Beyond The Broker: Stacey Cohen On Where Design Meets Dealmaking With Heiberg Cummings

In the Hamptons, luxury is getting more showy — louder homes, faster timelines, bigger gestures. But Stacey Cohen and Heiberg Cummings work differently; they prefer a quieter approach. Their work relies on gut feeling, discretion, restraint, and a really good, shared understanding of what people want in a home these days.

Stacey Cohen, a power real estate agent with The Agency, doesn’t just sell houses; she builds a story around them. Way before a house even goes up for sale, she’s thinking about how it will make people feel. She looks at the land, figures out what works and doesn’t with the building’s design, perfects how it’s shown, and makes sure the timing is just right.

Interior design company Heiberg Cummings, founded in 1990 by Bernt Heiberg and William Cummings, is known for its iconic design regionally. They believe design should start with how it feels, not what’s trendy. They make spaces that feel warm but also have an elegant European touch. They mix antiques, eclectic pieces, and different textures to make rooms feel personal, not just put together. They’ve worked together with Stacey Cohen so much that they’ve created their own way of communicating creatively, which goes beyond what you’d expect from an agent and a designer.

Many of the homes that they work on, especially on Shelter Island, don’t feel like houses built just to sell. Instead, they feel like complete, lived-in places. People don’t just walk through these homes; they connect with them. Here, Cohen and Heiberg Cummings talk about telling stories, understanding what buyers want, privacy, timing, and that special moment when a house just feels ideal for the East End lifestyle.

We asked both Cohen and the team at Heiberg Cummings to answer a few questions. 

Stacey, you came from the world of fashion, where perception is everything. What did that teach you about desire that most real estate agents still don’t understand?

Stacey Cohen: The most important thing is listening. Whether someone is buying or selling, understanding what they truly value is everything. Real estate is emotional, and every client communicates differently. My job is to read that carefully and guide them toward the best possible outcome and value for the deal.

I think many brokers focus too much on selling instead of understanding. People want to feel seen. They want confidence, honesty, and clarity.

When you walk into a property, what tells you instantly whether it will sell — or sit?

SC: Usually, I can tell right away. It often comes down to positioning. A house may need editing, styling, or strategic pricing adjustments, but there’s almost always a path to presenting it correctly. Sometimes it’s about removing distractions. Sometimes it’s about creating emotion. Buyers need to immediately understand the lifestyle the property offers.

Your work honors the original integrity of a structure. How do you decide what stays and what must go?

Heiberg Cummings: It always depends on the client, the architecture, and the emotional attachment to the home itself. We work very closely with each client and treat their opinions and direction as part of the creative process. For us, design is never about erasing character. It is about refining it and creating harmony within the overall vision of the project.

There’s a quiet confidence to both of your work. How intentional is that restraint?

HC: Very intentional. Over the years, we’ve developed a broad network of unique sources and furnishings — mixing contemporary pieces with antiques and ideas that feel unexpected. We’re not interested in excess. We want spaces to feel collected and personal.

SC: I think restraint creates longevity. In real estate, discretion and subtlety are often more powerful than noise. I’ve always been very private with my clients and protective of their trust. I’m not overly performative — my focus is always the property itself and representing it properly.

Stacey, what do you not do that other brokers consistently get wrong?

SC: I don’t simply put a home on the market and wait for it to sell. I tell a story around it. Buyers in the Hamptons are buying into a lifestyle as much as a house. This place has a kind of magic to it — the light, the water, the pace, the privacy. Every property has its own narrative, and buyers respond emotionally when that story is told correctly.

When designing homes that will ultimately be sold, how do you balance your style with universality?

HC: Every project responds to the architecture first. But the most important thing is always creating something personal and unique. People connect to authenticity. We never want a house to feel generic or overly calculated for resale. It should still feel soulful.

You approach listings almost like product launches. What are the non-negotiables before a property ever hits the market?

SC: Preparation is everything. I research every property carefully — what can and cannot be done with the home or land, zoning considerations, permits, certificates of occupancy. I want everything ready before we ever reach the closing table. It removes stress from the transaction and creates confidence for both sides. Knowledge is critical in this business.

What is the biggest mistake developers make when trying to “design for resale”?

HC: Too often, developers focus on surface-level luxury without creating something truly distinctive. Materials matter. Proportion matters. Atmosphere matters. A successful home needs personality and integrity, not just expensive finishes.

Your collaboration feels less like staging a beautiful house and more like authorship. What did you recognize in each other’s work?

SC: Bernt and the team designed very thoughtfully. Most of the projects we work on are homes they’ve either renovated themselves or built from the ground up, and there’s a level of intentionality you feel immediately. They understand the market instinctively, but they never design purely for the market. That’s actually what makes the homes so desirable.

HC: Stacey understands the emotional side of design. We’ve collaborated for a long time, and there’s tremendous respect between us. Every project feels personal rather than transactional. That relationship creates trust, and trust always leads to a stronger result.

When you first walk into a Heiberg Cummings home, what are buyers reacting to emotionally?

SC: There’s an immediate warmth to the experience. People walk through smiling. The homes feel inviting, layered, and complete — like someone has already imagined the best version of living there. Many of the homes sell fully furnished because buyers don’t want to change anything. They want the entire experience exactly as it is.

Do you ever adjust design decisions based on Stacey’s understanding of the market?

HC: Absolutely. We have a very close partnership and a clear understanding of each other’s strengths. Stacey has an exceptional read on buyers and how people respond emotionally to a home. The collaboration allows us to create projects that feel both intelligent and deeply human.

What happens when design and deal strategy align perfectly?

HC: That’s the ideal outcome — when both sides fully support each other’s talents and instincts. Those are the projects that feel effortless to buyers because everything is aligned.

Shelter Island seems to allow for a different kind of expression than the traditional Hamptons market. Why?

HC: There’s a different energy there. The access to the water, the privacy, the connection between the Hamptons and the North Fork — it creates a more relaxed and international atmosphere.

SC: Many of the Shelter Island projects we’ve worked on have been waterfront, and buyers respond very emotionally to that environment. The pace is quieter and more intimate.

Are buyers becoming more design literate, or are they still reacting emotionally first?

SC: Both are true. Buyers today are incredibly informed, but emotion still drives the decision. Most people know immediately whether a home feels right for them.

HC: That emotional connection is everything. A home can be visually beautiful, but if it doesn’t create a feeling, people won’t remember it.

Stacey, you’re also an avid collector of modern art. How does that influence the way you see homes?

SC: I’m a very visual person. Beauty is important to me, and I think collecting art trains your eye to understand composition, proportion, and atmosphere. I’m often able to immediately envision the potential of a property — not just what it is, but what it could become.

Finally, when a buyer walks into one of your homes and instantly knows — it’s this one — what just happened in that moment?

SC: They stopped thinking logically and started feeling emotionally connected. That’s when a house becomes a home.

HC: It becomes a meaningful experience. The house feels personal to them already, even before they own it.

Learn more about Cohen by visiting theagencyre.com and Heiberg Cummings by visiting hcd3.com.