HOUSE Magazine
July/August 2003, Volume 22, No. 4

In A Class By Itself
The Perfect House in The Hamptons

Story by Christina D. Morris
Photography by Ron Papageorge
Builder: Hamptons Habitat
Architect: Sears & Sears
Interior Design: D.& M. Interiors

Anchored on the crest of a hill, the Shingle Style house overlooks the sloping lawn. Further inspection reveals the crest was man-made from fill to accommodate the sprawling 9,000-square-foot home perched above a 300-foot waterfront Navy bulkhead, with boat slip, and an impressive view of Moriches Bay and inlet. The original topography required raising the land five-feet to meet code. The variations of levels is apparent in the adjacent tennis court some eight steps down from the driveway as well as the incline to the waters edge. Shingle Style architecture has enjoyed a revival on Long Island's East End for several decades and many of those built are the signature work of Jay Sears, of Sears & Sears, Architects. This house bears his signature and the extraordinary interpretation of his design, carried out with unequivocal attention to details by the Ramsay family, owners of Hamptons Habitat Enterprises, Corp.

The Ramsays enjoy a well-deserved reputation for quality, up-scale, custom renovation as well as custom residential work. The successful growth of the company over the past two decades can be credited to the entrepreneurial emphasis of the family-run business, where Stephen's wife, Barbara is a fulltime partner and more recently, their son Matthew, having completed college, has brought state-of-the-art technology to the company. Ramsay honed his construction and building knowledge in New York City and briefly strayed (six years) to Florida during the boom days of the 1970's with Barbara and their two children in tow. They set up a successful construction company while there and Barbara added, "I was the den mother for the construction crew who had traveled south with us."

Numerous projects were completed that included shopping malls and residential projects such as 50-unit condos to mention a few.

Returning to their roots on the East End in 1982, Habitat Enterprises was established, but later renamed. Ramsay references his success to several key mission statements of the company such as timely completion of projects, quality, the cornerstone of the company and value established by the staff's refined industry judgments that results in the best for their clients.

He admits that it is often cheaper to tear down an old structure than attempt to renovate it. In the case of the Shingle Style, the owners purchased the site with a contemporary structure on it. Prior to taking possession, the house burned down, which turned out to be beneficial to all concerned. Matthew Ramsay was eager to explain how the company embraced the latest technology. An electronic communication system is in place at their building sites as well as custom, outfitted work shed to store materials.

These resources all work to continue regardless of weather conditions and the need to be in touch with the office. "Last minute changes in building plans can be faxed to our office from the site by our project manager and the necessary steps can be taken," he continued. Best of all, the Hamptons Habitat Enterprises, Corp. website allows their clients to view the progress of their house as it is being built.

The company is a full service building company that includes landscaping, maintenance, etc. and as Ramsay pointed out, they offer homeowners a complete package. This is apparent in this project on a 2.2 acre site. The landscaping includes a 60x100 foot clay tennis court, a 30x75 foot gunite free-form pool with a lap lane surrounded by a 3,100 square foot bluestone patio. Undulating lawns frame the mélange of complex shapes the that define the Shingle Style house. Vincent Scully, an architectural historian, popularized the term Shingle Style to describe a type of Victorian home in which complex shapes were united by a taut skin of these cedar shingles. The style is rustic by design, suggesting a relaxed, informal style that grew popular in the late 19th-century when wealthy families built cottages along the coastline. The trend waned in the early 1900s before gaining recognition again as early as 1960 when Robert Stern borrowed the style.

Using the terms rustic, informal, relaxed, perhaps denotes small, cozy, simple. On the contrary, Shingle Style homes with classic characteristics are large, rambling structures with covered porches, gambrel roofs, and often a semi-circular room (in this case a 500-square-foot screened porch) that gives the feeling of being on board a ship. It also offers the best view of the bay beyond. The house is an upside down house, with six bedrooms and seven bathrooms on the first floor at ground level. A tiled entrance hallway, service entrance, mudroom and built-in dumb waiter are all on this level. The varies shapes of the bedrooms add interest as they accommodate the octagonal exterior structures. Ceilings are multifaceted and are given attractive finishes such as wainscot paneling, or plasterboard perfectly curved. Sufficed to sat there are no ordinary square rooms here.

