Holiday House Hamptons 2026: The Summer Table Brings Design and Entertaining to Bridgehampton

Iris Dankner, Andrea Stark, Vicente Wolf, Ally Coulter and Karen Tolchin talk summer entertaining, setting a memorable table and what to expect from this year’s designer showhouse benefiting breast cancer research.

Holiday House Hamptons is setting the table for summer — literally.

The designer showhouse founded by interior designer and breast cancer survivor Iris Dankner returns to Bridgehampton this August with a new concept, The Summer Table, turning its focus to the art of entertaining. Instead of simply walking through beautifully designed rooms, visitors will find tablescapes, entertaining spaces and installations that explore how some of the design world’s top talents approach gathering at home — particularly during a Hamptons summer.

Opening with a gala Aug. 14 and continuing Aug. 15-30 at 6 Windy Hill Lane in Bridgehampton, Holiday House brings together leading names in design while raising funds for breast cancer research. Dankner leads this year’s event as founder and chair, alongside co-chairs Campion Platt and Andrea Stark, design chairs Preston Bailey and Vicente Wolf, and philanthropy chair Jean Shafiroff.

Participating designers and design partners include Ally Coulter Designs with Versace Home, Andrea Stark, ARTE, Ciuffo Cabinetry, COC Interiors with Current Home, Collette Home, Duggan Society, Eichholtz LI by Archive V, Fiorello Designs, FZ Collection by Felicia Zwebner, Helen Bergin Interiors, Laura Michaels Design, Lozano Jolas Interiors, Maiia Vilhelmson, Phyllis Borak and Riese Design.

The Host Committee includes Jill Brooke, Melissa Cohn, Ally Coulter, Karen Flopp, Rebecca Goodman, Debra Halpert, Jane Hanson, Angela LaGreca, Lori Levine, Ann Liguori, Darcy Miller, Pamela Morgan, Tatiana Platt, Kathy Prounis, Colleen Richmond, Jean Shafiroff, Ramona Singer, Lynn Scotti, Alison Stager, Katherine Tekworth-Porter and Vicki Schneps, among others. The event is presented by Brown Harris Stevens.

Ahead of opening night, Spark Hamptons spoke with Dankner, Stark, Wolf, designer Ally Coulter and Current Home co-owner Karen Tolchin about The Summer Table, what they’re creating for this year’s showhouse and their best ideas for making a summer table — and summer entertaining — memorable.

IRIS DANKNER — interior designer, Holiday House founder and chair

What is special about Holiday House this summer?

We are celebrating The Summer Table — whether it be a foyer, a breakfast table, a dining table or a pingpong table — the idea is that all the tables are important and fun.

With so many challenging things going on in this world, it matters that we can all sit down with our loved ones and have a good time around a table and celebrate family and friends together in this beautiful environment.

Interactive Tabletops and Fun, Entertaining Twists

We thought having interactive tabletops would be a new, fresh and fun way at the end of summer to celebrate entertaining. Some of the tables are Italian-inspired. One of our sponsors, ARTE Wallpaper, just launched a whole table setting, and they are working with a gelato company and will be serving infused gelato — so there are fun little twists to the show.

Designer Ally Coulter is working with Versace and an all-Italian high-end furniture line. We have another interactive sponsor that has a pingpong table and a shuffleboard table. There are special pop-ups, such as Jill Brooke, who is launching a book on the power of flowers — it’s very cool.

What’s important when entertaining guests and making a great table?

One of the things to not do is use centerpieces that block your guests.

Think about different and creative things you can do. Out in the Hamptons, we have incredible vegetables and everyone has their cutting gardens, so try using vegetables down a long tablescape, for instance.

Who attends Holiday House?

I think a third are builders, a third are designers and sponsors or product developers, and the other third are people who love design and beautiful things.

What can we expect this time around?

I always feel if somebody walks away with one new creative idea, then it’s a success.

We have a lot of new designers — and some from Palm Beach. One of our exciting new designers and sponsors is Current Home, which opened a new store in Bridgehampton this summer. They are partnered with COC Interiors and Baccarat, and they will have a great interactive — setting up their own bar outside.

Did you ever imagine how Holiday House would evolve since you started it in 2010?

