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Home Away From Home: The Maidstone in East Hampton

CasaSugar — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 12:00:33 -0700

If you live in the New York metro area, you know very well of the Hamptons' reputation as THE place to be in the summertime. If not, you've probably caught a glimpse of the glory of the Long Island townships in movies like Something's Gotta Give and Grey Gardens. Unless you're a lucky dog who owns a home in the popular seaside locale, most visitors rent a Summer share or score a bed with a friend, as hotels in the area tend to be overpriced and lacking in looks (and personal BBQ grills). But room and maid service does have its perks, so if you are looking to stay in a Hamptons hotel, might I offer one that gets my seal of approval? The iconic Maidstone hotel was reinvented by Swedish hotelier Jenny Ljungberg who has mixed the free-spirited design of her native Scandinavia with the timeless sophistication of the Hamptons, and thrown in some arresting artwork and photography - all with a bit of a bohemian twist. One of the guest rooms is furnished with pieces designed or inspired by seminal designer Josef Frank (a favorite of mine), and features white oak flooring typical of midcentury Scandinavia, as well as modern wallpaper by up-and-coming Swedish designer Hanna Werning. Another, the Kurbits Cottage, takes a note from traditional Sweden with a wooden Jantze Brogård Asshoff table, hand-painted wall motifs, a wood-burning fireplace, and water-lily light fixtures, as well wooden clogs as décor. Hear about the hotel's eco-friendly features and see plenty of photos when you read more.

Beyond its refreshing design philosophy, the hotel has also taken every conceivable step to be the Hamptons' most eco-friendly hotel, with a goal of becoming carbon neutral. Some of its eco-friendly features include an on-site Natura water filtration system in place of bottled water; high-efficiency furnaces; state-of-the-art central a/c units; Low-E double-paned windows with insulating argon gas; organic cotton linens; water-based paints; and low-flush toilets. They also use refillable toileterie containers, recyclable carry-out containers, organic produce, organic cleaning products, and compost all of their restaurant's organic waste and donate it to local farmers. And, guests are encouraged to use their collection of Kronan bicycles as green transport free of charge.

If you arrive in a car, you'll be happy to note that each room comes with a much-coveted beach parking permit. Pets are also welcome, and WiFi throughout the hotel is free. And after a tiring afternoon at the beach, you can cozy up with a book from the library stocked with volumes about art, design, photography and the Hamptons' history, or watch a DVD from their large collection, also free. Summer rates range from $450-$995.
To see interior photos, read more.

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On the Market: Grey Gardens For Summer Rental

CasaSugar — Fri, 15 May 2009 12:00:24 -0700

Grey Gardens, the once squalor-filled Hamptons mansion that was the home of "Big Edie" and "Little Edie" Bouvier Beale, aunt and first cousin of Jackie O., and the subject of HBO's recent flick of the same name, can be yours for $30,000 this Summer. Current owners journalist Sally Quinn and husband Washington Post editor Ben Bradlee are renting out their East Hampton mansion from August 28 to Labor Day. Thirty thousand for 11 days in a former garbage-strewn home? Well, the turn-of-the-century house has since undergone an intensive renovation, and Long Island is nice in the Summer. See postrestoration photos of the home from a 1984 issue of Architectural Digest when you read more.

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Coveted Crib: A Sleek Hamptons Home

CasaSugar — Mon, 16 Feb 2009 11:00:00 -0800

When it comes to coveted cribs, beach views, sleek modern architecture, and poolside lounging are definitely enviable features. This gorgeous vacation home in East Hampton comes complete with three different water sources: a pond, a solar-heated pool, and views to nearby Barrier Beach.

The home, which was recently renovated, admirably merges the structure with the surrounding landscape. The house is low-slung and nestled into the hillside. Guest rooms are located on one wing that is separated from the main space by a courtyard, which looks out onto the solar-heated pool. The pond is landscaped with native grasses that are drought tolerant, and the home's beautiful nature views are easily seen through its huge expanses of glass doors and windows.

To see more images of this home, including interior shots, and to hear about its green design features, read more.

The house takes advantage of passive solar principles, with its northern side occupied by very few window, which reduces heating needs. A 10 KW solar panel array offsets the home's energy needs, and a ground source heat pump provides efficient heating and cooling.

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On the Market: Former Home of Truman Capote

CasaSugar — Wed, 22 Oct 2008 11:00:27 -0700

The former estate of Truman Capote, author of literary classics Breakfast at Tiffany's and In Cold Blood, in Sagaponack, NY, is on the market for $14.6 million. Though he was actually a New Orleans native, Capote lived in the Long Island home until his death in 1984.
A cached listing for the property reads:

Hear the ocean from this very private and breathtaking setting in the heart of Sagaponack. Once the home of Truman Capote, this property has an oceanview main house, legal 2 bedroom guest house, 1900 sq ft artist's studio, detached garage and swimming pool. It is an oasis with stunning gardens, lawns and mature trees set 1000 feet from the ocean. Main house is a south facing, mid centruy modern home tastefully appointed and has plans and permits to expand. Guest house is ideally situated with its own privacy, gardens and parking.

