North Fork Residence by Lake|Flato

Just two-hours from New York City, Peconic feels like a different world entirely. High-rises give way to rustic barns, and bustling storefronts are replaced by farms and charming harbours. Nestled in this idyllic locale is North Fork Residence, a home by San Antonio-based Lake|Flato, designed to beautifully reflect its surroundings.

Characterised by a trio of pastoral structures – an extended living barn, a utility barn and studio, and a small car-barn-turned-guest-barn – this farm-style residence is designed as a year-round sanctuary. “The clients came to us wanting a place where they could gather with family and friends amid this beautiful, wooded landscape overlooking Peconic. The desire was to arrive, shed suburbia and embrace a slower pace. They envisioned a place that felt like ‘camp’: humble, small-scale and connected to nature,” says Ted Flato, co-founder and partner of Lake|Flato.

“The clients came to us wanting a place where they could gather with family and friends amid this beautiful, wooded landscape overlooking Peconic.”

The architect arranged the three buildings around a central courtyard, reimagined from a soft, tree-covered sand dune. The utility barn anchors the northern slope, the living barn anchors the western periphery and the guest barn and pool establish the southern circumference. “To reduce construction time and to create a well-crafted wood structure, we had the bones of the house prefabricated in New Hampshire – a wood construction mecca – and shipped across the channel to Orient Point [a nearby port]. This arrival by barge seemed especially fitting for a place that is so intimately tied to the water,” says Flato.

As the central hub for daily living, the architect designed the living barn to adapt with the seasons. In warmer months, the one-room-wide layout, surrounded by windows, welcomes in the breeze and connects with the outdoors. In contrast, during winter, it serves as a cosy cocoon, shielding against the cold. The natural surroundings also influenced the material palette, which Lake|Flato curated to reflect the beauty of the outdoors. “It was important for the interior spaces to feel light but still have the natural texture of wood,” says project director Kelly Weckman. This is evident throughout the interior, featuring whitewashed pine on the walls and gabled ceiling, concrete flooring in the lower bedroom and black-stained oak millwork. The architects extended this approach to the benchtops and sinks, using soapstone for its natural tone and pattern, and opted for stained sapele frames for the windows that complement the light pine and dark millwork.

“It was important for the interior spaces to feel light but still have the natural texture of wood,” says project director Kelly Weckman.

The architect sought to tread lightly by minimising indoor gathering spaces while maximising outdoor areas. The team prefabricated structures to reduce construction waste and designed certain features, including systems and appliances, to operate without the use of fossil fuels. This approach not only mitigates the home’s environmental footprint but also fosters a deeper connection between the inhabitants and their surroundings, striking a balance between sustainability and liveability.

Architecture and interior design by Lake|Flato. Build by Greystone. Landscape design by Margie Ruddick Landscape.