Richard Barons, Stan Rumbough Document Summer Colony Homes In 'Behind the Privets: Classic Hamptons Houses' - 27 East

Residence

Residence / 1402446

Richard Barons, Stan Rumbough Document Summer Colony Homes In 'Behind the Privets: Classic Hamptons Houses'

icon 10 Photos

authorStaff Writer on Jul 8, 2019

The project really began in 2012, said Richard Barons, chief curator of the East Hampton Historical Society. That was when two women, Maggie Gray and Alice Wainwright, walked into his office with an idea.“I’d heard rumblings in the community that these two ladies were going to come to my office,” he said. “They loved old houses. They thought the new houses were poor imitations.

“What they thought was a good idea was to somehow document these interiors—what these interiors looked like. They felt there was a flair, and a comfort, and a coziness, and an interest in history that was reflected in the types of things that these people had put in their houses over the years.”

What began as a small meeting seven years ago ultimately became something much larger.

On June 4, 2019, “Behind the Privets: Classic Hamptons Houses,” a 208-page hardcover book, was published by Prestel. The text—save for a foreword by Amagansett resident Alec Baldwin and a preface by interior designer David Netto—was composed by Mr. Barons. The final product is, essentially, a collaboration between Mr. Barons and architectural photographer Stan Rumbough. Mr. Rumbough even had the opportunity to photograph his own childhood home at Wiborg Beach.

The mission of the book, to hear Mr. Barons tell it, was one of preservation, an unsurprising lens through which a historian would view the world. His introduction focuses on the summer colony of East Hampton, a bygone era of casual summer relaxation, minus some—if not all—of the excess.

The houses cataloged in the book were chosen for a reason. They were, Mr. Barons noted, “houses that were either likely to be changed soon or had not been changed at all, or that were in danger of being changed.”

The result is a book that catapults the reader back in time, to a Hamptons that was, and that may or may not ever be again. Not all of the homes chosen for the book soldier on: At least one has already been torn down. Others, no doubt, will follow.

Mr. Rumbough, like Mr. Barons, remained dedicated to authenticity. Enamored with the Hamptons’ specific, beautiful natural light, he shot with nothing else, meaning that some of his photos cast cool spots, or dark shadows. His photographs are evocative. They speak to what it actually means to sit in a house when a house is not always light, because houses are not always light.

The resulting book is the answer to every staged real estate ad and antiseptic, glossy, beige-and-white decorator theme. Real life is messy and accumulating and filled with moments of both dark and light. Real life is lived in. The houses of East Hampton were once lived in, loved in. That’s the very point.

Over the course of seven years, Mr. Barons said, he learned that it was not the grand beach houses, or the heirlooms, or ornate valuables that people held on to—it was what they evoked.

“I learned what they were looking for,” he said, “that they loved the memories of coming to their grandmother’s house. What I found with the people that we interviewed was that there’s an amazing love of East Hampton, and the Hamptons in general. There’s a sentimentality. There’s a nostalgia. It was almost like a cocoon.”

As East Hampton continues to shift, Mr. Barons hopes the message of his work resonates. He met, in his work, “people who fell in love with their houses,” but today’s homeowners are bystanders in a process that is merely transactional. To buy a house, one need not be creative, or impassioned, or in love. One need not impart even a small part of oneself.

In opening the doors to people’s homes, and seeing their treasures, Richard Barons had the great privilege of learning this one true thing, which is that a home is who we are. Or, it should be, at least.

As the East Hampton cottage continues to fall victim to the mansion, memorialized in time, Mr. Barons offered this lesson, learned from his most recent work: “Your cottage should be your home, and in the summer it should reflect you. It’s personal.”

“Behind the Privets” shows the very personal side of East Hampton, indeed.

You May Also Like:

Hampton Designer Showhouse Kicks Off July 19

The Hampton Designer Showhouse will return to Southampton this summer to benefit Stony Brook Southampton ... 1 Jul 2025 by Staff Writer

Holiday House Hamptons Opens With White Party on July 12

Holiday House Hamptons will return to the South Fork on Saturday, July 12, for its ... by Staff Writer

East Hampton Art & Design Days Runs July 11-13

The inaugural East Hampton Art & Design Days, running July 11 to 13, will present a lecture series at Guild Hall on Sunday, July 13, featuring interior designers and landscape designers in conversation. The day will begin with a book-signing hour, followed at noon by Aerin Lauder in conversation with David Netto about her new book, “Living With Flowers,” which explores the role of florals in “interior design, inspired living, and timeless style.” “Designing Iconic Interiors and Architecture” begins at 1:15 p.m., with panelists Brian Sawyer, David Kleinberg and Victoria Hagan moderated by Jacqueline Terrebonne of Galerie. The designers will ... by Staff Writer

Marders Hosting Garden Talks Series Covering Range of Garden-Related Topics

Marders, a nursery and garden center in Bridgehampton, is hosting the Garden Talks series, covering a variety of topics relating to garden maintenance and caring for plants. These talks take place on Sunday mornings at Marders at 120 Snake Hollow Road in Bridgehampton, from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. and are free to attend. Paige Patterson, a plant ambassador at Marders, has been running talks for over 10 years. The talks grew out of Patterson receiving questions relating to misconceptions about plants, as well as other aspects of gardening that she was unaware of when she first started. “I never ... by Dan Stark

East Hampton Historical Society To Host 19th Annual Antiques & Design Show Benefit

The East Hampton Historical Society is hosting its 19th annual Antiques & Design Show Benefit ... 30 Jun 2025 by Dan Stark

Fireflies Are Back for Summer — or Are They?

Like Fourth of July fireworks, cooling swims and relaxing vacations, fireflies are a sign of ... 26 Jun 2025 by Melissa Morgan Nelson

Gourds Are a Great Growing Project for Curious Kids — and Adults

It’s not too late to plant a few seeds that can be a great project ... by Andrew Messinger

David Harber and Michael Derrig Present 'A Celebration of Art in the Garden'

The David Harber studio in Oxfordshire, England, is bringing its outdoor sculptures to East Hampton ... 24 Jun 2025 by Brendan J. O’Reilly

Salvatore Piazzolla and Grant Wilfley Find Comfort in Southampton

Salvatore Piazzolla and Grant Wilfley found solitude when stumbling upon what inevitably was their dream ... 20 Jun 2025 by Tristan Dyer

Free Tuesday Webinar on 'Case Studies of East End Near-Zero and Net-Zero Residential Properties

Jean-Pierre Clejan, a renewable energy integrator specializing in zero-energy building, will host a free, live webinar, “Case Studies of East End Near-Zero & Net-Zero Residential Projects,” on Tuesday, June 24, at 4 p.m. The two-hour sustainability-focused continuing education unit program, with PDH, AIA HSW and GBCI/LEED credits available, showcases the ways architects have achieved net-zero and near-zero energy for their Long Island clients by incorporating energy efficiency, specifying hyper-efficient electric HVAC and optimizing roof/site plans to maximize solar production. In each case study, Clejan will review the embedded technology, key design elements, and real-world energy/financial performance of the built project. ... 18 Jun 2025 by Staff Writer