O u t s i d e I n
Written by Ronda Swaney
Photography by Phillip Ennis Photography
No drapes. No blinds. No shades. Look closely at this home and you will soon see that there are no visual barriers between what’s indoors and the great outdoors. A summer home is meant to be enjoyed inside
and out. It’s a place for relaxation, where one can escape the everyday routine. This bright
and airy waterfront home provides a refuge for the couple who lives there, as
well as their extended family.
Designers Benjamin Bradley and David Thiergartner, of Bradley Thiergartner
Interiors of New York, have collaborated with this couple on the designs of
their other homes. “These clients find absolutely beautiful properties,” says Thiergartner, “and the property that this house sits on is magnificent.”
As inspiration for this specific project, the design duo took full advantage of
the views surrounding the home. “The back of the house has tremendous amounts of glass and water views,” Bradley explains. “The light floods from the rear of this house, so we tried to get the light to go
through all spaces.” Though much of the house is open, there remains a sense of coziness: “The post and beam construction covers you as you come into the house. It
provides a cosseted, enveloped feel and a very warm welcome. As you step into
the other spaces of the house, they open up. The light floods in and lifts you.
You are taken by how light and airy the house is.”
“They wanted their beach house to allow for a lot of people to be comfortable, at
ease, and to enjoy the inside-outside atmosphere of the house,” says Thiergartner. “We tried to balance all of those elements together.”
Much of that balance is achieved with consistency of color, tone, and theme
throughout the home. “We tend to look at interiors as a whole composition; the artwork, the lamps, the
sofas are all part of the same story,” says Thiergartner. “I think that’s one of the things we find most enjoyable about traditional and classic
interiors: you can’t really date them. If you don’t buy into trendy colors and silhouettes, it can carry you a long way.”
A sense of calm threads together the public and the private rooms of the home. “It’s important that you are never jarred from one room to the next,” Bradley says. “There needs to be a common thread that tells a story of what the house is and
who the people are who live in it. [In] the bedrooms, we made a subtle shift in
color, but, for the most part, there was a conscious decision with the light
maple floors and the white walls to set a light, beachy tone.”
In the bedrooms and baths of the home, light floods each room to make the most
of the setting and the view. The interesting architecture of the windows is
never hidden but instead is used to make a strong statement. Even the master
bath is a room with a view; a window at the foot of the tub allows for soaking
up the sun as well as the suds.
A crucial element of any summer home is its outdoor space. During the long, hot
days of summer, the outdoor spaces are just as important as the interiors.
Thoughtful and structural plantings, such as indigenous grasses and large-leaf
hosta, highlight the outdoor area, while the pool is lined with hydrangeas.
ABOVE: In the living room, a solid maple coffee table and a rustic fireplace surround
ground the space. The well-placed windows flood the room with natural light.
ABOVE AND BELOW: The lush greens and grays of the surrounding greenery are echoed in the plank
siding and rustic interior of the boathouse. The hard edges of the pool are
softened by large stone planters and indigenous plantings that include grasses,
hydrangea, and hosta. Shade trees keep the large yard and boathouse cool during
long summer days.
“As pleased as we and our clients are with the interior, this house is begging
you to explore outside,” Thiergartner says. “Our clients are so interested in the garden and in the beauty that it
represents.”
The colors of the outdoor areas complement the garden without overshadowing it. “We selected teak for the outdoor furnishings, which weathers to a wonderful
gray,” says Bradley. “That gray is reiterated in the tree trunks and the house exterior itself, with a
putty and putty-green color. There is a tremendous amount of outdoor furniture—which can become too overwhelming, even hotel-like—but the color palette helps everything meld with the outdoor space.”
“I don’t know how many homes we’ve done in the Hamptons, but this place is special,” Thiergartner says. “You want to feel the grass under your feet, to breathe the salty air. It’s truly a wonderful place.” 
ABOVE LEFT: Crisp whites, soft creams, and
blond maple flooring keep this casual sitting area feeling fresh
and cool.
LEFT: The designers chose to use the architecture of the windows as a focal point for this bedroom. Bold prints and pops of blue add additional interest. The open design allows the summer light to permeate the home.
LEFT: The designers chose to use the architecture of the windows as a focal point for this bedroom. Bold prints and pops of blue add additional interest. The open design allows the summer light to permeate the home.
