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Suzanne Rheinstein, renowned for her intricate and layered design style, has shifted her approach with a new retreat in Montecito. Known for blending English country charm with New Orleans warmth and Los Angeles ease, Rheinstein’s past work includes a celebrated store, Hollyhock, which featured painted furniture, George III mahogany, and luxurious upholstery. Her fabric line for Lee Jofa is equally distinctive with its fresh interpretations of traditional patterns.
The Montecito retreat represents a departure from her typical style, embracing a more serene and minimalist aesthetic. After a challenging period, including an accident and a lengthy recovery, Rheinstein’s desire for a new home intensified. She made an offer on a property she hadn’t yet visited, drawn by its potential despite its poor condition and overgrown state. The house, built in 1971, offered stunning views of the Santa Ynez mountains and featured a large backyard with a circular pool.
Rheinstein engaged Bories & Shearron Architecture to transform the house, which initially had a 1970s Fire Island look, into a space that highlights its early Montecito Spanish roots while preserving its original structure. The renovation was deeply personal, allowing Rheinstein to customize the layout to her needs, including converting a dining room into a reading room and swapping the main bedroom with the guest room for better views.
The home features an eclectic mix of furnishings, including Portuguese furniture, antique Italian mirrors, African spears, and Etruscan wine vessels, all set against pale, simple walls. The emphasis on detail is evident in custom brass hardware and iron latches from the van Cronenburg foundry in Ghent, Belgium. Practical elements, such as light fixtures from Pottery Barn, also reflect her approach of balancing high and low design choices.
For Rheinstein, who is also a passionate gardener and a board member of the Garden Conservancy, the outdoor spaces of the retreat are as meticulously designed as the interiors. Inspired by garden designers Piet Oudolf and Álvaro de la Rosa, the retreat has taken on even more significance since her cancer diagnosis in 2019. Now stable, she finds joy and solace in her retreat, which has become a true reflection of her artistic vision and personal growth.
Original article: Boodro, M., & Resen, L. (2021, February 17). Inside Suzanne Rheinstein’s Tranquil Montecito escape. Architectural Digest. https://www.architecturaldiges...
