Saudi Press

Saudi Arabia and the world
Monday, Sep 22, 2025

This Prefab Beach Shack in Montauk Is a Surfing Family’s Dream Come True

This Prefab Beach Shack in Montauk Is a Surfing Family’s Dream Come True

In Montauk Shores, a pair of HGTV stars transform a prefab home into a beachside paradise.

As a leader in the New York City residential real estate market, Louise Phillips Forbes was well acquainted with the work of HGTV stars Robert and Cortney Novogratz when she asked them to design her family’s new getaway in the Hamptons.

Louise and her family owned a half-million-dollar lot in Montauk Shores-a 20-acre trailer park known as a billionaire hotspot for its high-end amenities and coveted beach location-and they wanted to install a roughly $200,000 double-wide prefab from Indiana-based Hi-Tech Housing. The family of four called upon the Novogratz design duo’s playful and artsy design sensibilities to transform the "generic white box prefab" into a cozy surfer paradise.



The Montauk Surf Shack is clad in stacked ipe wood siding. Under Montauk Shores’ rules, all new construction must be wheeled in.

"Because the home was built off-site, we didn’t have the opportunity to spend time in it before we started our decorating plans, which is unusual for us," share the Novogratzes, who featured the prefab home in their new book, Novogratz Design Fix: Chic and Stylish Tips for Every Decorating Scenario. "We had to rely on blueprints and the manufacturer’s renderings, and extrapolate the best we could."



The home is located just steps away from the beach. Montauk Shores boasts approximately 900 feet of waterfront coastline and a tight-knit community.

To make the 1,160-square-foot prefab feel more spacious for the family of four, the Novogratzes asked the factory to increase the ceiling height by a few feet, remove several walls, and install taller doors. The prefab was constructed in two parts and then shipped to the site and installed atop the existing foundation.



The vanity was installed at the factory, and the mirrors and lights were added on-site.



In the master bedroom, the designers reupholstered the West Elm headboard with a Hot Coral fabric from their collection. The bedside table was crafted by a local artisan.

"The clients live in New York City, and they were looking for a simple escape on the beach," note the Novogratzes. "They are a surfing family and wanted the home to represent that. They asked that the outdoor space be as livable as the interior, and that the interior feel like them-open, warm, and relaxed."



The clients’ paddle collection and surf art are used as decor in the beach-inspired interior.



An aerial photo of a beach hangs above a wall-mounted 3X shelf by LAXseries.



The outdoor bench is covered with Maharam fabric. The surfboard coffee table was built by one of the client’s sons.

To visually open up the home, the Novogratzes utilized a minimalist design approach and a light, neutral palette. Bold pops of color, texture, and local art infuse the prefab home with personality and charm.



In an experimental move, the designers used different upholstery for the sectional. Colorful stripes and baby blue complement the cool gray tones.



Tony Caramanico artwork hangs on wave-patterned wallpaper. "We purchased the art for this house locally and online," note the designers. "Some of our favorite surf photographers are Tony Caramanico, LeRoyGrannis, Jeff Divine, and Clark Little."



In the boys’ shared room, the Novogratzes wrapped a pair of IKEA trundles with Jonathan Adler fabric. The bright-orange surfboard provides a vibrant contrast of color to the blue bedding.

Along with the surfing-inspired decor, large windows and sliding glass doors that connect to an outdoor patio emphasize the indoor/outdoor living experience.



The vintage 1940s whale sculpture located right below the vaulted ceiling was a travel souvenir.



Since Forbes preferred a matte finish, the Absolute Black Granite slab was installed upside down for the kitchen counters.

"We loved the kitchen, as it was unique for a home like this," say the Novogratzes. "It felt like being in a city loft apartment, but then opened up to the outdoors, letting in wind and ocean scents. Whenever you can open the kitchen to the outdoors, something magical happens."



The Lucy barstools from Bend Goods are topped with neoprene-covered cushions for durability. The giant Flos pendant lights are by Marcel Wanders.

