Inside Rachael Ray's Southampton Estate
Born and raised New Yorker Rachael Ray has never moved outside of her home state. Even after becoming a celebrity chef, television host, and overall household name, Ray has stayed true to her roots. When the chef is not working, which is almost never, she and her husband can usually be found in either their trendy New York City apartment or their adorable, quaint cabin in Lake Luzerne, which is situated in the heart of the beautiful Adirondack Mountains. But those aren't the couple's only properties.
The self-professed "hick from the sticks" previously called another house in New York her home. Well, summer home. In addition to her two frequently used properties, Ray also owned a gorgeous 3,000-square-foot estate in Southampton. She attempted to sell the property in summer 2017, though she didn't find success until 2020 (via Observer). Lucky for us, this allowed us the opportunity to virtually tour her amazing mansion. Let's take a peek inside, shall we?
A home in the Hamptons
According to the real estate listing, Ray's former summer home — with its "lush lawns and specimen gardens" — is situated beside the Southampton Golf Club. The area is, without a doubt, desirable. And that's putting it lightly. The grouping of towns on the east end of Long Island known as "The Hamptons" has been home to celebrities like Sarah Jessica Parker, Kelly Ripa, Jennifer Lopez, and Madonna. It's one of the few places that celebrities feel they can get away from the spotlight.
"I think what happens is that people in the Hamptons are used to seeing celebrities," Dan Rattiner, a Hamptons historian, told E! News. "They [might] quietly point them out to whoever they're with, but that's as far as it goes. They want to respect [the celebrity's] space and their privacy." The Southampton section was home to not only Rachael Ray, but also Calvin Klein, Howard Stern, Tory Burch, and even Jimmy Fallon. It is the place to be during the summer months.
A 1970s dream
If you watched The Rachael Ray Show from the start, you'll know that Ray has an affinity for retro design. Her television kitchen — complete with a bright orange vintage stove, butter yellow cabinetry, the powder blue Big Chill retro refrigerator, and black and white checkered floors — was certainly fun. "Your surroundings should match your personality," she revealed in her magazine. "I love colorful things, so it was natural to have a colorful kitchen, too!" Although Ray has since toned down her love of the colorful aesthetic, she's still a fan of mid-century design.
Given her taste, it's not all that surprising that Ray would have purchased a blast-from-the-past mansion. Although the home's exterior is subdued, it still sports the style from the year is was built: 1976. The sprawling one-level ranch-style house is also surrounded by "six plus park like acres," according to the listing. Whether the '70s vibe is your style or not, you have to admit it's pretty cool.
A media area without the media
In addition to the open concept living room, Ray's former Southampton home also features what the listing describes as "a media area." According to Ray Lepper, the president of Home Media in Richmond, Virginia, a media room is a practical space that's used for more than just sitting down and watching movies. "A media room is real life," he told HGTV. A media area or room, like in Rachael Ray's former home, is a multipurpose space to hang out, relax, and, of course, enjoy media.
Ironically, though, Ray is not actually all that tech-savvy. A New York Times profile of the food star revealed in 2018, that she'd only recently stopped using a flip phone and, despite having millions upon millions of followers on social media, doesn't spend much time online. Nevertheless, she revealed to the publication that she unwinds in the evenings with reruns of Columbo. So, maybe that's what her media room was for.
Neutrals, neutrals, and more neutrals
Although there were pops of bright greens and blues in Ray's summer home, the decor was neutral overall. While it's possible that Ray toned down her style in an effort to sell the property, it's incredibly similar to — if not the same as — Rachael Ray Home, Ray's very own line of home furnishings.
Ray has also never been one to hand over the decorating to an interior designer. "I'll hire contractors to come in and hang wallpaper, but I'll pick the wallpaper," she told USA Today. "I consider all my furniture and artwork to be a reflection and a reminder of where I've been. I like the security that comes with knowing the story behind every single thing in my home."
