New Canaan, Darien + Rowayton - March/April 2023

Worldwide Awards & Recognition

Our reputation as a leader in luxury is unrivaled. Global industry experts at Luxury Lifestyle Awards have named William Raveis among the elite Top 100 Real Estate Brokers and Developers of the World for 2022. Everywhere, from Nice to Naples, Greenwich to Greece, people recognize our luxury brand and luxury personal service from agents who deliver best-in-class experiences.

Voted #1 Luxury Broker by Luxury Portfolio International®, our global reach connects us to the widest audience of high-net-worth buyers across the world. Our partnership with Leading Real Estate Companies of the World® gives agents access to an international network of nearly 140,000 real estate professionals and over 550 luxury brokerages across 70 countries.

Please call for a confidential consultation. We’d love to talk with you.

editorial

editorial director Cristin Marandino

editor Julee Kaplan style & community editor Janel Alexander advisory editor Donna Moffly

art

senior art director Venera Alexandrova senior art director/status report Garvin Burke production director Tim Carr assistant art director Lisa Servidio

contributors editors Megan Gagnon editor, athome Elizabeth Hole editor, custom publishing Diane Sembrot editor, fairfield living; westport; stamford Veronica Schorr assistant editor, athome

writers

Liz Barron, Tom Connor, Carol Leonetti Dannhauser, Malia McKinnon Frame, Kim-Marie Galloway

copy editors

Terry Christofferson, David Podgurski

digital

digital director of content strategy Diane Sembrot digital marketing manager Rachel MacDonald digital assistant Lloyd Gabi

business president Jonathan W. Moffly chief revenue officer Andrew Amill editorial director Cristin Marandino director of content strategy Diane Senbrot business manager Elena V. Moffly cofounders John W. Moffly IV and Donna C. Moffly

sales + marketing

Gina Fusco publisher gina.fusco@moffly.com

Jonathan W. Moffly publisher-at-large, greenwich jonathan@moffly.com

Gabriella Mays publisher, westport•weston•wilton gabriella.mays@moffly.com

Andrew Amill publisher, greenwich andrew.amill@moffly.com

Karen Kelly-Micka publisher, stamford, ocean house karen.kelly@moffly.com

Robin O’Hara associate publisher, athome robin.ohara@moffly.com

Hilary Hotchkiss acount executive hilary.hotchkiss@moffly.com

Morgan Howell acount executive morgan.howell@moffly.com

Kathleen Dyke partnership and big picture manager kathleen.godbold@moffly.com

Rachel Shorten events director rachel.shorten@moffly.com

Lemuel Bandala sales assistant lemuel.bandala@moffly.com

Eillenn Bandala business assistant eillenn.bandala@moffly.com

published by

205 Main Street, Westport, CT 06880 phone: 203-222-0600 fax: 203-222-0937 mail@mofflymedia.com

Publishers of FAIRFIELD LIVING, GREENWICH, NEW CANAAN - DARIEN, WESTPORT, STAMFORD and athome Magazines advertising inquiries Lemuel Bandala email advertise@mofflymedia.com.

years. Prices are subject to change without notice. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED No part of this periodical may be reproduced without express permission of the publisher.

©2023 New Canaan - Darien magazine is a registered trademark owned by Moffly Media. The opinions expressed by writers commissioned for articles published by New Canaan - Darien magazine are not necessarily those of the magazine.

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

Welcome to John’s Island. A sunny, cherished haven enjoyed by generations who have discovered the undeniable allure of life by the sea. With 1,650 pristine acres, miles of quiet sandy beaches and a thriving community, this is ocean to river living at its finest. These serene offerings each combine luxury with traditional appeal. Replete with gorgeous architectural details, tranquil spacious living areas and lush grounds - not to mention close to the water - each of these homes takes advantage of prime location with access to an incredible array of amenities. We invite you to indulge in a life of bliss in John’s Island.

Miles Of Beach : 3 Championship Golf Courses : Tennis & Pickleball : Squash : Delectable Dining : Oceanfront Beach Club

www.JohnsIslandRealEstate.com

founder’s page

FUN & FOOLERY

Who among us doesn’t enjoy a good laugh or prank as long as nobody is insulted or maimed? Practical jokes are a kind of art form, not just reserved for April Fool’s Day. We can all remember dandies that bear repeating.

When we newlywed Mofflys visited Wooly Henry in Lake Forest (he’d one day live in Greenwich), we’d never seen the huge white elephant of a house the Henrys had just bought. After dark with all lights blazing, it looked like the Queen Mary. A butler named Hearther answered the door, took my fur coat (my mother’s) and introduced us to Master Woolcott, a three-year-old in a Fauntleroy outfit riding his tricycle around the marble foyer. He then rang for the elevator, escorted us up to a luxurious guestroom and asked if he might draw my bath and bring me a martini. I said yes to both, though I’d showered that morning and hated Martinis.

Back downstairs for cocktails with forty people, none I’d ever met, Hearther hovered over my chair with the shrimp, reached down and goosed me. I screamed, and everybody exploded with laughter.

In actual fact: To economize, the Henrys usually lit only half the house; our room was really the master bedroom, and the butler was a Princeton classmate in a uniform borrowed from the Onwensia Club. Everybody, including Jack, was in on it. I could have killed him.

That took planning, but some pranks are spontaneous. During one Christmas party at Harbor Point, Jack excused himself from dinner in the candlelit recreation room to go upstairs and found Lynn Rohrer trapped in the loo. She couldn’t unlock the door but had managed to open the window. Ever the gentleman, he went outside, helped her climb out into a snow drift and re-enter through the front door. Then they looked at the living room and had a brainstorm: With everyone still below singing carols, they’d have time to rearrange the furniture so

when people came up for coffee, it would look like a whole new house! And they went to work. End of story: It did look like a whole new house, and we were never invited back.

And another: When Effie and Gene Connett applied to Riverside Yacht Club, Bill King and Edgar Walz said they’d have to be interviewed by the Commodore. Bill Cullman arrived at the Walz’s house in his whites, chatted with Gene, then asked Effie if they’d mind sharing a pool locker with the Hanafees and Van Gals. (Between them, they had twenty-one children.) Then the Kings wrote ridiculous lyrics to “Rule Britannia,” which new members supposedly had to sing at the Lighting of the Winter Log. Effie was a wreck. But the jig was up at the Lighting when Gene asked another guy wearing a new member carnation, “Do you know the words to that song?” And he replied: “What song?”

Meanwhile in Old Greenwich, Leo Jiranek and Verne Westerberg were waging notorious prankster wars. Verne once hired a pair of models to walk around Lucas Point in bathing suits and hand out fliers for free massages at Leo Jiranik’s Massage Parlor, the poor guy’s house on North Way.

The best prank our gang ever pulled was shanghaiing Mary and Bill Clowney (brother of Riverside’s Frank Clowney) from Cleveland to the Rolling Rock Club in Ligonier, Pennsylvania—a couple of hours drive—for a one-day golf tournament. Meanwhile, we’d hired their favorite sitter to spend the weekend with their four kids; and once the golfers drove off, we stormed their house and packed their clothes, including black tie for an Awards Dinner—awards like a raw beef kidney quivering in a silver cup for the Biggest Liver.

But we forgot The Pill. Nine months later little Lester Clowney was born—an accidentprone fellow who kept doing things like falling out of windows.

Have any tales to tell? Do share. I’ll save them up for another column. No fooling.

“End of story: It did look like a whole new house, and we were never invited back.”

#1 in Connecticut 5 Fairfield County Locations

Yale New Haven Children’s Hospital brings top-ranked specialties, and some of the brightest minds in medicine, closer to you with locations in Greenwich, Norwalk, Trumbull and Bridgeport. From allergies to cancer treatment, children are cared for by a comprehensive team of leading experts in a facility tailored to the unique needs of children. All from a children’s hospital ranked in more specialties than any other children’s hospital in Connecticut.

Find the right specialist for your child: 877-925-3637 (877-YALE-MDS)

Fairfield County Locations

5 Perryridge Rd., Greenwich

500 West Putnam Ave., Greenwich

747 Belden Ave., Norwalk

5520 Park Ave., Trumbull

267 Grant St., Bridgeport

ROOTED IN SCIENCE

HIGH SCHOOL FRIENDS LAUNCH FLOURISH , an organic plant-care company

Darien High School’s Authentic Scientific Research Program regularly produces winners in state and national science fair competitions. But it’s rare for the three-year program—or any high school science program, for that matter—to nurture a love of biology that would lead to a lifelong friendship and, ultimately, a thriving business.

“We both had signed up for the program independently,” says Lila Sullivan of herself and childhood friend Kate Ferguson, “and it just ignited our love for science. Kate actually won most of the science fairs. But it was in the program when we started to think about what careers in science could look like.”

Going their separate ways in college—Lila to Cornell, Kate to the University of Texas—they stayed in touch even after graduating and moving to Manhattan, where Lila worked as an executive recruiter and Kate for think tanks there and in Austin, Texas.

It was in Austin that Kate first recognized a gap in the

plant-care market, along with general confusion around how to keep indoor plants alive and thriving. Lila agreed.

The problem with the leading brand of plant fertilizers, both felt, was that it’s made up entirely of synthetic chemicals, which can burn plant leaves and may be carcinogenic. “And the problem with organic fertilizers on the market,” Lila adds, “is that they're often made with fish composts that typically smell really pungent and lingers for days.”

Both also believed that high-end plant lovers and purchasers, like their parents, want a beautifully packaged product befitting the aesthetics of their homes and suitable to be left on a shelf or counter, where buyers would remember to use it.

In March of last year, Kate and Lila launched Flourish, an organic plant-care company providing products, as well as knowledge and resources, for plant lovers and growers.

Their first offering, Flourish Plant Food, is a sustainable, all-purpose plant fertilizer that quickly releases 70 percent of plant-ready nutrients and slowly releases 30 percent of microbe-dependent food, a process that allows for a stronger root system and better nutrient uptake. Flourish’s claim, backed by scientists: It is one of the cleanest fertilizers on the market!

This January, the company won a product award at the 2023 Tropical Plant International Expo, a leading trade show for growers and suppliers, held in Tampa, Florida.

Flourish is headquartered in Austin, home to some of the company’s investors. Besides, as Kate notes, “It just made a lot of sense for us to be able to grow the brand from a young city that supports entrepreneurs and where a lot of our customers are also based.”

Although the two Darien High School friends call Austin home these days, their roots are still planted firmly in Fairfield County.

Currently, Flourish Plant Food is sold locally at Nielsen’s Florist & Garden Shop on the Post Road in Darien, with plans underway to introduce two new plant-care products and to expand into stores in New Canaan and Greenwich.

For more information, plus plant-care advice and a vibrant blog, visit flourishplant.com.

“The problem with organic fertilizers on the market is that they’re often made with fish composts that… linger for days.”

