The Hamptons area, from where the style originated, is in the Long Island area of New York state. It is said to be the weekend get away for the affluent New Yorker's when they want a dose of the coast. A series of villages and hamlets filled with high-end restaurants, bars and designer boutiques by the sea. Sounds like heaven to me!
The Hamptons style is loosely based on elegant coastal calm in a classic and sophisticated way, or in other words 'beachside luxury'.
- Furniture should be above all comfortable and a right balance between contemporary and traditional. Linen and cotton in neutral colours such as oatmeal along with natural raw woods like Mango or Oak. Lots of soft furnishings such as over-stuffed cushions and natural material throws are a must. 'Old meets new' seems to be the key phrase associated with the Hamptons style when it comes to furniture.
- Colours vary from natural hues and lots of white to calming blues and the entire range of the aqua (or teal, tiffany-blue, sea-green, turquoise, mint) spectrum, basically stay with beachy tones.
- Floors are wooden and can either be a very dark chocolate brown or pale and sometimes even bleached.
- Window treatments and upholstery fabrics are usually natural linen or cotton and of a plainer detail, with small pops of colour and traditional patterns.
- Details like decorative trims, picture rails and wall paneling are often used to complement the high ceilings which are a must.
- Lighting, specifically feature lighting is a stand out of the style. Clear glass teamed with either iron, pewter or chrome work well for pendant lighting particularly over island benches and dining tables. Lamps are common and add ambience and warmth and are usually adorned with natural fabric shades, such as cotton, linen or silk. Bases should be made from wood or ceramic and glass on occasion.
- Rugs should be large and are used to add character and define areas. Jute and sisal add great texture and stay within the beachy tones. Wool is another option and can be used to bring in a pop of colour to the space.
- Natural products should be used where ever possible. Stone, particularly marble, is common for bench tops and tiles while floors should be wood.
- Accessories need to be tasteful and displayed in a neat, breezy, clutter free way. Nautical themed items such as coral, fishing floats and model sail boats are common but be careful not to cross the line into cheesy. Natural items like driftwood, cane baskets and jute rope are also great items to incorporate and can be displayed on built-in shelving, coffee tables, side tables, consoles and wall units.
- Other items to include may be hurricane lamps, fresh flowers, shells, ceramic urns, indoor plants, round mirrors or glass fishing floats.
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