PULSE’S ANNUAL QUEST TO FIND LONG ISLAND’S MOST EXQUISITE DWELLINGS starts with a lofty description: extraordinary. The task is inherently problematic, as our region is host to many homes that befit the moniker—finding them is as easy as looking left or right. The other challenge is the basic subjectivity of what makes one property more extraordinary than another. Submissions came in from the edges of the Gold Coast to the tip of Montauk, lauding homes with twists and turns previously thought to be architecturally impossible. Thus from hundreds of possibilities, we present the absolutely objective…

Related Content: Have a Gatsby-Style Day Trip at 7 Gold Coast Mansions

Southampton Country Estate

NESTLED ON FOUR manicured acres in the heart of the luxury estate community of Olde Town in Southampton sits the pristine country house affectionately known as Twin Peaks.

The three-level home’s refreshing, modern appointments and state-of-the-art amenities integrated by renowned interior designer Anthony Ingrao are dovetailed by building firm Kean Development’s pristine, award-winning residential construction.

Walking into the home, a dramatic entry leads to a living room with a full bar, media room and library. At approximately 15,500 square feet, the main house boasts eight full en suite bedrooms, two of which are master suites. When not enjoying the sanctuary of the bedroom, homeowners and their guests can get their fill in the estate’s professional grade kitchen designed to accommodate catered events as well as a separate traditional main kitchen, which leads to a glass encased breakfast room for a more causal at-home dining experience.

The amenities ensure entertainment will never be a difficulty—this is why one comes to The Hamptons. A roof deck features a putting green as well as expansive ocean views. And the lower level is home to a theater and professional two-lane bowling alley complete with an entertainment lounge starring a full bar and billiards area. No detail was spared in the home’s attached guest cottage (or nanny suite) either. The space includes a full kitchen, a living and dining room in addition to two bedrooms with their own en suite baths.

The luxurious interior of Twin Peaks is alluded to as soon as one sets eyes on the property. The automated security gates open to reveal a meticulous landscape, bordered by a classic Hamptons privet hedge. A verdant, treed periphery maintains privacy as well as a feeling of Gold Coast beauty throughout the Hamptons estate. That expansive outdoor area is a mecca for diversion too. An ample terrace is set amongst vivid garden beds, a barbecue patio, gas fire pit and a tennis court. A custom 60’ x 34’ Gunite swimming pool and an oversized spa sit at the edge of the pool house terrace, rounding out the home’s bevy of creature comforts.

Sands Point Modern Master

List price: $29M Taxes: $94,500 Bedrooms: 8 Bathrooms: 9 full, 4 half Year built: 2016 Lot size: 4 acres Listing agency: The Friedman Team

THIS NEWLY CONSTRUCTED waterfront estate exemplifies masterfully executed modern design. Situated on four acres in the upscale neighborhood of Sands Point, the home is designed with a breathtaking open floor plan adorned by lofty ceilings and a full wall of windows overlooking the Long Island Sound and a private sandy beach.

An oversized wooden barn door stands at the entrance to the first floor, opening to a great room that impresses with custom built-in art. The commanding design continues with a Ferrari racing inspired billiards room crowned by an open river rock replace and a full wet bar with three full-size wine refrigerators. Multiple terraces, all with unobstructed views of the water, further define the space. The jewel of this floor is the Eggersmann main kitchen (in this writer’s humble opinion). Befitting a master chef, the kitchen’s vast amenities include a built-in cappuccino maker, double ovens and a spacious eating area.

The second floor is home to the grand master bedroom suite with a full wall of glass windows overlooking the water, private terrace, floating fireplace, kitchenette, separate his/her bathrooms and walk-in closets.

A 50-foot long indoor pool with waterfall and hot tub looks out at the water through a retractable glass wall and is accompanied by an indoor/outdoor full bar and kitchen. A sauna, steam room and full bathroom are all located next to the pool for maximum relaxation. This level also includes a home theater, full-room golf simulator, gym and large seating area overlooking a glass-enclosed basketball court.

The modern home boasts another enviable characteristic: it’s one of the most eco-friendly homes on the market with a closed loop geothermal heating/cooling system, rainwater filtration system and solar panels. The smart home comes equipped with programmable lighting, audio/visual, security
system cameras and temperature control. The property has an automatic gate, attached five-car garage with heated floors, rooftop organic garden and lounge with multiple golf tee boxes. If navigating the 16,000-square-foot-home sounds like a lot of walking, not to worry—an elevator services all levels.

Upper Brookville Tudor Splendor

Upper Brookville Tudor List price: $29.9M Taxes: $161,942 Bedrooms: 7 Bathrooms: 7 full, 2 half Year built: 1970
Lot size: 40 acres
Listing agency: Daniel Gale Sotheby’s

THIS REMARKABLE 40-ACRE property located in the elite Village of Upper Brookville impresses with a charming history and unparalleled craftsmanship. Originally built in 1916 by millionaire Sterling Postley, attorney for the Singer Sewing Machine Company, the carriage house-style home has extraordinary character. The four-bedroom Tudor residence is the centerpiece of the property, which also includes a pool house, two three-bedroom cottages, a studio cottage and a four-bedroom frame house on the grounds.

Stained glass windows in the main home were recovered from historic churches, and large American and European barn-style wooden doors and ceiling beams create a rustic, yet posh and timeless environment. Even the extension of the house seamlessly flows into the original Austrian-style architecture. The exposed timber crossbeams were reclaimed from barns in upstate New York to perfectly match the existing wood. An open turret in the center hall showcases the height of the three-story peak and serves as a focal point for the design. Rare French-style wood floors were installed throughout the Tudor to enhance its original architectural detailing.

The separate 7,700-square-foot pool house with two limestone fireplaces and 30-foot ceilings was added in 1995. Adjacent to the Tudor home, the
pool house features a host of amenities including a commercial size kitchen with granite countertops, top-of-the-line appliances and French doors that lead out to a deck overlooking the 75-foot heated pool. Three bedrooms each include private en suite baths. The newer pool house is no less charming than the original main house. The first floor is finished with tiles imported from country estates in Europe, while the second floor is bedecked with custom woodwork and cathedral ceilings.

Outside, a parking area of more than 900 square feet is paved with bricks reclaimed from the original 1940 roadway of the Queens-Midtown Tunnel during the 1995 tunnel rehabilitation project. Through the main gate are the Tudor and the pool house surrounded by perennial plantings and a long stone path leading downhill to a secluded gazebo with a built-in fire pit for nights of endless entertainment.