SUSTAINABLE LENDING

NUVEEN GREEN CAPITAL makes an impact with clean energy loans

When co-founders and female powerhouses Jessica Bailey and Alexandra (Ali) Cooley met in 2012, it seemed they were destined to become partners. Their backgrounds and skill sets complemented one another and their joint passion for mitigating climate change became the driving force behind the launch of their first company—Greenworks Lending, which they started in 2015. Currently, Bailey is the CEO of Nuveen Green Capital (Greenworks was acquired by Nuveen, a TIAA Company, in 2020) and Cooley is its CIO. We sat down with these two dynamic leaders to learn more about their Darien-based firm and the importance of energy efficiency.

Q: CAN YOU DESCRIBE YOUR BACKGROUND AND THE GENESIS OF NUVEEN GREEN CAPITAL?

BAILEY: My background is in clean energy policy. I spent ten years at a foundation in New York and became really excited about a state-based policy called C-PACE (Commercial Property Assessed Clean Energy) that was being used in California to finance solar

Architecture:

projects and other clean energy improvements to buildings. I ended up moving into public service at Connecticut Green Bank, which is where Ali and I met. We worked to build a very successful lending platform, but we were limited to lending in the state of Connecticut. Both of us wanted to have a greater impact on climate change, so we knew we needed to expand nationally and decided to start Greenworks Lending. We finance clean energy loans in over 30 states.

COOLEY: I had come out of the joint degree program at Yale Business School and was very interested in all of the different financing models. When I heard about C-PACE, it

was really exciting to think about being able to serve the commercial lending side and also help owners to upgrade their buildings in a way that made sense with efficient clean energy as their properties. When the opportunity presented itself to start Greenworks and help build out the industry, it was a no brainer for me.

WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO YOU TO RUN A WOMAN-OWNED FIRM?

BAILEY: When we started from ground zero, we were really just focused on hiring the best people that could help us turn nothing into something. Most people that we hired just happened to be really kick-ass females. Maybe Ali and I being women ourselves helped attract more female candidates. Women tend to be great problem solvers, multi-taskers and just get stuff done. But, by the way, we also have some kick-ass men on our team!

COOLEY: I don’t think I had really considered that we were going to be a ‘woman-owned firm’ when we were first starting out, but now that we’ve grown so much, it’s exciting to be a success story that can serve as an example for other women. A lot of the time when women are thinking about their careers and how to balance them with motherhood, it can become overwhelming, especially if it’s hard to find examples of others who are doing the same thing. With many women on our team, it has become more important to me to be able to provide an example for our employees.

BAILEY: The fact that our company is headquartered in Darien also helps. Many of our senior leaders are women who used to commute into the city. Being able to work close to home and do school drop-offs has definitely helped us to attract and retain a lot of our top-talent females.

CAN YOU DESCRIBE WHAT THE FIRM LOOKS LIKE TODAY?

BAILEY: Greenworks was acquired in 2020 by Nuveen, a subsidiary of TIAA, a company that we had known for years and that was responsible for the lending behind much of the

capital that we raised. Together we became Nuveen Green Capital. We have about 90 employees spread across divisions. We operate pretty autonomously within Nuveen as their clean energy lending platform. When we began our mergers and acquisitions process, we were looking for a partner that wanted to invest in clean energy as much as we did. Our merger has allowed us to keep the best pieces of what we originally built, while also integrating into this very large $1T asset manager.

HOW HAVE YOUR BACKGROUNDS COMPLEMENTED EACH OTHER?

COOLEY: If you were looking from the outside in, you’d realize that Ali is simply much smarter than I am. But, many times, I can simplify and communicate things better than she can. Her ability to come up with a way to translate ideas into results, and my ability to explain everything really works for us. We look at problems differently and that's led us to some great solutions.

BAILEY: After working together for so long, your relationship evolves almost like a marriage

where you sort of absorb pieces from the other person. Starting a business alone would be very lonely, and I can’t imagine doing this by myself. As we’ve grown, the decisions that we make impact more and more people, and it would be so hard to do without Jessica. We always have different takeaways from meetings and conversations, and we each hone in on different pieces. Our partnership and working knowledge have helped us to grow our business in a way that’s sustainable and to develop more robust strategies. Having someone to celebrate the good times with you and walk with you through the bad times is so important.

WHAT DOES THE PASSAGE OF THE RECENT INFLATION REDUCTION ACT MEAN FOR YOUR FIRM AND THE ENVIRONMENT MORE GENERALLY?

COOLEY: I’m excited and very motivated about seeing a climate change policy. It’s the main issue facing our generation. As far as what it means for our business, we are lending directly to commercial real estate owners who want to upgrade their buildings for maximum energy efficiency. This will have a very positive impact on our lending ability because it will mean projects will become more affordable.

WHAT DO YOU THINK THE FUTURE HOLDS FOR ESG INVESTING?

COOLEY: From my perspective and what we’ve seen thus far, it seems that demand is still very strong. There is a lot of work to be done around standardization of green bond standards.

BAILEY: Clean energy lenders are providing smart financing solutions to owners by giving them loans for sustainability measures, that once they are paid back, will help them greatly reduce costs. It’s a smart business decision in the long run.

ABOUT THE FOUNDERS

Originally from Chicago, Bailey lives in Rowayton with her husband and four children. Cooley, who is from Westport, currently resides in Manhattan with her husband and daughter, and divides her time between the Nuveen New York headquarters and the Darien office.

“Clean energy lenders are providing smart financing solutions to owners by giving them loans for sustainability measures.”

—JESSICA BAILEY CEO OF NUVEEN GREEN CAPITAL

Sock Game

For the SOXFORDS founders, their mission is to “GROW UP, NOT OLD.”

Can’t find the perfect pair of socks for Dad on Father’s Day? No worries— neither could Ryan Kent.

“I was looking for a gift for my dad and thought a pair of fishing socks would be fun because he loves to fish,” he recalls. Back in 2008, however, most of the themed-socks he saw were either boring or novelties, like sharks biting the leg or Finding Nemo. “My dad’s a suit and tie guy,” he adds. “He would never wear anything like that.”

So Ryan, 42, did what most loving sons would do: He enlisted his wife for help. Only it wasn’t to ask Meredith, 43, to find the right socks for him but to help start a company to make the kind of socks—stylish and beautifully made but also fun—he’d been unable to find.

In February 2012, a few months after their twins were born, the couple, who met at Lehigh University, founded Soxfords, marrying the classic look of Oxford cloth with socks that could be worn just as well in the office as on the golf course or the pickleball court (ultimately two of the company’s best-selling items).

Soon, socks embroidered with images of fly-fishermen grew to include a wide and whimsical range of sports, hobbies and vibrantly colored patterns and scenes, and the product line

expanded to neckties and bow ties.

From their home in Pound Ridge, NY, on the New Canaan border, Ryan storyboards ideas for new items in Photoshop, then sends the mock-ups to a designer who fleshes out the cross-stitch patterns. Harder is matching the colors he has in mind with the fabric—Pima cotton—before designs go to factories in South America. Weeks later, samples arrive for Ryan’s tweaking or approval.

What distinguishes Soxfords socks from the rest of the market is the double-stitching, which gives the fabric stretchability and comfort, and the images that are hand-embroidered over the main pattern, producing a clean, sophisticated theme and look.

All the while, between tutoring for extra money and giving birth to a third child, Melissa has been handling wholesale distribution, shipping orders out of the house and, as the children grew older, working the trade-show circuit—loading up the family car and traveling to as many as 20 shows from Chicago to Washington, D.C., between October and Christmas.

February marked Soxfords’ ten-year anniversary, with sales up from some 1,000 pairs of socks a year to as many as 15,000 in 2022. The products are sold wholesale nationally and in brick-and-mortar stores locally—at The Cottage in Pound Ridge, The Beehive in Fairfield, Lattice House in Southport, and The Linen Shop on Elm Street in New Canaan. The company also produces custom designs for corporations and private golf courses.

Now with a dedicated salesperson taking over the wholesale operations and plans to add more clothing accessories, the enterprise is poised to become more a lifestyle brand than just a sock company with a slogan to match: “Grow up, not old.”

As for living and working together as a couple, Meredith has a simple response: “We’re still married.”

To view the full line of Soxfords’ socks, bow ties and accessories, with stunning closeups of fabric and embroidered images, visit www.soxfords.com.

“What distinguishes Soxfords socks from the rest of the market is the double-stitching, which gives the fabric stretchability and comfort...”

SPRING FASHION

WARM-WEATHER TRENDS YOU WILL WANT TO INVEST IN NOW!

It’s time to pack up your chunky sweaters and heavy boots and trade them in for clothing that speaks to more feminine textures and gentler forecasts.

CARGO GLAM

THE MINI-BAG CRAZE HAS LED TO A FUNCTIONAL NEED FOR MORE POCKETS, AND DESIGNERS ARE BRINGING THEM IN FULL FORCE.

Pairs perfectly with a slim-cut top or bodysuit 1

Pairs perfectly with belt bag, worn cross body to break up the horizontal and vertical lines

DAAAAAYS DENIM FOR

ON THE RUNWAYS THIS SEASON: BAGGIER DENIM REIGNS, ESPECIALLY WHEN PAIRED WITH MORE DENIM

CHANDELIER EARRINGS

Add a little bling to a basic look with these shoulder grazing dazzlers DE BEERS

Snow Dance Long Earrings in white gold, $49,400, Greenwich; debeers.com

ALTUZARRA

MIGNONNE GAVIGAN

Madeline

JUSTINE CLENQUET

Shanon Asymmetric Crystal Fringe Earrings, $108, Greenwich; intermixonline.com

Ahead of the curve, Dr. Harbottle now offers an affordable concierge program direct to patients.

porcelain & gold onlays, crowns and bridges

crowns

bridges

Our Mission

The mission of Breast Cancer Alliance is to improve survival rates and quality of life for those impacted by breast cancer through better prevention, early detection, treatment and cure.

To promote these goals, we invest in innovative research, breast surgery fellowships, regional education, dignified support and screening for the underserved.

To learn more visit breastcanceralliance.org

Breast Cancer Alliance

48 Maple Avenue, Greenwich, CT 06830 info@breastcanceralliance.org

Yonni Wattenmaker, Executive Director

breastcanceralliance

Since 1909, Cummings & Lockwood has provided sophisticated legal representation to individuals, families, family offices, closely held businesses, other commercial enterprises and charitable entities. Our core services include:

 Wills, Trusts and Estate Planning

 Wealth Protection Planning

 Philanthropic Giving

 Probate and Estate Administration

 Fiduciary and Trustee Services

 International Estate and Tax Planning

 Business Succession Planning

 Corporate and Finance

 Litigation and Arbitration

 Commercial and Residential Real Estate

www.cl-law.com

3D FLORALS

NOTHING SAYS SPRING LIKE FLOWERS, ESPECIALLY WHEN THEY ARE ADORNING YOUR BODY, HEAD TO TOE. DESIGNERS ARE PUTTING A NEW SPIN ON THE TRADITIONAL FLORAL MOTIF, USING FABRIC TO CREATE THE BLOOMS

WHITE BUTTON DOWN

This staple multitasks as a beach cover-up, jacket or top for evening or even wear it backwards—to name just a few upgraded uses!

