If you’re like me on a normal day: just scrolling through some social media posts and blog feeds, and you have seen the Hamptons Interior Design Style for the umpteenth time. It causes one to stop and try to figure out what is going on, and why is everyone ‘hamptoning it up’? I just had to do a read-up on why this interior design style is so wildly popular, for there is no escape from this so-called Hamptons Style.
The Hamptons Style is popular because it creates a summer-holiday atmosphere with a luxurious feel and a timeless clock. This all makes for a great indoor-outdoor living home with lots of natural light showering in via the characteristically big windows and French doors. The Hamptons Style is a very inviting interior style – great for relaxed entertaining with friends and family.
I know everyone (including me) is already steamrolling to the nearest Ikea, throwing out old furniture on the way, and thinking of the new paint colors for the walls. But first, let’s take a look at what it means and what it entails to have a Hamptons Style decorated home.
What Makes the Hamptons Style So Irresistible?
Given a chance to live in a home that oozes sophistication and luxury, but in the same breath relaxation and a beach vibe, is a dream come true. This makes it absolutely inevitable to fall in love with this gorgeous Hamptons style. This is the style where the summer holiday spirit stays and comes with a prescribed dose of happiness.
The Hamptons Style is an upgraded American version from the French interior design styles known as the Baroque, Rococo, and Empire styles. Primarily, they were formed from the early 17th to the mid-18th century.
Although it is an upgraded ‘new’ style, it still keeps some old traditions alive. It doesn’t completely abandon the initial inspiration of the French styling in its decorations and designs, including its French doors and sophisticated furniture that complements its natural color pallet beautifully.
The start of the Hamptons-style homes was in Long Island, New York. It was initially only built by and for the wealthy, but it tends to be a lot more common among all walks of people in today’s era. Its built is climate-friendly, especially during the hot summers, making its porches and verandahs a big attraction. Allowing for indoor-outdoor living, accompanied by a great amount of sunlight and the right amount of breeze flowing in.
The Hamptons style is indeed beautiful. Having a sophisticated, clean, and yet inviting look that is easy to live in. This style emphasizes the beauty of lots of natural light flowing in. It has large windows and an always-ready beach atmosphere. This style is very relaxed but is perfect for entertaining friends and family with its notable big rooms.
Elements That Define a Hamptons-Style Home
One of the most distinctive features of this style is its rugged outside features like the pediments, large windows, and stately columns. The exterior walls are typically made from shingles or weatherboard cladding.
This weather-style cladding, along with the gabled roof, matches perfectly with the white window frames and the white balcony railings. To stay in character, the cladding should be kept preferably in muted and natural tones to keep with the style’s color pallet. However, charcoal is also a very popular color for the Hamptons-style roof design.
The essence of the Hamptons style is coastal living, relaxation, and the feeling of being on holiday 24/7. With the striking amount of natural light showering in via the French doors and the in-character windows with spacious rooms, it is eminent that indoor-outdoor living will be prominent, which makes this style excellent for entertaining loved ones.
This style has been characterized by natural materials and colors rather than extravagant materials and explosive colors.
Wooden floors are normally the go-to flooring for the Hamptons-style design accompanied by rugs—light oak floors for a coastal look and darker colors of wooden flooring for a more sophisticated look.
The Australian vs the American Hamptons Style
Since the Hamptons style originated in America quite some years back, it is safe to say that most Americans know how to do a good-old Hamptons-styled home. They have the dos and don’ts under control, but the Australians have also adopted the Hamptons style. They are showing they know just as much about the style whilst making it unique to their own.
Australians also have good enough weather for that breezy, open-plan coastal home along the sandy beaches. Although both countries adopted the same style, there are, however, a few distinctions.
Size
For the Americans, size matters quite a lot. The Hamptons look in the US has spread rapidly across the East Coast (from New York to the Cape Cad). Their homes are made for entertainment for these residents – they love hosting gatherings and getaways for friends and family – the more, the merrier.
The Australians, on the other hand, are not too much set on size. They are happy with what they get and make it work. They build their Hamptons-styled homes anywhere – from farmlands to the inner suburbs.
Exterior Colors
The Americans like their whites, blues, and coastal elements, and they don’t prefer other colors outside of that scope. They like to keep it in the category of sophistication and a beach vibe.
The Australians give more detail in terms of exterior colors based on their location – in what area the Hamptons-style home is located in, and then choosing their preferred colors accordingly. The Australian color pallets range from greens and caramel colors in more rural areas and shades of grey in the cities.
Exterior Materials
The American Hamptons style conveys ‘old money.’ Luxury, allure, and sophistication are just a few of the essential characteristics they want to have in their homes. Muted tones, timber shingles, and stone are some key elements when implementing decorations and designs.
Australians, in this matter, are focused on materials that will endure the test of time and that can still be considered modern. With Australia’s harsh weather and temperature, they prefer to use Linea weatherboards, which protects against flaking, moister, and fire damage as it is made out of fiber cement.
