Gia Walsh has summered in the Hamptons since she was a child. So when she and husband David had a chance to buy an uncompleted house just steps from the ocean, they jumped. Gia contacted the original architect, Lee Skolnick, and after several discussions, they decided to start over.
The current house is inspired by Malmaison, the Empress Josephine’s home outside Paris, but Lee has reinterpreted the chateau style in a contemporary way. The result is a very crisp house that’s symmetrical in design. The exterior is covered in stucco with a slate roof and copper flashings. Inside, the rooms are arranged formally, but each has a different character.
The entry hall is three stories tall with a sweeping staircase and bridge that separates different wings of house. Most of the ceilings are vaulted. The rear of the house offers an informal courtyard accented with pergolas. Builder Glen Webb developed a system of concealed rain gutters of lead-coated copper. Gia says the sound that emanates when it rains lulls her to sleep. Glen says the number of finishes challenged him, but he trained local craftsmen to meet Lee’s high standards.
Guests Lee Skolnick
Architect, Lee Skolnick Architecture + Design Partnership
7 West 22 St.
New York, NY 10010
Phone: 212-989-2624
Website:
www.skolnick.com
Glen A. Webb
General Contractor, David & Glen Webb, Inc.
PO Box 3007
East Hampton, NY 11937
Phone: 631- 324 5848
E-mail:
aw1428@optonline.net 