HELMET LANG Cotton-Poplin Back Detail shirt, $350; net-aporter.com

ZIMMERMANN Ivory High Tide Pearl Button Down Shirt, $795; shop. mitchellstores.com

ZARA Crop Poplin Shirt, $39.90; zara.com

SHAN White Classic Blouse, $365; dariensport.com

e Westy Mission

To give our Customers peace of mind by continuously providing the finest service, buildings and ethical standards in the storage industry.

BE AT THE BRUCE BE AMAZED

GRAND OPENING APRIL 2, 2023

new

A Fashion Showcase and Brunch to Support ElderHouse

ElderHouse, a leader in providing services to older adults and their family caregivers for over 45 years, presents an exciting, new spring fashion show and brunch.

Sunday, April 23, 2023 | 10:00am - 1:00pm Bazille Restaurant at The SoNo Collection 100 N Water Street, Norwalk, CT

For more information and to purchase tickets, visit elderhouse.org/events or call: (203) 847-1998

All proceeds from this event will support the care and services ElderHouse provides to older adults and their family caregivers. ElderHouse is a not-for-profit adult day center serving Darien, New Canaan, Norwalk, Stamford, Weston, Westport and Wilton.

Exclusive Magazine Sponsor

HEAVY METAL

SILVER

WEDGE but make it skinny!

Wedge heels are seeing a comeback, but in sliver thin proportions.

A Room With a View

IF YOU ’ RE LOOKING FOR THE MAJESTIC VISTAS OF NATIONAL PARKS BY DAY BUT TURN-DOWN SERVICE AT NIGHT, READ ON

Yosemite

Why camp in Yosemite when you can sleep in a castle? If Yogi the Bear had a platinum card, he would stay at Chateau du Sureau. A stay at the Chateau feels more like an escape to a magical European forest than one in the foothills of the Sierra Nevadas. Winding staircases, turrets, stainedglass windows and a private chapel are all the elements needed for a castle. The perfect service of the staff completes the experience. Chef Chris Flint, the former Chef de Cuisine at Eleven Madison Park, tells us we’ll be hearing about new awards soon.

It’s easy to pop into nearby Yosemite, take in some sites like Half Dome or a dramatic waterfall and still be back for dinner. You can book a private tour with Crossroads Tours They can arrange everything from a private Jeep with a naturalist to a scenic air tour. For hikers, get your pass to hike the famed Half Dome well in advance. Permits for day hikers are distributed by lottery via recreation.gov. Rates start at $495 a night.

CALIFORNIA

Death Valley

Wondering if Death Valley is worth the trip? It is. It’s the largest International Dark Sky Park in the country. You can see the Milky Way (Spielberg filmed scenes from Star Wars here) and it’s always warm.

The Oasis at Death Valley comprises of two hotels, the luxury Inn at Death Valley and the familyfriendly Ranch at Death Valley. The original was built in 1927 before the area was declared a National Park, which makes it a true private oasis in the middle of a public desert. The Inn’s swimming pool is fed by natural underground springs and always a toasty eighty-six degrees. The golf course sits 214 feet below sea level. The sub-altitude causes the ball to fly differently and is a good excuse for missing the fairway.

If you’re tired of the fake-out of spring in New England, March weather in Death Valley averages eighty-two degrees with one day of rain. That’s one of the three days it will rain all year. Rates start at $399 a night.

Blue Ridge Mountains

Serious foodies are familiar with The Inn at Little Washington, the highly acclaimed restaurant in a tiny town at the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains. Chef Patrick O’Connell, also known as the Pope of American Cuisine, opened the hotel and restaurant in 1978 in a town so small it didn’t need a stoplight. Nothing here is grand, but everything here is perfect.

The self-trained and self-inspired chef has achieved what some of the most pedigreed Parisian chefs could only dream of—three Michelin stars and the longest tenured Forbes Five Star and Five Diamond property and restaurant. Don’t worry about it being too fancy, though. That’s something O’Connell hates—taking things too seriously. He says the only dress code is no wet bathing suits. Dry bathing suits are just fine. Each of the twenty-three individually decorated rooms is named for chefs and others who’ve inspired O’Connell. (Suite 6 is designed to resemble the Ritz Paris, an inspiration we can all understand.)

The easiest way to enjoy Shenandoah National Park is a scenic car ride along Skyline Drive, which runs a little over 100 miles north and south along the crest of the Blue Ridge Mountains. For those who want to actually get out of the car, one of the most spectacular hikes in Virginia starts just thirty minutes from town—the hike up to Old Rag Mountain. You’ll need an entrance pass for the park and a separate pass for the hike. Room rates start at $865 a night; dinner starts at $328 per person with an optional $228 for wine pairings.

The Great Smoky Mountains

Owners of the new property, Blackberry Mountain, describe it as a private national park. The Mountain opened in 2019 and gives guests a chance to stay in modern treehouses or sleekly rustic cabins and enjoy twenty-five miles of private hiking and biking trails.

The beloved Blackberry Farm resort offers bucolic white rocking chairs and southern hospitality. Its James Beard Award-winning restaurant, The Barn, and the more informal Dogwood restaurant, were early leaders in the farm-totable movement.

The Farm and Mountain are seven miles apart at the foot of the Tennessee Smoky Mountains. Whichever property you choose, you can easily explore the national park, which straddles North Carolina and Tennessee. You might be surprised to

learn that out of all the national parks, the Great Smoky Mountains get the most visitors. It could be the chance to see black bears, the 850 miles of trails, or because it’s one of the few national parks you can enter for free.

Rates include breakfast, lunch and dinner, starting with dinner on the day of arrival and ending with

breakfast on the day of departure, along with all pantry snacks, non-alcoholic beverages, morning group wellness classes and guided morning group hikes.

Blackberry Farm room rates start at $1,045 with a three-night minimum; Blackberry Mountain rates start at $1,595.

EMDR Therapy

Patients can process trauma with a SPECIALIZED

WHAT IS EMDR?

EMDR, or Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing, is a therapeutic intervention that allows clients to hone in on a traumatic event while concurrently experiencing bilateral stimulation. Memory recall, combined with this type of left- and right-body engagement has been correlated with a decrease in the intensity of emotions associated with trauma. EMDR has helped people recover from symptoms related to PTSD, trauma, anxiety, depression, OCD, chronic pain, addictions and numerous other disrupting symptoms.

Psychologist and educator, Francine Shapiro, pioneered the technique in 1987 after she found herself walking in a park and noticing that eye movements seemingly lessened the intensity of her emotions as they pertained to her own troubling memories. Thus, her extensive research began, and not long after, Shapiro was able to prove that bilateral stimulation and eye movements had the power to provide immense relief to those plagued with a variety of emotional struggles.

We spoke to psychotherapist Elissa Stein, the founder and director of The Riverwalk Group in Stamford, to learn more about EMDR and how it enhances her ability to treat clients.

TECHNIQUE

WHAT WAS EMDR TRAINING LIKE, AND DID YOU HAVE ANY HESITATION AT FIRST?

I learned EMDR in 2009 as part of my trauma certification from ICP (Institute for Contemporary Psychotherapy). To be completely honest, at first, I thought maybe I had lost my mind a little…this was so foreign compared to anything else I had ever done before. I was learning this odd technique that I really didn’t know anything about. After I began to understand more about the history and the efficacy of EMDR, I became very interested. It was a different modality than those I had used in the past, but I was open to trying it. EMDR has since become an invaluable tool for many of my clients. Part of the training is that you have to try it yourself. I not only did that but then also went on to do it privately and had a lot of my own interesting and successful experiences. I would never be able to practice EMDR as much as I do, if I didn’t completely believe in it. The evidence for its success is overwhelming, and, because of EMDR, so many people are getting help and feeling better.

WHAT METHODS DID YOU USE PRIOR TO LEARNING EMDR, AND HOW HAS IT CHANGED THE WAY YOU PRACTICE?

Prior to my EMDR training, I focused mostly on relational talk therapy after having done postgraduate work in marriage and family therapy at The Family Institute of Westchester. I found myself working with so many people dealing with trauma and decided I needed to learn more, so I began my education in the world of Integrative Trauma Therapy, which has definitely changed the way I work. I now have a very different lens and incorporate EMDR and other trauma modalities and techniques when working with individuals and couples. Each case is unique. Sometimes I combine techniques and modalities, and sometimes I do straight EMDR; it really depends on the circumstance. Trauma therapy is not one-stop shopping.

About Elissa Stein

When Elissa isn’t working with clients, she enjoys spending time with her family and friends, practicing yoga, reading, writing and hiking with her dog Yoda. She collects heart-shaped rocks and believes in the healing power of a good belly laugh. The Riverwalk Group is located at 666 Glenbrook Road in Stamford. For more information, visit theriverwalkgroup.com

HOW DO YOU PREPARE A CLIENT FOR AN EMDR SESSION?

I always do an initial assessment to see if someone is a candidate. Not everyone is. Sometimes people need preparation before doing the deeper work of going inside, which is what EMDR is all about. If EMDR seems like it could be a good fit for the client and situation, I will explain a little bit about the history of the treatment and the specific protocol that is used. I might show them the actual EMDR machine and talk to them about why I’m suggesting this technique. Then we generally do some work to prepare to begin EMDR, which could take anywhere from one to three sessions. I’m also happy to answer any questions the client may have prior to starting the process.

WHY IS EMDR SO EFFECTIVE FOR TRAUMA RECOVERY?

My experience has been that the mechanism of using bilateral stimulation creates an opening for a different kind of work than that of talk therapy. It helps the brain integrate information on both the right and left sides of the brain. Once this information has been fully integrated, someone can generally process their trauma more thoroughly.

EMDR allows people to get to a deeper layer, do more meaningful work and make connections they may not have made otherwise. I think it’s an invaluable tool for some. It is more of an inside experience as opposed to an external experience, and clients are able to access a subconscious place within themselves. The desensitization part means that the memory is lessened, so if someone starts off at a rating of nine out of ten, the hope is that their number will keep coming down as they move through the process. The reprocessing step involves pulling up the memory and experiencing it again with the bilateral simulation. This step helps the brain to absorb and download the information in a different kind of way. In trauma, there is often a freeze response, because the brain can’t fully process what is happening. This can cause someone to sort of get stuck, even in a subconscious

way. Sometimes during an EMDR session people will remember certain details that they weren’t consciously aware of before. The other thing I find fascinating is that in addition to all that EMDR does, it often helps people make connections in ways that aren’t obviously relevant. It can help someone, at age fifty, to process something that happened at age ten and to realize why they do things the way they do.

CAN EMDR BE USED FOR ANY SITUATIONS THAT ARE CAUSING STRESS, EVEN IF THE SCENARIO MIGHT NOT NECESSARILY SEEM TEXTBOOK “TRAUMATIC?”

