The Hamptons Style

What actually is the 'Hamptons Style' you ask? Well here is my interpretation.

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.      

Day 1...

Today they STARTED!!!!
I was awake at 6am so excited to see the first step underway. By mid morning the site had been stripped and the cutting started.

Nice big pile of top soil for our future garden beds.

Excavation happening in the background while our fence and gateway are being finished off.

By lunchtime there was a big hole. The site is being cut and filled which means they are digging down at the top and using that dirt to build up at the front. This means the depth of the cutting is kept to a minimum. They are also going to batter back the front and the back to avoid having a big drop off at either end.

By the end of the day the fence feature was finished and the hole in the ground was even bigger!

It's gone from green to brown in a very short period of time.

The machine didn't leave until it was well and truly dark and there was no other option. 

The 7 meter span across the corner of the block. The plan is to paint it to match the house in either white or light grey and one day maybe add to it.

So far progress has been good but it's hard to not get too carried away. I know there is still a long way to go. Even still the excitement is over whelming. 

Lounge room inspiration...

Our lounge room is slightly separated from the kitchen/dinning area but still partly open. The hope is that this will create a intimate and inviting space without feeling like you are shut off from the rest of the house.
I'm a having a constant battle between practicality and aesthetics when it comes to this area. I love the idea of using a lot of light natural colours like oatmeals, creams and whites but the other part of me knows that those colours aren't very family (or husband) friendly.

INSPIRATION  

What I love about these rooms:

• The colours are so warm and inviting. 
• The soft furnishings make it look cosy.
• Neither of these rooms look sparse or clinical.
• The L-shaped sofas. Great for accommodating lots of people.

Things I would change:

• Carpet for the floor coverings is a must for us.
• Love the light coloured sofas but think going for a darker colour will be more practical.

What I love about these rooms:

• The combination of seating. L-shaped sofa and a couple of arm chairs.
• The neutral colours.
• The built-in shelves and cupboards. 
• The amount of seating, I want to be able to spread out if I want or accommodate a lot of people if needed. 
• The layout of the seating with a central coffee table or ottoman.

What I would change:

• Remove the fire place.
• Mount the TV on the wall where the fire is.
• Carpet for the floor coverings.
• Add a lamp or two for ambience. Either a floor lamp or lamp on a small side table.  

I love these built-in shelves and cupboards.

I love the detail and contrasting colours of the built-ins on the left and the size of the one on the right. In both cases I would make the space for the TV larger to provide more flexibility but also so it isn't so busy. The use of cupboards along the bottom to store all the ugly cords etc with the addition of the open shelving for displays at the top makes the space beautiful and more usable.

The fence...

So there is finally something actually being built on our block! It may not be the house just yet but it is still something. They started building our fence yesterday, its exciting to be able to see progress when we visit the block now.

These 4 post are along the corner of our block that is cut off on an angle. It is about 7 meters long and I will one day turn this into a feature with our address and/or our name.

Okay so not the greatest of sketches but you get the idea.

7 Meters is a bit too long for what I am thinking but maybe we can add a few palm trees or tall yakkas to break up the length of the wall. 

A chefs kitchen

A lot of thought has been put into what my dream kitchen is going to be like one day. I'm a chef by trade so food is a huge part of my life, it has also meant I have spent a lot of time in kitchens over the years. With every kitchen I have entered or worked in I have taken little snippets of design ideas away with me. I love spending time in my kitchen and really want this kitchen to be the kitchen I have been dreaming of and planing towards for most of my adult life.

KITCHEN INSPIRATION PICTURES:

 

Sorry about the crappy quality picture.

This is a very similar layout to what our kitchen is going to be, except the doors opening onto a large alfresco area which includes an outdoor kitchen, dining and lounge area.

Things I love about this kitchen:

• The 3 pendant lights over the island bench.
• The white shaker style cabinetry with black draw pulls.
• The dark timber floor.
• The white over head cupboards with glass doors.
• The white apron style sink.

Things I would change:

• I want white or very light grey bench tops instead of the black.
• I don't want ends like this on the island bench in order to create more room and flexibility.
• Remove the archway separating the kitchen and other area (which will be our dining area).
• I will also add lighting into the over head glass cupboards. 

