When Mary Jane and Drew Kelemen built their Ridgefield home in 2021, it was not just a house, but a homecoming. The couple spent the last two decades in Rochester, New York, where they’d moved for a job relocation. Though they’d raised three children there, and had become part of a wonderful community, they’d always planned to return to Mary Jane’s hometown of Ridgefield, where many of their family members and friends still live.
Thrilled to have them back in town, Mary Jane’s father offered them a piece of land down the hill from him and her mother, and then the Kelemens enlisted some hometown help to take the lead on the design. With years of catching up to do, they needed a house that could host—a lot.
Enter designer Elyse Petrella, who grew up in the Kelemens’ Rochester neighborhood before launching her design career in New York City. She’d recently relocated to Westchester and had worked with a friend of the couple, who encouraged them to reconnect with their neighbor-turned-design-pro. The builder they chose, Tom Sturges, not only does beautiful work, he’s married to Mary Jane’s niece.
The entry has a vintage runner from Landry & Arcari, ceiling fixture from Shades of Light and artwork by Amy Weil.
An RH chandelier complements the two-story stone fireplace in the living room, where a Lee Industries sectional in a Larsen fabric rests on a custom rug from Stark Carpet.
In the kitchen, stools from Saffron + Poe offer seating at the island, backsplash tile is from Waterworks, and a trio of pendants is from RH.
In the breakfast area, performance-grade fabric from Holly Hunt was used on the banquette, and the Wishbone chairs are through Rove Concepts.
The mudroom floor sports Ann Sacks tile and walls in Sherwin-Williams’ Cornwall Slate.
An outdoor fan from Visual Comfort delivers breezes above the RH dining table and chairs.
In the primary bedroom, Vaughan Designs table lamps top nightstands from Serena & Lily, and the hand-tufted wool-and-jute rug is from McGee & Co.
The Randolph Morris soaking tub has unlacquered brass fixtures from Waterworks.
In a guest suite, Petrella added nickel-gap plank detail to the pitched ceiling; the walls and trim are painted Farrow & Ball’s Dimpse.
The couple wanted a traditional Connecticut farmhouse with a modern update, an open layout and comfortable design that felt welcoming for their guests. “It was very important for them to have a home that felt warm and inviting,” says Petrella, “where they could walk in the door and feel at ease.” Together, she and Sturges delivered just the right balance of modern and traditional style, with a design that fits the site and meshes with the homeowners’ lifestyle.
The Kelemans were still living in Rochester during the construction and trusted their team to create the home they’d envisioned. “Elyse and Tom worked so beautifully together,” says Mary Jane. “It felt easy for us to give them the reins.”
Every design detail has togetherness in mind. The flow of the home, including the open kitchen and living room, makes everyone feel connected, and areas for conversation abound. The breakfast nook table seats 10, and the living room’s deep sectional sofa is covered in a luscious Larsen fabric.
The color palette enhances an uncluttered but warm aesthetic that invites visitors to sit down and stay a while. Petrella kept things largely neutral, with a little color to keep it interesting. “I like keeping the palette very natural,” says Petrella. “It feels timeless, clean and calming.” Upholstered pieces in shades of gray and cream invite lounging, while warm wood accents and white oak floors keep things warm and cozy. The fireplace is a standout feature with a stone facade running up two stories in the living room.
Touches of color—like the cobalt blue rug and artwork by local artist Tina Cobelle-Sturges (builder Tom Sturges’ mother) in the sitting room—add depth without going over the top. Petrella brought in a little pattern with a sprinkling of stripes throughout the house.
In the primary suite, there’s plenty of room for the couple to unwind after a day of entertaining. Petrella used “color without color” in the primary bedroom, with Sherwin-Williams’ Repose Gray on the walls, a pair of sage green table lamps and a patterned rug. The spacious bathroom has his and hers vanities, and a large soaking tub.
Outdoors, front and rear covered porches can be used almost year-round, with ceiling fans for the summer and heat lamps for the fall. By the pool, a large dining table and umbrellas with chaise lounges keep the Kelemens and their guests comfortable and covered from the sun.
Their new home is beautiful, but the homeowners’ favorite feature is how it has allowed them to spend so much time with the people they love. “At any given time, there are a host of people coming in and out of that front door,” says Petrella. “I love that it’s a gathering place,” says Mary Jane. “It’s what we built this house for.”