Yes, absolutely. EMDR can be used for phobias and anxiety; it’s definitely not just for PTSD. In the trauma community, we use the language that there are capital “T” traumas and lowercase “t” traumas. Some of us have capital “T” trauma, and all of us have lowercase “t” trauma. Whether someone went through something horrific like an assault or an accident or has memories of being horribly bullied, shamed by a teacher or being cut from a sport or a play—all of these things can feel overwhelming. The definition of trauma is “an overwhelming experience to the mind and body,” and while situations might vary in intensity, EMDR can help ease a wide chasm of struggles.

WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE TO SOMEONE WHO IS INTERESTED IN EMDR BUT APPREHENSIVE ABOUT SEEKING TREATMENT?

Over the past few years, my practice has received more calls inquiring about EMDR than ever before. I’d suggest speaking to a trained EMDR therapist to inquire about the process and gain a better understanding of the treatment. I’d also advise asking a lot of questions. EMDR is a different approach; and even though it’s become more common in recent years, people often have a lot that they are wondering about and are looking for a safe space to get information and answers. More details can also be found online at emdria.org.

The effects of a traumatic event are the trauma that happens inside you as the result of that event. It’s what happens because of what happened. EMDR helps us understand and helps that part inside that carries the trauma, to regain balance.

—ELISSA STEIN, PSYCHOTHERAPIST, FOUNDER AND DIRECTOR OF THE RIVERWALK GROUP IN STAMFORD

money matters

INVESTING IN YOUR HOME

a real estate agent with Houlihan Lawrence in Greenwich. “Sellers who did that when Covid came along and there was limited inventory, those houses were primed and ready.”

house,” Mosher says. “You walk in and you don’t have to do any work—insta-house, insta-life.”

You remember what happened to real estate during Covid in 2020. You blinked and—boom!—the house down the road sold for more than you imagined possible. Then you blinked again, and— boom!—another house, then another...

Was your house in for-sale shape?

“I am constantly telling people, don’t wait until you want to sell to do an improvement on your house. Do it as soon as you are able. It’s all about keeping your home current,” says Ellen Mosher,

Mosher is the top-selling residential real estate agent in Connecticut, according to industry tracker RealTrends, so her advice is borne of experience. It’s also what she does in her own home. “I practice what I preach,” says Mosher, who has lived in Old Greenwich for almost thirty years. “Every year I do one or two projects to my house. The key is to stay on top of everything.”

While they can be costly, investments you make in your house today can pay you back down the road. “Buyers across Fairfield County are paying a premium for used homes that have been updated, upgraded and redesigned. Even if you have a 100-year-old house that you’ve completely freshened and updated, they’re selling at a premium. Buyers want the instant

A DEEPER LOOK

Unless you’re planning on staying in your house for the next twenty years, you don’t need a full tear-down and build back to make your house appealing. What, then, makes for a smart upgrade? Assess your house as a potential buyer would to determine what needs attention. Start at the curb, beginning with, yes, the mailbox. Hopefully that “is interesting,” Mosher says. From there, how is your walkway looking? “Great shape,” should be the answer. Next, do you see tidy, low-maintenance landscaping that affords privacy? A recent paint job on the millwork? Good garage doors? Energy-efficient windows? If any of these seem wanting, you know where to start. Before a buyer even enters a house, these first impressions set the tone for what happens next.

Once inside, head to the kitchen and bathrooms. Stainless steel appliances, cabinetry that is

“classic with a nod to modern,” and decor in “neutral tones with pops of color” might be all that you need. And don’t forget to look down. Says Mosher, “A lot of people are updating the floors with wide planks. That’s very in right now.”

Upgrades should be in line with the other homes in your neighborhood. Luxury buyers might expect a home theater, wine cellar and full outdoor kitchen, with bonus points for a generator and electric car chargers. But those costs could be hard to recoup in a neighborhood with a lower price point, Mosher says. No matter. A tidy firepit and outdoor grill area will show buyers that they can enjoy the yard. In the basement, sheet-rocked walls and a finished floor nearly always pays for itself. Should this be a workout space? A gaming room? An office? You don’t need to dictate that, so long as it’s wired and heated. Says Mosher, “People can envision how to use it. You don’t need to do this for them.”

Before you spend time and money making changes to what potential buyers will see, find out what’s lurking out of view. Cracks in your foundation, electrical issues, hidden mold, drainage problems, invisible radon and more can sink a sale (and compromise your health) without warning. To be on the safe side, hire a certified home inspector—even if you’re not selling—to assess your home’s health. That way, you’ll have plenty of time to fix small problems before they get worse.

people&PLACES

Cheers to 75 Years!

The room was abuzz for GREENWICH magazine’s seventy-fifth anniversary party at Townhouse in, where else–Greenwich. Friends, family, advertisers and lifelong supporters joined all of us at Moffly Media to celebrate this special milestone. The evening would not have been possible without our sponsors, JPM Private Bank, Shreve, Crump & Low, Houlihan Lawrence, Nichols MD of Greenwich, Tischler Windows, Ripe Bar Juice, Michter’s Bourbon and Albany Vodka. Thank you for your support. We look forward to continuing to bring you important, heartfelt and informative stories. greenwichmag.com »

9 Withley Verdiner, Isis Rae 10 Marianna Sarkissova, Jonathan and Elena Moffly

11 Greenwich First Selectman Fred Camillo

12 Daniella Diubaldi, Paulo Lanfredi

13 Stephanie Dunn Ashley, Stephanie Cowie, Bob Capazzo, Janine Kennedy

14 Sue and Mike Bodson 15 Rose Nichols, Andrew Yu 16 Andy Amill, Pete Van Leuween

17 Ripe Bar Juice 18 Sarah Bamford, Annette Perry, Joseph Lockridge, Tina Pray, Tess and Rohan Virmani 19 Cricket and Jim Lockhart, Graci Djuranovic 20 Rob Pizzella, Matt Semino, Anthony Trimarchi 21 L. Scott Frantz, Rachel and Chris Franco »

Nourishing Children

Filling in The Blanks (FITB) hosted its third annual fundraiser, Plates with a Purpose, to benefit food-insecure children throughout Fairfield and Westchester counties. Based in Norwalk, the nonprofit provides weekend food bags for children who qualify for the free or reduced-lunch program. To date, FITB has delivered over two million meals. Nearly 200 guests attended, and they were treated to cuisine from Abigail Kirsch and special guest chef Luke Venner of Elm in New Canaan. The event raised over $300k to help battle childhood hunger. fillingingintheblanks.org

—Elizabeth Hole »

Artistic Threads

Drawing inspiration from its quilt collection, the Museum of Darien (MoD) held an opening reception and holiday party for the Common Threads art exhibit. Abstract pieces of art, created by The Concepts Group, represented the theme in a modern, imaginative way. This marked the fourth show at MoD for The Concepts Group, which donated a portion of art sales to the museum. Guests, who were encouraged to wear “uncommon threads” or something “outrageous” for the festivities, were as colorful as the art on display. museumofdarien.org —Elizabeth Hole »

CELEBRATE YOUR WEDDING

We welcome wedding announcements together with candid photographs. Weddings should have a current New Canaan, Darien or Rowayton family connection and must be submitted within three months of the wedding day. Regretfully, we are unable to run every wedding submitted.

Send Information to: weddings@ncdmag.com

New Canaan • Darien Magazine 205 Main Street Westport, CT 06880

White Glove Elegance

Lindsay Hopkins Smith, the daughter of Victoria and Gregory C. Smith of Darien, represented Connecticut at the 68th annual International Debutante Ball. She was one of 22 young, accomplished women who made her debut at this time-honored event, held at The Plaza Hotel in New York City. A graduate of Darien High School, Lindsay is in her second year at the University of Texas at Austin in the College of Natural Science pursuing a degree in neuroscience with cum laude distinction. internationaldebutanteball.org. —Elizabeth Hole »

Solo Exhibition

Artist Jessica Drenk returned to Heather Gaudio Fine Art in New Canaan for her second show, Reclaimed Topographies, which debuted on January 28 and will be on display until March 11. Drenk transforms everyday materials like pencils, books, junk mail, plywood and Q-tips into large-scale wall and floor sculptures. T he exhibition features Drenk’s Aggregate and Contours series, as well as a site-specific installation called Dendrite, which she created by using clusters of Q-tips combined with plaster. Her unique artwork is designed to evoke “natural phenomena.” —Elizabeth Hole ND

Real Estate

OUTLOOK

Whether mortgage rates rise or fall, the allure of a tightly knit community and commuter-friendly town continues to attract buyers to this part of Fairfield County. New Canaan and Darien saw an increase in the median sales price in 2022, while Rowayton’s remained consistent with the impressive uptick in 2021. Local real estate agents share their expertise on home-buying trends, the state of the market, and what to expect in 2023.

Still Thriving! From new homeowners to empty nesters, Lower Fairfield County remains a big draw for buyers

$5,250,000

LOOKING BACK

“

If the Covid-fueled housing market of 2020 and 2021 taught us anything, it was to be agile, pivot and adjust! Our idea of ‘normal’ kept shifting under our feet as we challenged ourselves to understand the conditions of this new reality,” says Gillian DePalo, Vice President of Sales, William Raveis Real Estate.

While buyers last year were making more calculated and deliberate decisions than the frenzied purchases during the years prior, fast-paced sales and acquisitions still dominated the beginning of the 2022 real estate market. And in Lower Fairfield County, “strong demographic-driven demand and low inventory continued to fuel home sales,” says Libby Mattson, Real Estate Executive, Houlihan Lawrence New Canaan.

Initially, it appeared that 2022 would be

another year of unprecedented buyer competition; but seemingly overnight, economic uncertainty and stock market volatility emerged and mortgage rates increased rapidly from historic lows.

This “new, new normal,” according to DePalo, left consumers with less purchasing power than in months before. “That being said, homeowners thinking of bringing their properties to the market still stand to benefit greatly from the attractive supply and demand dynamics that we are experiencing. Those who are still in the market to purchase and are realistic with their goals are still able to find homes that suit their needs within their budgets. As we tell clients, ‘Marry the house, date the rate,’” says Lynley Middleberg, Brokerage Manager, William Pitt Sotheby’s International Realty.

During the back half of 2022, the market saw a large number of transactions fall through. The instability of the mortgage market, coupled with continued high prices, spooked some potential buyers in a highly seller-dominated market. Many buyers and sellers also seemingly had trouble coming together to agree upon inspection expectations and deals didn’t close as expected. The solution to scenarios like this, says DePalo, is that “sellers should consider a preinspection and fix any issues before putting their homes on the market. Many inspection firms are now offering pre-inspections and they are a standard requirement when working with a relocation firm. This will help ensure smooth transactions from the accepted offer through the closing for both buyer and seller alike.”

FIRST-TIME BUYERS

As a lack of listings, unstable interest rates, inexperience and less purchasing power all pose significant barriers, first-time home buyers are likely to be particularly challenged in 2023.

