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    • Homes

    New York-based designer Dan Scotti crafts an all-season retreat with a neutral palette and a refined approach to luxury and ease

    MAR 31, 2021 | By Sanjukta Ghosh
    This East Hamptons home by Dan Scotti preserves the neighbourhood's historical aesthetic with its Shingle-style structure; Photographs by Peter Murdock
    The pool house is a cosy space with rattan armchairs and sofa, and a driftwood coffee table and floor lamp; Photographs by Peter Murdock
    The kitchen in the pool house features bluestone flooring and a driftwood table lamp; Photographs by Peter Murdock
    An almost pristine kitchen, this one has been fitted with pendant lights and blackened steel barstools for a sophisticated look; Photographs by Peter Murdock
    This lounge is one of the two seating arrangements in the kitchen. It's decorated using vintage pieces such as the Danish coffee table as well as the driftwood and wood spool lamps; Photographs by Peter Murdock
    This outdoor spot features vintage Italian loungers upholstered in elephant grey mohair and sheepskin, near an organic petrified wood coffee table; Photographs by Peter Murdock
    View of the foyer; Photographs by Peter Murdock
    The guest room is set up using a custom queen size bed, midcentury glazed ceramic lamps and vintage walnut stools; Photographs by Peter Murdock
    An iron bathtub, vintage industrial step stool and a table lamp made by Dan Scotti from a vintage wine bottle are seen in the master bathroom; Photographs by Peter Murdock

    Tucked away in a quaint neighbourhood of East Hampton is a country home fashioned by New York-based designer Dan Scotti. We love that the estate embraces contemporary luxury while reflecting the historical aesthetic of the locale’s Shingle-style homes.

    This expansive, 18,000 sq ft property is designed by Scotti to be an idyllic destination during weekends and summers for the homeowners. And the result is a breezy holiday home that makes the most of the sunny outdoors, while maintaining a modern yet cosy ambience indoors.

    “We wanted the home to be light and airy enough to feel like a summer retreat during the warmer months. But not so beach-y that it wouldn’t feel comfortable during the year-end Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays,” says Scotti. 

    The mudroom features a 1960s Pierre Chapo bench and bronze wall hooks; Photographs by Peter Murdock

    Known for his fresh approach to designing country estate homes and city apartments, Scotti took great care in arriving at the versatile colour scheme. He turned to the muted blues and greys of weathered teak furniture, bluestone terraces and aged cedar shingles for inspiration.

    The pastel family room features a vintage Paul Kingma stone mosaic centre table; Photographs by Peter Murdock

    The living room, like Scotti describes, lend a sense of airiness and transparency as see-through spaces offer glimpses of the outdoor pool and expansive garden. A spacious central hall with cosy nooks provides access to other parts of the residence. 

    View of the comfortable and cosy seating arrangement in the media room; Photographs by Peter Murdock

    “It was important to create a number of comfortable ‘chill’ spaces throughout the home, where visitors can simply flop down and read a good book,” divulges the design maestro.

    This view of the media room reveals a ceramic lamp on a vintage Italian side table; Photographs by Peter Murdock

    The cashmere sectional sofa in the media room is the perfect spot to curl up and tackle a Netflix marathon. Here, a super-saturated dark grey ceiling is planned to create a cocoon-like atmosphere.

    The pool house kitchen’s petit granite countertop stands apart from the clear cedar surfaces; Photographs by Peter Murdock

    The open-galley kitchen is functional and modern, with white shaker-style cabinets add visual volume. Meanwhile, high transom windows flood this culinary space with abundant daylight. 

    View of the breakfast table and Eames moulded fibreglass chairs in the kitchen and the pool outside; Photographs by Peter Murdock

    “It always puzzles me why someone would design a home with soaring ceilings and grand staircases in the front foyer, only to have lower ceilings in the kitchen,” says Scotti, adding, “For this home, we allocated a great deal of square footage to the kitchen. We elevated the ceilings to 15 feet to incorporate several transom windows on three sides, allowing light to filter in throughout the day.”

    Custom designed concrete side tables by Dan Scotti are placed between the deck chairs; Photographs by Peter Murdock

    But the kitchen’s biggest plus point—its large size—also became a challenge. The zone is divided with two seating areas, each with its own super-deep sofa and a pair of generously scaled French 1950s lounge chairs. Just doing so gives the space a rather intimate and cosy vibe. Meanwhile, matte brass finish and gauzy white linen on the wooden furnishings impart a sense of refined rusticity.

    A midcentury Orbital tale lamp with brass accents sits on a vintage Paul Frankl bedside table; Photographs by Peter Murdock

    An outdoor sitting area continues the muted colour scheme with a pair of track arm sofas, a custom concrete cocktail table designed by Scotti, and a couple of vintage rattan armchairs with upholstered Perennials fabrics. We also spot a salvaged train traffic mirror from JED Antiques hanging above the fireplace.

    Seen in the dining area is a Wyeth console and on it, a vintage task lamp; Photographs by Peter Murdock

    “While I wanted the interiors to feel clean and modern, I also tried to incorporate vintage elements that—in my mind—would have ‘survived’ the fictitious restoration. I installed distressed, reclaimed oak flooring…and then left it uncovered during the final stages of construction, so that it would get even more beat up as the house was being finished,” concludes Scotti.