An artist new construction residential shoreline house in Branford, CT

1. A Welcome
ConneCtiCut Home
Home by Elizabeth Keyser
Photography by Robert Benson
A contemporary take on 19th-century shingle style combines an open plan
with intimate spaces, with artful views inside and out.
When they started looking at houses, a shoreline
couple encountered many a grand façade—and little
quality craftsmanship. Arisaig, the house they eventu-
ally built on the coast, reveals a different set of priori-
ties. Beyond its modest shingled entry lies a wealth of
artistic detail.
And it doesn’t take itself too seriously. Its curving
lines and whimsical elements reflect a lively family
that likes to laugh.
Working with architect Tom Edwards, AIA, of Nel-
son & Edwards Co. Architects in Branford, was the
most fun the homeowner says she’s ever had. That she
The façade, while hinting at the
eclectic interior, was designed to fit into
the low-key beach neighborhood.

2. Clockwise from top
left: The foyer, with
its custom staircase
and balusters evoking
abstract lighthouses (or
is it violins?), establishes
architect Edwards’
penchant for whimsy;
it’s all about the view in
the dining room, where
Edwards designed the
elegant table for 10;
the library, with double
glass doors that look
out across the foyer
through the living room
to the Sound, gets a
masculine feel from
dark cherry paneling
and cabinetry and a
coffered ceiling; the first
floor exemplifies what
the owners wanted:
a house that, without
being grand, is unique
(a series of octagonal
rooms connected by
curves and arches), ac-
cessible (open flow) and
eminently livable.
48 CONNECTICUT March 2009

3. enjoyed the creative collabora- The ultimate waterfront home amenity is this indoor pool,
tion surprised the multi-degreed with a pavilion whose clerestory windows open at the push
(and -faceted) mother of a teen- of a button. The trifold glass doors fold back unobtru-
aged son and daughter. She ad- sively, so in summer it’s like being outdoors. This time of
mits that she usually thinks her year the homeowner floats on her back, gazing up at the
own ideas are best. Luckily, she architecture. “It’s like living in a sculpture,” she says of
and her architect agreed 90 per- the arched beams and triangular trusses that support the
cent of the time. multilevel ceilings, all of Douglas fir. The lemon and fig
Arisaig, named for the Scot- trees thrive year-round thanks to the humidity.
tish coast the couple love, is al-
most upstaged by its view. The
house bestows panoramas of
Long Island Sound from almost
every room. From living room,
kitchen and dining room, the
sun glitters across a rippling
blue expanse. From studies,
bedrooms and baths, cumulous
clouds gather above steely white-
capped swells. From showers,
lofts and even the laundry room,
gulls swoop and ships sail.
Above: The boy’s bedroom in one of the octagonal Below: The master bedroom, above the dining room, has
towers offers Sound views not only from his bed but similarly enveloping views of the Sound. Here, however,
from his curved “pulpit” in the loft area above. Here one can clearly see (by looking up and around) the octag-
he works on his compositions and can look across onal-tower design that maximizes the sense of space and
to the tower’s clerestory windows, which frame brings in more light. The homeowner chose the furnish-
horizontal “paintings” of the Sound. Right: Architect ings with the architect, opting for a mix of contemporary,
Edwards designed a whimsical staircase/dresser traditional and antique pieces, a neutral palette and an
connecting the room and the loft. uncluttered look so as not to upstage the view.
The half-acre property is nes-
tled in a cove along the shoreline
east of New Haven. A promon-
tory stretches to the west, while
the Thimble Islands scatter to
the east.
The “wow” is the view, but af-
ter the sun sets, the owner still
wants her eye engaged. Hence
the open flow, curves and arches
that connect the series of octag-
onal rooms on the first floor.
To one side of the sunken
living room, fronted by French
doors, the open kitchen leads
to the dining room. The kitch-
en’s shape echoes Arisaig’s wa-
terfront façade of octagonal
towers embracing the heart of
the house. Edwards designed
hanging octagonal glass cabi-
nets crowned by carved wood
brackets to mirror the towers.
50 CONNECTICUT March 2009

