An Artful Redesign of a Colonial Revival

South African…

born architect Clive Lonstein has an impressive track record that shines a light on his detail-oriented ingenuity and artistic prowess. Having received a Master of Architecture with distinction from Harvard University, he cut his teeth at leading Manhattan-based firm Studio Sofield, working his way up to the position of design director and turning his attention to high-end residential projects and prestigious retail commissions, designing flagship stores for luxury brands such as Gucci and Tom Ford. He subsequently moved on to Tiffany & Co where he led the design and architecture department, seamlessly blending chic reductivism with expressive touches of materiality to create unique, harmonious spaces designed to encourage memorable and engaging shopping experiences. Suffice to say, he is well versed in the art of crafting inviting, warm environments where every detail and object has been handpicked to convey a specific narrative.

His love of refined glamour comes alive in the project, a redesign of a late 19th century colonial revival home, in Litchfield County Connecticut. The house belongs to art lovers with an impressive collection of rare modern and contemporary treasures, and was originally designed by famed American architect Ehrick Rossiter, widely known for his characterful country mansions. This one, built in the late 1800s, has its own turret!

Drawn to…

simple, modern lines and natural materials, Lonstein has combined this signature aesthetic with a style full of spontaneity, bursting with colour, rich textures and whimsical objects, marking a joyful departure from cool minimalism and the predictable classicism of English country home décor. Instead, the designer has created a home full of character, where, as he says, “each room tells its own story.

The living room is a mid-century tale of design excellence cast in olive and emerald tones, with thick velvet curtains and Farrow and Ball’s ‘Bancha’ hue painted on curving walls. The focal point is a monumental cabinet by Italian craftsman Luigi Scremin, which shows a charming inlay scene of a cluttered table supporting various items including a mandolin, a bouquet of flowers, a decorative wine pitcher, an open book and a draped red cloth. More than just mere decoration, the Scremin reflects the soul of this space, itself a cabinet of rare curiosities, among them a 1950s cream lounge chair by Joaquim Tenreiro and Carlo Hauner, and Martin Eisler’s ‘Concha’ chair for Forma from the same period. They surround an unusual coffee table with a sculptural brass base and walnut veneer top by Greta Magnusson Grossman, first designed in 1952.

The olive-green…

theme continues into a generous library/study room, where intriguing props, soft lighting, tactile neutral-toned fabrics and wall-to-wall shelves stacked full of books help to underpin a certain mise-en-scene that enriches this quiet environment with emotional resonance, fostering a sense of comfort and belonging. Key pieces include an original 1953 Piero Fornasetti ‘Uccelli’ folding wooden screen decorated with handprinted birds, a vintage Viggo Boesen chair reupholstered in sheepskin, and a pair of vibrant Bitossi table lamps from the 1960s. The walnut desk is a modern reissue of George Nakashima’s classic Conoid silhouette, noted for its ergonomic single cross-legged base.

The main…

sitting room is a place of high spirits thanks to exuberant flashes of color in the form of contemporary artworks by the likes of Sophie Larrimore, Caitlin Keogh, and Mary Grigoriadis. The striking coffee table is a cult piece of furniture design: an example of Yves Klein’s Table Bleue. Filled with ‘International Klein’ blue pigment, it has been produced by the Yves Klein Archives since 1963 in very small batches of 40 editions a year, making it a very rare addition indeed. The 50s-era sofa and chairs are by Sergio Rodrigues, which Lonstein has had refurbished in delicately striped linen fabric for a serene layer of neutrality that settles the more vibrant corners of this interior composition, striking the perfect of balance of pop art exuberance and understated elegance.

In the kitchen…

Lonstein has transformed quaint cottage style into something infinitely more edgy by having the cabinets painted a glossy shade of baby pink. This tone flows into delicate salmon-hued drapery by Pierre Frey in the dining room which has its own unique ‘glow’ lending this family area more definition, dimension and style. It’s all down to Lonstein aptitude for tonal layering. In this case, Benjamin Moore’s White Dove paint creates a clean, crisp backdrop for visually ‘warm’ furniture pieces including an off-white Noguchi pendant light and a classic Eero Saarinen Executive Chair for Knoll, refurbished in plush natural sheepskin. Here too, a pleasing contrast between smooth surfaces and tactile fibers is firmly established by an original 1950s Martin Eisler credenza, crafted from polished rosewood with doors covered in natural cane.

In fact, it is precisely this emphasis on ‘plain versus pattern’ juxtapositions that institutes a cohesive and immersive visual dialogue between objects and spaces, filling this home with personality tailored to match the values and interests of its residents. The result is a modern mansion that’s imaginative, arty and intimate, not to mention mood enhancing and intellectually stimulating, with a treasured talking point in every corner.