SHELTER ISLAND VACATION HOME, WETTLING ARCHITECTS
Sep 17 2012 ·
A spectacular retreat for this New York City financier, his British wife, and their two sons—this Shelter Island getaway began on a pristine plot of beachfront property. The home, designed by Jack Wettling of Wettling Architects, provides panoramic views from each of its rooms. Set abreast the inlet to Coecles Bay, the home looks across the water toward the lush green of a park reserve, further on to the bluffs of East Hampton, and beyond into a great expanse of Atlantic. The house is serene and user-friendly, setting the stage for everything to relaxation to festivity, privacy to entertaining.
The family grappled with conflicting simultaneous desires for a large estate, and one that had a modest footprint. Jack Wettling helped them accommodate ample space for entertaining and spaciousness while still keeping the residence relatively small. The main house is roughly 3,800 square feet. The guest wing and master office, attached via a two-level bridge, can be shut down for maximum energy efficiency when those spaces are not in use. The master office—completely soundproof, housing a top-of-the-line custom sound-system, and located at a slight remove from the central spaces—was designed to afford a luxe cocoon of privacy for all-hours work or play.
The house was designed to integrate into the surrounding landscape, whether viewed from sea or land. Golden-grey shingles and a low profile help make it a subtle and sometimes elusive structure. Wide-planked, painted white floors accommodate the frequent ins and outs of sandy bare feet. Interior designer Kevin Calica mixed unusual antiques with country classics and pieces from the family’s colorful contemporary art collection to activate the space from within. The overall effect is bright and easy.
Site-specific challenges offered opportunities for creative solutions. Wetlands along the beach were considered and preserved by setting the house back and up from the immediate waterfront. The slope from house to the shore would ordinarily require a fence or rail for safety. Instead Jack situated the pool in such a way that it naturally delineated that boundary and height transition.
Featuring a total of five bedrooms, two offices, pool house, 70 foot lap pool, 150 ft deep-water dock, and spectacular outdoor and common spaces, this is the waterfront stuff of dreams.