Verandahs
Both countries are in the same boat here: they love spacious verandahs that make it possible for them to have that indoor-outdoor living. The verandahs in both countries are more or less the same. The only difference is that Australians like a wrap-around verandah. The wrap-around verandah is a tradition of theirs and is reminiscent of their county homes, making them feel even more so at home.
The Hamptons Style Color Scheme
The colors are quite important when styling a soon-to-be Hamptons-styled home. Choosing the correct color pallet for this style can be a make or a break in getting the desired outcome. If the colors are not picked correctly, you will miss the sophisticated yet relaxed beach atmosphere and vibe this style emphasizes so well.
Interior Colors
The Hamptons style’s color pallet characteristically consists of natural colors which are not bright or extravagant. Some of these colors include warm whites, neutrals, a shade of yellow and green, and some coastal blue colors. Duck egg blue, shades of grey, and even mint green, stone, and sand colors can be considered Hamptons-style colors.
With all these light colors, it might seem that a black, navy, or any dark color of the kind, is taboo for this style. However, this is not the case. Darker colors are more often than not used for the in-laid stone floors or the wood flooring inside the house. Some designers also incorporate a few darker furniture pieces that suites the lighter wall colors particularly well.
When using dark colors, the important thing to remember is that this prominent color will be the main feature. Thus, layer accessories with lots of texture will applause and compliment the delicate natural colors beautifully.
When painting your doors, windows, skirtings, etc., be careful not to put the paint too sharp. Although the colors in the pallet differ, it must still give the Hamptons style ‘look,’ and it should still blend well. To avoid this stark look and to soften it more, use a white color with a warm undertone when painting.
See below examples of how beautifully the different colors go together with a soft and complimentary look:
Exterior Colors
In this case, less is more. The color detail of the exterior house is quite plain – simplicity is key. It is recommended to only have a two to a three-color pallet. Keeping it easy-going will complement the design to make it your best Hamptons-style house as of yet.
The roofs of the Hamptons-style houses are quite important. It is almost like the ‘main frame’ of the house. To stay true to this classic style, the roof tiles would normally be of darker color – a shade of charcoal works magic.
In contrast, shades of grey and even greige are great colors for exterior walls. The combination of the lighter outside wall colors, and darker roof color, are typical exterior characteristics of Hampton-style homes.
Normally, lanterns are situated on the outside porches and verandahs, helping to display the amazing colors on the outside walls – showing off a little during the nighttime.
How Do You Get the Hamptons Style Look on a Budget?
Determine which is the main area of your home. Focus on that room first – it will most likely be the living room. Start small by investing in a Hamptons-style sofa, maybe a chair or two, a rug, and a nice coffee table (you don’t have to buy it all at once). These items will already give you a more Hamptons-style feel to the room. You can even search for second-hand items that are still in good condition.
To accompany the new furniture pieces in your room, you can search for cushions that go with the sofa and chairs (the feather-filled cushions are the best). This is great for color-adding and tying the room together. Luckily still nothing too ‘splurgy’ to cause money nightmares.
As you know by now, the Hamptons style is all about indoor-outdoor living. A great addition now will be to get some accessory pieces like some outdoor plants and just all things nature into your home. This will not cost you any money; it will only cost a bit of creativity.
One of the budget-friendly things about this style is that it also incorporates and combines the old with the new, which makes it more approachable because second-hand furniture will, in actuality, be in style here. Once you are satisfied with your first room, it is time to move on to the second one. Pick a room, and decorate.
In essence, have some fun whilst redecorating. It is all about the process of creating your dream home and being proud of it. Bring the beach inside of your house!
Conclusion
I now know why there is such hype around this designing style. This is the new ‘cool kid’ on the block in interior designers’ language. With a sophisticated look that can accompany a feeling of summer holiday all around the year, it is rare. I mean, who doesn’t want to have a holiday twice a year, six months each. And this is exactly what this style brings to the table.
With its simple yet elegant look, comfortable and relaxed atmosphere, and the great entertainment vibe it creates, it is safe to say that this is the mother of design styles. Designing your own Hamptons home has never been easier and more attractive. One of the key benefits of this style is that you can afford this without being rich or famous. With some informative planning and following the more budget-friendly approach, everyone can easily incorporate this style into your home.
The best news yet is that this style is ever so timeless. With the comfort of knowing this, the style is here to stay. Now you can feel more comfortable redecorating and not worry about your home going out of style. This style will make your house the go-to house for gatherings and get-togethers, big or small, and have you in the most comfortable space ever. The Hamptons style shows its worth to its wildly popular status.
References
- https://www.stannardhomes.com.au/five-elements-that-define-hamptons-style-homes/
- https://www.homestolove.com.au/usa-vs-australian-hamptons-style-homes-21887
- https://www.bhg.com.au/how-to-do-hamptons-style-interiors
- https://www.lavenderhillinteriors.com.au/blogs/news/hamptons-style-colour-scheme-dulux
- https://carlislehomes.com.au/blog/four-curated-exterior-colour-schemes-to-create-your-dream-hamptons-home/