Fishers Island, NY

The owners challenged the architects to design a new home with all the grace and charm of the great shingle-style, turn-of-the-century houses on the island. They wanted to incorporate 21st century technology and time tested materials to create a “maintenance-free” summer residence. The perfect symmetry of the plan creates a sense of balance and harmony. The interior is porous, connecting all the spaces to the view and to the activities within.  An ellipse-shaped terrace spans the full length of the front façade. The most distinctive architectural feature is the long eyebrow window in the hipped roof with its old fashioned lattice work romanticism.  

The architecture and interior design play on nautical themes including the stair tower reminiscent of lighthouses, beaded board ceilings, antique pond boats, seafaring art, oval windows, and the custom newel post design with antique mariners compass. A signature design element is the incorporation of local beach stone, distinctive for its soft grey color and smooth rounded shape. Beach stone was used for fireplaces, chimneys, column bases, walks and steps. 

Sustainable design elements include powder coated, galvanized steel windows and doors used exclusively to prevent rust or corrosion. Cedar shingles, considered the most durable, time-honored material used on the island, was selected for the siding and roof.  Exterior crown moldings, eave and rake trim, columns, railings, and window and door casings use fiberglass-reinforced polyester rather than wood to eliminate painting and maintenance over time.

Men tend to design from the outside in, the exterior is most important because that’s their statement. I wanted to focus on architecture’s softer side with someone who understood the feminine point of view; how the rooms should look, what’s essential to include in a kitchen or a closet.

– CLIENT AND INTERIOR DESIGNER.