For me August defines “those lazy-hazy-crazy days of summer” – a tune originally made popular by Nat King Cole. As summer’s heat intensifies and the air becomes still a languid lull sets in, where it seems all one can do is sit quietly, relax and drink in the nearest quenching facility of water. The houses and locations selected for today’s post reflect this mood with an atmosphere of relaxed insouciance, comfort and a connection with nature. After all, a vacation should be about ease of living and spending time with family and friends in spaces that refresh and rejuvenate. Settle in and enjoy the last days of summer!
The Ralph Laurens’ Montauk retreat photographed by Pieter Estersohn.
Bruce Weber’s Golden Beach, Florida, home.
Miles Redd’s beach house at The Pines photographed by Paul Costello.
Alan Wazenberg’s Water Island beach house photographed by Pieter Estersohn.
A Long Island residence designed by Cutler Anderson Architects and Axel Vervoordt. From Living With Light.
The cedar clad living area of a Fire Island beach house designed in 1965 by Horace Gifford. Photographed by Ricardo Labougle for The World of Interiors.
Jacques Grange’s compound, Casa Nina, in the Alentejo Region of Portugal. Photography by Martin Morrell.
A Hamptons cottage decorated by James Huniford.
A beachside retreat in Stinson Beach, California, by Butler Armsden Architects.
A traditional Portuguese fishing hut, renovated for modern living by Aires Mateus and Assoc. Photography by Gaelle le Boulicaut.
Melvin Dwork’s beach house in Long Island featured in Architectural Digest in 1987.
Vicente Wolf’s Montauk beach house.
Ralph Pucci’s Hamton’s retreat designed by Vicente Wolf. Photographed by William Waldron.
The Beyer Residence in Malibu designed by architect John Lautner in 1975 and decorated by Michael Taylor for Richard Turner featured in the May, 1985, issue of Architectural Digest.
A beach house in the Hamptons designed by Timothy Haynes and Kevin Roberts. Photography by Simon Upton.
