Photography by Carter Fish
The home sits prominently on Main Street – across from the Lounsbury House.
Built in the late 1800s as a summer estate for the Tuttle Smith family, and named Oatland, this Main Street manor has long been a prominent fixture of Ridgefield…and one that’s served many purposes over its years of different iterations. After the Tuttle Smith family enjoyed the home, it was sold to another family that lived there for about three decades. Then, around 1940, the Schlumberger Oil & Gas Company purchased the large home to use as its executive office space while their research facility, the famous building atop the hill on Sunset Lane, designed by Philip Johnson, that now houses ACT, was being built. During that time, the servants quarters were reconfigured into office cubicles, but the main floor was kept largely intact. When their research facility was complete and Schlumberger no longer needed Oatland, the corporation gave it to the nextdoor St. Stephen’s church for $1! …And, over time, the Church created apartments for clergy, rented some of the second floor to the Ridgefield Department of Education for office space, and used the main floor’s large-scale rooms for events and entertaining. By 2020, the house was in need of significant repairs…and the Church decided to put it up for sale.
Ready for the next iteration, a local couple decided to purchase the historic home and embark on a reimagining of the house and property…and Robert Rizzo from Cobble Court Interiors was brought on to implement the grand vision. “The house was in disrepair… but had such incredible bones!” Rob shares. “Everything was substantial and well-made. The millwork and mantles were still intact. The scale of the rooms was perfect, and the layout of the public rooms was actually great. And the house has an amazing presence! We welcomed the challenge and opportunity of undertaking the renovation and restoration of this magnificent edifice.”
Rob worked closely with the owners to realize the vision for Oatland, “The owners wanted the house and its interiors to be traditional…and respectful of the architecture of the house. It’s a Georgian Revival, and they felt strongly that it should look like one,” Rob explains. “My style is pretty traditional and classic anyway. I’m comfortable with brown furniture and love English-style interiors. We sourced from everywhere and designed some spaces around antiques or heirlooms that the couple had collected over the years.”
Cobble Court Interiors is a luxury interior design firm with offices and a home furnishings shop in New Canaan on South Ave. The firm does many whole-house projects locally in New Canaan, Darien, Ridgefield, Greenwich and Bedford, and is also known for some larger projects like the Presidential Suite at the Ocean House in Watch Hill and the private Hoggs Head Club in Ireland, as well as other prestigious projects all over the country and the world.
Oatland’s Front Foyer
Oatland’s front foyer is an incredibly inviting space, filled with character, that serves as a comfortable entrance to the rest of the house and an introduction to the palette found beyond. “We used this amazing hand-screened and hand-painted George Spencer Royale Palm wallpaper that the owners had seen at a hunting lodge in Georgia, and that mustardy green/yellow color really drives everything else throughout the house,” Rob elucidates, “We chose a Georgian period library table with original green leather top because of its amazing scale for the room. And we carefully preserved all the original dental molding, sweeping archways, and fabulous original pocket doors.”
Layered · Textured · Classic
Rob is careful to note that all of his designs are informed by what the client wants – be it functionality or aesthetic – but adds that there is a very distinct ‘Cobble Court look and feel’ – that’s showcased at Oatland. Textured rooms, abundant with sumptuous fabrics and interesting patterns, completely layered, and yet never overwhelming and always grounded in cohesion. “I like to design a room that I want to walk into and enjoy completely. I never want to be overwhelmed by any specific element. The way I think about it is that there should be a feeling that’s created by having all of the pieces and elements together, and that no one item or area should be the main character. Everything should be wonderfully warm and inviting. Once I sit down I want to start to notice and appreciate each beautiful detail,” Rob says. True to form, at Oatland there are rich textures on almost every single surface, including grasscloth and fabric wallpapers, a Nobilis faux-wood grained wallpaper on the ceiling in the Garden Room, and decadent fabrics on custom sofas that are both visually and tactilely pleasing.
Two large winged-back chairs in the living room are the perfect place to relax by the fire and read a book – but the room also has ample seating to be conducive to large-group entertaining.
The Kitchen
“Because the house was built in the 1800s – when lifestyles were much different – and there were never really any major renovations to bring it into the modern era for family living – the biggest structural renovation was in turning what was the servants quarters and service kitchen in the back of the house into a large open space for the Kitchen, Family Room, and the intimate Breakfast Nook,” Rob adds. “A lot of the Kitchen design was rooted in having a semi-hidden Butler’s Pantry, which houses a special GE Monogram pizza oven that heats-up to 1600 degrees.”
Upstairs
Upstairs, Rob custom-framed two 58-inch fabric squares from the iconic final collection of Oscar de la Renta to adorn the large wall above the staircase. “It’s a technique I employ in a number of projects to create an artistic and treasured focal point on a large wall that might otherwise be a difficult place for appropriate artwork,” Rob reveals.
The Outdoor Space
And the outdoor space is simply marvelous... a true extension of the living spaces and designed for family living and entertaining at any scale. One of the owners is an avid gardener, and has quickly transformed the front and backyards into a lush and private respite with an impressive array of blooms.
“We were excited about building a home for our family that would have the best of both worlds – downtown living and a large private property – and to have a home that could be a fun project that we’d make our own!” the owners shared.
As featured in the January/February 2025 issue of Bedford & New Canaan Magazine