Nestled in an idyllic wooded neighborhood only a half mile from the bay, this 1960’s kit house in Amagansett, New York, offers all that you would expect of a midcentury weekend retreat—and then some.
“The frequent turnover within a vacation community can be wasteful. Some are eager to tear down what exists and start new,” says architect Paul Masi, of Bates Masi + Architects. “This project preserved the skeleton of the house and the history in the patinaed materials that the client desired. Conventional materials were utilized in new ways to unify the old and the new.”
Designing with Personality
In planning the renovation, the client’s design aesthetic was married seamlessly with the home’s post and beam construction. “The clients—an interior designer and a DJ—gathered images of objects and conventional materials utilized in new, interesting ways as inspiration for the design,” says Paul.
Their goal was to find a single design solution that could unify the home’s original spaces and aesthetic with the new. “A vocabulary was developed that allowed the patina and history that the client favored to remain and new experiences to evolve,” he shares.
What would such a solution be? “Between the existing ceiling joists, natural rope was woven through a digitally fabricated framework with weaving patterns used to signify different ceiling conditions,” says Paul. Lighting penetrates a crossed weave while a straight weave shields speakers and utilities from view. “Since the client is a DJ, sound is very important. The rope weave acts as an acoustic baffle absorbing background noise but allows music from the ceiling mounted speakers to be emitted,” says Paul.
All-Encompassing Character
Unifying the exterior is a dark-stained cedar siding. It encompasses the entire home—wrapping all of the exterior facades and transitioning seamlessly into the matching frames of the replaced windows and doors. “Behind a sheet of glass, reclaimed wood lines the shower surround and one feels as though they are showering outdoors,” shares Paul.
The sprawling home fits four bedrooms and three bathrooms into its 2,400 square feet. With an ease of flow between the interior and exterior spaces, the home breathes effortlessly—inviting life both within its carefully restored walls and outside of them.
Architect:
General Contractor:
Landscaping:
Interior Design:
Athena Calderone of Rawlins Calderone Design
