New England Home Connecticut Spring 2024

residential architecture of distinction

Exquisite details & perfect proportions. traditional architecture for the modern world.

ARTEMIS landscape architects

FRESH | LIVABLE | PERSONAL

Award-winning, full-service design & architectural interiors

203.594.7875

morganharrisonhome.com

Connecticut | Westchester | Hamptons | Palm Beach

FRESH | LIVABLE | PERSONAL

FRESH | LIVABLE | PERSONAL

Award-winning, full-service design & architectural interiors

203.594.7875

Award-winning, full-service design & architectural interiors

203.594.7875

morganharrisonhome.com

morganharrisonhome.com

Connecticut | Westchester | Hamptons | Palm Beach

Connecticut | Westchester | Hamptons | Palm Beach

s MORGAN HARRISON HOME

s MORGAN HARRISON HOME

“may the flowers remind us why the rain was so necessary”

Xan Oku

every property has a story... it begins with a vision SEVENTY ACRES

KIRT WASHINGTON PHOTOGRAPHY

Neil Hauck Architects

Tim Lee Photography

Features

124 Treasure Hunt

Every room in this family-friendly but sophisticated Greenwich home holds something special for the eye.

136 Stop & Smell the Roses

A passion for heirloom blooms and a fairytale-like setting inspire a landscape team’s award-winning vision.

148 High Note

A seasoned design team and adventurous homeowners make sweet music in Westport.

Cover photograph by Neil Landino

Mark your calendars for these must-attend events and read up on industry news.

A look back at a host of designrelated events.

Welcome

My garden is a sunny stretch of marigolds and nasturtiums and reveals my love of orange and an affinity for coastal elements; look closely and you’ll spot driftwood, shells, and other beach treasures among the blooms. Likewise, each of the homes in our spring issue reveals something about its occupants in the design, whether in small moments or grand gestures. A homeowner’s nostalgia for the traditional European gardens of his childhood and a love of heirloom roses inspired the Greenwich estate on our cover. Landscape architect Janice Parker and her team imagined a formal grouping of spectacular rose specimens that transitions to more informal expanses of hardscapes and softscapes spread out over several acres. Elsewhere in Greenwich, interior designer Amy Aidinis Hirsch recognized her client, a pediatrician by trade, as a “hidden artist” and credits their collaborative power in concocting a unique tableau. Together, they made thoughtful design decisions, and the results are customized interiors that delight with each detail. And in Westport, with restraint and humor, Denise Davies of D2 Interieurs crafted a kid-friendly home that complements her clients’ art collection. Color is key, and Davies uses it to both soothing and energizing effects. My favorite moment: the interior of the Steinway piano that reveals a pop of bright lime green paint.

Realizing the home of your dreams begins with knowing what you love. If today is the first day of your design journey, let the pages ahead be a map to inspiration. Happy spring reading!

JENNA TALBOTT @jennatalbott

Contributors

When it comes to gardening, writer Tovah Martin (Stop and Smell the Roses, page 136) qualifies as obsessed. Martin is an honorary member of The Garden Club of America, frequent garden contributor to The Washington Post, and proprietress of Furthermore, her seven-acre property in Litchfield County. When rosarian Stephen Scanniello visited her town, he spied a rose growing in the cemetery. “From a distance, he knew the identity of this ancient rare rose,” says Martin. “That’s when I realized I was in the presence of a legendary rose rustler.”

P.S.

BUNNY WILLIAMS: LIFE IN THE GARDEN

Interior design legend Bunny Williams’s new book celebrates forty years in her own garden through personal essays, practical instruction, and pages upon pages of lush photography. And what’s more, you can visit Williams’s garden in Falls Village this June, thanks to The Garden Conservancy Open Days. rizzoliusa.com; gardenconservancy.org

A TRADITION OF INNOVATION

Seventy-five years ago, Philip Johnson endeavored to push the boundaries of design and materials with the Glass House and Brick House. This spring, in celebration of its diamond anniversary, the New Canaan campus will exhibit architect Shigeru Ban’s Paper Log House. The fourteen-by-fourteenfoot design utilizes paper tubes, wood, and milk crates and was first constructed in 1995 to serve as temporary housing for victims of natural disasters. Students from The Cooper Union’s Irwin S. Chanin School of Architecture will build a Paper Log House that will be on display through December. theglasshouse.org

Fairfield-based photographer Jane Beiles (High Note, page 148) has been photographing Denise Davies’s interiors since they each started their own firms in Connecticut more than a decade ago. Beiles, who studied art history at University of Michigan and whose work frequently appears in The New York Times, says she and Davies share a love of art. “My favorite features in this latest project are the pop art—and that neon sign!” she says.

Jenna Talbott portrait by Jessica Delaney. Tovah Martin portrait by Kindra Clineff. Jane Beiles portrait by Andrea Chalon

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They say there’s no such thing as a coincidence, but one couple seems to have a habit of attracting them. The wife was an acquaintance of interior designer Antonio Pippo when Pippo expressed a desire to relocate. She told him he should move to her street; a few months later, he was unpacking in a home just several houses down from hers. When it came time for her to redecorate, she and her husband of course reached out to Pippo.

ABOVE: The homeowners elected to forgo grass and trees in favor of a meandering stone pathway that leads to the entrance of the threestory home, which went from pale gray to black. LEFT: The front door, which was repositioned during the remodel, opens into the living area and the staircase with its cable railing and wood handrail. A 100-plus-year-old bench from a church in Portugal sits under the front window.

Fast forward ten years, and the couple had decided to downsize to Greenwich. Once again, they contacted Pippo. “It was a cute house but not the right aesthetic for them,” the designer says of his clients’ new abode. “She told me she wanted Ralph Lauren—just not literally.”

But the 1909 Shingle-style home needed much more than an Americana refresh to achieve the couple’s vision. In another happy coincidence, a mutual friend referred the husband to builder Jim Gasparino. “I picked up the phone to

“SHE TOLD ME SHE WANTED RALPH LAUREN—JUST NOT LITERALLY.”

—Interior designer Antonio Pippo

CLOCKWISE FROM ABOVE: A nubby boucle chair and ottoman offer a place to read next to built-in bookshelves; the top shelf corrals the homeowners’ collection of vintage tomes. Gucci wallpaper makes a statement in a first-floor powder room. Furniture-like cabinetry painted Farrow & Ball Railings contains the freezer, wine refrigerator, and refrigerator, while the door on the right leads to the butler’s pantry.

call him and immediately recognized his voice,” says Gasparino. It turned out the husband and Gasparino had gone to high school together. “We hadn’t seen each

other since we graduated.”

The house was taken down to the studs and walls were removed to give the homeowners the open floor plan

The couple’s portrait collection watches over many rooms in the house, including the Christopher Peacock-designed kitchen. The wife, says interior designer Antonio Pippo, was adamant the kitchen island not include seating. “She didn’t want people gathering around the island,” says Pippo. “She wanted them to be elsewhere, having fun.”

they desired. A living room bump-out was demolished to make way for a front porch. Rooms were combined on the second floor to accommodate a primary suite with his-and-her bathrooms and closets. “They did the opposite of what people normally do,” says Gasparino. “They removed bedrooms instead of adding them.”

Pippo translated the Ralph Lauren directive into a color palette of brown, black, tan, camel, and cream. New Orleans acted as inspiration, too. When one of the couple’s daughters attended Tulane University, the wife found herself captivated by the city. “It grows on you like Spanish moss grows on trees,” she says. Gas lanterns on the home’s black exterior and a pendant above the tub in her bath were all sourced from locations in The Big Easy.

CLOCKWISE FROM ABOVE: “She just speaks to me,” says the wife, who works in fashion, of the portrait of a tarot card reader hanging in the primary bedroom. “There’s something about her I just can’t shake. Art should be something you can’t move on from.” The home’s third floor serves as the youngest daughter’s bedroom. The husband’s bath features travertine-like stone on the walls and floor.

