Pre-kids, antiques dealer Jonathan Burden and costume designer JJ Joseph spent weekends in a group share on Shelter Island, New York. Both gravitate to the old and untouched, so they couldn’t help but admire the scraggly farmhouse across the way. Take a look at their family home, redone.
The mid-19th century house sits atop a hill next to Coecles Harbor, where the family keeps their sailboat
Nothing had been done to the house for years, “so we didn’t have to redo bad things,” says Jonathan. Their approach was to “restore and put life back into the place.”
The floors throughout the rest of the house are painted white; it's three coats of Farrow & Ball Old White.
Edward Curtis portraits flank the passage between the living and dining rooms.
A wood-burning stove by Rais of Denmark heats the living room.
Jonathan added cube-shaped log holders on either side of the stove.
Jonathan inherited the pair of Windsor chairs from his father, who, in turn, inherited them from his parents.
The house serves as a repository for Jonathan and JJ’s collection of art books.
Set under the eaves, the master bedroom has a platform bed that Jonathan built.
French doors in the back of the house open to a gravel patio shaded by a wisteria arbor.