During the school year, the family of five runs its complex domestic operations-travel sports teams, homework tsunamis, a cacophony of music lessons-out of a large, classic co-op apartment on Manhattan's Upper East Side. The action never seems to slow down, much less stop. But once summer rolls around, everything grinds to a glorious halt. The whole show migrates to a gracious, sun-swept Dutch-roofed shingle home on the bay in perhaps the most discreet of all the Hamptons communities, Quogue. There, as sailboats drift lazily in the distance, the clan shifts into a blessedly lower gear with an uninterrupted mañana attitude: barefoot guests, frosty beverages, fresh fish on the grill. The homeowners each come from big, boisterous families-the husband, who works on Wall Street, is one of 11 kids-so while the seemingly endless supply of bedrooms is filled with family and friends, the vibe is cozy and casual. "The farthest we go is a mile or two," says the wife, "and mostly we're right here, hanging out in the kitchen, looking out on the water. It's heaven."
Bright accents and free-form patterns enliven a traditional dining room. Custom cerused oak-and-nickel table; chairs in a Schumacher fabric with Samuel & Sons trim; curtains in a Stark fabric with S. Harris trim; rug, Custom Cool; ceiling fixture, the Urban Electric Co.; Tony Duquette sconce, Remains Lighting; wallpaper, Caba Company.
Built by local architect Stuart L. Disston and decorated by Amanda Nisbet (she also decorated their place in the city), the house is unmistakably beachy but strenuously free of seaside clichés. Instead of mounted seashells, bleached-out buoys, and torn fishing nets, a sense of bayside calm is achieved through strong, bright color and wide-open spaces. Nisbet's signature style is just such a combination of sophisticated hues and classic shapes, though always with a custom-honed contemporary edge. "It's important to acknowledge where you are, in this case a beach house, but that doesn't mean giving in to tired notions," says Nisbet.
Sink fittings, Waterworks; ceiling fixture, Stephen Antonson; cabinetry in Navy Blue, Fine Paints of Europe.
The blue-and-white living room rug was designed to suggest the sea. Custom sofas in a de Le Cuona linen with Samuel & Sons trim; chairs in a Lelievre fabric, Century Furniture; ottomans in a Designers Guild stripe, Bunny Williams Home; curtains in an Élitis fabric; ceiling fixture, Stephen Antonson; lamps, Venfield; grass-cloth wallcovering, Phillip Jeffries.
Thus, there are many nods to tradition in the Quogue home, but none seem static or antique. Classic blue and white abound as well, but always with a twist. The apotheosis of Nisbet's approach can be found in the array of "boxed" pendant fixtures that hang throughout the house; a time-honored gesture, she reimagines them afresh. In the dining room, a magenta floor-to-ceiling squiggle embroidered on curtains is echoed in the pattern of the rug, as well as the accent on the pendant hanging over the table. The white lantern made of shells suspended from the ceiling in the butler's pantry stands out against the sleek navy-lacquered cabinetry and sterling accents.
Sink fittings, Waterworks; Glassos countertop, CCS Stone; pendants over island, Ann-Morris, Inc.; cabinets in Chantilly Lace, Benjamin Moore; dining table, the New Traditionalists; custom chairs in a Maharam fabric.
Cream paneled walls make a large family room feel more intimate. Custom sofa in a Manuel Canovas fabric; custom armchair in a Studio Four NYC fabric with Samuel & Sons trim; ceiling fixture, Amanda Nisbet for the Urban Electric Co.; ceramic table lamp, Vaughan; vintage faux-bois table lamp, Epoca; ceiling in Stonington Gray, Benjamin Moore.
Nisbet gracefully goes where the less intrepid fear to tread: She'll think nothing of combining any number of bold colors and patterns, some of which might be expected to clash, but in her hands flow seamlessly together. Here in a guest bedroom, chartreuse meets China blue; in a high-ceilinged family room, dusty pinks give way to beige wainscoting. "Even when the house is full of guests, which it usually is, everyone can have their own private environment," says the wife, whose favorite moment comes each morning before the breakfast-hungry hordes awaken, when she can huddle in the kitchen with her coffee to watch the boats bob on the water. "You're all together, but there's just so much peace."
Custom bed in a Sister Parish Design fabric; bed linens, Matouk; custom chaise in a Manuel Canovas fabric; stool, Tucker Robbins; floor lamp, Amanda Nisbet for the Urban Electric Co.; table lamp, Vaughan; carpet, Studio Four NYC; walls in Limelight, Benjamin Moore.
"EVEN WHEN THE HOUSE IS FULL OF GUESTS, WHICH IT USUALLY IS, EVERYONE CAN HAVE THEIR OWN PRIVATE ENVIRONMENT. THERE IS JUST SO MUCH PEACE HERE."
The home's Dutch Colonial facade overlooks the waterfront.
The house sits on a protected cove.
