A design-build guide to crafting refined, resilient outdoor spaces along the East End. Salt air, coastal breezes, and a steady stream of weekend guests shape the way outdoor spaces function in the Hamptons. More than a backdrop, these outdoor living space need to support effortless living while reflecting the quiet elegance of their surroundings.
At BuildLabs, we’ve designed and built some of the East End’s most refined coastal homes, each one tailored to its microclimate, lifestyle, and view. In this guide, we’re sharing what truly matters when designing for luxury at the edge of the Atlantic, with real-world examples pulled straight from our own portfolio.
In the Hamptons, the view does the talking. Every line, material, and opening should frame the natural beauty of the surrounding landscape, whether it's a sweep of ocean, a quiet bay, or the sculpted geometry of a hedgerow. Keep profiles low. Use glass railings, vanishing-edge pools, and strategic sightlines to blur the boundary between indoors and out.
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In one East Hampton project, BuildLabs paired broad glass sliders with low-slung hardscaping and minimal wire railing to let the Atlantic horizon spill straight into the bedrooms. Even a simple reflecting pool, when placed with care, can echo the sky and stretch the sense of space.
Coastal air is relentless. Salt, sun, and humidity demand materials that can withstand the elements without losing their aesthetic appeal. That’s why we prioritize naturally durable or engineered hardwoods, UV-resistant finishes, marine-grade hardware, and stonework built to last. For example, at several Sag Harbor projects, we carefully integrated durable, low-maintenance materials like time-tested cedar shingles that complement the historic home while ensuring longevity in a coastal environment. This balance of strength and style keeps the space looking fresh year after year.
In the Hamptons, interiors set the stage, but it's the connection to the outdoors that steals the show. Operable glass walls, covered porches, continuous flooring, and flush thresholds create seamless transitions that allow spaces to breathe and expand. Our timber-clad custom home in Flying Point is a prime example with its floor-to-ceiling sliders that connect the interior to a sun-soaked lounge and pool outside.
Additionally, thoughtfully designed Outdoor living spaces, complete with lighting, heating, and furnishings, can feel every bit as comfortable and intentional as the rooms inside. A modern cabana in East Hampton was designed as a full-service entertainment hub, featuring a sleek sports bar, outdoor shower, laundry, and powder room. The seating shifts from fully covered to semi-open, offering flexibility and comfort, rain or shine.
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Privacy matters, but with coastal views, walls are not the answer. Instead, we look to nature. Tall native grasses, layered hedgerows, trellises, and planters can shield a space without closing it in. For an East Hampton beach house, we used staggered landscaping to carve out intimate lounging zones, keeping views open while creating a sense of quiet retreat. Elevation shifts and thoughtful sightline management, as shown in our Sag Harbor compound, can further hide hot tubs, outdoor showers, or reading spots – no fences or walls required.
Coastal weather shifts fast – and hyperlocally. A home near the bluff might battle constant wind, while a wooded lot just inland holds onto morning fog. That’s why design build firms in the Hamptons like BuildLabs evaluate every lot with care, tracking sun angles, wind exposure, and shade patterns before a single line is drawn. Where a lounge gets placed, how a pergola casts a shadow at 3 p.m., even how salt drift might affect materials – these decisions are shaped by the site itself. Designing with the environment, not despite it, is what makes a space truly live well.
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A great outdoor space is versatile, a hallmark of modern outdoor living on the East Coast. It handles a morning coffee al fresco and a garden party for twenty with equal ease. Modular furniture, retractable shade, and convertible features like fire tables or bocce-ready lawns make that kind of range possible. At our East Hampton compound, the courtyard shape manages to feel both expansive and intimate. The space easily evolves with help from strategic lighting and furniture configurations, showing that seamless entertaining doesn’t come from size, but from intentional design.
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Summer doesn’t last, but good design does. Coastal home outdoor design endures, with Radiant-heated terraces, outdoor fireplaces, and wind-buffering pergolas helping extend outdoor living well beyond summer. Covered seating, screened porches, and integrated heat lamps keep spaces usable as temperatures drop, while built-in storage makes it easy to keep blankets on hand. Thoughtful additions like a three-season room blur the line between indoors and out, making fall gatherings feel just as inviting as those in July. Designing for all four seasons ensures your outdoor investment pays off year-round.
Sustainable design is built into every stage of our process. BuildLabs’ precision, factory-built approach minimizes material waste, reduces site disturbance, and ensures exceptional efficiency from the start. We specify sustainable materials, drought-tolerant landscaping, permeable pavers, and high-performance systems as standard practice. The best outdoor spaces quietly care for the land they occupy, without compromising comfort or design.
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Even outdoors, the smallest choices shape the experience. Seamless drainage, integrated storage, and well-placed lighting elevate a space from simply functional to quietly sophisticated. At our modern Bridgehampton estate (RW-81), crisp millwork and clean architectural lines extend into the outdoor areas, where custom cabinetry and smooth transitions reflect the same level of care as the interiors. A thoughtfully designed ADU mirrors the main house, creating a cohesive bookend to the pool and anchoring the expansive landscape. These details may go unnoticed at first, but they’re what make the space feel complete, intuitive, and built for living.
The Hamptons are renowned for their wild, natural beauty, a landscape shaped and defined by the Atlantic Ocean with rolling dunes, salt marshes, and expansive skies. Outdoor spaces here shouldn’t just exist on the land; they should honor it. BuildLabs designs with respect for the environment, crafting sustainable spaces that complement the surroundings and invite inhabitants and guests alike to fully experience the grandeur of this magnificent coast and community. But don’t take our word alone.
One client, who chose to build in Flying Point property for its proximity to both town and nature, wrote:
“The house has exceeded all of our expectations. The open layout flows seamlessly to the outdoors and is ideal for entertaining and enjoying warm summer days with friends and family. The large picture windows make us feel surrounded by the landscape, with the flowers and trees in our garden. The BuildLabs' attention to detail came through in their work… we love our home!”
For more on building a custom home in the Hamptons, be sure to check out our guide here. Be sure to explore our portfolio to see how thoughtful design meets the natural world in homes built to last. When you’re ready to bring this vision to life, contact us. Together, we’ll create outdoor spaces that celebrate the Hamptons – elegant, enduring, and deeply rooted in the Hamptons’ natural beauty.
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