Classic By Design
October 15, 2012
Text by Maria LaPiana    Photography by Laura Moss   Produced by Karin Lidbeck Brent
The estate gates part slowly, like curtains on a stage, to reveal a class act: a courtyard and neatly manicured lawn framing a classic New England colonial, complete with porte cochère and double mahogany doors sheltered by a columned portico.
The opening scene was thoughtfully directed by Linda Ruderman, an interior designer known for furnishing exquisite traditional homes on Connecticutâs Gold Coast. She built this, her own home, in keeping with the vernacular style for which her Greenwich neighborhood is known. âOf course I would build a backcountry, center-hall colonial,â Ruderman says with a laugh. âIt is Round Hill Road, after all.â
The homeâs facade reliably foreshadows the drama that unfolds withinâbeginning with an elegant foyer in the round, with an inlaid compass rose and handcrafted brass sconces. A coffered ceiling opens to a second-story landing with an ornamental balustrade, creating an interior âskylightâ that bathes the space in a golden glow. Beyond the foyer, a grand piano sits in front of wide windows that offer a view of lush lawns (and on a clear day, Long Island Sound).
Ruderman hardly skimped on architectural detail, but she says she deliberately kept the house âclean, with a simple background that appeals even to those who may prefer a more transitional style. It doesnât have heavy dentil moldings or a winding staircase.â
As elegantâeven grandâas the house is, its simplicity keeps it from feeling stiff or ostentatious. âI think that even though itâs large, it doesnât feel that way,â the designer says.
What her home does have is a polished, pulled-together quality, like a smart outfit assembled by someone who knows how to wear clothes. Nothing was left to chance, and a long time was spent curating the furnishings that fill its rooms; in some instances, Ruderman designed spaces around her collections of fine antiques and treasured accessories.
The more formal spaces house first-rate antiques; the music room, for example, is minimally furnished with just a few knockout pieces: a George III settee, a striking rosewood table from Florian Papp and that stunner of a Steinway piano. The living room, whose focal point is an English Âantique fireplace mantel, features eighteenth-century gilded-frame chairs, a Pembroke table from Gary Sergeant Antiques, striking sconces from Remains Lighting and, for good measure, a gorgeous pair of new custom chairs designed by Ruderman, from her LR Home collection.
The generously scaled dining room makes an ideal backdrop for the designerâs circa-1850 English table (set with silver candelabras) and chairs. A Stark carpet grounds the room. Mirror-image niches showcase two substantial console tables simply adorned with antique knife boxes. The walls wear wide, faux-painted stripes and sport sconces designed by Ruderman and fabricated in France.
A bright sunroom, yet another elegantly appointed space, has an informality that appeals to the designerâs casual side. A cheerful crewel by Nancy Corzine covers the scallop-back overstuffed sofa. A series of framed African orchids lends interest to the wall behind the sofa. A Holly Hunt coffee table keeps company with an iron table Ruderman discovered in a shop on Parisâs Left Bank. This sweet room is Rudermanâs true haven. âItâs so quiet and peaceful,â she says. âItâs where I keep my books…my art books, garden books, reflective books. Itâs where I go to think.â
Although decidedly genteel, the home has a family feel, which is no surprise since Ruderman brought up five boys here. Down the hall from the formal entry, to the left through pocket doors, the casual family rooms are furnished with kick-back style. A half-wall divides the TV and breakfast rooms; a well-planned, working kitchen stands just beyond.
While aesthetics always inspire her work, the designer says she places a premium on âcirculation, flow and functionality.â
Her kitchen is a prime example. Not as grand as some Greenwich kitchens, this is a serious cookâs space, with a smart, usable island, commercial range, twin fridges, sinks large enough to work in andâmost importantâample seating for family and friends. It feels more spacious when itâs open to the breakfast room, of course, but it can be closed off to hide prep work or cleanup.
The flow of these spaces is proof that Ruderman loves to entertain. A door from the breakfast room opens onto the veranda, and a few steps down, to the outdoor kitchen and pizza oven, which she says she uses âall the time, for everything.â The veranda overlooks the pool, bocce court and crisp, lovingly tended gardens that meander down to the Sound.
âIâd say that all of my outdoor spaces really reflect who I am as a designer,â says Ruderman. âI love to cook, garden and entertain, and those spaces are set up for me to do that, all in a gracious way.â
So, how did such an accomplished designer arrive at all the right decisions when it came to planning her own home? It wasnât easy. Ruderman allows that it can be possible to know too much. âThey say youâre your own worst client,â she says with a laugh. âIâm so busy that I didnât always have the time I needed to work on my home. You would think it was easyâI have so much access and information. But that made it hard, too, because if I couldnât find the right fabric I wanted, Iâd say, âWell, Iâll just wait for the fall or the spring line to come out.â To be honest, itâs still evolving.â
On the bright side, she says, âI know what I like. And I didnât have to convince anyone. When I work with clients, I want to make sure they understand everything. I go to bed thinking, âDid I do this or tell them that?â Iâm always thinking.â
In business for thirty years, Ruderman says sheâs now seeing a style shift among many of her clients, especially younger couples with children. âTheyâre telling me they donât want to live in their parentsâ houses,â she says. âItâs not that they donât appreciate traditional, but they want something with a twist, a contemporary surprise.â
Now an empty nester, Ruderman says sheâs having a stylistic change of heart herself. In fact, she thinks her next house will be a complete surprise to those who know her. âIâm thinking it will have cleaner lines and focus on simplicity,â she says. âI imagine it will be…more modern.â â˘
Interior design: Linda Ruderman
strong>Architect: Jose Ramirez, JL Ramirez Architect
Builder: Todd Smith, American Carpentry
Landscape Architect:Â Diane Devore, Devore Associates
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