Home Remedies

By Barbara Baker

Though national home furnishings chains are seeping onto the South Fork more and more—think Ethan Allen, Restoration Hardware, Pottery Barn, and the upcoming Home Goods—there is a generous assortment of local emporiums, each with its own distinct personality.

Hildreth’s Home Goods
Established in 1842, Hildreth’s Home Goods is considered to be the oldest department store in the country. It still purveys to the carriage trade (and the rest of us) from its location in the heart of Southampton Village and its outpost in East Hampton. It has ample options in tabletop (from a Sophie Conran ceramic bowl to Govino portable champagne flutes—just right for a picnic at Cryder Beach); bedding (from duvet covers to shams); all kinds of furniture including sofas, tables and beds from Klaussner Home Furnishings), and a wide selection of teak, metal and wicker outdoor furniture. hildreths.com

Aerin
Yes, Estee Lauder’s granddaughter, Aerin Lauder, does sell her eponymous fragrances and richly hued lipsticks in her Southampton shop, but she also offers home décor fit for a Gin Lane cottage. Think: elegant burnished silver Marseilles table lamp; blue shagreen coaster set, and ornate mirror based on a Venetian piece owned by her iconic grandmother. aerin.com

Homenature
A mix of the owners’ own designs and vintage finds, the spacious and beautifully appointed Southampton space offers stunning pieces from an inlaid horn coffee table to a white pony and chrome ottoman and an assortment of luxe accessories for the “casually hip modern home.” Homenature.com

Jangeorge
Dutch interior designers Jan Oostdijk and George Rutgers opened a design studio and retail shop three years ago in Sag Harbor followed by an East Hampton outpost last year. Specializing in European antiques and sleek Italian furniture and lighting, they describe their aesthetic as a combination of simple lines, neutral hues and earth tones. Jangeorge.com

Serena & Lily Beach Market
Serena and Lily are two Californians who began by selling textiles, designed by artist Serena Dugan, for babies. Having evolved the company into a “lifestyle brand,” the duo opened their first brick and mortar store in 2013, choosing Wainscott over a town in their home state. With an eye on color and pattern, they offer all kinds of home goods including their own signature wallpaper, paint and fabric by the yard. Their delightfully eclectic selection features a Carson chair, based on a Paris market find; a leather-seated modern interpretation of a campaign stool; pastel-y dhurrie rugs with patterns based on henna designs, and, of course, fun stuff for kids like their sheet set with sneaker motif. Their fouta towels, sumptuous versions of the Mid-Eastern originals, are pool must-haves. SerenaAndLily.com

Fishers Home Furnishings
This Sag Harbor mainstay, which has resided on Main Street for over 30 years, has the usual selection of tasteful furniture from comfy slipcovered chairs to rustic farm tables, but also many an amusing decorative item such as a zebra-print leather ottoman or octopusemblazoned pillow. They also feature “rare finds from around the world” such as a vintage elm buffet from Shanxi Province. Their “paint to order” collection includes case goods (chests, cupboards, etc.) made of reclaimed pine and waxed or painted to your liking. FishersHomeFurnishings.com

RUBY BEETS old & new
This quirky-in-a-great-way shop, located in a former Sag Harbor silent movie theater, has garnered international attention for its enchanting mélange of decorative antique and contemporary items. The Hampton-grown aesthetic results in finds like an ethereal Karen Blixen vase (inspired by the Out of Africa heroine) to hand-woven organic cotton throws making it feel like you’ve walked onto the pages of Elle Décor. Their “made to order” component allows you to pick from some very stylish sofas, lamps and other pieces. RubyBeets.com