In the wife’s bath, the cast-iron Penhaglion tub showcases a polished stainless-steel finish. The vintage pendant hanging above was purchased in New Orleans. “That’s an actual crown on top of the beadwork,” says Pippo, who covered the ceiling in a Holly Hunt paper that sports a gold and silver sheen.

By design, not coincidence, the home serves as the ideal gallery for its owners’ collection of eighteenth- and nineteenthcentury portraits. The people in the oil paintings aren’t distant relatives; in

fact, the homeowner admits she knows nothing about them, but she’s irrepressibly drawn to them. “After a while, they become family,” she says.

EDITOR'S NOTE: For details, see Resources.

INTERIOR DESIGN: Antonio Pippo Interiors

BUILDER: PJG Partners

LANDSCAPE DESIGN: Troy’s Garden Nurseries

Curves

There is nothing linear about this season’s most coveted pieces.

Produced by LYNDA SIMONTON

Hanji Wallcovering by Élitis, Schwartz Design Showrooms, Stamford, schwartzdesignshowroom.com

Roc Chair by Uwe Fischer for Cor, West | Out East, Westport, westouteast.com

Noemie Large Chandelier by Kate Spade New York, Visual Comfort & Co., Norwalk and Greenwich, visualcomfort.com

Tottie Bookcase by Made Goods, Beehive, Fairfield, thebeehivefairfield.com

Palla Sofa, Dmitriy & Co, New York, N.Y., dmitriyco.com

Color

Deeply saturated hues and unexpected shades feel fun and au courant.

Nonette Floor Lamp, Roche Bobois, Greenwich, roche-bobois.com

Grouse (top left) and Capistrano Wallpapers by Denise McGaha for Vervain, DesignSourceCT, Hartford, designsourcect.com

Jennings Metal Daybed by Thomas O’Brien for Century, Wakefield Design Center, Stamford, wakefielddesigncenter.com

Ernest Table Lamp, OKA, Westport, oka.com/us

Champagne Cups, Eleish Van Breems Home, Westport and New Preston, evbantiques.com

Lakehouse Table, Dunes and Duchess, New Milford, dunesandduchess.com

livingswell.com

marblehead | the berkshires

DianaJames interiors by for Photography by i y ’Brien

Chrome

Shhh! Don’t tell brass: silver tones may be the new “it girls.”

Hollywood Grape Wallpaper by Neisha Crosland, Schumacher, New York, N.Y., fschumacher.com

Coral LED Pendant by Hubbardton Forge, Chloe Winston Lighting Design, South Norwalk, chloewinstonlighting.com

Multi-Lite Table Lamp by Gubi, Design Within Reach, Westport and Stamford, dwr.com

Regulator Wall-Mounted Lavatory Faucet with Wheel Handles, Waterworks, Greenwich, waterworks.com

Matupi Wallpaper by Harlequin, Schwartz Design Showrooms, Stamford, schwartzdesignshowroom.com

Wells Fabric Chair by Bernhardt, Schwartz Design Showrooms, Stamford, schwartzdesignshowroom.com

Island Idyll

Editor at Large Clinton Smith chats with a Greenwich-based design firm that recently took the tropics by storm. Photography by CARMEL BRANTLEY

Rinfret, Ltd.'s bedroom at the 2024 Kips Bay Decorator Show House Palm Beach was an oasis of calm. The coral chairs are by Dennis & Leen through The Bright Group, while the rug is from J.D. Staron.

Cindy Rinfret of Rinfret, Ltd., is no stranger to the Connecticut design scene. She’s published two collectable tomes with Rizzoli that focus exclusively on the houses that she has created in Greenwich and the surrounding environs over the years. Yet her reach and influence extend far beyond New England’s borders. In 2019, Rinfret designed a soaring blue-and-white living room for the Kips Bay Decorator Show House in Palm Beach, Florida. And this year, she and her collaborator, lead designer (and daughter) Taylor Stebbins, were once again invited to participate in the prestigious fundraiser that draws designers and visitors from across the country.

During its nearly monthlong run, the bedroom that Rinfret and Stebbins created was an oasis of calm in a house where punchy tropical prints and colors were often de rigueur. That’s not to say that the subdued space didn’t represent a sense of place; on the contrary, Rinfret and Stebbins used subtle motifs and a soothing palette that all harkened to its coastal location in an understated elegance.

Calling the space the Seashell Sanctuary, the design duo was

LEFT, RIGHT, AND BOTTOM: Rinfret, Ltd., collaborated with de Gournay on the handpainted and appliqued wall panels and embroidery for the bed and settee. BELOW: Florida artist Robin Grubman created the underside of the shell-encrusted bed canopy.

inspired by the historic Vizcaya estate in nearby Miami—this writer’s favorite house in America—and grottos throughout Italy, including the sixteenth-century Villa d’Este in Tivoli.

Rinfret, Ltd.’s collaboration with de Gournay led to hand-painted and embroidered wall panels for the room, as well as an embroidered headboard, bedcover, and settee at the foot of the bed.

As for the canopy bed itself, it is arguably the room’s pièce de résistance.

“We worked with local artist Robin Grubman to create the underside of the canopy,” says Stebbins of the shellencrusted piece. “We gave her a blueprint, but Robin ran with it. We sourced many of the shells from the Philippines. They are nature’s antiques.”

With a room filled with so many eye-catching details, one of Rinfret’s favorite moments might be its most subtle.

“We love the ceiling,” Rinfret says. “It’s onesixth of a room and often overlooked. We added a molding detail and inset a wood wallcovering from Phillip Jeffries. It makes a big difference in having the space feel complete.” Rinfret, Ltd., Greenwich, rinfretltd.com

CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: The room's designers, Cindy Rinfret and Taylor Stebbins. Kravet fabric covers the cushion of a wicker Justin Van Breda London dog bed. The elegant fabric on the desk chair is by Cowtan & Tout. Paul Ferrante designed the headboard’s shell sconce.

Architecture: John B. Murray Architects

Photography: Francesco Lagnese

Delight in Store

Lindsey Coral Harper brings fresh style and southern charm to Stonington with her shop, Coral. Text by LYNDA SIMONTON | Photography by READ M C KENDREE

Stonington’s town green took on a whole new glow when Coral opened its doors last spring. Interior designer Lindsey Coral Harper, who brings her keen eye and a serious design pedigree to the coastal community, founded the shop, housed in what locals call the old pharmacy building.

Born and raised in Georgia, Atlanta would have been an obvious place for Harper to start her design career. Instead,

she set her sights on New York City and landed her first job at the storied Carleton V showroom. After that stint, A-list designer Richard Keith Langham snatched her up. “I learned more in six months of working with Keith than in four years at school,” she says.

ABOVE: Interior designer and shop owner Lindsey Coral Harper operates her firm from her Stonington shop, Coral. LEFT: A vintage rattan quatrefoil table is topped with handcrafted cutting boards and a garnet-coloredglass match striker based on an antique design.

INSIDE IS AN AIRY SPACE SWATHED IN BENJAMIN MOORE WHISPERING PEACH, A LONGTIME GO-TO HUE FOR HARPER.

ended, I had all this furniture and pieces we had custom made. What do you do with it?” A friend suggested that Harper open a pop-up shop in Watch Hill, Rhode Island, to off-load the whole kit and caboodle. “It was a big success and lots of fun,” she says. So, after a retail pause during Covid, Harper relaunched the shop in Stonington, where she now lives. The store welcomes shoppers with a crisply tailored navy awning. Inside is an airy space swathed in Benjamin Moore

A seven-year tenure at the firm prepared Harper to launch her eponymous company.

Harper’s colorful interiors and modern-meets-traditional aesthetic put her on the radar of magazine editors. Her work has been featured on the pages of House Beautiful, Traditional Home, and Southern Living. She has also participated in show houses up and down the eastern seaboard, most recently the prestigious Kips Bay Decorator Show House New York.

