London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Monday, Sep 15, 2025

Analisse Taft-Gersten's Connecticut Home Was Designed for Throwing Parties

Analisse Taft-Gersten's Connecticut Home Was Designed for Throwing Parties

She turned the modern gem into an adult-size fun house.

The game was this: find a house that didn’t “make us feel like we were 150 years old,” says Analisse Taft-Gersten of her family’s search for a home base with more space outside Manhattan. With two growing teenagers, she and her husband, James Gersten, technically just needed more space-but they were particularly picky buyers: He’s a veteran hospitality exec and she is the founder of the furniture and decor showroom ALT for Living. It took some dozen showings to eventually find the winner, a somewhat neglected modern house in the woods of Greenwich, Connecticut.



“We opened the doors, and I immediately went, ‘Holy sh*t. This could be perfect,’” Taft-Gersten recalls. Emphasis on could be: The couple then spent four months updating the house. Their goal was twofold: Make it work for both their family and friends. On any given weekend, the couple hosts anywhere from two to two dozen guests, either for a simple dinner or an all-out party. “We have different sections in the house for different types of entertaining,” Taft-Gersten explains. Case in point: the living room with a well-stocked bar and multiple seating areas; a total of three roaring fireplaces; and an outdoor hangout space with a fire pit. Bedrooms for the couple’s teenagers were intentionally located on the lower floor-and connected to a room with a ping-pong table-to create their own “apartment.”

            

“We wanted a space where the kids could kind of get away,” says Taft-Gersten. And when they’re all ready for family time, there’s plenty of room for that around the kitchen island (“We cook almost every night”) or on the screened-in porch. Taft-Gersten retreats to a spa-like bathroom, inspired by the feel of some at great hotels she’s stayed in, when she needs time to herself.

For furnishings, the couple mostly used pieces they already owned. “One reason I felt this house was the right fit was because I immediately thought, ‘Oh, this could go there; this could go there,’” Taft-Gersten says. Some furnishings came from ALT for Living, while many are vintage that the couple have bought over the years-now arranged alongside their eclectic art collection. The result is a layered mix that eschews any one era in favor of maximum comfort.

            


“Some people feel like if they have a modern home, they have to decorate in a modern way,” Taft-Gersten says. “I love to mix different styles-I want a house that’s not too precious.”

Living Room


            

Multiple seating arrangements-and a central daybed-make the room perfect for parties. Daybed: vintage Mies van der Rohe. Club chairs: Dunbar in ALT for Living alpaca bouclé. Gold chair: vintage Wittman in ALT for Living fabric. Sofa: vintage in ALT for Living fabric. Rugs: vintage, ALT for Living. Bar cart: 1940’s French.

Den


            

Floor-to-ceiling windows mean the couple-and guests-can appreciate the home's surroundings even when inside.

                        

This sun-drenched corner is a favorite place to perch.

Entry


            

An Alexander Calder tapestry welcomes guests into the home. Paired with two rugs and a raw wood bench, it adds warmth to the travertine-floored space.

Dining Room


                

The mirrors in the dining room were one of a few leftovers from the house's original state. "After we refinished the floor and painted, we weren't 100% sure about the mirrors," says Taft-Gersten. "But we realized if you're sitting at that table and facing the wall, you see everything behind you and out to the outside." So, they stayed.

Master Bedroom


            

Located on the ground level, it feels like its own apartment separate from the kids’ rooms below. Headboard: custom in African blanket upholstery. Nightstand: vintage French (similar from Pascal Boyer). Lamp: Flos.

                

"We have three fireplaces in the house," says Taft-Gersten.

Master Bathroom


                

“It’s so dreamy and zen,” Taft-Gersten says of the Barclay bathtub. Stool and rug: vintage.

Daughter's Room


            

“We just collect what we love” Taft-Gersten says of the home’s art. Here, a framed map of Paris hangs above the Duxiana bed. Sconces: Arteriors. Bedding: ALT for Living. Nightstand: RH.

Kitchen


                

The couple cooks nearly every night and guests always gather in the kitchen, which features an island painted in Benjamin Moore’s Amherst Gray to contrast with the Calacutta gold countertops and cupboards painted their Silver Satin. Pendants: Rejuvenation. Stools: vintage Danish.

Screen Porch


                

Repainting the paneling black gave it a more contemporary feel.

                

“In the summer, we just leave them open,” Taft-Gersten says of the sliding doors they added. Table and chairs: RH. Fan: Schoolhouse Electric. Lamp: Arteriors. Hat rack: DWR. Paint: Iron Ore, Sherwin-Williams.

Fire Pit


                        

"Between the living room and the den and the fire pit, there are just so many places to have people, for all different types of entertaining," Taft-Gersten says. "We wanted to create spaces that let you feel like you can escape."

