Imagine stepping into an overly opulent palace in St. Petersburg where you find an indoor lazy river, myriad fountains, a two-story built-in dollhouse, a private shooting range, 13 bedrooms and 35 bathrooms. You’d probably guess you had stumbled upon the estate of a former czar. But then imagine you weren’t actually in Russia, but on Long Island, New York, and the property’s owner had no royal lineage, but rather made his fortune in the NYC real estate market.

This is the Estate at Kings Point, an over-the-top estate designed to resemble the Peterhof Grand Palace in St. Petersburg, built in 1928 by the late Soviet Union billionaire Tamir Sapir as a display of his wealth (and possibly his ego). An unknown buyer (shielded by an LLC) bought the palace from Sapir in 2013 for $15.85 million, and they’re now looking to make an unfathomable profit, re-listing the home for $100 million, according to the Wall Street Journal.

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The stunning Far Pond Residence has a naturally weathered wood skin and large windows overlooking layers of wetlands, an estuary and the Atlantic Ocean. Located on a half-acre site on the east end of Long Island in Southampton, this modern family dwelling is actually a renovated 1970s kit house. Its extension and tasteful modernization was designed by Bates Masi + Architects, who used prefabricated materials and new technologies that minimized waste and elevated the experience of inhabiting the space.

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Measuring 70 feet in diameter and 45 feet high, Kevin Shea‘s spectacular dwelling is proudly the world’s largest geodesic dome home. Dubbed Long Island Green Dome, this LEED-certified building sets an example for both family life and sustainable living. The power comes courtesy of the wind and sun, and the home has trees growing inside and a lovely outdoor terraced garden made from recycled tires.

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Some people need a tranquil, secluded space to create, and this stunning writing studio by Andrew Berman Architect is the perfect place to fulfill that need. Located in Bellport, New York, on Long Island’s South Shore, this unique shelter is certainly eye-catching as it’s entirely clad in copper. In addition to boasting a large central window that overlooks the green landscape, this charming abode also changes color depending on the light. Talk about an ideal spot for daydreaming and curing writer’s block…

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American architect and watercolorist Steven H​oll was inspired by Jackson Pollock’s 1949 ‘Seven in Eight’ paintings when designing this stunning property. Called the ‘Writing With Light House’, it stands near the former abstract expressionist painter’s studio on Long Island and features wide-open interiors brightened with natural light. Boasting a striking linear wooden skin that lets the elements filter through, the power of this design can be best appreciated when the light lines inside play with the spaces throughout the day.

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This quiet and elegant residence by Blaze Makoid Architecture was created for a father with three children who wanted a house that wasn’t ‘extraneous or busy’. Located in Sagaponack, this stylish oceanfront dwelling takes inspiration from two iconic 70s buildings: Tod Williams’ Tarlo House (1979) and architect Norman Jaffe’s Perlbinder House (1970)—the latter credited for bringing ‘rustic Modernism’ to Eastern Long Island. Named Daniels Lane, this home’s simple clean lines are a modern reflection of its client’s wishes.

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We recently featured how Ryall Porter Sheridan renovated a 1970s house into a beautiful green retreat using Passive House standards. In a similar vein, the Manhattan-based architects have created a small artist’s shelter with comparable aesthetic, employing many of the same sustainable strategies throughout. Called ‘Orient Artist Studio’, this project on the north-fork of Long Island is clad in a beautifully aged timber envelope that protects its pristine white interiors.

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Elevated, wooden boardwalks are a common site along the beaches and dunes of Eastern Long Island. Their simple, resilient construction carefully negotiates the changing terrain, allowing accessibility to the sandy shores and deep blue sea. Bates Masi + Architects takes this vernacular design esthetic to a new level in their beautiful Mothersill home, which uses a boardwalk to connect the main property with sunbathing terraces, a pool, and two historic wooden shelters by renowned architect Andrew Geller.

More about the Mothersill home here