Countryside Living Is Gracefully Reimagined in This Bridgehampton Compound

For couture fashion designer Andrea Karambelas, countryside living comes as first nature.

Situated in the Bridgehampton area, her 5-acre compound that she spends the summer season in with her family consists of a main house, guest cottage and five-car garage. Keeping on theme with the remote and ethereal surroundings, elegance and grace is generously displayed through Karambelas’s decor, where her wide-ranging and extensive collection of furniture, art and artifacts is an embedded part of the residence.

Based on symmetry, the main house imitates a French chateau.

“Everything in the house is symmetrical to some extent,” Karambelas said. “From the two gardens lined up with each door, to the windows of the dining room centered on the opposing windows of the main living room across the courtyard. It was all thought out in a linear way; it has a lot of thought process and is a real formula on the aspects of classical architecture.”

Originally from Chicago, Karambelas derives her creative tools and intuition from her grandmother. From an early age, she was drawn to creativity. Putting those talents into action, Karambelas’s apparel designs execute sublime sophistication and elegance. Continuously radiant in her color choice, the sleek designs are made for a woman who adores true craftsmanship. Her selection of top-tier fabrics matches the mastered attention to detail and creativity.

Having studied architecture herself, there was a strong influence from historic architects when designing the home that included David Adler and Charles A. Platt, who Karambelas respectfully admires.

Hubert de Givenchy’s house outside of Paris was another key element of homage to the house’s style. A 17-foot pine inlaid ceiling in the guest cottage is derived from Givenchy’s south of France home, bringing depth to the jewel box she has created.

“The whole feeling of the property was inspired by one of Givenchy’s residences. His house is comfortable where the dogs are welcome to jump on the furniture. To me, simplicity is a big luxury. This house is beautiful, but it is very simple,” Karambelas said.

Hubert de Givenchy brought supreme poise to women’s clothing and swiftly became a prominent figure and voice in the vibrant fashion scene in the 1950s and beyond. Carrying his polished aesthetic into his private life, his interior design choices were rich and suave. There is a relaxed dignity that shines through.

A standout space in the house is the ground-floor powder room that wears a black theme to an approved degree, bringing a contemporary and polished contrast to the surrounding rooms.

Mixing valuable antiques, such as a large silver leaf mirror along with thrift store purchases, displays a trajectory of classic design with a modernized humble touch. Two olive green settees in their original mohair fabric were sourced from a chateau in France and continue the loyal linage of balance and symmetry.

When entering the house into the dramatic and airy foyer, the front door is intentionally centered with the guest cottage entrance in the distance with an apple orchard walkway and pool that separate the structures. Those who dream of the voyage of serene endless summer days can find tranquility is this tempting sector of the property.

A concentration of mounted antlers in varied sizes fills the entryway, giving a magnitude of profundity and the theme is additionally carried throughout the house.

The gray and white harlequin floor is originally from France and purchased from Paris Ceramics, dating back almost 300 years, appointing itself to being the heart and soul of the house. A sublime contrast of pine doors and large lanterns sourced from an estate in Connecticut brings intellect of merging materials in design.

A simple and colossal country kitchen is made to be utilized with custom painted mahogany windows that are positioned for sunlight to beam and radiate through. A potting room is seamlessly adjacent, heightening the essence of genuine countryside living.

The top of the staircase presents a sweeping hallway with clean lines with an effortless nature. In one of the guest rooms, a four-poster Parish-Hadley bed completes the space and is one of Karambelas’s sacred finds.

A welcoming sitting room in the primary suite brings a reclusive tone to a secluded space in the house. Chocolate grasscloth makes the intimate room significantly eminent. A refurbished 1940s shower and a 120-year-old tub bring distinct depth to the primary bathroom.

The balustrade is mimicked from a David Hicks house in Portugal and is intentionally more modern and flat. The house is a vessel to entertain on any occasion, encompassing varied designated outdoor communal areas.

Ultimately, the expanse and enticing gravity of the grounds are an authentic sentiment of a polite homage to the European countryside.