For more information and to see photos of the property, read more.

The Hamptons home is being sold by abstract-expressionist painter Ross Bleckner, who purchased the property in 1993 from the Nature Conservancy for $800,000. Capote had left the property to his long-time partner Jack Dunphy, who in turn left the property to the Nature Conservancy at the time of his death in 1992. Be sure to check out this Hampton Style piece on Capote's former home. And, as an ode to Capote, here's how you can get the look of Holly Golightly's studio in the film Breakfast at Tiffany's.

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Cool Idea: Hammock Hang-Up

CasaSugar — Fri, 01 Aug 2008 04:30:42 -0700

A recent New York Times article, "A Spare Stage for the Spectacle of Life," took readers into the Long Island home of artist Karin Waisman and architect Carlos Brillembourg, which is quite narrow yet still full of light and space for the couple and their daughter, Antonia. While I would certainly call the property a Coveted Crib, it's not the house itself that grabbed me.Perusing an interactive photo blueprint for the home, I noticed that the couple had used five hammocks as wall décor in their dining room. The space is notably minimal (white walls and chairs, oak floors and table), so evenly spaced on the wall and picking up the colors of a tray of veggies on the table, the hammocks are quite visually arresting. They're fitting, too; Brillembourg hails from Venezuela and Waisman from Argentina, and hammocks are ubiquitous in South America. I've been attracted to the colorful multi-stripe textiles used in traditional hammocks, so using them purely for decorative purposes was a successful move. Of course, if they'd like to step outdoors and enjoy the Southampton Summer weather, the family of three can each grab one, and still have two for the road . . .

This Just In: Michael J. Fox Has a Future in Quogue

CasaSugar — Wed, 26 Mar 2008 04:30:57 -0700

According to Real Estalker, Michael J. Fox and his wife, Tracy Pollan, have purchased a 7,000-square-foot, 6-bedroom, 7.5-bath shingled Dutch Gambrel-style home for $6.3 million in Quogue, a quiet 'hood at the western end of the Hamptons. According to Newsday, the new home of the family of six sits on:

1.11 acres and includes seven fireplaces, a 17-x-11-foot wine cellar, a 250-square-foot guest cottage, and Gunite pool with spa. The kitchen opens to a sunroom overlooking a private garden, and leads to a wraparound screened porch with fireplace. A second-floor master suite leads to a roof deck overlooking Quantuck Bay.

There's no word on whether Fox and family will be staying there year-round, or just summering there, dahling. But, from the looks of it, I'm sure they're not suffering on the real estate front wherever it is they decide to call home.

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Home Library: Majestic Metropolitan Living

CasaSugar — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 10:00:10 -0800

Just a week after the fold of Metropolitan Home, I've got my hands on another city-centric design volume: Sue Hostetler's new book Majestic Metropolitan Living: Visionary Homes in the Heart of Cities. The shelter and design editor for magazines like Gotham, Hamptons, and LA Confidential, and the host of Plum Homes With Sue Hostetler on Plum TV (which "targets the most active, influential, and educated audience in the world"), Hostetler has tapped her cronies for tours of their unique and luxe urban dwellings.

The American dream of retiring to the pool and tennis courts in your countryside home is squashed by this book, which showcases a range of sprawling, real-life city homes. Each has an original sense of style, a warmth that defies traditional conceptions of "cold urban modernism," spectacular views, and in several cases, an outdoor space complete with a pool or lush garden. Many of the homes were created, not surprisingly, by converting former warehouses or other nonresidential buildings, or combining apartments.

Continue reading . . .

Coveted Crib: Fabulous Farmhouse

CasaSugar — Tue, 13 May 2008 16:00:36 -0700

The mix of inexpensive Pier 1 finds, custom-designed sofas, a few fine antiques, and a lively color scheme bring this old East Hampton farmhouse up to date. I'm impressed and inspired, and you can be too! Check out this slideshow to see the well-executed interiors. Source

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ELLE Decor Gears Up For the Launch of Style and Substance

CasaSugar — Fri, 25 Sep 2009 06:15:37 -0700

It's a big month for ELLE Decor. Not only is it the magazine's 20th anniversary, but Oct. 28 marks the official launch of the new book Style and Substance: The Best of Elle Decor, written by editor-in-chief Margaret Russell (below). So on Tuesday the magazine held a special event for 600 of the design elite on the third floor of Bergdorf Goodman in Manhattan. The guest list included amazing designers from interiors to art to fashion, including Bunny Williams, Michael Smith (Obama's decorator), Alexa Hampton, Jeffrey Bilhuber, and Mario Buatta. And Bergdorf's also created a special commemorative window for the event, which you can see below if you're not in the Big Apple to pass by it.

I've been collecting a giant stack of dog-eared ELLE Decor issues for the last 10 years, so I cannot wait to get my hands on this book, which condenses the best of the magazine's timeless interiors into one much more manageable volume! The book (which you can pre-order) is already number one in the interior design category on Amazon, and 240 pages overall, so I suspect it'll be worth the hype! See some more photos from the event below.

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Coveted Hamptons Home

CasaSugar — Tue, 27 Jan 2009 13:58:01 -0800

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