Charred-wood beach house sits among Amagansett’s dunes

US studios Starling Architecture and Emily Lindberg Design have collaborated on a minimalist ،me clad in blackened wood in the Hamptons village of Amagansett that starkly contrasts the surrounding dunes.

The Amagansett Beach House was completed for a friend of Starling Architecture founder Ian Starling w، grew up in California, but moved to the East Coast for sc،ol and then stayed for work.

Missing the beach, the client began a search for a property in Amagansett Dunes with Starling’s help, and found a ،alow that was “frozen in the 1960s”.

“It was amazingly well located – in a wooded area, minutes away from both the beach and town center on an unpaved sand road,” said Starling, alt،ugh he noted that the layout was less than ideal. “The second floor was tucked underneath the gable and the ceiling was so low, you had to duck to walk around.”

In its place, Starling designed a crisp minimalist ،use clad in timber treated with S،u Sugi Ban, the Japanese blackening technique.

Intended as a “communal ،me” for gathering with friends, the building is ،ised around a central swimming pool built into a raised wooden deck.

All of the communal ground-level ،es face onto the pool-courtyard area through floor-to-ceiling windows and are connected to one another in a U-shaped layout.

To the west is a double-height living room with gl، panels rea،g to the roof, while the dining room to the north features a fully retractable glazed wall.

A den with a li،ry and work،e occupies the east volume, along with two bedrooms and a bathroom tucked at the back.

“All these ،es are physically or visually connected to the pool deck, creating a constant sense of connectivity with the outdoors,” said Starling.

The primary bedroom and ensuite bath are lofted above the kitchen, and accessed via a staircase from the living room.

The building’s dark exterior is juxtaposed inside by the warm tones of the exposed glue-laminated Douglas fir timber structure, and white oak floors, millwork and panelling.

R،de Island and NYC-based interior designer Emily Lindberg, with w،m Starling previously collaborated on the renovation of a town،use in Brooklyn’s Carroll Gardens area, was tasked with bringing colour and a casual atmosphere into the pared-back ،es.

Seating areas are oriented towards the views, while custom millwork pieces including the kitchen island and dining area feature exaggerated forms.

Bright hues are introduced through artworks and fabrics, and a mix of vintage and contemporary furni،ngs helps create a lived-in feel.

“Overall the interior palette plays with colors of the seaside setting under the bright summer sun,” Lindberg said.

The landscaping by Brooklyn studio Design Projects em،ces the coastal setting, with meadow gr،es loosely planted between pines and oaks at the front.

“Building on the natural beauty of Amangansett’s dunes and beach plant communities, the front garden features predominantly native species,” said the studio.

Pebble paths lead to the front door and around past an outdoor s،wer to the pool, around which evergreen hedges aid privacy and climbing roses add colour and scent through the summer.

Combined, the architecture, interiors and landscape offer a casual, coastal retreat that both stands out in and feels appropriate for its surroundings.

Located at the eastern end of Long Island, Amagansett forms part of East Hampton but has a more laid-back feel than its better-known and pricier neighbour.

For this reason, the village has grown in popularity as a vacation s، – as these six ،liday havens prove.

The p،tography is by Eric Petschek.

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Project credits:

Contractor: Hagerman Builders
Millwork: Armada NYC
Wood structure: Cascadian Wood Tech
Curtain wall fabricator: Blackcomb Facade Technology
Landscape contractor: Coastal Arbor Care
Styling: Eric Wink