Latched In to Art

This year was my second trip to The Village Latch, a historic Inn located in Southampton, NY.  Here is what I love about it- besides the proximity to one of the most beautiful beaches on the east coast- the décor features the amazing artwork of the owner Marta Byer-White. It isn’t so much that the Inn is decorated, but that it is curated.  Last year I went on a little mini tour of some of the rooms and was charmed by how each one was individually lovely with artwork and interesting furniture.  It is quirky and unique and every room seemed to have the detail and attention that you would lavish on your own home.  Which I guess, is what makes it so, well, homey.  This year I stayed in one of the many guest houses on the property, where every door was painted with a pattern, elevating humble flush doors to noteworthy status.

When you enter the main lodge, there is a long hall that leads to the lobby/kitchen area.  Along the wall (which has way-cool decoratively painted faux stonework) there are arresting pieces of art that are hung both separately and in groupings that make a larger piece. The artwork and the curatorial design are done by Marta.  Every time I went down the hall I found pieces that attracted me differently.  In the lobby it seemed that every surface was an opportunity for another alter-like tableaux. 

I spoke to Marta about her wonderful and abundant arrangements.  Her comment seemed to sum up the theme behind her decorating style:

“Art should be a part of the environment, it should just be there.”

As I was so interested in her amazing art pieces and collections, Marta generously offered to show me her nearby home, where I found even more elaborately stylized groupings  gracing almost every horizontal surface.  I hope the photos give a sense of the whole, but in every area, I struggled with the fabulously interesting parts, as part of the whole wall, the whole room.  Art was indeed just there, everywhere you looked.