A year ago, when interior designer Melissa Lee visited the rural East Hampton, New York, hamlet of Springs, she was struck by the area’s unpretentious charm. Long celebrated for its artistic legacy, Springs is the birthplace of the Abstract Expressionist movement and was home to a string of midcentury painters, including Jackson Pollock, Lee Krasner, and Willem de Kooning. Those influential artists helped infuse the bayfront community with a rich, creative character that still exists today.
So when Manhattan clients enlisted AD PRO Directory member Lee, founder of New York–based design firm Bespoke Only, to transform their newly purchased residence there—a 1965 shingle-style property on nearly three acres—the designer leaned into the town’s authentic atmosphere. “They wanted a cozy, personal retreat,” says Lee, whose firm is noted for balancing original, turn-of-the-20th-century details with richly curated contemporary decor schemes. The clients, who were expecting their first child, envisioned a country home where each piece tells a story and nothing feels too precious. “We wanted an interior that reflects a story of warmth, character, and thoughtful design,” the designer adds.
That spirit punctuates virtually every corner of the 2,500-square-foot residence, which manages to feel intimate and lived-in. While the carefully orchestrated spatial plan enriches the home architecturally, Lee employed a layered, relaxed approach that adapts to how the clients want to live and function in their new surroundings.
