Modern and Green: A New Movement Swelling Beneath the Hampton’s Dirt
Wednesday, November 12th, 2008
When you think of the Hampton’s, images of traditional cedar shingled homes and well-manicured lawns used to come to mind. But recently, a new movement has swelled up from beneath the Hampton’s dirt.
Modern homes with artistic visions are becoming less sparse in the Hampton’s, as Greene based designs with geothermal heat and fresh water swimming pools are now becoming more hip and common. The English country and Gambrel estates, which still spot properties from Further Lane to Gin Lane have worn out their welcome. Even though they do still warrant buyers and investors alike, the hot buy right now is Modern.
It has been interesting to see. As a broker, I used to find myself either marketing a newly constructed home or a plain contemporary. The newly constructed home, either being English country manor or a traditional gambrel. The plain contemporary, usually being a complete “tear down” or a home that was somewhat renovated and livable. Hampton’s real estate is becoming more and more a work of art. With the tremendous growth of the art industry and the growth of a younger, more chic group of Hampton’s buyers, the Hampton’s has expanded its real estate boundaries beyond the structural molds of farmhouses and English country estates. No longer do we just see the same old regurgitated design. Yes, they have not totally dissipated, but there is an emerging movement of originally designed homes. Historic 1800’s farmhouses expanded and renovated into modern masterpieces. Small, modern, and energy efficient green houses are not looked at as outlandish, but viewed as popular and trendy. This movement was a long time coming, and has generated much interest from buyers and the media alike because everybody was in a way waiting for something different to come along. Everybody was tired of the same old Hampton’s estate. There was a hope and hunger among buyers that a new direction and style of Hampton’s homes would rise to the surface. The group efforts of buyers, owners, and real estate brokers have brought this movement to the forefront. Modern homes are now becoming the norm, a rather low-key norm, but a trendy and rising one. These new modern combinations are equally appealing to the young artist, the number crunching investor, the family man, or a broker like myself looking to market something different.
Within the last year, I’ve had the pleasure of marketing a plethora of new and interesting properties that fit within this modern category. They have inspired my own creativity into where the Hampton’s might be headed in terms of style. These homes I speak of are not simply modern. They combine a country feel with a new and innovative modern style and design that was most likely born in the style hub that is New York City.
One that comes to mind is an old farmhouse in Sagaponack. The home’s history and how it was recently restored and expanded is a strong sign of innovative design and style arising in Hampton’s real estate. There was no cap on what could be done stylistically in terms of design. The owner, designer/architect Peter Sabbath, transformed an old 1880’s farmhouse into a half modern, half farmhouse, but entirely green production. The farmhouse itself is perched on Sunset Hill, which is one of the highest points in Sagaponack. Like it’s name dictates, the sunsets and farm field views from this elevated location are spectacular. A previous owner of this distinct property was James Joyce, the famous writer who came to fame through the epic film “From Here to Eternity.” He wrote three novels in the attic of the Sunset Hill Farmhouse.
When Sabbath bought the property he kept a lot of the typical Hampton’s farmhouse features, including the shingled exterior, windows, front porch, and natural wild flower meadow in the front yard that showcases a symbolically placed flagpole. The wild flower meadow looks natural and beautiful and is a nice change up from the more obnoxious rolling lawns that spot many front yards in the Hampton’s. Sabbath restored the farmhouse using green materials and sustainable building practices. He then added a modern expansion, which was also built with green materials and constructed using sustainable building practices.
The house is in many ways a work of art, a beautiful combination of old and new. It has been a pleasure marketing this house and a change up from the newly constructed traditional homes that I am usually hired to represent. The creation of a modern farmhouse has rippled across the Hampton’s real estate airwaves. The home was on the front page of HC & G in August, and just last week in a article on the homepage of www.hamptons.com. All the media the property has generated has been positive and has sighted Sabbath as a sort of revolutionary and pioneer.
Modern homes such as this are interesting and new. Buyers, brokers, and the media alike are equally as drawn to this new and innovative movement breaking the Hampton’s dirt. It is all very exciting to see. The Hampton’s real estate market is no longer boring, and a new flux of innovative designs and styles are breaking molds in the Hampton’s. The origins of the movement are hard to trace, but many of the pioneers I’ve encountered are stylistically sound, young, and looking for something different.
-Matthew Breitenbach
