Designing a Living Room Around Real Life: Southampton Project
There is a version of interior design that lives only in magazines. Everything is pristine, nothing is touched, and you get the sense that no one actually lives there. That is not the kind of design I do.
This project in Southampton is exactly the kind of home I love most. A family with young kids who are in and out of the swimming pool all summer long, sandy feet on the floors, wet bathing suits, weekend guests piling in for long lazy afternoons. This home needed to be beautiful and it needed to be real.
Those two things are not mutually exclusive, and this project is proof.
The Philosophy: Casual Coastal Done Right
The brief was casual coastal, but not in the beach-house-with-a-starfish-on-the-wall way. This is Southampton. The design needed to feel elevated, collected and personal. Blues anchored the palette, with pops of coral that bring warmth and energy, and greens used as accents throughout to ground everything and bring the outdoors in. The result is a space that feels like a deep breath.
Smart Mixing Furniture Pieces: High and Low Done Beautifully
One of the things I am most proud of in this project is the mix. Not every piece needs to be an investment and not every piece needs to be a bargain. The magic is in how you put them together.
The living room sofa is from Society Social, one of my favorite brands for coastal spaces. The silhouette is crisp and the performance fabric means it can take whatever a summer with kids throws at it. The swivel chairs are Serena and Lily, a perfect choice for a room where you want guests to be able to turn toward the view or toward the conversation. The spindle chair from Ballard adds a little texture and whimsy without taking over the room.
The coffee table is from Mrs. Alice and it is a real statement piece. Natural, grounding and the kind of thing people ask about the moment they walk in.
The Dining Room: Flexible and Family Ready
For a home that hosts weekend guests, flexibility in the dining room is everything. We went with a Pottery Barn expandable dining table that can go from an intimate family dinner to a full house without missing a beat, paired with Crate and Barrel dining chairs that are comfortable enough to linger over a long meal.
The Entry Foyer: First Impressions Matter
The entry sets the tone for everything that follows. We used an Oomph foyer table, which brings that combination of personality and quality that this home called for, paired with a Society Social bench that is as functional as it is good looking. When you walk in the door, you know immediately what kind of house this is.
Performance Fabrics: The Secret Weapon
Here is the honest truth about designing for a family with young kids and a pool in the backyard. No matter how much you love a fabric, if it cannot handle real life it does not belong in this house. Performance fabrics were non-negotiable throughout this project. They look just as beautiful as their more delicate counterparts and they will still look beautiful five summers from now. This is one of the smartest investments a family can make and one I recommend to almost every client.
The Takeaway
You do not have to choose between a home that looks incredible and a home that actually gets lived in.
This Southampton project is a reminder that the best interiors are the ones that tell the story of the people inside them. A little coral, a lot of blue, some really great pieces sitting comfortably next to some really smart ones, and a sofa that does not flinch when a wet seven year old comes running in from the pool.
That is the goal. Every time.
Photography by Julia D'Agostino. Style and Space Interiors is based in Sleepy Hollow, New York and serves clients throughout Westchester County including Briarcliff Manor, Sleepy Hollow, Tarrytown, Ossining, Chappaqua, and beyond.
