Houzz Tour: Hamptons Beach House With Worldly Flair
A designer keeps the coastal references subtle in this family-friendly New York vacation home
Becky Harris
May 30, 2021
Houzz Contributor. Hi there! I live in a 1940s cottage in Atlanta that I'll describe as "collected."
I got into design via Landscape Architecture, which I studied at the University of Virginia.
Houzz Contributor. Hi there! I live in a 1940s cottage in Atlanta that I'll describe... More
This London-based family of five wanted to bring a worldly coastal vibe to its new vacation house in Westhampton Beach, New York. “This does not look like a typical Hamptons home, and that was not an accident,” says their interior designer, Jessica Gething. While she used textures and materials to subtly reference the coastal location, she also drew inspiration from Europe and some of her clients’ favorite destinations, such as Ibiza and Morocco. The result is a relaxed and cozy home that can sleep up to 12.
Photos by Genevieve Garruppo
House at a Glance
Who lives here: This is a London family’s vacation home
Location: Westhampton Beach, New York
Size: 1,800 square feet (167 square meters); four bedrooms and 3½ bathrooms
Designer: Jessica Gething
Contractor: Colin Bester of R2Q Construction
“These clients understood that the way to get the best result was to involve a contractor, architect and interior designer from the very beginning of the design process,” Gething says. R2Q Construction is a design-build firm that used its architect to guide the team through the permitting process. “After that the architect was pretty much done,” Gething says. “We had a hand in selecting everything from the shingles to the drainpipes, the windows to the pavers.”
The house is on a long, narrow peninsula between the open ocean and a bay, and its location is on the bay side. Previously there had been a beach shack on the property that wasn’t raised high enough to avoid water damage. This house is built atop piers. Horizontal siding and landscaping around the base of the home help camouflage the raised height.
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House at a Glance
Who lives here: This is a London family’s vacation home
Location: Westhampton Beach, New York
Size: 1,800 square feet (167 square meters); four bedrooms and 3½ bathrooms
Designer: Jessica Gething
Contractor: Colin Bester of R2Q Construction
“These clients understood that the way to get the best result was to involve a contractor, architect and interior designer from the very beginning of the design process,” Gething says. R2Q Construction is a design-build firm that used its architect to guide the team through the permitting process. “After that the architect was pretty much done,” Gething says. “We had a hand in selecting everything from the shingles to the drainpipes, the windows to the pavers.”
The house is on a long, narrow peninsula between the open ocean and a bay, and its location is on the bay side. Previously there had been a beach shack on the property that wasn’t raised high enough to avoid water damage. This house is built atop piers. Horizontal siding and landscaping around the base of the home help camouflage the raised height.
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This is the street-facing side of the house. “This was a tricky site,” Gething says. “We decided to locate the main entry door around the side of the house to help them maximize privacy and their parking area.” Stairs lead from the parking area to a path that leads around the corner to the deck and entry door. This also makes it easy for guests to go straight back to the deck and the beach when there’s an outdoor gathering.
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The main entry to the house is on the left side of the photo.
“The most special thing about this place is the water, so we wanted to give them the largest windows and doors possible,” the designer says. An open-plan living room, dining room and kitchen maximize the views from all three spaces. “We used a smaller table for the dining area because we knew these clients would be using the house during the summer and having most of their meals outside on the deck,” Gething says.
“The most special thing about this place is the water, so we wanted to give them the largest windows and doors possible,” the designer says. An open-plan living room, dining room and kitchen maximize the views from all three spaces. “We used a smaller table for the dining area because we knew these clients would be using the house during the summer and having most of their meals outside on the deck,” Gething says.
Beyond the deck’s dining area is an outdoor lounge and a grilling station. Steel cable railings keep the water views open.
The material selections began with the floor. While the homeowners were drawn to poured concrete, Gething feared it wouldn’t stand up to the temperature changes and humidity of the area. Instead she found a durable resin product used for lining pools, among other applications. “It’s applied like a plaster and it looks like concrete,” she says. “But it’s softer and more textured than concrete, and it won’t crack.”
