Bring coastal luxury to your own home with these professional interior design tips.
With its beachy tones and timeless mix of timber, the Hamptons-style interior trend is here to stay.
Inspired by the affluent American coastal suburbs of the same name, the Hamptons style is where sophistication meets calmness and tranquility.
The good news is that you don’t need to jet 20 hours north-east to experience Hamptons living.
Senior Interior Designer, Mitra Whittle, shares her top tips for creating your own coastal retreat, wherever you are.
The Façade
Hampton style exteriors tend to combine gable rooflines with timber or hand-cut slate, along with spacious open porches, weatherboard panelling, and white timber window frames. Our aptly named ‘Hamptons’ double story and ‘Southampton’ single story façades were designed with these features in mind.
Click to see our range of inspiring façades for a Hamptons home.
Plan your interiors
Hallmarks of Hamptons style homes include the considered use of texture, beautiful proportions, and the interplay between outside and inside which is so relevant to Australia’s beach-side suburbs. Light-filled rooms and oversized furnishings are key.
While classical Hamptons interiors are far from minimalistic, Mitra says the style shouldn’t impact comfort.
‘Plan the room as you intend to live to ensure you can move around with ease. Put together a floorplan with the scaled furniture dimensions before purchasing and keep the bold focal points to one or two pieces,’ she says.
Floorings are a beautiful way to achieve elegance and interest to offset the primarily neutral Hamptons colour palettes.
‘Pick light oak or stained timbers in grey shades, or warm tones of chocolate and walnut. Carpets are either sisal or similar woven textures or use rugs to bring warmth and personality to the rooms,’ explains Mitra.
If your home is double storey, select a traditional staircase to match the Hamptons colour schemes and cabinetry.
Choose your colours
The starting point for any Hamptons home is whitewashed walls followed by splashes of blue-green, soft neutrals, or even reds.
‘Consider introducing decorative features to the walls, such as panelling, textured paint finishes and embossed wallpapers which can be painted with an accent colour,’ says Mitra.
‘For an edgier look, consider darker tones, or make your home look more opulent by introducing metallics and plush textures.’
Avoid applying bold colours or patterns to permanent surfaces such as the cabinetry or tiles which date quickly and are expensive to replace.
Create the perfect room
Kitchen
Stick to white and cream marbles, stone, and laminates for benchtops, mixed with white shaker cabinetry or glass-paned or open shelving.
‘Add a classic profile by mixing in natural textures such as timber and classic style knobs or handles on the cabinetry,’ says Mitra.
Bathroom
‘You can always apply some panelled walls in the bathrooms to add character. Keep the colour palette light and bright and incorporate colour throughout the accessories,’ suggests Mitra.
‘Introduce greenery in pots or hanging baskets. Plants love the humid atmosphere of bathrooms!’
Living areas
Use plenty of natural textures such as linen or cotton drill slipcovers on the lounge suites, jute rugs, and woollen soft furnishings.
Artworks with coastal scenery work well to brighten the room and complete the beachy look.
‘Mood lighting pendants and floor lamps in wicker shades set the scene for comfort and relaxation. Mix old and new by purchasing both modern and antique items,’ adds Mitra.
Outside
A Hamptons style alfresco is designed equally for entertaining and unwinding from the nine to five grind.
‘Outdoor furniture should be cane and wicker, with comfy cushions in washable canvas or similar material,’ says Mitra.
‘Dining tables are usually stone top or timber. Again, surround yourself with plenty of green foliage, and consider introducing a water feature.
Where can I see the Hamptons style?
You can visit one of our Hamptons inspired display homes at any of these locations:
Or take a look at Boutique customers’ Sira Dong and Kasey Jacobs Hampton inspired creations.
Ready to start your journey to find ‘The One’? Talk to one of our friendly sales consultants today or visit your closest display home.
Have you found ‘The One’?
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