For a young couple in search of a weekend house, this former sea captain’s home in Essex ticked all the boxes. Built in the 1800s on property with a river view, the five-bedroom home has good bones—it just needed a significant refresh.
The couple envisioned a bright, modern interior while maintaining the structure’s historical integrity. To achieve their goal, they hired Fairfield architect Jack Franzen of J.P. Franzen Associates Architects, Buttendorf Building & Remodeling, and Rowayton-based designer Claire Miner of Denemede, with whom they had worked on their Tribeca loft.
In the entry hall, the scrollwork on a Tucker Robbins bench mirrors the movement in fern wallpaper by Meg Braff. The lantern is from L’aviva Home.
The front parlor’s bubble light and sofa are through WorkOf. The leather chair is from BDDW. The coffee table was an antiques store find.
In the living room, a pair of midcentury chairs is dressed in a purple-and-brown stripe from Osborne & Little; the sofa upholstery and window valances are Larsen through Cowtan & Tout.
Barn doors open from the living room into the bar area, with its shiplap walls, Rocky Mountain hardware and herringbone wood floor.
In this kitchen designed for entertaining, the Woven Cluster chandelier is from Pigeon Toe, and the counter stools and custom chef’s table are through WorkOf. A small Tucker Robbins stool anchors one end of the island.
The family/casual dining room is a playful mix of textures and fabrics, including throw pillows by Cowtan & Tout and L’aviva Home. A Tucker Robbins stool flanks an antique chair with a sheepskin throw; the leather-and-steel dining chairs are through WorkOf.
In the master bedroom, the custom headboard is upholstered in a Galbraith & Paul fabric through Holland & Sherry; the lantern is through L’aviva; and the painting is by Mary Morant.
The master bathroom features sconces from Waterworks, Kallista sink fixtures, a bamboo chair from Tucker Robbins and a black-and-white print by Ann Brown.
The dining area in the guest suite above the garage is delineated by an Aleman/Moore circular floor mat made of straw and seagrass. A Sean Woolsey dining table is complemented by West of Noble chairs.
The 1848 home presents a historic façade; inside, the mood is bright and modern.
When it came to the interior design, everyone agreed the wrought-iron fixtures, flouncy jabots, and cranberry and yellow walls had to go. “I don’t care for bright colors and patterns,” says Case. “I gravitate to neutrals. I like to keep things in balance.” She also wanted to incorporate as much wood, stone and metal as possible. “I love that organic feel,” she adds.
With that in mind, Miner did an artful job of introducing color in subtle but effective ways, combining custom pieces—many of which were sourced through WorkOf—with antiques, and layering in textural details throughout. In the light-filled kitchen, the walls and ceiling sport Farrow and Ball’s Pointing, which serves as the perfect backdrop for the white oak-topped chef’s table and custom island.
“I love to sit here and think of the stories the sea captain told when he came back from his adventures,” says Case, “and the stories that will be told here in the years to come.”
