For a new build on a half-acre waterfront lot along Long Island Sound, the task wasn’t just to capitalize on coastal views, but also to maximize space for a family with four active children. Doron Sabag of design-build firm SBP Homes (with offices in Stamford and Palm Beach) was up to the challenge, working in close collaboration with Maripi Aspillaga, founder of Greenwich’s Nima Design, who was tapped for the interiors.
First, Sabag set out to navigate difficult zoning regulations, requesting variances that would allow SBP to deliver the homeowners’ desired footprint, along with a pool at first-floor level and a garage under the house. Negotiating with the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) wasn’t easy, he admits. “It was a lot of stress at the beginning for the client, but it’s a happy ending. They have the house they wanted.”
That dream house, he explains, features a narrow layout front-to-back that offers a sightline to the water from nearly every room, as well as an open design with a good flow and custom built-ins throughout. “The focus was to have the front facing east and the back with the pool facing west in order to maximize the views,” Sabag says. “The primary, for example, faces southwest. You have really unobstructed views of Long Island Sound, sunsets and beautiful morning light.”
And it doesn’t stop there—Aspillaga remembers when the team first soaked in the full 360-degree view from the second and third floors. “It was almost like being on a ship,” she says. “That was something nobody expected, but once you were up there, you could see the whole Sound.” On the east side of the house, a custom gym and the youngest daughter’s bedroom boast a view of the Great Captain Island lighthouse.
Blooming pear trees and boxwoods add a touch of formality to the home’s entrance.
In the entry, a custom chandelier by Bocci and artwork by Zipora Fried draws the eye up the staircase.
In the kitchen, countertops from Padron Flooring & Design Center are paired with Davide Groppi pendants and Poliform stools; the custom millwork is by Sterling Custom Cabinetry.
An Aldo Chaparro steel sculpture anchors the living room, where furniture sourced from Italy is grounded by a custom hand-loomed rug by LM Carpets, while a Lindsey Adelman chandelier stretches across the dining area.
Furniture sourced from Italy—like the B&B Italia Husk armchair and footrest in the corner of the living room—is attractive yet durable in the family room.
In the primary bedroom, a custom bed by Artistic Upholstery is finished in Mokum fabric through Holly Hunt and flanked with Penta Light pendants and Hao Wai Ltd. nightstands.
An Eero Saarinen Womb chair by Knoll and a West Elm side table offer the perfect perch to take in the view.
In the primary bathroom, a Dornbracht tub filler is paired with a BainUltra tub.
The terrace features a sofa, coffee table and chair by Roda, anchored by a Paola Lenti outdoor rug.
A tight half-acre lot called for minimal plantings at the back of the house, limited to ornamental grasses for texture.
Janus et Cie chaise lounges and a Paola Lenti Strap table invite relaxing alongside a pool by Regal Blu Pool & Spa.
To keep the focus on the water views, Aspillaga delivered a clean, simple and minimalistic design. She also worked to source furniture that was practical and easy to maintain with “nothing too stuffy that the kids can’t sit on.”
The job was personal for the designer, who is close friends with the homeowners, giving her a keen sense of their needs. “They are a big family and they love to entertain,” she says. “They wanted something that was very functional, would be ideal for entertaining, and have a good flow.” Plus, plenty of places to take in the view, of course.
From the beginning, Sabag, Aspillaga and the homeowners worked closely together. “In terms of the design itself, they were very involved in everything, especially the wife,” Aspillaga says. “She has a really great eye. We went to Palm Beach to select porcelain tiles; we traveled to Milan to the furniture fair and selected the furniture there—it was like going on a trip with your best friend.”
Along with aesthetics, selections favored practicality. “All of the fabrics were selected to be durable with a soft touch—she wanted everything to be soft and comfy,” the designer notes. Her penchant for function extended to the kitchen, where the team sourced large-format porcelain from Padron Flooring & Design Center for the countertops. The homeowner didn’t want the upkeep of marble, but the slabs were mitered to look just like real stone. “Porcelain products have come a long way,” adds Sabag, who hosted Aspillaga and the client at his home in Palm Beach to visit Padron—“a porcelain tile heaven. We did the entire house in one day.”
The result is luxurious yet approachable, much like the house and homeowners themselves. “When you go to their house, you’re always greeted from the kitchen, where there’s a breakfast table that faces the water,” Aspillaga says. “It’s a huge house, but it feels very homey.”