Brogan Lane Design: California Chic Comes to the East End

Brogan Lane Design, an interior and landscape design firm founded two decades ago in Los Angeles, has just expanded to the East End, with a showroom located at 197 Madison Street in Sag Harbor. We spoke with founder Brogan Lane to find out more about her East End design business.

What attracted you to the Hamptons?
My love of the Hamptons started when I had the opportunity to refurnish and design some homes in East Hampton and Sag Harbor. I traveled back and forth throughout the year and each time I boarded a plane heading back to LA I was already anticipating my next visit. The vibrancy of the small towns, filled with both year-round residents and the summer’s eclectic visitors, made for a very colorful and exciting palette in which to be immersed. Sag Harbor, in particular, has had a major impact on me; with the way the light bounces off the sea and landscape, as well as the artistic heritage and sense of community that stimulates my creativity and ignites my passions.

What projects do you foresee working on out here?
The projects I would love to work on would include designing, building and restoring homes. I pride myself on being different and I want to create memorable, lasting spaces that challenge normalcy and break the mold. By highlighting specific elements and not being limited to a particular style or genre, I can give my clients something fresh and unexpected, as well as personal and unique.

What’s a design pet peeve of yours?
When someone tries to assign specific design styles to projects, hindering the natural flow of creativity.

Any favorite design details?
I love the landscape on the East End and believe it is important to incorporate nature into my designs by crafting vegetable or herb gardens, outdoor entertainment areas and quiet relaxation spaces. People sometimes forget that their property can be more valuable than their physical home and the design of the outdoor spaces are just as important as their interior counterparts.

What are some of the most memorable amenities you’ve worked on designing?
An exciting project I worked on was for an HGTV show, in which I created a cantilevered seating area that extended out over a pool. The space being level with the water made it seem as though you were floating and if it got too hot, you could just dive right into the deep end.

Can you tell us about some of your most memorable projects?
One of the most memorable projects I’ve worked on was opening a boutique hotel in Hollywood, CA. There we transformed an Italian renaissance style building into a 10-room journey through some of the classic time periods of film and design. Each room was themed to a specific design style and inspired by a famous actor from that time period. For example, Humphrey Bogart in Casablanca inspired the Art Deco suite.

Any tips for someone looking to make a small update to their Hamptons home?
A common misconception when hiring a designer is that it will be a drawn-out, expensive process. My tip for someone looking to make a small update to their home would be to utilize a service unique to my company called “Designer for the Day,” where we come into a client’s home and create a new space plan using their existing furnishings to revitalize, reorganize and freshen up the space. This service can be especially helpful for clients looking to sell or rent their homes.

What are some of your favorite home stores on the East End?
Every store that I’ve visited has had such unique and different styles, that it’s hard to pick just one as a favorite. But Black Swan Antiques in Sag Harbor is close to the top of the list, mainly because their pieces seem to speak to my Southern heritage and seaside roots.

VIEW PHOTOS FROM THE BROGAN LANE DESIGN SHOWROOM OPENING RECEPTION