Rustic Refined

Location: Ridgefield, CT. A carriage house cottage, full of character and history.

Client Type: A young, single woman settling into her first home.

Design Goal: The client wanted a first home that felt entirely her own, fresh, spirited, and grown up without losing the warmth and charm of the original structure. Drawn to a relaxed, layered sensibility, she sought a space that honored the cottage’s bones while bringing it firmly into the present, balancing easy livability with moments of personality and polish.

The home is transitional with a modern farmhouse spirit, pairing the cottage’s vintage character with crisp, contemporary lines. The palette is built on a bright foundation of soft white and pale greige, grounded by rich wood tones in oak flooring and a plank ceiling, and punctuated by confident touches of black and aged metal. Natural materials carry throughout, from the picket tile backsplash and concrete vanity to woven and cane textures.

Signature details give the home its layered, collected feel: vintage and industrial accents, a botanical moss art panel, blackened iron and beaded statement lighting, patterned floral wallpaper, and a mix of antique and contemporary furnishings. Tonally the work is fresh, characterful, relaxed, and inviting.

Our scope spanned space planning, finish and material selection, lighting design, and furnishing and styling. We worked to preserve and celebrate the cottage’s existing architecture, the exposed structural beam, the split level living space, the sloped ceilings, while layering in fresh finishes and a curated mix of old and new that feels personal rather than precious.

A varied approach to lighting brings character to each room, from oversized metal pendants and a blackened iron ring chandelier to a beaded fixture and vintage style sconces. Furnishings blend texture and era, creating interiors that feel collected over time yet distinctly current, a confident, livable first home tailored to its owner.