I found this beautiful kitchen (on the left) designed and built by  http://ourhamptonstyleforeverhome.blogspot.com.au/2014/11/my-dream-kitchen.html and her inspiration kitchen (on the right).

 

Very similar colour scheme and style to what I am planning except our kitchen is a lot bigger with benches running around three walls in addition to the island bench.

Things I love about these kitchens:

• The colours are fantastic, light and bright with a little contrast. 
• The 3 pendants over the island bench.
• Glass over head cupboards.
• The use of marble. 
• The tap-ware.

Things I would change:

• We aren't having the sink in the island bench as I don't want the pile of dirty dishes to be the first thing you see . Let's be honest here, our kitchen isn't always going to be this spotless. I understand that a lot of modern kitchens have butler pantries for this reason but I feel like that is great in theory but in reality we will end up with dirty dishes (or even clean dishes in the rack) covering the island.
• We are having a black country style oven (shown in my 'Shopping for my kitchen' post) instead of the stainless steel so I want to complement it with black draw pulls and cupboard handles.
• I want to add extra lighting, it is a real pet hate of mine to be chopping in your own shadow. The plan is to have lights inside our over head cupboards, mainly for ambience, and also under them shining down on the benches. Lucky one of my husbands best mates is our electrician!
• I want our island bench to have an overhang the whole way along to accommodate as much seating as possible.   

This is closer to the size and layout of our kitchen with a very similar style to what I am aiming for.

Things I love about this kitchen:

• The dark floor matched with the white shaker style cabinetry and punctuated with black hardware.
• The draw pulls.
• The 3 pendant lights over the island bench.
• The apron style sink and tap-ware.
• The bench tops. 
• That the sink isn't in the island but instead is under a window. 
• The lights under the over head cupboards.

Things I would change:

• A more traditional oven and range hood to fit in with the style. 
• The windows over the sink. We are having bi-fold windows that open onto our alfresco area. 

 

THE DETAILS: 

 

Here are a few of my design ideas to get the most out of our kitchen. The cabinet maker is going to hate me and the budget might also.

Kitchen windows like this over the sink except all opening to one side and with out the bar detail.

THE PANTRY:

 

I am so looking forward to having a MASSIVE walk-in-pantry as we don't have a pantry at all at the moment. It is going to serve as the storage area, house the upright freezer but also allow me to have most of my bench top appliances set up at all times.

This is the kind of thing we are going for. Cupboards to bench height, then open shelving above that. I am really liking the wood bench tops matched with the white cupboards but not sure how smart wooden tops are?

Loving the white subway tiles too. And if the budget stretches far enough I would love to continue the stone bench tops into the pantry as well.

I think its important to have a combination of cupboards
(with doors to hide the messy stuff)
and open shelves to have beautiful glass jars
and neater items on display.
Like these ones from Myer

Maxwell and Williams - Olde English Storage Jar 5 Liter

$29.95

Dreaming of our master bedroom...

I am so looking forward to our new bedroom. We may have gone a bit over the top but it is going to be sooooo worth it. Because my husband is a diver this means he gets up at or just before daybreak on work days which is unfortunate for me as I am not a morning person. The funny thing is that neither is he, so on non-work days and will happily stay in bed till 9am. This means at least one of us is sneaking around every morning trying not to wake the other. Our solution to this is what I am calling our 'master retreat'; consisting of our bedroom, en-suite, walk-in-robe and a lobby (yes you read that right a lobby with its own entrance). The theory is that (the unlucky) one of us can get up; walk out of the bedroom (closing the door behind them) and get ready in the bathroom, en-suit and lobby area with out waking the other.

'MASTER RETREAT' - P.S check out the size of that shower :)

 I want to make our bedroom warm, cozy and inviting. A place that I look forward to retreating to at the end of each day. I want it to be grown-up, yet personal. I have a few things that I've collected over the years for our bedroom that is going to make it extra special. When my grandmother moved into a nursing home I was lucky enough to inherit some of her antique furniture including a beautiful polished walnut dresser which I plan to put in the bedroom against the wall of the lobby. We were also given a set of bedside lamps my incredibly talented aunt made using 'Shapre Bros. Ginger Beer' earthenware bottles as a wedding present. What makes these lamps so special is that I am a Sharpe (or I was before I got married) and it was my ancestors who made the ginger beer.

