Inside Frederico Azevedo’s Sag Harbor Sanctuary

By Sydney Sadick

Known for transforming the Hamptons’ gardens into living works of art, landscape designer Frederico Azevedo brings his signature harmony between nature and structure to his own backyard. After nearly three decades, the founder of Unlimited Earth Care embarked on a renovation that honored the soul of the original property while evolving it to fit the next chapter of his life.

Frederico, what sparked the idea to renovate your home in Sag Harbor vs. purchasing a new one?

I love the piece of property I’m on, and when I first came here and saw that there were farms along the road and woodlands all around, I knew the soil was fertile and would respond well to the plants and flowers I wanted to grow. I’ve been designing and reworking this property for 30 years now. My two children, Lorenzo and Livia, were raised here; they visit often and are attached to the house and the land, so my intention was to create something that felt entirely new, a fresh start, without losing the heart of my home. My guests always joke that I have a deal with the hummingbirds and butterflies to visit my house, and perhaps I do, in a way, because of my gardens, so I wouldn’t want to break that.

What was your vision for the space when you began?

When I first came to America, my dream was to have the traditional American life—a black Labrador, a pickup truck, and a colonial American house. I originally built this house in 1996 and moved in the following year. The concept was a modern interpretation of colonial American architecture, for a modern American life—still including my black Lab and pickup truck, of course! My vision was to update the house to suit my lifestyle now.

What’s the inspiration behind the home?

In all four seasons, I like to be outdoors. I want to be outside, so the kitchen now extends into an outdoor kitchen, which leads to a pergola for entertaining and enjoying meals outdoors. The pool is adjacent, framed in colorful flowers. The outdoor kitchen is covered by a ceiling and is heated, which has been wonderful. This year in the late winter and early spring, we were already enjoying meals outdoors. Being able to spend time outdoors even when it’s colder allows me to enjoy my home to the fullest. The flow between the indoor and outdoor areas all feels efficient and intentional.

What’s your favorite feature of the house?

One interesting feature is that the entrance area of the house is designed to look like the exterior siding of the house, so the effect is as if you folded the house inside out. It’s an expressive nod to my approach as a designer, to bring the beauty of the outdoors inside and to bring life outdoors.

Who was your decorator? 

Shawn Leonard was the architect, and the interior and of course the exterior gardens and landscaping I designed myself.

How would you describe your design aesthetic in three words?

Simplicity, consistency, and luminosity.

If you could design a dream home anywhere else in the world, where would it be and what would it look like?

This is my dream home now; it’s beyond what I dreamed it could be actually. I also believe I already have my dream homes in Manhattan, Hudson, and Miami. I feel lucky to wake up in my dream home every day now.