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Elon Musk Retakes Lead as World’s Richest After Brief Ellison Surge
U.S. and China Agree on Framework to Shift TikTok to American Ownership
London Daily Podcast: London Massive Pro Democracy Rally, Musk Support, UK Economic Data and Premier League Results Mark Eventful Weekend
This Week in AI: Meta’s Superintelligence Push, xAI’s Ten Billion-Dollar Raise, Genesis AI’s Robotics Ambitions, Microsoft Restructuring, Amazon’s Million-Robot Milestone, and Google’s AlphaGenome Update
Le Pen Tightens the Pressure on Macron as France Edges Toward Political Breakdown
Musk calls for new UK government at huge pro-democracy rally in London, but Britons have been brainwashed to obey instead of fighting for their human rights
Elon Musk responds to post calling for the murder of Erika Kirk, widow of Charlie Kirk: 'Either we fight back or they will kill us'
Czech Republic signs €1.34 billion contract for Leopard 2A8 main battle tanks with delivery from 2028
USA: Office Depot Employees Refused to Print Poster in Memory of Charlie Kirk – and Were Fired
Proposed U.S. Bill Would Allow Civil Suits Against Judges Who Release Repeat Violent Offenders
Penske Media Sues Google Over “AI Overviews,” Claiming It Uses Journalism Without Consent and Destroys Traffic
Indian Student Engineers Propose “Project REBIRTH” to Protect Aircraft from Crashes Using AI, Airbags and Smart Materials
French Debt Downgrade Piles Pressure on Macron’s New Prime Minister
US and UK Near Tech, Nuclear and Whisky Deals Ahead of Trump Trip
One in Three Europeans Now Uses TikTok, According to the Chinese Tech Giant
Could AI Nursing Robots Help Healthcare Staffing Shortages?
NATO Deploys ‘Eastern Sentry’ After Russian Drones Violate Polish Airspace
Anesthesiologist Left Operation Mid-Surgery to Have Sex with Nurse
Tens of Thousands of Young Chinese Get Up Every Morning and Go to Work Where They Do Nothing
The New Life of Novak Djokovic
The German Owner of Politico Mathias Döpfner Eyes Further U.S. Media Expansion After Axel Springer Restructuring
Suspect Arrested: Utah Man in Custody for Charlie Kirk’s Fatal Shooting
In a politically motivated trial: Bolsonaro Sentenced to 27 Years for Plotting Coup After 2022 Defeat
German police raid AfD lawmaker’s offices in inquiry over Chinese payments
Turkish authorities seize leading broadcaster amid fraud and tax investigation
Volkswagen launches aggressive strategy to fend off Chinese challenge in Europe’s EV market
ChatGPT CEO signals policy to alert authorities over suicidal youth after teen’s death
The British legal mafia hit back: Banksy mural of judge beating protester is scrubbed from London court
Surpassing Musk: Larry Ellison becomes the richest man in the world
Embarrassment for Starmer: He fired the ambassador photographed on Epstein’s 'pedophile island'
Manhunt after 'skilled sniper' shot Charlie Kirk. Footage: Suspect running on rooftop during panic
Effective Protest Results: Nepal’s Prime Minister Resigns as Youth-Led Unrest Shakes the Nation
Qatari prime minister says Netanyahu ‘killed any hope’ for Israeli hostages
King Charles and Prince Harry Share First In-Person Moment in 19 Months
Starmer Establishes Economic ‘Budget Board’ to Centralise Policy and Rebuild Business Trust
France Erupts in Mass ‘Block Everything’ Protests on New PM’s First Day
Poland Shoots Down Russian Drones in Airspace Violation During Ukraine Attack
Brazilian police say ex-President Bolsonaro had planned to flee to Argentina seeking asylum
Trinidad Leader Applauds U.S. Naval Strike and Advocates Forceful Action Against Traffickers
Kim Jong Un Oversees Final Test of New High-Thrust Solid-Fuel Rocket Engine
Apple Introduces Ultra-Thin iPhone Air, Enhanced 17 Series and New Health-Focused Wearables
Macron Appoints Sébastien Lecornu as Prime Minister Amid Budget Crisis and Political Turmoil
Supreme Court temporarily allows Trump to pause billions in foreign aid
Charlie Sheen says his father, Martin Sheen, turned him in to the police: 'The greatest betrayal possible'
Vatican hosts first Catholic LGBTQ pilgrimage
Apple Unveils iPhone 17 Series, iPhone Air, Apple Watch 11 and More at 'Awe Dropping' Event
Pig Heads Left Outside Multiple Paris Mosques in Outrage-Inducing Acts
Nvidia’s ‘Wow’ Factor Is Fading. The AI chip giant used to beat Wall Street expectations for earnings by a substantial margin. That trajectory is coming down to earth.
France joins Eurozone’s ‘periphery’ as turmoil deepens, say investors
On the Anniversary of Queen Elizabeth’s Death: Prince Harry Returns to Britain
×