Year-round Living in the Hamptons - an Oxymoron?

I think so.  Typical Hampton homeowners appear to live there only for the briefest of times.  Are the Hamptons only a summer destination?  Let's investigate.  Let's look at homes by Foley and Cox Design and homes by James Huniford Design, and then decide.

From New York Home, we see partners, Micheal Cox and Mary Foley looking out their office window...

and below is an image of the building which houses their office.  They work in the office above the Fleur de Sel restaurant.

They had the difficult task of simultaneously designing a family's house in the Hamptons and this same family's apartment on Park Avenue.  First the Hampton house.

The soft colors seen here will be repeated in the Park Avenue apartment.

It's all so Something's Gotta Give style, isn't it?  Let's take a peek at the Park Avenue apartment below.

Not to belabor the point, but this apartment also reminds me of the film only this time it resembles Jack Nicholson's apartment.  The colors here remain similar to the Hampton house from above.

Sorry for the blurry crease.

Such beautiful rooms all having a similar neutral design.

Now onto one of my favorite Hampton homes, one designed by James Huniford in Bridgehampton.  The first group of images are taken from Elle Decor, the second group are from Cote Est or the James Huniford Design website.  There's an edginess to his rooms here.  You may be surprised, but I love this edge as much as I love traditional and cozy.  On my Pinterest boards, I label this particular style "Cool and Funky," and it leads me to believe I really do need not two houses, but five, maybe six.

Maybe it's the darker woodwork with the clean white walls and furnishings that I like so much.

Or the artwork and accessories.  It just all works.

Kitchen is very white also, but, again, with very cool accessories.  Love the metal and wood table.

Traditional chairs with very untraditional side board.

Again, very untraditional art and lamps with traditional chairs - great mix.

Ditto from above.

Nothing too funky here, except maybe the mirror and bath mat.

Now let's peruse the more detailed images from Cote Est starting with a close-up of the living room table and the very white walls and woodwork with the very dark floors.

Details from living room.

Very cool bedroom art.

Second floor details.

Another view of same bedroom.

The place to which the bedroom's French doors exit.

More living room.

Living room details.

Lamp detail - is it a vintage something?  Whatever it is, I love it.  In Maine, I had the opportunity to purchase lamps made from gears and lacked enough courage (and actually lacked enough space) to buy them.  Huniford never lacks the courage.

Clear image.  Note the antique hutch with those very cool lamps and wall art.

Interesting basket.  If I could read French, I'd know what kind of basket it is.

Do you think his countertops are concrete?  I love, love, love concrete counter tops, and they will be in my real kitchen someday soon.

 

Kitchen details.

x

Different view of dining room.

Another pair of cool, industrial-esque lamps.

Antique bed and chest/night stand in another bedroom.

Vintage and modern art in another

I never tire of Huniford's interesting details.  Hope you do not.

Guest rooms.

Did you love this house?  Could you tell I did?  Loved it as much as Meg Ryan's house on Martha's Vineyard or as much as Wyeth's house in the Brandywine.  All are very different but all are very good.  So, this has been Huniford's house in Bridgehampton.  

Now let's look at his city house in NYC as seen on Veranda's website and on the James Huniford Design website.  This particular room below reminds me a bit of a Darryl Carter room, but Carter uses less funk.  Love interior shutters like these.

His neutral colors appear in the city also, and his very white walls, but his floors are not quite as dark now.  Notice the neat ladder on the right bookcase.

Spare kitchen...

with interesting furnishings,

and an exit to the patio.

Adjoining the breakfast room.

Read the notation at the top of the master bedroom image.  It says it all.

Wisteria and cool accessories on tiny patio.

Whew!  This seemed a very long post, but you had to see it all.  What do you suppose?  Everyone on the Hamptons has a house in NYC?  I'm certain that everyone does not, but that lucky minority and their designers offer inspiration to those of us who only dream of another house to decorate (or another five to decorate).  Could you tell I really love James Huniford's Hamptons house, because I really, really do.

I'm off to Italy - land of warm breezes, red wine, fine leather, olives, and pasta - for a whole week.  Will check in when I return.

Arrivederci,

b

Still Hearing the Sirens' Song of the Hamptons

But I am a bit distracted because of multi-tasking - something against which I always warned my students.  You see, being from upstate New York, I am a huge Buffalo Bills fan, and it is difficult to be a Bills fan.  They break your heart.  Listening to their game now against the Arizona Cardinals, they were winning, but no longer.  I'm typing this post with my fingers, but have both ears attuned to the game, and Arizona just got another first down.  Drat!!

