Nestled on a creek overlooking the Peconic Bay on Long Island’s North Shore, this relaxed beach community is a sought-after location for primary residences and summer homes alike. Designer Kathryn Hunt’s clients, a young family that loves to entertain, purchased the home in 2017 and knew its traditional architecture wasn’t suited to their taste or lifestyle—and wanted to make thoughtful changes to ensure the home would stay in the family for generations to come. A gut renovation ensued, and the result is spectacular. 

The home was first designed as a New England Colonial with plenty of traditional details. “When we first met with the client, I immediately understood they wanted some more modern and eclectic details in the home,” Kathryn explains. “They also wanted a complete open floor plan in the main spaces so they could see the kids playing in the living room from any vantage point.”

By tweaking the floor plan and window placement, the space transformed. “We added the two large windows flanking the kitchen hood mid framing because we did not want to lose the view of the creek to the north,” she explains. “We were also able to add a pantry and enlarge the mudroom on the first floor.” The space remained family-friendly, as well. “The furniture was custom designed with sustainability in mind, and we used lots of Perennials and other performance fabrics for all the little fingers,” she says. There’s also a fun bunk bed as a secondary play space to the outdoors.  

Of course, a project of this size—and on the waterfront, to boot—requires extensive permitting. “Using a local and experienced builder was key,” Kathryn shares, crediting Burger Custom Homes for their expertise. The home ended up at about 4000 square feet and all the furniture is custom sized and fit for each space. 

Take a closer look in the slideshow.