A Little Vitamin Sea

In a seaside town, classic coastal decor and Indian textiles add up to a relaxing retreat.

- Tina Chadha

ALEXANDER REID HAS a nonnegotiable rule for all of his design projects: “function first, beauty second.” The renovation of this beach house in Bellport, New York, was no exception. The first order of business was “to define how my clients were going to use the square footage, each and every inch,” he explains. Figuring out the right flow for the family came easily to Reid, who had previously worked on the home- owners’ primary residence, a loft in Tribeca. Now, the clients sought a seaside retreat to escape the bustle of New York City life, relax with their three school-age children, and host their friends and family.