By E.B. Solomont
Television host Jay Manuel spends a lot of time in the public eye. Since 2011, the former judge of "America's Next Top Model" has enjoyed private moments at his Bauhaus-inspired home in Wilton, Conn., surrounded by acres of protected woodland.
After purchasing a partially unfinished home, Manuel says, he approached the design the same way he thinks about fashion and creative direction -- with a focus on detail, color, proportion and material. "I wanted the experience to be intentional," he says. "It feels truly like you're in an artist space that is creative versus a traditional home in Fairfield County."
Though he entertained often, Manuel rarely posted images of the house on social media. "I felt like this needed to remain private," says Manuel, who appeared in the recent Netflix documentary "Reality Check: Inside America's Next Top Model." Friends from the television industry have told him it would be a perfect set.
"I'm like, 'that is not happening,'" he says.
Finishing the job
Manuel, 53, paid $2.6 million for the house in 2011, when he was still judging on "America's Next Top Model" and working as a correspondent for E! "I was flying constantly and looking for a place that felt grounding, " he says.
The house had a functional kitchen and bathrooms, but an entire level was unfinished. He leaned in to the Bauhaus style, refining exterior lines, redoing the stucco and changing the roof color to a lighter shade. He also added a thermal envelope to make it more energy efficient.
Manuel said he invested more than $2 million into the renovation, which he did in stages.
Can't-miss features
Manuel created a "resort-like experience" with extensive landscaping. He installed an irrigation system, heated saltwater pool, Zen garden and outdoor kitchen. There are several terraced entertaining areas.
Reason for selling?
Manuel says he has two projects in development that require him to spend more time on the West Coast. "It was a difficult decision but it feels like the right decision and right time."
What he'll miss
The privacy, and a salon he built in the house. "People know me for my hair color," he says.
What he won't miss
Once the temperature rises above 75 degrees, Manuel is besieged by guests. At times, it felt like he was running a bed-and-breakfast, he says.
Market snapshot
Wilton is an affluent town about 50 miles from New York City where the median sale price was $1.5 million during the first quarter of 2026, according to data from William Pitt Sotheby's International Realty. The real-estate market has been hot since Covid, when New Yorkers fled for the suburbs, exploring once overlooked towns farther from the city, says listing agent Laura Ancona of William Pitt Sotheby's. The average sale price is up 90% since 2019, she says.
Write to E.B. Solomont at eb.solomont@wsj.com
(END) Dow Jones Newswires
May 15, 2026 15:00 ET (19:00 GMT)
Copyright (c) 2026 Dow Jones & Company, Inc.
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