“The best way for a first-time home buyer to gain an advantage is to understand the

big picture, and have a dedicated relationship with one local buyer’s agent who is well-connected and can give them an objective overview of the entire market. By having a buyer’s agent dedicated to their needs, first-time buyers are much more likely to receive the kind of consistent advice they

Statistics BY TOWN Real Estate

DARIEN

SOLD IN 2022 304 MEDIAN SALES PRICE (millions) $1.7 GOOD NEWS Median sales price rose 3% in 2022 from the previous year. Average number of days on the market decreased to 46 from 80 in 2021. Average sales price ($3M+) was at the highest level since 2019.

MEDIAN SALES PRICE (millions)

$1.91

GOOD NEWS

Median sales price was up 10.4% from 2021.

Average sales price was up 11.4% to $2.23M versus $2.02M

Average list price was up 16.5% to $3.43M versus $2.94M the previous year.

need on how to structure an offer to win (even if that offer isn’t ‘all cash’), and gain access and intel to ‘coming soon’ listings This is not a DIY environment. It is a very challenging and unprecedented real estate environment that takes experience and skill to navigate properly,” says DePalo.

SUBURBAN ALLURE

Buyers continued to flock to New Canaan, Darien and Rowayton in groundbreaking numbers. Many of those who work in New York City and once resided there have changed course and decided to move to Connecticut as commuters, given the rise of flexible work schedules.

“The demographics are varied and often not predictable; the one thing that hasn’t changed is our area being highly desirable and attracting interest from as far away as California. An interesting group of people we see moving to town are those we call ‘Chasers’, empty nesters, often new grandparents, coming to live in town to be closer to their children who have chosen to settle down and

raise their family here. Chasers are both buying single-family homes or condos and renting luxury apartments in new developments like the Corbin District,” says David Hawes, Partner, The Hawes Team at Compass.

Local residents continue to add a consistent and competitive element to the already bustling buyer’s market. This sector is composed of those looking to “size down” or “trade up” and many residents “took the opportunity to realize higher than normal gains on their current home and enter into the competitive landscape for those more desirable properties,” says Lynley Middleberg, Brokerage Manager, William Pitt Sotheby’s International Realty.

“...The one thing that hasn’t changed is our area being HIGHLY DESIRABLE AND ATTRACTING INTEREST from as far away as California.”

HOME WISH LIST

Lower Fairfield County continues to appeal to those looking for a smalltown vibe and close-knit community feel. Better property taxes attract buyers from Westchester County and New York City. While in-town homes and the ability to walk to school, town or the train are all still popular items on buyers’ wish lists, others are more interested in having more land and indoor space after finding themselves at home more over the past few years.

“There are buyers for every type of home on the market currently, based on the seller’s life stage and preferences,” says Libby Mattson, Real Estate Executive, Houlihan Lawrence New Canaan.

STAGED TO SELL

Properties that are properly priced, staged, renovated and in desirable neighborhoods continue to see multiple offers.

“Now more than ever, staging sells! Ironically, many sellers start the process thinking that in a hot market, everything sells and there is really no reason to stage. This could not be further from the truth. In a hot market with low inventory, the speed of your sale plays a huge part in guaranteeing a higher sales price,” says DePalo.

Homes that don’t sell quickly in a fastpaced market run the risk of becoming stigmatized in a very short period of time. Just because there are a lot of buyers doesn’t mean that they aren’t still discerning. First impressions matter and homes that are well maintained, freshly painted and free of clutter are generally the most attractive to buyers, many of whom are looking for a turnkey property. “Photos are your single most important marketing tool. With unfurnished, newly built

homes, oftentimes, it helps to have a few key rooms staged (kitchen/living space, master bed/bath, maybe a flex room such as gym or play room). We are also seeing a lot of success with virtual staging—not only is it much more cost efficient than physically staging a room or home, but the turnaround time is extremely fast, 24 to 48 hours. It requires the seller to do very little while simultaneously giving buyers a visual for how a space can be used,” says Katie Ceglarski DeSalvo, Partner, The Hawes Team at Compass.

While “cash will always be king,” according to Middleberg, “mortgage contingencies are back as most of the typical contingencies for a purchase. What has shifted is longer or delayed closings—to allow sellers to find suitable housing—a trend that picked up in the later part of the year. The inflated 10 to 30% over-ask close has shrunk back to normal levels, and we are even seeing price corrections in the market,” she says.

NEW CONSTRUCTION

The idea of houses flying off the market during the Covid craze initially seemed attractive to sellers, but in reality, it caused many listings to be pulled just as quickly as they went up. People knew they’d sell quickly and at a high price, but they’d be left with almost nowhere to go. “This was a prime contributor to the low inventory conditions we are still experiencing. We called it the ‘frozen market,’” says DePalo.

Amanda Morgado, Regional Sales Director of Berkshire Hathaway Home Services, agrees there is less inventory for interested buyers.

“Last year, prices and demand still remained high. Inventory didn’t last and it is still not lasting today, as long as pricing is comparable,” says Morgado. “We are seeing pent-up demand from buyers who weren’t able to scoop up a property last year despite interest rates being on the rise.”

more opportunities

With new construction and more rentals available in New Canaan, Darien and Rowayton, sellers who have been waiting have

more options and can capitalize by selling high, renting temporarily and then buying at a lower price when the market changes again…which it always does.

inspired interiors

Local designers share their top trends from recent projects, offering inspiration and design hacks for incorporating these changes into your own home

TOP TRENDS

Karen Bow PIANO ROOMS

Fiona Leonard WOODEN ACCENTS

Lynn Morgan PAINTED FLOORS

Kate Ferguson

POWDER ROOMS

Jeanne Collins

GLAMMED UP LAUNDRY ROOMS

Kirsten Arrix

ADDING A BAR IN A

PRE-EXISTING SPACE

Karen Bow of

KAREN BOW INTERIORS

The trend: PIANO ROOMS AND MUSIC ROOMS

WHY IT’S HOT

“Music has a way of gathering people. It’s an immediate mood enhancer, and in current times people are looking for ways to connect and enhance their lives and living spaces—a music room certainly does this,” explains Karen Bow. The designer has completed four piano destinations, three being official music rooms and the fourth within a foyer. “These spaces may not be mainstream, but they are always special. They simply inspire and glow,” she says.

HOW TO GET IT

“Music rooms have become a destination for entertaining, and this thought should be your inspiration as you design your space,” recommends Bow. Pianos are the most obvious when it comes to picking a music-themed room, she muses, but any room can accommodate any kind of music so there are no limits.

“People often receive beautiful gifts such as pianos, that are so heartfelt, yet people sometimes cannot see where to place them,” she explains. “So, you first consider form and function, then you move onto the design. Most often you take a room, like a living room, that’s maybe not used too much, and when it comes to pianos I try to just float it in the space, moving it around at different angles until one feels right.” Bow also recommends choosing a room with a fireplace, if possible, for your music room.

“It just adds that extra element of ambience,” she says. Although,

if you are a piano purist, there are certainly lighting and heating issues to consider.

If you’re in the market for a piano, Bow informs us that Steinway on Greenwich Avenue can offer a cloth template to set up within your space to make sure the size is correct before buying. Not only can you order pianos in various sizes, but you can also have the piano company add a player to your piano. “In many of my piano rooms my clients have added players for holiday fun or when they just want to listen and enjoy,” she says.

Once you identify which room is the music room you can move on to décor. Bow likes to style her music rooms with some kind of shelving with glasses for champagne, or a pretty bar where it feels like there’s a sense of occasion. If you don’t have this option, you could add a pretty bar cart. In a recent home, Bow added a high-top table to a client’s piano room to offset the juxtaposition of the dining area in the adjacent room. “A high-top was unexpected and gave a casual influence to this space,” she says.

For one of her clients who had a small space for her piano, Bow helped her order a custom baby grand in the “apartment size,” perfect for the confines of the petite corner of the home. “This piano was sourced from Steinway and may be ordered in any custom color. We chose the Farrow and Ball hue Elephant’s Breath and matched this to a Lance leather color that we’re using to wallpaper an alcove next to the piano—it’s just stunning,” says Bow. In another home, there was a living room next to a guest room on her client’s first floor. “We knocked down part of the wall into the guest

Bow recommends choosing a music room with a fireplace for an “extra element of ambience.”

room and made a music niche just big enough for the piano, which was a great fix. Sometimes you break some rules to make the space work,” she laughs.

If, like most of us, you don’t have an entire room to dedicate to a piano or musical instrument, Bow suggests thinking outside the box or simplifying this idea.

“For one recent project, I helped install a piano in a client’s large foyer. It makes for a very dramatic entrance, and the sound is amazing.” Other clients have simply set up a corner of a living room for whatever instrument they enjoy. She advises considering hanging guitars and violins on the wall, so they are protected and don’t get knocked around.

HER LAST PIECE OF ADVICE

“Don’t let the size of the room dictate what you create.” She adds, “There’s a grandiose dreamy gesture around music, so whatever sign and form that comes in for you, a music room should reflect this romantic attitude.”

“Not only can you order pianos in various sizes, but you can also have the piano company add a player to your piano. ”

Fiona Leonard

Principal of FIONA LEONARD INTERIORS The trend: WOODEN ACCENTS IN KITCHENS AND BATHROOMS

WHY IT’S HOT

“People were into gray and white for so long that now they need a change of pace and are going in a different direction,” says Fiona Leonard. She notes that an allwhite kitchen with a gray island is beautiful, but adding an element like a wood tone adds warmth with a touch of deeper color. “The risk with all gray and white, for example, is that these hues alone can feel stark and sterile, so people are moving back to a cozy, inviting aesthetic, or at least adding pieces into their neutral spaces that achieve this.”

HOW TO GET IT

“So many people are wanting wood back in kitchens, but you don’t have to go all in,” she says. In fact, don’t. “The mistake a lot of people make is doing all wood in a room, so avoid that and just pick and choose where you want your wood tones.” Natural wood stains are vibrant and beautiful and add so much to a space. “The brown color of wood adds an organic element that’s hard to mimic with other décor, and this is something we’ve been missing for the past few years in design. There’s something special about wood, and when done strategically it’s a home run,” she adds.

For example, one of Leonard’s past clients chose a gorgeous walnut-stained island for her white kitchen, the perfect way to break up a large, neutral space and make it feel fresh. For another project, Leonard’s client wanted a neutral kitchen but not your typical white. “White was off the table, so we went with a warm

taupe color called Collingswood by Benjamin Moore on the cabinets and installed a built-in walnut hutch on one wall, which was the perfect element of surprise,” she remembers. Taupe is timeless, and this slight variation on a neutral warms up the room and feels a little different.

Leonard believes that spending so much time indoors since Covid has made us all yearn for even more comfortable homes than ever before, so it’s about finding elements we already have or adding subtle touches to achieve this end. In the same home with the taupe kitchen and wooden hutch, the client was planning to restain her brown floors, worried they felt too heavy and dark. “While we didn’t want too much wood in that room, the floors were beautiful, so we decided to paint a black geometric pattern on top, which added visual interest and distracted from the brown.”

