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When designer Jayne Michaels first saw the 1972 black box of a house, it stood forlorn at the edge of a nature preserve, down a long winding driveway in the Springs—an artists’ colony in East Hampton, New York, that was once home to Jackson Pollock and Willem de Kooning. Languishing beneath black shag carpeting, a kitchen redone in cheap colonial-style vinyl, rotting butcher block counters, and a sunroom add-on that looked like a trailer plonked onto the original structure, Michaels could see the dusky gleam of a gem.
The stark black box makes a bold statement at the end of a winding driveway. The minimalist facade, clad in black plank paneling, features original sliding doors, wire railings, and a round portal window—all off-the-shelf elements transformed by D’Urso's visionary approach. The vintage BKF butterfly chairs came with the house.
David MitchellOne of the first independent projects by iconoclastic designer Joe D’Urso—at the time it was built, he was just 28 years old and had recently gone off on his own after working for Ward Bennett—the house was pulled together on a $34,000 budget for a frugal client and relied on ready-made components to yield a jewel of pared-down, elemental chic. “D’Urso used off-the-shelf materials to create something really poetic,” says Michaels. Despite its humble materials, the house embodied a stirring dialogue between shelter and landscape, decades ahead of its time. “The moment we walked in, I knew I wanted it,” she says. She and her husband, Todd Pickard, made an offer on the spot.
The woven silhouette of a Hans Wegner hoop chair from Rago Auctions holds court in the living area, which is centered around D’Urso’s original fireplace, painted black on black. The vintage Swedish rug was found in Stockholm. Phil Lebb table from Magen H Gallery.
David MitchellBut this diamond in the rough needed a lot more than just polishing. Working alongside her partner and sister, Joan—their firm is called 2Michaels Design—Michaels approached the renovation with reverent restraint: Jayne and Todd inhabited the space for six months before making a single change. “Because the house has so much soul, I wanted to listen to it rather than just put my own stamp on it,” Jayne explains. Instead of fighting against D’Urso’s dramatic ebony backdrop, the sisters discovered its unexpected power. “I would never in a million years have picked a black house to live in,” says Jayne, “but the windows are floor to ceiling and it feels like nature is inside, while the black just disappears. It brings the landscape into stark relief.”
In the living and dining area, an ebonized tree trunk side table by Chista stands near a 1940s organic chair, while the house’s original red dining table pairs with Axel Einar Hjorth chairs discovered at Ingelmark Antique & Design in Sweden.
David MitchellThis insight informed every decision, from replacing dark carpeting with warm white oak floors (“it needed that counterbalance, otherwise it was too nightclubby,” says Jayne) to selecting furniture. “Everything you put in it will be silhouetted against those walls, so we had to really consider the contrast,” says Joan. The midcentury design aficionadas knew exactly what direction to take. “We thought it had to have almost a Japanese-Shaker thing going,” Jayne explains. “Organic, rough-hewn pieces that wouldn’t be slick.”
The kitchen's original metal cabinets were salvaged from the basement, restored, and paired with tiles from Ann Sacks. The minimalist space features a no-frills range hood, a floating shelf that eliminates the need for upper cabinets, and a custom butcher block island that brings warmth to streamlined Caesarstone countertops.
David MitchellThe philosophy materialized in elements designed to complement rather than compete. Vintage Swedish rugs sourced at auction ground the space with a handcrafted sensibility. “They have warmth and they’re flat-woven, so you get a sense of the hand,” says Jayne. A Hans Wegner hoop chair creates a captivating silhouette, its curvaceous back and rope detailing providing an organic counterpoint to the home’s linear geometry. In the kitchen, original metal medical cabinets rescued from the basement got fresh coats of paint and paired with matte honed black marble tiles. Rugged concrete-look Caesarstone countertops replaced the deteriorating butcher block surfaces, adding tactility with industrial street cred. The black walls, paneled in standard T1-11 planks, were repainted in Benjamin Moore’s aptly named “Witching Hour,” and remain the home’s defining feature.
The most significant architectural intervention came in reimagining the awkward sunroom addition. Working with architect Jeffrey English, the sisters created a light-filled 12-foot-high box to counterbalance the original 8-foot structure. “It’s the yin to the house’s yang,” explains Jayne. “The original footprint is enclosed in a way, and when you go into the sunroom, it opens up.” The space features floor-to-ceiling windows that frame the surrounding greenery, complemented by a large painting by friend Frank Veteran. “There are two windows that look out into nature drenched in green, green, green; the black wall frames it perfectly,” says Jayne. The new addition is the heart of the house. “We spend all of our time in that room,” she adds. “The light just streams in.”
The designers left D’Urso’s layout for the primary bedroom intact, layering softness—curtains in a diaphanous Rogers & Goffigon linen and nubby bedding from French Press—to warm up commanding black walls. An oil by Jane Martin and a vintage side table complete the spare, serene retreat.
David Mitchell
A cool calm defines the guest bedroom, where a Kate Beck oil provides subtle visual interest above the bed. A vintage 1930s lamp found at auction illuminates an African mask displayed on an original D’Urso side table. Blanket, Woolrich.
David Mitchell
A bathroom showcases the designers’ material-forward approach, featuring a gleaming bronze wall sculpture by Steve Miller playing against matte surfaces. Trueform Concrete counters are an upgrade from the deteriorating original butcher block which preserve the industrial vibe.
David MitchellToday, the once-neglected D’Urso creation sparkles with all its facets restored. “I feel like I’m living in nature,” says Jayne. Joan, often in residence in the guest room on the second floor, never ceases to be mesmerized by the alchemical mix of site and structure. “I sit and stare,” she says. “It gives me so much joy to see all the elements coming together.” Turns out, diamonds are indeed a girl’s best friend.
