above: Floor-to-ceiling windows create a true room with a view.
For the past three decades, local residents have graciously opened their homes to hundreds of visitors in support of New Canaan CARES and its mission of “parenting skills, positive youth development and healthy lifestyle.”
The annual New Canaan CARES Home Tour is the organization’s largest fundraiser. “As an independent nonprofit, the Home Tour generates almost half of our annual budget, which allows us to continue to deliver quality, responsive community programming,” says CARES executive director Colleen Prostor.
The 2024 Home Tour featured these five stunning New Canaan houses. A patron party took place at a sixth home and featured presentations by design experts. This year’s Home Tour will take place on Friday, May 16. “We could not put on this incredible event without the support of the homeowners, sponsors and numerous volunteers that make this event a success year after year and allow us to deliver our mission to the community,” Prostor added.
THE CELANESE HOUSE
Celebrated Modern
With so many unique design elements to feast on in and around the famed Celanese House property, it might be hard to put your finger on your favorite, but they seamlessly come together in a stunning example of mid-century modern architecture. While the original house was built in 1959 by the famed architect Edward Durrell Stone and many of the celebrated design innovations remain, the current owner has thoughtfully completed extensive renovations to the expansive grounds and home.
As you enter the property, the stunning landscape design, which includes many native plants, leads you to the impressive lattice screen façade of the home, revealing 12 distinctive glass pyramid skylights on the roof. “The House with the Built-In Sky” as described in House & Garden magazine beckons you inside with an underlit glass floor and floor-to-ceiling glass walls, all renovated in the last decade.
Many significant improvements were made to the house to enhance the function, aesthetic and efficiency of the interior, with a refined sense of order, scale and materials.
Continuing through the foyer, you can envision your next meal in the modern, minimalist Bulthaup kitchen and ponder your next good read in the spectacular, light-filled library off the living room, whose floor-to-ceiling shelves boast a colorful range of reading materials in a space that is both calming and bright.
Peering outside through the floor-to-ceiling glass walls, you’ll share your vista of the picturesque backyard with beguiling life-sized sheep sculptures designed by Hanns-Peter Krafft, which remind the homeowner of a memorable encounter while bicycling through New Zealand when his trail was suddenly blocked by a flock of more than 1,000 sheep.
Hands-down, the homeowner’s favorite area in the home is the library. “Always something of interest on the bookshelves, or outside in the backyard to look at. Plus, the combination of the light and space of the architecture creates a very special atmosphere.”
While the home has been professionally praised over the years for the caliber of its historic design, the owner says he has never thought of the house as specifically “historic,” but simply as a home of exceptional architecture and design. “Spending a significant portion of time in such an inspiring place is both a treat and a privilege.”
THE ORIGINAL HOUSE WAS BUILT IN 1959 BY THE FAMED ARCHITECT EDWARD DURRELL STONE AND MANY OF THE CELEBRATED DESIGN INNOVATIONS REMAIN
EXTOWN
Famed Farm house
Extown Farm’s magical 17-plus-acre property is one of New Canaan’s historic treasures with a fascinating, storied past. The farm and main home date back to the 1770s when the property was several hundred acres. In the 1850s, the town of New Canaan purchased the farm. It was nicknamed “The Poor House” because it provided townspeople, who were underprivileged, a place to live. There is a jail cell in the basement, still with original doors, which housed individuals who owed money. They tended to the farm in exchange for debt forgiveness. The town of New Canaan sold the property to a private family in the 1920s, hence the origin of the name Extown Farm.
The exquisite property has many charming structures including the main farmhouse, garage with gym and upstairs apartment, cottage, and working barn. The barn features cow milking stations, pig styes, and horse stables, along with original hardware and farm equipment still in storage. The property is under a deed of conservation which ensures it remains one property and also protects its historic assets.
In 2021, Dave Prutting, the owner of the full-service contracting company Prutting & Co., purchased the estate and began the extensive two-and-a-half-year restoration of the property. At that time, the main house lacked plumbing and HVAC systems. Prutting’s vision called for meticulous attention to detail in order to preserve the many historical features, as well as to reimagine the gracious farmhouse aesthetic with luxurious 21st-century comforts.
There are many notable details in this stunning home. In the historic section of the house, the walls and ceiling are expertly crafted from plaster. The fireplaces seen throughout the home are all original. The great room features a dramatic vaulted ceiling with wood beams that add charm and warmth to the space. The new addition, which nearly doubled the size of the home, features the entry foyer, kitchen, family room, luxurious primary bedroom suite, and an upstairs foyer.
Modern design updates, such as an open kitchen with large island and family room with doors leading to the outside patio, allow for easy indoor/outdoor entertaining. The gorgeous grounds consist of flat land for playing sports, an orchard, mature gardens and a beautiful stone amphitheater.
Extown Farm’s rich history is uniquely tied to New Canaan’s past, making it one of the most important estates in town.
THE GREAT ROOM FEATURES A DRAMATIC VAULTED CEILING WITH WOOD BEAMS THAT ADD CHARM AND WARMTH TO THE SPACE.
MODERN DESIGN UPDATES, SUCH AS AN OPEN KITCHEN WITH LARGE ISLAND AND FAMILY ROOM WITH DOORS LEADING TO THE OUTSIDE PATIO, ALLOW FOR EASY INDOOR/OUTDOOR ENTERTAINING.