It was actually a show house that launched her career as a shopkeeper. “In 2017, I did the Southern Living Idea House, which means I had to furnish the entire house,” she explains. “When it

ABOVE: A photograph by Troy House is the focal point of an eclectic wall display featuring art by Mary Maguire and antique ship paintings that Harper bought at auction on Nantucket. The chairs, reupholstered in a cinnabar mohair fabric, exemplify stylish upcycling. RIGHT: Coral’s welcoming facade at 77 Main Street often has its glossy double doors swung open during balmy weather.

Whispering Peach (a longtime go-to hue for Harper) and layered with an assortment of furniture and accessories in a style Harper describes as “comfortable coastal.”

While international travel inspires, a crew of local artisans is represented. Cheese boards from Soundview Millworks, shell boxes from Susan Lloyd, and hand-marbled matchbooks by Shandell’s mingle with antiques and attention-grabbing colored-glass hurricanes, bamboo daybeds, boldly patterned pillows, and statement-making mirrors.

And while Coral buzzes during the summer, Harper ensures it is chock-full year-round, making the shop worth a visit in any season. Coral, Stonington, lindseycoralharper.com

TOP: The mirror in this vignette can be custom made in a variety of finishes, and the shell boxes are crafted by Susan Lloyd. BOTTOM: The shop’s fabulous finds include a sofa upholstered in fabric by Alan Campbell for Quadrille, a vintage pencil-reed cocktail table featuring a palm leaf design, and vintage carpet beaters that flank contemporary photography. Harper customized the barstool with the location of her South Carolina wedding, a palm tree, and a burgee flag.

The tour de force in the front entry hall is the chandelier of cascading white plaster from Visual Comfort & Co. “It is earthy but glamorous and dramatic,” says interior designer Andrea Sinkin. The continuity of color that runs throughout the house begins with the staircase’s gray handrails.

For a couple with three boys under seven, moving from a New York City apartment to a house in suburban Connecticut was an opportunity to create a home tailored to their needs. “The house had good bones,” says the owner of the 4,900-square-foot, six-bedroom traditional-style structure set on a bucolic half acre, but to work for her active family it needed an update. “I wanted to modernize while respecting the classic architecture,” she says.

To help execute a plan, she connected with Greenwich-based interior designer Andrea Sinkin. “Andrea has a bold style that I love,” she says.

ABOVE: Grasscloth wallcovering and silk curtains bring texture to the living room. The chandelier of mirrored discs from Arteriors adds a playful note. LEFT: An island from the original kitchen, fitted with a beverage refrigerator, is repurposed as a bar in a corner of the room.

The color scheme continues in the dining room’s willow-pattern wallpaper from the Pluma line at Romo. Sinkin paired a Worlds Away table with side chairs in light-toned wood with caned backs and seats upholstered in blue-gray fabric. The sideboard is finished in woven grasscloth. The modern chandelier from Visual Comfort & Co. resembles a mobile.

“THE TACTILE QUALITY OF THE MATERIALS WAS PURPOSEFUL, AND EVERYTHING IS USER-FRIENDLY.” —Interior designer Andrea Sinkin

Sinkin’s goals included bringing continuity to the overall aesthetic, which she accomplished with a palette of blues, greens, purples, and grays. “It was important that all the rooms relate,” says the designer, and the thread begins in the impressive two-story entry hall. The focal point is a sinewy grand staircase with handrails painted Benjamin Moore Storm, a gray hue Sinkin uses throughout the house.

The kitchen was a hodgepodge. Two islands and two large support pillars broke up the space, stained-glass windows blocked the light, and, most important for the family, it lacked a place for casual dining. Sinkin replaced the columns with a structural beam allowing for a more open floor plan. She created a new single island that cleverly incorporates banquette seating for a kitchen table, changed the doors and hardware

CLOCKWISE FROM TOP: A spot for family dining was designed around a banquette on one side of the new island; the table base is from Dunes and Duchess, and the top was custom made by builder Palette Pro Painting & Renovation. A nook in the family room, command central for children’s activities, has a corkboard for notes and cupboards for storage. The banquette is upholstered in performance vinyl from Kravet, and floral arrangements are by Abilis Gardens & Gifts in Greenwich.

on the base cabinets, and installed new countertops and a tile backsplash.

One of the existing islands was repurposed as a bar in the living room, where Sinkin covered the walls with grasscloth in soothing shades of blue, gray, and purple. “The tactile quality of the materials was purposeful,” says Sinkin, “and everything is user-friendly.” The room has a game table to encourage non-electronic play and an oversized shagreen coffee table with storage for puzzles and books.

The dining room reads as an ethereal oasis thanks to wallpaper in a wistful willow pattern. Natural light floods the space, which, like the rest of the house, is beautiful, functional, and just right for this family.

EDITOR'S NOTE: For details, see Resources.

INTERIOR DESIGN: Andrea Sinkin Design

BUILDER: Palette Pro Painting & Renovation

TOP: The monochromatic gray tones of the primary bedroom make this a restful retreat for the parents. The upholstered bed is by Bernhardt. The Fiona mirror from Made Goods, one of the homeowner’s favorite pieces, is crafted from silver and mother-of-pearl in a floral motif. BOTTOM: A closet was eliminated in the primary bathroom making room for a pair of new vanities and a built-in makeup station. The space opens to a private outdoor balcony.

Photography: Jane Beiles

#lifejustgotbrighter

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Without Uschi, 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. Explore a living portfolio of kitchens created by the region’s top designers. You will leave inspired with new knowledge to make your appliance selections with confidence.

with a Clarke Consultant is the most valuable part of your kitchen journey. top

Born in Belgium, Uschi Samaritano speaks five languages and is also fluent in selecting just the right appliances for your lifestyle. She is an accomplished cook, passionate gardener, avid apiarist and is known by homeowners and designers alike for her valuable insights for outfitting extraordinary kitchens.

New England’s Official Showroom and Test Kitchen

Boston & Milford, MA South Norwalk, CT

800-842-5275

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Made to Order

In the Connecticut countryside, a textile and wallcovering company opens up a world of bespoke possibilities. Text by CLINTON SMITH

You might not immediately recognize the company known as twenty2 Wallpaper + Textiles, but chances are you’ve seen its eye-catching wares adorning some of the chicest houses, hotels, and boutiques. The Bantam-based brand has become a go-to source for design cognoscenti looking to expand their ethos into signature collections of textiles and wallcoverings.

“We initially started as a multidisciplinary design firm,” says cofounder Kyra Hartnett, who created twenty2 with her husband,

Robertson Hartnett, in 2001 in Brooklyn, New York. “We were doing branding, graphic design, and commercial and residential interior design.”

(Regarding the company’s name, twenty-two is Robertson’s lucky number, and the couple met when they were both twenty-two years old.)

From the start, the Hartnetts were interested in wall treatments and how they can change a space and tell a story. They quickly realized, however, that

Photography courtesy of twenty2 Wallpaper

ABOVE: twenty2 founders and owners Kyra and Robertson Hartnett. LEFT: A quality-control check for textile company Radish Moon, one of twenty2’s manufacturing partners.

wallpaper had fallen out of favor. But that didn’t deter the duo. “We forecasted that there would be a resurgence of layered personalization,” says Kyra. “We started exploring how our design vernacular would work in the world of wallpaper.”

In 2003, Kyra and Robertson debuted their first wallpaper collection. Ten years and numerous accolades later, twenty2 established an in-house printing division and became a private label manufacturer. In 2020, with the introduction of its digital textile printing division, the company had grown into a full-service private label design and print studio for both wallpapers and textiles.

ABOVE: Artist Rebecca Atwood’s designs are printed by twenty2. LEFT: Compared to traditional screen printing, where different colors of a pattern are applied— often by hand—to a surface via a series of screens, digital printing allows for multiple colors to be applied at once. Seen here: a suzani-inspired pattern by St. Frank.

“WE FORECASTED THAT THERE WOULD BE A RESURGENCE OF LAYERED PERSONALIZATION.”

—Kyra Hartnett

Located on the banks of the Bantam River—but soon to expand to an even bigger facility in Naugatuck—twenty2 is now a fifty-plus person company that helps designers realize their fabric and wallpaper dreams using the most sophisticated technology. Over time, they’ve collaborated with some names you might recognize, including Kelly Wearstler, Caitlin McGauley, Sarah Von Dreele, and Rebecca Atwood.

