Windows and doors

Tight confines meant only a few feet of foyer before giving way to the stairway and kitchen, yet the small footprint (and a glass door) helped fill the home with natural light.

The ground-floor spaces are separated by fusuma panels that allow natural light and air to move through the house.

Black steel frames around the contemporary Pella windows add dramatic contrast to the white-and-wood design.

The interior doors were replaced with flush, solid core doors painted Farrow & Ball Inchyra Blue.

The couple sanded, repaired, and sealed the wood ceilings, exterior overhangs, wood beams, posts, and window trim inside and out.

The front door is by Simpson Door Company.

Floor-to-ceiling windows bathe the living spaces with natural light.

Inside the closets are items like the family’s ski equipment, neatly arranged and always at the ready.

Scott Glass, cofounder of New York–based firm Guerin Glass Architects, designed this six-bedroom retreat in Amagansett on Long Island for himself and his wife, former MSNBC host JJ Ramberg. The Hamptons residence comprises three volumes clad in cypress, cedar, and glass.

“ It’s not spaceship stuff. It’s here now, and it can save you money,” says Jeff.

The homeowner also crafted the surround of the bathtub in the master bathroom.

The doors and windows are framed in plaster, which the owners formed, sanded, and finished themselves. The slightly uneven finish gives the home a handcrafted feel that contrasts with the sleekly finished timber work.

The home is articulated along the ridge to command the highest point on the property, providing the clients with sweeping views across the rolling farmland.

Whitlock’s window frames are accented with Benjamin Moore’s Electric Orange ($6.50 per pint). “People go on vacation and take photos of all these vibrant houses and then they go home and paint their house brown,” Whitlock says. “Don’t be afraid of color.” A hint: When going Day-Glo bright, look for shades with barely there black undertones to mute their intensity. benjaminmoore.com

The home’s compact form and modest amounts of glazing add to its overall eco-friendliness. The white oak casework, which goes from floor to ceiling throughout much of the kitchen, was fabricated by Big Branch Woodworking for $22,000.

Derek Gray of Bay West Builders made the entry bench from wood earmarked for an unbuilt breakfast bar. Radiant-heated concrete floors offer a polished counterpoint to the board-formed walls outside.