Twenty years ago, the “Meet the Designer” page in the inaugural issue of CTC&G featured Cindy Rinfret— principal designer at Rinfret, Ltd. and a master of Classic Greenwich Style (the title of her first design book). Still a distinguished decorator and winner of several CTC&G Innovation in Design awards, Rinfret has been joined in her business by daughter Taylor Mattos, who was named in the House Beautiful Next Wave Class of 2024.
How did you get started working together?
TM: As I grew up, she took me along to job sites, dragged me to antique shops, brought me on trips. So I was brought up in the business.
CR: When Covid hit, we needed to make a hire, she’d always been interested in design and had a natural ability. It had always been in the cards, so I called her.
You didn’t have concerns about family friction?
CR: There’s a legacy part of it. I’d always wanted family to take over the business. When you build a business from the ground up, it’s your “baby,” and your children are your babies, so it seemed like a perfect extension.
TM: I hope my kids will take over some day.
CR: I love the architecture, the nuts and bolts of design, working with the contractors and engineers. Taylor is good at the detailing, the accessories, the artwork. So, we can really finish projects. Sometimes people get tired at the end and don’t want to do the basics that make the room sing.
What characteristics do you share?
CR: We’re known for our layered interiors—timeless and classic. We both love collecting and a hint of something unexpected. Clients tell us: “Yours are the only rooms I never change.”
Where do your ideas diverge?
TM: Our favorite colors—I like jewel tones; she likes neutrals and a softer palette.
CR: But in my first book, I used bright colors, and Taylor’s evolving into more neutrals. She seems to be going through the same process; it’s full circle.
What’s tricky about working together?
CR: With any family business, it’s drawing the line between family and working.
TM: We don’t necessarily speak to each other as professionals. My nickname is Muffin, but when we’re with clients she calls me Mrs. Mattos, and I tend to call her Cindy, not Mom.
What’s a benefit of designing together?
TM: Mom hadn’t worked with a partner before. I’m her daughter, so I can feel comfortable challenging her on some things. We can have a very open dialogue.
What differences have emerged?
CR: Social media and marketing. If we disagreed, it was not on design but the process, updating. I should have spent more time on marketing and this generation has been brought up on that, understands that more—that everybody needs a face and presence in the design business.
How do clients benefit from your collaboration?
CR: She’s got the youth and I’ve got the experience, and it’s a nice mix. We bounce off each other, and it pushes the limits. The work is much better, and the client benefits. They get two for the price of one.
What makes you cringe?
CR: The overly trendy—in-your-face design, “show off” rooms. I like subtle rooms you discover that don’t hit you over the head.
TM: Undersized rugs! They’re just a sign of bad design. Mom always drilled into me that proportion is the most important. So the first thing I notice is the foundation.
CR: If you get the architecture right, it’s like a pretty girl, you don’t have to put makeup on her.
How has Greenwich style evolved over these two decades?
CR: The values haven’t changed, it’s still a comfortable timelessness that doesn’t go out of style. But people are a lot more tailored now. It used to be English trends and tassels, now they’re taking luxury to a different level—beautiful cashmere curtains, embroidery. The heart of it is creating livable interiors. If it’s beautifully curated, you never get tired of it.
How did being profiled in the first issue of CTC&G affect your business?
CR: Oh, gosh, being part of the legacy of CTC&G and being a Connecticut girl, the magazine is always so important to my business, and my clients are always so excited to be featured. It gave me a name in the community.