The vision for the renovation<\/a> was \u2018comfortable, elevated, and timeless with a heavy European influence,\u2019 and by making all the right changes in all the right places \u2013 while also honoring the good parts of the original home \u2013 this vision was definitely achieved.<\/p>\n You may like<\/p>\n Here, the Studio Seva<\/a> founder talks us through her journey of overhauling her own home, from the first visit to the little moments she relishes now that the project is complete.<\/p>\n \n (Image credit: Gieves Anderson)<\/p>\n ‘The home is on a corner lot on a beautiful winding road with standout exterior features like the stucco fa\u00e7ade, cedar roof, and copper flashing and gutters, which instantly drew us in. The home was built in 2005 and is very much an English Tudor-style<\/a>, which is rare for our area of Westport, where many homes are modern farmhouse.’<\/p>\n ‘As we turned the corner onto the drive, we felt like we were being drawn into a European country home. It was unlike anything we had seen in Westport! I\u2019ll never forget walking in the front door and turning to the right and seeing the stunning full-height stone fireplace beyond the arched casings.’<\/p>\n ‘My husband and I both had tears in our eyes and immediately said to one another, \u201cthis is the one,\u201d even before stepping out of the foyer. All of the architectural details, moldings, and multiple steps down leading into different rooms had us in awe.’<\/p>\n ‘Our initial vision for the home was to simply enhance it, and to bring in all of the materials that a home like this deserves: tumbled stone flooring, custom lighting, and millwork that speaks to the true style of the home.’<\/p>\n \n (Image credit: Gieves Anderson)<\/p>\n ‘When we first started the renovations, the house was incredibly cold. We could sense its potential, but it felt very surface-level and \u201cbuilder special\u201d when we purchased it. For example, the lighting installed was fine for all intents and purposes, but to me it felt wasteful, unintentional, and bland.’<\/p>\n ‘I could appreciate that the home had been restored to an acceptable level to most, but to me it had no soul. There was an old-world charm that the original builder had intended for that I could just feel was just dying to be rediscovered.’<\/p>\n ‘There was also significant landscaping work that would need to be done. While we could see the potential, we know it would be a heavy lift to restore the exterior and surrounding landscape along with the home.’<\/p>\n ‘The property sits on a ledge the size of a football field, so we had to remove almost four hundred yards of ledge \u2013 which set the project timeline back by three months. It was exhausting and a headache for both us and our neighbors. But it was worth it \u2013 the backyard<\/a> retreat now has a pool<\/a>, multi-tiered patios and gardens, retaining walls, and mature landscaping.’<\/p>\n \n (Image credit: Gieves Anderson)<\/p>\n ‘The kitchen<\/a> actually needed minimal work in regards to the design and layout, but it did require a lot of upgrades for functionality. The original appliances were dated, undersized, and oddly configured, like a left-hinged fridge situated directly next to a left-hinged freezer!’<\/p>\n ‘Due to the change in standard refrigeration height from 20 years ago, this meant that we needed to redesign the integrated paneling as well. We switched out the undersized range to one from Lacanche<\/a>, dreamed up a new plaster hood, and updated the lighting throughout. I fell in love with the Matthew Cox<\/a> island pendants from England \u2013 these were actually the first item we purchased for our home!’<\/p>\n \n (Image credit: Gieves Anderson)<\/p>\n \u2018Ambience and setting the mood is the priority, especially in a dining room<\/a>. There\u2019s something about soft lighting and candelabras lit at the dinner table! I wanted a dark and sultry space, and because the room itself is quite large with high ceilings, I went for it.\u2019<\/p>\n \u2018We used plaster to warm up the walls throughout as it makes sense for a European-style home, and the darker finish felt like the right mix of bold yet sensible. Because the dining room is situated in the back of the house, it\u2019s not the first thing you see when you walk in. I knew that as long as I repeated this darker tone through accents in other rooms, it would work well.\u2019<\/p>\n \n (Image credit: Gieves Anderson)<\/p>\n \u2018My favorite space is hands down our family room<\/a>. It\u2019s the space where we all hang out and unwind daily. It\u2019s adjacent to the kitchen, and while it is its own separate space, you don\u2019t feel like you\u2019re eating in your living room<\/a>. I actually hate that about a lot of modern homes that are built today!\u2019<\/p>\n \u2018There are a few special details that I designed in this room, like the arched niche with custom-stained oak millwork. Symmetry<\/a> was added to the space by building out the wall flanking the fireplace and adding a second source of ambient lighting. I found the perfect reclaimed beam for our fireplace mantel and converted the fireplace to gas, which now looks chic and makes the room extra cozy in the colder months.\u2019<\/p>\n \n (Image credit: Gieves Anderson)<\/p>\n \u2018I am constantly collecting and sourcing, not only for my clients but for my own home. It\u2019s a never-ending process! I particularly love European brands like Rose Uniacke<\/a>, whose pendants I have hanging in my powder room<\/a>.\u2019<\/p>\n \u2018I\u2019m drawn to an authentic, classic feel, and I know will work in my home. Sourcing on 1stDibs<\/a> is a thrill for me, and I seem to always bring home new pieces from vintage markets. I believe that a home should be collected, and part of that is filling it with items that have a story to tell. Plus vintage always comes with an amazing patina, which is something I appreciate so much.\u2019<\/p>\n![\"Two](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/oRa2SpXoXo497yWZh6NVM4.jpg\")
\n<\/p>\n![\"Two](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/Xu3Gos8MebX5j5iQXXpCGK.jpg\")
\n<\/p>\n![\"Large](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/QgVh7hmXzeUAkn54vjghwd.jpg\")
\n<\/p>\n![\"Dark](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/j7zLWNeacVh6EWDRW8DzND.jpg\")
\n<\/p>\n![\"Neutral](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/FzYDynK8YUaxGPkmMb6XsQ.jpg\")
\n<\/p>\n![\"Spilt](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/eZ2yt73csFrktaYA8kJ4y9.jpg\")
\n<\/p>\n
![\"Neutral](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/f4x8QfsHtXsfsnYcuvQyEK.jpg\")
\n<\/p>\n