MAKING WAVES

All that was needed for Jessica Gething to create a coastal retreat with a difference was subtle hues and natural textures

KITCHEN-DINER

‘We were going to paint the ceiling boards but everyone loved this natural look,’ says Jessica. The picture window makes the most of the views. Tulip dining table with marble top by Eero Saarinen, £3,300, The Conran Shop. Try the Hampstead Scoop chair, £400 for two, The Farthing. Island painted in a similar colour to Bay Area Blue estate eggshell, £67 for 2.5ltr, Farrow & Ball. Bespoke cabinetry by Plain

English. Ship’s Double Well wall light, £685, Original BTC. Lubular sconce, £1,011, 1st Dibs. Semco flooring, price on request, Semco

EXTERIOR

Outdoor seating areas ensure that the spectacular sea-front location can be enjoyed to the full. Theodore Adirondack-style garden armchairs, £199 each, are similar

GIRLS’ BEDROOM

Everything works hard – from the double-duty bed to the wall of storage.

Try the Oahu Fringe pendant, £348, Anthropologie. The Kilim Malatya rug is a good match, £680, Rug Vista

FAMILY BATHROOM

A double-basin arrangement provides a pleasing symmetry.

Duravit Luv basin, £622, CP Hart. Kromatika Hexagon Bleu Clair floor tiles are similar, £39.95sq m, Tile Mountain

BOYS’ BEDROOM

The tongue and groove adds just the right amount of decoration.

For similar beds, try Hand Made Bunk Beds. For custom-made blinds, try Hillarys

When Jessica Gething was asked to design the interior of a new-build beach house, she proved you don’t need blue stripes, driftwood ornaments and paddles on walls. Instead, this home on Long Island on America’s east coast is a picture of calm understatement. ‘It’s not a typical Hamptons home, and that was intentional,’ she says.

The owners are a London-based couple with connections to this area, who wanted to recreate for their children the same idyllic summers they spent growing up on these shores. Realising this couple were after a look that was family friendly but also stylish, Jessica carefully thought through every aspect of this project, with practicalities as well as aesthetics in mind.

While the homeowners leant towards concrete for the floors downstairs, Jessica thought it might not stand up to the extreme changes in temperature as well as the humidity of this location, so she found a durable resin that is usually used for lining swimming pools. ‘It’s applied like plaster, but still has the look of poured concrete,’ she says. ‘It’s softer and more textured, and it won’t crack.’

To counteract the cool, edgy look of the flooring, reclaimed white oak floorboards were used on the ceiling. ‘We were going to whitewash the wood, but everyone loved it so it stayed natural,’ says Jessica. ‘It was one of those happy accidents.’ And elsewhere, especially upstairs, the warm timber theme continues on floors, stairs and shelving.

Throughout, the aim was to create a fun, relaxed feel and the sitting area typifies everything that’s light and summery about this retreat. The all-important sofas at the heart of the scheme were found by the owner while in Paris. ‘They are Dutch and are covered in vintage linens, which makes them look so rich and special,’ says Jessica.

Overseas influences can be seen in every aspect of this interior. ‘The homeowners had fallen in love with zellige tiles in Morocco. These are characterised by rich colouration and intricate textures, so we used this as inspiration for the tiles in the kitchen and the family bathroom,’ she says. ‘I love using organic materials – the clay tiles are handmade and there are incredible variations and inconsistencies.’

Above all, though, this is a family home with all the practicalities that entails – from cleverly designed bunk beds to a TV room that doubles as a guest en suite and a study area that serves adults and kids alike. But it’s a visual treat, too, with subtle nods to the beach-front location, such as the blue island unit, rattan furniture with seagrass accessories and touches of decorative coral. ‘For all that it has to do, this house really pulls its weight,’ says Jessica.

FAVOURITE FEATURE ‘The location of this house, directly on the water, is the most special aspect’