“The idea, really, was to have a place for my whole family to get together,” Jay Manuel, the television personality, best known as the creative director on 18 seasons of America’s Next Top Model, tells Westport Lifestyle of his decision to purchase a home in Wilton nearly 15 years ago. “My sister lives on the West Coast, my parents lived in Toronto [his father sadly passed away earlier this year], my friends are all still in the city. I always felt like it would be great to have a place where everyone could stay and have their own space.” But when he bought the nearly three-acre property in 2011, he had no idea how special the home would become to him. “There’s such a serenity and a calm here. This is such a great place to be.”
If it’s news to you that Jay has been our neighbor for so long, you’re not alone: one of the reasons he was originally drawn to the Wilton home was the seclusion it afforded. “I’ve never really posted from within my home,” he says. “I wanted to keep it private, as a place for my friends and family.” But now, Jay has made the difficult choice to sell the house. “It took me a long time to get to this decision, but the things I’m working on now are going to keep me away,” he says. And he’s ready to talk about his life in Fairfield County, and how much it has meant to him. “[Before moving to Wilton,] I spent 21 years in Manhattan,” he says. “And I had a weekend home in the Catskills. Because of my schedule, I travel a lot, and I noticed I was coming home to the city, dropping my bags off, getting in the car, and driving three-and-a-half hours upstate. I thought there has to be a middle ground that makes more sense. I was really trying to find a balance in my life.” As soon as he saw the home in Wilton, he knew he’d found it. The stunning, tree-enclosed 2.75-acre property is surrounded by protected wetlands. “I loved the privacy,” he says. “The energy was just so special.” Add a flat 50-minute commute to Midtown, and he’d found the balance he was looking for. “You can be so close to the city, but feel like you’re a world away. I knew this was an opportunity to build something that could be like an oasis. It just felt right.”
Jay was something of a pioneer among the growing population of fashion and entertainment industry vets who now call Fairfield County home. Over the years, he customized features like a heated saltwater pool, outdoor kitchen and living area, and a standalone 800-square-foot gym. He added space, taking the house from four bedrooms and three-and-a-half baths to five bedrooms and four-and-a-half baths. “I entertain a lot, and I started having dinner parties. I remember Christian Siriano coming over, and he was like, ‘oh my god, I didn’t realize you could have this kind of space here.’ And now he lives 12 minutes away!” He’s loved witnessing the boom of the Fairfield County dining scene, counting Westport’s Dandelion, Southport’s Artisan, Fairfield’s Esh, and Redding’s Wire Mill Barbecue among his favorites. “The food is amazing here,” he says. “It rivals the city.” (He also enjoys a good walk-and-shop in downtown Westport.)
More than anything, Jay says his time in Wilton was a haven for his creativity. He wrote his debut novel, 2020’s The Wig, The B*tch, & The Meltdown, from his Connecticut home. “I loved writing in my office every day—the energy out here allows my mind to be super creative,” he says. “When you write fiction, everything comes from you—you are every character. So I got to know myself in a very different way.” When he needed a break, he’d take his two Isabella Dachshunds, Neo and Bella, out for walks around the backyard. “Walking my property always feels so restorative, but also allows me to stay in my creative headspace.”
Jay had always wanted dogs, but felt a pet wasn’t a great fit for his life in Manhattan. He got littermates Neo and Bella, now 13, just a year after he moved, and they love the expansive yard, paths, and pool area. “They are my light!” Jay says.
With so many memories, it really is hard to say goodbye. “It was a place to connect,” Jay says. “My father loved it here. This was the central gathering place for my family, with a big dining room to host Christmases and Thanksgivings, where everyone could be around the table.” Whatever’s next, Jay will always hold a place for his time in Fairfield County. “It has been a huge part of my own mental health while juggling this business,” he says. “Even if you’d had a rough day, you just got this sense of calm and beauty here.”
For more information on the property, visit sothebysrealty.com or seetheproperty.com/story/487191/b