Sag Harbor Residence

The design goal of this project is to simplify and modernize an existing house completed in 1995, and to create a series of open spaces that seamlessly flow from inside to outside.

By strategically removing interior walls and adding windows, multiple French doors, and four new terraces, the house becomes a free-flowing series of light-flooded rooms with extensive connections between the house and its surrounding landscape. Ground floor living spaces and bedrooms have exterior doors that connect to a private terrace and the pool. On the interior, an enclosed kitchen is reconfigured and opened to living and dining spaces. The existing stair is rebuilt with exposed wood treads. New maple and cherry custom millwork, bluestone floors, and blackened metal fireplaces exude warmth.

A new pavilion projects from the north side of the existing house, where it receives east and west light throughout the day. An exposed wood structure is entirely supported by two steel beams. The black steel structural connections are featured in contrast to the white wood trusses that are uplit to express their form. This pavilion serves as an outdoor dining room with a kitchen, barbecue, and fireplace. Kitchen millwork and sliding barn doors are mahogany to weather the seasons. With exceptional views of the surrounding landscape, this pavilion is the heart of the house.

A new landscape design, including ornamental grasses, trees, hedges, and a perennial garden, knits the various exterior spaces together.