At home in Connecticut with Michael Trapp – Wired PR Lifestyle Story

When his family was traveling to France with his mother to old shops and thrift stores, his military family was in France, and designer Michael Trapp, an antique dealer, has become obsessed with the collection. And although her family’s frequent travels made her eager to make the house more sustainable, she was also influenced by her passion and appreciation for other cultures and their decorative arts. After studying landscape architecture in the states, he eventually used his interests and talents in a successful business. Please join Susanna and me to visit Michael’s store and former home, which now serves as his office and guest residence, and his current dramatic home, all with his sensitive signature.

For many years the house of Michael Trapp Antiques and Michael were one and the same, the house of the Greek Renaissance of the 1830s in West Cornwall, Connecticut. As is still the case today, most of the first floor served as Michael’s store, and housed an impressive array of antique and unique types of furniture, textiles, pottery, and architectural waste.

Michael’s private upstairs residence, now primarily reserved for guests, is a repository that turned the masterpiece into a maximalist masterpiece.

Outside, the gardens serve as an example of Michael’s talent as a landscape designer and contractor for unusual, often large-scale stone, pottery, and statues. Its iconic pool, carved into a steep hill, is more of an Italian villa than the country of Connecticut.

As the store grew in popularity, the popularity became aggressive as people arrived and expected service at all hours, even on days when the store was closed. Michael knew it was time to move on, but he waited years to find the right place. Surprisingly, it was a small ranch in a spacious and elegant property with a barn that serves as a warehouse for what he calls his Aladdin’s Cave.

all photos above by Stacey Bewkes for Quintessence

No wonder, however, how Michael magically transformed his house and property, including a huge two-story living room upstairs, which houses many treasures from around the world. So thank you Mikel. We look forward to sharing your unlimited talent!

Thanks to the sponsor of the video AMA. Susanna and I are big fans of the founder Susan Hull Walker and her company, who have flourished in the past 7 years to empower women artisans around the world to gain financial independence and respect.

Working with 1,500 women from more than 40 countries, Susan and her team design beautiful products and purchase existing products from artisan groups that praise the traditions and ancient techniques of each culture.

Susan’s favorite word is sovereignty and she drives everything she does at the IBU. “The sovereign is the woman who promises her life and destiny. Sovereign is a woman in poverty who raises her hands and turns her ageless skills into a source of power. And the sovereign is a woman like you or me who honors that woman’s courage. ” As each piece in the collection gives money to these women artisans, it not only helps them a lot in their social challenges, but also educates young girls, improves their mother’s health, and leads to a stronger economy, as well as women’s self-respect.

You can buy IBU online at the Charleston store and at trunk shows across the country. We were delighted with the S shootingusan for his At Home With episode and can’t be more proud of being an IBU sponsor.