Connecticut Captain's Cottage Project Reveal Pt. 1

Ahoy there, Old Salts and landlubbers alike!

Aye, aye…pipe down… and gather ‘round, for we’re about to set sail on one of ours most treasured voyages yet: The Connecticut Captain’s Cottage in Southport, Connecticut—an 1834 sea captain’s colonial perched on the harbor, now shining proudly in the pages of Architectural Digest. All hands on deck, because this home is a true tale of heritage and reinvention, where history’s timbers meet a modern tide of artistry, and where Cotswold charm heaves ho with a sleek New York sensibility!

From the moment we first crossed paths with the homeowners, a stylish Tribeca duo with an adventurous spirit, it was clear this would be no ordinary refit. They sought to toe the line between nostalgia and modernity, to steer a once weathered vessel of a home toward a new horizon of timeless historic design. What we charted together were “between the devil and the deep blue sea” moments over the past 3 years, but the result is a masterclass in balance: a story of old-world poise with a city edge, where every inch of paneling and plaster pays homage to both past and present.

Originally built for Captain Ward Bulkley, whose name still echoes through Southport’s harbor breeze, this landmark cottage was restored stem to stern. We belayed the clutter of centuries past, reimagining its hallways, reworking its bones, and letting sunlight flood through those original sash windows once more. Brass, plaster, reclaimed stone, and rift-sawn oak compose the shipshape harmony within, each detail a salute to craftsmanship.

So batten down the hatches and come aboard, because we are going to take a closer look inside this 6,500+ square foot colonial jewel, a labor of love.

— THE ENTRY—

For the Entry and Breezeway, we completely re-envisioned the entry by rethinking both the floor plan and the way the home flows. Originally, you had to walk up the staircase, through an upper room, and over the garage just to reach the opposite side of the house. I imagined a glass atrium-style walkway that would extend the building and create a seamless connection between the two wings. Working with our incredible architecture partners at J.P. Franzen, we brought that vision to life with a stunning glass hallway added along the side of the home — linking two exterior points and transforming the circulation entirely.

We also carved out a powder bath off the entry — truly created out of thin air — and ensured the entire space felt airy, open, and calming for this main side entrance. Additional closets and storage were added for function, and we installed radiant heating beneath the stone floors so they can withstand the wear of busy, family-friendly living.

— THE KITCHEN —

Kitchen Designed by Moore House Design, Styled by Philippa Branswaite Photographed by Tim Lenz

Our vision for this kitchen was to breathe new life into the heart of the Captain’s Cottage, crafting a space that feels anchored in history and ready to sail into the present of modern day. Once a cramped and dimly lit galley, it was belayed of its former disjointedness and reborn as the home’s luminous center of gravity, equal parts working kitchen with two young ones running around and a social hub for gathers and summer fun. Vaulted ceilings draw the eye upward like a ship’s sail catching wind, while sunlight pours through historically restored windows, glinting off zellige tile like sea spray at dawn.

My team and I charted a careful course between historic legacy and family livability. The custom plaster hood, sculpted by artisan Sean Platt and finished in a bespoke mix of Farrow & Ball Shadow White (100% Darker), anchors the space while, rising from the backsplash in a smooth, tactile curve to balance the textures.

This kitchen is 100% the heart of the home. Its the space that everyone gathers and the space that all other spaces connect to so we wanted this space to feel like a luxury but prove to be the workhorse of the house. We vaulted the once 8’ ceilings and brought in transoms above the historic windows to flood this space with light. The Roweam custom Mrs. Wolcott counter stools (coming to Roweam in 2026) tuck in neatly, upholstered in floral tones that whisper of English cottages yet feel distinctly American. A vintage Persian Malayer runner unfurls underfoot like a well-traveled map, connecting the galley’s modern precision to its seafaring past.

Open shelving displays vintage Dundee jars from Southport’s beloved Foxtrot Home, their patinated labels recalling trade winds and tea routes from centuries past.

- Shop The Kitchen -

— THE BANQUETTE —

Banquette Designed by Moore House Design, Styled by Philippa Branswaite, Photographed by Tim Lenz

Tucked just beyond the kitchen, this bespoke corner was designed as both a pause and a celebration, a place where the sea’s memory lingers in every curve and texture.

