The East Hampton House & Garden Tour, traditionally held over Thanksgiving weekend, is right around the corner!  From Sea, to Bay, to South-of-the-Highway, feast your eyes upon our stellar line-up of houses on this year’s tour. The East Hampton Historical Society announced the 39th annual House & Garden Tour, celebrating some of the finest examples of East End architecture. This year’s tour — consisting of five distinguished houses — is scheduled for Saturday, November 30, from 1 to 4:30 p.m.

The East Hampton Historical Society’s House Tour Committee has creatively selected houses that express the unique spirit of living on the East End.  From Sea, to Bay and South-of-the-Highway, the Historical Society’s annual House Tour offers a once in a lifetime glimpse inside some of East Hampton’s most intriguing residences…each with a unique story to tell!  Drenched in history, pedigree, and hidden just behind the hedgerows or down a long and winding lane, this year’s tour is sure to inspire, delight and invite appreciation for the stewardship of some of our most charming properties. Explore Five Spectacular East Hampton Properties. Hidden Gems – Each with a Unique Surprise!

THE CARRIAGE HOUSE OF ICONIC GREY GARDENS: Are there are two Grey Gardens? Spoiler alert! Technically, yes. Both built in the same year: 1896. Both designed by the same architect: the prolific Joseph Greenleaf Thorp. Both were purchased in 1924 as one parcel by Phelan Beale for his new bride: Edith Bouvier Beale, later known as “Big” Edie. After her divorce in 1946, and left without adequate financial support, forced her daughter, “Little” Edie, to return to the homestead and sell off the Carriage House on 1.1 acres in 1952.  Fast-forward to now, the expanded and well-positioned house was purchased in 2018 by an adventurous and savvy couple who with their sportive teen son have brought it squarely into the 21^st century. Come discover the Grey Gardens carriage house in its new glory, all to be explored and experienced in person at the 2024 East Hampton House & Garden Tour!

THE PINK HOUSE ON EGYPT LANE: Another “Pink House”? Spoiler alert!  To local historians, this pale pink-tinged shingled home is known as the George Eldredge House, built by East Hampton’s premier builder of the summer colony and self-taught architect in 1876. Built in the classic Colonial style, this handsome abode has stood the test of time, with its elegant and modern flow, wide hallways and extra-wide doorways. Renovated by designer Steven Gambrel for its present owners, the house celebrates a beachy aesthetic that reflects its proximity to the ocean.

But the big surprise is the optical illusion –- the space moves brilliantly between interior and exterior with the illusion of going on and on, yet judiciously executed upon 1.2 acres of land, including an expansive outdoor kitchen with an enclosed 18-seat dining table. Relax into a pink-upholstered chaise under basket-weave lighting, enjoy an Aperol Sptitz while taking in the views of a meticulously manicured garden and terrace.

AN OASIS OF CHIC IN SPRINGS:What has sprung in Springs? Surprise! An Oasis of Chic. Hidden down a long driveway, never to be seen from the road on your way to Ashawagh Hall or Springs General Store, hides a subtle and sublimely decorated house and magnificent gardens on 3.2 acres of land. This dazzling dwelling is nestled in the darling hamlet of Springs. It’s not “historic,” first built in 1998 but totally refashioned in the last two years by current owner, Craig Socia, well-known landscape designer, whose creative talents spill over to interior décor. Pay careful attention to the details — the H-folded blankets artfully draped on the sofas and beds, identifiable orange boxes, and the massive vintage LV trunk. There’s a stylish agility to the repetition of colors in the main rooms: grays, blacks, oranges, beiges.

Outside you’ll see a manicured Cleveland pear allee lending a formal, almost-French-chateau air to arriving guests; single stands of dramatic weeping trees and the signature Socia gazebo of curved logs and branches. The perfect hidden oasis to entertain friends and family.

MAIN STREET HISTORICAL GEM: Hidden on Main Street -– Surprise! As many times as you may have driven down Main Street, East Hampton, this historical house may have eluded you. Hidden down a long driveway, and twice blessed with historical pedigree, it is a privilege to have this Main Street residence on the East Hampton House & Garden Tour. The house was framed from an original 18^th century barn, the Samuel Buell house was relocated to the property at the turn of the 17^th century, the Horse Chestnut Tree, which dates back decades, is arguably the oldest on the East Coast, and the spectacular vaulted ceilings in the English Tudor style all add to the historical allure of this dignified property. This is a rare opportunity to glimpse into East Hampton history.

HEXAGONAL BEACH HOUSE:

A Hexagonal House? Really? Surprise!  This beach house, belonging to interior designer David Netto, was built in 1980 but comprehensively renovated with Meyer Davis Studio in 2012.  Though Netto was at first convinced this oddly configured 1980s building had to come down, it took collaborating with Will Meyer to create their own version of reinvention. “The house is everything we set out to achieve in that spot. It’s less a house than a celebration of the environment; of the nature and the changing light of this place. This is success, because aside from aesthetics, what a house is supposed to do, this one does – it’s a happiness machine. My children and I are happier there than anywhere else in the world.”  Come get your Happy Vibes on at the hexagonal house in Amagansett dunes!

Cocktail Party for the 2024 East Hampton House & Garden Tour will be held at Maidstone Club. Tickets to the Maidstone Cocktail Party are $275 each, which includes entry to the House & Garden Tour the following day.  Tickets to the self-guided 2024 East Hampton House & Garden Tour are $95 in advance of Thanksgiving and $120 on November 29 and 30.  Admission can be purchased via:

• Website: www.easthamptonhistory.org
• Phone at 631-324-6850
• Clinton Academy, 151 Main Street, on Friday, November 29 (from 10 a.m. – 4 p.m.), and Saturday, November 30, (from 10 a.m. – 2 p.m.)

 Note: Maidstone Club is open only to Cocktail Party ticket holders on the evening of Friday, November 29, 2024.  The Cocktail Party and House & Garden Tour are fundraising events for the East Hampton Historical Society.