Summertime: "The Anti-McMansion"

In 2005 House & Garden published an article that featured this wonderfully unpretentious house on the ocean in Eastern Long Island (otherwise known as "The Hamptons.")

The barn-like house has an interesting history.  It was originally a recreational hall built in Delaware by the U.S. Navy during World War I.  In 1919, it was moved to its present location by an old Quogue family to be used as an artist's studio.  It is truly an anachronism in a sea of super-sized erstatz shingle McMansions, and as H&G put it, it "radiates a soulful charm."

The proud owners, Rick Livingston and Jim Brawders, pose with their 1973 Mustang in front of their iconic summer home.

This "relic" from a bygone era of the Hamptons is a wide, sprawling one-level structure.

To quote H&G again, "The rustic character of the barn is reinforced by the layering of rough, natural textures:  sisal carpeting, wood-grained paneling, wicker furniture, and a hemp chandelier."

The front porch, replete with 50s metal glider and chairs.

In a corner of the main room, a group of antique apple-picking ladders feels sculptural.

In another area of the main room, this old camp sofa sports its original striped fabric.  The coffee table is by Period, Rick Livingston's design firm.  The wood paneling on the wall resembles pecky cyprus, much coveted today.

The kitchen boasts a 1953 Chambers stove.  In today's world of high end kitchens, enameled exteriors like the fire engine red of this stove are again in style.

The master bedroom has a broad spectrum of furnishings that range from a Pottery Barn bed to a American hooked rug from the 1920s. 

One of my favorites:  this whimsiscal mural was painted by one of the artists from the 1930s that originally used the house as a studio.  This is but one element that just can't be replicated.

This article appeared in House & Garden about six years ago, beautifully photographed by Martyn Thompson, and this venerable house is still nestled in the dunes, defying the elements and the odds.  Let's hope it continues!

Thanks for reading, everyone!