If you ever yearned to own an architectural icon but just couldn’t find your own version of Fallingwater, here’s a house that might scratch that itch. Built in 1986, this modernist home was informed by a well-known architect, hailing from Chicago like Frank Lloyd Wright, but with a career anchored in eastern Long Island.
“It was built by a local media mogul and influenced by his friend Norman Jaffe,” says Nicole Tunick, who, along with her husband Zachary, co-represent the listing at Douglas Elliman. “The house has a really interesting history and was incredibly cutting edge when it was built.”
The house had been neglected when it last changed hands, undergoing a complete renovation in September, and giving the interior a harmonious color palate. The result is a house that gives a nod to its iconic design while having all the conveniences of modern living.
The house’s organic core was “kept as the builder envisioned it,” Nicole says, adding that “the concept of bringing the outside in was important.”
The renovation, she says, was “giving [the house] a big hug and bringing it back to life.”
The first floor of the 4,000-square-foot home keeps it simple: an open-plan kitchen, living and dining room encompassing 1,142 square feet and a 350-square-foot primary suite with a gas-powered fireplace, four closets, a skylight and heated floors and a spa shower in the bathroom.
A line of floor-to-ceiling windows in the great room offers a west-facing view of Three Mile Harbor and the marina of the same name. The white oak slat theme, a repeating element (painted black) on the house exterior, is established in the kitchen and living room and repeated throughout the house, complementing other white-oak finishes such as floating shelves and beams. Floors throughout are hardwood walnut.
The kitchen is anchored by a 12-foot Calacutta quartz island with double waterfall edges that seats six. When joined with the nearby dining table and exterior seating, the area can accommodate up to 24 guests. Appliances include a Thermador gas range, two Bosch dishwashers and eight feet of refrigeration between the two units and an integrated wine cooler. The L-shaped walk-in pantry was designed with a glass door in front of shelving for display pieces, and shelving out of sight to the left for packaged and canned goods. The living room features a gas-powered fireplace, white oak custom book shelves and access to a 766-square-foot balcony with a propane-fueled fire pit overlooking the harbor.
Smart technology has been installed throughout the house from upgraded fiber optics to the Lutron lighting system and Wifi-enabled stove. Even the more humble rooms got a jolt: the bathrooms have smart touchless LED mirrors, the primary has a spa-heated bidet and the two-car garage is equipped with a 50-amp super charger for electric vehicles. It is currently designed to house both cars and gym equipment.
Two of the four bedrooms on the lower level are ensuite and the other two share a bathroom with hallway access. The bedrooms range in size from 140 to 218 square feet with a ceiling height of 7 feet, 10 inches. Also on the lower level is a 270-square-foot family room, equipped as a home theater, and access to a 1,420-square-foot covered patio with infrared heaters and multiple seating areas.
The indoor/outdoor swimming pool is heated and covered by glass, offering egress to an exterior gravel patio. Across from the pool entry is a dry sauna. The garage may also be accessed on this level. Distinctive to the house, the black slat-style siding that extends beyond the roofline for three feet can be utilized as a railing should the new owner wish to create a rooftop deck.
The 9.2 square-mile Springs enclave of East Hampton has always been home to creative types, says Zachary, naming Jackson Pollock and Willem de Kooning—the former’s home transformed into a seasonal museum; the latter’s Springs studio featured in an article in the New York Times last year—as but two artists who made their homes here. Architectural Digest featured photographer Cindy Sherman’s Springs cottage in 2013.
Zachary calls it the “village fringe of East Hampton,” and notes the area’s recent trendiness with an influx newcomers.
“From what I understand, all the young people coming up in the world who would live in certain areas of Brooklyn are making the Springs the new hot spot,” he says.
The house is 1.6 miles from Cedar Point County Park and 1.6 miles in the other direction, Sammy’s Beach, and just beyond that, Maidstone Park.
The home at 26 Three Mile Harbor Hog Creek Road lists for $5,995,000 and the details can be seen here.
