There is a particular beauty to living in an old house. Its character cannot be replicated, and its history cannot be manufactured. The worn details, generous proportions, mature landscape, and quiet sense of permanence all tell a story—and living within those walls creates a natural appreciation for the generations who came before.
Our home in Historic Greenfield Hill, Fairfield, Connecticut, dates to 1746, making it one of the area's remarkable pre-Revolutionary homes. Originally built by Joseph Bradley, a British Loyalist and Deacon, the house has stood through nearly three centuries of American history. Over the years, it has been home to several Fairfield families and welcomed notable visitors, including poet Joel Barlow and French diplomat Charles-Maurice de Talleyrand-Périgord.
To live in a home with such a long history is both a privilege and a responsibility. We feel a deep connection to the idea of stewardship—to care for a house not simply as a possession, but as something with a life and story of its own. We are conscious that we are one family among many who have lived here, and that someday another family will continue the story.
Our appreciation for historic homes has always been part of our family's life in Connecticut. I grew up in New Canaan, surrounded by the particular beauty of New England—the stone walls, old trees, historic houses, gardens, antiques, and traditions that give the region its unmistakable character. Our family also had a second home in Essex, Connecticut, along the Connecticut River, another place that deepened our appreciation for the architecture, landscapes, and slower rhythms of historic New England.
Essex has its own very particular charm. The village, river, old houses, and surrounding countryside have a timeless quality that feels wonderfully removed from the pace of modern life. Having a second home there gave our family another place to appreciate the simple pleasures of Connecticut living: weekends in the country, long walks, time spent outdoors, gatherings with family, and the pleasure of being surrounded by things that have endured.
Those experiences shaped my understanding of what makes a house feel special long before La Coveted Nest came to be.
Inside our Fairfield home, we have tried to respect its history rather than compete with it. We are drawn to objects with their own stories: antique and vintage pieces, books collected over many years, traditional materials, European craftsmanship, and things that become more beautiful through use and age.
One of the most beloved spaces is the library in the renovated attic, where my father, a Norwegian craftsman and woodworker, built custom bookshelves for our family's collection of books. The shelves hold everything from history and philosophy to literature, art, and fiction. The collection is eclectic, but that is part of its charm. It reflects a family's curiosity rather than a particular decorating scheme.
Perhaps that is what we appreciate most about living in an old house: it encourages a different relationship with the things around you.
We believe beautiful objects should be used and enjoyed. Silver should be polished and brought to the table. Books should be read and reread. Flowers should be gathered and arranged simply because they are in season. Furniture should acquire a little patina. Traditions should be repeated often enough that they eventually become memories.
A home, after all, is not preserved by keeping it untouched. It is preserved by continuing to live in it thoughtfully.
That philosophy is very much at the heart of La Coveted Nest. Our collection of French, English, Italian, and Scandinavian pieces reflects our appreciation for craftsmanship, heritage, and timeless design, but our own home remains our greatest inspiration.
There is something deeply satisfying about being surrounded by reminders of the past while creating new traditions for the future.
Our 1746 house has already witnessed generations of Fairfield life. We are proud to be part of its continuing story, and we hope to care for it in a way that honors everything that came before us.
In a world that changes quickly, there is something wonderfully reassuring about a home that has endured.
Three centuries of history live within these walls.
We are simply grateful to be here for this chapter.