With that cooler material chosen for the floor, Gething knew she’d need to warm up the room. So she used reclaimed white oak floorboards on the ceiling. “We originally planned on whitewashing it, but everyone liked the coloring and look of it exactly how it was. It was a happy accident,” she says. She used white oak on built-ins throughout the house, such as the floating ledge under the TV. This created a cohesive feel.
Grass lampshades and a woven rattan pendant light add coastal texture. The porcelain wall sconces are by Lindsey Adelman. “The porcelain lit from behind has a shell-like essence,” Gething says.
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With that cooler material chosen for the floor, Gething knew she’d need to warm up the room. So she used reclaimed white oak floorboards on the ceiling. “We originally planned on whitewashing it, but everyone liked the coloring and look of it exactly how it was. It was a happy accident,” she says. She used white oak on built-ins throughout the house, such as the floating ledge under the TV. This created a cohesive feel.
Grass lampshades and a woven rattan pendant light add coastal texture. The porcelain wall sconces are by Lindsey Adelman. “The porcelain lit from behind has a shell-like essence,” Gething says.
Browse tropical light fixtures in the Houzz Shop
Other textures include a jute rug, vintage textiles and rattan and bamboo furniture. The client found the sofas herself while attending a trade show in Paris. “They are from Holland, and the maker uses vintage linens to cover them. It makes them look so rich and special,” Gething says. “The washed-out linen look nods to Ibiza and coastal Spain.”
White oak stairs with transparent railings and open risers help maintain the open feel.
White oak stairs with transparent railings and open risers help maintain the open feel.
Just past the TV ledge is a small office nook with white oak built-ins.
Sunny yellow seat cushions provide comfort on the dining chairs. Just off the dining area is the kitchen. “We used the same blue paint on the island and the counter stools to blend them together,” Gething says.
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Zellige backsplash tiles from Morocco add to the worldly feel. The range is by Lacanche and the range hood is custom with a plaster finish. Floating white oak shelves offer a spot for display.
Gething, who began her career in London, sourced many items from the U.K. and around Europe. This helped her clients feel at home and gave the house an international vibe. The kitchen cabinetry is by Plain English, a British company with a showroom in New York.
The reeded glass cabinet on the left has a wine fridge underneath. The family sets this area up as a bar so guests can serve themselves without getting in the way of people working in the kitchen.
Gething, who began her career in London, sourced many items from the U.K. and around Europe. This helped her clients feel at home and gave the house an international vibe. The kitchen cabinetry is by Plain English, a British company with a showroom in New York.
The reeded glass cabinet on the left has a wine fridge underneath. The family sets this area up as a bar so guests can serve themselves without getting in the way of people working in the kitchen.
On the opposite side of the room, they use this out-of-the-way spot as a toaster and coffee station. (It was staged differently for the photos.) The paneled blue backsplash continues up behind the cabinetry, and the shelves were painted blue to match.
The other room on the first floor is this TV den, created as a spot where the kids can watch TV or play video games without the noise disrupting the entire main level. Gething designed the furniture for lounging and to sleep three. “They tend to have a lot of extended family and friends visit, so we needed this house to sleep as many people as possible,” she says. The house can comfortably sleep 12.
The designer managed to tuck a full bathroom underneath the stairs, allowing the den to also function as a private guest suite.
Another gorgeous zellige tile lines the bathroom wall and the shower stall. “This is everything I love about using organic materials,” Gething says. “The clay tiles are handmade and when they are fired there are these incredible variations and inconsistencies. There’s such a luxury in having materials like this.”
She designed the soapstone sink, both a space-saver and a stunner. She repeated the use of soapstone on the shower floor. The mirror is vintage and resembles a porthole, hinting at nautical style without going overboard.
She designed the soapstone sink, both a space-saver and a stunner. She repeated the use of soapstone on the shower floor. The mirror is vintage and resembles a porthole, hinting at nautical style without going overboard.
