This Modern Beach Cottage Introduced Me to Dual Fireplaces, and Now I’m Obsessed

A quick two-hour excursion out of New York City can take you to other worlds, and last weekend it brought me to heaven’s door step—also known as the Hamptons. Stepping off the train car to a face-full of sea air and grassy fields, I thought, “Well, I’m not in the city anymore.”

Having visited the Hamptons before, I expected to love the sprawling grounds of the Reform Club, a boutique hotel nestled right off of Main Street in Amagansett, New York. However, I didn’t predict that I’d leave feeling fixated on one design element: the dual-sided fireplaces.

Quintessential beach town-gravel crunched as my car pulled up to the Reform Club. As I explored, I noticed each shingle-style cottage was decorated with handwoven rugs, airy white linens, and chic blue wicker cafe chairs. Each suite reminded me of an effortlessly chic outfit—simple at first glance but exuding an atmosphere that is decidedly cool.

The lush landscape of the Reform Club provides guests with seclusion and tranquility. I quickly noticed that the emphasis is not only on going outside, but staying outside. Sun-kissed trips are traditionally accompanied by indoor rest (and often lots of aloe), but at the Reform Club, all signs point to nature—at all times.

My cottage was equipped with tall double doors, and as I pushed them open to the flowering yard, the living room transformed into a garden terrace. Each cottage has a deck with outdoor tables—even breakfast is intended to be enjoyed outside. In the bathroom, windows surround the dual rain shower heads wrapped with Michelangelo marble and cream mosaic tile, sunlight and a gentle breeze streaming in from all angles even while you bathe. If the sunrise doesn’t wake you up in the morning, the chirping birds are there to ease you out of bed.

All of these features took my breath away, but it was the double fireplace I couldn't stop thinking about. Not only did it provide warmth before climbing into crisp linen sheets at night, but its dual-sided counterpart opened the room up to the backyard’s fresh evening air. Just a wall away sits the small deck with a light green daybed that allows you to lounge in the night air by the fireplace before turning in.

We all love fireplaces for the cozy focal point they lend a space. I’ve also seen dual-sided fireplaces before, but only in high-end restaurants or modern mansions. The beauty of these dual-sided fireplaces, I decided, is that they add ambiance to more than one place at once—but the Reform Club took it to the next level. Not only did it create a serene atmosphere for two spaces, but it elevated both outdoor gathering and bedroom coziness to be a shared experience. 

Let’s crunch the numbers: the grounds have 11 total accommodations yet 23 total fireplaces. It’s an intentional design choice—even when you’re indoors, you’re outdoors. The grounds are surrounded by white vining roses, hydrangeas, apple trees, and expansive gardens that were once farmland. Instead of two distinct spaces—indoors and outdoors—there is one place to be, and that’s both at the same time.

We see this same design approach in wraparound decks, large balconies, even in Parisian café culture, with their street-facing restaurants. These elements expand your walls to include fresh air and the outdoor world. So, why not implement this concept into your own home? The beauty of design lies in textures, colors, and decorations. But if I’ve learned anything while enjoying these dual-sided fireplaces, it’s that the very foundation of a design can have a deeper emotional influence. 

In your next design project, I highly recommend considering the surrounding nature as a design element. Instead of separating your garden from your house, use the foliage as art to be admired, “framed” with floor to ceiling windows. When the outdoors are this stunning, keep the window treatments simple—you want your windows to be an effortless conduit to the outdoors, so avoid covering them with heavy draping. Set up a simple dining area outside to throw al fresco garden parties.

If you’re not in the market for any home upgrades, adopt this mentality to your next vacation: Visit a place where even when you’re indoors, you’re outdoors. I promise, the juice is worth the squeeze, especially when you can sip it cozied up by the outdoor fireplace in the fresh air.