At Home with Katie Lee

When Katie Lee bought her Hamptons house, she was afraid of how much work it needed — not because it was old and dilapidated but because it was brand-new. The 6,700-square-foot shingle-style house in Water Mill, NY, had no decor, and there was virtually no landscaping. “It needed some personality in a bad way,” she recalls. Katie loves antiques but didn’t know how to take this place from blank canvas to homey retreat — until her designer friend Nate Berkus offered his help. They filled her garage with furniture and accessories, “and then we just played,” she says. “It was like putting a puzzle together.” They added character to all those white walls with textured papers and paint in pretty shades of green, Katie’s favorite color. She loves how cozy and inviting the interior is, but the main draw is the backyard: “Entertaining in the Hamptons is all about being outside, so I like that the living room and bar area lead straight out to the porch,” she says. “My friends make a drink and then take it right to the pool. It all just flows.”