Heart of the Hamptons
With a name that evokes the unspoiled beauty of Long Island, Briar Patch Estate offers the chance to enjoy the unique heritage of New York’s famed summer colony
The light and colors shift with every moment, enhancing the unrivaled views enjoyed from Briar Patch, East Hampton, home of education entrepreneur Chris Whittle and photographer Priscilla Rattazzi. It was this ever-changing luminosity that drew artists to Long Island in the 1900s. Once home to fishermen and farmers, The Hamptons became the summer retreat for New Yorkers by the 1930s; East Hampton village was, and remains, its most coveted address.
“Traditionally the ‘colonists’ stayed all summer and built large homes, which filled up with people fleeing the heat of New York and other cities. They enjoyed being by the water, beach life, and bathing,” says Peter Turino of Brown Harris Stevens of the Hamptons and North Fork, an affiliate of Christie’s International Real Estate, who is marketing the Briar Patch mansion.
The property is one of the few on the island to have the long side of the house facing the water
Chris Whittle
Today, although the character of The Hamptons has changed significantly, and although it has become a year-round retreat for Manhattan’s elite – it is just 105 miles from Midtown – it remains magically unspoiled.
The original Briar Patch house was built in 1931 on a site that commands the best location and water views available in East Hampton, with 1,156 feet of frontage on Georgica Pond and the Atlantic visible across a shining sandbar that glows gold at sunset. Conceived by architect Arthur C Jackson in the Georgian Revival style, the main house was extensively renovated in the 1990s by acclaimed architect Peter Marino.
The work took more than two years to complete, and Whittle recalls it well: “It was a very formal house with lots of small rooms, and we wanted a much more country-casual style of home. So we actually reduced the number of rooms, keeping the exact footprint and cedar-shingle exterior, and restoring and saving old items.” The entrance hall, with its magnificent staircase, was reinstated unchanged, and to its right, a three-story living space was created in order to take full advantage of the incredible views.
“The property is really all about the view,” says Whittle. “It’s one of the few on the island to have the long side of the house facing the water, exactly the reverse of most, because we have the quarter-mile frontage.”
Other renovations included the addition of wide porches to the back to enable lingering sundowners, a sunken library with coffered ceilings, two kitchens, and an expansive third-floor gym with water views. “Loving restoration formed a huge part of the renovations,” says Turino in reference to the home’s original fireplaces, reclaimed floorboards, handmade wallpaper, and hand-stenciled ceilings. Marino also designed a 3,500-square-foot guest “cottage” in the grounds. Crafted in the same style as the main building, the four-bedroom property has a separate address and is fully deeded, offering greater flexibility to future owners.
Outside, the landscaped grounds are dotted with mature sycamore and beech trees and include a 60-foot teak-decked swimming pool with pond and ocean views, a hot tub, and a sunken tennis court. Two sub-plots also offer valuable opportunities for expansion, with the entire estate now on the market to be sold as a single lot. It’s little wonder that the original residence, set within the Briar Patch Road Historic District, features on the National Register of Historic Places in recognition of its important heritage.
The Hamptons are famed in equal measure for their seasonal recreation and elite status, with many celebrity owners enjoying the relative privacy they offer. From Briar Patch Estate’s waterfront, you can push out a paddleboard, sailboat, or kayak and enjoy the pond undisturbed by motorcraft, which are banned. The area is still rich in bird life, including swans, herons, and osprey.
The beautifully proportioned three-story great room is flooded with natural light, and includes one of the home’s four fireplaces. Photograph: Eric Piasecki
This palatial property, and its generously sprawling 11 acres of land, has been owned by only three families in its 80-year history. Photograph: Eric Piasecki
A dream home by any standard, natural light and unspoiled views flood through each and every corner of the house. Photograph: Eric Piasecki
With its expansive porches and stunning water views, Briar Patch Estate was made for throwing open the doors and enjoying breakfast outdoors in full view of the sycamore-dotted countryside. Photograph: Eric Piasecki
Those simple pleasures are something that the Whittle family have enjoyed for a quarter of a century. “We have had 25 wonderful years here and it was a great place for the children. On a typical day we would sail down to the beach across Georgica Pond in a flat-bottomed cat [boat],” says Whittle. “One of the things about this spot is that at night you can still walk out and not see a single light, which is amazing in the middle of this active enclave.”
Active it is. Trails, surfing, and golfing are some of the leisure options nearby, while the evening sees everyone flock to the buzz of the village with its shops, fine restaurants, and cool cafes. East Hampton Airport, with private transport by helicopter and jet, is just round the corner, a 10-minute drive away.
