From whitewashed wood floors to marble shower tiles, bright blue bathroom walls to bamboo window shades, Persian rugs to plaid couch cushions, beach houses are as individual as the people who own them.
“It’s funny how everyone has their own piece of paradise,” said Joyce Segal, Saltaire homeowner and one of nine Saltairians who shared their celestial abodes with the community at the Saltaire House and Garden Tour on Saturday, July 17.
The tour showcased the different definitions – and decorations – in these personal paradises, beginning with a blast of color at stop number one – the home of Concha Mendoza and Cesar Perales.
Each room in the spacious house on Navy Walk was a color vibrant enough to bring light to even the darkest day. From sun yellow to bright blue, orange and green, the rooms glowed with personality. “All we did was change the colors, it was all gray inside before,” said Mendoza of her home’s paintjob.
In stark contrast from the bright swaths of color in Mendoza’s house, Ethel and Hillary Lipsitz went with the monochromatic simplicity of a traditional beach house in their neighboring homes on Pilot Walk. Tones of white ruled the décor in their first home, from the furniture to the floors and walls. Color was well-placed in the house’s accessories – the rugs and the chair cushions burst with hues that stood out against the white backdrop.
The Lipsitzes decided to go all-white soon after moving into their home, which was dominated by earth tones prior to their renovations. Not fans of olive greens, mustard yellows and utilitarian browns, said Ethel, the choice to go white wasn’t a hard one. “We’ve done a lot of work here,” she said.
The same rule of simplicity applied next door, where the Lipsitzes’ children and grandchildren live. Climbing up the stairs from ground level to the second floor, however, offered a break from the white found downstairs. Stained wood floors and walls gave a clean crisp look to the wide-open room, where the floor-to-ceiling windows were decorated with bamboo shades. Bordering Clam Pond, each of the Lipsitz homes had a wonderful view and spectacular breeze.
The first garden of the tour was the next stop, at the Beacon Walk home of Jane and Carl Ekstein. The couple, who moved into the house over two decades ago, has been tending to some sort of garden since they came to Saltaire. They just started off small.
“Jane has always had a garden,” said Carl. “It started off as a 10-by-5 foot garden and has grown from there.” The Ekstein’s entire property – all six lots – is now covered with garden. Carl made sure to stress that it’s been his wife’s green thumb that has lent to the garden’s growth and longevity. “I’m the day laborer,” he said. “I just follow orders here.”
Day lilies, astilbes and purple lustrife make up most of the couple’s sunlit garden, while ferns, hostas and hydrangea grow in the shade.
Another main attraction in the Eckstein’s backyard is a grapevine-covered gazebo, built 15 years ago. The grapevines grew on a trellis when the couple first bought the house and are currently enjoying a much larger support system. By summer’s peak, the vines will cover the entire top of the gazebo, providing shade from the sun, said Carl.
Up next were Ellen and Bruce Ressler, homeowners on Pennant Walk. Following a long entry walk beautifully landscaped on both sides, a house styled in non-traditionalist Fire Island fashion greeted the tour group. Box-like in appearance, the large, modern home was filled with long rectangular-shaped windows and complemented by an in-ground pool – the only one on the tour. Once inside, the house revealed a cross breeze so powerful that air conditioning – even in the worst heat – is not necessary. “I don’t like A/C,” said Ellen. “It gets real cold here because of the cross-ventilation.”
The Ressler’s spacious back deck, overlooking Clam Pond, had a wooden walkway that curved its way to the water, where the family boat was docked.
Around the corner on Anchor was the impressive garden of Gloria and Herb Abramowitz. Full of dahlias, the garden was just short of being in full bloom. “Every flower in this garden will be different than the other,” boasted Herb, adding that over 150 varieties of dahlias will grow in his garden. They’ll range in size from one-foot to one-inch in diameter, he said.
Another highlight of the Abramowitz property began as an attempt to reduce flooding in the area. After digging a hole in the hopes of giving excess water a place to go, the couple accidentally unveiled the water table. A natural pond now traces the back perimeter of the property and is home to a few snapping turtles, said Herb.
Emphasizing the phrase “Home Sweet Home” – was the house of News columnist Grace Corradino and husband Brian Kerr. Two giant ferns stood guard at the door, and potted plants graced the inside of the house and the screened-in porch. The house had a cozy feel, highlighted by little touches of personality spread throughout the rooms. There were little dolls on a shelf in the bathroom, and seashells in a jar by the sink. A miniature screen door rested against a bedroom wall and a mounted fish (Brian is a big fisherman) hung on the wall leading upstairs. A copy of The Fire Island News adorned the kitchen countertop. (Thanks, Grace.)
A recurring theme on the tour was especially prevalent at Zoe and Joel Dictrow’s house on East Walk. Almost every house visited had some sort of collection, whether it was seashells or stained glass, glass bowls or owl figurines. The Dictrows collected vintage signs. The signs – for Coca-Cola and Orange Kist, cigarettes and root beer decorated the entranceway. There was also an interesting array of artwork displayed throughout the house and an antique carnival roulette wheel hung on the wall of one bedroom.
Easy to boast about on the next stop of the tour was the incredible panoramic view from the top floor of Joyce and Eric Segal’s home. Built in 1969, the house is at the end of Inlet Walk and on the beach. Lined with windows, the home’s second floor offers quite a sight – from east to west, ocean and out to the bay, the 360-degree view is unobstructed and worth bragging about.
The tour ended at the Anchor Walk home of Barbara and William Higgins who, like many other homeowners, went with a mostly-white look. On the walls hung a collection of personal photos, a common thread in many houses on the tour. The Higgins also displayed a small collection of colored glass jars and enjoyed that refreshing cross breeze. An outdoor hot tub overlooked the ocean and a hammock was set up for some perfectly shady relaxing.
Close to 100 people attended this year’s tour, according to Claire Briody, who co-chaired the event with Dorothy Beardslee. “The houses were outstanding and the hosts were very gracious to let us in,” she said.
Proceeds from the tour go to the Saltaire Community Action Association.