A certain set of core values has helped the company grow over the past two decades. Regardless of the collaborator, for instance, little ever goes to waste.

“All of the materials that we print on are either recyclable or biodegradable,” says Robertson. Kyra adds: “One of our traits is innovation, whether it’s in our systems or our workflows or the way we relate as a team, and certainly expanding our technology. It’s constant evolution and striving to be at the leading edge.” twenty2 Wallpaper + Textiles, Bantam, twenty2.net

CLOCKWISE FROM TOP: The designers review patterns by artist Kelly Ventura. The twenty2 team holds textile standards to the highest caliber. Designs in the works by textile company Virginia Kraft, another one of twenty2’s collaborators.

design & cabinetry

914.967.6020

Design-build services in NY & CT since 2000. Custom cabinetry built in our own millshop.

Edited by LYNDA SIMONTON

Style Scene

Spring Bulbs in the Border

APRIL 20

Head to Hollister House where horticulturist Eric Hsu will explain how to incorporate unexpected varieties into your garden borders.

Washington hollisterhousegarden.org

›› Conservatories, Orangeries, and Greenhouses: Historical Precedent, Modern Relevance

MAY 13

Take a deep dive into the world of glass garden structures at the Bruce Museum.

Greenwich greenwichdecorativearts.org

The Garden Conservancy

Open Days

JUNE 8 AND JUNE 22

Stroll through some of Fairfield County’s most outstanding private gardens, each reflecting a variety of styles.

Fairfield County gardenconservancy.org

‹‹ Luxury Home Design Summit

MAY 20–22

Renowned experts help professionals in the home design and construction industries market to affluent consumers at Chatham Bars Inn. Chatham, Mass. luxuryhomedesignsummit.com

›› Grandiflora Garden Tour

JUNE 7–8

Enjoy two days of self-guided and virtual tours of private local gardens.

Greater Greenwich greenwichbotanicalcenter.org

‹‹ Westport Garden Club’s Plant Sale

MAY 13

More than 1,000 homegrown perennials are available at this annual event on Jesup Green. Westport westportgardenclub.org

Notebook

Spring has sprung! We look forward to connecting with all our industry friends at our many upcoming events, but in the meantime, let’s catch up on exciting design news.

Trade Secrets

MAY 18–19

Shop for rare plants and antiques at Lime Rock Park and tour notable gardens, including Christopher Spitzmiller’s Clove Brook Farm.

Litchfield County and Millbrook, N.Y. tradesecretsct.com

‹‹ Connecticut’s Historic Gardens Day

JUNE 23

Make a day out of visiting notable gardens throughout the state.

Various locations cthistoricgardens.org

One of Westport’s hottest contemporary design showrooms is on the move. Don’t worry, they haven’t gone far: West | Out East has relocated to 1 Main Street in downtown Westport. The expansive 2,500-square-foot showroom, located in what is referred to as the Library Building, demonstrates how the company’s products can be used in a home and offers plenty of space to showcase West | Out East’s storage systems, kitchens, bath fixtures, furniture, rugs, lighting, and accessories.

After twenty-five years at the New York Design Center, the legendary John Saladino has moved his showroom to the Stamford Waterside Design District. The showroom features Saladino’s timeless furniture and lighting collections.

Putnam Avenue in Greenwich further establishes itself as a must-see design destination with the addition of The Hudson Company. The custom mill specializing in wood flooring, paneling, beams, and other architectural elements opened its fifth showroom in the U.S. at 38 East Putnam Avenue in Greenwich.

The Connecticut Chapter of the American Society of Landscape Architects hosted its annual awards ceremony at Kinsmen Brewing Company in Milldale. The awards recognize excellence in landscape architectural design, planning and analysis, communication, and research. Congratulations to ARTEMIS Landscape Architects for winning an honor award for its work on the Sandy Hook Permanent Memorial and two additional awards for residential projects. Both James Doyle Design Associates and Janice Parker Landscape Architects received merit awards for residential projects.

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

ARE YOU YET?

TAKE ADVANTAGE OF MEMBERSHIP BENEFITS

THROUGH EDUCATION, ADVOCACY AND OUTREACH ASID ADVANCES THE INTERIOR DESIGN PROFESSION AND HIGHLIGHTS THE IMPACT OF DESIGN ON THE HUMAN EXPERIENCE.

BEING A MEMBER OF ASID ELEVATES YOUR PROFESSIONAL REPUTE. MEMBERSHIP PROVIDES ACCESS TO MONTHLY EVENTS INCLUDING NETWORKING, CONTINUING EDUCATION, ROUND TABLES, WEBINARS, SOCIAL GATHERINGS AND MORE!

Whatever the season, there’s always a lot to watch with the weather. Maximum’s line of fine weather instruments allows you to precisely measure wind speed, pressure, temperature, humidity, tide behavior and much more at a glance. Each piece is handcrafted in Massachusetts for quality to endure for generations. Available in a variety of styles & finishes to complement any décor.

Edited by CAMILLA TAZZI

Winter Networking Event at Glengate Company

New England Home Connecticut celebrated its winter 2024 issue at Glengate Company’s brand-new outdoor furnishings and decor showroom in Wilton. Leaders in the industry gathered for cocktails and light bites, and four lucky raffle winners took home accessories from JANUS et Cie and Sutherland.

Photography by Jessica Gordon Ryan

Nicholas Campanelli of Michael D’Angelo Landscape Architecture and Brandon Jones of Glengate Company

Jeff Palen, Marc McDonough, Estuardo Juarez, and Andy Dehler of Gault Stone & Landscape Supplies

Heather Rogers Meister and Kristen Sullivan of Gatehouse Partners

Ava Hunter of Chloe Winston Lighting Design, Nicole Charney of Advanced Home Audio, Tara Vincenta and Paige Galanis of Artemis Landscape Architects, and Zach Book of Advanced Home Audio

Merrin Jones of Merrin Jones Interiors, Jarrett Boor of Paperfarm, and Michael McClung of Shope Reno Wharton

Jim Campbell of Urban Lure and Wes Stout of Wesley Stout Associates

Florence Mraz and Jennifer Gazerro of Glengate Company, New England Home’s Roberta Mancuso, Dina Spaidal of Dina Spaidal Interiors, and Heather McWilliam of McWilliam Autore Interiors New England Home’s Marcia Noble, Kathy Bush-Dutton, and Jenna Talbott with Paige Galanis of Artemis Landscape Architects and Mark Motyl of Vanish Media Systems

Erin Shairzay of Ring’s End, Michelle Hogue of Hogue ID, and Andrew Bartolotta of Studio Bartolotta

Matt Giardina of Front Row Kitchens and Michael Popowitz of The Hudson Company

Cheryl Russ, Luke John Scully, Florence Mraz, and Josh Almeida of Glengate Company

Chris Shea of Domus Constructors and Matthew Dougherty of Matthew R. Dougherty Architect

AIA Connecticut Awards Gala

The Connecticut chapter of the American Institute of Architects’ pinnacle event of the year celebrates top architectural talent. The 2023 Awards Gala honored several individuals and firms for their accomplishments and treated guests to dinner, drinks, and an awards presentation.

ASLA Connecticut Annual Meeting & Awards Ceremony

The Connecticut chapter of the American Society of Landscape Architects unveiled the winners of its Professional & Student Awards, which recognize excellence in the industry, during the organization’s annual meeting. All proceeds from the event, held at Kinsmen Brewing Company in Milldale, benefitted CTASLA’s student scholarship fund.

