16 Connecticut Interior Designers, Architects, and Landscape Pros to Know From the AD PRO Directory

Elizabeth Stamp, Lila Allen
·16 min read

Courtesy of Marina Hanisch

The Connecticut interior designers, architects, and landscape designers on the AD PRO Directory are redefining classic New England style, blending past and present for a fresh take on tradition. Whether they’re designing mansions in Greenwich or coastal cottages in Mystic, these talents have a knack for bringing out their clients’ personal styles—and sometimes even pushing them to take risks that pay off in a big way. Whether you’re relocating to the state and looking to spruce up your new space or ready to renovate your long-time residence, these AD-approved Connecticut interior designers have the experience and vision to bring out the best in your home.

Interior Designers

In a 66th-floor condo overlooking the river in New York’s Hudson Yards, Tara Benet Design used pared-back earthy tones to create a calming and relaxing home for the firm’s young client.

Tara Benet Design

Tara Benet proves that simplicity can make a big impact. Her eponymous Greenwich-based firm offers interior design and luxury staging services for residential and commercial clients throughout the United States, including some of New York City’s most high-profile developments.

Tara Benet Design transformed a seven-story multi-unit Chelsea town house into a luxurious and modern single-family residence.
Tara Benet Design transformed a seven-story multi-unit Chelsea town house into a luxurious and modern single-family residence.
Courtesy of Tara Bennet Design

Tara Benet Design focuses on bringing out the full potential of each interior while also allowing the views of natural landscapes or city skylines to shine. Benet studied classical painting, and she brings her eye for color, composition, and proportion to her elegant, light-filled designs, which utilize neutral palettes, sculptural furnishings, and well-curated art.

See the video.
Sleek, inviting seating anchors a living room by First Impressions’ Alexandra Cary, who placed gold accents and global artwork throughout the space.

First Impressions

International flair runs through the portfolio of globetrotting designer Alexandra Cary. She credits summers spent at the Greenbrier as helping inform her luxurious POV—and no doubt, her travels across Morocco, the Middle East, and other far-flung locales have had an influence too.

A punchy powder room by First Impressions embraces bold botanical wallpaper, ornate gold frames, and dramatic marble.
A punchy powder room by First Impressions embraces bold botanical wallpaper, ornate gold frames, and dramatic marble.
Seth Caplan / Styling: Kathleen Jerry

Blending elements of maximalism, Art Deco, and Hollywood Regency style, Darien-based Cary is no shrinking violet. Full of drama and narrative, her spaces are as distinctive as the clients she works with.

Comfortable furnishings and a serene color palette create a relaxing atmosphere in the double-height family room of a home by JerMar Designs in New Canaan, Connecticut.

JerMar Designs

After working in the corporate world for decades, Jeanne Collins decided to follow her passion for interior design and founded JerMar Designs in 2020. The former executive’s leadership skills and financial expertise help keep projects on track and on budget, and her interest in wellness enriches the finished design.

For a family’s New Canaan kitchen, JerMar Designs revived the dated space with light, bright colors; natural materials; and brass accents.
For a family’s New Canaan kitchen, JerMar Designs revived the dated space with light, bright colors; natural materials; and brass accents.
Amy Vischio courtesy of JerMar Designs

The New Canaan–based firm is not afraid of color or pattern and works in a wide range of styles. JerMar Designs offers full residential interior design services as well as collaborating on new home builds and renovations, choosing the perfect material palette, and designing custom furnishings and built-ins.

In this East Hampton living room, Marina Hanisch Interiors focused on a calming palette, natural materials, and organic shapes.

Marina Hanisch Interiors

Eye-catching details abound in the work of Greenwich-based firm Marina Hanisch Interiors. The firm’s polished spaces feature neutral tones, natural materials, and curated pieces from artisans across the globe. Hanisch is known for her warm modernist style and her ability to capture her clients’ personal histories through her designs.

A captivating East Hampton entry hall by Marina Hanisch Interiors exudes an inviting atmosphere. Hanisch combined a calming tonal palette with textural materials, lending warmth and depth to the space.
A captivating East Hampton entry hall by Marina Hanisch Interiors exudes an inviting atmosphere. Hanisch combined a calming tonal palette with textural materials, lending warmth and depth to the space.
Lindsay Brown

The firm’s designs can be found throughout New York City, the suburbs, and the Hamptons, and Hanisch and her team take a collaborative approach to working with clients, architects, and builders. Whether she’s designing residential or commercial spaces, Hanisch incorporates unexpected elements and a mix of custom, contemporary, and vintage pieces.

