The Eye Knows: Inside Mabley Handler Interior Design’s Quarter-Century On The East End

Back in 1999, Mabley Handler Interior Design was just two friends with a shared dream, not a byword for Hamptons chic. Jennifer Mabley and Austin Handler had just left the city after September 11th changed everything. They bought a rambling piece of Water Mill, once owned by artist Warren Brandt, hauling their hopes into his old studio and making it theirs. They weren’t chasing trends. They were building a life together — one that grew into a marriage, a family, and eventually, a design firm that took root in that century-old barn.

All these years later, the barn is still their laboratory. The look has evolved, trading in those early, traditional visions for a crisp, transitional style. Now and then, they push into modern or circle back to classic — it depends on the client, and on the house. But the heart of their work hasn’t budged. Ask either designer what luxury means, and they don’t talk stone slabs or sprawling footprints. They talk about time. Real luxury, for them, is a home that lets you feel at home — a place that fades into the background so life can fill the rooms.

That quiet conviction is starting to outgrow the East End. Their boys are off at college, and Mabley and Handler are reaching further: Manhattan, Palm Beach. They’re bringing the easy light, the gentle Hamptons vibe, and pouring it into New York apartments and bright, tropical spaces — rooms that need a different kind of calm.

We caught up with Mabley and Handler to dig into how certain projects shaped their path, which design rules they no longer follow, why the Zoom-ready home office might be here to stay, and what — after 25 years — still makes their stomachs flutter when they hand the keys back to a client.

Mabley Handler Interior Design has become synonymous with Hamptons living. How has your definition of “Hamptons style” evolved over the years?

Jennifer Mabley: After designing hundreds of homes in the Hamptons over 25 years, when we look back on our work from last year to our first year, there are definitely shifts that we’ve noticed, both in our style and trends in general. When we first started here, our design aesthetic was definitely rooted in tradition, but after a few years, we felt the rise of more transitional designs, and we were attracted to it and embraced it. We’re now solidly in that transitional design style, but that’s not to say we don’t swing traditional, or even a bit more modern when the client or the home requires it.

For those who may not know the story, how did the two of you first meet and decide to build a design firm together?

Austin Handler: We met in New York City, and after September 11th, we decided to move out to the Hamptons, get married, start a business, a family, and a life together out here (roughly in that order!). At the time, Jennifer was designing a home for her mother in the estate section of Southampton Village, and we both fell in love with the area and decided that this is where we belonged. In 2002, we bought a property in Water Mill formerly owned by noted East End painter Warren Brandt, and we renovated the house to accommodate our growing family (two sons and many dogs and cats over the years), and transformed his painting studio on the property into our design studio. And almost 25 years later, creative energies still flow through the converted barn that we work out of!

More than two decades into the business, what do you think has been the key to your longevity, both professionally and personally?

AH: I think the professional attribute that we most pride ourselves on is our level of service. We work hard for our clients. We stick to budgets. We don’t miss deadlines. We get the clients in when they want to be in, and we’ll move heaven and earth (sometimes literally!) to make that happen. It requires foresight and incredible coordination, but over the years, we really feel like that’s one of the major things that sets Mabley Handler apart. Another part of our success is that our style and taste have evolved over the years, so we’re always bringing fresh ideas and resources to our projects. It’s not the same old thing — clients and friends can often recognize our style, but it’s never cut-and-paste. Every design project is tailored to our clients’ needs and aesthetic desires. On the other hand, we love the color blue, and we’ve definitely become known for that! And in almost 25 years, we’ve only had one client say, “Yeah, I don’t really love blue, can you use other colors?” It was tough, but we made it work!

When you’re approaching a new project, where do you start: with the architecture, the client, or the lifestyle they hope to create?