The AIA Connecticut team

Jeffrey Greenhouse, Tara Vincenta, Paige Galanis, and Shane Dushay of Artemis Landscape Architects flank Rachel Meier

Photography by Barbara Yaeger, Katherine Montgomery, and CTASLA

Duo Dickinson of Duo Dickinson Architect and Christopher Wigren of Preservation Connecticut

José Hernández of Newman Architects (middle) with members of his team and event guests

Cassandra Archer and Aaron Trahan of Centerbrook

Attendees gathered at the Aqua Turf Club

John Wasilewski, David Scott Parker, Armando Goncalves, and Victor Sheptovitsky of David Scott Parker Architects

Photography by Annandale Photography

Wes Stout and Thomas Cross of Wesley Stout Associates flank Rachel Meier Elisa Miret-Pollino and Jay Smith of Wesley Stout Associates, Cliff Gilbert of Illuminate, and Wes Stout of Wesley Stout Associates

Tyler Ballo and Qiuheng Xu of Janice Parker Landscape Architects flank Rachel Meier Professionals in the landscape design industry came out in support of their peers

James Doyle and Matthew Willinger of James Doyle Design Associates flank CTASLA President Rachel Meier of Richter & Cegan

Emily Nixon of Stone Farm and Estuardo Juarez of Gault Stone & Landscape Supplies

Design a Home as Unique as You Are

Building a home is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. It’s more than just four walls and a roof; it’s a reflection of your dreams, your lifestyle, and your legacy. But before you break ground, consider this: would you paint a masterpiece without proper training?

That’s where a licensed architect comes in. They are your visionary, your guide, and your advocate throughout the entire building process.

◊ An architect translates your vision into a personalized floor plan, maximizing space, flow, and natural light. Forget cookie-cutter houses – get a home that fits your life, not the other way around.

◊ From building codes to permits to contractor selection, navigating the construction maze can be overwhelming. An architect handles the complexities, saving you time, money, and stress.

◊ Minor design flaws can lead to major expenses down the line. An architect’s expertise prevents costly fixes, ensuring your budget stays on track.

◊ Architects are trained in sustainable design principles, creating energy-efficient homes that save you money and benefit the environment.

◊ A well-designed home not only enhances your life but also increases its resale value. An architect’s investment pays off for years to come.

Don’t settle for the ordinary. Invest in your future. Visit our website at www.AIACT.org to find a qualified architect in your area.

Mid-Country Manor VanderHorn Architects

Peter Brown Architectural Photography (exteriors)

Find an HBRA Builder or Industry Professional Serving Fairfield County

BUILDERS REMODELERS DESIGNERS ARCHITECTS SUPPLIERS SERVICES

The Home Builders & Remodelers Association (“HBRA”) of Fairfield County is a not for profit association of members engaged in singlefamily and multifamily residential new construction, remodeling, land development activities and light commercial construction covering Fairfield County. Whether you are searching for building professionals, looking for help with your next remodeling project or updating the interior or exterior of your property, we have a member that provides that service.

www.buildfairfieldcounty.com

Bring inspired ideas for your outdoor home to life with Walpole Outdoors. Schedule your free design consultation today.

walpoleoutdoors.com | 866.863.2983

Advanced Home Audio, Inc.

Advanced 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 company also specializes in intelligent lighting design and home energy grid solu -

tions. 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, New York City, and South Florida.

Austin Ganim Landscape Design

Austin 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; influenced by our backgrounds, as well as hands-on experience, our designs 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 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.

We strive to create dynamic landscapes that achieve our client’s desired aesthetic while also providing ecological enhancements to bring the landscape to life.

1. The lawn terrace, framed by white hydrangeas, provides a soft transition between the porch and pool area. 2. The dark interior finish of the negative-edge pool acts as a reflecting pool mirroring the sky and garden. 3. A boardwalk brick patio plays well with the colors and textures of the sports court and adjacent stone walls. 4. Relax at home in the garden with a little friendly competition among your family and friends.

Austin Ganim Landscape Design, LLC

Austin Ganim & Eva Chiamulera, ASLA, PLA

320 Kings Highway Cutoff Fairfield, CT 06824

203-333-2003

austinganimlandscapedesign.com

Christensen Landscape Services

Christensen 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.

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.

Freddy & Co. Fine Landscape Services

Freddy & 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® all-natural 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.

Gault Stone & Landscape Supplies

You First. This has been our philosophy for more than 160 years, and it is what has made Gault Stone & Landscape Supplies the premier choice for stone in New England. Homeowners and the trade alike choose to partner with Gault for all of their stone needs because of our professional staff, wide selection of natural stone, and personalized and consultative service.

From interior 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.

Launching this year, The Gault Collection features custom-designed exterior porcelain pavers with one-ofa-kind finishes. The Gault Collection pairs the versatility of porcelain with the beauty of natural stone to better meet a variety of outdoor design needs.

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.

We’re excited to bring The Gault Collection to market this year, creating a unique pairing of porcelain and natural stone.

InnerSpace Electronics, Inc.

For 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.

A well-lit landscape creates additional livable square footage, showcases beautifully landscaped properties, and offers an extra layer of home security. A lightingcontrol system, paired with energy-efficient fixtures, and designed by our in-house lighting designer, can be programmed to match your lifestyle, and add hours of outdoor time to the day.

From discreet all-weather, high-performance land -

scape audio systems and outdoor televisions that output a brighter picture, reduce glare, and are engineered to handle extreme 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.

Our experience with the design-build community in Fairfield County, coupled with our esteemed projectmanagement and engineering teams, makes us effective collaborators, ensuring a project runs seamlessly— keeping the focus on delivering a one-of-a-kind, technology-driven outdoor livable environment.

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

1.&4. Expand your home’s square footage with outdoor entertaining spaces.

2. Outdoor living zones combine natural elements with discreet technologies.

3. Landscape lighting design and exterior fixtures can transform and enhance a property.

Landscape Creations

Landscape Creations is an award-winning residential landscape contractor with twenty-five years of experience serving luxury property owners across Connecticut, Rhode Island, and Massachusetts.

Whether you seek a private sanctuary to connect with nature or want to create a special place for making memories with your family, we bring decades of experience partnering with the world’s best designers to bring your vision to life.

Landscape Creations specializes in building exquisite legacy landscapes involving multiple parties and stakeholders. We are accustomed to collaborating with landscape

architects, general contractors, engineers, and owners’ representatives. Our team manages all phases of landscape construction including site development, coastal buffer management, grading, drainage, irrigation, planting, hardscape, sports courts, pools, water features, fire features, gardens, meadows, architectural masonry, and more.

We take pride in installing landscape features to seamlessly blend new and old construction, indoor spaces and out. Getting these nuanced craftsmanship details right is the key to increasing property value and ensuring your satisfaction for generations to come.

We believe that real life happens in treasured backyard moments, and that drives our passion to create exceptional spaces for enjoyment.

1. Agrarian-inspired details at a historic coastal farmhouse include pool coping and outdoor amenities crafted from huge chunks of reclaimed first-generation granite.

2. Architectural masonry on a new side entrance complements an existing stone arch in the garden and oval windows on the home.

3. Sited at optimal height for coastal views, this home’s landscape is tiered and graded to introduce outdoor living amenities descending to the shoreline. 4. In a metropolitan neighborhood, the perimeter around a new sports court is infilled with large trees to create a private parkland setting.

Landscape Creations

715 Mooresfield Road Saunderstown, RI 02874 401-789-7101 landscapecreationsri.com

McArdle’s Floral & Garden Design

It all started with a seed. In 1910, James and Mary McArdle opened a store in downtown Greenwich to supply gardeners on the grand Greenwich estates. From that humble beginning, McArdle’s blossomed into a full-service floral and garden design destination.

Throughout the years, McArdle’s has grown with the times. For four generations, they have provided Greenwich and the surrounding towns with the very best floral arrangements, indor and outdoor plants, garden supplies, and gifts. As an industry leader, they pride themselves on offering customers the highest-quality products paired with incomparable customer service. McArdle’s is a sixtime pick for Best of the Gold Coast and has won numerous other local and national awards for both their floral

design and garden design departments.

The McArdle family credits their success to their fervent belief that plants and flowers make people happy. Their love of design along with their love of horticulture is instilled in their ever-growing team of enthusiastic, creative experts, who assist customers daily at the downtown Greenwich shop. With 10,000 square feet of shopping space—including an enchanting greenhouse, a year-round garden design center, a gift and decor boutique full of fresh and luxurious finds, and a twentyfive-foot wall of premium cut flowers flown in daily from around the world—McArdle’s is a Greenwich destination to be experienced in every season.

