Forty miles from New York City is the village of Rowayton, a peninsula in Norwalk, Connecticut. Once upon a time, a trolley cut through the neighborhood transporting guests between South Norwalk and an amusement park on Long Island Sound. The park and the trolley were destroyed in a hurricane in the 1940s, but homeowners Bruce and Carol have honored its story in the design of their house.
The 3,500 square foot home is long and narrow with crisscrossed beams that add to the wonderment. Playful elements surround the property designed by Bruce himself. As an architect and owner of Beinfield Architecture, he has built many structures and won a number of awards, but this is the first time he’s created a dream space for himself and his artist wife. “Because it’s such a skinny house we wanted to surprise people with the amount of drama it has and encourage people to walk around and explore,” says Bruce.
Inside the space is industrial, especially the kitchen with natural brass faucets and unfinished copper countertops. While there are exposed pipes and grays and blues, there’s a calming balance of sharp lines and soft curves. “One of the interesting things I’ve discovered in architecture is if you use materials that people think are cold and industrial, you can often create a warm and sensual environments,” says Bruce.
After a tour of Carol’s whimsical art studio, Parker and Bruce walk through downtown to see some of Bruce’s projects. “Bruce was instrumental in getting Rowayton’s downtown designated as a village district in order to preserve its character, you can see his architectural influence all over the village,” says Parker.
Later that evening a dinner party fills the home as Parker and Chef Rui Correia of Douro assemble dishes that are both beautiful and delicious.
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