inc. 18–19 L&M Custom Carpets and Rugs, LLC outside back cover LDD Interiors 92 Luxury Home Design Summit 84 Michael Smith Architects 31 Neil Hauck Architects, LLC 34 New England Home at Boston Design Week 115 HUTKER ARCHITECTS PHOTOGRAPH BY MICHAEL J. LEE

NuKitchens 12–13 Olson Twombly Interior Design 59 ProSource of Stamford 77 Redwood Construction and Consulting 54 Rinfret, Ltd. Interior Design & Decoration 29 Robert A. Cardello Architects, LLC 14–15 Robert Dean Architects 71 S&W Building Remodeling, Inc. 83 Seventy Acres Landscape Architecture 41 Shope Reno Wharton 1 Smarthome & Theater Systems 76 The Kaleidoscope Project 62 The Linen Shop 81 Thompson Raissis Architects 79 Tischler und Sohn Windows and Doors 57 Torrco 33 Torrison Stone and Garden 112–113 UCE Fine Builders 89 Wadia Associates 6–7 Wakefield Design Center 27 Yankee Custom Builders 67 New England Home Connecticut, Spring 2021 © 2021 by New England Home Magazine, LLC. All rights reserved.

Permission to reprint or quote excerpts granted by written request only. Editorial and advertising office: New England Home Magazine, LLC, 530 Harrison Ave., Ste. 302, Boston, MA 02118, 617-938-3991.

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Last Look |

BY ERIKA AYN FINCH

ABOVE: Tour Bunny

Williams’s Falls Village gardens in a new documentary film. LEFT: The interior designer in her Manhattan office.

BUNNY’S TRAIL Design icon Bunny Williams discusses her decorating philosophies and illustrious career and takes viewers on tours of her Manhattan apartment and Connecticut estate in a new Institute of Classical Architecture & Art documentary. Bunny Williams—Not a House but a Home is

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told in Williams’s own words, making it feel like an intimate conversation with the Architectural Digest AD100 Hall of Fame winner. The documentary, part of the Design in Mind series, begins airing on PBS affiliates in April and is available online now at pbs.org.

Photography (top) Institute of Classical Architecture & Art and (bottom) Brandon Mitchell

3/17/21 11:47 AM

Architecture

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Master Planning

Download our “Project Planning Packet” at jmkarchitects.com

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