Tour an Art-Filled Modern Oasis on Long Island

Once a 19th-century Quaker community, the Long Island village of Old Westbury is now associated with lavish traditional estates. It's part of the island's "Gold Coast," where F. Scott Fitzgerald set The Great Gatsby.) Mojo Stumer Associates — a modern design team that’s received national attention (and plenty of awards) for its innovative projects — aimed to make contemporary history with its own take on luxury in Old Westbury. The 6,000-square-foot, mahogany-and-stone-clad result both blends in with its wooded, once-pastoral setting and deploys modern minimalism to create a 21st-century oasis. Principal architect Mark Stumer and interior designer Jessica Licalzi threw open the doors of this two-story, four-bedroom jewel box and walked HGTV through its spectacular details.

Licalzi chose Allison Berger's Counterweight Chandelier to anchor the two-story foyer. “The chandelier is both sculptural and minimalistic, but also achieves an unmistakable intentionality in its simplicity and boldness," she says. Italian scientist Galileo's pulley experiments inspired the piece: "Each arm, made of handblown glass, can be individually repositioned."

Both homeowners come from a family that has collected art for generations; "displaying their art collection was a tremendous consideration," Licalzi says. "On one hand, this home is a piece of artwork unto itself, in keeping with their taste. At the same time, however, the home is also the perfect gallery for their art."

The custom, full-height wine refrigerator framing the floating staircase on the ground floor holds about 200 bottles, and is an apt asset for a couple that play host and hostess on a regular basis. "The house is set up to host both large and intimate gatherings, as they enjoy entertaining," Licalzi says.