Landmark Goodyear House Restored

Glory Days

Houses do have voices. Maybe they’re not audible to all, but designer Eric Cohler clearly was listening when he reverently renovated an architecturally significant Long Island home. The glass-and-masonry International Style house was designed by the late modernist architect Edward Durell Stone for A. Conger Goodyear, a highly regarded art collector and founder and first president of New York’s Museum of Modern Art (MoMA).

“I felt like I was channeling A. Conger Goodyear,” Eric says of his four-year renovation. While the structure was “nearly derelict” after sitting vacant for a half century (inside were bird and animal droppings, termites, and a collapsed roof), Eric heard the echoes of its glamorous past.

There were cocktail parties attended by famous artists in the glass-walled, cylindrical dining room. After supper, the dining table—mounted on a motorized post—was lowered to floor level to allow for dancing. French doors opened the house to multiple terraces and a swimming pool, with views of Long Island Sound, the Atlantic Ocean, and the glittering night lights of New York City.

Architect Stone designed the low, flat-roofed house as a weekend retreat for Goodyear, with deep eaves that shaded the art within from direct sunlight. The two men had met when Stone was helping design the first permanent home for MoMA.

While much of the 6,000-square-foot house spoke of art and glamour, the kitchen’s voice was hardly inspiring. “The kitchen was very tight and dark. It was originally designed for the way families lived then, with a butler and staff who took care of the house,” Eric says.

The working area of the kitchen was surrounded by a cluster of small rooms, including a butler’s pantry, laundry room, maid’s quarters, a narrow basement stairway, and two powder rooms (“his" and "hers” for Goodyear’s large dinner parties).

The kitchen had been updated in the ’60s, but the yellow metal cabinets were badly rusted, and the terra-cotta floor tiles (installed over black linoleum) were loose. “The metal cabinets and other fixtures weren’t original to the house, so we didn’t keep them,” Eric says. “My goal was to bring the home into the 21st century—to make a functional kitchen designed for the way families live today—but still make it look like it could have been built in the ’30s,” he says.

That meant blowing out walls where structurally possible and eliminating outdated rooms to gain square footage for the kitchen. The former servants’ quarters were converted into a sunny breakfast room and a walk-in storage pantry. The his-and-her powder rooms were decommissioned, and that space was integrated into the kitchen and used for a redesigned stairway to the lower level.

“Now everything circulates and is open, so people in the kitchen can talk to someone in the breakfast room or butler’s pantry,” Eric says. The new stairway gives access to the formerly unfinished basement. After hauling away a behemoth original furnace from that level, Eric installed hand-scraped maple floors, creating new living space.

To introduce natural light, the designer added a large rectangular skylight in the kitchen, a round skylight above the new stairs, and French doors in the breakfast room that go to a landscaped courtyard (formerly a parking lot for staff and delivery trucks). Three original steel-framed windows on the sink wall were stripped and restored, and all new windows and doors were custom made to replicate the originals—down to the hardware.

Eric grounded the kitchen with a black-and-white checkerboard floor. The classic floor pattern is typical of those used in midcentury homes, the designer notes, and repeats the grid motif that architect Stone used throughout the property.

An original cabinet in the butler’s pantry inspired Eric’s cabinetry choice for the kitchen. The walnut and macassar ebony veneer cabinets are accented with inset mirrored strips and polished nickel hardware. “They looked like something you would have seen in a well-built Bauhaus building back in the ’30s—contemporary with a little dash of glamour,” Eric says. “I could just imagine a black-and-white movie with Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers dancing in the kitchen.”

The original butler’s pantry piece that inspired the cabinetry choice was restored and installed in the master bath. To add variety and avoid overwhelming the kitchen space with dark surfaces, a bow-front dresser and a few other cabinets were painted dove gray.

For the countertops the designer chose a white Danby marble that also seemed period appropriate, although he concedes that builders in the ’30s and ’40s didn’t generally use marble in kitchens. “That was one concession to the 21st century,” he says. “We loved the marble look and found stone that looked aged--—like it could be 70 years old.”

