Combining the open spaces of modern design with the local gabled vernacular of cedar shingles, New York-based Robert Young Architecture & Interiors pulls off an intimately scaled yet sprawling family compound on Montauk Lake; managing to accommodate a 4,500-square-foot main house with a 50-foot lap pool, an 1,800-square-foot guest house, and a barn.
The architects carefully disguise the bulk of the main house with an aggregate of smaller, informal living spaces, creating a variety of views and experiences that take full advantage of the northern water views and southern sun and breezes. In this compound, it's the sum of the parts that make up the whole.
Photography by Michael Moran via Robert Young Architecture & Interiors.
Above: The local vernacular of cedar shingles sets the tone.
Above: The compound appears as a series of small buildings.
Above: Views of the lake preside throughout the compound.
Above: Exposed structural trusses in the primary living area have been painted white to match the rest of the room.
Above: The interiors have been subdivided into kitchen, dining, and living areas.
Above: The patchwork of stainless steel and white-fronted kitchen units keeps the kitchen from appearing monolithic.
Above: Driftwood-clad storage units act as partitions and subdivide the open space.
Above: The living room extends seamlessly out onto the deck.
Above: In deference to the exterior views, the white palette of the living area is maintained in the bedrooms as well.
Above: A large mirror in the bathroom reflects a window to the outside.
Above: A white four-poster bed frames the view to the outside.
Above: A double bunk helps with overflow guests.
Above: A walk-in shower sits at the end of a narrow bathroom.
Above: Screened porches are a requirement, given the lakeside setting.
Above: An outdoor shower and a built-in bench sit on the side of the house.
Above: The main house and the guest house sit around the 50-foot-long lap pool.
Above: A small barn with a cut-out view to the lake is the first building one sees after entering the gates.
See Architect Visit: Deborah Berke in Litchfield County, Connecticut for another favorite New England shingle project.