In a Darien, Connecticut, sitting room, Prudence Home and Design used a soothing blue-and-white palette and commissioned the vibrant painting. The custom hide rug was matched to the blue in the chairs and drapery to allow the ceiling to stand out.

Prudence Home and Design

Prudence Bailey brings the garden indoors with her pretty and polished designs. Floral prints, vivid hues, and glam metallic accents come together in Prudence Home and Design’s elegant interiors. Bailey mixes traditional, modern, and transitional elements to devise spaces that feel fresh yet timeless.

Prudence Bailey of Prudence Home and Design created the custom bed in a Stamford home, and upholstered it with a classic chintz from Schumacher, repeating the print in the shades, pillows, and cornices. Bailey upholstered the chaise in a Schumacher cut velvet to balance the formality of the chintz.

The New Canaan–based firm takes an individual approach to each project, making each home feel special by incorporating surprising details, such as wallpapered ceilings, vibrant millwork, and even a rock climbing wall in a playroom. Prudence Home and Design works on high-end residential projects, including new construction and renovations.

In a stately library, Palomino Interior Design installed reclaimed wood paneling and brought the outdoors in with reupholstered antique Regency chairs in a floral fabric from Jasper by Michael S. Smith.

Palomino Interior Design

Kate Ferguson pivoted from advertising and photoshoot production to turn her well-trained eye toward her passion for design. Ferguson founded Palomino Interior Design in 2014, and today, she and her team collaborate with clients throughout New England, Florida, and Texas on everything from room refreshes to new construction.

Palomino Interior Design mixed traditional and modern elements in a dining room, including a Brunschwig & Fils wallpaper, custom skirted consoles, and a Rose Tarlow table.
Palomino Interior Design mixed traditional and modern elements in a dining room, including a Brunschwig & Fils wallpaper, custom skirted consoles, and a Rose Tarlow table.
Erin Kestenbaum courtesy of Palomino Interior Design

Ferguson’s love of collecting shines throughout her comfortable yet elegant designs, which layer vintage and antique pieces with bold colors, one-of-a-kind objects, and lively patterns. Palomino Interior Design carefully balances old and new for homes that feel they’ve been cultivated over the years and reflect their occupants.

See the video.
Terri Ricci Interiors designed a custom sofa, bench, and side tables in this Southampton living room, where bold Cocobolo Design tile surrounds a fireplace.

Terri Ricci Interiors

The understated beauty of European design inspires designer Terri Ricci’s polished, comfortable interiors. Ricci’s time working at an architecture firm influenced her holistic approach, and the designer is known for her ability to make the most of each home thanks to her eye for proportion, scale, and materials.

In a nod to her client’s time spent living in a British cottage, Ricci opted for patterned Zoffany wallpaper, wide-plank oak flooring, and updated yet classic furnishings in the entry of this Hamptons beach house.
In a nod to her client’s time spent living in a British cottage, Ricci opted for patterned Zoffany wallpaper, wide-plank oak flooring, and updated yet classic furnishings in the entry of this Hamptons beach house.
Joshua McHugh courtesy of Terri Ricci Interiors

Norwalk-based Terri Ricci Interiors works with clients locally and across the country, from Palm Beach to Napa. The firm prefers working on whole-house designs, new builds, and major renovations, collaborating closely with architects, builders, and artisans to execute her highly personalized vision for each client.

Kellie Burke Interiors designed a playful game room in this Wellington, Florida, home, incorporating a vintage Murano chandelier, custom palm tree floor lamps, and a shuffleboard table by Sean Woolsey Studio.

Kellie Burke Interiors

Monogrammed rugs, neon signs, and a luxury shuffleboard table are just a few of the fearless details that can be found in the delightfully dramatic designs of Kellie Burke. The West Hartford–based designer focuses on how her residential clients live and creates spaces that will provide them with a comfortable yet dazzling sanctuary—essentially their very own boutique hotel.

Designer Kellie Burke infuses traditional style with whimsy in a McLean, Virginia, home. A David Michaels chaise upholstered in a green Osborne & Little damask adds a colorful accent to the black-and-white space.
Designer Kellie Burke infuses traditional style with whimsy in a McLean, Virginia, home. A David Michaels chaise upholstered in a green Osborne & Little damask adds a colorful accent to the black-and-white space.
Courtesy of Kellie Burke

Kellie Burke Interiors works on residential and commercial projects of all scales and offers virtual design services for long-distance clients. Burke’s one-of-a-kind spaces blend old-world details with contemporary accents, putting an over-the-top spin on tradition.

