Spaces: Shelton, Mindel + Associates X Robert A.M. Stern: East Hampton, New York

Commissioned and built in 1993, this Colonial Revival home was designed by architect Robert A.M. Stern, and decorated by the American traditionalist Mark Hampton.  20 years later, the owners were ready for something new, and commisioned Shelton, Mindel & Associates to provide the interiors with a Modernist update.

Lee F. Mindel, cofounder, with the late Peter Shelton, of the New York City architecture and interior design firm Shelton, Mindel & Associates, is a modernist with a keen appreciation for classical architecture. So he was intrigued by the challenge of recasting the decor while preserving Stern’s vision. “We knew we could apply the principles of modernism without undermining the home’s traditional appearance,” Mindel says. “We could dematerialize the spaces to emphasize the light and the views.” Except for gutting the kitchen, he basically left the structure and its classic detailing intact. “It was important for us to honor the building—we were changing something that did not need to be changed,” insists the architect. “There is no surface that was left untouched, but there has been a lot of respect for what came before.”

Furniture selection reflects the refined taste of Shelton Mindel.  The living room features lounge seating by Kerstin Hörlin-Holmquist surrounding a coffee table by Jean Royere, a pair of pop-era yellow Nanna Ditzel chairs and a floor lamp by Paavo Tynell. The entrance hall features sconces by Georges Jouve, and a table by Carlo di Carli.  The kitchen features Vistosi pendants and Hans Wegner Wishbone chairs.  The family room features a floor lamp by Arne Jacobsen, and the library features a chandelier by Angelo Lelli and another Paavo Tynell floor lamp.  The children's room features an Alvar Aalto table and chairs, finished with an Eero Saarinen Womb Chair in the corner. 

Read the full project details at AD.  Photos by Michael Moran.