Another area where people are saying yes to wooden elements is in bathrooms. “People steered clear of wood a few years ago, but now it’s coming back in a big way, particularly in primary baths,” explains the designer. One of Leonard’s clients had an outdated bathroom with an old wooden vanity and wanted a current, new look. “This was a gut renovation, so we were already planning for the bathroom to be mostly white, adding new tiles, a larger shower and sink, but I was able to convince her to mix in a fluted oak vanity and it came out stunning,” she explains. Infusing this honey-colored wood element warmed up the space and modernized it so that it looks like a totally different bathroom. “Adding wood to this white bathroom made it feel richer and more interesting. I also love to mix metals, so we included

some light fixtures in silver, and a brass-rimmed mirror, and it all blends effortlessly,” she says. Leonard also concedes that if you don’t want to add too much wood to a room, using small pieces and accessories can make a statement. “A minimal addition like a little wooden side table, a wooden box or mirror can have a big impact. In a white bathroom, my favorite trick is to add tortoise shell mirrors to change it up—they look amazing when combined with white!”

No matter which room you use wooden accents in, Leonard thinks it’s a win-win. “Adding a wooden element to neutral spaces is one of my biggest tips and favorite ways to add depth and character to a room,” says the designer, who believes we’ll be seeing even more of this trend in the future.

“Adding a wooden element to neutral spaces is one of my biggest tips and favorite ways to add depth and character to a room. ”

Lynn Morgan

Owner of LYNN MORGAN DESIGN The trend: PAINTED FLOORS

WHY IT’S HOT

“I actually try to buck trends, but I have always loved painted floors,” says Lynn Morgan. “Every home has a story to tell about its owners, and if allowed, I would always include a painted floor to bring in fun and energy. Even a simple painted Greek key border brings vision and personality to a space.”

HOW TO GET IT

“Flooring can have a huge impact on a home. I grew up in the South where every house had dark brown floors, so when I started my business I moved away from that look,” says the designer. Morgan began with what she identifies as a more-or-less Swedish style incorporating light, painted floors in solid colors and later adding designs and borders, including geometric shapes and other motifs.

When choosing colors, it can feel overwhelming but doesn’t need to be. “In the Northeast, we go with mostly grays and blues on top of whitewashing, which is a very soothing palette,” she notes, but if you want to add a punch of something, choose a bright color. One of her clients in New Canaan loves pink and chose to make a statement in her entry with a pink and blue lattice pattern. “This was a bold choice,” remembers Morgan, “and it accurately reflects my client’s fun personality. For your first foray into painted floors, I’d advise sticking to subtle colors for larger areas, and in smaller spaces feel free to be more colorful,” she says. Morgan also recommends selecting just one design when starting out. “Choose either a simple colored border, a Greek key style, or maybe a pretty octagonal pattern—any of these will make a big impact.”

The designer maintains every space can really come alive with a painted floor. She has put paint brushes to every room imaginable including foyers, powder rooms, family rooms, bedrooms, even kitchens. “We just finished doing a checkerboard floor in a hallway—it previously had brown floors—which we whitewashed, then added a beautiful gray blue. Now you walk into that room and feel like, “Aha, what a breath of fresh air!” Even in her own 1853 townhouse in Savannah, Morgan whitewashed her long, narrow entry then chose a blue border with just a little cream, and layered an Elizabeth Eakins rug on top. “It’s perfect,” she muses.

When asked if painted floors hold up to the wear and tear of young kids and animals, Morgan answers, “Of course! You don’t have to worry about that, in fact most of my clients with painted floors have both.” If you’re thinking of adding a rug to your painted area, Morgan recommends sisal carpets or apple matting (which looks similar to sisal). When asked what kind of painted designs she’s implemented recently the designer says, “Greek key borders, trellis floors on a porch, a pretty compass rose, and even scenic murals on walls.”

Morgan primarily works with artist and decorative painter Shelly Denning of Shelly Denning decorative painting (you can find her beautiful designs on Instagram @shellypaint). She also loves working with Steven Dlouhy of Floe Painting (find him @floepainting). If you’re brave enough to try floor painting yourself, Denning’s step-by-step method is listed on the following page.

“There are so many variables when painting a floor, depending on the type of wood and whether it’s old or new flooring. Here’s a guide for a solid painted floor on an existing stained or varnished oak floor,” Denning says.

ABOVE: A lattice pattern painted in blue and pink, the client’s favorite color, adds a bold statement to the entryway.

BELOW: For large spaces the designer uses subtle colors, and in smaller spaces, she likes to be “more colorful.”

HOW TO APPLY PAINT TO A STAINED OR VARNISHED FLOOR (By pro painter Shelly

No 1: Sand lightly to accept primer. Note, The floor does not need to be brought down to raw wood.

No 2: Clean well.

No 3: Apply one coat of STIX primer.

No 4: Apply two coats of base color. I use eggshell finish paint and not floor paint. Floor paint is epoxy, takes longer to set up and doesn’t accept a clear coat finish. I like to apply a clear coat sealer to protect my design work.

No 5: Tape out your pattern with safe release painter’s tape. I like the 3M pink version.

No 6: Apply paint on the design area.

No 7: Apply three coats of nonyellowing water-based sealer. I like either Bona Traffic or Loba Wakol Supra. Both of these companies make many floor sealers. These two finishes are the best for protection and do not yellow.

DENNING’S FINAL PRO TIP

“If it’s a square room, I typically start the design in the center of the room, so the pattern is equal on all four sides. If it’s a kitchen or hallway where there are a lot of turns, I find the focal point of the room and center the pattern there.”

“Every home has a story to tell about its owners, and if allowed, I would always include a painted floor to bring in fun and energy.”

Kate Ferguson

Principal of PALOMINO INTERIOR

DESIGN

The trend: POWDER ROOMS WITH VINTAGE ACCENTS AND WILD WALLPAPER

WHY IT’S HOT

“Powder rooms are normally on the smaller side and just scream for something unusual and fun to happen in them,” explains designer Kate Ferguson. While many people choose bold paint or wallpaper and leave it at that, Ferguson has seen an uptick in many clients opting for unusual wall color or papers while also choosing to add vintage details that elevate this gem box of a space.

HOW TO GET IT

“My favorite idea is to ditch the idea of a factory vanity and instead convert a vintage cabinet or chest of drawers into a sink base,” she says. Ferguson recently sourced a vintage dry sink cabinet for a project and had a carpenter retro fit it so she could install contemporary plumbing fixtures with a new marble sink top, which added instant history and interest. “I used a remnant of my favorite arabescato marble to add some beauty and shine,” she says.

Ferguson notes that even little details like a toilet handle can be ordered in unlacquered brass to amp up the glam factor in a bathroom. “Accents like this really elevate the level of sophistication and make a space feel custom, not just an afterthought,” she notes. Her other favorite tip to make a powder room stand out is to add vintage lighting. “There are thousands of beautiful vintage Italian midcentury sconces and pendants that are affordable and make a statement, and they make a space feel really high-end,” she explains. Ferguson recommends

sourcing vintage lighting from Chairish, First Dibs and in-person auctions, and she also loves the idea of adding in a vintage accessory or two. “I recently found an old soap dish that looks like a brass dolphin at The Collective in Stamford, which is fabulous, and I’ve also used an oversized abalone shell from a family trip in a powder room. It’s nice to incorporate items that are personal and have character.” Ferguson also adds that if your powder room is all vintage, you can flip this idea by adding in a modern element like a lacquered neon chartreuse tray on the back of the commode to break up the mood.

Wooden toilet seats are also enjoying a resurgence, notes the designer. “In one of my recent projects that’s a 1908 center hall colonial, they have a wooden toilet seat that evokes a classic old-school feel,” she says. Ferguson tells us these wooden seats are inspired by the original Victorian models by Thomas Crapper, the go-to English fabricator of the pull-chain tank toilets. “If you’re in the market, I’ve ordered great dupes at a reasonable price from Signature Hardware,” she says.

Another trick of the trade she recommends for a powder room includes using a crown molding that’s different from the rest of the house. “There are tons of profiles to choose from and you’re not limited based on what’s in the rest of your home, so pick a molding that’s substantial and interesting—the powder room is its own distinct space, and this unexpected detail can really pop.” In another home, Ferguson and her team transformed a powder room with an inexpensive mirror hack. “We used two half circle $20 mirrors from Bed, Bath & Beyond, turned them on their sides and bookmatched them

so it looks like one large custom half-mirror! We had virtually no room for a sink, so we opened up the wall and installed a wallmount faucet, then used a pretty concrete surface-mount basin from Concretti Designs and had a remnant of dark black marble cut to fit the tiny corner. To finish this room, we splurged on a Kelly Wearstler grasscloth wallpaper, which adds so much dimension to this little space,” she says.

When it comes to wallpapers, Ferguson advises choosing one that tells a story. “Some of my favorite lines are from Cole & Son, Iksel, and Flat Vernacular, an amazing company based in Norwalk. Their Too Much Stuff line is so much fun and great for kids,” she adds.

HER FINAL TIP

If you find a wallpaper you love, focus on one color from the paper and paint the trim and ceiling in that same hue. It unifies the whole space and packs a powerful punch.

“Accents like this really elevate the level of sophistication and make a space feel custom, not just an afterthought.”

Jeanne Collins

Principal and Founder of JERMAR DESIGNS

The trend: GLAMMED UP LAUNDRY ROOMS WITH SPECIALTY DRYING AREAS

WHY IT’S HOT

“I would say I’ve seen two main trends lately, and they’re both in the laundry room,” quips Jeanne Collins. “These rooms are no longer just utilitarian—people really want them to be pretty, and they’re willing to spend on everything from tile and flooring to stunning fixtures,” she says. Her clients are also demanding more drying and hanging space— specifically more flat areas to dry clothing—and are willing to customize their laundry room to this end.

HOW TO GET IT

When it comes to the backsplash, make it fun. “This is usually not a huge space so be creative, big and bold. Some of my clients opt for a busy pattern over the sink and others choose to tile an entire accent wall—both look great.” The designer is also getting requests to install high-end and interesting countertops, the caliber of which you’d normally find in a bar or your kitchen. “Beautiful quartzite and quartz countertops with gray veining have been chosen in some of my recent projects,” she recalls.

Hardware and lighting are also getting fancier. “In a recent home, we chose a wall-mounted farmhouse sink by Watermark and solid brass Watermark faucets meant to look like antique fixtures—they’re gorgeous,” she says. In another laundry room her client opted for a deep stainless steel Nantucket sink, great for soaking, and a faucet with a sprayer for cleaning. When it comes to lighting, Collins says the sky’s the limit—noting that she just

installed a crystal Juliska pendant that has also been seen in another client’s kitchen. “Just make your lighting and hardware choices interesting,” she advises. “They don’t have to be expensive, but have fun with them.” For flooring, Collins says people are choosing larger format tiles, around 12 x 24 inches. “You can buy porcelain tile that looks like textured linen or stone that is easy to clean, reasonably priced and looks great,” she says. When installing, she recommends laying tile in an offset pattern, which looks interesting and makes a room appear longer. Her favorite tile sources are Ideal Tile in Stamford and Greenwich Tile. What’s the newest trend she’s seeing? “I’m doing a ton of custom drying drawers these days. The drawers look like part of a regular cabinet when closed, but when opened they reveal a mesh insert to lay clothing flat to dry—great for T-shirts or lingerie,” says Collins. She custom builds these to be three to four feet long and then orders a polyester sailing mesh from Seattle Fabrics that comes in many colors and can be cut to fit a drawer’s interior. “These drawers are great because they can be closed while not in use, yet they provide a space for items like sweaters that need to lie flat to dry,” she adds. While the request for drawers is new, people are continually asking for a lot of hanging space. She recently installed a rustic industrial hanging bar in a modern farmhouse that’s eight feet long and offers lots of space. In a center hall colonial, she went for a more traditional approach with three-tiered hanging bars over the dryer. When sourcing these and other items, “Etsy is a great place to find hanging laundry bars, laundry bags and rolling carts, fun baskets to style a laundry room and creative

artwork, such as framed prints with directions for how to treat stains,” says the designer.

