september14–27, 2020| newyork 59Whentheytookupthewall-to-wallcarpeting,“itwasbeautiful1950splywood
beneaththecarpeting,”Friedbergersays,“sowethoughtwecouldgetawaywithjust
havingplywoodfloors,butit wastoopatchy.”Berryhillgottoworkandmadeply-
woodplanksthatFriedbergersayslooklike “Scandinavianwide-plankflooring.He
hand-beveledeachplank!”Berryhill’scarpentry skillsfashionedthecircularshelv-
ingnicheinthewallofthekitchen/diningarea.“It waslike makinga sculpture
whichI didn’t knowhowtomake,”Berryhillsays.“I wasvery excitedwhenit worked
out.”He alsobuiltFriedbergera stageinthebasement,wherehehasa workspace
thathecancordonoff witha movablewallonwheelsshouldthey desireprivacy.
Theoriginalownerofthehousewasa filmexhibitor,andFriedbergersaysthey found
a troveofpaperworkinthebasement,includingpunchlists anddrawingsforthedeck
thatwasaddedin1963.Doingresearchonline,they alsofoundcomplaintstothelocal
authoritiesthathewasoperatinga businessoutofthebasement;apparently, projection-
istsfromhotelsandbungalowcoloniesintheareawouldcometothehouseat allhours
ofthenight,raisingquestionsinthemindsofnosyneighbors.“Secretly,wewerehoping
thathewasshootingbluemoviesorsomethingmorefun,” Friedbergersays.Theirwork
onthehousetookfivemonths,recallsFriedberger,andjust whenthey finished,they
wereabletoshelterinplace.Thoughthey can’t waittohavevisitors. ■The Art Studio
Berryhill has been working in his
basement studio on projects for his
upcoming show at Kate Werble Gallery
(opening September 24). “I like to have
them be chaotic,” he says, “until the last
minute, when I start to make them
different from one another. I have an
eclectic collection idea of a show, so I like
to see them all at once.”