Hamptons Inspired

The Hamptons look, has become the most sought after housing style over the few last years, and it's not surprising, as the very elegant Coastal style, seems to fit so well with our Australian way fo life. Many people assume that the Hamptons style is only suitable for a coastal area, and whilst it does of course work well in that location, with so many customers in the suburbs also wishing to enjoy this type of home, I accepted the challenge of adapting this style to work in a more suburban setting.

All photos by James Treble at HomeWorld Box Hill, NSW

There are some specific finishes which are fundamental to the success of a Hamptons external design, like horizontal cladding which immediately creates that coastal feel, and the white trim for the windows and timber finishes. For the facade, I maintained these classic items, but chose to add brick to the lower floor of this home, allowing it to easily fit along side other suburban brick homes.I selected a deep charcoal tone for the brick finish, as it contrasts beautifully with all the white external features, whilst balancing the dark roof tiles which are in a similar tone.

To continue the welcoming feel of the Hamptons indoors, I repeated the white timber detailing for the skirting, the architraves and the linear wainscoting, and to elevate the impact of the stairs, dark timber treads, again framed with white to highlight all the details in the staircase design. Although timber floors are a common feature with this interior style, I opted for a statement tiled floor, laid with a mixture of sizes, known as a french pattern. Not only this adds texture and character to the floor,​but ​the soft grey natural stone-look​ ​is also very easy to maintain. For a busy family, this is the perfect mix of practicality and good looks.

The elegant palette of soft greys supported a stronger colour choice for the cabinetry, where I teamed white with a deeper warm grey. I repeated this combination in the kitchen, bathrooms and laundry, achieving a result which has strong impact, whilst adding a contemporary twist to the traditional looks of this Hamptons inspired home. There are many details that I decided to play with, like choosing black in a classical design tap-ware, again repeating this finish in the door hardware and the cabinetry handles. Even though the traditional Hamptons feel is clearly represented here, especially with the choice of the cabinetry shaker profile, the overall feel is contemporary, thanks to the choice of black appliances in the kitchen and the strength of the styling.

Just like I did outside with the cladding and white timber accents, indoors the architectural features are also elevated to retain some basic features of the Hamptons style. The classically inspired fireplace and feature wainscoting, ​however ​combine well with more contemporary ​choices made along the way, but all of them with practical design in mind. To have a look inside this home and see what design decisions allowed me to make this coastal style work so well away from the sea, click on the video below and please let me know what you think of this brand new home.

Suggesting the Hamptons character:

1. Horizontal cladding and a light palette for the exteriors,

2. White timber detailing both outdoors and indoors,

3. Feature detailing, like wainscoting in the living areas, shaker doors for cabinetry and classical tapware.

James Treble is an ambassador for Planet Ark and firmly believes in sensible purchasing, recycling and creative re-purposing. James has three decades of accumulated experience in the Building Industry, Real Estate and Interior Design and regularly shares his knowledge and experience in adding value to properties through effective design & styling. Watch his free videos on YouTube, and follow him on Facebook and Instagram for more free information.