In addition, on this lever, is a spectacular playroom-den with a superb mahogany bar designed and built by Hamptons Habitat. A billiard table and a variety of board games share this space adjacent to a 3,000 square-foot covered mahogany deck with the pool and patio in sight.

Ramsay gives much of the credit for the excellent design features to interior designer, Mary Ellen Finnerty of D. & M. Interiors and applauds with pride, his fulltime employees for the quality skills they bring to the company's projects. Through the collaborative efforts of the designer and workforce, bathrooms were installed, walls were painted or papered. Many rooms get their charm from the hand painting of Lynne Fensterer, who captured whimsical patterns in pastel colors for the girls in the family, while the male's rooms reflect a nautical theme. According to Ramsay, the project started in the fall and the family, despite the work not being fully completely finished, was able to enjoy the following summer.

There is an overall nautical theme throughout the decor. An inspired detail is a mahogany trim above the wainscoting along the hallways and alongside the front staircase, reminiscent of shipboard decor. A stars and stripes stair runner adds interest. The main entrances and the second floor are accessed by a flight of exterior stairs. A handsome double mahogany door, embellished by beveled windows (on both sides), leads to a tiled gallery with a soaring 18-foot ceiling.

Directly ahead, the living room entrance features a wide stone-colored arch supported by a pair of columns and decorated with a keystone. The 22-foot vaulted ceiling, paneled with mahogany, is a masterpiece of carpentry work as well as the mellow colored wall paneling with crown molding. Rich mahogany rattan sofas and chairs with colorful cushions are in perfect harmony. New Hampshire wide-plank pine flooring, 100-years-old, mahogany stained, flows seamlessly from the living room to the kitchen and den. A limestone fireplace replicates the design of the doorway arch. Above, a colorful painting of the house. Adding to the aura of this inviting room are a pair of antique lanterns and an attractive built-in bar.

The spacious display kitchen seamlessly connects with the family den. A center isle top is made from heavily varnished New Hampshire pine. Built-in cabinets are speckled marble counter tops are integrated with state of the art appliances. The den speaks volumes for relaxed family gatherings. A large fireplace, a custom designed and built-in wall unit compliments the large comfortable furnishings. Adjacent, the 2,700 square-foot covered mahogany deck is perfectly located for viewing the bay and al fresco dining. The master suite, on the second floor, is both charming as well as utilitarian when it come to great built-in his/her closets. The fireplace is a special focal point in the charming sitting room with blond rattan furnishings. A spacious bathroom includes a Jacuzzi, glass-door shower and long vanity. Tumbled marble tiles in an oatmeal shade are topped with a contrasting white china decorative trim tile. The powder room is rather unusual with a wall painting of the Westhampton Country Club, and the club's golf course is visible from the house.

Completing the second floor is an exquisite office for the gentleman of the house. Here Ramsay gave credit for the design and superior workmanship of this richly paneled room with a magnificent octagonal coffered ceiling appliquéd with mahogany sections replicating a ship's steering wheel, to one of his carpenters. A striking wall unit was also designed and built for the room. The term "Old-World Workmanship" is perhaps trite today. Nevertheless, quality up-scale building is prized. The exterior of the house is an amalgamation of classic Shingle Style characteristics that attest to the skill and knowledge brought to the project by Hamptons Habitat Enterprises and the Ramsay family. The eyebrow and oval windows, Palladian doors, octagonal towers, gambrel roof, corbels on the eave's soffit punctuate a facade where the silver blush of aging shingles in this young classic have just begun to glint in the morning sun.