A Surprise In Southampton Village

Even after all these years, Southampton’s Main Street still harbors a secret or two. Unexpectedly situated down a narrow alley is a luxurious outdoor enclave set up by the artist and furniture designer Scott Tucker.

“I’ve been coming out here forever,” he said with a smile at his pop-up shop behind Colette’s at 22 Main Street. Mr. Tucker’s store is called Raunjiba—pronounced lawn-JEE-bah—which means “lounge” in Japanese.

“All of my pieces have a decidedly Eastern feel,” explained the furniture designer. The cedar and mahogany lounge chairs and coffee tables Mr. Tucker designs have a reassuring solidity to them, with simple geometric patterns. “There are no right angles,” he said. “The curve of the chair follows the curve of your spine. Even without the cushions, they’re very comfortable.”

And he’s right, even for someone who never has been, nor ever will be, a size 2. The lounge chairs are several extra inches wide, and close to the ground, giving the sensation of practically sitting on the patio.

“I make them ergonomically. They’re designed 4 inches wider than an average lounge chair, and 6 inches longer. The width makes it easier to get in and out of.”

And the lower height? “I wanted the feel of being closer to nature—to lose the feeling that you’re in a chair,” he said.

Each piece is “a blend of function, ergonomic comfort and aesthetic consolation,” reads a description on his website. The line features chairs, tables, beds, mirrors and vanities. His original designs are geared to the luxury residential and hospitality markets.

The Brooklyn native’s parents have “always had a home at Atterbury,” he said of the residential neighborhood near Shinnecock Bay in Southampton. After Mr. Tucker finished at the High School of Art and Design, he received a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree at Long Island University, Southampton.

“When I graduated from LIU, I was working, just to make money, at Hamptons Resorts and Hospitality. You know, just working the front desk,” Mr. Tucker said of a string of Southampton-area hotels that included the Altantic, The Bentley and The Capri. “But I saw the furniture they had at the pools and the decks, and I sketched a few designs of pieces I thought would look good there. The owners were really supportive and I started designing furniture for them.”

It wasn’t long before Mr. Tucker had his own line, all of which is manufactured by hand in New York. “Because we don’t need to ship, we can customize and still have a turnaround time of a few weeks,” he said. It’s clear that each piece is a work of art to Mr. Tucker, not just a piece of furniture.

Mr. Tucker is something of a renaissance man—well versed in not only furniture but painting, sculpture, and metal work, he has been recognized by industry publications for his corporate event designs and branded environments. Projects like the Evian spas in Beverly Hills and New York City, and the 100,000-square-foot Supper Club for the Apollo Theater, have earned Mr. Tucker a reputation as an innovator in creative environmental design.

In addition to his summer space behind 22 Main Street, a store at 85 Jobs Lane, called The Mill at Southampton, is also showcasing a number of Mr. Tucker’s pieces.

Even more eye-catching than the furniture pieces are the mirrors Mr. Tucker has created. “All the pieces are indoor/outdoor,” he explained. “I designed the mirrors to look antique–the color, rusting and welding is all hand-done.”

And these days, outdoor rooms are gaining in popularity. “We’ve entered into a time where people like to feel that their indoor to outdoor transition is seamless,” Mr. Tucker said. “A freestanding mirror is like a sculpture that brings the indoors outdoors.”