The flooring on the second floor is white oak. A queen bed and loft bed sleep three in this bedroom.
The rug, bedding and light fixture add more worldly textures to the room. This room enjoys one of the two second-floor balconies.
Rather than wasting space with closets, Gething designed wardrobes for each bedroom. “The family is only here for six weeks at a time and they bring light summer clothing, so they don’t need a lot of space for it,” she says.
The wardrobes are outfitted with rods and drawers, eliminating the need for dressers. This one has a woven wallcovering on the doors and rattan-wrapped handles from Australia.
The wardrobes are outfitted with rods and drawers, eliminating the need for dressers. This one has a woven wallcovering on the doors and rattan-wrapped handles from Australia.
In the kids’ bathroom, reeded wood on the vanity and a rattan light fixture nod to the coastal feel. The floor tiles are a moody gray-green that recalls the color of the bay on a stormy day. An open shelf holds plenty of towels, and wall-mounted faucets save countertop space.
This room sleeps four thanks to built-in bunks and a daybed with a trundle. “This room is tiny and it’s my favorite,” Gething says. “In a lot of ways we had to treat this house like a boat. We took advantage of every nook and cranny with shelves or benches, like the one at the window.” Shiplap wraps the bunk walls to give them their own special feel.
Gething also saved space by sourcing special reading lights that have switches on the fixtures. The blue part swivels out for reading. “These are a Charlotte Perriand reissue,” Gething says. “They are a nice nod to Europe and the color is just perfect.” The window treatments are a hand-woven textile from South America.
Gething also saved space by sourcing special reading lights that have switches on the fixtures. The blue part swivels out for reading. “These are a Charlotte Perriand reissue,” Gething says. “They are a nice nod to Europe and the color is just perfect.” The window treatments are a hand-woven textile from South America.
The designer added a pop of blue inside the wardrobe.
The homeowners’ bedroom also enjoys its own private balcony. “The idea was to keep it light, easy-breezy and sophisticated. We focused on textures instead of color,” Gething says. “I thought the bubble chandelier with the rope cord would be a good ocean-y reference.”
The walls are plaster with a lime wash. The bedding and rug add a mix of textiles, and the lamps bring in a grassy texture. The bed was made by Pinch, an English company, and the linens are French. Linen sheers add softness at the windows; there are also hidden blackout roller shades.
The walls are plaster with a lime wash. The bedding and rug add a mix of textiles, and the lamps bring in a grassy texture. The bed was made by Pinch, an English company, and the linens are French. Linen sheers add softness at the windows; there are also hidden blackout roller shades.
In addition to the built-ins around the bed, the homeowners have an extensive built-in wardrobe. Gething had the panels covered in a grasscloth wallcovering from Schumacher.
In the en suite bathroom, a mix of marble, white oak and oil-rubbed bronze creates an elegant palette. The front of the vanity has marble-covered, U-shaped drawers and there are white oak drawers beneath for larger items.
In order to create privacy without blocking in the vanity too much, Gething topped a pony wall with ribbed glass framed in bronze.
Faucets: Waterworks
In order to create privacy without blocking in the vanity too much, Gething topped a pony wall with ribbed glass framed in bronze.
Faucets: Waterworks
The shower walls are clad in marble tile laid in a herringbone pattern. Gething used the same marble from the vanity for accents like the niche in the stall. A glass shower enclosure makes the room feel larger and airier. She added a waterproof light over the shower niche.
“I wanted to give them a European aesthetic in the U.S. It wound up translating very well at the beach,” she says.
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“I wanted to give them a European aesthetic in the U.S. It wound up translating very well at the beach,” she says.
See more of this home
More on Houzz
Tour more vacation homes
Hire a local design pro
Shop for your home
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I love the hints of blue. With kids visiting, i was surprised there was no bathtub.
Love your style. How do we reach you to discuss your services on a personal project?
Hi Kathy Lindstrom! You can find Jessica's contact information here:
https://www.houzz.com/pro/jessica-gething_design/jessica-gething-design