A Masterpiece of Playful Modernism
The Double Diamond House — formally known as the Pearlroth House — stands as one of the most distinctive works of mid-century modern beach architecture in America. Commissioned in 1958 by Arthur and Mitch Pearlroth of Westhampton Beach, New York, the house was conceived as an inexpensive, imaginative retreat inspired by the ocean, dunes, and beach grass of Long Island's coast.
The structure consists of two elongated box shapes rotated in tandem and perched on their edges — forming the dramatic diamond silhouette that gives the house its nickname. The void between the two forms is filled with a glassed-in living area soaring with natural light. Long low benches stretch along the walls, and steps lead up into the diamond pods containing bunkrooms and a bathroom — every inch ingeniously used.
A vintage mint-green stove, slanted skylight windows, a tulip table beneath soaring diamond rafters, and a fireplace that blazes at the heart of the diamond — the interior has a warmth and character impossible to replicate. The original architect's blueprints are still displayed on the wall.
After a sensitive restoration by COOKFOX Architects completed in 2015, the house has been returned to its original glory and paired with a new companion residence. Today the Double Diamond is open to visitors by appointment.
The Double Diamond on the dunes, c. 1958–60
"One of the Ten Best Houses of the Hamptons."
— Alastair Gordon, Architectural Historian, New York Observer
