Behind the Privets: A Private View, David Netto

A Closer Look at the Architecture and Atmosphere Depicted in Stanley Rumbough's Photography of Old East Hampton

This talk will explore residential architecture that represents “real life" in East Hampton, before the wave of wealth that arrived in the early 1980’s and altered life on the East End forever. Stan Rumbough’s photography captures not the biggest houses - nor the fanciest homes - but the houses one has to know the homeowners to see. It is a vanishing world, and as a homeowner who understands the fragility of that existence commented mirthfully, “Maybe Stan should have called his book Tear Downs.” This talk will look at the buildings that made the idea of life in East Hampton beautiful in the first place.

The book Behind the Privets: Classic Hamptons Houses will be available for purchase.

David Netto is a Los Angeles-based interior designer and writer. David grew up in New York surrounded by taste and people talking about it, which for a young person was both a good and a bad thing (his father owned the fabric house Cowtan & Tout). From an early age he was interested in architecture, furniture, cars, and the history of each.

Since dropping out of Harvard Architecture School and founding his studio in New York in 2000, he has specialized in residential decoration in no particular style. It might be said that David’s work is known for trying to bring to modernism a touch of warmth and personality, and to traditionalism young energy and a dash of the exotic. For a project to be successful he believes in the importance of getting the architecture right, but that good decoration should also be a portrait of the person who lives there. His projects have been published in Vogue, Elle Decor, House Beautiful, AD, House & Garden, and Veranda, as well as several books.

In 2002 David launched NettoCollection, a pioneering line of modern children’s furniture which channeled the style and beauty of pieces from the 1930’s and 50’s to lift the aesthetics of a whole industry.

As a writer on the history of architecture and design, from 2010-2012 he worked as contributing design editor to the Wall Street Journal. After 2012 he did so for T, the New York Times style magazine, and now writes the Case Studies column for Town & Country. Recently David authored a monograph on the work of Francois Catroux, published by Rizzoli, and he is presently at work on two new books, one of his own designs and another--co-authored by Peter Pennoyer and Paul Goldberger--on the apartment house architecture of Rosario Candela. Both will be released in Fall 2021.

Generously hosted by Mehraban.

This event is hosted by an ICAA Chapter. Please check the Chapter website, or contact the Chapter directly, for the most up-to-date details including dates, times, and pricing.