Karen L. Jacobson Architects Studio

Sagaponack

The owners bought a boxy house that had been added onto haphazardly over several decades. It was bought for its fabulous location near the ocean, but also because the owners were looking for a non-traditional house. After buying the property, it was clear that the third floor had been added illegally and had to be removed. It was necessary then to add back the space that was lost. This meant a new footprint, and a new roof line, and of course, a complete renovation.

Some features of the old house were retained. The double height living room remained, but the illegal third floor became a TV mezzanine. A third floor deck off the mezzanine provides a private lounging area with great views of the ocean. It also reduces the height of the dining area to provide a more intimate scale.

The new roofline and awning lend a slightly nautical feel to the house. The angle is reiterated in the angles of the landscape beds. Stainless railings, shaped like waves, circle the house. Stainless steel and honeycomb plastic are used in the interior railings and master bath partitions. The oak floor is stained a cool blue gray to reflect the colors of sea and sky and as a foil to the dark brown mahogany cabinets and furniture. The Kagan serpentine sofa is the centerpiece of the living room and is set off by the Ingo Maurer light fixtures over the custom dining tables behind. The strange house that was originally conceived as just a place to camp out in at the beach has become a sophisticated center for entertaining and year round family life.

Before