Natalee Bowen’s Can’t Go Past Tips for Getting the Hamptons Look

Love the Hamptons look but not sure where to start? We asked Hamptons expert, Natalee Bowen of Indah Island about the essentials for nailing the Hamptons look.

WEATHERBOARDS

Weatherboards create a casual yet layered look, which emulates the classic look of Hamptons-style homes. Weatherboards provide a coastal look with a hint of glamour and sophistication but retain a homely feel.

As opposed to shingles, which are prevalent in American-style Hamptons homes, weatherboards provide a smoother look and can easily be painted to craft the desired look for the home. The longevity of weatherboards is also appealing as they require much less maintenance than shingles, which needs to be replaced every couple of years!

Cape Cod chairs and Linea weatherboard cladding – it’s a Hamptons match made in heaven!

COLOURS

The right colour palette for your Hamptons home is one in which all the trims and the details pop! I generally use either grey weatherboards with white trims, or taupe weatherboards (this may vary from a creamy taupe to a grey taupe). As a rule, I only use tints of colour to make the white trims really stand out.

If you’re feeling bold, experiment with white weatherboards and black trims— this is a popular option but not one for the faint-hearted!

Colours are so important to get right as your palette will change throughout the seasons, so place large sheets of the colours that you want around the home to visualise how they look at various points throughout the day. You don’t want the wall colours to throw shades of green, pink or yellow in the afternoon sun! Also greys can look cold, so getting these right are essential.

Grey can be a hard colour to master, make sure you balance your palette with lighter trims for a sophisticated look.

FEATURE DETAILS

Hamptons homes have an opulent feel about them, which can be derived from details and layers. Features such as panelling or cladding throughout the home can be used to create texture and depth. The panelling or cladding is usually painted white to bring the wall colour to life (try not to use too much colour, just a touch of grey or taupe to make the detail pop).

Ceiling detail is also another way to add to texture to your Hamptons home, either through coffered ceilings or lined ceilings. These details add a sense of classic opulence.

High ceilings and a seamless indoor-outdoor transition are key markers of the Hamptons look, particularly for Australians who love to entertain!

LIGHTING

A Hamptons home is brought to life with lighting. The Hamptons home calls for an open plan design with beautiful light filled spaces that invite the outdoors in. Use chandeliers, hanging pendant lights and wall sconces to create an ambient but opulent mood.