ROSEBROOK
Designer’s Den
Despite being built in 1988, Rosebrook boasts the look and feel of a 1920s home with extensive millwork, arched doorways and inlaid floors. Maintaining the charm of the home with the addition of modern updates, the homeowner, who owns an interior design firm, refurbished all the interiors in the home herself, but judiciously waited several years to see how the house “lives” before making any major changes.
Embarking on a major renovation with Michael Smith Architects, the kitchen, mudroom, screened-in porch and terrace revamp were all completed last year. “We wanted to connect the kitchen with the outdoor space, bringing in significantly more light, and make the kitchen, where we spend so much time, feel almost as if it were part of the garden,” says the homeowner.
The kitchen was designed to feel timeless—fresh and new, but not specifically modern. Vintage hardware from England, warm white hues and marble, plus a custom deGournay backsplash all tie the room together with the outside. And the multi-season screened porch, which is also one of the most utilized spaces in the house, allows the homeowners further room to entertain their friends and family by the fire or watch games on the TV, with the expanded bluestone patio just outside that features a built-in kitchen with grill and a propane-powered pizza oven.
The mudroom is functional, with organized personal spaces for all, and the expanded upstairs landing incorporates a special homework and reading nook, which has become a go-to family hang out.
The home features numerous cozy nooks with the perfect blend of pattern and color showcasing the homeowner’s traditionally inspired interior design style mixed with a dash of modernism for spice and flavor.
The homeowner is also a big believer that until you have art on your walls, your house will not truly feel like a home. “My father is an art dealer, and I literally grew up in his gallery. Art should be collected gradually as you find things that you truly love and are inspired by.
THE KITCHEN WAS DESIGNED TO FEEL TIMELESS—FRESH AND NEW, BUT NOT SPECIFICALLY MODERN.
OENOKE RIDGE
Cozy Cottage
Home Tour guests visiting Oenoke Ridge were treated to two stunning side-by-side custom-built homes, each with a unique style and size that somehow flows seamlessly from one property to the next. While the homeowners were proud to feature their exquisite 2014 custom-built home, it was even more special for this family of eight to showcase a newly-built home on the adjacent property, a small Scandinavian-style gem perfectly sized for the homeowner’s mother.
This mighty “little house” next door was also designed by architects Brooks & Falotico Associates, Inc. and built by Yankee Builders. But what is unique about the new home is that it is designed primarily for one-floor living, with only a guest room located on the 2nd floor. The main floor’s open concept allows for all spaces to be used harmoniously with a style that is both relaxed and luxurious. Clean, contemporary lines in the living room draw your eyes up to the elevated ceiling windows where natural light shines in to create a peaceful retreat for one or for many to gather.
Building on the lush, rotating blooms of plant life at the original property, the new landscape and hardscape vision encompassed connecting the two properties with beautiful vistas and robust gardens to be enjoyed for many years from the large glass windows and doors featured in both homes that provide a true indoor-outdoor connection.
Over the past decade since building the main house, the homeowners have implemented some colorful changes to enhance their unique traditional Connecticut meets California modern home, refreshing the living room recently with a newly upholstered striking purple couch for a pop of fresh color. And as a nod to the family’s love of nature and animals, the kitchen boasts an oversized custom fish tank brimming with exotic fish and corals in vibrant hues.
The homeowners’ children are enjoying their frequent visits to their grandmother’s house next door. Future plans for the basement there include a golf simulator among other amusements, which will no doubt keep them coming around.
THE MAIN FLOOR’S OPEN CONCEPT ALLOWS FOR ALL SPACES TO BE USED HARMONIOUSLY WITH A STYLE THAT IS BOTH RELAXED AND LUXURIOUS.
LAGO VISTA
Modern Colonial
Unlike most New Canaan colonials, “Lago Vista”—aptly named for its breathtaking water views—stands out as a French Provincial brick and limestone home. It has a symmetrical design with a classic steep roof line, while floor to ceiling windows in every room fill the home with natural light. “It was love at first sight,” says the homeowner, when she saw Lago Vista for the first time, envisioning generations of her family enjoying the home together.
It’s hard to imagine a better oasis than the seven park-like acres surrounded by woods and nature trails. The infinity edge pool with year-round spa is the pièce de resistance of the home’s exterior. Lago Vista’s open-concept floorplan easily accommodates both small and large family gatherings.
The interior has evolved over the years. Changing styles and a growing art collection have given the home a more contemporary flair. With an emphasis on clean lines and comfort, the furniture has a neutral palette with pops of color appreciated through heirloom art. The juxtaposition of antiques like the homeowner’s dining table made from ancient Spanish gates relative to contemporary finishes like the articulating chandelier in the entry provide a twist on traditional living.
The most contemporary space of the home is the newly renovated basement. Designed and built by E&J Home (led by the homeowner’s daughter), the renovation focused on turning it into a space for the entire family to enjoy. It features a gym, media room, wine room, dedicated toy areas, kitchen with leathered granite counters, full bath with a cedar sauna, hobby room, and dining area with walk-out doors to the pool.
Form and function were considered in choosing the finishes. Polished concrete floors and exposed beams with industrial-style lighting lend a modern feel while offering practicality. From family pool parties to sleepovers for the grandkids, the basement was designed for multigenerational gathering.
FLOOR-TO-CEILING WINDOWS IN EVERY ROOM FILL THE HOME WITH NATURAL LIGHT.
THE INTERIOR HAS EVOLVED OVER THE YEARS. CHANGING STYLES AND A GROWING ART COLLECTION HAVE GIVEN THE HOME A MORE CONTEMPORARY FLAIR.
