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Destination Design: Where To Shop In Long Island’s North Fork

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Long Island’s North Fork is the perfect place to visit for a fall weekend. In addition to great restaurants (The North Fork Table & Inn for one) and boutique hotels (more on that below), you can find wonderful farm stands, pumpkin patches and activities for the whole summer. Beyond that, the local design scene is thriving and there are lots of great boutiques and estate sales to check out for unique home furnishings. Designer Jennifer Vaughn Miller, who has lived in Southold, New York for over a decade, takes us on a tour of the region's design attractions. She (her eponymous design studio is based in New York City) has designed homes across the country from New York to Austin to San Francisco and, for all these jobs, she scours the North Fork’s vintage stores for treasures she can use in her interiors. “I continually stalk my favorite haunts for the next great find,” says Vaughn Miller of the hunt. “While I live to scavenge barn and estate sales, many local shops offer an ever evolving repertoire as well.”

Here she shares six of her favorite destinations where she scores fabulous furniture for her clients and herself!

LIDO in Greenport

“Part luxury, part bohemian, an eclectic mix of found objects from the owner’s extensive travel adorn this shop. Pale palettes and easy living come to mind. I can work with them to customize coffee tables, style with their unique coverlets and buy a vintage caftan all at the same time: win win. From throw pillows to breezy sundresses, everything here favorably coordinates.”

Pearl Cottage on Main in Southold

“This is a relatively new shop to Southold, this is a welcome chic mix of beachy furnishings. The turn over is high which keeps things interesting. Washed pine tables, nicely broken in leather club chairs, massive hurricanes and a plethora of rattan accessories, this tiny shop gives rustic a sophisticated flare.”

RICA Bath + Body in Southold

“I’m not only obsessed with their bath oil, this tiny ”pop-up to permanent” shop will now be offering more and more furnishings. Cozy blankets, linen bathrobes, smell good candles and vintage accessories make me feel as if I’m living out a Nancy Myers fantasy. I’m not a fan of indoor plants but the large rush basket they are selling is making me rethink it!”

White Flower Farmhouse in Southold

“I’ve been coming here for years and love their well curated collection. Hostess gifts made easy, I often find silver, antique linens and locally made soaps. We have purchased many pieces from here that our favorites: a French pale grey cabinet in my daughter’s room, a very unique iron bed for the guest cottage, an antique seascape painting and the most wonderful Hotel Silver coffee pot. A supporter of local craftsmen, I always like to check out what’s in the owner’s edit.”

Southold Historic Society in Southold

“This is a little gem in our town. I’ve purchased china here worthy of the Bergdorf Goodman china department. It’s a hunt but the thrill of the kill lures me every time. I adore my antique antler carving set used every Thanksgiving, the girly pink china for my daughter and sterling match strikers as much as I adore the ladies who volunteer there.”

Beall & Bell in Greenport

“The majority of our home is furnished from here. Antique and vintage case goods of large scale can be difficult to come by but we have managed to bring home several to house china, linens and the children’s toys. Their collection is constantly replenished and majority are one of a kind. I’m here most every weekend being sure I’m not missing anything I need.”

After a long day of shopping...have a bite and spend the night.

South Harbor Inn in Southold

This new inn, opened by local couple Alex Azcona and Dan DeVito this past May, boasts four guest suites in a renovated 1897 farmhouse. The duo each has over 25 years of experience working at brands like Four Seasons, Mandarin Oriental and Baccarat—so they know a thing of two about luxury hospitality. Situated near local beaches, bays, wineries and the quaint town of Southold, this year-round property boasts modern and elegant decor, beds with Frette linens and marble bathrooms with Diptyque amenities. In the morning, guests are treated to a 3-course breakfast featuring fresh fruit, pastries and a freshly-cooked entree in a beautiful, refined dining room. Whether you visit in the summer and take advantage of nearby beaches (the hotel provides towels and chairs) or curl up by the fireplace reading a book in one of the public space in the winter, there are many reasons to fall in love with this luxurious property. There’s nothing else like it on the North Fork.

Barba Bianca in Greenport

“On an unassuming dock in the back pier of Greenport, overlooking the ship yard lies the best food on the North Fork, Barba Bianca,” says Vaughn Miller. This Italian restaurant overlooking the Peconic Bay uses local ingredients for its seasonal fare (Vaughn Miller is partial to the scallops and polenta dish) and is run by Frank DeCarlo of NYC’s Peasant restaurant. “It’s the perfect end to a long day of all that shopping.”


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