The Designer Behind Surf Lodge and Sant Ambroeus Has Renovated a Montauk Beach House—and You Can Stay in It

With an expansive portfolio including Sant Ambroeus, Tijuana Picnic, Gold Bar, Ruschmeyer’s and The Surf Lodge, interior designer Robert McKinley’s range of work covers an impressive set of modern New York hot spots. Now, he’s adding a new kind of venture, in collaboration with his wife, Kate Nauta: the freshly opened McKinley Bungalow, a curated residence in Montauk available for rent beginning June 15.

The four bedroom, three bathroom home (located a five-minute drive from Ditch Plains beach—a surfer favorite) is thoughtfully outfitted with furniture and objects that reflect McKinley and Nauta’s own well-traveled worldview—as well as their appreciation for Montauk, where they first met and fell in love. “Traveling to different places at different times of the year; whether it’s that old palazzo in Venice that you walk into and it smells a certain way, or some hustling, bustling café in Milan, or the kind of sleepy, surf bungalows leftover from the 1970s...traveling and seeing and touching these places has been the big inspiration,” McKinley tells Vogue.

The couple also drew inspiration from Montauk’s wild coastline, and the casual elegance of Europe’s seaside towns. Exterior details, like a mahogany deck, shiplap siding, and a sprawling lawn dotted with seagrass and white hydrangeas give an Italian seaside garden feel, while a barbecue area in the backyard is ideal for all-American entertaining around a custom dining table. “We were inspired to create a residence that truly feels like a dream home, ideal for relaxed beach getaways,” McKinley explains. “To me, summertime is always about entertaining with friends at home, so we wanted to collaborate with our favorite artists, makers and manufacturers to produce a space that would bring people together.”

Natural oak floors flow throughout the space; architectural details such as exposed beams and a plaster fireplace add character, while open living areas reinforce the intention of gathering. In the library, a Moroccan daybed lined with pillows brings in a tranquil softness, as do linen curtains (ideal for when a sun-filled day is done). The kitchen, outfitted with Pitt cooking appliances, is meant for creating intimate parties with neighbors and friends.

Lucky for both guests and those farther afield, the entire house is shoppable: indoor and outdoor spaces are designed with bedding, furniture, appliances, and accessories from the studio’s beloved vendors like Cle Tile, Rejuvenation, Shinola, Floyd, and Hem, all available to purchase for those who want to bring a bit of a chic beach getaway home.