The living room’s material mix includes shiplap paneling and a surround of handmade tiles from Cocobolo Design. The sofa and settee sport Thibaut and Jiun Ho fabrics, respectively. George Scatchard ceramic table lamps and rattan sconces by Colonel add light.
East Coast Classic Meets English Charm in This Southampton Abode
When designer Terri Ricci first met with her clients—a couple with grown children looking to design a second home out East—the consultation, which usually lasts a few hours, stretched to six. “I’ve never had that happen before,” says Ricci. “We laid out everything on the floor—images, samples, fabrics—and they got really involved.” For years, the design-savvy couple had spent two weeks every summer renting in the town of Southampton. So, when the opportunity arose to purchase a property with mature landscaping and an existing tennis court (a hot commodity for an in-town address), they jumped—with visions of building a large, comfortable dwelling to serve as summer vacation HQ for their blended family.
Fortunately, they knew the perfect architect for the project: their close friend, architect Doug Larson. And, after coming across a waterfront Connecticut house designed by Ricci in a favorite magazine, they enlisted her for the interiors. On their wish list? An open, airy feel, a sophisticated palette and charming details inspired by the years they lived overseas in England.
With general contractor Declan Murray and Ricci’s senior designer Margarita Rael, Larson and Ricci conceived a four-bedroom oasis that blends elements of classic East Coast style (shingled siding, white trim, shiplap paneling) with British-inspired details (patterned wallpapers, layered textiles, cozy nooks). “In England, we lived in a home with a lovely staircase and windows facing the front yard, and we specifically asked Doug to recreate this in his design,” adds the wife. “We created curb appeal and charm,” concurs the architect, pointing to the façade’s twin dormers, covered porch and dusty-blue-hued door. “We scaled up many details, including the beams that stick out over the gables, and the oversize windows. If you stand back, you can see that they work to make the house feel smaller than it would if you had smaller versions.” While undeniably spacious, “the silhouette makes it feel like a cottage,” he adds.
Inside, this cosseting sensibility continues, albeit with a fresh, all-American twist. A base of white walls and wide oak flooring, as well as extensive custom millwork including cedar ceiling beams, neatly ties the decor together while nodding to the classic East Coast beach house aesthetic. And, instead of packing rooms with frills, florals and other expected cottage elements, Ricci leaned on sumptuous textures and monochrome patterns to imbue an inviting vibe. Take the open-concept living room, where she installed handmade glazed stoneware tiles around the fireplace and deployed a mélange of tailored, wood-framed furnishings upholstered in breezy textiles.
“The key here was to layer, but not over–layer. There is a refinement to this house that makes it just glow.”
—Terri Ricci
Home details
Photography
Joshua McHugh
Architecture
Doug Larson, Larson Architecture Works
Interior Design
Terri Ricci and Margarita Rael, Terri Ricci Interiors
Home Builder
Declan Murray, Declan Murray Construction Management
Landscape Architecture
John Beitel, Beitel Landscape Associates
In the kitchen, oak cabinetry by Ciuffo Cabinetry is left natural or painted Benjamin Moore’s Vanilla Milkshake. The brass hardware is from Pruskin Hardware while the plaster range and chandelier are custom creations. Pottery Barn stools ring an island topped with Matarazzo from BAS Stone.
Separated from the living area by a set of large steel-and-glass doors, the kitchen is an equally important hub for the family, who loves to cook, bake and hang out around the eat-in island. Here, a combination of painted-cream and bare-oak cabinetry provides a warm backdrop, and, notes Ricci, “the vertical boards were chosen as another nod to cottage style.” To flood the room with natural light and create a direct connection to the landscape, Larson linked a pair of large bay windows with a set of French doors that open onto a procession of tranquil outdoor living spaces—gardens, patios, the tennis court, a pristine pool—all artfully rendered in concert with landscape architect John Beitel.
Moving upstairs, the home’s bedroom suites offer tranquil escapes as well, each boasting a distinct personality (like a medley of soft blue-and-white textiles wrapped in a whimsical bird-patterned wallpaper for a guest room) and embellished with Ricci’s signature finishing touches. “I always like to bring in vintage Danish lamps and textured fabrics,” the designer notes. Summing up the secret sauce of this special project, she continues, “The key here was to layer, but not over–layer. There is a refinement to this house that makes it just glow.”
The Doorman Designs canopy bed is softened with linens from Parachute Home. A woven pendant from Crate & Barrel brings texture to the shiplap ceiling. An Oka chair sits in a windowed nook with drapes of Otis Textiles fabric.