A Couture Space for Outdoors at Your Hamptons Home

Why shouldn’t outdoor living be as gorgeous, engaging and stylish as indoors? The time is now to find fresh, exciting looks and products to enjoy all summer long. Are you ready to dive in?

Whether a backyard oasis or a rooftop aerie, your favorite outdoor space is about to get a whole lot more use. And just as with the landscape and gardens surrounding that open-air escape, improvements and inspirations are essential every year to keep it looking and feeling fresh. Whether that change comes in the form of seating, dining furniture, lighting, canopy beds, planters or artwork, “people in the Hamptons want unique design,” says Christine Heincke, owner of Couture Outdoor in Southampton. “They don’t want the same things you see everywhere.”

In your backyard seating area, Heincke says that investing in good umbrellas is crucial. The savvy East End homeowner will want umbrellas that offer great UV protection, of course, but you’ll be able to maximize their use by going with umbrellas that can adjust to an almost unlimited number of positions. And don’t forget the engineering—hydraulics (no cranks or wires) is the way to go. Got a big space to cover? Christine recommends The Hudson Collection, which allows up to four 10×10 umbrella shades attached to a single pole. Turn to a professional to come install each umbrella to ensure optimal placement and wind protection.

Artwork tends toward personal preference, but Heincke can’t hide her enthusiasm for her favorite object—the Big Apples at Couture Outdoor. Big Apples come in four sizes and in luscious colors, and can be used as centerpieces, event decor, hostess gifts, or just as conversation starters piled artfully in an oversized planter. “People are always stopping to take cute photos with them in front of our showroom,”she says. “They even pull over when driving by.”

Swimming pools are often the centerpiece of summertime outdoor entertaining in the Hamptons, and automatic pool covers have become a beautiful and practical way to enhance a pool’s look and functionality. “Average-sized pools can hold anything from 30-70,000 gallons of water and up. That’s a whole lot of water to heat and maintain at an average swimming temp of 84 from May to September,” says Heincke. In addition to energy efficiency, a top-end automatic pool cover can “help extend your swimming season into November.” Not that we’re ready to think about autumn just yet!

Read more House & Home and Real Estate stories at BehindtheHedges.com.