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Sep 20, 2023

Step Inside Designer Mark Zeff’s Modern Barn Home in the Hamptons

By Miranda Agee Architect and designer Mark Zeff’s latest project is Blackbarn,

By Miranda Agee

Architect and designer Mark Zeff's latest project is Blackbarn, a cocktail table book, due out in December, that focuses on the creation of his personal residence on the East End of Long Island, New York. The barn, which Zeff calls his "ultimate sanctuary," is an archetype of minimalist architecture on the outside; inside it is bursting with a mix of personal accessories that reflect Zeff's personal aesthetic. "Blackbarn is the purest expression of my creative worldview," he says. "It embodies a lifetime of influences, ideas, and experiences. For me, the structure has come to symbolize the slow rhythm and languid calm of an earlier time."

Not only does the book offer an exclusive look at the home, it's filled with images of the surrounding landscape. Zeff takes readers on a tour of the grounds during each season and includes gorgeous imagery of his design process throughout the tome. "While designing the house, we voyaged to Italy and visited places that were new to us. Inspirations from different locals found their way into the design," he writes. "The blazing crimson of a gondola station we saw compelled us to expand our color sensibility and start a whole new collection of bright red objects."

Zeff's personal collection of antiques and souvenirs from his travels are what give the home appeal: a fuchsia-dyed Indian rug in the living room, a cowry shell necklace that sits atop a dresser, and stacks of vintage National Geographics that line the custom lacquered shelves in the library. "The home is relaxing and highly personal, layered with meaningful objects and details that you discover over time," writes Zeff. "Every item in the home speaks to the journeys that we’ve taken and simply seduces the eye."

"The house was painstakingly sited to frame long, lingering vistas while blocking views of neighbors—thereby ensuring privacy for the glass-walled interiors and the outdoor living spaces," writes Zeff. Shown: The grounds of Blackbarn and the serene swimming pool.

"Trees were removed with surgical precision to establish sight lines through adjacent fields, visually expanding the property," writes Zeff. Shown: The long and narrow gravel-lined driveway.

Nature is my most constant source of inspiration," writes Zeff. "The crisscross motif of a Moroccan rug recalls pathways scored through a field of grass. The painterly quality of the poured-concrete floors recalls molting bark or an aerial landscape view. These tactile elements are a medium to convey the intangible, atmospheric power of the living world." Shown: The living room is anchored by a fuchsia rug.

"The painted-steel staircase balustrade takes cues from a fish boat's net," writes Zeff.Shown: The airy foyer shows off the sleek concrete floors, accented by another bright rug.

"In many rooms, weather-worn walls of black-painted pine form a backdrop for an array of earthly ephemera," writes Zeff. A whale vertebrae and a bowl of shells pop against the stark black backdrop. Shown: A decorative vignette near Blackbarn's main living space.

"Glass vitrines, open shelving, and expansive tabletops serve as display pedestals for artifacts and curios—from seashells and driftwood to vintage dishware and specimen prints," writes Zeff. "Furnishings, too, are global in origin and exotic in flavor: ebony chairs purchased in Sri Lanka, rugs from India and Morocco, and midcentury pieces of European provenance." Shown: Another eclectic living space.

"Threaded throughout the interior are zoning-out zones and quiet nooks; even when the house is full, one can still find a hushed haven," writes Zeff. Shown: One such place in the home, the library.

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"The master bathroom was the one space that [my wife] Kristen wanted to be a bit over-the-top, with grander proportions—thus the huge soaking tub, the outside double-vanity, and the glass box shower," Zeff writes. "When the trees are bare, we enjoy views of the Peconic Bay." Shown: The grand master bathroom with a feature wall built of pine and painted in Zeff's signature hue.

The cover of Blackbarn (ORO Editions) by Mark Zeff.

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