Blaze Makoid’s Sag Harbor house feels right at home in nature. Egrets poke about in the reeds and crabs scuttle by the dock of this tranquil waterfront spot in the Hamptons’ most culture-filled village.
But that tranquility belies the many challenges that faced Makoid — an architect whose eponymous firm is based in the Hamptons — when building the Contemporary, two-story abode. Set on a sloping plot, the property abuts precious wetlands, which dictated a setback along with a buffer zone from the water comprised of native vegetation. There was also a 14-foot change in grade and a flood zone that diagonally bisected the lot.
“We only had a maximum buildable footprint of 1,500 square feet,” says Makoid, who, with his wife Tracy Mitchell, the executive director of the Bay Street Theatre in Sag Harbor, purchased the land on Bluff Point Road on Sag Harbor Cove in 2006.
Makoid and Mitchell fell in love with the town because of its vibrant year-round community — a sharp contrast from the more isolated Sagaponack where they had previously lived. “Sag had a true main street and streets we could walk and ride bikes on. Also having access to the harbor connects you to the water in a psychic way,” says Makoid.
Set on barely one-third of an acre, the Makoid-Mitchell home is a small project compared to many of the residences the architect designs — which can easily top 8,000 square feet. Makoid’s firm, with a staff of 12, creates modern, luxurious Hamptons houses for stylish New Yorkers including eyewear designer Robert Marc and New Orleans interior designer Jon Vaccari, whose permanent home is in Sag Harbor.
For his own home, Makoid wanted to create a warm, inviting space for his wife, their daughter Alex, 10, and their curly-coated retriever, Jetsam, while getting full use of the small lot. “I designed out every corner of the house, both horizontally and vertically,” he says.
Makoid started building the home in 2006, using materials ranging from masonry stucco to stained black cedar, and completed the project in 11 months. To maximize the property’s footprint, Makoid built two box-like buildings joined with a glass slot that runs along the foyer; at its center is a Poulsen Artichoke chandelier.
The foyer extends to a deck, and an 8-by-16-foot plunge pool. Beyond that is the dock, where the family moors a 26-foot powerboat by the Rhode Island-based boating company Vanquish.
The first level of the home has an open floor plan; its living/dining area and kitchen space feature accordion windows on two sides that completely open to the outside. “We are not really air conditioning people, and the windows on both sides create air flow,” explains Makoid. He added screens that lower with the push of a button to keep out bugs without blocking the water view.
The décor is minimalist, in keeping with the contemporary design of the home. The living room features a sleek walnut and glass coffee table of Makoid’s own design that displays books as well as stores games and newspapers. Nearby is a walnut and steel wall mirror he designed to reflect the view of the water when you walk into the living room. The family has breakfast at a solid teak table by Furniture Garden, with Saarinen chairs from Knoll. An Eames chaise and ottoman from Herman Miller and a Room & Board beige sofa are used for reading. Design and travel books rest on raw steel side tables; a vintage wall lamp of brass and marble and a Noguchi paper globe illuminate the space.
Makoid likes to cook and the couple entertains year-round: “We do lots of dinner parties with friends, and sometimes as a place for Bay Street fundraisers,” he says. To that end, the kitchen has high, marble-topped counters for communal comfort — he’s 6-foot-5, while Mitchell is 5-foot-2. Cabinets, meanwhile, are designed for easy reach for both heights, and for Alex. A marble counter is high enough to conceal a working area in the kitchen, and is convenient for doing homework with a laptop.
A walk across the foyer to the other side of the home leads to a chic mudroom where each family member has a closet, as well as a home office that houses Alex’s piano. It’s also where the glass-enclosed “outdoor” dining room is located, so called because wall-to-wall retractable screen panels open on to the outside deck. It features CB2 chairs surrounding a raw steel and quartz-top dining table Makoid designed. He also crafted the chandelier with reclaimed swamp cypress accented with West Elm globes.
Stairs in the double-height foyer lead to the family’s bedroom on the second level. The master suite features a floor-to-ceiling glass bathroom with well-established oak trees just outside, giving the effect of an outdoor shower but with plenty of privacy.
A wooden footbridge connects the two sections of the home on this level, and leads to two more bedrooms, a bathroom and a laundry room. Currently, the third bedroom is being converted into Makoid’s home office.
Despite Sag Harbor’s myriad amenities and attractions, it’s clear that for Makoid and his family, home remains their most favorite spot of all. Indeed, after this particularly brutal winter, they’re looking forward to summer gatherings on the lawn. He’s even in the process of building a fire pit.
And why not?
“It’s the perfect place to end the evening,” says Makoid, “with s’mores and a glass of wine.”