An Antique House Gets a Fresh Start

The curved wall in the formal entry hints at the style and grace of this Stamford home. An antique gilded mirror makes a statement against a Susan Harter Muralpapers wallcovering.

Designer Elizabeth Saypol furnished the dining room with treasured vintage pieces—from the table and chairs to the chandelier that once held candles to the mercury glass collection on the mantel.

An alcove in the dining room is the perfect spot for wing chairs from Hickory Chair, custom upholstered in fabric by Kerry Joyce and adorned with Elizabeth Eakins pillows. The metal plant stand is an antique.

The living room, with a sofa covered in Brunschwig & Fils upholstery, acts as a comfortable haven away from the busy family room and kitchen. Artwork by Julian Brown flanks the windows. The coffee table, side table, and painted chest are local antique store finds.

The kitchen harkens back to the early twentieth century, when the home received its first round of improvements.

The dining table in the kitchen belonged to the homeowner’s great-grandfather; that’s the butler’s pantry through the doorway.

Located off the kitchen, the family room doubles as a playroom; it opens

With a Leonards New England nightstand turned vanity and Schumacher wallpaper, the small powder room off the library is big on charm.

Crisp Architects recreated the crown molding found in the rest of the house in the cozy library/TV room. A Mitchell Gold + Bob Williams ottoman serves as a coffee table surrounded by blue velvet sofas from Hickory Chair.

The primary bedroom features a Leonards New England bed covered in Matouk linens.

A new powder room is conveniently located adjacent to the mudroom.

Landscape designer Alice Cooke imagined the parking area and lush plantings in front of the remodeled colonial.

Because she loves the charm and character of older homes, designer Elizabeth Saypol jumped at the opportunity to reimagine an antique house on a hill in Stamford. The circa-1807 colonial was in foreclosure and looked a little tired, but its infrastructure was sound. “It just needed some love and attention to bring it back to life,” says the designer.

Saypol started work on a renovation plan shortly after the owners purchased the home in 2011. As very bad luck would have it, a house fire unexpectedly derailed the project for more than a year. The fire caused a great deal of soot and smoke damage, but it had a silver lining, too. “I think the fire really clarified the vision we had for the home,” says Saypol. In that moment, she reached out to architect Jimmy Crisp, known for designing graceful, seamless additions to historic homes.

Space wasn’t wasted on hallways in the early 1800s, so rooms already flowed nicely from one to the next; some even featured multiple doorways. Because of that, the floor plan didn’t feel formal or cramped, it just needed to be reworked for a young family. “We added a garage, mudroom, powder room, and a butler’s pantry,” says Saypol. “Jimmy had the great idea to bump out the family room, which eventually was enlarged to become a playroom and family room space.”

The scope of the project grew to include upgrades, replacements, and repairs, says Crisp. “Our goal was to blend old and new with a floor plan and materials that respected the house’s history but worked for a young family in the twenty-first century,” he says. Not surprisingly, headaches arose—like beams in unexpected places—that had to be remedied, says builder Joe Pisoni. “The most harrowing construction challenge was having to blast and displace so much rock to make room for the garage,” he recalls. They repurposed much of it to build “new” stone walls on the property.

Because the homeowners love to cook and entertain, Saypol and Crisp transformed the kitchen into a light, bright, functional space. “It’s kind of an updated version of a 1920s scullery,” says Saypol. In addition to structural changes, the designer recommended they refinish the (formerly black) floors, renovate the downstairs powder room, change out the paneling and millwork in the library, and redo the primary bath.

The home is furnished with “a healthy mix of English, American, Swedish, French, and Italian antiques, along with painted pieces, wicker, marble, and metal,” says Saypol. Patterns are subtle and layered, except for the statement-making wallpaper in the powder rooms and formal entry. “They’re spaces you’re only in for a few minutes, so the impact is quick,” says the designer.

The blue/green/coral palette is “cohesive but not repetitive,” with a collection of contemporary and modern art that ties everything together. The overall look is timeless and classic but updated and fresh. “The home works for a busy young family—all the while exuding a sense of haven, history, and style,” says Crisp.

Project Team
Interior design: Elizabeth Saypol, Morrissey Saypol Interiors
Architecture: Jimmy Crisp, Crisp Architects
Builder: Joe Pisoni, Stonecrest Builders
Landscape design: Alice Cooke, Alice Cooke Design Associates