Art drives the aesthetic of a Connecticut cottage by New York–based Clive Lonstein. Several works in the living room — a painting by Sophie Larrimore, a sculpture by Sarah Braman, a mixed-media piece by Caitlin Keogh — frame the entrance to the dining room; elsewhere, a 1986 painting by Mary Grigoriadis vibrates with energy above a wood games table and chairs by George Nakashima. “They are such classic modern designs,” Lonstein says of the set. “The neutrality of material and subtlety of design works to offset the vibrancy of the art and decor in the room.” He grouped a generously proportioned Stella sofa and armchairs by Sergio Rodrigues around what has become among the most recognizable examples of contemporary art meets furniture: an Yves Klein–designed coffee table filled with an intensely blue powder. In the spirit of using furniture “with distinct design aesthetics that are quite different,” Lonstein says, he went monochromatic in the dining room beyond, allowing the silhouettes of the sheepskin-covered vintage Eero Saarinen chairs and Isamu Noguchi Akari light sculpture to tell the story.