An Enduring Artform
Fairfield County luxury homes eternally fascinate with art-integrated design
Personal art collections are portable; they can be carefully, securely packed up and moved from home to home, to be prominently displayed and shared with guests who come to visit. Permanent art installations at private homes across Fairfield County, however, remain with a house as it’s passed down to new generations of residents. They are part of the house, integral to its design and a one of the “features” that distinguishes the property for prospective buyers.
Deirdre Robbins McGovern is a Realtor with William Raveis Real Estate in Darien, and the listing agent for 10 Nickerson Lane, Darien, a property she refers to as a “waterfront oasis.” This seven-bedroom, nearly 9,000-square-foot home was built in 2009 on a 0.99-acre lot on a cul-desac. Most rooms in the remarkable house enjoy views of Holly Pond.
The interiors are replete with special design details. For example, the custom chef’s kitchen is adorned with Brazilian-sourced Azul Macubus marble. Teak flooring is found throughout all four levels; durable and beautiful teak was also chosen for the decks, which have glass railings in order to take full advantage of the vistas. There are three fireplaces and a host of amenities here, and some noteworthy artistic touches, like a Dale Chihuly-style hand-blown glass chandelier in the breakfast room and a charming tile mosaic of flip-flops at the base of the door leading out to the pool. The property is currently listed for sale, with an asking price of $6.4 million.
You could make the argument that the setting or perspective of a home is a dynamic, living work of landscape art. That’s certainly the case for one special home in Westport — 50 Compo Mill Cove. The house was built in 2008, a four-bedroom coastal colonial on a peninsula, with panoramic views of Long Island Sound at its front and Sherwood Mill Pond off the back of the waterfront home.
The 0.39-acre lot has been beautifully landscaped, with color and texture in mind. In the front yard, there’s a fountain with a sculpture of two egrets, but this is not the only work of art to be found at the home, which is currently available for sale or as a luxury rental.
Sarah Stone and Scott Elwell of Douglas Elliman Real Estate are the listing brokers for the property, which they refer to as the “sparkling gem” of Compo Mill Cove, one of the most sought-after locations in all of Westport. Stone noted that there was no expense spared in the design of this home, from high-tech smart controls and heated flooring to interior details like rare volcanic granite in the kitchen, a glass staircase, and baths adorned in marble and jewel-like Italian Sicis tile. In one of those baths, Don Kossar Interiors precisely placed the tiles in the image of Medusa, as if sculpted in marble. It’s a striking and memorable space.
Even the infinity-edge pool is a work of art. It’s also handcrafted with Italian Sicis tiles that are rare and expensive. The pool sits off the back of the house, complemented by entertaining terraces and an outdoor kitchen. Private-beach frontage leads down to the water. The particular property has a concrete sea wall for added storm-surge protection.
The asking price for 50 Compo Mill Cove, Westport, is $16.5 million.