Art, Design, and Landscape Are Perfectly Aligned in This Striking Shou Sugi Ban Residence

Art, Design, and Landscape Are Perfectly Aligned in This Striking Shou Sugi Ban Residence

The expression “indoor-outdoor” has become a bit overused in architecture, but for this weekend house on Long Island with expansive water views, it’s absolutely on target. The couple who commissioned the project wanted a house that was open to the outdoors yet also allowed them to display their extensive collection of contemporary art. From an impressive team that included the architect Blaze Makoid, the interior designer Joe Nahem, and the landscape architect Edmund Hollander, they got both, and then some.

Makoid’s design for the two-story house was inspired in part by the cast-concrete buildings conceived by Tadao Ando for the Japanese “art island” of Naoshima. The clients, who had been there, shared Makoid’s enthusiasm. Makoid also used Japanese shou sugi ban, or charred wood, for the beams and exterior siding. The house’s site drops down a full story, and a lower level contains a garage, a gym, and laundry and mechanical rooms. To reach the glass entry hall from the garage, you walk up a flight of staggered limestone steps, flanked by corten-steel planters full of greenery. “The topography drove a lot of the design,” Makoid says. “You’re inside-outside the entire time.”

a living room with a glass wall looks out onto a deck and pool and has a sofa with a thick wood frame and light nubby fabric, upholstered armchairs, a round white glass cocktail table, a chaise, a fireplace, and large artworks

The living room of a waterfront home on Long Island, New York, designed by architect Blaze Makoid with interiors by Joe Nahem and landscape by Edmund Hollander. The custom sofa has a Chapas handwoven fabric, with a wooden wall by Caleb Woodard. The cocktail table is by Casey McCafferty, the vintage chaise (center) is by George Nakashima, and the swivel Niemeyer chairs are from Insidherland. The driftwood chandelier is by Hinterland Design, the rug by Dana Barnes Studio, and the artwork by Carrie Moyer.

Peter Murdock

A neon sculpture by Tracey Emin hangs near the entrance, its boldness contrasting with Hollander’s landscaping featuring a soft mix of grasses. Inside, the entry hall is anchored by a striking copper-and-wood console by Wendell Castle. Just beyond is the high-ceilinged living room, with its full-height windows and blackened-steel fireplace, above which hangs a large red painting by Carrie Moyer.

Nahem placed a curved sofa within a wooden “wall” designed by Caleb Woodard to give a sense of shelter. He credits the clients for trusting him “in seeking out craftspeople from around the world,” some of whom he found on Instagram—like Casey McCafferty, who designed the cocktail table, and Hinterland Design, who created the driftwood hanging light. A George Nakashima chaise offers a place to admire the view over the pool toward the water, and a handmade rug by Dana Barnes Studio adds a rich texture. The room’s palette is neutral, like that of the architecture, which Makoid calls “a great supporting actor.”

a kitchen has a glass wall overlooking a pool, steel blue floor cabinets with a terrazzo counter across from dark wood cabinets with a steel counter with shelves above, a round table with different colored woven fabric chairs

A poolside vista is the backdrop to the kitchen. Custom cabinets are by Bulthaup, the Rogan Gregory pendant is from R & Company, vintage Harry Bertoia chairs were redesigned by Clément Brazille, and the Aldo Bakker table is from Suite NY.

Peter Murdock

The living room opens to the dining room, where—between a yellow painting by Sue Williams and a blue-and-green interior by Mickalene Thomas—an oak table by Gal Gaon surrounded by vintage embroidered chairs sits under handblown hanging lights by Jeff Zimmerman and James Mongrain. A louvered wall screens a staircase that leads to the second-floor gallery—a sitting room with lots of art—and the primary bedroom. Makoid designed the gallery as a black-granite-clad, rectangular tube that projects from the front and back of the house; its underside forms the dining room’s ceiling and a canopy for the front door. Throughout the home, custom shades control the light.

“The topography drove a lot of the design. You’re inside-outside the entire time.”

Beyond the dining room, the kitchen has Nahem-designed stainless-steel shelves, a terrazzo-clad island, and a bright blue artwork by Yayoi Kusama. An adjacent covered outdoor dining area is outfitted with a grill and a wall with a TV that can show video art. This side of the building, which faces east, looks toward the water through a screen of existing oak trees that Hollander was keen to keep. “The sun rises through these trees,” he says, “and shadows dance on the lawn.” Near the residence, Hollander set Madras gray limestone steps into the grass.

The spacious first floor also incorporates a den, an office, and three guest rooms. The blackened-plaster-lined powder room is further embellished by a wall panel inset with mother-of-pearl, silver leaf, lacquer, and resin by the artist Nancy Lorenz.

a bed with leather upholstered frame and a headboard and gray bedding looks out a glass wall, wooden nightstands and lamps, two chairs with gray fur cushions, a pouf, fireplace, and a large red artwork above it

Yayoi Kusama’s Infinity-Nets (Howan) presides over the primary bedroom. The custom bed is in woven white leather and maple, the vintage chairs are by Phillip Lloyd Powell, and a custom rug is by Vanessa Barragão.

Peter Murdock

On the second floor, the gallery is filled with works by artists like Carroll Dunham, Christina Quarles, and Jordan Casteel. The primary bedroom’s neutral color scheme is broken by a red painting by Kusama above the fireplace. Nahem designed the wall behind the bed in polished stainless steel with an overlay of handwoven leather, through which you see reflections of the view. The primary bathroom has a soaking tub designed to look as if it had grown out of the floor, with a circular skylight above.

The owners are, understandably, happy. The husband was especially impressed by Makoid, Nahem, and Hollander’s “team effort, which was terrific.” He says: “We really like the way the house is laid out. It’s great for entertaining, and it’s nice to have the outdoors be part of the indoors.” 

summer 2022 cover  elle decor

This story originally appeared in the Summer 2022 issue of ELLE DECOR. SUBSCRIBE

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