When Carly Cardellino Vaccaro began envisioning her dream home, she made a very specific list. “White with black trim,” “big open kitchen,” and “tons of light” were near the top. Now, nestled beneath tall trees at the end of a country road, that very house pulls into focus.
The beauty expert greets us with shears in hand, stalks of pale green hydrangeas cut from the backyard jutting from her hip. It’s one of those sparkling fall days and the sun wraps the glassy farmhouse behind her in a golden glow. This slice of Westchester is often referred to as horse country, home to the likes of Martha Stewart, Ralph Lauren, and a smattering of decamped A-List celebrities. “You can’t get an Uber easily out here,” says the longtime New Yorker, who met her husband, GLAMSQUAD founder Giovanni Vaccaro, during her time as the beauty director of Cosmopolitan. “Give it, like, twenty.”
On July 20, 2020, the couple received two pieces of good news so in sync, it felt like fate. First, they were expecting their second child. Second, their offer on a century-old, five-bedroom property had miraculously gone through. And just like that, the beauty power couple's Manhattan era came to a close and a new chapter clicked into place—one filled with family dance parties in a big, open kitchen and squishing marshmallows between graham crackers by a crackling fire pit.
“We wanted our home to have a relaxed, preppy, borderline equestrian vibe that also integrated my past life in the city,” says Cardellino Vaccaro, who quickly enlisted designer and friend Emily Wolowitz of Emily Wolowitz Interiors to bring her French-countryside vision to life. Now, three years in, the family of four has found their upstate groove.
“Starting out, we were constantly referencing the collected nature of quintessential English country homes,” says Wolowitz. “Our first move was to swap out some of the sleeker, modern furniture that made the move from their New York City apartment for special antique pieces that were lovingly worn and full of charm.” Cardellino Vaccaro remembers those first few months after relocating: "My husband was like, "Where is the furniture?!"" she says with a laugh. "But we got there."
When it came to sourcing those one-of-a-kind treasures to fill out the new spaciousness, Cardellino Vaccaro's editorial eye shone through. On one of her regular trips to The Huntress, owned by her good friend, interior designer Jenny Wolf, she fell in love with a patinaed wood chest—which became a central focal point in the open living room along with a pair of striped antique French chairs. One philosophy both designer and homeowner wholeheartedly agree on? "Buy what you love, and you'll always find a place for it."
"Building a collection of vintage furniture and art was key to creating a layered home that just gets better with time," says Wolowitz. "I always try to source something vintage before buying new, so many of the pieces throughout the home were sourced from local tag sales, antique shops, and even Facebook Marketplace."
“Carly is the most crafty and resourceful client I’ve ever worked with,” Wolowitz remarks. Not one to shy away from a DIY project, Cardellino Vaccaro tackled the checkered downstairs floor tiles and assembled French-style sconces in her dining room herself. “These projects are some of the ones I'm most proud of because I personally worked hard on them,” she says. "They also give my dad something to brag about, since he is a contractor. Clearly I've learned a thing or two from him!"
The master bedroom is organized around a single word: peaceful. Wolowitz stuck to muted tones and soft neutrals, bringing the family's story front and center with a gallery wall of special moments rendered in black and white.
After over a decade in the beauty industry, Cardellino Vaccaro's personal style is forever her North Star. "I love putting together unique looks with items I've collected over the years, from New York vintage stores and Parisian markets to contemporary designers I love, like Anine Bing" she says. With both fashion and interiors, the magic is in the mix. Her design style references include Jeremiah Brent, Maggie Holladay, Athena Calderone, Benjamin Vandiver, Leanne Ford ("She's the reason I bought my Noguchi Lamp!"), Kathleen and Tommy Clements.
Creating personal spaces for their two kids to retreat to at the end of each day was a top priority for the parents. "There was very little holding back," says Wolowitz, who went bold with Pierre Frey's Masai Mara wallpaper in the two-year-old's bedroom. "We chose to highlight the brilliant blues and greens in the mural by bringing them into various decorative accents and furniture throughout." Bedframes: Crate & Barrel Hampshire Olive Green Spindle Day Bed (above) and Crate & Barrel Jenny Lind Kid's Spindle Bed (below).
The magic treehouse note struck in Sandro's room carries into his sister's lush hideaway. "As we discussed the vision for Delfina's room, Mythical Land by Andrew Martin and Kit Kemp for Kravet Couture was always in the back of our minds," says Wolowitz, describing the dusty pink bedroom that feels pulled from a Marchesa moodboard. "The wallpaper has an old-world feel inspired by folklore, featuring a scene of tall trees, mythical creatures, and wildflowers. It's perfect for a little girl’s bedroom."
“The room that I literally cried at when we got this home was the upstairs bathroom," says Cardellino Vaccaro, recalling her original wishlist. "We still have the video; I was genuinely emotional over it! I felt like it was just too outlandish to ask for everything we were asking for and the clawfoot tub, but this house had it." How's that for a little list-making magic?
Home styled by Grace Harris. Carly Cardellino Vaccaro styled by Kerry Pieri.
SHOP CARLY'S FAVORITES
Ellis Brooklyn Eau de Parfum, Bee
Maison Margiela 'REPLICA' Jazz Club
Sophia Ottoman
