A Sophisticated Retreat in Litchfield County

An earth-toned rug from Surya ties everything together in the bright family room with its new floor-to-ceiling picture window. Designer Abigail Marcelo paired a rust chaise from TRNK with armchairs from the Jake Arnold collection at Crate & Barrel. A blue painting on the side wall is from The Good Gallery, and the artwork above the fireplace is from the homeowner’s collection.

Heirloom dining chairs were reupholstered in a deep purple and paired with a custom solid maple extendable table by Seo Wade Wood.

The simple front hall is accented with a Shaker bench from Chestnut Woodworking in West Cornwall and a piece of stained glass that homeowner Allie inherited from her parents.

Sliding panels on the custom bar lend interest whether open or closed.

My client was on the fence about the kitchen counter stools, but the last time I visited she said they are the most comfortable,” says Marcelo. The leather backs and seats have proven easy to clean and kid-friendly. “I think we kind of nailed it with the textures and fabrics in the house,” says Marcelo.

Cozy seating surrounds organically shaped coffee tables from Essentials for Living. The new kitchen is more suited to modern living with the lounge space and views of the mountains.

“The primary is my favorite room because it’s such a peaceful space,” says Marcelo. She had T&S Builders vault the ceiling and then color-drenched the room in Benjamin Moore Coventry Gray, which lets the custom upholstered bed with a white-oak canopy stand out.

In the children’s room, alcoves around the windows house the colorful scallop-frame beds, which were custom built by T&S Builders.

Porcelain tiles surround the freestanding soaking tub; fling open the French windows to take in the spectacular views.

The back staircase and hall were dark, so Marcelo leaned into the moody moment with a deep Benjamin Moore Olympus Green wainscoting and Morris & Co.’s Bird & Pomegranate wallpaper in blue/sage.

Marcelo replaced a lap pool with a more family-friendly set-up. The new pool, which has easy access to the screened porch, is closer to the side yard, freeing up the backyard for fun and games.

Renovating a Connecticut Country Home

When a New York City couple bought a second home near Kent, they needed someone who could see past the home’s 1990s spectacle of Greek columns and quirky oddities, like three sets of stairs, different-height floors, and zigzag hallways, and help put the focus on what sold them in the first place: breathtaking views and room for a growing family. Having newly launched her own design firm, Casa Marcelo in nearby Salisbury, Abigail Marcelo was eager to take on the challenge.

She called in a local architect along with Tim Sneller, owner and general contractor of T&S Builders in South Kent, to reconfigure the interiors, build an addition that would increase the square footage from 5,000 to roughly 7,000, and incorporate a screened-in porch. Additionally, relocating the pool off-center of the house allowed them to maximize the view and take full advantage of the backyard.

Reworking the Floor Plan to Maximize Views

Inside, “we made the floor plan a little bit more cohesive and functional,” says Sneller. Upstairs, they moved bedrooms closer together and created zones; the space above the garage became a guest wing. No house needs three sets of stairs, so they removed one set and opened up the first floor, making doorways wider and windows bigger, inviting in views of Lake Waramaug and the surrounding mountains. “We made them a lot larger with less mullions—less distractions and disruptions from the view,” says Marcelo.

Homeowner Allie says she was drawn to Marcelo’s work because her portfolio revealed her aptitude for designing in a variety of styles. The couple has an affinity for vintage and folk pieces but wanted the home to feel fresh, modern, and comfortable.

Design That Blends Vintage Character and Modern Comfort

Marcelo captured both with key details. She opened the kitchen to an adjacent sitting area, adding a breakfast nook by the windows and seating where the little ones can play. Warm creams and natural fibers pair with a soft but colorful palette throughout. In the dining room, Marcelo designed a purple built-in bar, Allie’s husband’s favorite color. In the kids’ room, a pair of yellow and blue scalloped custom beds are playful and cozy.

To lean into Allie’s traditional taste (and provide a dose of New England charm), they selected a moody Morris & Co. wallpaper paired with deep teal wainscotting in the back stairwell. In the front stairwell, a simple runner pairs with a Shaker-style wooden bench.

But the couple’s favorite space is the retreat-like primary suite. After vaulting the ceilings, Marcelo chose a four-poster bed as the focal point—a fun luxury of designing for a country home versus her city projects.

“It was a big project, and it took a long time, but it was actually one of my favorite types of projects,” says Marcelo. Both designer and builder say they are proud of the continuity and cohesiveness they were able to achieve. “It’s more family friendly,” says Sneller. Which is something the homeowners can attest to firsthand. Quiet weekends together with the kids now include planting vegetables and herbs in the backyard garden, cooking the fruits of their labor in the new kitchen, and throwing pool parties on the patio. “We love to host friends and family,” says Allie.

Project Team
Interior design: Casa Marcelo
Builder: T&S Builders
Landscape design: Wintergreen Landscape Studio

Styled by Sophie Randall