Inside The Traditional Home Hampton Designer Showhouse

Every year, more than 30 renowned designers combine their talents to produce one of the East Coast’s most prestigious showhomes, The Traditional Home Hampton Designer Showhouse and this year, Ballard was a sponsor of the summer event, which benefits Southampton Hospital. New York-based interior designer Patricia Fisher created one of the home’s main spaces using furnishings and accessories from Ballard Designs with a mix of found antiques. We got together with Patricia to talk about the space.

Ballard Designs: Can you tell us about the overall design theme of the Showhouse?

Patricia Fisher: The Showhouse has always paid tribute to the Hamptons lifestyle – casual, but very chic and a little luxurious at the same time. This year, we wanted to incorporate some of the new cooler colors in addition to the Hampton standard blues, whites and greens.

BD: You designed the breakfast nook and keeping room, which share the same space and feature product from Ballard Designs.

PF: Yes, your furnishings are terrific! We wanted a price point that was both high and low, and by mixing in these Ballard pieces, we were able to achieve that. For example, we have an accent table that’s $7,000, yet Ballard’s pedestal table is under $2,000. It gives such a great rustic look and it pairs beautifully with the vintage chairs—and those chairs are $1,000 each. The whole room works because of that mix.

BD: Tell us about the color scheme. You’ve created a monochromatic look with these silvery grays that are so sophisticated.

PF: We wanted a neutral background with a touch of glamour, which is where the silvery wallpaper comes in. The rug, which kind of launched the color scheme, is that wonderful gray and white. Inspired by a tribal blanket, we had it woven especially for the room. On top of that we layered your sofa and two chairs, which were customized with fabrics that work with the colors in the room. The coffee table is from Ballard as well, and that lacquered gray added to the pewter story.

BD: We love the Griffin Sofa and Club Chairs in this room. Can you explain the fabric color choices?

PF: The sofa is a soft white and the two club chairs are a steely, silvery gray – a play off the wallpaper that we love so much. The wallpaper is a gray grass cloth, but it’s got some silver – almost a mirrored affect. We wanted to pick that color up again, so we did with the two chairs and used it as an accent color on the throw pillows on the chairs. They have a matchstick pattern that picks up the chartreuse and the gray.

BD: Those little pops of chartreuse are the only color in the room.

PF: Yes, the chartreuse is a fairly strong color and we love the way it contrasts with the gray walls and the white couch. And I think when you’re trying to get a color to pop in a room, it’s better to limit the choices, so you have a bigger, bolder statement. If you want a more modern look and a bolder pop, stick to one color.

BD: The Lotus Garden Seats are a great way to carry that chartreuse through, too.

PF: Aren’t they great? They fit in anywhere! They’re good for pull-up seating, they’re flexible and they’re light. We actually have four Garden Seats in the space – two in white and two in green.

The chartreuse really stands out, but there are more colors in the room if you really look at it – the white, the grays, the textures, which all play an important role.

BD: The Clam Shell on the dining table brings in wonderful natural texture.

PF: Exactly! And you pick up the color from the natural wood flooring and bring the outside in, and you end up with a room that has more colors than just the ones that I created and intended.

BD: The sofa and chairs have a really elegant nail head trim. Is that another way of bringing in more of that silver finish?

PF: Yes. I love that shiny look. I think it’s very fresh and modern.

BD: Speaking of silver finishes, the Orb Chandelier really stands out in this space as a design element.

PF: Isn’t it cool? It’s like it was made for that space. When they first opened it, I was a little taken aback by the size and I thought, “Oh no, it’s too big.” But because it’s so open and airy, and works with the shape of that octagonal space, it looks like it was made for that nook. People are really stunned when I tell them how much it cost, because it looks very expensive.

BD: Let’s talk about the Andrews Pedestal Table – the shape really works in that space.

PF: I had these wonderful vintage chairs and I needed a round table to go with them. This table was large and rustic with a very forgiving shape. It came in a darker gray and the whitewash, and I thought the whitewash worked so beautifully with those chairs. It just seemed like a natural choice. It really pairs well with the chairs.

BD: We love the way you set the table.

PF: Well, we love those Marble Bowls of yours. Again, it’s a great mix of high and low. The dishes are a fabulous price at $59 apiece. Designer Kim Seybert does these really high-end table settings at Bergdorf’s. Those are her glasses on the table, and they’re $100-$150 each, but they look so terrific paired with the rustic marble dishes, the rustic table and those interesting cutout placemats – the whole thing just kind of works together.

BD: That’s the way we feel about the whole room. You’ve got some pieces that are very modern, yet there are some classic and vintage elements as well. It’s a great mix.

PF: Thanks – I agree! That was what we were going for. It’s really the way people live. Nobody wants all new furniture, and having all old furniture, especially tables and chairs, can be problematic. So it all boils down to a nice livable mix.

BD: Thank you for giving us a tour of the room. It’s beautiful!

PF: Thank you. I really enjoyed working with Ballard Designs. Your furnishings are terrific and they add a lot to the room.

The home is open to the public through September 2^nd.

Find details at The Hampton Designer Showhouse website.

What do you think about the room? Let us know in the comments below!

Photos courtesy of Patricia Fisher