We asked local builders about their favorite styles, trends and projects.
THOMAS ROBINSON
Taconic Builders
Go-to style: Contemporary. My home has exterior walls built of 18-inch thick granite and five skylights composing the roof.
Any current building trends? For high-end residences, it is, without question, modern. Take a drive down Dune Road and you’ll see.
Tell us about your wildest project. A renovation and addition called the “Round House.” It was originally designed by midcentury architect Richard Foster as his own home. The interior continuously rotates 360 degrees.
MICHAEL DAVIS
Michael Davis Construction, Inc
What’s your most beloved Hampton’s hamlet? Definitely Sagaponack. The area still has this rural feeling where farmland meets the ocean.
Favorite house you’ve built: A family compound in Bridgehampton designed to have multiple structures unfold across the site.
Name the most unusual project you’ve done. A sports barn designed to be reminiscent of a historic potato barn, a nod to the history of the region and site.
SCOTT HOBBS
Hobbs, Inc.
Do you have a favorite style? No, I don’t have a favorite. I just care that the architecture is good.
Current building trends: Sustainability. Homes need to be energy-efficient and built to last.
Tell us about your most unique project. A “fishing shack” as part of a major compound. The husband was an avid fisherman but his wife strongly objected to having fresh fish cleaned in the kitchen. We helped build a subterranean cave in which there was a full kitchen.
AL GIAQUINTO
Plum Builders
What current building trends are you seeing now in the Hamptons? Our younger clientele wants clean, bright and white, with lots of glass to bring the outside in and the inside out.
Favorite style: Our modern barn concept provides us with lots of excitement as each year we create more architecture in that style.
Are there any building materials you are excited about? Green materials. For example, Boral is a wood synthetic–it’s very green and doesn’t, burn, rot or get eaten by termites.
MATT MCGRATH
McGrath Builders
Favorite style: None in particular. The house should fit into its surroundings, which is why I love many of the cottages in the Hamptons.
Are there any building materials on your radar? Alaskan yellow cedar. It’s long been used on exteriors, but it’s also great for interiors since it mills beautifully and takes stains well.
What’s the most unusual project you’ve worked on? An underground tunnel from a guesthouse to a main house that was also the home of the wine cellar.
KRISTEN FARRELL
Farrell Building Company
Most challenging project you’ve done: Our own home. With a teen lounge (complete with a rock-climbing wall), a bowling alley and a full spa, the details were mind-numbing!
Favorite Hamptons style: A Shingle-style house finished in a silvery gray is my favorite Hamptons look. I also love the look of floor-to-ceiling windows and natural finishes.
Where are you the happiest? Bridgehampton is where we live, but Montauk is where we relax. Sunrises, bonfires and flip flops — that says summer to me!