A recent construction of a private residence in Shelter Island, NY, made extensive use of Israeli travertine - supplied by West End Stone in New York, NY. The selected stone takes advantage of heat from the home’s abundant natural light, as the design of the structure called for glass window walls on all four sides of the home.

When the architect, Michael Johnson of Michael P. Johnson Studios in Cave Creek, AZ, looked at the site for the project, he knew that he wanted to optimize the views. “I lifted the house off the ground to get a better view of the water,” he said. “I’ve been doing this too many years, so I never go in with a design goal. I just look at the site. There’s a logical solution to it, and it just kind of happens.”

Besides lifting the building into the air for a better view, Johnson took that concept a step further by making prevalent use of glass for all four sides of the home. For this reason, travertine was selected throughout the residence. “We wanted a hard surface,” said Johnson. “There’s an advantage in using stone over wood [for the floor]. From a solar standpoint, when the sun hits the stone, its heat sinks in, which warms the house. In the winter, it penetrates the house by heating the stone.”

Pieces of 1- x 2-foot travertine are utilized throughout the entire upper level floor as well as in the entryway, which features a travertine deck area that goes out above the lower level. Additionally, Johnson connected the three floors of the home with a travertine stairway. Travertine also extends into the exterior, comprising the entire deck. A further element of travertine can be found in a sunken bathtub, which is made of the material

In total, the home measures 3,500 square feet, and 2,000 square feet of travertine is featured in the interior, while the exterior deck is comprised of 1,000 square feet of the stone. “For this project, the owner selected the travertine for its color and veining,” said Johnson.

In the lower level bedrooms, Johnson made further use of stone choices. Each of those rooms has a bathroom with a natural stone tub deck in addition to wall surrounds featuring marble.

Johnson, who visited the site once a month during construction as well as being present during the floor layout, explained that for out-of-state residential projects, he normally gets specific with the contractor he finds. “What I generally do when I work out-of-state is find a contractor that has been building these kinds of buildings or one that has been doing commercial rather than residential, because they’re used to looking at and following architectural plans,” he said.

The project began construction a year after design plans were complete. “The client is very happy and very proud,” Johnson said of the finished project.

Sidebar:

Private Residence
Shelter Island, NY

Architect: Michael P. Johnson Studios, Cave Creek, AZ

Stone Supplier: West End Stone, New York, NY