In the grand foyer of a Bridgewater, Connecticut, home designed by D2 Interieurs, pendant lighting by Cuff Studio makes a dramatic first impression.

D2 Interieurs

Whether they’re going neutral or using a candy-colored palette, D2 Interieurs bring creativity and fun to each project. Founded by Denise Davies, the Fairfield County–based firm consists of interior designers, craftspeople, and construction managers, and the team brings a wealth of experience in everything from art curation to scenic design.

Denise Davies of D2 Interieurs was hired to gut renovate and design this massive 4,800-square-foot New York home, combining five apartments into one. Davies brightened up the living room with soft blues and pinks and installed custom window seating.

D2 Interieurs’s clients are located everywhere from Miami to the Hamptons to London, and Davies and her team devise interiors that speak to the location as well as their clients’ tastes and lifestyles. The firm can handle any phase of a project, from consulting on home purchases and planning new builds to reimagining layouts and managing relocations.

Roughan Interiors installed bookcases that span the entire family room of a home in Bedford, New York, filling the shelves with books that the clients have read or would like to read.

Roughan Interiors

Christina S. Roughan began her career designing retail spaces for Polo Ralph Lauren and Tommy Hilfiger, and her time in fashion helped her develop her signature style, which features graceful furnishings, classic color palettes, and an unexpected mix of traditional and modern. Art and decorative objects also take a prominent role in Roughan Interiors’ spaces, helping to make each room unique.

For the entry foyer of a Gilded Age cottage in Bedford, New York, Roughan Interiors showcased the elegant fireplace and installed a gilded light fixture adorned with an asparagus plant.

The Weston-based firm focuses on high-end residential projects and also takes on select hospitality commissions, such as boutique hotels and yachts. Roughan Interiors has become sought after by a global clientele, and its designs can be found from Los Angeles to London.

In a Greenwich sitting room by Georgia Zikas Design, the bold wall covering by Philip Jeffries in the adjoining space connects to the blue-and-white urns in the bookshelves, creating cohesion between the two spaces. A neutral backdrop of luxe materials and organic shapes brings a depth that grounds the space and allows the blues to pop.

Georgia Zikas Design

After starting her career at AD100 firm Gomez Associates, Georgia Zikas branched out on her own, bringing her eye for art and antiques to her eponymous firm. With offices in West Hartford and Boston, Georgia Zikas Design creates luxurious yet livable interiors for clients across the globe.

For a historic Victorian home renovation in Bucks County, Pennsylvania, Georgia Zikas Design created the perfect backdrop for the homeowner’s extensive art collection, which Zikas layered with contemporary and authentic mid-century furnishings for an unexpected design that brings together historic architectural details, modern silhouettes, and an old-world patina.

Zikas has become known for her ability to design classic interiors that still feel individual and family-friendly. The designer collaborates closely with clients, and her personal approach has earned her a loyal fanbase of repeat customers who turn to the firm for each new home.

The molding in this dining room by the Rath Project was something truly special—and made all the better with a yummy, high-gloss slick of deep emerald paint.
The molding in this dining room by the Rath Project was something truly special—and made all the better with a yummy, high-gloss slick of deep emerald paint.
Erin Kestenbaum courtesy of The Rath Project

The Rath Project

In business since 2016, the Rath Project is a Fairfield-based interiors practice founded by principal Diane Rath. Prioritizing comfort and function—as well as spirited aesthetics—the firm takes on a small number of projects each year.

A Scandinavian wallpaper—which extends to finer details, like the light switch—pairs with zippy yellow tile in this sweet powder room, conceived by the Rath Project.
A Scandinavian wallpaper—which extends to finer details, like the light switch—pairs with zippy yellow tile in this sweet powder room, conceived by the Rath Project.
Erin Kestenbaum courtesy of The Rath Project

Whether you’re looking to add contemporary flair to a historic farmhouse or give your next kitchen a jubilant, midcentury-inspired update, you’ll find a kindred spirit with Rath. And if you’re looking for a designer who can help you conquer your chromophobia or embrace a bold, patterned wallpaper, the studio can lend a hand there too.

Swain Street & Co.

Swain Street & Co. handled the full decoration of this revived mid-19th–century brownstone, which included incorporating the client’s existing items and designing a suite of new, bespoke furniture.
Swain Street & Co. handled the full decoration of this revived mid-19th–century brownstone, which included incorporating the client’s existing items and designing a suite of new, bespoke furniture.
Genevieve Garruppo courtesy of Swain Street & Co.