4. They gently enclose the honed black granite feet), most of the rooms are not large by to- steps and they’ll demonstrate how the pavilion’s
countertops and custom cabinets of bird’s-eye day’s standards. The living room, at about 520 clerestory windows open at the push of a button.
maple and cherry. square feet, is the largest. The owner, who did The trifold ground-level glass doors fold back un-
Looking closer, you see that utility is spiced not want a house that seemed too grand, says obtrusively, so in summer it’s like being outdoors.
with originality, function infused with fun. that “the coziest spots are where the kids show This time of year, the owner floats on her back
“Anytime we offered Tom a chance to do some- up”—they do homework at the curved built-in in the heated pool, gazing up at the architecture.
thing whimsical, he took it,” says the owner. kitchen table facing the Sound, squeeze in next “It’s like living in a sculpture,” she says. Above her,
In the boy’s room, the whimsy is nautical. to their parents on the Chesterfield sofa in dad’s a series of arched beams and triangular trusses
The architect designed a steep staircase/dresser cherry-paneled library, and hang out in mom’s support the multilevel ceilings. Through the
that climbs to a loft overlooking the sea. Brass study (“aka “the command center”) behind the clerestory windows she sees her bedroom turret,
pulls, a plain brass handrail and an oar resting dining room. topped by an octagonal lantern.
on the landing enhance the maritime feel. On It was music that first drew the couple to- Her husband readily admits that he “disin-
the balcony above the owners’ dressing room, gether. “One of the things I found attractive termediated” himself from most of the decision
Edwards met the code requirement for a railing about him was his voluminous record collec- making. “That’s why we’re still married,” she
by creating a picket fence made of cherry. Fur- tion,” she says. “He’s more into jazz; I’m more jokes. But there were a few things he wanted.
thering the sense of fun, airplane and bumble- into ’20s, ’30s and ’40s popular music. Classical The outdoor kitchen by the pool pavilion was
bee tech lights spring from the wall. In one of is our shared love.” one. It is outfitted with a Viking grill and a pizza
the two cozy seating areas in the living room, Music fills Arisaig. The couple’s son is a bud- oven imported from Italy. The pros at Pepe’s in
Edwards designed (and his son Vincent built) ding violinist who composes in his “pulpit,” look- New Haven have been giving him tips, he says.
coffee and side tables, whose curved legs mir- ing across the tower’s third-story windows to the The other place where the husband, a boater,
ror the legs of the upholstered Donghia chairs. sea. (These clerestory windows frame views right made his wishes known was in his third-floor
The outlines of the glass tops complement the out of Kensett paintings.) Their daughter plays loft. Here, in the low-ceilinged mahogany room
curved loveseat. flute and bassoon. A computerized AV system with its sleek black leather furniture and a ze-
Edwards lavished attention on the smallest sends music throughout the house. bra-striped carpet, three large windows face the
details. When the owner couldn’t find the water. It’s like a ship’s helm. Sitting on the
right kitchen cabinet pulls, he designed couch facing the windows, he is the cap-
stainless-steel drop latches and had them tain. All that’s missing is the ship’s wheel.
forged by a metalworker. Even the balus-
Utility is spiced with origi- “Sunset finds us here,” says his wife.
ters are custom-designed, with the open nality, function infused with In decorating the house, the owner
centers of the flat, carved wood evoking at first felt unsure. She interviewed in-
abstract lighthouses. fun. “Anytime we offered terior designers, but found the idea of
“There’s something unique about hav- turning Arisaig over to another per-
ing an architect who is also an artist and Tom [Edwards] a chance to son’s vision “frightening.” She turned to
designs furniture,” says the owner. In fact, her architect. “Tom told me it would be
Edwards’ fine art is in collections at the do something whimsical, he easy—like putting a dress on a beautiful
Metropolitan Museum of Art in New girl,” she says.
York City and at the National Museum of
took it,” says the owner. Edwards gives her 60 percent of the
American Art in Washington, D.C. His credit for the interior design. The house
detailed paintings, etchings and draw- is furnished in a clean, uncluttered,
ings hang as well on Arisaig’s walls, in a series The couple host musical galas at their home, comfortable mix of contemporary, modern,
of niches along a curved hallway. its signature curves creating excellent acoustics. antique and Tom Edwards-commissioned
The owner’s artistic eye was no doubt influ- The English cellist Rafael Wallfisch has per- pieces.
enced by her father, an advertising photogra- formed and been an overnight guest. “Rafael “Collaboration” is a word architects love to
pher whose black-and-white photos from the went from room to room to try out the acous- toss around. But in the case of Arisaig, there
1960s hang prominently in the living room. tics and he decided the studio was the best,” was a concord of client, architect, builder,
She herself studied art, English and biology recalls the owner. artists and artisans that resulted in enduring
before becoming involved in film production. The studio, about 500 square feet, which sits friendships.
After working in Hollywood, she “sold out,” got over the garage in the back of the house, was And friendship, say the couple, is the real
an MBA and moved into finance. Today she is a originally envisioned for use by the kids but “magic” of the house.
full-time mom (“the hardest job I’ve ever had”) has evolved into an informal party room for all. “There was a harmony when we worked
and is active in New Haven’s arts community. The owner’s true personality is here—the way together,” Edwards agrees, settling into a
Her husband is also in finance. she’d live, she says, “if I were single.” chair beneath a triptych of his paintings.
Leading the team of skilled builders and The self-described “clutter monster” is a col- Leave it to others to complain about the
artisans working on the house was contrac- lector. And indeed, the room feels like a lively hassles of construction. The owner presented
tor Ed Flamand of Flamand Builders and Re- mini-Smithsonian, with antique model planes, her architect, builder and major subcontrac-
modelers of Guilford. “Ed was the grown-up,” flags and signs hanging from a cathedral ceil- tors with bound and printed books of pho-
says the owner, to which Edwards counters, ing, more antique signs and a working rotary tographs documenting the project. Flipping
“That’s because he had to make it work.” He phone on the walls, manual typewriters and an through its pages on a recent afternoon, she
did so with the help of Guilford Woodworking, old 45-rpm record player on shelves. paused, remembering the barbecues she
Donald Boulé of Boulé LLC and Haddam Neck “Kids don’t know about these things and they would throw for the workers (“until Ed made
Kitchen Cabinets, all of whom had a hand in find them fascinating,” she says. In eclectic con- me stop because he thought it was interrupt-
the kitchen cabinets and woodwork, as well as trast, glass cabinets are filled with her collection ing the work”). The next-to-last page shows
Bill Burns of Prestige Tile in West Haven, who of English royalty commemorative porcelain. the family on the front lawn, taking in the
installed the tile. The studio’s windows look down on the in- first sunset after the house was complete. The
Despite Arisaig’s size (about 5,500 square door pool pavilion. Follow the couple down the final shot is of the first sunrise.
52 CONNECTICUT March 2009