Cabin Fever

Arbiters of Taste

When Kevin and Charlie Dumais met in 2011 (introduced to each other by their respective boyfriends at the time) Kevin was an interior designer and Charlie was an architectural lighting design consultant. Now husband and husband work together and are a force to be reckoned with.

In a seemingly short time they have established themselves as a mini design mecca. Kevin, who studied at the New England School of Art and Design, opened his design studio in 2009. His work has been described as evoking the effortless grace of an established master. While he is influenced by midcentury design he is not a slave to it. He has the ability to select a key piece and integrate it seamlessly into the décor of the room. Whether a beach house in Bridgehampton or an apartment in Tribeca, he is attuned to the client’s needs and lifestyle.

Charlie Dumais is a talent in his own right. He attended Pratt Institute and became an architectural lighting design consultant for primarily commercial spaces. Until he took that pottery class.

“I had done some pottery in college,” explains Charlie. “When we were dating, Kevin gave me a series of classes at Greenwich House Pottery. I fell in love with the process. I loved the idea of creating complete pieces from a single rolled sheet of clay. I would make a group of things and Kevin would use some of it in photo shoots for his projects. And so, we made it an official business in 2017.”

The pieces evoke an elegant simplicity of form with a love for the unique imperfections that may arise—unfinished edges, mingling glazes, a stray fingerprint left in.

The couple’s creative process takes many forms. Their products are definitely not your run-of-the-mill basic bowls and mugs. They specializing in handmade lamps inspired by modernist sculpture, their creations have quickly become industry favorites, sought after by top designers and collectors alike.

“Our inspiration comes from far and wide,” explains Charlie. “It can be found in the nature around our studio which is serene and sometimes surprising. We are particular fans of Jean-Michel Frank—or objects from unknown craftsmen. We spend a lot of time pouring through design books. Our travels have inspired us as well.

“We always start with a sketch,” he continued. “I have journals full of diagrams, funny little illustrations with dimensions, shades if it’s a lamp, a candle if it’s meant to hold one. Kevin and I review them, think about glazes, finishes, scale and once we settle on a selection I will make cardboard templates. The templates turn into mockups and then we complete the piece. It’s hard to really imagine a lamp until it’s fitted with hardware and a shade. Sometimes I hate the piece and then add the hardware and suddenly it works.”

Sometimes the very act of construction inspires new ideas. “When I am really focused I will collect scraps from pieces I am building and make something new with them. This is how the candleholders were born. I might unload a bisque firing and stack the pieces on our shelves to store them until they are glazed and then realize they are doing something interesting. Our Kingston floor lamp started out as two table lamps. You’ll hear the following a lot in the studio: ‘Have you tried this?’ ‘What if you did this?’ ‘Can you?’ ‘Could you?’ ‘You know what would be interesting?’”

The line includes unique lamps, sconces, candleholders and other ceramic accessories. It has does extremely well and has been featured in articles and is available on First Dibs. They recently launched an e-commerce site, making their lighting and accessories available to a wider audience.

Originally the objects were made in the garage of their home in Litchfield. Last year the couple moved their operations to the newly renovated Bantam Arts Factory which now houses Dumais Interior Design, Dumais Made Pottery, and most recently Charlie Dumais Lighting. The sumptuous, light-filled studio is one large open loft space with southern exposure. Many of the building’s original details have been retained such as the high ceilings and large windows.

“The space had previously been a dance studio,” says Kevin. “We painted the walls and floors white to brighten it up and installed French doors to make it more inviting. Half of the space operates as my interior design office and showroom. We display the ceramics and furniture I have designed and been collecting over the years. Some is sourced for current clients and the rest I collect for future projects or to sell in the studio. The other half is designated as space for Charlie and Dumais Made. And now we’ve added an area for Charlie Dumais Lighting.”

Their home garage has now been converted into a gym and they are working toward making Litchfield their permanent address.

“It was always in our five-year plan to be up here more and to build a local clientele,” Kevin explains. “Covid just made that plan develop a little faster. This is now our home base, although I usually spend a day or so in New York working with clients.”

And who would not want to spend more time in their perfectly designed and curated home. The couple purchased it in 2015 and have made it into an architectural jewel.

“A client I had worked with in New York had recently bought a house in New Milford and we came out to make a site visit,” Kevin recalls. “Then we visited another client in Washington and decided that maybe we should look for our own house.”

And that’s how it began. The couple came back several more weekends and extended their search into Sharon and Kent. One day while having lunch they picked up a local real estate booklet and saw an ad for a recently renovated white clapboard house in the town of Litchfield. It featured a living room, dining room, kitchen, three bedrooms and two baths—all efficiently fitted into 1,500 square feet, plus a separate garage. Listed within their budget and with seemingly no major renovations needed, they thought it too good to be true and called the agent to make an appointment.

“Since we knew nothing about home ownership,” explains Charlie, “we were delighted that all the major things had been done—the house had a new roof, new insulation, waterproof basement, new septic, new windows and up-to-date electrical and plumbing systems.”

The aesthetics, however, were another matter. But Charlie had no doubt that he and Kevin could make it their own.

“The house was built in 1941 and the garage added a year later,” says Kevin. “I have a great love of midcentury houses and, with its simple unadorned lines, decided that we would make this our Bauhaus/ country house. We could get more into vintage furniture mixed with some Scandinavian touches that would complement the modernism.”

And that’s exactly when they did. The Dumaises moved in over Labor Day weekend in 2015 and began their foray into country living. The house is located on a quiet street and the one-and-a-half acres of land include a fern-filled back patio where there is little distraction. Now they have an ideal place to live and an ideal place to create and are happy with life in the country.