In addition to solving the drying situation, Collins is also being asked to design custom cabinets with roomy pull-out drawers to accommodate everything from replacement light bulbs to storing towels and sheets to cleaning products, much like an overflow linen closet. “When you put things in deep cabinets that sit next to a washer and dryer, items tend to get lost, so I prefer pull-out drawers where you’re able to see everything,” she says.

When asked about her own laundry room, the designer says she refreshed hers by sourcing inexpensive cabinets from Home Depot, then asked her carpenter to place them on a custom-built platform and add custom frames so it looks like a built-in space. “This is a great design hack. I didn’t spend a ton of money on my cabinets, but they look custom,” she says.

For a finishing touch to your laundry room, Collins suggests adding a plant—a succulent is a great choice. “Plants should be in every room. They’re pretty, organic and they soften a space. If you don’t have a window in your laundry area, just add a nice faux plant.”

“The drawers look like part of a regular cabinet when closed, but when opened they reveal a mesh insert to lay clothing flat to dry—great for T-shirts or lingerie.”

Some of the latest trends for laundry rooms include a bold backsplash, elevated lighting and custom drying drawers.

Kirsten Arrix

Principal of EVERGREEN 11

WHY IT’S HOT

The

“Bars are not new in homes, but I think I’ve added ten or more of them just since Covid,” explains Kirsten Arrix, who chalks up “the more bars the better” trend to the idea that people want to entertain a lot after being home during the past couple of years. When everyone was hunkering down chez nous, many of us scrutinized each corner for how to improve every room, what details should be added to make our homes complete. “The great thing about a bar,” notes Arrix, “is that it can be created without breaking the bank and is the ultimate entertaining space. Whether it’s hosting your own family, extended family or having guests over, everyone wants to be around the bar.”

HOW TO GET IT

The most important thing to realize is that a bar doesn’t have to be grand or expensive; it can be small. Arrix also maintains that while most people think you have to include plumbing and a sink, you can usually get away without these in a bar area. She first advises scoping out a small space: That unused front closet, or maybe a cupboard being used for another purpose—find a spot that would be able to function as a bar. “All of my recent bar projects weren’t new builds. We just found niches in current spaces,” she says. She recommends sourcing an unfinished cabinet from Lowe’s or Home Depot that will fit in your newfound niche. There are many ways to implement a bar once you have the cabinet element.

In one of her recent projects, Arrix created a bar out of a walk-through between a kitchen and a dining room. “We took all the clothing out of what was a small coat storage

area, and I installed three big open shelves and a simple base cabinet and painted it in smoky blue high gloss,” she remembers. The space was transformed. For another bar, Arrix repurposed a cozy kitchen niche and created a deep-green colored bar by painting her client’s existing cabinets. “Downstairs in this same home, there was a random alcove and we made it into another more high-end bar meant for gathering people around, using beautiful oak-stained flat front cabinets, painting them a neutral greige color and adding brass and glass shelving.” Arrix notes that this move was big and bold, but using a simple cabinet works too. She always recommends, no matter the style of your bar, deep bottle-height pull-out drawers with dividers for storing mixers and bottles.

A FEW MORE TIPS

Paint your bar in high gloss for a wow factor, use antique mirrors for a backsplash to add a little glamour, and if you have upper cabinetry, add some under-cabinet lighting. “This gives a great ambience, and an electrician can run an electrical wire for you at a reasonable price,” she says.

Finally, when it comes to styling your bar, Arrix advises to keep it simple. “Get a clear or lucite tray and arrange your favorite colored bottles or spirits on it, along with a pretty ice bucket. Then, add any one of the following: a candle, a pretty dish for limes and lemons, a small glass hurricane lamp or a lucite cocktail napkin holder. If you’re not a drinker, line your bar with pretty Pellegrino waters or Seedlip, a non-alcoholic spirit, or Belvoir Farm cordials—they all come in lovely bottles,” says Arrix.

trend: ADDING A BAR (OR TWO) IN A PRE-EXISTING SPACE

“The great thing about a bar,” notes Arrix, “is that it can be created without breaking the bank and is the ultimate entertaining space. Whether it’s hosting your own family, extended family or having guests over, everyone wants to be around the bar.”

This spring, ECO-SENSITIVE LANDSCAPING MEETS LUXURIOUS OUTDOOR LIVING .

More homeowners are opting for wild meadows over manicured lawns and gardens for the birds and bees as much as for the aesthetic.

Glengate’s principal designer and landscape architect, Cheryl Russ, combined “extraordinary beauty and sustainability” for this natural property.

there’s anything new in landscaping and gardening this spring, it’s us. From a confluence of unlikely factors— climate change, the Covid pandemic, an influx of New Yorkers seeking open space—we’ve come to view property as a sanctuary from the stresses of living in “interesting times.” We’re more appreciative of nature, more tuned in to the creatures with whom we share the earth, more aware of the human impact on the environment but also of our role, however small, in its welfare.

“For many of my clients, their yard is so much more important to them than it ever was before,” notes Heather O’Neill of Second Nature Landscape Design in Norwalk. “A lot of them weren’t coming home until after dark and barely saw their property except on weekends. Now, with a majority of people working either remotely or a hybrid of remote and in the office, they’re home a lot more and are taking a real interest in the animal life that comes onto their property and the changing colors of plants as the seasons change.”

Landscape architects and designers from Greenwich to Fairfield report an uptick in homeowners asking for meadows in place of lawns; pollinator pathways to attract birds, bees and small animals; rain gardens and drought- and flood-resistant plantings.

And yet this is Fairfield County, where living well is an art as well as an antidote to modern life. The same landscape architects are designing complete outdoor kitchens with grills, pizza ovens and smokers; outdoor fireplaces and firepits in handsome stone surrounds; infinity pools that cool the body as they soothe the spirit; and garden rooms for observing nature and for peace of mind.

That we can have it all is one of the great benefits of living where we do!

ne benefit of the Covid pandemic has been that it’s inspired more residents to take up vegetable gardening, a trend that began in earnest during the recession of 2008 and 2009.

Besides an interest in growing their own produce, people simply enjoy being outdoors and closer to nature.

“So many people were at home and not going away in the summer,” says John Carlson of Homefront Farmers in Redding. “That really continued the trend of outdoor living.”

For first-time home gardeners, Carlson walks the property with homeowners to identify locations with optimum sunlight.

“You really want six to eight hours to be able to grow the full range of crops,” he says. “There are plenty of vegetables that don’t require as much sun, but the most popular ones—tomatoes, peppers, squash— need the maximum amount.”

Also important is proximity to a source of water (though many of Carlson’s clients have

in-ground irrigation systems), plus a relatively level location. “It’s easier and less expensive if there's a level spot,” he says. “We’ve built on pretty steep slopes, which require stepping and terracing, but the effect can be beautiful and really dramatic.” Homefront Farmers’ gardens are raised and fully enclosed in white cedar, which is rot-resistant, and they also have wire netting. The effect is a clean, handsome, structure space, with pebbled walkways among the raised beds for easy access, weeding and harvesting.

This spring, homeowners are hiring professional gardeners like Carlson for gardens that produce serenity as well as produce, with space inside for a small table and a couple of chairs for sitting and relaxing at the end of the day.

For this project by James Doyle Design Associates, changes in topography were embraced. The ground plane was manipulated to create form and interest, and the earth was cut to create areas for bioretention as well as manage runoff from the driveway.

property that are planted with wild grasses and flowering perennials to soak up rain runoff from roofs and downspouts, driveways, patios and the natural slope of the land. Rain gardens filter significant amounts of pollutants and sediments from rainwater runoff, while allowing some 30 percent more water to soak into the ground than a lawn.

“Basically, we contour the land near the source of the most rain runoff in the shape of a bowl or a long, serpentine depression, remove a foot or so of the soil that’s there and replace it with a mixture of sand and compost for better percolations,” says Eva Chiamulera, a landscape architect with Austin Ganim Landscape Design in Fairfield.

For new owners of a neglected three-acre lot in the Greenfield Hill section of Fairfield, Chiamulera created two large rain gardens bordered by meadows, which are frequent neighbors. She connected the two with a strip of riverbed-like stones and crammed them with pollinator plants that change colors with the seasons and attract successions of birds and insects.

he prolonged heat wave and drought of last August and September were followed by torrential downpours and flashflooding, causing damage to gardens as well as to homes and businesses. As large bodies of water, like Long Island Sound, continue to warm, Connecticut meteorologists warn that we’re likely to see more weather extremes this spring and summer.

For properties prone to flooding, local landscape architects are creating rain gardens—long, narrow, depressed sections of the

“Beebalm and Eupatorium are in their glory from mid-summer into early autumn and are probably our biggest pollinator attractors,” she says. “Insects and birds perceive color differently than we do. Bees prefer mellower bluish-pink and purple-whites and some of the lighter yellows. Butterflies and hummingbirds like the reds and the oranges and brighter pinks and purples—they would’ve been really comfortable in the 1980s!”

To manage rainwater runoff and pollutants from the driveway of a Greenwich property, meanwhile, James Doyle Design Associates carved a 40’-by-20’ rain garden out of the land between the drive and the street. This “bioretention swale,” as it’s called, also captures pollutants from the runoff and filters them and excess water through a bed of sand and gravel that underlies plants—river birch, for example, and winterberry viburnum—that don’t mind getting their feet wet.

mong the most popular plantings this season, landscape designers say, are pollinators—flowers, grasses and shrubs that lure bees, butterflies and hummingbirds to pollinate other plants, thereby producing seeds and fruit for us to share with the most important guests: other insects, birds and small mammals.

“I'm getting a lot of calls for a mix of grasses and native pollinator plants that look great but also attract insects and birds and small mammals,” says Jay Petrow of Petrow Gardens Landscape Design in Westport. Especially beneficial are goldenrod, echinacea and milkweed, among others, which attract monarch butterflies on their migration route north for the summer.

The interest in pollinator plants and pathways—corridors of native, pesticide-free plants—has led to a greater interest in beekeeping in Fairfield County.

