Janet Butler
This soaring Hamptons contemporary began as what architects Stelle Lomont Rouhani called “an existing nondescript structure, perched above the crest of the dune between the ocean and bay.” The transformation that took place brought in expanses of glass, natural materials, lots of warm wood, and a staircase that almost seems to hang on wires by itself. Approach the house via a stone path through the high grass and you can see the open plan clearly; the integration of indoors and out is seamless. As the designers indicate, “…materials and finishes were chosen for their simplicity, sustainability, low maintenance and harmony with the sea, sand, and vegetation of the site. They include aluminum doors and windows, weathered cedar rain screen siding, matte plaster interior walls, and plain sawn oak floors.”
Upstairs is the “public” area of the house, where the kitchen has an eat-in island in addition to the open-plan dining and living areas. Through sliding glass doors are multiple decks featuring comfy blue and blue/green striped loungers, covered by a wooden cantilevered trellis that extends over the entire house. The outdoor living area includes an infinity edge pool between the house and the bay, a neat way to camouflage the view of the street below. Downstairs is the guest and owners’ private area of the house, featuring a louvered deck that lets in the ocean breeze — and a bath with both indoor and outdoor showers. Overall, the house is a winner…literally. It’s the Winner of the Hamptons Cottages and Gardens Innovation Design Award in 2013 — a renovation that is anything but “nondescript.”
