What is “handsome, chic, relaxed, relevant”? This Hamptons beach house, according to Steven Gambrel — and, we might add, almost any room composed by the Manhattan-based designer, a maestro of muscular, tailored decorating. Vintage Danish ceramics and seating give the living room, overlooking the ocean, a stately warmth. Exceptional millwork echoes the romance of the glass candle lanterns from Olde Good Things and a pair of hand-tufted neoclassical stools, their pale finish a nod to the simplicity of seaside living. Even in a room loaded with vintage finds, “the overall composition and lean vibe feels decidedly modern,” Gambrel says, “not old-fashioned or nostalgic.”
“This room features a collection of easy, relaxed, time-worn vintage objects and comfortable furnishings. I particularly like the old lanterns for candles and the vintage Danish vessels.”
Design philosophy?
“As we spend more and more time engaged in our personal space, our sense of home takes on deeper meaning. There is an inherent collected mentality to our personalities, shared experiences and ethnic backgrounds; antiques and vintage goods often help convey our interests and tastes and help make one feel ‘at home.’ ”