Greenwich’s favorite destination for flowers, plants, gifts, and seasonal decorating, since 1910.

1. McArdle’s sought-after designers install outdoor garden designs and seasonal decor year-round. 2. McArdle’s custom container gardens and luxury planters add elegance and curb appeal in every season.

3. McArdle’s showrooms offer an unforgettable shopping experience with beautiful products and a creative, knowledgable staff. 4. The secret of the oldest family business in Greenwich? Top-quality products and impeccable customer service.

5. McArdle’s philosophy is that plants and flowers beautify our spaces, lift our spirits, and are an essential ingredient for our special occasions. McArdle’s

1Rosalia Sanni Design, LLC

Rosalia Sanni Design, LLC, is an award-winning landscape design studio offering a full scope of design services tailored to assist clients in developing clear visions for their properties. RSD engages in ongoing collaborations with teams of professionals including clients, architects, interior designers, engineers, environmental specialists, scientists, contractors, sculptors, and artisans. RSD guides projects from the initial predesign and analysis phase through concept design, presentation, permitting, construction documentation, budgeting, construction implementation, furniture sourcing, and beyond completion.

RSD’s approach strikes a balance between architecture, nature, and people. RSD believes that good design

enhances people’s lives profoundly and should offer more than a collection of beautiful pictures. Landscapes should suit the lives of the people who live in them in a meaningful, fun, and deeply personal way.

Drawing inspiration from diverse experiences, Sanni and her team continually keep their minds open to new ways of thinking that can influence and expand their creations. RSD’s design work balances respect for tradition with an eye towards the future and seamlessly integrates into modern-day life. The result is a landscape that relates to the context of the setting and that engages in a dynamic dialogue between what is man-made and what is seemingly untouched nature.

Meaningful landscapes with a personal approach. Timeless connection to the outside. Integration with modern-day living.

1. Reinterpretation of a 1925 waterside property with new patios, sculpted lawns, and seaside plantings arranged to take in views. 2. Pollinator-friendly gravel garden with evergreens for winter and a succession of flowers for multi-season interest. 3. Aerial view of a five-acre property showing broad strokes of the master landscape plan to accompany the new home. 4. Patio renovation includes distinct levels for dining under a custom steel and wood pergola and lounging by a firepit.

TREASURE HUNT

Every room in this family-friendly but sophisticated Greenwich home holds something special for the eye.

Text by PAULA M. BODAH | Photography by AMY V ISCHIO

A

FACING PAGE:

quartet of peacock-blue club chairs surround a cocktail table of wood and stone in the living room. The bay window was converted to a cozy window seat with upholstered walls.

A Kelly Wearstler mirror adds interest at the end of a second-floor hallway. Throughout the house, designer Amy Aidinis Hirsch painted the trim black for extra warmth and a more modern feel.

CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: A swivel chair upholstered in deep-blue wool and a sculptural drink table occupy a corner of the family room. One of the living room’s three seating arrangements keeps from being matchy-matchy with a low-backed sofa, a cane-backed barrel chair, and a modern lounger surrounding a dramatic cocktail table. A barn door can close off the dining room from the family room.

To look at this colorful, character-filled Greenwich home, you’d never know it started out as what the homeowner calls a white box. “It was a spec house that was 99 percent done,” she relates, “and it was an ultra-white box with not one light fixture or rug.”

Built by Gardiner & Larson Homes, the dwelling was wellconstructed, however, with an easy flow between the firstfloor rooms and plenty of natural light. A spacious kitchen

Hirsch pulled the lilac from the J.D. Staron rug for the glamorous high-gloss walls of the dining room. The dark wood of the chair frames and dining table keeps the room feeling grounded. Contemporary elements, like Ochre’s Gaia pendant chandelier, can be found throughout the house.

and an equally generous family room made it perfect for the owners and their three young children. Sitting at the core of the first floor, the dining room opens to both the family and living rooms, offering an appealing setting for the couple’s frequent gatherings of family and friends.

The homeowner pictured a bright, happy home, comfortable and welcoming rather than formal. Still, even with kids ages two to seven, she wanted her house to feel chic and polished.

The colorful, stylish tone was set in the dining room with a striking J.D. Staron rug that features a motif of dragons and oversize florals. Playing off a hue in the rug, designer Amy Aidinis Hirsch gave the walls a glamorous highgloss treatment in a muted shade of lilac.

“We wanted color but not something that’s overly stimulating,” Hirsch says.

“Lilac is really kind of a neutral that reads as a color.”

CLOCKWISE FROM ABOVE: Lacquer weave wallpaper in cobalt adds character to the kitchen. Hirsch complemented the homeowners’ own midcentury-style table and chairs in the breakfast nook with birds-eye maple pendant lighting from Allied Maker. The designer swapped out the pantry’s white cabinetry for new cabinets painted a rich teal shade.

The dining chairs are outfitted with backs of inky-blue velvet—another shade lifted from the rug—and seats upholstered in Brentano’s tweedy Freehand fabric in pale grape. “I wanted to have fun with fabrics, but they had to be durable,” the homeowner says.

To bring personality to the predominantly white kitchen and create a stronger connection with the nearby family room,

Hirsch used a black Phillip Jeffries lacquered weave wallpaper in both spaces. “Most people would be frightened when you show them black, but not this client,” Hirsch says. Plush, pale furnishings (in performance fabrics for easy care) are joined by a playful striped rug and accents of deep azure.

The living room raises the sophistication level with its sculptural furnishings. A

low-backed sofa, Verellen’s sexy Marcela chair, and a cane-back barrel chair surround a dramatic two-piece cocktail table in ebony and gold. Another sculptural cocktail table holds court in a sitting area defined by a quartet of club chairs in peacock blue with dark-blue velvet seats

Although the homeowner is modest about her own creative abilities (“I’m a pediatrician, so I have no artistic side,”

“My client loves design and beautiful things, and she’s not afraid to push the envelope. She was thoughtful about every single piece in the house.”

—Interior designer Amy Aidinis Hirsch

ABOVE: A powder room gets its wow factor from Mokum’s La Palma wallpaper. LEFT: A winecolored sectional sofa, glass coffee table, and Mark Alexander’s subtly graphic embroidered wallpaper give the study its boho-chic feel.

“When you have a client who pushes you to not be ordinary, you end up with a fabulous house.”

—Interior designer Amy Aidinis Hirsch

Indeed, intriguing details abound. A powder room sports a lush botanical wallpaper. The wall at the top of the stairway has accents of hand-applied black velvet. A guest room’s ceiling wears marbled paper. And a study tucks a claret-red sectional against walls of Mark Alexander’s subtle but graphic hand-embroidered Network wallpaper.

“Every room has something unique and special,” Hirsch says. “When you have a client who pushes you to not be ordinary, you end up with a fabulous house.”

EDITOR’S NOTE: For details, see Resources.

BUILDER: Gardiner & Larson Homes she says), Hirsch credits her for much of the home’s success. “She’s a hidden artist,” the designer insists. “She loves design and beautiful things, and she’s not afraid to push the envelope. She was thoughtful about every single piece in the house.”

INTERIOR DESIGN: Amy Aidinis Hirsch

Interior Design

CLOCKWISE FROM ABOVE: The mudroom powder room sports Elworthy Studio’s Botanica wallpaper. The guest room's ceiling and a wall behind the bed are covered in a marbled wallpaper that evokes the nostalgia of the endpapers in an old book. The primary bedroom’s nurturing feel comes from a plethora of plants and the Fancy Nancy wallpaper by Studio Moses. FACING PAGE, LEFT TO RIGHT: Jill Malek created the landing’s wallpaper, a graphic 3D design with hand-applied black felt. Light floods the primary bath.

ROSES the Stop & Smell

A passion for heirloom blooms and a fairytale-like setting inspire a landscape team’s award-winning vision.

