When Diana Vreeland proclaimed that “Elegance is refusal,” she could have been referring to the understated appeal of a house in Peconic, on Long Island’s North Fork, created by architect Mark Ferguson of Ferguson & Shamamian and interior designer Michael S. Smith. Recently built on wooded property along Little Peconic Bay, the Georgian Revival-style house serves as a retreat for a couple and their family. Like all the best country houses, this one brims with comfort and unaffected charm, but it might be its lack of excess that is most refreshing. “It strikes a nice balance between austere and luxurious. That balance felt right for a year-round house in a rural setting,” says Ferguson.
In many ways, the home’s design runs counter to current fashion, which tends to favor dwellings that are big and new. Rather than build an unnecessarily large residence that might overwhelm the natural landscape, Ferguson instead sized the house to be relatively compact. The home feels expansive, however, because of its organized layout and ample windows and doors, which flood the interior with natural light. The architect also added the look of age to the home’s tailored brick cladding. Given a white-washed finish to mimic the effect of a century’s worth of weather, the house appears to be much older than an edifice of its actual age. Ferguson and Smith even downplayed some interior details that typically come as standard features in a house of this caliber. In lieu of cornices and liberal built-in cabinetry, the interior is enriched simply with wide-plank oak flooring and antique mantelpieces. “We took a more restrained approach so that decoration could be foreground,” Ferguson explains.
For his part, Smith was also strongly influenced by the home’s setting. “Given the location, I wanted the rooms to be classical, simple, and enjoyable all year long,” says the designer. In the entrance hall and living room, Smith established a relaxed environment with vanilla-colored walls and modern upholstery in neutral hues, which he then embellished with a delightful mix of classic Americana. Antique American furniture, porcelains, and ship paintings hew to tradition while also establishing a sense of place inside the home. That effort is repeated in the dining room, where a sepia-toned maritime wallpaper mural surrounds comfortable pieces that include ladder-back chairs and lantern lights.
This Peconic home has a waterfront view.
The banquette fabric in the mudroom is by Peter Dunham.
In the living room, a custom sofa is upholstered in a fabric by Shyam Ahuja. The curtain textiles are by Carleton V Ltd.
In the kitchen’s dining area, the chandelier is antique.
The butler’s pantry cabinetry complements the kitchen’s design.
A wallcovering from Gracie envelops the dining room.
This Peconic home has a waterfront view.
Bed hanging fabrics in the primary bedroom are comprised of Chelsea Textiles designs, and a suzani serves as a blanket.
In the primary bath, a custom wallcovering is by Elizabeth Dow.
In a guest bedroom, the bed is from Leonards Antiques.
In a guest bath, the sconces are from Ann-Morris.
The landscape design is by Sardar Design Studio.
The landscape design is by Sardar Design Studio.
For the bedrooms especially, Smith gravitated to many of the patterned fabrics that are considered hallmarks of American decorating, including florals, checks, and stripes; however, he used them judiciously to prevent the rooms from looking overdone. “I wanted a simplification of a traditional palette. I tried to hold back and make it spare,” he says. That desire not to overdo it extends to the kitchen, which feels like a fresh and clean interpretation of an old-school workspace in which food is prepared for the family. Other than soft green lower cabinetry and a few wall shelves that take the place of upper cabinets, the kitchen’s primary decoration is glossy Moroccan wall tile that glistens in the light.
Even some of the property’s outdoor amenities are in keeping with tradition. Instead of adding an attached garage to the house, Ferguson designed a separate barnlike structure that also offers boat storage as well as partial privacy for a nearby pool. Placed near the front of the house, the garage gives the homeowners easy access to the front door, providing them with a gracious way of entering their house. Together, the house and its property are reminiscent of those classic early 20th-century country estates designed by Mott B. Schmidt and David Adler, although updated for contemporary use. “If you blur your eyes, it could be a historical house, but it is so filled with breath and ease,” Smith says.