Noted New York City interior designer, Beverly Bartfeld, has considered Montauk her second home for nearly two decades. She decided to take her passion of design and the seaside town to the next level and open her own store, indy home montauk, in 2019.
Her first retail venture received glowing reviews and quickly gained a local following. The store has a curated beach living design collection with relaxed contemporary furniture and décor reflecting Bartfeld’s style – fun, comfortable, and affordable.
Apart from her retail location, indy home montauk offers interior design services, home accessory consultations, and gift registry selection by appointment with Bartfeld.
We caught up with Bartfeld to learn more about her design process and Montauk storefront.
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indy home montauk. (Courtesy Photo) |
Being that you’ve worked in design in NYC, the Hamptons and Nantucket, opening indy home montauk seems like the appropriate transition for your work. Can you speak to what you’re looking forward to most in the next few months of the summer season and why this venture is so important to you?
BB: I’ve found that the vibe of Montauk has infused itself into the homes I have decorated, from NYC to Montauk to Nantucket. It’s not coincidental that many of my projects have a strong presence of the color blue, in many shades, and the sky and ocean in Montauk are an inspiration and have made a pretty significant mark on my professional style.
This is the second season of indy home montauk and I’m looking forward to finding the inspiration of this uniquely different summer. I change up the store almost daily and it’s always a response to how I’m feeling and the energy the customers bring into the store. I know it sounds odd but there aren’t “rules” to decorating, you just do what feels right.
This venture means so much to me because after decorating so many homes over the years, and being asked where I purchased different items and how I put looks together, I thought a physical presence, indy home montauk, would give my current and past clients as well as future ones and even passers by, the opportunity to glimpse at my style and use the same tools I use to put together their unique look. Also, Montauk has had different home stores over the years but some were just furniture, some just knickknacks. A well-rounded homestore presence that is interesting, affordable, and useful seemed like just what the town needed.
Because I’m an interior designer I am available to work on a project as big as redecorating a whole house, from wall paint to the forks in the kitchen, and anything in between. Many times customers come in thinking they just need a couch and we end up working together to create a whole look. indy home montauk is versatile, we have and can do everything from create gift bags for events, corporate promotions and wedding parties to offer a gift registry.
Now more than ever people are spending a lot of time in their homes. Has this shift adjusted the way you think about design?
BB: Definitely, after the initial shock of what was happening around us, I think people started nesting and taking up projects around their house that they may have been ignoring.
My design style has always been about affordability and whimsy. It’s easy to refresh things without re-doing everything. Changing pillows, rugs, rehanging your art — are all easy fixes and can make for big changes. Affordability matters a lot to me. Tastes change and no one should feel too invested in a look to make updates and tweaks. At indy home montauk, couches range (depending on size, of course) from $2,000 to $3,400. Wall art and paintings are in the $1,500 range. The table top items all have big personalities and are “user friendly”. We sell a lot of melamine in bright colors and patterns mostly because they look formal but travel to the outdoor table, the beach, a picnic, onto a boat, really well. Our macrame chair is a best-seller because it is comfortable and stylish for indoor and outdoor seating. Poofs are really popular too because they add seating without adding a giant piece of furniture, and can be the pop of color or texture a room needs.
I’ve started to look at design, as all of us have, as a snapshot of someone’s life in the moment, because that’s literally what we’ve seen of people, with Zoom and TV anchors reporting from home, being a main form of communication. I encourage old and new clients to change their pillows, color code bookshelves with the books that you have, get a new throw rug, paint one wall in a room a bright or surprising color! Do something simple and refreshing that makes your home feel energized.
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A recently completed Montauk Beach Cottage project. (Courtesy Photo) |
What are some of your favorite aspects of Montauk?
BB: I have been coming to Montauk since I was a teenager. It’s changed a lot since then — but it was always my home away from home and now it is the same for my kids. Every summer is different and just when you think it can’t get better, it does. As NYC residents we treasure every moment we can spend here. Fresh air, ocean breeze and smell, laid back people, the whole package feels like the antidote to a hectic week in NYC.
My family and I spend a lot of time watching sunsets. As trite as that may sound, each one is like watching a live art show. We walk our dog, Indy, on the beach as often as possible, and we just enjoy the family time that seems so difficult to find in the hustle and bustle of our “regular” lives. I feel very connected to Montauk so the opportunity to open a business in this community and the warm reception we have received has been truly gratifying.
I really feel like Montauk is a second home to me, and now indy home montauk is my second home in my second home…. I’m always there because it makes me so happy to tinker in the store, hear customers’ ideas and see how differently from me they piece together a table setting or style pillows, and to be out and part of the community of beachgoers and shoppers. Oftentimes you can find my husband, kids, neighborhood friends, some new friends, even Indy, in the store!
Stay in the loop with indy home montauk’s updates by connecting on Instagram and Facebook: @indyhomedesign.
indy home montauk is located at 71 South Elmwood Avenue in Montauk. For more information, call 631-668-8415 or visit indyhomedesign.com.
