Coastal Connecticut Project
Architecture // Andrew Nuzzi
Construction // Jim Gasparino
Photography // Vanessa Lentine
Perched along the rugged Connecticut coastline, this ocean-front family home is an ode to coastal living—elegant, enduring, and deeply connected to its natural surroundings. Designed and furnished for a family who delights in the outdoors and in each other’s company, the residence balances ease and refinement with the timeless backdrop of the Atlantic.
Inside, the great room opens to sweeping waterfront views, where expansive windows frame the shifting light and horizon beyond. The palette is soft and grounded, allowing the scenery to take center stage while the interiors invite gathering, lounging, and long slow living.
Each bedroom is tailored with a quietly coastal sensibility—never literal or theme-driven, but instead guided by mood: breezy, calm, and restorative. Throughout the home, materials tell the story with woven finishes, textured linens, warm wood tones, and natural fibers blend to create a setting that feels both traditional and modern, sophisticated yet comfortably lived-in.
The result is a thoughtfully crafted retreat where the line between indoors and out feels delightfully porous, and where family life unfolds against the rhythm of ocean, light, and season.
01 Kitchen
Blending refined craftsmanship with an approachable, lived-in sensibility, this kitchen is grounded in natural materials. The palette is warm and neutral, allowing the texture of the materials to carry the visual interest: creamy stone counters with delicate veining, zellige tile that catches the light with subtle irregularity, and natural fiber accents that nod to the shoreline without relying on motifs.
The oversized woven pendants make a sculptural statement above the island, introducing scale and tactility that balance the otherwise tailored millwork. Warm wood tones reappear in the counter stools and ceiling beams, creating continuity and softening the crisp cabinetry. Open shelving keeps the kitchen feeling casual and airy, styled with everyday objects and organic greenery that reinforce the home’s connection to nature.
Function is thoughtfully integrated with ample storage, a generous island for prep and gathering, and a softly flared range hood that feels architectural. Small styling moments, including a petite lamp on the counter and layered ceramics, lend intimacy and domestic warmth.
02 Dining Room
Framed by panoramic ocean views, this dining space celebrates the quiet luxury of coastal living. The design is intentionally restrained, allowing light, horizon, and atmosphere to become part of the composition. A round oak table anchors the room with warmth and sculptural presence, while woven chairs introduce texture and craftsmanship that feel organic to the shoreline setting.
The palette is neutral and sun-washed—soft linens, natural woods, and woven fibers—creating a continuity that feels calm and timeless. Floor-to-ceiling drapery adds softness and movement, while a beaded statement chandelier offers a touch of artistry without overpowering the view. Greenery placed at the center of the table and in a large vessel to the side reinforces the connection to nature, echoing the landscape just beyond the glass.
The sensibility is relaxed yet refined, grounded in natural materials and thoughtful proportions. It’s a space designed for slow meals, shared conversation, and the simple pleasure of watching water and sky meet—where the luxury lies not in formality, but in ease and the beauty of the surroundings.
03 Living Room
Defined by a quiet, coastal sophistication this living room establishes an atmosphere of ease. Natural materials lead the narrative. Woven rattan, textured linens, and honed stone introduce warmth and tactility, balancing the crisp vertical wall paneling and tailored upholstery. The seating arrangement feels inviting and unfussy, anchored by organic coffee tables that bring sculptural weight without visual heaviness. Thoughtfully layered textiles and understated patterns add depth while maintaining a restrained, tonal cohesion.
Light—both natural and ambient—plays a defining role, filtering softly through expansive glazing and woven pendants to enhance the room’s airy, lived-in quality. Styled with a light hand, the space favors intention over excess, allowing each material and form to breathe.
The overall sensibility is effortless and timeless: a modern coastal living room that feels grounded, comfortable, and quietly elevated, designed for slow living and understated elegance.
04 Attic Suite
Tucked beneath the eaves, this attic suite is imagined as a cozy coastal retreat—intimate, quiet, and layered with warmth. The design leans into the architecture of the space rather than fighting it, using paneling, built-ins, and careful scale to create a room that feels intentional and charming rather than secondary.
A custom daybed anchors one end, dressed in softened neutrals, linens, and muted plaids that lend a collected, cottage-meets-coastal mood. Surrounding the nook, woven wall sconces and brass details add a hint of polish, while the picture windows pull the water views into the room, creating a serene backdrop for reading, lounging, or sleeping guests. The overall sensibility is thoughtful and quietly luxurious: a retreat where coastal influence is expressed through mood and materiality rather than theme, and where the comforts of a guest room and sitting room blend seamlessly into one intimate, light-filled hideaway.
05 Primary Suite
This primary suite embodies a serene, coastal sensibility rooted in softness, texture, and restraint. The palette leans into muted neutrals and cool coastal tones, allowing the expansive water views to become the room’s most compelling feature. Light filters across painted paneling and layered linens, creating a quiet atmosphere that feels both tailored and relaxed.
The materials throughout—linen, cotton, warm woods, and subtle woven elements—bring a coastal influence without leaning into theme or motif. Instead, the design channels its setting through mood: tranquil, light-filled, and restorative. It’s a space that invites slow mornings, afternoon sun, and uninterrupted connection to the water just beyond the glass.
06 Guest Suites
Each guest suite in the home was designed as its own quiet refuge, a continuation of the home’s natural palette and serene rhythm. Layered in soft linens, cool tones, and sun-washed neutrals, the rooms reflect a refined simplicity that feels both welcoming and restorative.
Textural bedding in sandy tones brings depth without distraction, while details like natural wood and woven elements lend character and ease. The adjoining baths extend the story of understated beauty. Each one is unique yet cohesive. Together, they balance texture and tone, offering guests the same sense of quiet luxury found throughout the home.
07 Outdoors
Designed as a refined extension of the home, this over-water deck is effortless, coastal, and quietly luxurious. Set against sweeping views, the palette remains soft and restrained, with layered whites, pale grays, and weathered wood tones that echo the surrounding shoreline and sky.
Comfort and atmosphere are thoughtfully balanced. Deep seating, tailored cushions, and casual tabletop styling invite lingering, while the flicker of the fire and the open-air setting create an intimate, relaxed mood. Every element feels intentional yet unfussy, designed to weather the elements while offering comfort and style to enjoy life by the sea.