Hands Creek

East Hampton, NY
4,150 sq ft
4 bedrooms, 4 bathrooms
Spa, Media/Gym Room, Archive Storage
Sustainable Renovation + Addition

This project’s main challenge was to transform the home to introduce much needed natural light throughout, and to add a large, energy efficient addition.

We started with a small, dark, impractical 1970s speculation house on two acres of heavily wooded pine trees with no feeling of entry. Energy efficiency was a key focus for the owner. We decided on solar roof panels, which in order to operate at maximum efficiency, were placed at a 45 degree to face directly South. This renovation and addition resulted in a four bedroom, four bathroom modern style home powered by as much solar energy as the local power company would allow.

Exterior & Grounds

The addition to the house allowed a feeling of enclosure for a 50 foot long gunite lap pool and Ipe wood deck entertainment area. Exterior materials, windows and detailing were all matched creating a seamless “old + new” renovation style. The old siding was recycled, remilled, and reinstalled as horizontal wall paneling in the major circulation areas.

Interior

An exciting, larger new entry was created to bring guests into the new spaces more directly and provide a cohesive understanding of the house. This transparent connector serves as the nexus between new and old, and contrasts with the solidity of the front facade of horizontal darkly stained bevel siding. Each private and public functional segment of the completed ensemble is now clearly stated.

A large acoustically isolated media room, which doubles as a home gym, looks down to the pool below. This area of the home also includes its own small kitchenette.

Kitchen & Bath

The original kitchen was removed completely; the new kitchen was elongated to allow easy access from the two car garage and the new mudroom, which connects to an outdoor pass-through area for outdoor dining. Wood floor boards were blended together, sanded and stained by a local craftsman.

An indoor spa wet room with a whirlpool unit for six people and three shower heads has a custom wide multi-slide 8’ high glass door, opening to the natural landscape curated by Diane Sjoholm Design.

Details

Every detail of the renovation was carefully designed for enjoyment as a second home, balanced thoughtfully with environmental responsibility. An outdoor steel fire pit, stone paths, custom fencing and gates and elevated herb garden built in CorTen steel were all installed keeping in mind the nature of invasive wildlife in the surrounding area.