Visit Craig Anthony Longhurst’s Shop in Kent, Connecticut

A colorful Robert Baras painting hangs on a robin’s-egg-blue wall, while a midcentury bleached- oak sideboard, an ebony Parsons table by Cassina, and circa-1970s chairs by Pozzi tone things down.

In his eponymous shop, Craig Anthony Longhurst showcases both sides of the color wheel from muted Pozzi chairs to tomato-red linen and oak Donghia armchairs.

Longhurst enlisted a Robert Baras painting to break up the neutrals in this vignette featuring a 1950s Italian wingback chair, a Knoll table, and a floor lamp by Jacques Jarrige.

Pups Maggie and Jake join Longhurst in the shop.

On a Knoll credenza, Mondrian by Nicholas Fox Weber tops a stack of books beside a ceramic bowl by Jessica Rust of Rust Designs.

To accent Schumacher’s Views of Paris wallpaper and a painting by Robert Baras, Longhurst chose a glass vase by Vicke Lindstrand for Kosta Boda.

It didn’t take long for Craig Anthony Longhurst to put his finger on the pulse of American design. Soon after moving from Australia to New York City with his husband, Longhurst became fluent in stateside and, in particular, New England taste. Then it was just a hop, skip, and jump to Longhurst’s eponymous shop on Main Street in Kent.

The astute designer noticed that New Englanders veer toward neutrals, so the store is filled with nubby sofas in putty and pebble hues—and, occasionally, deep merlot. Tables are typically serene shades of granite, slate, and black. But ottomans are where Longhurst steps out, unleashing the color wheel in creative footrests. Cushions, accessories, and wall art are equally vivid. Everything in the shop is vintage except for a line of ceramics.

Longhurst’s relationship with design started when he was young. “Mom was always redecorating,” he recalls of his formative years in a home where a midcentury modern vibe reigned. Longhurst pursued an education in architecture before changing course and giving in to his passion for interior design. He took a slight detour in 1980, teaming up with four friends to open the legendary Soda Sisters in Melbourne—an instant-hit outrageously campy diner where singing waiters served on roller skates. Fittingly, Longhurst was the partner responsible for the chrome booths and pink and gray decor. “It was crazy fun, and we created a monster,” he says.

Then came marketing stints with Herman Miller, UniFor, and Haworth while he hopscotched between Hong Kong, Britain, and Australia. Two years after Longhurst and his husband landed in the U.S., they bought a house in Falls Village, and Longhurst immediately began eyeing nearby Kent for retail/
studio space. He found what he was looking for, and the store opened its doors in February 2025. (Longhurst calls the studio CAL Design.)

Aside from color, the shop showcases uniquely curvaceous furniture: mushroom, ribbon, and wingback chairs and tulip tables create inspirational vignettes. But beyond striking design, Longhurst understands comfort. Most days, you’ll find his two rescue pups lounging, and everyone entering is deeply tempted to follow suit. Sink in. You won’t be disappointed. Craig Anthony Longhurst, Kent, craiganthonylonghurst.com