This stylish modern house comes with bit of provenance, perhaps once-removed: It was built by Chris Vila, son of Bob Vila of This Old House fame. The younger Vila is a builder/developer in his own right, with this being one of the last homes he built in the Hamptons before relocating to Florida, where, as noted in Palm Beach Illustrated, he has “established a reputation for family homes with a sophisticated, urbane atmosphere.”
He left that mark on this 6,000-square-foot abode, too, creating an elongated house of glass and stucco with cedar finishings that complement the natural surroundings. Set on just over two acres in the Northwest Woods community and ringed by hedges and mature trees, the house, built in 2013, is “a refuge away from the hustle and bustle of the Hamptons,” says Averitt Buttry, the Corcoran Group agent representing the listing.
“All the homes here tend to be on large lots where it’s wooded and very private,” he says. “It’s elevated so you get nice ocean breezes and air flow.”
Built into the natural topography and roll of the landscape, Buttry calls the house “multi-level because of all of the different floors and levels at varying spots.” The multiple levels afford plenty of privacy in the bedrooms away from foot traffic and the common rooms.
On the main level, a short entryway leads into the one-story middle axis featuring a 1,562-square-foot open great room with a woodburning fireplace and floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the 105-foot-long deck. The wall along the fireplace is ceramic tile and to the left of that is a modular storage space.
The adjacent 440-square-foot kitchen is anchored by a honed marble waterfall edge island that seats four. Appliances include a Sub-Zero refrigerator, Wolf gas cooktop and a Miele dishwasher. The lighting above the island is of Italian design, as are most of the other fixtures replaced by the owner who purchased the house from Vila.
At the end of the axis is the 480-square-foot primary suite with a walk-in closet built out with California Closet fittings. The 180-square-foot bathroom features a soaking tub, double sink with honed marble counters and a separate glass shower. Sliding doors lead to the deck alongside the pool. On the opposite side of the house near the entry is an ensuite bedroom, currently used as another sitting room.
On the second floor above the garage is a suite with two ensuite bedrooms of nearly identical size (350 square feet with nine-and-a-half-foot ceilings) and a den of about 300 square feet.
On the ground floor level adjacent to the garage is yet another junior primary bedroom suite with its own deck and outdoor shower. The sixth bedroom is at the basement level—236 square feet with a full bath, and adjacent to the gym (purchase of the equipment may be negotiated in a separate transaction). The house has two separate laundry areas.
The owner kept the exterior grounds simple with Japanese maples and green giant arborvitae hedging the lawn, but he choose two extravagances: the custom-created automatic wooden gate that serves as entry into the property, and a cedar-paneled outdoor covered living room with a fireplace that can be used in three seasons. Like the house, the pool area is created of different levels of cedar deck for lounging and dining with the main focus being a water feature created by the overflow of the 40-x-16-foot heated infinity pool.
“This is a very private and quiet retreat to be appreciated by someone who wants the proximity to the beaches, marinas and village, but at the end of the day to come home to a serene spot where you really feel like you can step away from the world,” Buttry says.
187 Bull Path is listing for $6,495,000, and full details can be see here.