Twin Gables is a 9,700 square foot single-family custom home in Water Mill, New York. The new construction boasts nine bedrooms, eleven baths, and plentiful gathering spaces ripe for entertaining. The design objectives of the project were to provide a restful retreat and foster wellness for its residents, while honoring the traditional farmhouse style of the immediate area. We focused on three design concepts to address these requirements: historic reference, views of nature, and creating expansive space.
Known for its idyllic rural character, Water Mill is dotted with farmhouse-style homes. We designed two gabled roofs that cap the second floor of the home, intentionally calling back to the locale’s classic architecture. Side-by-side, they appear as floating barns; one roof is fully wrapped in wood cladding, while the other is made from metal. The contrast of materials nods to the home’s status as a modern structure in a historic farming region. Similarly, the angled gables juxtaposed with the flat roof terraces creates a compelling dialogue between old and new.
The property is endowed with peaceful surroundings, and our intent was to offer the family unrestricted access to nature, even when indoors. Fully glazed windows on the ground floor, as well as large second floor punched windows, invite ample light into the home and provide sweeping views of the outdoors. The primary suite on the second floor, which features glazing on two sides, is oriented towards a mature Copper Beech Tree. We fought to preserve the tree throughout the course of construction, as a gesture of respect for the heritage of the land.
Our studio decided to rotate the first floor massing out into the rear yard, effectively opening up the dark center of the home. This architectural gesture also had the effect of creating additional covered gathering spaces. A wall of sliding glass doors in the extended area may either be kept closed or opened up to the vast yard, which features a generous outdoor recreational space, including a sprawling patio, an in-ground pool and full-size sunken tennis court. A roof deck immediately above the rotated massing is enclosed with glass panels, creating a minimal visual boundary between the roof and neighboring scenery.
The home achieves a relaxing ambiance that fosters wellness through connection to nature. Its luxuriously large footprint also provides many possibilities for entertaining and communing together. Deliberately marrying modern design functionality with classic farmhouse features makes Twin Gables a unique modern home in the midst of the traditional, rural hamlet of Water Mill.
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