In keeping with today’s kitchen as a social hub, Eric furnished the space with comfortable seating. Bar stools upholstered in easy-care indoor-outdoor fabrics pull up to a breakfast bar separating the work area from the breakfast room.

A settee covered in a charcoal fabric serves as a cozy banquette behind the custom-designed pedestal table. Spills can be easily wiped clean with soap and water, making the furniture virtually indestructible. Above the table hangs a lantern light fixture that Eric designed—again channeling Stone’s geometric motifs.

In the circular, glass-walled dining room, slipcovered skirted dining chairs surround the round table. The simple linear shapes of the chairs are in tune with the room’s modern influences, and casters on the feet allow for easy movement across the stone floor.

The original wood dining table top was too water-damaged to restore, so Eric had a walnut top custom-made and mounted on the existing post. The motorized lift was a casualty of years of neglect. “The motor was burned out, but the wires are still there,” he says, leaving the job for a future dance-loving homeowner.

While light-blocking draperies weren’t required, thanks to the architect’s deep overhangs, Eric had soft sheers fashioned from fabric to gently filter the sun and provide privacy in the exposed dining room.

Most rooms in the house have at least one wall of glass, and Eric landscaped the five acres of surrounding grounds to make the most of the views. He designed and had built several modern kinetic sculptures, added groves of trees, and furnished terraces with plush all-weather armchairs and sofas.

“I had the exterior finished in the first six months. That was the first thing I did,” Eric says. “I wanted to drive up and feel I had arrived at this beautiful structure that had finally had its due. It was in the sun again, alive, no longer a static object but kinetic. It now moves with its environment.”

A house with a voice that is ready to be heard from again.

Photography: John Bessler
Produced by Eleanor Roper

Interior Designer: Eric Cohler, Eric Cohler Design, 95 Fifth Avenue, Sixth Floor, New York, NY 10003, 212/737-8600, ext. 28; ericcohler.com.
Architect: Edward Durell Stone
Plumbing, electric, refinishing: Stephen Fanuka, Fanuka Inc., 718/353-4518, fanuka.com.

Sponsors: Armstrong World Industries, Inc. 800/233-3823, armstrong.com.
Circa Lighting, 877/762-2323, circalighting.com.
Lee Industries, 800/892-7150, leeindustries.com.
Sunbrella, 336/227-6211, sunbrella.com.

The Goodyear House

Considered one of the country’s leading examples of the International Style, the A. Conger Goodyear home was built in 1938 with walls of windows, a flat roof, deep overhangs, and a signature circular dining room with curved glass walls.

Swimming Pool

The swimming pool was a must for a lavish weekend home, which Cohler restored while preserving the original stonework. A comfortable outdoor seating area sits between the swimming pool and a small reflecting pool.

Original Dining Room

Perfect for cocktail parties, the original dining table was mounted on a motorized post so that it could be lowered to floor-level when dinner was over and the dancing started.

Dining Room

The exterior walls of curved glass provide wide-angle views of the landscaped grounds. Lee Industries chairs slipcovered with Sunbrella fabrics strike simple and elegant silhouettes in the modernist setting.

Dining table (original base, top, custom, material, cerused oak): fabricated by Avanti Furniture Corp., 516/293-8220.
Dining side chair (#7750-01); fabric (“Spinnaker”/Salt, by Sunbrella); 4-inch skirt band and lumbar pillow (Canvas”/Coal, by Sunbrella): Lee Industries, 800/892-7150, leeindustries.com.
Paint (“China White,” matte finish): Benjamin Moore & Co., 888/236-6667, benjaminmoore.com.
Flooring (limestone): original to house.
Illumination: cove lighting. Zebra rug: Eric Cohler private collection.
Accessories: owner’s collection.

Dining Room Fireplace

Lee Industries dining chairs slipcovered in Sunbrella fabrics are on casters so they can slide around the table or move to side walls when not needed for dining.

