Inside Skin care Founder Tata Harper’s Eco-Conscious Connecticut Home
Luxury skin care brand Tata Harper, founded by Colombian-born Graciella “Tata” Harper, is one of the industry’s most notable beauty brands committed to non-toxic, chemical-free, and sustainable ingredients. Driven by her desire to find something pure, effective, and safe after her stepfather was diagnosed with cancer, Harper has been committed to creating products that don’t overload the body with toxins. A pioneer in natural beauty, a growing division of the multi-billion-dollar global beauty industry, Harper founded her brand in 2010. Today, the products—recognizable by its bright green floral packaging—are found everywhere from Sephora to Nordstrom.
Harper splits her time between her home base in New Canaan, Connecticut and Vermont, where she handcrafts the ingredients on her organic farm. Her Connecticut residence allows for easy access to New York City, while also providing a peaceful retreat at the end of the day. And, she’s just not just conscious of environmental concerns when it comes to skin care but using eco-friendly and healthy materials trickles down into her everyday life, including her home.
For her family’s primary residence in New Canaan, she worked with interior designer Melissa Pinto to design a home that embodies beauty, wellness, and sustainability. A partner with Alkemis Paint, a leader in non-toxic paint that doesn’t use solvents, biocides, plasticizers, or preservatives and has mineral-based formulas that are anti-mold, anti-fungal, and non-flammable, Harper worked with the company’s co-founders to create four custom colors—two pinks and two greens—used on the walls throughout the home.
For her collaboration, she created the colors Arame, which was applied to the walls of the dining room, and Pachamama, used on the ceiling. Nothing But Flowers, a bubblegum pink hue, covers the walls in her youngest daughter’s bedroom, and She Better Work, a paler shade of pink, is seen in the voluminous great room.
Situated on 4.6 acres and built in 2000, the English manor-style home spans a whopping 15,750 square feet with half a dozen bedrooms and eight bathrooms. The interiors feature vaulted ceilings with rough-hewn wood beams, wood and stone floors, grand fireplaces, and a backyard decked out with a stone terrace, pool, and flowering gardens. Serene yet vibrant, the home is brimming with furniture, art, and decorative objects that Harper has collected from her travels around the world, including her native Colombia. Among the property’s other luxuries are a movie theater, a billiards room, a playroom, a three-car garage, and a detached guest house.
Harper explains that the colors she uses in her home aren’t only about aesthetics but also a reflection of her deep connection to nature and the planet. The same concerns are what drive her skin care line, which incorporates more than 300 raw, organic ingredients and minimal-waste packaging. “Green embodies nature, and we are the ultimate nature brand created on a farm that is a vibrant “neon” green in the summer,” Harper tells Robb Report. “This color truly inspired me to bring the essence of our farm into our products. You can see this reflected in our product color scheme, which features shades of green grass complemented by the bright yellow of dandelions. Incorporating green into my home was an extension of these values.”
“One of my favorite spaces in our home is the great room, which truly feels like the heart of our family life,” Harper says. “It’s where we gather for everything from cozy movie nights to lively dinners with friends. I wanted this room to feel warm and welcoming. When I envisioned these shades for our home, I wanted to capture that harmony and tranquility of nature—almost like bringing the serenity of a forest or meadow indoors. It creates a sanctuary where you feel calm and connected to the earth.”
“I’m excited about the integration of sustainable materials and practices, like reclaimed wood, natural fibers, and low-impact manufacturing processes,” interior designer Melissa Pinto says about the future of eco-friendly design. “These choices not only reduce our ecological footprint but also enhance the character and warmth of a space.”
Dedicated to reducing the home’s ecological footprint, other sustainable elements include natural building materials like stone and reclaimed wood; textiles woven with natural fibers; and smart technologies that filtrate the air and water. Pinto helped source other sustainable materials and furnishings, like upcycled antique furniture.
“My home is a space where non-toxic materials, clean air, and wellness are prioritized,” she says. “From the paint on the walls to the cleaning products we use, everything is carefully selected to minimize our exposure to harmful substances. I believe true wellness isn’t just about skin care—it’s about creating a holistic, healthy lifestyle.” And, for Harper, that commitment begins at home.
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