Connecticut’s cabinet of curiosities

From fossils to architectural fragments and colourful textiles, this shop’s curios make it well worth a detour

“I traffic in beautiful things,” says Michael Trapp, owner of his eponymous shop-cum-house in the picturesque town of West Cornwall, Connecticut. “Regardless of where these objects come from or when they were made, I am most interested in presenting something for everyone. Hopefully, my store is not off-putting or elitist, as you’ll find pieces ranging from $3 to $3,000 – with the $3 items much more difficult to source.”

On my recent visit, as I wove from corridors of wild plants in the lush gardens to between shelves of carefully curated collections of objects, I found fabulous pieces at every turn.  Michael Trapp is something of a well-kept “insider” secret, and I’m indebted to a tasteful friend who lives locally for the introduction to what can only be described as a magical, one-off emporium.

With his unerring eye for everything from 17th-century textiles to Dutch baroque furniture and antique glass (first picture), Trapp spends several months each year on buying trips in the Middle East and southeast Asia, as well as summer visits to the European markets of Parma, Avignon and Paris.

Stepping into his 19th-century space (third picture) you’ll see this worldview in the plants, light fixtures and assorted furnishings that are thoughtfully placed throughout. The inventory is constantly changing: “It’s not a museum after all,” he says, and each room has a fascinating yet comfortable feel that fuses high and low, ancient and new, intact and fractured pieces.

Highlights for the home include a Tsung Dynasty shipwreck vase ($525) covered in corroded coral and 17th-century Chinese granite courtyard tiles ($125) that are elegant in their simplicity. The garden is a particular focus for Trapp, and the environs of the shop – meandering streams, Italianate vistas – are full of flora in urns and planters of unusual shapes. Teak and woven bamboo Dutch colonial planters’ chairs ($725 each) contrast beautifully with contemporary teak and aluminium chaises longues ($1,900) and this juxtaposition encapsulates what makes Michael Trapp so special: all the pieces are best of breed, and all are unique and combined in unexpected ways.

Interiors – and textiles in particular – are a real strength and I found tufted silk cushions (from $28) and an Uzbek silk velvet ikat pillow ($135) that add brilliant dashes of colour to my otherwise rather beige surroundings. Some of my favourite pieces were Trapp’s decorative objects – a slate Borneo ceremonial disk ($245), geometric gathering baskets and Japanese glass fishing floats ($95).

Architectural elements are found in every corner of the shop and gardens, too: terracotta Corinthian capitals, an Indonesian sambal barrel ($650) and Provençal tiles (from $28 per ft) all contribute to a serene ambience.

A strand of Borneo trade beads (from $48, second picture) in cobalt blue (tangerine, aquamarine and violet, too) might not be precious jewellery, necessarily, but it makes a sculptural, bold accent piece that I thought would make the perfect gift for a friend. Trapp’s cabinets of curiosities display moths or beetles (both $245) as well as butterflies ($185), while a fossilised giant clamshell ($1,600) and delicate dolphin vertebrae ($28) are all wonderful examples of his quirky marine collections.

With wonderful natural light, muted fabrics and “finds” at every turn, Michael Trapp’s perfectly imperfect space has to be seen to be believed – I almost need to pay a second visit to make sure I wasn’t dreaming.