Ray even said she designed her home line to include "pieces that work in multiple rooms and have more than one purpose" — and her former Southampton estate certainly fit that description. Whoever ended up buying Ray's home may have been happy to know that all of the furniture was included.
You can never have too many bathrooms
By the late 1970s, just over half of homes in the United States had two bathrooms, while only eight percent of homes had three or more. It wasn't until the new millennium that having an excess of three throne rooms started to become more common. These statistics only make it that much more wild that Ray's former 1976 three-bedroom home has not three, not four, but five bathrooms. For a modestly large 3,000-square-foot home, that's even more impressive. But, when you've got to go, it's nice to have options, right?
In her former Southampton property, each bedroom has a bathroom ensuite. The master bath was designed to be particularly stunning with its neutral tiled walls, large soaking tub, tall windows overlooking the yard, enclosed glass shower, and stunning vanity. Yep, you could basically just live in that bathroom. The other two bathrooms are just a short walk away — in the pool house.
That pool (and pool house) though
When you get tired of soaking in the master bath's giant tub, you might just want to check out the seriously incredible pool house. Since, you know, a summer home just wouldn't be complete without a stunning heated pool and pool house — and this one is particularly gorgeous. From the quaint sitting area to the brick floor that extends from the pool house to the outdoor patio to the pool-facing pergola, this is about as good as it gets. "The combination is perfect for afternoon soirees and the pool house space offers the ultimate hosting," read the listing. Ray herself likely took advantage of the pool house over the years she owned the property.
"Many of my family members celebrate birthdays in the summer, including my mom, my brother, my nephew, my husband — and me!" Ray wrote in a 2015 issue of Every Day with Rachael Ray. "Summer is all about being outdoors, getting together with family and friends — and not spending too much time in a hot kitchen," she added. True that.
Yes, there are two kitchens
Although Ray may not be all about slaving over a hot stove in the heat of the summer, her former summer home has two kitchens. One of the property's kitchens is located in the pool house and features the same rustic brick flooring as the other areas of the structure. The small kitchen was home to just a few appliances. The other kitchen, located in the main house, is still smaller than what you might expect in a celebrity chef's home. White cabinetry, gray countertops, and a neutral marble backsplash make the space look bright and airy. There weren't too many appliances in this kitchen either, which makes sense given that Ray is "not a big [kitchen] gadget person."
A darker island with a butcher-block top commands attention in the small space. And in it, there's ample space to hold wine bottles. Ray revealed to Adweek that one of her biggest complaints about furniture, and one of the reasons she started her own line, was that there was never any place to store wine.
The luxurious master suite
Unlike many celebrities, Rachael Ray is often considered to be down to earth. And while Ray may live a life of luxury, she still keeps things pretty simple in her day-to-day life. The style of her former Southampton home was evidence of that. Although the listing boasts a "luxurious master suite," you'd have a difficult time differentiating it from the other two bedrooms. That's not to say it's not wonderful — it is — but all of the bedrooms in the home were kept neutral and unfussy.
Before starting her own line of home decor, Ray found the majority of furnishings uncomfortable and ostentatious. That was basically the opposite of her Southampton estate. "The quality of your life is not necessarily based on your bank account," she told USA Today when discussing the launch of Rachael Ray Home. Nevertheless, it would have cost you a pretty penny to purchase her home. It sold for $3.25 million, as reported by Observer.
There's even room to expand
Although 3,000 square feet is not small by any means, any multimillionaires who were considering purchasing Rachael Ray's summer home had the option to expand it. "The northern area of the property offers an additional charming one room structure that can be finished to the same standards as the main residence," the listing revealed. Or maybe it could be renovated into something like Oprah's teahouse. Just an idea.
Although Ray's former home sits on less than an acre, the lot next door was also for sale at the time, which could have added an additional five acres to the property and become, as the listing stated, "a dream compound." Although there's no word on why Ray decided to sell the Southampton home, she may already have her dream home, er, cabin. "I just want a place I can die," she told The New York Times. "It's the Italian in me." Beautiful as it may be, the Southampton estate is not that place, since it was sold in 2020.