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How to design a Hamptons style home in Australia

Metricon

Anyone who loves that New York lifestyle or has seen any of the hundreds of movies set on Long Island is undoubtedly familiar with the iconic look of Hamptons style homes.

With weatherboards, white-framed windows, high ceilings, and a neutral colour palette, these elegant homes, originating from Long Island, New York, have inspired designers worldwide and are popular with Australian home buyers today.

The Hamptons haven't always been associated with glamour. Until the 1900s, any new homes constructed in its string of seaside towns featured fairly utilitarian designs. Early home designs in the Hamptons served to combat harsh weather conditions, and with limited availability of materials, they had to be fuss-free and practical.

That all changed at the turn of the 20th century when wealthy New Yorkers started venturing out of the city searching for beachside holiday homes. It wasn't long before towns like Southampton, East Hampton and Sag Harbour had become millionaire's playgrounds — as they remain to this day.

These well-heeled new residents wanted house designs that embraced the traditional character of the area. Still, details became increasingly elaborate – favouring shingles, columns, the use of stone in facades, marble interiors, and large paned windows to capture seaside views. And so, the Hamptons style home was born.

Hamptons style in Australian homes

You may wonder how such iconic American styling could gain so much popularity among those living on the opposite side of the planet, here in Australia.

The answer: Australian's love the relaxed, homely feel Hamptons style evokes. It's no longer associated with the seaside – in fact, Hamptons style homes perfectly suit regional locations and acreage blocks.

Hamptons is a classic style that will never go out of style. The features of a Hamptons style home resonates with the Australian way of life. Although it originated from a US coastal concept, these homes reflect how we live Down Under.

MORE: The top interior design trends happening in Australia right now

Adapting your home design to suit the Australian lifestyle

Of course, in the Australian landscape, not all features of Hamptons design will work in your new home. Sydney, NSW and Brisbane, Queensland have a different vibe to Long Island, NY, after all.

Metricon designers, for example, recognised certain design elements would not appeal to an Australian home builder.

For example, in America, Hamptons-style homes often incorporate a lot of solid stonework. Sometimes they can go over the top with their styling to move from being luxurious to looking tacky. That won't work in Australia.

Instead, Metricon takes the key concepts of Hamptons style homes and makes them their own, ensuring the floorplan fits into the Australian lifestyle and adding lightness to the theme. Aussies often want a strong link to the outdoors, which we do with living spaces and living rooms that flow into outdoor spaces quite seamlessly.

The objective is to take the flavour of the US design and create something distinctly Australian. A coastal style home that Aussie families will love.

MORE: Inside Candice and Jeremy's Hampton style home by Metricon

Design elements of a Hamptons home

Suppose you want to build a classic Hamptons style home in Australia. In that case, the key features to incorporate into your interior design are light and bright material palettes, feature panelling, cladding on walls, and high ceilings.

The Hamptons look is defined by the ornateness and the elegance. It's a sophisticated layer of detail that elevates the spaces. Features include a high, pitched roof, James Hardie weatherboards, detailed paned windows or a round porthole. There's a subtlety in the moulding, which is relatively flat. There's nothing over the top, and it's very understated.

With other US trends, like barn-style exteriors with steep roof pitches and glazed gables, starting to trickle into Australian dream home designs, it appears that the Hamptons vibe, country style and the American influence are here to stay.

MORE: A guide to open plan living

Key things to consider when designing a Hamptons style home

Benchtops

Hamptons style homes rely on light coloured benchtops, whether that's white, blue, grey, green or timber. Ideally, you'll opt for a stone-look benchtop such as marble, terrazzo or granite. Natural materials are in vogue right now, and we think they're here to stay. Your benchtop is sure to be the hero of your modern Hamptons style kitchen.

French doors

French doors are a staple of Hamptons style homes. As the Long-Island-look is all about light-filled spaces, French doors are perfect. They're light doors made up of square or rectangle windowpanes, most commonly painted white. French doors and French windows allow you to take advantage of views if you live near the ocean or on a large block. Speaking of windows - consider adding plantation shutters as they're a staple of Hamptons styling.

Cabinetry

Luckily, Hamptons style homes are functional, too, as there's a big focus on cabinetry. The most common look you'll see in a home replicating the Hamptons look and feel is shaker-style cabinetry. Shaker cabinetry has recessed panels which makes it look as if they're framed. Their minimalist style and clean lines ensure they'll look great in any kitchen, and if you want to add some personal flair, you can dress them up with fluted columns and feature handles. Hamptons cabinetry blends exceptionally well with the French Provincial style.

Flooring

Hamptons style homes' most common flooring material is timber; however, you can also opt for stone tiles if you're going for a classier look and feel. While light tones are a safe bet for your Hamptons style home (greys, birch, bamboo and oak), flooring is one feature you can go dark. Mocha timber flooring can provide a lovely contrast against the rest of the home, which will be light in colour.

Pendant lights

Oversized lighting is typical in Hamptons style homes, so pendants (and even chandeliers!) are vital in your design. You can opt for old-world style pendants that look like lanterns or replicate wrought iron, or you can choose something more modern with clean lines. In terms of material, brushed metals, glass, copper and stainless steel are common in Hamptons style homes. You may also find wall mounted lamps and sconces throughout a Hamptons style home – particular as a reading lamp in the bedrooms.

Coastal colour palette

The colour palette in a Hamptons style home is light, breezy and coastal. Think of the colours you'll commonly find at the beach: plenty of blue, soft greens, sand, stone and warm whites. Adding grey, black or navy highlights can prevent your home from looking too stark, but you don't want to go overboard. Natural colours are more than welcome – in particular, you'll find timber and minerals inside a traditional Hamptons style home.

To learn more about beautiful Hampton style homes, check out our Lookbook and Metricon's own Hamptons-inspired Bayville home design. If you have any questions, be sure to enquire with the team. Alternatively, you can pick up some design ideas for your own home on our blog.