We brought in Roweam’s vintage sea-life painting (c.1870) as a deliberate homage to Southport’s maritime past and to the original captain who once called this home his harbor. Its muted blues and silvery scales feel almost like a window into the waterline, was a poetic nod to a life spent at sea. This single piece of art became the emotional compass for the space, guiding everything from tone to texture.

The custom banquette, designed by Roweam and handcrafted by Sakonnet Funiture Maker artisans, was designed to evoke both the intimacy of an old ship’s berth and the polish of midcentury Manhattan. Its construction balances sculptural grace with pragmatic comfort, something we like to add for a modern mix.

We paired this with a custom Roweam table, handcrafted in oak and finished to mirror the kitchen’s moody cabinetry tone. Its ogee detailing echoes the stone sink in the adjacent galley, a small but vital through line of design continuity that gives the home its cohesive heartbeat.

Every decision here was about balance: heritage and modernity, form and feeling, grit and grace. The banquette’s shape is meant to invite closeness, the materials invite touch, and the art ties it all back to where the story began.

- Shop The Banquette -

— THE LIVING ROOM —

Living Room Designed by Moore House Design, Styled by Philippa Branswaite, Photographed by Tim Lenz

From the light-filled kitchen, you step down into the living room, and we love it because the mood shifts. The ceiling lowers, the light softens, and suddenly you’re wrapped in a hush that feels centuries deep.

The walls, brushed in Farrow & Ball’s “Shadow White” (100% darker), take on an almost candlelit warmth, each stroke of plaster catching the glow like aged stone at dusk. At the center of the room, a custom fireplace commands attention, its molding carefully reimagined to echo what might have stood here in 1834. Every curve and cornice feels intentional, a contemporary interpretation of the cottage’s original bones, a love letter to the craftsmen who built it first.

Anchoring the space, a custom Roweam sectional meant to be durable, comfortable, and stylish for long evenings by the fire. Its subtle, nubby texture plays against the room’s patina, softening the lines of the low ceiling and grounding the space with quiet confidence. A Claro walnut coffee table stands before it, solid, sculptural, its surface bearing the same kind of character only time or hand tools can carve.

And then, just as your eye begins to settle… two hidden doors, nearly imperceptible within the millwork, each leading quietly into the next chapter. Beyond them waits the Smoking Room, a space that feels less like an addition and more like a secret discovered.

- Shop The Living ROOM -

— THE SMOKING ROOM —

Smoking Room Designed by Moore House Design, Styled by Philippa Branswaite, Photographed by Tim Lenz

Hidden behind a seamless paneled wall, is the smoking room. A secret moody retreat where time slows and every detail feels intentional. Designed as both a nod to mid-century leisure and an ode to the home’s 19th-century origins, the space embodies the couple who live here: a Wall Street Finance Husband with a precision for balance and proportion, and an aesthete and philanthropist Wife with an instinctive sense of beauty. When they envisioned this room, they wanted a place that felt removed from the rhythm of daily life, a cinematic refuge where the past and present could coexist, where business conversations might unfold over bourbon, and laughter could carry late into the evening.

Wrapped entirely in Farrow & Ball’s Studio Green in Modern Eggshell, the walls and ceiling create a cocoon-like atmosphere that absorbs light and heightens intimacy. The millwork, designed and built by Roweam’s craftsmen, pays homage to the home’s original paneling but with a refined precision, cleaner lines, integrated cabinetry, and the slightest hint of mid-century geometry. A concealed doorway, barely perceptible, leads inward from the main hall. Once inside, the room opens into a composition of rich textures and restrained luxury: custom Roweam tub chairs upholstered in deep olive velvet.

At the far wall, what first appears to be a built-in bookshelf reveals itself as a hidden bar, a folding panel that lowers to unveil glassware, decanters, and a collection of rare spirits. The bar’s surface, finished in hand-polished lacquer, reflects the warm gleam of brass and copper from a vintage mid-century pendant that hangs above the room’s center. Nearby, a window bench upholstered in Design of the Times fabric is a nice pause, a place to sip, read, or reflect. The shelving above is lined with worn, gilt-spined books, collected over time from local antiquarians, grounding the space in a sense of heritage and intellectual gravitas. Every material, leather, brass, wool, and oak, was chosen for its permanence, its ability to patina beautifully with age.

