Sara Goldfarb: Designing Relaxed, Livable Hamptons

When touring beautiful manses in the Hamptons, you will notice they have distinctly similar features that define the “Hamptons Style.” Vaulted ceilings, balconies overlooking the pool, outdoor kitchens, cedar shingles, and the Gambrel style roof come to mind instantly. The last decade saw modern homes begin to dot the quaint beachscapes with their sandy roads and they, too, have a signature look.

Douglas Elliman agent, Sara Goldfarb, who has closed over $50M in transactions across the East End in 2020 alone, has been busy — as a designer. When we caught a glimpse of the latest home she fashioned from top to bottom, we were stunned by how beautiful it was in a not-so-familiar way, taking inspiration from many trends that will ring true to the Hamptons style — but by adding flourishes of her own, she redefines it within the contemporary context.

The Sag Harbor residence that she recently completed has eclectic touches of BoHo, Scandinavian, and even Minimalism — pristine, vast, and, somehow, warm. Goldfarb met with us to discuss her home and her process of designing such a stunner while also being a rockstar realtor during the busiest epoch of real estate transactions in the history of the East End — during a global pandemic.

Sara, we learned that you and fellow power-agent, Tal Alexander, sold the Campbell stables with its architectural masterpiece home in Sagaponack, with a last asking price of $19,995,000. Congratulations! 

Thank you! It’s interesting that in 2020 my big challenge was selling co-ops on the ocean at Gurney’s in Montauk (which we sold out), and in 2021 it was selling equestrian farms. Both are arguably two unique products for this market – and I’m just waiting to see what (unique!) property is next on our list.

You have a particularly keen eye for interior design as well. When we saw the photos we were floored. Can you tell us a little about the home? 

I toured the home in March of 2020 – the last day showings were allowed in the state until all Covid restrictions were lifted. I knew the house had great bones and I’m a big visualizer – in both life and real estate – so it was a no-brainer that I could create an open concept floorplan and maximize the lot. The house was built in the 1800s so of course the minute we opened walls we were basically taking everything down to the studs – but I tried to keep as much of the original detailing as possible, while also upgrading the space to live.

It sounds daunting and fulfilling at the same time. How long did it take? 

This home took about 8 months – starting demo in December of 2020 — and of course with any project I’m still finishing a few things, but we moved in right before summer started. Since my life is real estate, I’m lucky to be able to tour and show beautiful homes across the Hamptons. This is the third home I’ve owned since being out East, and I’ve learned a few things along the way. I’ll also credit Pinterest for major inspiration. I have boards for all the properties I work on.

Did you have any design training? Where did this talent come from? 

My mother has beautiful taste – so I would say I’ve learned a few things from her. She goes to the depths to find unique design items and sends me her ideas. I’m a quick learner and picked up a few new software skills so I could create and render the rooms and layouts on my own. My background in technology has made me a constant learner.

There are many style elements that you incorporated throughout but how would you yourself describe the style of the home?  

Relaxed, Livable Hamptons comes to mind – but I also incorporated elements of Cali-Cool (Malibu surf) and Sag Harbor transitional. My previous home was a mix of blacks, greys, and neutrals, so this one I knew I wanted to keep it even more neutral – I don’t have one piece of black as part of the space, which is arguably very hard to do!

Indeed! Do you have any websites, books, or magazines that you turn to for inspiration? 

Pinterest should be everyone’s “secret” weapon for anything related to real estate and interiors. Of course I always look through the major design magazines as well – Architectural Digest, Luxe, Modern Luxury Interiors.

Where did you source textiles, furniture, lighting for your designs? 

I made it a point to shop locally here in the Hamptons as much as possible – with major anchor pieces from Jan George in Sag Harbor, textures and accents from Homenature, and pieces from Montauk Sofa.

Do you stage homes that you’re representing as well? If not, this might be something to consider.  

Absolutely. One of the first things I do is tell my clients what we need to change in order to sell. I don’t just take a listing to put it on the market – I put a listing on the market to sell it. The items that typically need to be changed start with the interiors, and it’s no secret that a home that is furnished and considered turn-key will absolutely sell faster than an empty one. I bring in D&J Concepts and we spend several days (or whatever is necessary) to move furniture and accessories around or bring in something as simple as a sisal rug which can completely change a space. I’ve even had clients re-do kitchens or paint cabinets. In this scenario, the week it was complete, and we began showings – we got our first offer, just as expected.

What are some interior trends that you love currently? 

I’m designing another home in Sag Harbor (not this one!) that I’m putting on the market at the end of August, and that house has a sophisticated, modern barn look. I’m taking the “modern barn” trend one step further to create something timeless and turn-key, and I’m including furniture and everything down to towels and bedding as part of the sale.

We’d love to see it when it’s ready! As a realtor, why did you choose Douglas Elliman out of all of the brokerages in the Hamptons? 

I’ve been working alongside Tal and Oren Alexander for over two years now and represent our team here in the Hamptons. I joined Douglas Elliman back in 2019 working as the head of marketing for the Alexander Team and made the jump to sales in January 2020. I always knew I wanted to be in the Hamptons living and working full time, and so I transitioned from our Madison Avenue office in the city to our office in East Hampton.

Having a marketing background is so advantageous to the hyper-competitive nature of real estate! How do you enjoy your downtime? 

Ha! I’m not sure I know what downtime is. I can say that when you love what you do, you don’t feel like you work a day in your life. It’s taken time and hard work to get here, of course. I’ve also learned that real estate is absolutely what you make it – and I’m grateful and excited to be in it for the long haul.

To learn more or to view Goldfarb’s listings, click here or email sara.goldfarb@elliman.com.

Ty Wenzel

Co-Publisher & Contributor

Ty Wenzel, a recent breast cancer survivor, started her career as a fashion coordinator for Bloomingdale’s followed by fashion editor for Cosmopolitan Magazine. She was also a writer for countless publications, including having published a memoir (St. Martin's Press) and written features for The New York Times. She is an award-winning writer and designer who covers lifestyle, real estate, architecture and interiors for James Lane Post. She previously worked as a writer and marketing director for The Independent. She has won multiple PCLI and NYPA awards for journalism, social media and design, including best website design and best magazine for James Lane Post, which she co-founded in 2020. Wenzel is also a co-founder of the meditation app for kids, DreamyKid, and the Hamptons social media agency, TWM Hamptons Social Media.