Andy Cohen's Playful Hamptons Pool Design Shows How to Transform a Backyard Into a Coastal Getaway
A glimpse into the Bravo host's beachside NYC escape shows how he uses natural wood, bright accents, and green shrubs to blend his home with the outdoors
A patio is not just an extension of your home - it's the place where your home meets the outdoors. Thus, by leaning into the surroundings, you can transform this area from a simple furnished surface into a magical escape that blends the boundaries between nature and manmade architecture. Andy Cohen shows us how to do exactly that in his Hamptons backyard.
The Bravo host purchased a plot of land in Amagansett in 2019 and spent the next seven years custom-designing a property to his exact specifications. Working with architect Gordon Kahn and interior designer Jackie Greenberg, he got to work on his unpretentious New York City escape. Andy told Architectural Digest: 'I wanted a house that was as simple and connected to nature as possible, nothing precious or fancy, someplace you could track sand into.'
The hot tub on his patio perfectly embodies this philosophy. Though the natural wood exterior oozes quiet luxury, it's filled with his children's toys. Accented with colorful boogie boards and towels, every detail is eye-catching yet functional, primed to facilitate all-day fun at the beach. Zooming out (see on slide 2), we can see how Andy's hot tub is just a smaller zone within his patio that reads like a living room on the coastline.
So, how does Andy Cohen use his luxurious wooden hot tub as an extension of the beach? Homes & Gardens spoke with design experts to get to the bottom of why his outdoor design works and how we can recreate it in our own homes. We also curated an edit of must-haves for achieving your own Hamptons-level outdoor area.
Recreate Andy's Look at Home
From chic pool floats to gorgeous wooden accessories, the beauty of Andy's patio comes through in the contrast between natural and eye-catching outdoor decor. These are our editors' favorite pieces for emulating his look this summer.
It's an investment, but once you add this wood-burning hot tub to your patio, you'll never look back. With a stylish exterior and a pool that fits up to 7 people, you'll spend all seasons in this gorgeous tub.
LoveShackFancy's iconic coquette print has made its way to the pool. I never thought I'd call a pool float romantically elegant in style, but this one is! Its soft floral motifs make for a charming inflatable that'll have your pool looking like it belongs on the grounds of Versailles.
A wooden hot tub needs a wooden ice bucket to match, and this extra-insulated one from S'well has the look of Andy's with a durable stainless steel interior. It comes with tongs to make it easy to serve all your guests drinks.
Hammock floats might be my personal favorite style of pool floats – allowing you to be partially immersed in the water while lounging on top of it. This one is as chic as they come with its horizontal stripe pattern. Plus, the color of this one isn't overwhelmingly vivid like most pool floats. Instead, its subdued – making it all the more attractive for a stylish backyard.
A set of stylish beach towels is the underrated secret for making your patio feel cohesive. As everyone lays out in the sun, it will just appear more stylish and design-led.
Fabric-covered pool floats might be more expensive than their plastic counterparts, but in my opinion, they're so much more comfortable for pool lounging. Plus, they're a lot more attractive in design, and this one is proof. With its red and white stripe, this float has a vintage-inspired look to it. And with rope handles on either side, it's easy to move out of the water.
The most important element of why Andy's backyard design works is the abundance of natural wood. By creating a continuity between the wooden surface of the patio and the wooden hot tub, he builds a design that feels effortlessly cohesive with the surrounding greenery and beach. It's a cautionary tale to avoid the common hot tub mistake of opting for a plastic look out of convenience that ultimately detracts from your patio design.
Furthermore, Andy's hot tub deck works so well because of his careful zoning. The host has created unique areas for soaking, playing, lounging and dining (as embodied by the photo on the second slide of the photographer's Instagram post). This is a classic technique that works in every backyard.
Magdalena Gierasinska, Design Expert at Barker and Stonehouse explains: 'Outdoor spaces have become an extension of our indoors and increasingly, they’re expected to serve multiple functions. When entertaining, people use their outdoor spaces for lounging, dining, and even cooking.'
Luckily, Andy's method is easy to recreate, whether or not you live by the beach. Magdalena tells Homes & Gardens: 'My advice is to zone the garden to create distinct areas within the space. Choose a large outdoor sofa or bench to create a lounging area, complete with a small side table for drinks, nibbles and casual dining, like barbecues. This will feel relaxed, informal and welcoming.'
She continues: 'A large table with plenty of seating clearly defines the dining area and is perfect for larger gatherings or more formal or celebratory occasions. If your garden is on the smaller side, consider a bistro set to create a zone for intimate dining. A cooking zone can be easily created with a BBQ and an outdoor table for prepping food, or if you have a large outdoor space, an outdoor kitchen is the ultimate alfresco entertaining must-have.'
Like Andy's hot tub, subtle accents are the perfect way to signal shifts between these zones. 'Accessories also help to create distinct zones within the garden,' recommends Magdalena. 'Rugs ground the space and help to define separate areas so consider placing one beneath your sofa or dining table.'
By using natural materials and creating zones, you can build an outdoor space that harnesses the beauty of the outdoors and is highly functional for you and your family.
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