At Craig Melvin’s home in Connecticut, the Today news anchor makes time for family and his own passions. In the room he’s dubbed the “vinyl lounge,” he and his wife, Lindsay Czarniak, who’s currently anchoring CNN’s Bleacher Report and launching a podcast called Players this fall, display their record collection and spend time with their two children, Delano (Del), 4, and Sybil (Sibby), almost 2.
The couple moved into this home three years ago after relocating from Washington, D.C., and renting for a time in the area. The newscaster says they were immediately drawn to the family-friendly house which has five bedrooms and six baths, despite only having one child at the time. “We liked the open space. We liked the light. As soon as we walked into this house…this was it,” says Melvin.
Sibby’s nursery on the second floor features a few standout design choices including the ceiling, wallpapered in a bird motif, and the feather-covered pendant light. Czarniak hand-painted the cherry blossom tree mural, which is a nod to D.C., where the pair met. The bird house is also a night light.
The broadcaster couple worked with designer Michelle Hogue to decorate the home, including the boldly patterned third-floor office space, which they share. “Michelle had to talk us into that idea,” says Melvin. “I said, ‘Where I’m from you put wallpaper on the walls.’ Then she did it, and we were like, ‘Wow, okay.’” Adds, Czarniak, “It was amazing.”
The massive flat file storage piece was one item they didn’t see eye to eye on. Czarniak spotted it at an art supply store that was going out of business. “It took me and two neighbors to move it,” says Melvin. “It weighs 1,500,” adds his wife, who admits it’s never being relocated again.
Melvin jokes that the style of the home “above ground” is all Lindsay. “Everything feels like her: bright, beachy, colorful,” he says. But both of them were drawn to the possibilities of the basement space, which now holds a home gym, walk-in wine cellar, a bar and this entertaining space.
“I caught that fish,” Melvin deadpans when introducing the giant sailed trophy that hangs in their upstairs hallway, before getting fact-checked by his wife. “No, I caught that fish,” she says, “On Ana Maria Island in Florida.” He acquieses, “She actually caught it. And she hung it there as a constant reminder of my inferiority when it comes to fishing,” adding, “The fish is the centerpiece of the whole house.”
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