Family Values

It’s no revelation that architecture affects the way people live. Still, this family of three is a classic reminder of that truth. Not long ago, they nested in a grand old Greek Revival house. As handsome as the place was, though, the sheer number of square feet created a disconnect between family members. “It was so large,” Erica Semple says with a laugh, “sometimes I couldn’t find my daughter.”

With their affection for the mammoth house seriously waning, Erica and her husband, Joseph, searched for a smaller abode to better foster their closeness. A newly constructed cape in one of southern Connecticut’s prettiest areas seemed the ideal solution.

The previous owner had commissioned Old Lyme architect Jonathan Isleib to design the seventeenth-century look-alike with a masterful twist on tradition. Rather than a cozy series of rooms inside, he’d requested an open floor plan. This unique marriage—traditional New England exterior with a modern interior—lent itself to the Semples’ need for togetherness. The shelter was pocket-size compared to their previous address, but with Erica’s skillful design eye and a bit of savvy architectural tweaking, the Semples knew they could fashion a family-friendly home as well as a spectacular backdrop for their art. (Erica’s father is the well-known New Orleans artist Robert Tannen.)

ARCHITECTURE
Jennifer Tate, Tate + Burns Architects
CONSTRUCTION
Paul Bransfield
PRODUCED BY
Stacy Kunstel