Decor Arts Now

By Lynn Byrne. Wish I was there.  Montauk I mean.  Our little bathroom and closet renovation is not done.  Don’t ask.  (Well you can ask if you want to, but I won’t bore the rest of you with my renovation woes.)  Suffice it to say that I do not like missing Memorial Day weekend at my beach house on the tip of Long Island’s east end.

Right now, Montauk, is the chic, hip, cool place to be.  For those of us who have been vacationing there for 15 plus years, we have always known its charms and are not exactly super thrilled about its current popularity.  Still, I plan to bring you posts on the real Montauk throughout the summer so you can feel “in the know.”  I really know it, so these posts should be fun.

First up, a peek inside the beach house of one of Montauk’s “BPs” (i.e., “beautiful people.”).  Now I happen to think my family is beautiful too, but the publishing world is not drawn to us like a magnet.  Photographer Ben Watts (also brother to actress Naomi Watts) is another story.  His house in  Montauk was featured all the way across the pond in Britain’s Elle Decoration.

Doesn’t he look like he is having fun?

As you can see from these next few shots, interior decoration is a bit more edgy and bohemian in the “Un-Hampton.”  Not the typical blue and white affair that you might find farther west, say in Bridgehampton or East Hampton.  The sideboard, lamp, chair and photography are a funky mix.

Ben isn’t afraid of color as the bright daffodil dining room shows.  

I happen to really dig the palm tree mural in the bedroom.  Way cool.  

In this shot, you get a sense of how casual entertaining is in Montauk.  Love that about the place.

I am so happy that this is only the beginning of summer and I have lots more chances to get to my little Montauk paradise.  Stay tuned.

Interior pictures by James Merrell.  Lifestyle pictures by Ben Watts.

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