GREAT ROOMS!

EXPOSED BEAMS AND CATHEDRAL-STYLE CEILINGS ARE TRENDING AGAIN IN HAMPTONS HOME DESIGN.

Exposed beams and cathedralstyle ceilings are trending again.

Exposed beams are a reminder of the stability and structure of a house. Perhaps it’s this sense of grounding that people appreciate. Perhaps it’s confidence in the structure itself that the beams instill.

“Exposed beams harken back to a simpler time, when buildings were more sturdy,” says Al Giaquinto, founder of Plum Builders (43 Pantigo Road, East Hampton, 631-3291300; plumbuilders.com).

But in addition to their utilitarian function, exposed beams are a decidedly aesthetic choice. Particularly in the wide-open great rooms that have become a gathering place in so many Hamptons homes, exposed beams seem more like accents than necessary loadbearing features.

“Beams bring focal points and drama to a house,” says Gary Depersia (51 Main St., East Hampton, 631-8990215; corcoran.com), a licensed real estate broker with Corcoran. Depersia represents both historical and modern houses that make use of exposed beams for design and function. In either case, he says, they have an effect. Corcoran broker Michael Schultz (51 Main St., East Hampton, 631-8990254; corcoran.com) agrees. “Exposed wooden support beams create surface interest in a ceiling compared to sheet rock,” he says.

Broker Raphael Avigdor (70 Jobs Lane, Southampton, 631-2042740; elliman.com), of the Avigdor/peyton Team at Douglas Elliman, notes that exposed beams can give a home a distinct personality. In one Bridgehampton residence ( SEE SIDEBAR), this is especially true. “What makes this home most interesting is its character,” says Avigdor. “Almost every room boasts exposed wood beams that traverse the ceilings, giving the home a barn feeling that is anything but cookie-cutter.” — e.j.w.