Fire screen: original to house.
Dining side chair (#7750-01); fabric (“Spinnaker”/Salt, by Sunbrella); 4-inch skirt band and lumbar pillow (Canvas”/Coal, by Sunbrella): Lee Industries, 800/892-7150, leeindustries.com.
Paint (“China White,” matte finish): Benjamin Moore & Co., 888/236-6667, benjaminmoore.com.
Flooring (limestone): original to house.
Zebra rug: Eric Cohler private collection.
Mirror above fireplace: owner’s collection.

Original Hallway

A narrow skylight naturally lit the hallway leading to the dining room. The size and angle of the skylight kept Goodyear’s prized art collection out of direct sunlight.

Kitchen – Before and After

Stainless steel appliances by Sears Kenmore, a stylish pot rack, and multiple work stations speak to the efficiency of the plan. “My goal was to make a functional kitchen for the way families live today,” says designer Eric Cohler.

Cabinetry (custom, The Macassar Collection); cabinetry finish (custom, painted and ebony); pot rack (custom): Smallbone of Devizes, 800/763-0096, smallboneofdevizes.com.
Stainless cookware (Kenmore); refrigerator (“Kenmore Elite” #40483, side-by-side, 48-inch); cooktop (“Kenmore Pro” #40503, slide-in, 36-inch); wall ovens (“Kenmore Pro” #42003, electric double over, 30-inch); dishwashers (“Kenmore Pro” #13173, stainless steel, 24-inch: Kenmore, 888/536-6673, kenmore.com.
Countertops (Danby marble): Artistic Tile, 877/528-5401, artistictile.com.
Island range hood (#KICU465S); refrigerator/freezer drawers, with ice maker (#KDDC24CVS, stainless steel): KitchenAid, 800/422-1230, kitchenaid.com.
Flooring (“Alterna Solids”/White #D4100, 16x16-inch Luxury Vinyl; “Alterna Solids”/Betcha Black #D4101, 16x16-inch Luxury Vinyl): Armstrong World Industries Inc., 800/233-3823, armstrong.com.
Counter stool (#5573-51 with small nickel nails and black walnut finish); chair fabric (“Spinnaker”/Salt, by Sunbrella): Lee Industries, 800/892-7150, leeindustries.com.
Wall paint (“China White,” matte finish); trim paint (black, matte finish): Benjamin Moore & Co., 888/236-6667, bejaminmoore.com.
Pot on cooktop: Le Creuset, 877/418-5547, lecreuset.com.

Kitchen

An Armstrong classic black-and-white checkerboard floor and aged-looking Danby marble countertops from Artistic Tile seem at home in the mid-20th-century house. Walls were removed to enlarge the kitchen and create a dining area behind the wall ovens.

Island sink (Professional Series #PSX-110, stainless steel); main sink (Professional Series #PSX-110-30, stainless steel): Franke, 800/626-5771, frankeksd.com.
Island and main faucets (“Single Handle Pull-out Spray” #D455158): Danze, 877/530-3344, danze.com.

Kitchen

Crystal and china are beautifully displayed in a hand-painted and mirrored dresser near the breakfast room. A skylight was added to help unify the compartmental kitchen space.

Bar cabinet with plate and glass rack (custom, The Macassar Collection): Smallbone of Devizes, 800/763-0096, smallboneofdevizes.com.
Counter stool (#5573-51 with small nickel nails and black walnut finish); chair fabric (“Spinnaker”/Salt, by Sunbrella): Lee Industries, 800/892-7150, leeindustries.com.

Kitchen

Dark walnut Smallbone of Devizes cabinets with mirror insets and polished nickel hardware add understated glamour.

“ART” piece on wall: Eric Cohler private collection.

Kitchen Details

Cabinetry by Smallbone of Devizes; a modern faucet for 21st-century living; a freestanding range hood above the elegant yet subtle mirrored cabinets.

Drawer Pull

A stitched leather drawer pull recognizes the home’s original owner, A. Conger Goodyear.

Breakfast Room

A room next to the kitchen formerly used for staff quarters was converted into an eating area illuminated by a Circa Lighting lantern designed by Eric.

Details on the following slide.

