SURFER’S DELIGHT
A MUCH-LOVED BEACH GETAWAY GETS A STORMPROOF MAKEOVER. BY EMILY WEITZ
A much-loved beach getaway gets a storm-proof makeover.
When Hurricane Sandy struck during renovations for a beach house in Water Mill, its owners decided they wanted a better-built house that could weather any storm. While the fabulous surfer’s retreat that now stands at 1254 and 1265 Flying Point Road has its predecessor’s charm, it also has a whole lot more “wow” factor.
“The owners bought the original house because of how low-key it was,” says Viola Rouhani, a Stelle Lomont Rouhani partner and lead architect on the Water Mill project. “They wanted to maintain the feel of that sweet little beach shack.”
But there’s nothing shack-y about this open, 2,500-square-foot oceanfront home, whose original footprint was set back even farther from the ocean to make it Fema-compliant. With more than 100 feet of beachfront and another 55 feet of across-the-street bayfront, the architectural choices make the most of the 360-degree views, with floor-to-ceiling windows on both sides, 1,650 square feet of decking, and a hot tub on the roof.
“The guiding principle was a feeling of informality and openness,” says Rouhani. “The owners surf, and they have many close friends in the area. They wanted it to be casual and welcoming.” The design achieves this feel by keeping transparent the lower level, which has the kitchen and dining room. “As you walk up to the house, there are big
sliding-glass doors, so you can walk right into the room,” says Rouhani. “The room opens up and becomes part of the outside.”
This is also true of the second level, where the bedrooms are. From the master, a huge deck acts as an extra room.
“We are really interested in sustainable design,” says Rouhani. “So there’s a big overhang that you can sit under and be protected from the sun,” and the overhang effectively cuts out the house’s solar gain.
Because of the high exposure to the elements, special attention was paid to materials. “The whole thing is clad in western red cedar, which will weather well,” she explains. “It will ‘silver out’ and become reminiscent of the original beach structures in the area.” The doors are aluminum-frame and impact-resistant, meant to withstand hurricanes—and they never need to be painted. “We tried to keep the exterior as bulletproof as possible.”
For the project’s second phase, for which partial permits are already in place, a pool and a pool house will be added, engaging the bay views. “This is meant to be playful and fun,” concludes Rouhani. “The sunset deck, outdoor fireplace, hot tub, surfboard storage—it’s a real beach-house getaway.” 1254 and 1265 Flying Point Road in Water Mill is listed for $13 million with Harald Grant at Sotheby’s, 50 Nugent St., Southampton, 631-227-4913; sothebyshomes.com