Text by TOVAH MARTIN

Photography by NEIL LANDINO

English rose breeder David Austin introduced the Heritage shrub rose in 1984, and rosarian Stephen Scanniello still considers it to be one of Austin’s best. Not only does Heritage fulfill the homeowners’ request for heavenly fragrance, but it is also apropos for cut flowers. FACING PAGE: Situated on the top terrace, the massive rose garden enjoys brisk upward air circulation to avoid disease.

When Janice

Parker’s Connecticut client arrived at their first consultation toting rose catalogs covered with Post-it notes, the landscape architect knew she was in for a unique adventure of aromatic proportions.

Parker also knew she would need backup. Along with infinite opportunities to showcase her client’s favorite flower, the twenty-two acres would require a series of terraces leading from the house to a lake. Fortunately, this country’s foremost rosarian is on Parker’s speed dial.

To create a confetti of color at the back of the house, Scanniello planted the deep crimson Darcey Bussell with Heritage and other repeatblooming varieties that would extend the drama throughout the season. In the beginning, Scanniello let the roses perform without competition. Later, other perennials were added to the beds.

The entry drive winds gracefully through a preserved tree canopy not far from a semicircular lawn surrounded by Little Lime hydrangeas. Bedded in candytufts (landscape architect Janice Parker’s favorite “tough-as-nails groundcover”), this viewshed can be seen from the main stairwell of the house and is a harmony of green-on-green.

CLOCKWISE FROM ABOVE: Interior designer Alexa Hampton selected the McKinnon and Harris furniture for the gravel parterre overlooking the lake. Pleached lindens stand sentinel around the parking court, while ilex softens the stonework leading to the house. To hold the slope leading down from the rose terrace, Parker planted a diamond pattern of butterfly bush and spiraea.

“SAVVY SELECTION TO FULFILL A FUNCTION IN THE LANDSCAPE IS THE FIRST STEP TO SUCCESS.”

—Rosarian Stephen Scanniello

Not only did Parker need Stephen Scanniello’s expertise in selecting roses beyond your typical go-to l ist, but she also needed his help crafting a detailed maintenance schedule. “To get something potent, you have to be married to a rose garden,” she explains. While Parker, along with senior project manager

Ann Schmitt, focused on earth moving, view f r aming, and transforming a tennis court into a vegetable garden, she could rest assured that the rose-related agenda was in good hands.

Meanwhile, architect Ralph Mackin and the builders at Hobbs were designing a chateau-like

home and several outbuildings, including a pavilion, potting shed, and boathouse, all located at the end of a long d r iveway that swoops in from the road. Parker was tasked with tying all the elements together with a landscape that also respected the earth.

“A whole lot of civil engineering was necessary to protect the soil and land,” she says of the design that won a 2024 ASLA Connecticut Landscape Architecture Design Merit Award. “With a la ndscape, everything is an investment in the future.” Meticulous attention to infinite detail was the rule, from the pillowy grass beds that hem the gravel paths to the overarching trees that set the dreamy mood.

To weave the roses into the overall scheme, Parker first had to ensure the soil stayed in place on a steep grade. To help achieve that, she installed golden

spiraea Ogon and two varieties of Lo & Behold butterfly bush (Blue Chip and P u rple Haze) in a diamond pattern. Her tried-and-true Little Lamb hydrangea billow around the foundation of the house. To soften a semicircular wall, she planted lacy Japanese maples in front of Ludwig Spaeth and Président Grévy lilacs, which perfume the air to nearly intoxicating levels in spring. Yew hedging outlines spaces, underscores formality, and works in conjunction with the deer fencing.

As for the roses, the homeowner’s

ABOVE: The property’s original tennis court was converted into a vegetable garden, and a new court was constructed. Its pavilion shelters spectators as well as storage cabinets. LEFT: Yew could be used as an edging, thanks to the protective deer fence. Moving away from the house, multistemmed dogwoods line the lawn stairs. FACING PAGE: With so much continually happening in the garden, Parker recommended a stately unfilled urn to serve as a focal point.

wish list included ultra-aromatic David Austin and heirloom varieties that Scanniello, curator of the New York Botanical Garden’s Peggy Rockefeller Rose Garden and consultant for the rose garden at the Elizabeth Park Conservancy in West Hartford, knew well. R ather than typical color blocks, the rosarian was asked to take a confetti approach. Heritage, The Shepherdess, The Lark Ascending, Tess of the D’ Urbervilles, and Princess Alexandra of Kent all waltz together to create a vision that reads like an impressionist painting. “Savvy selection to fulfill

“WITH A LANDSCAPE, EVERYTHING IS AN INVESTMENT IN THE FUTURE.”

—Landscape

architect

Janice Parker

a function in the landscape is the first step to success,” Scanniello says.

Roses may reign around the house, but the rest of the acreage is informal and populated by blowsy little bluestem and other ornamental grasses. It’s all part of a harmonious, sumptuous scene that illustrates Parker’s modus operandi: “Everything wants to be singing the sa me song.”

EDITOR’S NOTE: For details, see Resources.

LANDSCAPE DESIGN: Janice Parker

Landscape Architects

ARCHITECTURE: Mackin Architects

BUILDER: Hobbs

INTERIOR DESIGN: Mark Hampton

A series of bluestone and grass steps lead down to the lake path, swooping beside a trio of trimmed hornbeams before traversing the meadow.

In the dining room, a Drop It Modern wallpaper makes a gestural statement, and custom chairs sit at a bespoke cerused-oak table.

The chandelier is by Estiluz. FAR RIGHT: A Nika Zupanc cherry pendant lamp from 1stDibs hangs over a Steinway grand piano.

Interior designer Denise Davies had the piano’s interior painted Benjamin Moore New Lime.

A SEASONED DESIGN TEAM AND ADVENTUROUS HOMEOWNERS MAKE SWEET MUSIC IN WESTPORT.

Text by ANDREW SESSA | Phot ography by JANE BEILES

CLOCKWISE FROM ABOVE: The family room is “the hub of the home,” says Davies, who outfitted it almost exclusively with custom pieces; the Kaws artwork was part of the clients’ collection. A series of spherical blown-glass pendant lights from ROOM hang down through the floating white-oakand-glass staircase. The exterior, designed by Tanner White Architects, telegraphs a modern-farmhouse vibe.

There’s no sweeter music to a design team’s ears than a client saying, “I walk into my house, and I’m wowed by it.” That’s exactly the tune the owner of this home—a five-bedroom, 10,000-square-foot new build on a quiet cul-de-sac in Westport—is singing about interior designer Denise Davies and builder Walter Mattera.

They joined up to outfit the residence with inspired, carefully considered elements that allow a baseline of modern neutrals to blend in perfect harmony with high notes of whimsy, percussive pops of color, and a crescendo of contemporary art.

Davies, who leads Weston-based D2 Interieurs, found inspiration in artwork already collected by the clients, a young family who moved here from Manhattan during the pandemic. “They had a whole Kaws collection. It set the tone for the project.”

Mattera agrees the clients were the impetus for the home’s unique design. “The homeowner told us she didn’t want the norm. She wanted something no one else had,” he says.

T h at’s apparent the moment you walk through the door. To the left, in the living room, stands the family’s heirloom grand piano, which Davies lacquered in black, choosing for its interior a surprising color both she and the client consider their favorite: neon green. A pendant light by Nika Zupanc in the shape of two cherries hangs above. To the right, in the dining room, a Drop It Modern paper adorns the walls with dramatic black brushstrokes. “It looks like someone hand-painted the w a lls around me,” says the homeowner.

The open family room and kitchen area, meanwhile, offers a more laid-back vibe, thanks to its r igorously clean lines, soft upholstery, natural stone counters, and white-oak cabinets left natural or painted Farrow & Ball’s dark gray Down Pipe hue. The kitchen, says Davies, “is so quiet, it all but disappears.”

