inside katie lee’s hamptons retreat

As her new Endless Summer Cookbook hits shelves, Katie Lee invites domino inside her serene Southampton sanctuary.

When we heard that Katie Lee had a new house in the Hamptons, we couldn’t wait to see it. We’re huge fans of Lee’s serene style—and her Southern charm and humble demeanor are just icing on the cake. But her bright and airy abode exceeded our expectations, and, while photographing it, we also caught a few snaps of Lee and her adorable pug, Fionula, chilling together on the back patio. Immediately, we saw a very special summer cover in the making. This isn’t the first time Lee has graced a domino cover, though. We featured her Greenwich Village town house in our June/July 2008 issue—and her tastes have only improved with time!

Lee painted her once-black entryway table a lively kelly green and reupholstered these basic X-base benches in textiles discovered by designer (and close friend) Nate Berkus in Sri Lanka.

TABLE

(similar to shown) vintage French fluted-leg extension dining table $995–$1,795 restorationhardware.com

With half a roll of wallpaper left over from an old design project, Lee created this bright accent wall behind her bar. “It’s fun and funky,” she says, “and lends such a bright touch of color.”

WALLPAPER

(paper-backed fabric) Exoticus raoultextiles.com

HOME SWEET HOME

Few people would be quick to comment on the similarities between West Virginia and the Hamptons, but for author Katie Lee, they’re inextricably linked. While searching for a Southampton getaway, she stumbled upon a home in Water Mill, New York, that took her right back to her roots. “Being in such close proximity to fresh produce, poultry farms, and seafood markets reminded me of my West Virginia childhood,” she says. “It’s so special here, with access to some of the world’s best food and wine.”

When decorating her new living room, Lee had a blast blending pieces from previous homes. “Although these items had never lived together before,” she says, “everything somehow worked.”

SOFA

Minima studiolo.com

ARMCHAIR

(blue) Ogden romanthomas.com

FABRIC

(pillow on beige chair) Shoji rosetarlow.com

FABRIC

(pillow on blue chair) Smoke Grey 2 murielbrandolini.com

“NEVER BE AFRAID TO MAKE DARING DECISIONS.”—KATIE LEE

The breakfast room’s chandelier offers a note of opulence to a cool, casual room.

REUSE AND RECYCLE

“Comfort is very important to me, so one of my biggest design challenges lay in making the house feel relaxed,” says Lee. With the help of pal Nate Berkus, she utterly transformed the newly constructed residence, and the pair got especially creative when it came to reimagining her existing furnishings in their new context. Berkus also steered Lee toward a soft, feminine palette, including the living room’s soothing mint green. “I’d been going crazy with all the color choices, and, within five minutes, Nate helped me make a decision,” says Lee. “He knows my style so well and was the most tremendous help.”

Loire canopy in steel with bronze accents $14,290 niermannweeks.com leontinelinens.com

A collection of Hugo Guinness artworks decorates a guest room wall.

BEDDING

Victoria in green and white $320–$1,900 shopolatz.com

ART

by Hugo Guinness johnderian.com

LAMP

Colette by Currey and Company $439 smithe.com

To Lee, it was important that the grounds, like the interiors, possessed a relaxed, carefree quality.

Lee’s pug, Fionula, is poised for action beneath the shade of the backyard pergola.

Provence in gray $495 each, restorationhardware.com hannounrugs.com

This outdoor entertaining area, complete with pizza oven and fire pit, is Lee’s favorite place for relaxing. “It’s the place where I most love to cook and hang out with my friends,” she says.