Today, I am going back to 1990 and continuing on to the present.  I must apologize for the condition of some of my images.  One of the magazines had some water damage, but still deserved keeping, and many of the others had images on both sides of a page which means you see a crease down the center.  But, undaunted like my Bills, I continue onward.

From the August 1990, House and Gardens, let's look at a rejuvenated Victorian cottage designed by Anthony Baratta and William Diamond.  Lots of blue and white in the foyer.  You just never see braided rugs anymore which might not be a bad thing.

More white and blue and the first of my omnipresent creases.  Sorry.  I love the paneling in this room, the great bowl atop the table, and remain an ardent fan of windsor chairs.  Not sure about the blue braided rug here - would show every dropped morsel.

Remember the blue and white in the Something's Gotta Give house?  Guess Hampton beach houses feel that is de rigueur because here it is again.  And more braid.

There's something I always really liked about this kitchen - perhaps the absence of vibrant blue, perhaps it's the spotted flooring which hides so many crumbs or is it the red checked cloth on the table?  Whatever -  it would be a great kitchen in which to enjoy lobster and corn on the cob.

(By the way, the Bills got another first down in the second half.)  Moving onwards to Dick Cavett's home in the Hamptons (sadly, it is the water damaged magazine).  Anyone remember Cavett from the Tonight Show?  He wrote for the show and appeared often as a guest host for Johnny Carson, and has a really great Montauk house to escape to in the summer.  Pretty nice view, huh?

Dick Cavett and friends and always books.

Screen between the living room and staircase showing my wrinkles.  (Bills are winning 16 - 13 but lots of time left.)

If not wrinkles, creases.  I'm sorry that such a pretty English-feeling living room is blurred by them.  Try to ignore the flaws.  (Cardinals just intercepted the ball; I could cry.)

My friend, Greet, just did a posting about red kitchens as have several recent magazines.  They are very inviting like the Cavett's in Montauk.

A wrinkled, but pretty, dining room.  I love the way ladder back chairs look, but have seldom sat in a comfortable one.  Have you?

Guest bedrooms.

Master bedroom.

Now, to a 2001 Architectural Digest and the Southampton home Naomi Leff renovated for Neil Hirsch.

Even my creases cannot diminish this lovely living room.  (Arizona just tied the game.  C'mon Bills.)  So happy to see some neutral colors - serenity again.

Fireplace side of living room.

Dining room containing two 1846 portraits, part of Hirsch's large antique collection.  (Arizona just missed a field goal attempt.  Now it's overtime.  Bills have won the toss - a real squeaker of a game.)

Breakfast room, once an office. Love that tilt-top table.

Family room.

Guest bedroom.

Master bedroom below contains some of Hirsch's most important pieces.

Now to the Tom Sheerer home in East Hampton which appeared in a recent House Beautiful and on their website.  More contemporary colors appear in the dining room but still antiques abound.

Other side of dining room.

Dining room as seen from living room.

Living room with blues and a rug reminiscent of  Something's Gotta Give.  Not a braided rug in sight.

Not a braided rug in sight,

(Buffalo just intercepted the ball and are at the five-yard line.  Keep your fingers crossed.)  Entry below.

Library.  (Buffalo won!!!!   Every team in the Eastern division is now 3 and 3, because New England lost to the Seahawks.  Oh happy day! )

Kitchen, of course.

Because the house overlooks Duck Pond, images of ducks adorn the staircase walls.

Bathroom whose walls remind us of the kitchen floor from the first home above.  "Everything old does sometimes become new again."

A very pink guest room.

Master bedroom.  Love the beams in much of the house.

And now to one of my autumnal Gourmets.  It is autumn after all, and Gourmet always did it so well.

I know it contains another crease, but this dining area is so luxurious and had to be included in its entirety.

Potato puree with potato crisps and Shitake Ragout.

Five-Spiced Roasted Guinea Hen, Steamed Broccoli Rabe, and Lemon Barley Spring Rolls.  Note how fitting the china is here.  Nothing clashes in Gourmet, ever.

Pistachio Praline Dacquoise _ "oh my!"

On these delicious notes, I end this post.  (And my Bills won!)  Hope you enjoyed these views of the Hamptons and stay tuned for more.  The best may be yet to come.
Till then,
b