JM: We take a multi-tiered approach to starting a new project. First, we meet with the client to find out exactly how they want to use their home. Then we consider the architecture and the neighborhood to help ground our direction. Not all Hamptons homes are “beach houses,” right? Sometimes they’re country houses, sometimes they’re more modern, stylish, and minimal, sometimes they’re well-worn and comfy, like a favorite sweater. And then we look through our fabric and wallpaper libraries, and look for the design element that is going to jump-start our creative process. We never know where it’s going to take us, but we always get there!

Your work feels deeply connected to place. How does the East End landscape influence your interiors?

AH: We are very cognizant of where we live, and how we design in the Hamptons. We don’t design like this in other areas where we work (New York City, Palm Beach). Those places have their own inspirations and aesthetics. We feel like we know the Hamptons intimately, and want the homes we create out here to respect that. And a huge part of that is the sumptuous East End landscape, and we often consult with our clients on what the outside of their house should look like, almost as much as we do on the inside. Jennifer is especially gifted in that area, as her mother was an incredible home gardener, and the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree, as the saying goes!

What is one misconception people have about luxury interior design?

AH: Probably the biggest misconception about luxury is that luxury equals fancy. It doesn’t. Sure, it can, but luxury is far more nuanced than that. To us, luxury is the value we/our clients place on what they want to get out of their home. If it’s a retreat, luxury is in the comfort of the furnishings, the privacy, and the peace of the property. If they’re entertainers, luxury is in the appropriate home elements that allow them to enjoy entertaining by making it easier for them. An outdoor kitchen, a butler’s pantry, storage for extra sets of dinnerware and glasses, and, of course, the physical space/spaces to entertain that have been thoughtfully laid out to maximize the enjoyment and create a sense of flow throughout the event. But most importantly, time is luxury, so we want to make sure that our clients are maximizing their enjoyment of their Hamptons Home, loving every minute of it, so to speak.

What are clients looking for today that they weren’t asking for a decade ago?

JM: I think the biggest shift that we’ve seen is more emphasis on home offices that are not just rooms to park a laptop in and crank out emails, but rooms that are functional work environments as well as Zoom-friendly spaces. This means more attention to soundproofing, rugs, wallpaper, furnishings to absorb sound, and backdrops that are pleasant to look at, but not overly busy, so that they display well in the background of a Zoom meeting. Who could have predicted that we would be here?! And this doesn’t just go for the homeowner, as many of our clients want to make sure that there are other functional workspaces in the home for their children who may be students or young professionals.

And here’s something that we’ve definitely seen in the decline: home theaters. Two decades ago, every builder would tell you that you had to have one. I think that word finally got out that most people just don’t use them very often! What we’ve seen is the trend moving away from rooms with individual theater seats, and moving back to large sectional sofas, so that the family can make TV or movie-watching a truly family experience. And we are all for that!

How do you balance timelessness with the desire for something fresh and current?

AH: We absolutely like a balance of timelessness and current. We never want someone to walk into a home we’ve designed and say “This is sooooo 2019!” And we avoid all those “Color of the Year” trends like the plague! We, on the other hand, do always look at the new fabrics and wallcoverings that are previewed at High Point Furniture Market every year (and Maison Abject in Paris, Salone in Milan, etc.) because we are always looking for new and fresh inspiration. Once we’ve used something once or twice, we’re done. On to the next!

Are there design rules you’ve completely abandoned over the years?

JM: The one rule we’ve abandoned is following rules. It sounds like a cliché, but it’s the truth. We don’t rely on rules to guide us. Over the years, we’ve come to realize that we can truly trust our eye. It always steers us right.

What details separate a beautifully decorated house from a truly exceptional home?

AH: It’s in the layers. Not layers of tchotchkes and junk, but layers of color, texture, and pattern. A truly exceptionally decorated home has rooms that draw you in and encourage your eyes to keep exploring and noticing all the details, but doesn’t overwhelm you.

You’ve expanded beyond the Hamptons into New York City and Palm Beach. How does designing in those markets challenge or inspire you differently?

