Houses of the Hamptons, 1880-1930

Page 68

BLACK POINT

Site plan

peaceful reminder of the ocean on the opposite side of the villa. Hundreds of trees, planted by the Lewis & Valentine Company, created a garden within a short two-year period. Selective plantings, such as tall, slim trees installed directly against facade walls, amplified the effect intended by the architects. In 1922 the Rogers residence served as the centerpiece of a group of houses Walker & Gillette exhibited at the annual Architectural League of New York exhibition. That year they were awarded the gold medal for domestic architecture.

The Rogers entertained lavishly during their tenure at the villa. A dinner dance for 300, with Spanish singers, South American dancers, and a fortune-teller available for consultation, was not out of the norm. On such a night, the gardens would be filled with white and silver balloons and glowed with indirect lighting. Custom pendant lights would illuminate the south terrace, and the courtyard lily pool shone with underwater lighting while large bonfires blazed on the beach. Vibrant potted fuchsias lined the stairwell leading to the living room, which

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