The mood of the room channels the quiet confidence of another era, part Mad Men sophistication, part maritime study, yet it feels distinctly personal. It’s a continuation of the home’s larger narrative: a storied 1834 captain’s house restored not as a museum, but as a living, breathing testament to craft. “We wanted the house to feel as though it had evolved naturally,” says Blair Moore, “and that this room had always existed, just waiting to be found.” The result is a space that merges Wall Street precision with New England soul, where history is not just preserved, but reinterpreted. This hidden room, equal parts indulgence and discipline, is a study in restraint and revelation, a place meant not for speed, but for presence, where the clink of glass and the scent of tobacco mark the rhythm of a life well-lived.

- Shop The Smoking ROOM -

— THE DINING ROOM —

Now, stepping into the dining room, the space was designed for calm, grounded, and quietly commanding cacoon. The walls are hand-troweled in Farrow & Ball’s Shadow White, darkened to a soft tone that catches the light just enough to reveal the texture of the plaster. Sun filters through custom Kravet drapery, diffused and warm, setting an easy rhythm in the room.

At the center stands a custom Roweam dining table, dark-stained and deliberate, surrounded by Holland & Sherry upholstered chairs in Patagonia Acorn. The furniture carries the weight and discipline of good craftsmanship, solid, tailored, and meant to last. Overhead, a custom chandelier by Ode Brick Lighting extends in brass like the rigging of a ship, its light reflecting across the room in even, steady lines.

On one wall, James Del Grosso’s painting Onions from the Beth Urdang Gallery anchors the space with quiet realism. A pair of Murano glass sconces from 1stDibs flank the piece, their subtle art deco glow echoing the warmth of lantern light. Built-in cabinetry below, simple and practical, conceals service ware and lends structure to the room’s symmetry.

Underfoot, a vintage Brass Anchor rug softens the sound, grounding the space in muted texture. The B&B Hardware drapery rods, finished in brass, carry the same sense of order and continuity found throughout the home.

- Shop The Dining Room -

— THE AUPAIR BEDROOM —

Au Pair bedroom Designed by Moore House Design, Styled by Philippa Branswaite, Photographed by Tim Lenz

The au pair suite was designed for calm, function, and familiarity. The custom Roweam bed anchors the room with clean lines, while vintage Round Top finds — a reworked Napoleon chair and ottoman and a simple cabinet — add character and utility. The chair, upholstered in Kravet fabric, and the vintage Passerine Home rug bring texture without distraction. Sheer Kravet drapery on B&B Hardware rods lets in light, while LUgoose sconces from 1stDibs provide balanced, directional illumination. A few Roweam confit pots sit on the cabinet, small, honest details that tie the space back to the rest of the home.

The adjoining bath follows the same tone. Chateau Dominigue limestone floors in Bruxelles finish ground the room in quiet weight. A custom Oda & King vanity and mirror pair clean lines with practical storage. Sigma brass plumbing and a locally made shower enclosure introduce subtle craftsmanship without excess. Original Perrin & Rowe fixtures were kept in place, functional, proven, and right for the space. RTO Lighting’s Mia sconces add even light across the limestone walls. Together, the rooms are restrained and clear in purpose, comfortable, efficient, and built to last.

— SHOP THE AUPAIR BEDROOM —

— THE POWDER BATH —

Powder Bathroom Designed by Moore House Design, Styled by Philippa Branswaite, Photographed by Tim Lenz

The last stop is the powder bathroom, a smaller space that still carries the same care and intention as the rest of the home. Pierre Frey’s Au Bord Du Lac grasscloth mural brings the room to life with its layered natural fibers and soft tonal depth, evoking the calm of water and sky just beyond the window. A custom sink paired with a handcrafted brass wall faucet, both sourced from Etsy, offers an understated sense of artistry, proof that even functional details can feel bespoke. Ceto sconces frame the mirror with sculptural simplicity, their light washing gently over the textured walls. The vintage Danish mirror from the 1950s, sourced locally, is a beautiful vintage touch. Together, these elements create a room that feels intimate and enduring, a modern nod to old-world craft, meant to be both practical and beautiful in equal measure.

Come back for part two!