Sorry for the not so great picture of a 'Sharpe Bros. Ginger Beer' bottle but you get the idea. I'll post a picture of the actual lamps sometime in the future as they are safely packed away in our storage locker at the moment. 

BEDROOM INSPIRATION:

Left: Love the colours in this room - Blues and Oatmeal.                    Right: Love the shape a detailing on this bedhead.

Left: I love how warm and inviting this bedroom is.                                             Right: Love the couch at the end of the bed.

EN-SUITE INSPIRATION:

 

Left: Love the white cabinetry, chrome tap-ware, large mirror and marble tiles                              Right: Love white on white

Love the white cabinetry with the white bench tops and white walls matched with the chrome tap-ware and the large mirror; although I would add a white frame. We're not having 'his and hers' sinks as there is no need for our life style and I would prefer to have extra bench space instead.

I am totally in love with marble so want to make a feature using marble tiles on the large wall of our double shower.

Left: Hamptons tile inspiration                                            Right: Large marble hexagon shaped tiles - maybe for the floor??                      Concept tiles - http://www.concepttiles.com.au/

               Not sure exactly on which way I want to go with lighting in the en-suite just yet. Any suggestions?                                                    Left: I feel like this is the more traditional way to go.                    Right: But a series of pendant lights will add a wow factor.

WALK-IN-ROBE INSPIRATION:

 

Love the cabinetry of the of the left picture, the lighting of the middle picture coupled with an oversized framed mirror.

Things are becoming real

This morning was particularly exciting as this is what I found when I arrived at the block to meet with the builder who had come up form Bairnsdale to meet and have a chat with me and some of the local tradies who will be working on our house.

We spent a couple of hours going over final decisions and plans. At last it has felt like we are actually one day really going to end up with a house on our block. Things are becoming real!

Also today I have been on the hunt for our kitchen bench tops. Originally I wanted Carrara Marble but after a little research I quickly changed my mind as I found out it is a lot softer than granite and therefore can scratch and absorb stains quiet easily. I don't want to be one of those people who is so over protective of damaging my benches that I scare everyone out of the kitchen. For me the kitchen is the heart of the home and somewhere that everyone congregates and collaborates. My family put a big emphasis of food when it comes to gatherings and celebrations and I want everyone including myself to enjoy the heart of our home. I have found a few amazingly beautiful alternatives to marble and am falling more and more in love with the lighter coloured granites every time I look at them.

My top pick for the island bench - Bianco Romano Granite

closely followed by this - Super White Granite

      

then for the surrounding benches around the walls (as long as it matches when I see it in person) - Macauba White Granite

However when you are dealing with a natural product such as granite it does sometimes come down to what is available at the time as they can't just whip another slab out of the factory like they can with composite stone benches such as Caesarstone etc. So I am keeping my mind open and trying not to get my heart too set just yet.

My other research project for this morning has been concrete stamping. Both of front veranda and the alfresco/outdoor area/outdoor kitchen at the back of the house are going to be concrete slabs (poured after the initial slab so that they don't get damaged during the build process) so I want to add a stamp and maybe some colouring to make them fit more with the style.

For the alfresco  area I am thinking a paving look stamp in a charcoal colour.

And for the front Veranda and porch wood-grain.

Watch this space as D-Day approaches. I will have heaps more exciting updates coming your way very shortly (I hope).

Shopping for my kitchen

So I fell in love today!
I fell in love with an oven.
Our son plays soccer on Sundays so most weeks that means a trip up the coast and sometimes I drag the family off for a spot of shopping after the game. Today was one of those days. Today it was to Harvey Norman  and today was the day that I found the oven I want.

Belling 'Richmond' 110cm Dual-Fuel Freestanding Cooker.

They only had the 90cm one in stock but it was enough for me to fall in love with.

It was on sale too but buying the oven before the house is even officially approved was too crazy even for me. Not to mention that buying it now, months before starting to use it, means the warranty period starts now too so not a great idea.

Isn't it the most beautiful oven you have EVER seen!