David Nastasi of Swain Street & Co. knows his way around a historic design—and has the credentials to prove it: The Westport-based talent has an MS in historic preservation and is an alum of the prestigious GSAPP program. He has also spent more than two decades working in interior design, cutting his teeth at firms like Hilton-VanderHorn Architects and Ralph Harvard.

In the brownstone’s kitchen, Swain Street & Co. married modern and traditional elements across the fixtures and hardware.
In the brownstone’s kitchen, Swain Street & Co. married modern and traditional elements across the fixtures and hardware.
Genevieve Garruppo courtesy of Swain Street & Co.

With projects in Europe, North America, and Africa, Swain Street & Co. crafts interiors with an eye to the future as well as the past. That means details that will stand the test of time, and new programs for beloved historic structures—a party palace in a 19th-century farmhouse, anyone?

Architects

Studio Bartolotta’s open, light-filled architecture marries with the interior design prowess of Kelly + Co. in this Connecticut home.
Studio Bartolotta’s open, light-filled architecture marries with the interior design prowess of Kelly + Co. in this Connecticut home.
Landino Photo courtesy of Studio Bartolotta

Studio Bartolotta

With more than 25 years of experience working with residential, commercial, and municipal clients, Andrew Bartolotta opened the doors to his own firm in 2018. Though his clients’ locations range from the mountains of Utah to the green pastures of Connecticut, across them all, you’ll find a clear understanding of modern living—and in the case of renovations, a measured and respectful approach to existing architecture.

For this distinctive home, Studio Bartolotta leaned into industrial detailing in both the structure and interior elements. Inside, lavish features—a robust home gym, large wine cellar, and home entertainment area among them—add creature comforts.

Bartolotta is also an ally to homeowners seeking plush home amenities: home theaters, wine cellars, and other delights are all within stylish reach in the residences he designs.

See the video.

Landscape Designers

Janice Parker’s deep experience in landscape design has taken her across the Northeast and abroad, with interventions ranging from well-appointed outdoor “rooms” in the countryside (as seen here, in Fairfield County) to urban rooftop gardens.

Janice Parker Landscape Architects

Janice Parker is a veteran of American landscape architecture. In business since 1984, Parker has been awarded the McKim, Mead & White Award and worked with some of the biggest names in design, Jamie Drake, Alexa Hampton, and Cullman & Kravis among them. She’s also earned her fair share of ink over the years—don’t miss AD’s coverage of her jaw-dropping work on Darren Henault’s sprawing Christmas tree farm in the Hudson Valley—and her portfolio and approach were captured in 2017 in a monograph of her work, Designing a Vision.

At a 53-acre former Christmas tree farm in Dutchess County, Janice Parker Landscape Architects was tasked with adapting the older elements of the landscape while introducing new programmatic elements.
At a 53-acre former Christmas tree farm in Dutchess County, Janice Parker Landscape Architects was tasked with adapting the older elements of the landscape while introducing new programmatic elements.
Durston Saylor courtesy of Janice Parker Landscape Architects

Working across urban, suburban, and rustic settings, Parker’s Greenwich-based team is knowledgeable about a diverse range of landscape needs, including masonry, planting, outdoor lighting, irrigation, and water features. Fans of the Kips Bay Decorator Showhouse may also recognize her work—she’s overseen the landscape design several times.

A naturalistic meadow sets a stunning backdrop at this bucolic Connecticut retreat, where James Doyle Design Associates rebuilt an original stone wall and added a driveway and pool, among other interventions.

James Doyle Design Associates

After spending time as the head horticulturist of a Russell Page garden in Ireland, James Doyle founded his namesake practice in 1993. The firm has earned an enviable spread of awards over the years—including ICAA’s 2018 Arthur Ross Award in Landscape Design, Palladio, and Stanford White Awards—and even inked a monograph, Intersection of Nature and Art.

An immersive poolside envisioned by James Doyle Design Associates
An immersive poolside envisioned by James Doyle Design Associates
Neil Landino Jr. courtesy of James Doyle Design Associates

Past projects include naturalistic meadow gardens on a six-acre Greenwich property, an entertainment-ready Bel Air estate, a medley of ancillary structures, landscape elements, and pool at a French Manor Colonial in Fairfield, and much, much more. Rooted in the present but always with an eye to the future, his outdoor designs are meant to endure—and homeowners will reap the rewards.

Are you looking for an interior decorator or designer to hire for your next project? Wherever you are, visit the AD PRO Directory to browse our list of AD-approved designers and find your match for a design consultation.

Originally Appeared on Architectural Digest

More Great Stories Featuring AD PRO Directory Members

Latest Stories