Connecticut Colonial

This 1755 central hall colonial is the residence of Artemisia founders Rosemarie and Marcello. Over the last 7 years they have been thoughtfully restoring the house and Olmstead Brothers designed garden, paying special attention to the skill and craftsmanship of its original makers, while making it warm and comfortable for contemporary living. They subscribe to the ethos of being stewards, not owners, in their home's long, unfolding history and any changes made to the home are for the betterment of its architecture and integrity. Their largest project in the house was to migrate the home's mechanics, plumbing and electrical from the attic so the space could be used as a library. Books grace the perimeter of the attic while the furniture is arranged to create different rooms for studying, eating and lounging.

Every piece of furniture in the house is vintage or antique, while the art is mostly contemporary. This reflects the design ethos they are interested in: skillfully crafted furniture with patina paired with art that reflects their contemporary thinking. All the walls, doors and paneling were sanded and stripped of their centuries of paint so that the original millwork could shine again. The kitchen floor was hand-stenciled in a pearl and taupe strie grid and redesigned for greater efficiency and beauty. William Morris wallcovering gives the small bathrooms personality with their large scale patterning. The originally formal garden was given shape again by carefully trimming historic boxwoods, shrubs and the beech allee. A new pergola was redesigned to accommodate the increasing weight of the euonymus vine and a square reflecting pond was added to the parterre.