Country Homes
A Vancouver Designer Dials Up The Charm At A Stately Country House In Connecticut
Published on July 15, 2024
When an owner and designer really click, a successful reno is virtually guaranteed — even if the working relationship is long distance. Crystal Galati, an engineering recruiter for Google, with her husband, Matt, a managing director for J.P. Morgan, were looking for someone to renovate their stately 7,100-square-foot, four-storey Georgian-style house in Westport, Conn. Crystal found Vancouver designer Kimberly Jones on Instagram and loved her work. “Her timeless aesthetic resonated with me, so I decided to reach out,” says Crystal.
Despite Kimberly being three time zones away, Crystal knew she was the right designer for the project — the images of Kimberly’s own home were equal parts warm, elegant and inviting. “Before the renovation, I was more into trends and what was hot at the moment,” says Crystal. “Then, when Kimberly and I started working together remotely via Zoom, FaceTime calls and emails, she’d suggest something like painting the walls creamy white or replacing the kitchen cabinets with open shelving and my response would be, ‘No, I don’t like it.’ But later, I would end up loving it. Kimberly pushed me beyond my comfort zone, and now my style has evolved.”
Scroll down for a look inside Matt and Crystal’s Georgian-style home!
The crisp, freshly painted exterior sets off cottage garden roses and formal boxwood hedges. The project was huge. Crystal and Matt had bought the six-bedroom, seven-bathroom house 11 years ago, drawn to the bucolic landscape but, while it had good bones, it lacked period details and refinement. The light fixtures were blah, the taupe exterior looked dated and the interior had been painted a sleepy beige.
To give the entry a stately presence, Kimberly (pictured) squared off the round columns, and added a bluestone tile floor and classic copper lantern. “There was nothing that spoke of the young family who lived here; it had no heartbeat,” says Kimberly. “We wanted to enhance the home’s traditional grandeur and mix it with elegant, laid-back comfort.”
The existing panelling on the stairway inspired new mouldings added throughout the house.
Like many projects, it began with a simple kitchen reset that eventually grew into a year-long attic-to-basement renovation that would see elements such as traditional mouldings and decorative ceiling details added throughout. “Without those Georgian-style elements, the house felt oversized and sparse,” says Kimberly. “Now, it feels cosier and more finished.”
Upper kitchen cabinets were replaced by open shelves displaying favorite antique finds and potted herbs. Pretty light fixtures and a light-reflecting backsplash are inviting in the kitchen.
This cozy breakfast nook has a window seat with built-in storage. A fresh palette of classic white and putty tones, an array of antique furniture, and simpatico light fixtures rounded out the project.
Antique-inspired glass-front cabinets provide storage for china and glassware.
Playful gingham seat cushions knock the stuffiness out of the dining room’s antique ladderback chairs and timeworn table.
The living room’s coffered ceiling and traditional fireplace have classic style. As the renovation progressed, Crystal became more involved, sourcing pieces from local estate sales and antique markets with the designer as her guide and inspiration. “Our tastes merged,” says Kimberly. “When we got together to take photos of the finished house, we both showed up wearing the same dress!”
Even the playroom has a timeless elegance.
The classic country mudroom is designed for kicking off boots and dropping off baskets of flowers and vegetables.
The serene principal bedroom is decorated with traditional wood furniture and vintage art.
“Crystal wanted a romantic principal bathroom, while her husband preferred a classic vibe,” says Kimberly, who satisfied both with traditional sconces, timeless mouldings and Carrara marble flooring.
When she’s not trawling for antiques, Crystal attends to another new passion: maintaining the home’s outdoor spaces. She’s dug out a vegetable patch for the kids and, on a typical summer weekend, the family can be found in the pool from early morning to late afternoon; meals are often enjoyed on the terrace accompanied by the buzzing soundtrack of friends and family.
The table is set with a mix of vintage dishes, a petite topiary, terracotta pots and delicate antique hurricane lamps.
Matt and Crystal Galati by the pool with son Colton and daughter Henley. The refreshed home still feels stately, but with a generous dose of approachability. “We live in a beach town, but now we prefer to entertain at home,” says Crystal. “Matt often asks where we should retire, but I don’t want to leave this house — I love it so much! When our kids are older, it will be a great place for them to bring their own families. It’s our forever home.”
Tracey Ayton
House & Home
Kimberly Jones