10 Must-Haves for Your Holiday Home
Daybeds
Daybeds are essential for Hamptons living—providing that perfect lounging area by day and accommodating an extra weekend guest by night. For the type of daybed that you’d want to show off in your main living area, den, sunroom or even outdoors, look no further than Adrianna Shamaris. With locations on Spring Street in NYC and on Main Street in Southampton, Adrianna Shamaris is considered an authority on modern organic furniture among architects, interior designers and stylists. Her store offers daybeds that are hand-carved and made of natural aged teak—so they can go indoors or outdoors. Each one is unique, and so along with the daybed comes the white cotton mattress custom-fitted to the unique size of the daybed, as well as white pillows to line the back. Some of the daybeds are made by Adrianna Shamaris herself, and some are imported from Southeast Asia—including one from a palace in Indonesia!
Succulents
Now that we can’t really enjoy our outdoor gardens, it’s time to bring the greenery indoors. Succulents are a perfectly stylish year-round indoor option. “Most succulents can take the sun, so put them in a bright spot,” says Pam Healey, manager at Lynch’s Garden Center in Southampton. “They’re really carefree. They require water every 10 to 14 days, and the warmer it is, the faster they dry out. Succulents are low maintenance, have relatively few pests, and are popular these days.” A few types of succulents you can find at Lynch’s are echeveria, haworthia, lithops and kalanchoe. “It’s also popular to cut the tops off echeveria and haworthia and use them as centerpieces, as you’ll see a lot of florists doing. They can last a while in stones,” says Healey.
Accessories
Accessories allow you to show off some of your own personal style and give a room the final touch. One of the most enjoyable aspects of interior decorating is finding those special items to complete your look. Paula Yount, a manager and designer at Mecox Gardens in East Hampton says, “Designers are always looking for things to finish off bookshelves, and one of the most popular items we carry are little boxes—they come in mother of pearl, a blue-and-white bone configuration and chagrin. Another very popular item right now is an interlocking knot—one half is made of silver and the other half is made of gold. Trays are also big—they come in snakeskin, black-and-white, faux chagrin and leathers.”
Upholstery
With many of our Hamptons homes sporting white walls, upholstered chairs and couches can add a soft, welcoming touch—perfect for taking the summer house into winter—while packing a punch in style. Kate Shrine, of House to Home in Westhampton Beach, says, “We have about 600 fabrics you can choose from. And since we’re also an interior design service, we can come to your home and see what works best with the existing furniture.” House to Home’s chairs and couches are marked at a base price and from there, you simply customize with fabric. “People are definitely still doing chevron,” Shrine says of what’s popular in fabrics. “Geometric prints, lattice, ikat are also popular. Then you have your classic florals, stripes and patterns. We’re in a beach town, so ticking and rugby stripes are also popular.” Adding in holiday colors like reds, greens and golds will make your home ready for the season.
Bedding
Bedding is nothing to be lax about when it comes to home décor, and with guest bedrooms you can certainly indulge in high-end bedding. When it comes to luxury bedding, look no further that Hildreth’s Home Goods in Southampton. “Matouk is number one,” says Judy Rewinski, buyer for Hildreth’s, of the store’s many lines. “Their sheeting is phenomenal. Matouk also does top of the bed coverlets and decorative pillows.” Pinecone Hill pillows are extremely popular, too. “I think everyone in Southampton must own one because we are blowing through them,” says Rewinski. “Suchiras is also a nice option for bedding—their quilts do very well.”
Accent Pieces
End tables, consoles, book shelves, coffee tables, decorative vases, wing chairs and more add both comfort and style while serving utilitarian purposes in any room. At English Country Antiques in Southampton and Bridgehampton, these items are plentiful. “As we approach winter, it’s all about greys, blacks, navy blues,” says James Seckey, junior manager at the Southampton location. Nailhead accents in sofas, chairs and sectionals lend a polished look, appropriate for winter, and come in different metals. “Right now polished nickel is the most popular,” says Seckey. A black-and-white chagrin cabinet, with chrome-finished legs, completes a modern wintertime look for the modern Hamptons home. A buffet table in a pewter finish with antiqued mirror is also a trendy pick—and pairs well with those
wintertime charcoals.
Lighting
The right lighting can change your life, and there’s nothing like the shorter daylight hours to make you realize it. From everyday lighting in your home office or all-purpose living area to special dim lighting for evening entertaining, there is a bulb and a lamp to serve the purpose. “One of the most important aspects of lighting are dimmers. Not only do dimmers save energy, but they create a more inviting, welcoming and relaxing mood,” says Corinne Haley, in lighting and sales at Revco, which has locations in East Hampton, Southampton, Riverhead and Southold and offers dimmers, bulbs and all types of lamps, sconces, chandeliers and more—along with expertise to assist in your lighting needs. For winter lighting, Haley says, “The newer LED bulbs are energy efficient and now also available in different temperatures—so you can choose a warmer one.”
Throws
It’s winter, it’s cold, but we might as well make the best of it and create a cozy nook for ourselves. Whether you’re in front of a fireplace or nestled on an oversized couch in front of a television (or both!), the season will start to feel a whole lot warmer with a throw blanket. Wrap yourself or someone you love in super-luxurious, cozy and decadent blankets and throws by Bemboka, available at English Country Antiques. They’re washable, tumble-dry friendly and available in all the right colors for the season. A perfect balance of superb natural fibers, super 100s Australian fine merino wool and a rare quality of angora carefully selected because it is almost as fine as cashmere. These angora and fine merino blend blankets and throws are light, luxurious and very warm.
Rugs
While hardwood floors look great left bare during the warmer months, winter calls for some padding underfoot, both to keep warm and to prevent slipping when walking around in socks. Neutral sisal rugs are a popular Hamptons choice—casual and functional—and can be layered with cowhides for added wintertime style. Small sheepskin throw rugs are perfect for bedside, hallways and hearthside. Wool rugs in latticework patterns are also a classic-meets-contemporary option. Luckily for East Enders, there’s a West Elm in Water Mill and West Elm Warehouse at Tanger Outlet Center in Riverhead, where you can find these and more. For custom sisal rugs, try Pottery Barn in Southampton. For a softer version of sisal, with just as much texture and pattern, try a chunky braided twist rug from Restoration Hardware in East Hampton.
Vintage
Most designers will tell you that mixing and matching old and new is key in interior design. Being selective, though, will help keep your living room from looking too much like a hodgepodge of tag sale take-homes. Choose your vintage and antique pieces very carefully. It generally works well to make a particularly special or unique piece the focus of a room, and use simpler pieces to fill in around it. If you’re unsure of what exactly you need, a visit to Antiques by James Maguire in Hampton Bays is in order, where you’ll find a vast selection of vintage indoor and outdoor furniture at a wide range of prices.