Holiday House has grown beyond my wildest dreams. It’s all because of the generosity and creativity of the design community and also, unfortunately, so many people who have been diagnosed with breast cancer — there isn’t anybody who isn’t touched by either a family member or friend or a loved one. And it is so prevalent out East.

That’s why it is so important to be with the people you love and to be having fun — and to have all your special people at one table.

ANDREA STARK — designer, co-chair

This is your 7th year as co-chair of Holiday House. What excites you this time around?

This summer, you’re going to see a beautiful house that Chris Burnside built and get some inspiration about entertaining because the Hamptons is really a lot about entertaining and gathering.

Not everyone can afford a $10 million house, but there are so many accessible ideas — like the table next to mine has these beautiful Chinese placemats made with Chinese newspapers — so creative and fun.

What are some tips for summer entertaining?

Summer entertaining shouldn’t be too fancy. It should be about creating a relaxed environment where people want to get together. At the end of the day, it’s an escape with friends and families — a time to gather and say, “I’m so lucky to feel at home.”

I try to create a happy environment. This summer, the theme of my table is Karma and Luck — having the sensibility of wanting to be kind to people and to ward off bad vibes, and be lucky.

My canvas is my tabletop and my home — it brings joy to me to expose other people to things I find interesting.

Why is Holiday House so important to you?

At least one out of eight women is going to face breast cancer. I want to give back. I have so many friends who have had it or who are dreading that mammo or sonogram. I also know young people, a friend’s daughter battling it at ages 40 and 31.

We are female warriors. We have to stick together.

VICENTE WOLF — designer, design chair

What’s special this year at Holiday House?

Having different designers do tabletops is a great idea — it really gives people ideas on how to entertain in the summer, and how to help a great cause, because every dollar that goes into Holiday House means the possibility that it is saving somebody’s life.

What makes a great table?

A wonderful table doesn’t mean you have to spend a great deal of money. Look around your home and see what collections you have and use that as a centerpiece.

I have a collection of small medicine bottles from the turn of the century. Sometimes I set them all up at the center of the table with flowers from the garden.

I think to underplay it instead of formalizing it is a great way of making it more relaxed for your guests. There are so many ways of creating your own placemats, even with brown wrapping paper and cups to draw on.

The Key to a Successful Dinner Party

Most important is to break up those couples — don’t have a husband sit next to the wife. Think of what each person’s strength is and match it to somebody who would be interested — so the conversation never goes down.

A successful dinner party is where everybody is talking to each other and learning from each other — everyone walks away feeling wonderful, and that they’ve learned something.

What are some summer entertaining trends in the Hamptons?

Staying home. It’s so crowded out there. Go shopping for food early in the morning. It’s better to have people come over and entertain than go into the restaurants and hear, “We have an opening at 11:30 at night.”

What’s so wonderful about the Hamptons is that it’s an escape — the more you can escape the crowds you see in New York, the better.

Do a picnic in your own backyard. It’s about human connection and what you are bringing to the table, not taking from it.

ALLY COULTER — ambassador for Luxury Living Group, designing the space at Holiday House

Before we talk about the design space, we have to ask about the special filming taking place at Holiday House …

Yes, we are filming The Golden Life at Holiday House with Kelly Bensimon, Ramona Singer, Sonja Morgan and Candace Bushnell.

Kelly is with Douglas Elliman and we are doing a lot of development deals. I’m going to be doing large-scale development in the Bahamas as well as residences at the Ritz Carlton Beach Gardens. The Ritz will launch in October 2026 with a model unit for Calmafutto.

Why are you excited to work on Holiday House designing the space?

It’s the perfect time for me to just bring in the people that I always use for my personal home and my projects. My clients are all amazing and after 25 years, you know who has your back and who will show up — even the delivery team donated $5,000; they’re working nonstop, all day, just incredible.

A lot of people want to get their name out there, but you have to remember this is for the Breast Cancer Research Foundation. I’ve lost friends who were at Holiday House in the rooms I designed. Women have to support women.

Iris said you are working with Versace …

Versace Home and all these amazing artists. I have a beautiful Peter Tunney painting. He’s really loved in the art world and very inspirational. A lot of hedge fund guys love his art; very cool and hip.

