Out near the tip of New York’s Long Island, in the town of Bridgehampton, architect Steven Harris has created an oceanfront home where opposites most definitely attract. There, perched above grassy dunes, a series of pristine glass-and-brick boxes reflect the strict geometries of a modernist dream. But step inside the entrance hall and the crisp lines and sharp edges melt away to reveal far more sensual forms, starting with an exquisitely twisting staircase enclosed on one side by a curl of teakwood. Just beyond, to the rear, glass walls open to a curvaceous, asymmetrical pool and a terrace pavilion topped by a boomerang-shaped roof.
The directive that brought forth these contrasting yet complementary forms had a similar sense of duality: Conceive an unforgettable house filled with breathtaking art and design, but make it a fun, welcoming, worry-free home for a couple with three young children who host a never-ending stream of family and friends. “The owners are very family-focused and always seem to have 17 people with them,” says Harris. “Their kids, the kids’ friends, the cousins, the aunts, the uncles, and many others. So the idea of having something that was accommodating to everyone was critical.”
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