For all its humor and

ABOVE: Because the kitchen is so large, “a single straight island would have looked like a landing strip,” says Davies, explaining the logic behind the island’s L-shape and lower, cantilevered seating area, which she set with chairs from Blu Dot. LEFT: Builder Walter Mattera designed retractable screens for the covered porch, which Davies outfitted with a large RH sectional and a Rove Concepts coffee table.

bold gestures, the house still manages to maintain a modern, gallery-like simplicity.

ABOVE: For the clients’ purple-loving daughter, Davies designed a suite awash in lavender and neon green. TOP LEFT: In the laundry room, Davies chose cement Clé tiles whose undulating black-and-white pattern recalls the walkways designed by Brazilian modernist Roberto Burle Marx for Copacabana Beach in Rio. BOTTOM LEFT: Cement also figures prominently in the guest bath, where the material is used for nearly every surface.

FACING PAGE: The daughter’s bedroom impresses with a Flavor Paper ceiling wallpaper, a Tom Dixon bedside lamp, and roman shades in a Pierre Frey fabric.

Reached via a floating white-oak-and-glass staircase—past a custom neon sign reading “Everybody Is G oing to Bed Early Tonight”—the second floor’s primary suite feels as serene as the family room and kitchen, all creamy shades of off-white with a custom bed upholstered in a soft Holly Hunt fabric, a fluffy Mongolian lamb rug, and spherical openweave Moooi light fixtures clustered together to resemble a cloud. As for the kids’ rooms on the same floor, the toddler daughter’s is a riot of her favorite color, purple, while the baby boy’s brightens the mood further, its royal blue rug and roman shades paired with a kaleidoscopic ceiling photo mural.

ABOVE: Chunky modern elements—including three-inch-thick Calacatta Breccia Viola marble countertops and a CB2 colorblocked rug—in the primary bath make the space feel substantial. LEFT: In the adjoining bedroom, a Holly Hunt fabric covers the custom upholstered bed. The art is by Robert Deyber. FACING PAGE: Davies sought to keep the large primary bedroom from looking empty without overfilling it. “That’s where the custom Mongolian lamb rug comes in,” she explains. “It is a lot of bang for the buck—so much visual interest.”

For all its humor and bold gestures, the house still manages to maintain a modern, gallery-like simplicity, thanks to its lightly stained white-oak floors and clean-lined millwork, as well as its nearly all-white walls and relatively spare furniture plan. “It would have been very tempting to stuff this house with furniture,” Davies explains. “Instead, I intentionally picked a limited number of pieces that could each stand on their own.”

The result is a symphonic series of rooms that wow not just because of their whimsy but because of the feeling of relaxed warmth and streamlined comfort they create.

EDITOR’S NOTE: For details, see Resources.

ARCHITECTURE: Tanner White Architects

INTERIOR DESIGN: D2 Interieurs

BUILDER: Mattera Construction

Resources

A GUIDE TO THE PROFESSIONALS IN THIS ISSUE’S FEATURED HOMES

GRAND STYLE

PAGES 45–54

Renovation architecture: Contadino Architects, Cos Cob, 203-861-9007, contadinoarchitects.com

Interior design: Antonio Pippo Interiors, Armonk, N.Y., 914-462-1289, antoniopippointeriors.com

Builder: Jim Gasparino, PJG Partners, Greenwich, 203-496-3202

Landscape design and contractor: Troy’s Garden Nurseries, Bedford, N.Y., 914-234-3400, troysnurseries.com

Kitchen design: Christopher Peacock, Greenwich, 203-862-9333, peacockhome.com

Interior millwork: All Star Woodworking, Yorktown Heights, N.Y., 914-769-9161, allstarwoodworking.com

Masonry: Benny D’Andrea Construction, Valhalla, N.Y., 914-769-0023

PRETTY FUNCTIONAL

PAGES 76–84

Interior design: Andrea Sinkin Design, Greenwich, andreasinkindesign.com

Builder: Palette Pro Painting & Renovation, Port Chester, N.Y., 800-687-9470, palette-pro.com

Kitchen and bath tile: Rye Ridge Tile, Port Chester, N.Y., 914-939-1100, ryeridgetile.com

TREASURE HUNT

PAGES 124–135

Interior design: Amy Aidinis Hirsch Interior Design, Greenwich, 203-661-1266, amyhirsch.com

Builder: Gardiner & Larson Homes, New Canaan, 203-972-1409, gardinerandlarsonhomes.com

Dining room painter: Shoreline Painting & Drywall, Norwalk, 203-302-1086, shorelinepaintingct.com

STOP AND SMELL THE ROSES

PAGES 136–147

Architecture: Ralph Mackin, Mackin Architects, Newtown, 914-277-3152, mackinarchitects.com

Interior design: Alexa Hampton, Mark Hampton, New York, N.Y., 212-753-4110, alexahampton.com

Builder: Hobbs, Inc., New Canaan, 203-966-0726, hobbsinc.com

Landscape design: Janice Parker Landscape Architects, Greenwich, 203-340-2824, janiceparker.com

Landscape contractor: Luppino

Landscaping and Masonry, Mount Kisco, N.Y., 914-666-7028, luppinolm.com

HIGH NOTE

PAGES 148–157

Architecture: Tanner White Architects, Westport, 203-283-4749, tannerwhitearchitects.com

Interior design: Denise Davies, D2 Interieurs, Weston, 646-326-7048, d2interieurs.com

Builder: Mattera Construction, Westport, 203-254-2626, matteraconstruction.com

Interior millwork: Old World Construction, Redding, 203-544-9263

Advertiser Index

Acorn Deck House Company 12–13

Advanced Home Audio 106–107

AIA Connecticut 102

Amy Andrews Interior Design 22–23

Artemis Landscape Architects 4–5

ASID CT 96

Austin Ganim Landscape Design, LLC 108–109

Beth Krupa Interiors 14–15

Bevan & Company 89

Burr Salvatore 29

California Closets 42–43

Cardello Architects 8–9

Charles Hilton Architects 16–17

Chloe Winston Lighting Design 86

Christensen Landscape Services 110–111

Christopher Pagliaro Architects 59

Clarke Distribution Corporation 87

Closet & Storage Concepts 36

Closet Factory 81

CORNERSTONE Contracting 34–35

Crown Point Cabinetry 37

Crown Select 53

Dan Gordon Landscape Architects 71

Daniel Conlon Architects 97

Deane Distinctive

May 20-22, 2024

Chatham Bars Inn | Chatham, MA

Stan Dixon, AIA—President and founder of Atlanta-based firm D. Stanley Dixon Architect, Stan Dixon is one of a highly influential group of Southern-based architects and designers who are revolutionizing the design world with their work.

Brian Sawyer, FASLA, and John Berson, AIA—Brian and John are cofounders of New York City-based interdisciplinary firm Sawyer | Berson, practicing architecture, landscape architecture, and interior design.

Last Look |

BY ERIKA AYN FINCH

Open House

Just in time for the seventy-fifth anniversary of New Canaan’s landmark Glass House, the site’s Brick House, closed to the public since 2008, will reopen for tours on May 2. Architect Philip Johnson designed the almost entirely opaque (there are three porthole windows), 900-square-foot structure to complement the transparent Glass House, located on the other side of a grassy courtyard. The Brick House, clad in Ironspot brick laid in a Flemish bond pattern, served as a guesthouse

and a retreat for Johnson and his partner, David Whitney, until they both passed away in 2005. The rectangular building contains a bedroom (Fortuny, designers of the original fabric wallcovering, created a reproduction for the restoration, while Edward Fields Carpet Makers provided replacement flooring), a reading room, and a bath. The forty-nine-acre Glass House complex is open mid-April until mid-December. Reservations are required. theglasshouse.org

CLOCKWISE FROM ABOVE: The Brick House, recently renovated with the help of architecture firm GUND Partnership and builder Hobbs, reopens for tours in May. The house’s sole bedroom was based on the breakfast room at the Sir John Soane’s Museum in London. The opaque and private Brick House acts as a foil to the adjacent transparent and exposed Glass House.

Photography by (clockwise from top) Michael Biondo, Carol Highsmith, and Robin Hill

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