Dan's Papers - March 13, 2009 - A Cultural Spy Looks at New Style in the Hamptons

Jeff Ornstein founded one of the top three international interior design firms in the Northeast and without missing a beat he can hop from his easygoing lifestyle in the Hamptons to social and business events hosted by royal families in Dubai, Riyadh, Qatar and Zanzibar.

When he spoke recently at an international textile show in Frankfurt, Germany, Ornstein, referred to himself as a "cultural spy." So we asked this top designer what changes he sees in the lifestyle and decor of the Hamptons in light of the global recession.

"To understand the Hamptons home today, you have to look beneath the silver cedar shakes and white trim," said Ornstein. "You have to focus on the people. You have to absorb everything about our Hamptons culture. You have to ask, 'What movies do we like, what labels do we wear, what is our taste in music now, how has it changed, how do we entertain, what's the latest in cuisine, what's happening in the fine arts?'"

Ornstein emphasizes that being a cultural spy also includes, "Observing the shifting economic sands and with it, changing centers of wealth and the social tensions that arise from these changes both here and abroad."

Growth in luxury sales throughout the world are off 7% according to research by Bain & Co. In the Hamptons, people have not stopped buying luxury goods, but they are redefining their luxury purchases in light of the economy. Ornstein says, "You might be fine and your neighbor might be fine, but chances are you know someone who knows someone who invested with Bernie Madoff. In this environment you just can't wear your Bulgari on your sleeve."

When it comes to home interiors, Ornstein says, "A quieter opulence is sweeping the villages of the Hamptons. I see it as a positive. We're getting back to our roots, back to what attracted us to the East End in the first place. Today, for example, instead of buying that rare Cezanne, there are more bragging rights to rediscovering our local artistic riches and supporting the artists and artisans who make our community so desirable. Forget Poggenpohl! In 2009, a kitchen from a local cabinetmaker is the 'in' look."

The architecture is changing too. "For a long period the residential architecture here looked like it was going to loose its sense of place. We saw a lot of '70s-style homes that could have been more comfortable in the Pacific Northwest or Aspen. The homes had lots of glass and no one cared how much heat poured out through the windows. Now the new construction and renovations are done in an overwhelmingly American country and farm house style," explains Ornstein. "We no longer blow out the rear elevation of that Country House to accommodate a three-story Palladian window. Now we show our guests the new $20,000 solar hot water system we installed to help save the earth from global warming," he says.

"The ideal look for today's Hamptons interior is epitomized in the home of Diane Keaton's character in the 2003 film Something's Gotta Give. There are white walls, white wainscoting and a to-die-for kitchen with an island the size of a Caribbean nation. The home relates to its surroundings and in every scene, there is always a connection between the house and the ocean."

Production designer Jon Hutman and set decorator Beth Rubino chose all white upholstered pieces accented with enough toss pillows in contemporary seaside hues to make the place look beach casual - even down to the simple striped rugs in sea mist green. The set was such an accurate depiction of a contemporary home in the Hamptons that it made Architectural Digest (July 2007), better known for featuring the real homes of real celebrities.

Ornstein also points out that the economy is encouraging a more personal approach and intimacy to home decor in the Hamptons. It is far less important to have a luxury item that we bought on display, than something very personal that recalls the moments we share in the Hamptons with our families and loved ones. Even in Something's Gotta Give, Jack Nicholson's character chides his new love interest for collecting only "white rocks."

Even the little things are changing, Ornstein observes, "Forget about flying in sashimi from Japan and pastries from France. Our next event will feature roast turkey and fresh eggs from Iacona Farms on Long Lane and the desert will be a locally baked pie with locally grown apples - happily the real Hamptons shines through."

Dick Pirozzolo is the author of four books on the home and home decor. He and his wife Jane live in Wellesley, Massachusetts and summer in Nantucket.