Project Details
Interior Designer: Judith Olson Dunne, Butter & Eggs
Studio Location: New York, NY
Client review: The entire family has an amazing sense of humor. They are just happy and vibrant, and in this Hamptons home, they wanted layered, colorful interiors that reflected that. Working with them is really fun because I can ask them, “How about this crazy pattern?” and they’ll say, “Go for it!”
Design Aims: The house was nicely built with solid construction, but the design had never been fleshed out. The cornerstone of my practice is creating a space that’s reflective of clients. With this family, it was about imbuing the spaces with vibrant, layered color and pattern, and incorporating their art collection.
From the Designer: In the living room, we started with their Sam Gilliam triptych. Its bold colors set the tone for the retro George Smith cane-and-walnut chairs, the couple’s own vintage finds, and a custom bleached-walnut coffee table topped with sculptures by Todd Marshard — a ceramist the couple discovered on a vacation in Greece. Large doors open straight to the pool and lawn, creating the seamless indoor-outdoor flow they love. It truly feels like a vacation home, a place they’re really living in.
I used the same approach with the rest of the home, and for the dining room, it was all about elevating the everyday. The existing panel molding was too plain, so I wrapped it in a Zak & Fox wallcovering and paired it with their Lynn Geesaman photographs. The table was made in the Hamptons hamlet of Sag Harbor because we wanted to keep it local, while Serena & Lily chairs are forgiving enough for swimsuits but still sophisticated.
The kitchen had good bones but needed warmth and function. The husband is an excellent chef, and the kids are great cooks as well. We replaced marble with durable White Fantasy quartzite countertops, which pop against the blue island, and custom-built the banquette for a casual eating space and a place where they consult their cookbooks.
The two powder rooms — one with a fish wallpaper from Cole & Sons, the other a floral by Abnormals Anonymous — and the upstairs lounge are where I got to have a lot of fun with color and pattern. The fish wallcovering makes me smile every time I see it. I also played with pattern in the husband’s study. It’s a classic masculine office but with a twist. I upholstered the accent chair in a Holland & Sherry wool print and had custom curtains made in an Ottoline de Vries patterned textile.
The primary bedroom is tranquil with a gray Phillip Jeffries grasscloth on the walls and soft coastal tones. The floral silkscreen print by Louis Stovall keeps the mood serene. Then the bathroom helps you wake up with its Abnormals Anonymous bold and unexpected wallpaper!
This home is such a vibrant and joyful retreat. The best part of it is when I go there and I see the family truly living in it. There’s no better feeling.
Photography by Brittany Ambridge.
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