Because the clients prefer to maximize outdoor time when the weather allows, certain interior spaces are tailored for colder months and darker hours. Take the den, for example, which “quickly emerged as a family favorite, offering both intimacy and drama,” Laura says. That corner room, where occupants sink into “an incredibly comfortable” alpaca sofa and Vladimir Kagan lounge chair and ottoman, is shrouded in horsehair-covered walls. Similarly, in the cocoon-like primary bedroom upstairs, McKay suggested eradicating its yellowish cast, which he thinks people often mistakenly equate to cozy, with a more interesting, richer palette. “I wanted it to feel cleaner and fresher,” he says, “so bringing in these more dramatic colors made a big difference.” The walls, notably, are covered in a tactile Phillip Jeffries ultrasuede—evidence of husband Jim’s particular distaste for roll-painted walls.
Ultimately, the project progressed at a swift pace with zero discord among parties, thanks, the team says, to a shared gut intuition. “Our first design meeting was very memorable for me because we got up, Laura gave me a hug, and said, ‘Oh my God—you’ve nailed it,’” McKay recalls. “The result is a space that feels exceptionally refined, warm, and welcoming,” agrees Laura of their creative kismet. “A testament to the power of living with pieces that you truly love.”
The front façade of Laura and Jim DeMare’s Wainscott, New York, home, built by local firm Michael Davis Design & Construction some 15 years ago. The interiors were recently refreshed by New York–based designer Matt McKay.
The double-height entry foyer sets the artful tone of the rooms that open up beyond it. There, a Haas Brothers sculpture stands on a table over an Atelier Février area rug from the Invisible Collection. The bench is by Maria Pergay.
The open-plan kitchen, abutting a breakfast area and family room, is a hive of activity for the homeowners, their two college-age sons, and, when entertaining large groups as they often do, professional chefs and servers. Bar stools from StudioTwentySeven covered in a Casamance fabric pull up to an island topped with stone from Beata & Agnes. The space, illuminated by Scott Daniel Design’s Mobius pendant lights, also includes Katonah Architectural Hardware and Sub-Zero appliances.
Under a Faye Toogood pendant light in the breakfast nook, with its views out to manicured gardens, the family gathers around a Garde dining table on Afra and Tobia Scarpa dining chairs from Modernab Gallery.
“The dining room achieves a masterful dialogue between vintage and contemporary design pieces,” explains homeowner Laura. There, Carlo Scarpa dining chairs from Modernab Gallery surround a commanding dining table, while a bespoke sideboard by Valentin Loellmann from Galerie Gosserez provides an elegant counterpoint. The space is further elevated by a Campana Brothers mirror, as circa-1970s Gianni Celada for FontanaArte pendants and Gino Sarfatti sconces from 1stDibs add warmth to the composed setting.
