Paint it Black: A Fashion Designer’s Modern Retreat in the Hamptons

No more will my green sea
Go turn a deeper blue…

— The Rolling Stones, “Paint It Black”

Well, except in the Hamptons, Mick! The seas are pretty blue here. Placed amid dense pitch pines, this dark house belongs to CFDA-nominated designer Tony Melillo, who launched his eponymous Anthony Thomas Melillo (ATM) lifestyle and sportswear brand in 2012. His original quest was to provide a collection of the perfect T-shirts, but the company has evolved, according to his Amagansett neighbor Gwyneth Paltrow on Goop, into an “all-out lifestyle brand predicated on striking the perfect balance between relaxed, laid-back style and serious elegance.”

Just one block to the ocean and completely renovated in 2020, the designer’s beach retreat exudes exactly what Paltrow expressed about Melillo’s lifestyle brand: it is both elegantly restrained yet relaxed with clean, modern lines, just about what you’d expect from a fashion designer whose aim was to design the most perfect and comfortable t-shirt ever made. Listed by Sara Goldfarb and Tal Alexander at Douglas Elliman, the property is asking $5.75 million.

Every feature of the property has been carefully chosen, from the midcentury-approved terrazzo stone terracing at the front entrance to the charcoal-like cedar siding that’s been treated in the shou sugi ban style, in which the wood is charred using a traditional Japanese technique. Also given the shou sugi ban treatment is the large deck that includes a fire pit that’s perfect for long summer evenings with cocktails.

Even when venturing inside, walls of glass invite the occupant to connect to relaxing views of nature. To add to the natural effect, Dinesen Douglas fir imported from Denmark is used for the flooring as well as for an accent wall in the main living space. Also from Denmark is the trendy Vipp kitchen, dressed in all black, which includes an integrated stove top and snack bar. Three bedrooms and two baths complete the 1,800 square foot residence, which is set on 0.68 of an acre. Off the master bedroom is a private deck, surrounded by plants for privacy, along with a JEE-O freestanding outdoor shower with pressure balance valve, perfect for rinsing off after a long afternoon at the beach. The other bedrooms also offer sliding glass doors to their own outdoor decks, and the baths are bespoke as well, each with high-end minimalist fixtures and, of course, matte black hardware. Plans included with marketing materials show the possibility of adding a second floor with a spacious master suite.

With impeccable style, rigorous simplicity and a palette of carefully selected materials, plus an effortlessly relaxed and cozy vibe, this house is indeed the residential equivalent of the perfect T-shirt.