Welcome to The Captain Barnes House, a landmarked 1853 sea captain’s mansion overlooking the North Shore waterfront, one of the last surviving homes of Staten Island’s historic Captains Row. A place where art, imagination, and history intertwine, Captain Barnes is a living, breathing work in progress, shaped by the hands and hearts of those who inhabit it.

The house has lived many lives: a sea captain’s residence, a speakeasy, a boarding home, an artist refuge, and it continues to evolve as a creative, communal space for people who are curious, expressive, and kind. It is both home and art form, a place where restoration, craftsmanship, and daily ritual become part of one larger story.

Within its walls, over five thousand square feet unfold across four levels: twelve rooms, five bathrooms, a roof level cupola, and countless details that bridge eras. There is a commercial kitchen with a wood burning oven, an indoor hot tub and steam sauna, an outdoor forty foot pool, a garden and spaces for work, music, and gathering. Every corner hums with history, every room carries its own sense of wonder.

Captain Barnes is not simply a place to live, but a place to become. To contribute, collaborate, and create within a community of thoughtful, talented people who share the belief that a home can also be a living organism, part sanctuary, part stage, part experiment in beauty and connection.

Two large suites are now available on the third level. Each is light filled and generous in scale, with original hardwood floors, eleven foot ceilings, and antique furnishings from the mid 1800s. This floor also includes a Victorian bathroom with a claw foot tub, stained glass doors, and a Juliet balcony overlooking the garden.

If you are drawn to spaces that invite creativity, reflection, and participation, if you find meaning in places with stories embedded in their walls, then perhaps Captain Barnes is calling to you.

About This Lister

Captain Barnes is a powerful gateway to creative and personal transformation. The ecological and artistic community here at The Captain Barnes House, a landmarked sea captain’s mansion on Staten Island’s North Shore, serves as a living platform for self expression, collaboration, and growth. No, we are not a cult (we do not think). We are a family of makers and dreamers continually building, restoring, and reinventing this historic space together.

Captain Barnes is both a home and an evolving network of current and former residents, a constellation of mariners, architects, designers, photographers, sound engineers, directors, art collectors, florists, antique dealers, woodworkers, educators, lawyers, chefs, DJs, dancers, welders, luthiers, and classic car restorers. With our powers combined, we are Captain Barnes.

There is no belief system here, only an invitation to show up fully, to shed old layers, transcend limitations, find wholeness, and make cool things.

Currently the home is shared by a married couple who have lived in and nurtured this community for over sixteen years. We are now looking to welcome two new residents who share our sense of purpose, play, and mutual respect. From time to time we also host a Workawayer for cultural exchange and creative assistance in a spare bedroom on the first floor.

Our home is also our stage, literally. The Captain Barnes House operates as a production and event location for film, photography, and bespoke gatherings. Residents take part in running the space, organizing, maintaining, and collaborating on projects. We have hosted creative teams from Wu Tang Clan, Gucci, Jadakiss, MTV, Amazon Fashion, Viacom, Bruno Magli, Vogue, Free People, Neiman Marcus, and W Magazine, among others.

A few times each month the house is rented for a shoot or event, typically lasting eight to twelve hours. Residents receive a small share of the profits from each production and may also be compensated hourly if they work during the day of the shoot. The share is not equal among all residents, but reflects participation, role, and responsibility. It is a rare opportunity to collaborate with world class artists and brands while living inside the creative process itself. It also means we place a high value on cleanliness, respect, and maintaining an inspiring environment, and it works.

Our home has been featured in multiple editorials including Vogue and W Magazine. You can explore more on Instagram and read Uproxx’s article “The RZA Steps Fully Into His Role As Creative Sage And Wisdom Holder” by Steve Bramucci, written about his time here during a Tazo Tea and Wu Tang collaboration.

We like to think there is nothing we cannot build or create with our extended Captain Barnes family. We are seeking someone with a can do, positive spirit, a person who sees the potential to grow alongside this ever evolving house and all it offers. Ideally we are looking for a one year commitment (and hopefully longer if the magic fits).

If this resonates with you, reach out and tell us about yourself — who you are, what inspires you, and how you imagine being part of this living work of art. Words can only do so much; we would love to show you the magic of Captain Barnes in person.