Newsletter

Related Articles

Saudi Press
0:00
0:00
Close
Nvidia and Abu Dhabi’s TII Launch First AI-&-Robotics Lab in the Middle East
UK, Canada, and Australia Officially Recognise Palestine in Historic Shift
New Eye Drops Show Promise in Replacing Reading Glasses for Presbyopia
Dubai Property Boom Shows Strain as Flippers Get Buyer’s Remorse
Top AI Researchers Are Heading Back to China as U.S. Struggles to Keep Pace
JWST Data Brings TRAPPIST-1e Closer to Earth-Like Habitability
UAE-US Stargate Project Poised to Make Abu Dhabi a Global AI Powerhouse
Trump and Starmer Clash Over UK Recognition of Palestinian State Amid State Visit
Saudi Arabia cracks down on music ‘lounges’ after conservative backlash
Saudi Arabia Signs ‘Strategic Mutual Defence’ Pact with Pakistan, Marking First Arab State to Gain Indirect Access to Nuclear Strike Capabilities in the Region
Sam Altman sells the 'Wedding Estate' in Hawaii for 49 million dollars
Turkish car manufacturer Togg Enters German Market with 5-Star Electric Sedan and SUV to Challenge European EV Brands
World’s Longest Direct Flight China Eastern to Launch 29-Hour Shanghai–Buenos Aires Direct Flight via Auckland in December
New OpenAI Study Finds Majority of ChatGPT Use Is Personal, Not Professional
Kuwait opens bidding for construction of three cities to ease housing crunch.
This Week in AI: Meta’s Superintelligence Push, xAI’s Ten Billion-Dollar Raise, Genesis AI’s Robotics Ambitions, Microsoft Restructuring, Amazon’s Million-Robot Milestone, and Google’s AlphaGenome Update
Indian Student Engineers Propose “Project REBIRTH” to Protect Aircraft from Crashes Using AI, Airbags and Smart Materials
Could AI Nursing Robots Help Healthcare Staffing Shortages?
Turkish authorities seize leading broadcaster amid fraud and tax investigation
Qatari prime minister says Netanyahu ‘killed any hope’ for Israeli hostages
Apple Introduces Ultra-Thin iPhone Air, Enhanced 17 Series and New Health-Focused Wearables
Big Oil Slashes Jobs and Investments Amid Prolonged Low Crude Prices
Social Media Access Curtailed in Turkey After CHP Calls for Rallies Following Police Blockade of Istanbul Headquarters
Did the Houthis disrupt the internet in the Middle East? Submarine cables cut in the Red Sea
Gold Could Reach Nearly $5,000 if Fed Independence Is Undermined, Goldman Sachs Warns
Uruguay, Colombia and Paraguay Secure Places at 2026 World Cup
Trump Administration Advances Plans to Rebrand Pentagon as Department of War Instead of the Fake Term Department of Defense
Tether Expands into Gold Sector with Profit-Driven Diversification
Trump’s New War – and the ‘Drug Tyrant’ Fearing Invasion: ‘1,200 Missiles Aimed at Us’
At the Parade in China: Laser Weapons, 'Eagle Strike,' and a Missile Capable of 'Striking Anywhere in the World'
Information Warfare in the Age of AI: How Language Models Become Targets and Tools
Israeli Airstrike in Yemen Kills Houthi Prime Minister
After the Shock of Defeat, Iranians Yearn for Change
YouTube Altered Content by Artificial Intelligence – Without Permission
Iran Faces Escalating Water Crisis as Protests Spread
More Than Half a Million Evacuated as Typhoon Kajiki Heads for Vietnam
HSBC Switzerland Ends Relationships with Over 1,000 Clients from Saudi Arabia, Lebanon, Qatar, and Egypt
Sharia Law Made Legally Binding in Austria Despite Warnings Over 'Incompatible' Values
Dogfights in the Skies: Airbus on Track to Overtake Boeing and Claim Aviation Supremacy
Tim Cook Promises an AI Revolution at Apple: "One of the Most Significant Technologies of Our Generation"
Are AI Data Centres the Infrastructure of the Future or the Next Crisis?
Miles Worth Billions: How Airlines Generate Huge Profits
Zelenskyy Returns to White House Flanked by European Allies as Trump Pressures Land-Swap Deal with Putin
Beijing is moving into gold and other assets, diversifying away from the dollar
Cristiano Ronaldo Makes Surprise Stop at New Hong Kong Museum
Zelenskyy to Visit Washington after Trump–Putin Summit Yields No Agreement
High-Stakes Trump-Putin Summit on Ukraine Underway in Alaska
Iranian Protection Offers Chinese Vehicle Shipments a Cost Advantage over Japanese and Korean Makers
Saudi Arabia accelerates renewables to curb domestic oil use
Cristiano Ronaldo and Georgina Rodríguez announce engagement
×