Janet Flora | Writer
AMY HASE: A LIFE IN DESIGN COMES FULL CIRCLE But on Tuesday, after work, they will return to their 11 acres on Brick Kiln Road between Sag Harbor and Bridgehampton. This is where they live and raise their two daughters, Chloe, 7, and Ava, 5, who both attend school on the Hampton Day School campus, which is the same campus where Amy spent her adolescence before going on to and graduating from Bridgehampton High. Ms. Hase points out, "I'm not a native—that's a status reserved for those who are born in the Hamptons." Instead, Amy Hase (then Amy Futterman) was born in Brooklyn, which is where the real story began. Eugene Futterman was studying architecture at Pratt when he met his future wife, Sophia (called Sonnie by most people), who was studying textile design. "It was a big deal for my mom, who was living in Fairfield, Connecticut, to attend Pratt in the 1950s," Ms. Hase said. "She was the first woman in her family to go to college-let alone an art college!" She added, "My parents were an extremely artistic couple." After the couple married they had Abbe, and, five years later, Amy. Soon after, they moved from Brooklyn to the Hamptons, so that Mr. Futterman could expand his career in residential design. During his years on the East End, he designed more than 150 houses, and his clients included Kurt Vonnegut, Ronald Lauder, Thomas Britt and Susan Lucci; he also turned Grey Gardens into the home of Ben Bradley. Sonnie Futterman worked as her husband's colorist, choosing paint colors, floor coverings, and interior textiles. "My mom always had paint chips in her purse, so she could examine them in different light," Ms. Hase recalled. One year she designed the wrapping paper for Book Hampton, and, Ms. Hase says, "I have lots of pictures of my sister and me in our baby clothes that were made from her fabrics." Small Town Girl Even as a teenager Amy Hase liked the small-town atmosphere: "Bridghampton High was like having private tutors—I was one of two students in my calculus class." But when it was time for college, Mr. and Mrs. Futterman actually encouraged their daughter to expand her horizons. "I think my parents were afraid I was too comfortable in my surroundings; they wanted me to have another life experience." At the time, Mr. Futterman had been going to New Orleans buying antique doors, and he had a friend whose son went to Tulane. "My dad said, 'This is the school for you-there's great architecture and good food.'" Arranged Meeting As fate would have it, her stay in Atlanta would ultimately turn out to have a profound effect on her life. Ms. Hase didn't meet her future husband in Atlanta, even though Todd Hase, originally from Chicago, was living there at the same time. But they had mutual friends. Many of the people in their circle of friends—as well as both Todd Hase and Amy Futterman—moved to Manhattan at around the same time in 1991. Amy landed a job working for Calvin Klein in Bergdorf, where she was in charge of the accessory collection. She also found a one-bedroom apartment on West 79th Street. Then, the Atlanta friends told her that Todd Hase needed a place to stay in New York, because he had a job interview with the designer Sherry Donghia. Amy offered her couch. "We were friends before we were romantic. I'd be coming home from dates, taking off my makeup, and complaining about some guy," Ms. Hase said. Before long the two were dating, and by 1995 they were married. The wedding was held at the Futterman house on Little Noyac Path. "This was the last house I lived in with my parents, before I went to college. I was always sad that my dad never met Todd." Eugene Futterman died in 1987. But Mr. Hase and Sonnie Futterman became great friends. "Every weekend, Todd wanted to go out to the Hamptons see my mom and make big meals," Ms Hase said. "He fell in love with the area immediately." The marriage wasn't the only partnership between Amy and Todd Hase. Mr. Hase never got that job with Dongia; instead, he was freelancing, drafting for architects, and making custom furniture for private clients. It was an early passion realized: As a young man, Todd Hase spent hours in his parents' antiques store in Chicago. He went on to study architecture at the University of Illinois in Chicago, then left there to pursue interior design at Harrington College. With this diverse technical and creative arts background, he had the ability to make contemporary pieces of furniture that were as durable as antiques. The Settee that Started It By 1997 the couple opened their first showroom, all of 750 square feet, on Wooster Street. The settee remains one of the signature pieces in the collection; it's named Amelia, an elongated version of Amy. Almost the entire line is named after family members. There is a Gene collection, Queen Abigail (after sister Abbe), and a line named for Sonnie, who died four years ago. Meanwhile, Todd and Amy Hase were also beginning their family. Chloe was born in the same West 79th Street apartment the couple had initially shared. By then, Mr. Hase had renovated it so beautifully, it was featured in Architectural Digest. They outgrew their Wooster Street showroom, and in 2001 moved into their current location in Tribeca. Four months later, the Twin Towers fell. Initially, the block became a staging area for the Red Cross. The business hadn't been damaged, and within a month the Hases were able to reopen. Going Home For now, the Hases will continue working two days a week in Manhattan, and stay in touch with their other showrooms by phone and e-mail, which is no small task since Todd Hase has showrooms at the D&D building on Third Avenue in Manhattan in addition to Chicago, Los Angeles, San Francisco, and London. However, the furniture is not sold in the Hamptons, a calculated decision. "I think that would make us work too hard when we're home," says Ms. Hase. "I want to concentrate on my family." |
It's a Monday afternoon, and Amy Hase is at her desk in the 7,000-square-foot Tribeca showroom that is home to the custom design furniture of her husband/business partner, Todd Hase. Mr. and Mrs. Hase will spend the night in the city, as they do most Monday evenings.