“Pollinator pathways are a wonderful way to attract and help

sustain honeybees,” says Rick Glover, a Fairfield beekeeper who manages 65 beehives, lectures widely on bees and beekeeping, and sets up and maintains hives for homeowners in lower Fairfield and Westchester counties.

“The more flowers you plant that open throughout the year,” Glover adds, “the more nutrition and health you’re bringing to honeybees.”

For Cheryl Russ, principal designer and landscape architect at Glengate in Wilton, it is rewarding to work on environmentally friendly projects.

“Every year, we have more and more clients requesting nativeplant landscaping, pollinator gardens and meadows—and we are also thrilled to introduce Glengate clients to these concepts,” says Russ. “It’ a win-win when we can create something that is beneficial to our local ecologies and results in a luxurious setting for family life. The idea that eco-sensitive landscaping is too wild or messy is totally outdated;

it’s 100% possible to have both extraordinary beauty and sustainability.”

Russ offers some important guidelines to follow when going the natural route:

“Work with designers who are well-versed in selecting the perfect plants for your conditions and wildlife; the company planting your gardens should also be experienced in these types of landscapes—make sure installers are sourcing material that has not been grown with substances harmful to pollinators (such as neonicotinoids). ‘Eco’ does not mean set it and forget it. Whoever does your property care should know, for example, how and when to mow a meadow, and which kind of plant treatments and fertilizers are safe to use. The right professionals will help you create an incredibly rewarding landscape.”

In some instances, local laws require eco-friendly measures to be implemented.

“Given the environmental

sensitivity of many sites and the regulations in place by the local governing authority, buffer zones, rain gardens and the like are frequently mandatory," says Renée Byers, principal of Renée Byers in Greenwich.

Byers, who has seen an increase in clients wanting a more natural landscape, considers multiple factors when designing a project.

“Striking the right balance between beautiful, high-quality design and natural beauty is achieved by collecting all the data, from the owner’s program to environmental macro to microclimatic factors, and then taking cues from the surrounding architecture and natural landscape beyond,” she says. “It is important to examine the transition points and proportionality between the built landscape and the more wild parts, and to create harmony so the two truly speak to each other. In this way, each appears inevitable and effortlessly linked.”

Using

he growing interest in beekeeping coincides, in turn, with a movement away from turf lawns and toward wild, open meadows.

Lawns are a relatively recent landscaping phenomenon. It wasn’t until after the Civil War that wealthy property owners began planting their yards in grass as a status symbol, mimicking European bowling and putting greens.

But while a carpet of Kentucky Bluegrass may be pleasing to the eye and feel good on bare feet, lawns can be detrimental to practically everything else— birds, insects, mammals, the environment at large. Keeping

them green and weed-free demands excessive amounts of water and fertilizer that is toxic to water supplies and to the birds, fish and mammals that consume or come in contact with them. According to the Natural Resources Defense Council, turf grass lawns, which cover up to 50 million acres in this country, consume nearly three trillion gallons of water a year and 70 million pounds of pesticides.

One influence on the meadow movement has been New Yorkers who moved to Fairfield County during the pandemic. In addition to boosting the residential real estate market, they brought with them an appreciation of meadows from their exposure to the High

Line, the former elevated freight rail line on Manhattan’s West Side that has been turned into a 1.45-mile-long public park and walkway through some 150,000 wild and cultivated plants, trees and shrubs.

But so have neighbors who, understanding the impact of lawns on the environment, have been replacing sections of it with open meadows. Where once they might have asked for neat, orderly spaces that relied on manicured lawns and boxwood edges, more now prefer wild grasses and perennials that change with the light and with the wind. Enhanced as a result is “the aesthetic value in people's eyes,” says Jay Petrow.

“Homeowners call for the ecological benefits of meadows and pollinators, but if they weren ’ t aesthetically pleasing, they wouldn ’ t want them.”

Adjacent to a swimming pool on a three-acre lot in Stamford, Petrow installed a small area of pollinator plants, then seeded the area with a wildflower mix to create a meadow border that’s pleasing to the eye as well as to the birds and the bees.

There’s more to meadows than meets the eye, though, and much more to maintaining them once they’re planted.

“It's not just a matter of letting your grass grow or not mowing it,” says Heather O’Neill. “Meadows need to be mowed twice a year

so that you don’t get big woody plants growing and turning into trees. People think, ‘Hey, I don’t need to mow my grass—I'll get a meadow.’ But what they end up with is something that looks like an empty lot someone hasn't taken care of in a while.”

For new owners of an old home on four acres in Southport, O’Neill is creating a substantial meadow with plugs of plants as well as seed in and surrounding an existing apple orchard. “The couple wants a natural-looking space that won’t require fertilizer or as much mowing as a lawn. They, like others, want to do their part to help the environment without committing their whole property to nature.”

omething else transplanted New Yorkers sought in the suburbs during the height of the pandemic were swimming pools, not exactly standard features in Manhattan apartments and condos.

This spring, as in the recent past, local companies are installing pools with more thought to their place in the overall landscape.

For an eco-friendly project with rain gardens, landscape architect Renée Byers designed a pool and spa to complement a scenic riverfront view.

“At this special site along a tidal river, we kept the pool and spa orthogonal with the house and created linear sightlines from key points inside and outside the house to the pool area," says Byers. “We massaged the edges of the planting areas, made of flowing grasses, perennials, trees and shrubs, so that they weave in and out, and are repeated throughout the garden.”

In addition to a “buffer zone between the river and swimming pool, the mown lawn was reduced to allow for generous rain gardens," adds Byers. "These

filter stormwater and are an extravaganza for pollinators.” Other factors to consider are how clients plan to use the outdoor space and what kind of pool works with their lifestyle.

“Over the past two to three years we’ve seen a focus on creating multidimensional outdoor environments,” says Dan Koller, chief operations officer at Shoreline Pools in Stamford. “We’re now finding people who think about a pool holistically and how they would use it on a day-to-day basis. Is it for swimming laps or more for socializing?”

Accordingly, the design will configure steps and spa to one side for end-to-end swimming and have expanded steps or benches along one side for sitting and talking.

The company is also continuing to see a preference for clean lines and sleek, contemporary design. And there’s ongoing interest in automated heating and lighting systems that can be operated from digital devices, vanishing or infinite edges, LED lighting for nighttime swimming, and filtration upgrades for improved water quality.

to

AWARDS FOR THIS DESIGN INCLUDE:

Connecticut American Society of Landscape Architects, Merit Award for Residential Design

New York American Society of Landscape Architects, Merit Award for Residential Design athome FC, Winner, Landscape Design for Over One Acre

helped her client achieve a casually elegant style, described as “a perfect mix of Nantucket meets

he efforts we’ve made to create ecologically sensitive yards hasn’t taken away from the desire to luxuriate in the great outdoors. Here again, the pandemic only increased the opportunity to do so at home.

“Backyards were where people wanted to be around family and friends,” says Tony Aitoro of Aitoro Appliances in Norwalk. “They weren't going out to restaurants as much, and they realized if they had some cool equipment they could cook just as well as the chefs.”

Where the company used to sell stand-alone grills, homeowners now want grilling islands that include pizza ovens and smokers, Green Egg

ceramic grills and outdoor kitchens equipped with sinks, garbage disposals, refrigerators and storage cabinets. At the highest end are hand-made, stainless-steel, hybrid gas and wood-burning Kalamazoo grills made for coastal areas like Fairfield County’s Gold Coast. They are the centerpieces of grilling islands that can exceed 12 feet in length and cost as much as a quarter of a million dollars.

The surprise is that not a lot of property is needed to create a home resort for living outdoors all summer and into the late fall. For a half-acre lot in Greenwich, for example, James Doyle designed a long, narrow entertaining area with outdoor kitchen, fire pit, pool and outdoor

furnishings—all on one level.

When it comes to outdoor kitchens, experts use a discerning eye to achieve the right aesthetic.

According to Renée Byers, “Poorly placed grills and outdoor kitchens mar many promising suburban landscapes.” To avoid this issue, Byers recommends creating spaces that complement the home's architectural style and maintain key views.

“We try to marry the kitchen's geometry with the house and terraces, and use materials consistent with those in the rest of the landscape,” says Byers. “By their nature, outdoor kitchens are contemporary elements, but by pulling together the right material palette, they can become a timeless element that works even with older homes.”

To maximize outdoor entertaining options, interior designer Christina Roughan helped a family of five create a pool and poolhouse ideal for casual gatherings for friends and family of all ages.

“Our clients wanted an outdoor oasis where their children could bring friends, and the adults would enjoy themselves in a space that was nice but not too formal,” says Roughan. “One of their friends called it ‘a perfect mix of Nantucket meets Monaco.’ Wow! What a wonderful compliment!”

WELCOME VISITORS

Homeowners aren’t the only ones reaping the fruit of sustainable, high-end outdoor design.

Landscape architects report an increase in the number of honeybees, butterflies, hummingbirds and swarms of beneficial insects in local backyards these days. So are coyotes, bobcats and black bears— all helpful visitors keeping the deer population in check.

More than ever, our sanctuary belongs to our fellow creatures, too. Living in harmony with them, and with family members and friends, will be the real fruit of our labors this planting season.

Spring Luncheon

A Conversation with Samantha Bee

Samantha Bee is an Emmy-winning comedian, writer, and television host best known for her work as the host of TBS’s Full Frontal with Samantha Bee. Bee began her career as a correspondent on The Daily Show with Jon Stewart, where she quickly gained recognition for her sharp wit and ability to deliver hilarious yet thought-provoking commentary on current events. In 2016, she became the first woman to host a late-night comedy talk show on a major network with the launch of advocate for reproductive rights and has used her platform to speak out against restrictive abortion laws and to promote affordable health care for all.

Rob Simmelkjaer is a journalist and television host with over 15 years of experience in the industry. He has worked for major news networks such as NBC, ESPN, and CNN, covering a wide range of topics including sports, politics and current events. In addition to his work as a journalist, he is an avid supporter of various charitable organizations, including those that focus on health care and education.

SAVE THE DATE

The Domestic Violence Crisis Center’s

21st Annual Spring Luncheon

May 18, 2023

Tokeneke Club | Darien, CT

Saturday, April 29, 2023

Honoring 2023 Champions for Recovery

The Laitman Family

Saturday, April 29, 2023

An Evening with Laurel House

Delamar, Greenwich Harbor

6:00 to 10:30 pm

“Where flowers bloom, so does hope.”

-Lady Bird Johnson

Also honoring Town Champions who make their towns better places in which to live and work.

To reserve your table or tickets, please contact Lauren Talio at 203-324-7735 or ltalio@laurelhouse.net

www.laurelhouse.net www.rtor.org THE

postscript

Signs of Spring

After the stillness of winter, a new perspective blooms along with our gardens and the promise of warmer days ahead. This photograph near Five Mile River, taken by Venera Alexandrova in Rowayton’s Pinkney Park, captures an unspoiled beauty that blends seamlessly with the landscape.

Pretty soon, we can look forward to longer days filled with more flowers and vivid hues, farmer’s markets and a flurry of outdoor activities. Embrace spring and all the sunny days to come. ND