A Designer’s Montauk Home With 180-Degree Views of Block Island Sound

Designer Esha Soni, whose sculptural purses and accessories are sold at stores like New York’s Bergdorf Goodman, bought and renovated this four-bedroom, four-bathroom house in Montauk, New York, 10 years ago.

The hilltop home enjoys “breathtaking views and spectacular sunsets,” according to Zachary Tunick of Douglas Elliman, one of the listing agents.

Its location overlooking Block Island Sound “also means you get 180-degree views,” he said. “And you hardly need air conditioning because the ocean breezes are so spectacular.”

The home’s location “on a quiet cul-de-sac ensures there is absolutely no road noise or drive-by traffic,” Tunick said. “But there are trendy restaurants and terrific seasonal shops within walking distance.”

With a designer’s touch from Soni, the home is “beautifully renovated,” Tunick said. “It can be taken to the next level, but it’s already very livable.”

Open-plan living, dining and kitchen spaces anchor the home’s main level, with water views from walls of windows. There is a wood-burning brick fireplace in the living room.

The kitchen, with a granite-topped island at its center, features Wolf appliances. The primary suite includes two closets, a foyer, a large bathroom and walkouts to the home’s broad wooden terrace. The main floor includes a second bedroom, office, pantry and mudroom.

The lower level—“which is not subterranean, because of the topography,” Tunick said—includes two more bedrooms, a bathroom, a living room and storage space.

“I love my house because the view of the water and the sunset, the wide-open space, and the lush, old trees create a deep sense of calm,” Soni told Mansion Global in an e-mail. “In the evenings, the white walls and floors reflect the colors of the sunset in a simple, beautiful way.”

Before launching her eponymous handbag line in 2022, Mumbai-born Soni designed accessories for labels including Ghurka, Michael Kors Collection, Ralph Lauren and Proenza Schouler. “

The bags feel like they could easily double as home decor,” enthused fashion blog WhoWhatWear in August.

Furniture is available by separate negotiation.

Stats

With four bedrooms and four bathrooms, this 3,400-square-foot house occupies a 0.88-acre lot.

Amenities

The large wooden deck, about 15 feet deep by 80 feet wide, features a mechanical canopy.

Talking Points

The 3,400-square-foot house “could easily get expanded to 6,000 square feet,” Tunick said. While there is no pool, the property is permitted for one; because of the home’s large legal setback, a new owner could also add a garage, Tunick said.

Neighborhood Notes

Montauk is on the eastern tip of Long Island’s South Shore, overlooking the Atlantic Ocean and the Block Island Sound.

While Montauk has a reputation for nightlife—the village is home to more than 50 bars—“there is a community within the community of very successful, sophisticated parents with kids in the incredible schools here,” Tunick said. “These are people at the top of their fields, but down-to-earth. Montauk is about a laid-back lifestyle.”

Celebrity residents have included Julianne Moore, Robert De Niro and Bad Company drummer Simon Kirke. A-listers like Taylor Swift and Leonardo DiCaprio have also reportedly hung out at local hotspots like The Surf Lodge.

Private airports nearby include East Hampton Airport, about 20 miles west, and Francis S. Gabreski Airport in Westhampton Beach, about 40 miles west. Midtown Manhattan is about 117 miles west.

Agents: Zachary Tunick, Nicole Tunick, Douglas Elliman

Australia’s housing debate is often dominated by affordability and supply, but a new collaboration between Brickworks and acclaimed architecture firm Kennedy Nolan argues the conversation should also focus on the quality and longevity of the homes being built.

The project, titled Our Next Neighbourhood, examines how suburban housing could evolve in response to shrinking block sizes, rising energy costs, increasing density and changing family structures.

Rather than proposing luxury dream homes, the initiative focuses on what its creators describe as achievable suburban housing models that are more flexible, sustainable, and better suited to modern Australian life.

Brickworks commissioned Kennedy Nolan to investigate what suburban housing might look like if “design, long-term liveability and enduring materials were placed at the centre of the conversation”.

The result is two housing concepts, known as the Street Terrace and Canopy Terrace, which explore higher-density living while maintaining access to green space, natural light and privacy.

The designs incorporate adaptable floorplans that can evolve as family needs change, along with passive design principles intended to reduce reliance on mechanical heating and cooling.

Brett Ward, General Manager of Marketing at Brickworks, said the company wanted to broaden the discussion around housing beyond simply increasing supply.

“Much of the housing conversation today is understandably focused on supply and affordability, but there is an equally important discussion to be had about the quality and longevity of the homes we build,” he said.

“We wanted to explore how thoughtful design, combined with durable, resilient materials, could create homes that not only function well today, but continue to support Australian families and communities long into the future.”

Kennedy Nolan said the project was partly inspired by concerns that contemporary housing often struggles to adapt to changing household structures and environmental pressures.

The architects said innovation in suburban housing was “essential” to address changing family groupings, energy use, urban heat island effects and growing disconnection from place.

According to the design team, the concepts draw on lessons from some of Australia’s most influential housing projects while seeking to create neighbourhoods with stronger links to landscape, community and local identity.

Rachel Nolan, founder of Kennedy Nolan, said the practice saw an opportunity to reimagine suburban housing as something “more connected to our climate, our landscape, our communities and our Australian identity”.

The project comes as policymakers, developers and planners continue searching for ways to deliver more housing without sacrificing liveability, neighbourhood character or long-term sustainability.

A Designer’s Montauk Home With 180-Degree Views of Block Island Sound

Esha Soni, who designs luxury handbags and jewelry, bought and renovated the four-bedroom hilltop house a decade ago.

Brickworks has enlisted acclaimed architecture studio Kennedy Nolan to explore how homes could become more adaptable, energy-efficient and connected to community.