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Take a Peek Inside This Cozy Cottage by the Sea
Sit and stay awhile (for real! you can rent it!) at this dreamy Hamptons beach house.
When photographer Matt Albiani and real estate agent Ron Brand opened their Montecito, California, vintage shop Mate Gallery seven years ago, they turned a 160-square-foot slice of Southern California into a paean to New England nostalgia. The tiny store teems with timeworn nods to the nautical, from oil paintings of sea scenes and brass whale paperweights to anchor andirons and lighthouse salt-and-pepper shakers. “Our style is very much rustic New England maritime,” says Matt, a native of Boston.
Last year, the partners took their brine-soaked aesthetic to a whole new level when they purchased a 1940s seaside cottage in Montauk, New York, and christened it “Sea Roost.” “Ron and I have been renting a neighboring property for the last seven years and heard through the grapevine that the owner was interested in selling the house,” says Matt. “He liked the idea of giving it to us because he knew we weren’t going to tear it down, that we would preserve it.”
Exterior
Perched on a knoll overlooking the Atlantic Ocean, the half-acre property includes a 300-square-foot artist’s studio and a 1,000- square-foot main house (pictured here) that’s one of the last few original fisherman cottages in the town’s Hither Hills area. “We named the house Sea Roost because it’s a sanctuary," says Matt. "We have so many birds that nest here in the summer.”
Stay here! Go to searoost.com for more details.
Entry
“We loved the idea of bringing Mate Gallery into the house,” says Matt. “Our store is very small, and it’s chock-full of stuff, so it was nice to be able to bring items into real life and give them some room to breathe.”
Nautical Finds
The entry is home to one of the couple’s prized possessions: a vintage Rhode Island flag made from needlework. “It’s stained and weathered, but it’s such a special piece,” says Matt.
Shop the Look:
Brass Sconce: Ralph Lauren “Grant” in brass by Visual Comfort
Living Room
In the living room, a small-scale sofa and pair of well-aged rattan chairs (estate sale finds) boast vintage indigo pillows and throws, while walls and tabletops are layered with signature Mate Gallery pieces such as vintage brass, framed seascapes, and natural curiosities.
Shop the Look:
Indigo Pillows, Paintings, Vintage Brass, and Other Accessories: for similar, shop Mate Gallery
Sconces: Thomas O’Brien “Vendome” by Visual Comfort
Rattan pendant light: "Santa Barbara" by Serena and Lily
Stone Firepalce
The mantel of the living room's original stone fireplace is home to one of the couple’s favorite seascapes: a painting of a ship in a storm. Above, a trio of ceramic owls peek in from the rafters.
Shop the Look:
Artwork, Brass Accessories, and Ceramic Owls: for similar,
shop Mate Gallery
Nautical Antiques
In the living room, a vintage sea captain bookend, a large piece of coral, and a ship find refuge in glass. "We're always on the lookout for a good ship in a bottle," says Matt. "They’re getting harder to find these days."
Galley Kitchen
Ron and Matt cast a wide net for one-of-a-kind once-from-nature—or nature-inspired—finds, such as this mounted fish, purchased at a Montauk estate sale. They scored the pair of rattan sconces at a roadside stand in Coba, Mexico.
Shop the Look:
Rattan Sconces: for similar, “Santa Barbara” drum sconce by Serena and Lily
Dining Area
A gallery wall in the dining area is bedecked with artwork from land and sea, including a large pencil drawing of a naval cadet, which the couple found at a house sale in Connecticut, teamed with a duo of smaller sailor black-and-white photos and a midcentury map of the island. A petite ship’s wheel-themed sconce sheds light on the ticking stripe–clad table. “I grew up in a small seaside village, so anything old and charming has always been attractive to me,” says Ron.
Shop the Look:
Artwork, Fish Plates (on table), Vintage Accessories: for similar, shop Mate Gallery
Curated Collections
Coastal-themed books, jars of collected shells, sculptural pieces of coral, and even a large ball of twine artfully mingle together in a glass-fronted display case.
Artist's Studio Bedroom
The second Matt walked into the cozy (only about 12 feet by 15 feet!) freestanding art studio, he envisioned a captain’s bed, but it took Ron a little longer to “see it.” Says Ron, “I needed a couple of glasses of wine and a lot of tape on the floor, and then the penny dropped!” Once the bed was built, they hung the indigo textiles and added indigo-inspired wallpaper on the ceiling.
Shop the Look:
Blue Wall Paint Color: New York State of Mind by Benjamin Moore
Ceiling wallpaper: "Granada" by Serena and Lily
Indigo Textiles, Ceramic Owls, and Vintage Accessories: for similar, shop Mate Gallery
Guest Bedroom
It’s not often that Matt and Ron resist the urge to buy a seascape. “We’re always on the lookout for them. Any time I don’t buy one at Brimfield [Antiques Flea Market], it’s pretty much my greatest regret,” says Matt. “They are such an integral part of our home and the store.” The paintings pop up throughout the house, including in this airy guest room.
Smile-Worthy Vignettes
Matt buys old issues of National Geographic every time he sees them. “I love the color,” he says. “You’ll see it pop up throughout the house.”
Thrill of the Hunt
Homeowners Matt Albiani and Ron Brand talk finds and favorites.
Good Spot for “East Coast Vintage”
Rhode Island Antiques Mall (riantiquesmall.com) in Pawtucket, RI
Most Memorable Score
Vintage Disney Polynesian Village Resort banana leaf wallpaper panel
Can’t Resist a...
...tag sale, especially in a wealthy town
The First Room We’d Go to in an Estate Sale is...
...the basement
Treasure Detector
There’s an app called Yard Sale Treasure Map. It tells you where all the sales are that weekend.
Follow Matt and Ron's adventures and maybe even scoop up some of their antiquing scores at @mategallery.
Watch Next
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The Collector’s Guide to Vintage Farmstand Finds
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Editors’ Picks: Farmers’ Market-Inspired Recipes