Pedestal table (custom “Macassar” top, painted base): Smallbone of Devizes, 800/763-0096, smallboneofdevizes.com.
Chairs (vintage, c. 1950): Eric Cohler private collection.
Hanging pendant (“Caged Lantern with Paper Shade” #SC5160, by Eric Cohler): Circa Lighting, 877/762-2323, circalighting.com.
Accessories: owner’s collection.

Breakfast Room Details

A Lee Industries settee and vintage chairs gather around the pedestal table.

Dining bench (“Slipcovered Dining Bench” #C7758-56); fabric (“Canvas”/Coal, by Sunbrella); 4-inch skirt band (“Spinnaker”/Salt, by Sunbrella): Lee Industries, 800/892-7150, leeindustries.com.

Original Powder Room

The home’s original ladies’ room was elegantly decorated, fitting perfectly with the stylish soirees of the day. It was also built large enough for groups of women to gather and primp together. No longer necessary, the “his-and-hers” bathrooms were sacrificed during renovation in order to open more space in the home’s new kitchen.

Wood Flooring

Cohler installed beautiful Armstrong hardwood floors in “Century Farm Hand-Scraped Maple” in the home’s lower level. Previously the space was an unfinished basement.

Original Living Room

Low furniture, limited ornamentation, and floor-to-ceiling windows are characteristics of International Style. The glass walls allowed for sweeping views of the property, the ocean, and the twinkling lights of New York City.

Poolside Entertaining

To enhance the home’s outdoor connections, Cohler expanded living and entertaining spaces by furnishing the terrace and pool areas. Lee Industries outdoor lounge chairs and an ottoman are slipcovered in Sunbrella fabrics that stand up to wet swimsuits and rainy weather.

Chairs (“Yaupon Outdoor Slipcovered Chair” #US118-01); chair fabric (“Spinnaker”/Salt, by Sunbrella); ottomans (“Sunset Outdoor Slipcovered Ottoman” #US103-00); ottoman fabric (“Canvas”/Taupe, by Sunbrella): Lee Industries, 800/892-7150, leeindustries.com.

Home’s Exterior

The Goodyear house is once again ready to receive dinner party guests.

Landscaping: Marders Nursery, 631/537-3700.
Sculptures: Eric Cohler private collection.

Sculpture Details

This playful sculpture of dancing rabbits is one of the many pieces featured throughout the expansive property.

Terrace Pathway

In the home’s entertaining heyday, this back terrace, now leading up to the breakfast room, was a parking lot for staff and deliveries. Today, it is lined with topiaries, recovered artwork, and an original decorative brick wall.

Terrace Pathway

New glass-and-steel doors connect the kitchen and breakfast room to a terrace for alfresco dining.

Exterior Details

Manicured pathways line the property; one of many recovered pieces found buried in the overgrown gardens; an original decorative brick wall; vibrant sculptures designed by Cohler are installed throughout the yard.

Home’s Exterior

A beautiful view of the house from the yard. Note the trees lining the circular dining room.

Goodyear & Company

Goodyear frequently hosted dinner cocktail parties with well-respected artists. Here he sits with friends Diego Rivera (left) and Frida Kahlo (center). It was through those art and MoMA connections that Goodyear and architect Edward Durell Stone became acquainted.

Designer Eric Cohler

Designer Eric Cohler sits in front of windows draped with Sunbrella sheers.

Drapery (“Shadow”/Snow); drapery band (“Shadow”/Charcoal): Sunbrella, 336/227-6211, sunbrella.com.
Flooring (“Century Farm Hand-Scraped Maple”/Peppercorn #GCM452PCLG, 5-inch plank): Armstrong World Industries Inc., 800/233-3823, armstrong.com.
Counter stool (#5573-51 with small nickel nails and black walnut finish); chair fabric (“Spinnaker”/Salt, by Sunbrella): Lee Industries, 800/892-7150, leeindustries.com.

More Design Ideas From Eric Cohler

See more inspirational design ideas from Eric Cohler. Take a look at our presentation of the Work of Eric Cohler.