I brought in Shelli Breidenbach. She is an equestrian rider; her photographs have been in Polo. Ralph Lauren used to represent her. She’s incredible. Robert Farber, whose first book was produced by Jackie Onassis, does nudes and ocean prints; he won an art award when Karl Lagerfeld was alive in Paris.

I’m working with a company under the Luxury Living umbrella of Ralph Lauren Home — an Italian-based company where all the furniture is produced in Italy. Bentley Home, Bugatti, Dolce, Fendi, Versace. The team in Milan wants everyone to know there is a link between incredible design and fashion, art and automobiles.

It’s important to align with the people who truly love design and art who want to make beautiful places and spaces.

Any special interactives to look forward to?

Opening night is so much fun. We’ll have a DJ and a model wearing Versace swim trunks handing out cocktails and hors d’oeuvres.

I have a Versace rug in my room. I’m very proud of this collection Donatella and the team designed — the detail, the chairs, the swivel, the leather. This Versace collection is over the top. It’s very feminine and elegant and sophisticated and curvaceous.

The showhouse is open for two weeks. I look at this as a celebration of life; we remember all the women who have passed and all those who are thriving.

KAREN TOLCHIN — co-owner, Current Home

Congratulations on the new store in Bridgehampton. How is it going?

We had a pop-up out East for two years, and now we have this permanent space in the heart of Bridgehampton.

The store is amazing. We have such a loyal customer base from New York that comes here for the summer. It’s like an extension of our NYC location, where we have two flagships — the main store and, around the corner, a tableware shop we opened.

We curate an entire serving and tableware set, whether for a second or third home or a private environment. We put together everything you need, from utensils to your poolside melamine set. It’s one-stop shopping.

We are a female-owned business, and my partner, Alyson Lane, and I are happy to become part of the community. I’ve known Iris for years. My sister-in-law is a breast cancer survivor.

What is important to get right about summer entertaining?

It’s important when you are entertaining that your serving pieces work for you. The biggest complaint we get about entertaining is that hosts never have the right items. It should be effortless and easy — easy-to-carry serving dishes, the right sizes, the right pieces.

We think it’s important, when you have a big group, to take the stress off. Think about your menu and what you have to serve it on so there isn’t a last-minute scramble.

Being prepared makes the day go smoother. Keep a list, jot things down as you are serving, and we can help you put together a storyboard for entertaining and make sure you have the right pieces.

We keep hearing about this great bar you are building for Holiday House.

We work with high-end luxury brands like Baccarat. We felt this was the right audience, so we partnered with them and COC Interiors. We’ll have a Baccarat Bar, a luxe bar in this home. COC is leading the charge on the design for the space, which is all about the outdoors and living outside.

Most people, when they think of luxury living, think of adults only, but we see it a little differently. We think of family and homeowners and bringing together family and kids in one area.

You can live outside and still have luxury around you, yet the space has fun blue-and-white elements and a whimsical mix, with the feeling of the outdoors and beautiful florals hanging from the ceiling — florals, greens, blues and wood elements.

It’s about bringing in fun fabrics that welcome the family around the table.

IF YOU GO

Holiday House Hamptons: The Summer Table
6 Windy Hill Lane, Bridgehampton

Opening Night Gala: Friday, Aug. 14
VIP Hour: 5-6 p.m.
General Admission: 6-9 p.m.

Public Showhouse: Aug. 15-30
Wednesday-Sunday, 11 a.m.-5 p.m.
Closed Mondays and Tuesdays

Proceeds benefit the Breast Cancer Research Foundation.

Holiday House Hamptons:
https://holidayhousehamptons.com

Breast Cancer Research Foundation:
https://www.bcrf.org

Angela LaGreca

Editor, Co-Founder/Publisher

Angela LaGreca, Editor-in-chief and co-Founder/Publisher of Spark Hamptons, is a four-time Emmy Award-winning journalist, producer, writer and comedian/host. Her TV credits include NBC’s “Today,” ABC’s “The View,” and, most recently, the primetime cable news program “Cuomo” on NewsNation. On the East End, she was the Creative Director at LTV, VP Features/Events/Photo Editor at Dan’s Papers, and has performed at Guild Hall, Bay Street Theater and the WHBPAC. Her publishing career began at Modern Photography, where she was managing editor. LaGreca lives in Manhattan and East Hampton and can be reached at angelatvmedia@gmail.com and angela@sparkhamptons.com .