The Browns’ Placid Water Mill Residence

Docile and serene, Nannette and Marcus Brown’s spacious Water Mill abode commands reposeful living. Working alongside developer Mauricio Bittencourt from Bittencourt Design & Development, this was an adventure of digging deep to true simple living resulting in a house that lends itself to pure serenity and venerable entertaining.

The Browns shared in depth with an excitable attitude their thoughts about the property, giving an insightful portrayal of their well curated home.

Tristan Dyer: With the property being built to entertain, is this something that you utilize and celebrate?

Nannette and Marcus Brown: We enjoy spending time with our family and the new friends we have met since purchasing this home. Cooking and eating together while enjoying both the outdoors of the home and the many spacious nooks within the home provides ample space and comfort.

What brought you to the Hamptons and what do you treasure most about living out east?

We began spending time in the Hamptons during the pandemic to be closer to our children. They live in New York but moved out east during COVID. Even during that stressful time, we made valuable friendships and grew to enjoy the peace and serenity the area has to offer.

Is there something in particular you love most about your home and what was the trajectory when designing the house?

It reminds us of the Nancy Meyers-designed home in the movie “Something’s Gotta Give.” Our hope was to present elegant comfort and serenity. A dear friend who often visits refers to it as “God’s Summerhouse.”

Is there an astute and standout room in the residence and for what reason?

For me, Nannette, it’s the primary study. It has a beautiful view of the surrounding farmland and pool. It also has a very cozy fireplace and a desk where I like to sit and write when I am alone there. For Marcus, he really enjoys the pool and gym area. I’m a very slow triathlete, and it’s a real joy to be able to train at home.

Are there any special or unique pieces of artwork, artifacts or furniture that you have sourced that give a heightened sentiment and treasured value?

(Nannette) I love the painting in the game room of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg titled “100% That Bitch.” A true sentiment of how I feel when I am in my home in the Hamptons. There are also a lot of flower vases in the house. I love cutting fresh flowers from the garden.

(Marcus) It’s the Kevin Gillentine landscape painting near the wine room. Of course, a close second is the Lil Wayne piece in the game room — we are from New Orleans.

What inspires your design style — are you influenced by your surrounding and frequent travels?

(Nannette) There is a hint of my French heritage as seen in the café curtains and the style of some of the mirrors and accessories. Our New Orleans home is accented with French antiques and is a bit more formal. This home was intended to be a breath of fresh air and a nod to the ocean while maintaining a sense of elegance and sophistication to the somewhat beach house feel.

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Developer Mauricio Bittencourt channeled his wonderfully gestured dialog of constructing the classic and tasteful home.

Tristan Dyer: What was the main direction and goal when designing the house?

Mauricio Bittencourt: We wanted this to be an authentic Hamptons home. When I design I envision myself at the property with friends and family and take that as inspiration. This classic and traditional style of house was intended for everything to be integrated, from the outdoor landscape feeding into the main living area. The factor of entertaining was a huge push in terms of formulating a well curated design that feels cozy but can accommodate a lot of people if desired.

Having such a rich archive of experience, why is this residence unique compared to other properties you have designed?

I love the land that it is situated on. It’s in the middle of farmland so has a beautiful aesthetic and is peaceful and quiet. Being in a location that is in close proximity to the town center as well as the beaches is special and definitely caught my attention.

Talk to me about the distinctive aspects and qualities of the home.

We definitely created something wonderful by extending the porch with a beautiful pergola which was a nice detail. Marcus was very involved and present with the landscape of the house and everything came together naturally with such attention to detail. Stone details and the pool patio are a highlighted feature that brings special depth to the grounds. The cabinetry is top quality done by Ciuffo Cabinetry and the trim in the two story foyer by CB Trim was executed with a true artistic touch.

What challenges did you face during the construction period and were there any surprises you had to adapt to?

Building over COVID was definitely a challenge, and it took us about 16 months to complete. We had a great team that pulled it all together without too many hiccups.