A Modern Hamptons Property Embraces Warmth

The east end of Long Island has long drawn individuals to its bountiful shores, from Native Americans and European settlers to generations of farmers and seafarers. For a couple of water-loving homeowners, one storied property held particular appeal. Sheltered by verdant woods, the Three Mile Harbor estate boasts a sandy stretch of waterfront acreage, a private dock and millenia of rich natural history.

To celebrate such a setting would take a superlative design team. The owners recruited architect Viola Rouhani, designer Brad Ford and landscape architect Chris LaGuardia to envision a place that would not only suit the site but support it for future generations. From the home’s nascent stages, Rouhani, along with colleagues Luca Campaiola and Frank Guittard, worked closely with LaGuardia and his project team of John Hamilton and Justin Leanza to maximize use of the entire plot—and respect the historical significance of the land. “If there’s an overlying thread in our practice, it’s a deep appreciation for the native landscape and the environment we’re lucky enough to work in,” reflects Rouhani. “We try to celebrate that rather than create statement architecture that calls too much attention to itself.”

A previous house on the site sat close to the shoreline, which offered stellar views from inside but blocked the property’s visual flow and left prime square footage unused. The solution: pull the new structure back to better harmonize it with its surroundings. “People are often afraid that moving away from the water means losing the view, but that can be a fallacy,” Rouhani notes. “By strengthening what’s closest to the shore and letting the house sit slightly elevated, you look across this beautiful landscape and to the water beyond.”

Constructed by general contractor Rob D’Angelo and team, the result is a low-slung residence that seems to hover amid its environment rather than dominate it. The exterior palette is durable, timeless and intentionally understated. Ample glass provides a focused view to the water from the entrance, and a weather-resistant sapele wood overhang around the structure protects from the elements and creates cohesion. Portuguese limestone stonework, which continues inside through the entry, further underscores the indoor-outdoor connection.

For the interiors, Ford wanted to emphasize the architecture and landscape while instilling a sense of comfort. “The first directive was to make sure the house felt warm,” he says, “which meant selecting earth tones and introducing finishes with texture.” The owners are avid collectors of artwork and midcentury furniture, the latter of which the designer reupholstered in inviting neutral textiles. Blended with these are handcrafted pieces, such as the breakfast nook’s walnut dining table, which Ford sourced from Fair, the New York showroom he founded as part of a mission to highlight exceptional independent artisans. “Using handcrafted pieces instantly brings soul into a space,” he explains. “You’re introducing materials that carry narrative, precision and hours of someone’s labor. It adds nuance and authenticity.”

In the dining room, a live-edge table was inspired by the client’s George Nakashima console and paired with vintage chairs also designed by Nakashima, while sculptural lighting overhead remains intentionally subtle. “Not every piece needs to be the star,” Ford points out. “A space should feel curated, not decorated.” Harmony, one of Ford’s guiding design principles, defines the home’s ethos, including in the double living room where two seating groups function separately but read as one. Textured rugs and performance fabrics in soft hues create a cohesive setting, allowing the artwork and views outside to shine. “In every direction, you feel like you could be looking at a canvas,” the owner observes.

During warm-weather months, the couple spend most of their time outside—in the pool next to a sleek guest house pavilion, at the outdoor dining area neighboring the kitchen or on the deck outside of their bedroom, which again puts center stage the vistas across the water. The flow is effortless from day to day and season to season, highlighting all that the environment has to offer. “It’s exactly what we hoped for—a home that lets the outdoors shine, but still feels deeply personal,” the client says. “It honors the land. It honors the water. And it feels like us.”