Nothing Is “Typical Hamptons” About This Empty-Nester’s Retreat

When you think of a typical Hamptons home, a plywood-clad powder room and hand-carved ceilings shipped direct from Holland don’t immediately leap to mind. But when ELLE DECOR A-List firm Fox-Nahem was approached by a couple to work on their summer escape in Sagaponack, New York, they didn’t want the go-to Shingle Style look. “Nothing was typical Hamptons,” principal Joe Nahem tells ELLE DECOR. “They didn’t just want marble countertops.” Instead of wicker chairs and white on white, Nahem crafted a one-of-a-kind retreat for the empty nesters that takes risks, from the poolhouse to the steam room and everything in between.

When Nahem was brought onto the project, he planned to work only on the primary bathrooms; the chemistry between him and the clients, though, was immediate. Eventually, Fox-Nahem ended up furnishing the entire residence, as architecture firm Kang Modern had just completed work on the home’s shell. And while the couple wasn’t afraid to take big swings, they did have one major non-negotiable. “They wanted practicality, especially with guests over or grandchildren running around,” says Nahem. “You don’t want to look at the living room and say, ‘This is gorgeous. Let’s hang out in the den.’”

In the living room, the carved wood sofa is made by Caleb Woodard and upholstered by Atelier Jouffre. The sculpture is REM Atelier.

Another primary consideration was the couple’s art collection, which consisted primarily of BIPOC and women artists, including Mie Yim and Shara Hughes. “It’s always a fine line—how do you incorporate art but not have the interior distract from it?” says Nahem. “You also don’t want it to feel too boring or beige because you’re afraid of the art.”

The living and dining rooms are one of the best examples of this delicate harmony. Nahem opted for a neutral color palette in both but went big on texture and shape, which paired perfectly with a sculpture by REM Atelier and a painting by Esteban Jefferson. A site-specific installation by textile artist Windy Chien ties it all together—quite literally. Chien and three members of her team spent three days weaving Sunbrella cord into carefully entwined knots on a frame that, once finished, served as a one-of-a-kind room divider. Nahem took it a step further by sending a sample of Chien’s work to Marble & Stone Creations, who hand-carved the blue limestone fireplace to emulate the installation’s undulating lines.

Inside an Art-Filled Hamptons Home

Open Gallery

Nahem’s journey with this project began with the primary bathrooms, so it’s only fitting that these spaces hold some of the most show-stopping elements of the whole project. He commissioned Sasha Sykes, an artist whose main material is resin, to create his and hers vanities for the room. Sykes foraged local flora and fauna from her surroundings in Ireland for the project, then encased them in resin so they appear frozen in time. It was the first time she ever worked on pieces of that magnitude.

“You don’t want it to feel too boring or beige.”

Similarly, a plywood-clad powder room was a real artistic statement, albeit one that the homeowners didn’t fully understand at first. Nahem made it work, covering the walls in carved plywood that mirrored the curvaceous maple sink by Aaron Poritz. There’s a bit of old-school flair to the space too—the wallpaper on the ceiling is vintage, and the pendant is Tiffany. “I like when powder rooms are a complete departure from the rest of the house,” says Nahem of the impetus.

A view of the poolhouse.

And, of course, since it’s the Hamptons, there’s the great outdoors. The exterior includes a pool, poolhouse, and plenty of outdoor entertaining areas, with landscape design by longtime Fox-Nahem collaborator Joseph Tyree. So while the Hamptons home differs from its neighbors in terms of style, it doesn’t sacrifice any of the more paradisiacal aspects of Out East living. Now,there’s just an art and furniture collection to pair with the seaside and spritz.

Helena Madden is ELLE DECOR’s market editor, and covers all things product and trend, from flatware and furnishings to kitchen and bath. She previously worked as a staff writer at Robb Report, where she covered luxury news with a focus on interior design.