AH: We intentionally focused solely on the Hamptons market while raising our family to make sure we weren’t constantly on the road, traveling for work. But now that they’re off to college and beyond, we are so excited to be dipping into new markets! It’s an opportunity to bring a different interpretation of our design aesthetic to each location, so after concentrating on our Hamptons look, it’s a whole new world. It’s like getting a new set of paint colors to paint with!

Palm Beach and the Hamptons share certain coastal qualities, but they have very different personalities. How do you interpret each location through design?

JM: One thing we noticed right away is that, while the Hamptons and Palm Beach are both coastal, they have very different aesthetics. Our design vibe in the Hamptons tends to be softer, more relaxing. Lots of blue, beige, and grey tones, comfortable, clean-lined furnishings. But in Palm Beach, there’s an explosion of tropical color, mural wallpapers, more antiques, and trim, tassels, and decorative details on everything! But in other areas of South Florida, the look can subtly change. Some areas swing more transitional/modern — areas like Wellington evoke horse country. There’s no formula. It’s all about having an innate sense of each community, and a feel for what works and what doesn’t.

What has surprised you most about the growth of your business?

JM: One thing that we have found interesting about the growth of our business over the past 25 years is that, while our style has changed and evolved, we’re still getting hired! We’ve come to realize that no matter what market we’re working in, we have an understanding of the market and a vision for our clients, and we’ve come to be able to trust our eye, no matter what the market or what the project.

Looking back, is there a project that marked a turning point for the firm?

AH: We are extraordinarily fortunate that the turning point for our firm came very shortly after we launched our business in the Hamptons. A couple of years after moving to Water Mill, we were invited to participate in a designer showhouse out here, and while we were certainly not the biggest design firm participating, a large photo of the room we designed appeared on the front page of the New York Times House & Home section. After that, the phone really started ringing, and thankfully hasn’t stopped!

How do you know when a room is finished?

JM: After 25-plus years, we just know!

In an age of social media and design trends, how do you help clients create homes that feel personal rather than performative?

AH: We (often!) tell our clients to put away Instagram and trust us to create something for them that is unique to them. It’s one thing to be inspired by something you see online, but with social media (and AI), clients are more and more likely to send us complete rooms that they like. But what they don’t realize is that so many of the photos and renderings are going to feel dated within a few years. Part of what we do is get to know our clients, find out what they truly love, and build something unique around that, and around them.

What does luxury mean to you today?

JM: We recently spoke on a design panel about “What luxury means,” and it certainly can be different to different people. Some people want opulence, some people want brand names, some want unparalleled comfort. And many want a combination of all of those things (especially in the markets that we work in!). But to us, luxury is time. The time to spend with the people you love, the time to do everything you want to do, and having the perfect place to do that in. We start from the inside out, we get to know our clients, we find out what is important to them, what they want their home to be able to achieve, and how it will support the life that they want to live… And then we design around that. To us, that’s true luxury.

What are some of the most valuable lessons you’ve learned from working together as a married couple?

AH: Professionally: We each have something to contribute, but also we each have our strengths, and it’s important to recognize that. Personally: Leave all design stress at the design studio! Home is for us, as a couple, and as a family.

After all these years, what still excites you about the work?

JM: Even after 25-plus years, there’s always a thrill when we land an amazing new project. But a feeling that’s even better than that is when we turn a project back over to our clients, and we get to see their reaction as they move into their new home. We’re creative people, and creative people love to create, but we also love when our work is validated. Professionally speaking, to us there is no better feeling than seeing a happy client’s reaction to our design work.

Finish this sentence: Home is _____________.

AH: News flash: There is no right answer! It all depends on the client. Is it a summer house, a winter retreat, or a year-round home? Is it a venue to entertain a revolving door of family, friends, and guests, for playdates, cocktail soirées, and dinner parties? Is it a place to escape the everyday stress of work & school? Or is it simply the family home, where everyone comes and goes and lives their life? It can be any of those, or all of those things. Our job is to provide a beautiful, comfortable backdrop that supports any/all of those things.

Learn more about Mabley Handler Interior Design by visiting mableyhandler.com.