Belden House & Mews opening in Litchfield

Belden House & Mews is an elegant gem of a hotel set within the newly restored 1888 Victorian mansion of Dr. Charles O. Belden. With its turrets, demilune windows, stained glass, parquet floors, crystal chandeliers, carved wood bas-reliefs, pocket doors with original brass pulls, and inviting window seats, the transformation of this historic home into a modern retreat is nothing short of inspiring.

Belden House & Mews officially opens on May 1. It is the latest delight from Dutchfield, the team that owns Troutbeck in Amenia. Principal designer Courtney Brannan of Champalimaud Design used local craftsmen and artisans to create the serene and comfortable interior. Owners Anthony and Charlie Champalimaud live in Litchfield with their young family. When asked to explain the philosophy behind this project, Anthony explained, “Reviving this once derelict estate with its gracious, subtly ornate and expansive physical attributes established a narrative conducive to the approach to hospitality we first established at Troutbeck.” Champalimaud continued, “Belden has its own voice, of course, one which spans early American and modernist architecture. Its situation, as the bridging property between the estates of historic North Street and the town green, dovetails with our bias to invite guests into a residential-feeling environment. More of an invitation to come and live with us, than to live like us.”

Dining roomJennifer Almquist

The year-long renovation uncovered proud signatures from 19th century builders and craftsmen on the plaster behind the woodwork. Extraordinary attention to detail includes bespoke wallpaper from twenty2 grasscloth, a woman-led business in Naugatuck, Connecticut printed with the historical signatures and floral traceries unearthed from old wallcoverings, now trailing down guestroom walls. The sage green, paneled front door still opens to a warming hearth beneath the original carved granite linte,l deeply incised with lines from Shakespeare’s Macbeth: “Come what come may, Time and the hour runs through the roughest day.”

The design aesthetic of Alexandra Champalimaud, Litchfield resident and Anthony’s mother, is evident behind every detail of the Belden House & Mews. Founding principal of Champalimaud Design, interior designer of such luxe hotels as Raffles in Singapore, the Plaza, and Bellagio, and a member of the Interior Design Hall of Fame, Alexandra mused, “We embraced the locale throughout our design, collaborating with local makers and craftsmen to create a color journey full of warmth and curiosity. We highlighted the contrast between Belden House’s traditional spirit and the modernism of the 1950’s-era Mews building, where furniture silhouettes inspired by midcentury art and architecture bring splashes of color to tonal room envelopes. The project is a journey in which guests feel welcomed and at home as sunlight streams in through the windows.”

Exterior roof turretJennifer Almquist

Tarajia Morrell, communications director of Dutchfield, pointed out details during a tour of Belden House & Mews — an original newel post filial on a stack of art books in the library, the vivid emerald green bar complete with cheetah lamps and featuring Litchfield Distillery spirits, 21 four-poster beds made in West Cornwall at Ian Ingersoll furniture, a weathered, leather table in the penthouse made from a Parisian wrestling mat, and lighting crafted by Litchfield’s Dumais Made. PBDW architects and historical preservationist John Kinnear provided their expertise. Handmade tiles from Bantam Tileworks, White Flower Farm florals and bouquets, landscape architect Reed Hilderbrand, White Dog Woodworking from Torrington, and Lakeville Interiors all contributed their skills as well.

Connecticut native chef Tyler Heckman prepares a seasonal menu, sourced from nearby farms and the New England coast, and served in the Belden House dining room. Breakfast, lunch and dinner will be offered by reservation only beginning May 1. Belden House also provides a butler service for its 10 guestrooms, including a third-floor penthouse with three bedrooms, three baths, and a rooftop terrace.

StaircaseJennifer Almquist

The Mews features 21 guestrooms, some with private terrace gardens shaded by mid-century striped awnings. Within the Mews, guests will find Bathhouse, a wellness spa reserved exclusively for Belden guests, featuring Wildsmith skincare products from the UK. There is a fifty-foot heated pool, a folly bathhouse, and a lawn club for croquet. The iconic 1891 Litchfield Firehouse will complete the Belden House complex in mid-2025, re-purposed as a meeting house for guests and community special events.

Anthony Champalimaud mused, “We felt acutely - again, as we do at Troutbeck - a responsibility to get it right. To occupy a role within our wider community which over time becomes essential. That here we had the chance to insert within the heart of a National Historic Landmark town, a new and missing element, is both an enormous privilege, exceptional opportunity, and profound responsibility. That said, it ought to be fun, and we very much hope it will bring much joy to both our guests and our neighbors.”

For reservations, visit beldenhouse.com or call (860)337-2099