Fortunately, the Hamptons style is not limited to the coastline, and one of these homes can look just as magnificent in a rural setting as it can beachside.
The Hamptons style is not bound to a coastal location. In fact, the original houses you’ll find on the South Fork are of a beautiful homestead style, usually sitting upon acres of farming land.
There is something about a country house that brings new life into your soul. The air is cleaner, the days seem simpler, the atmosphere is so homely that you never want to go back to your real life! A Country Hamptons home leans into reclaimed timbers and antique heirlooms, telling a story of an era long gone but that echoes into today.
When you think of a Country Hamptons home, think rustic timbers and wraparound verandahs. A barn-style pitched roof is a must-have in a Country Hamptons home, along with large windows to take in the surrounding rural landscape and textured linen window treatments filter the sunlight. Bifold doors open up and welcome the outside in, leading to a sprawling verandah, not unlike the Australian colonial style.
A neutral warm white palette is where we begin with a country home. Dark timber floors will bring old-world charm throughout with a laid-back, no-fuss atmosphere. Mouldings are pared back, and we see a combination of wainscoting and Hardie Groove panelling on the walls. We see more wrought iron and glass in the chandeliers for larger spaces like an entrance or a great room.
A country kitchen may feature a collection of heirloom cookbooks, hanging copper utensils, eclectic ceramics and fresh herbs on its open shelves. Shaker-style cabinetry remains a steadfast choice and a large butler’s sink is essential to complete this aesthetic. Kitchen cabinetry can be painted in a soft greige with a contrast of crisp white. While the general rule of thumb is “don’t mix metals”, you can get away with it in a Country Hamptons home. Its grander proportions mean mixing your metal finishes can be a fun way to include some eclectic personality. Black hardware with organic brass taps pair well together. Include just enough of everything to create the right balance, and you may find that on a large scale, it all works together beautifully.
The kitchen may find itself in competition for the title of the “heart of the home” when a grand fireplace is included in the main living room. For a rustic look, floor-to-ceiling stone works well. For a more classic and refined look, opt for a white render with a reclaimed timber mantle.
Country Hamptons décor
Bring the outdoors in with rustic surfaces, warm tones and wooden textures to emulate that welcoming country feeling.
It is easy to be inspired by a country garden — think lush green trees, dainty flowers in pots-a-plenty and rooms that would not be out of place if they were in fact outdoors. The trick to a Country Hamptons home is to bring that outdoor feeling inside, creative a cohesive flow throughout. This is a welcoming home, with open doors inviting the fragrances of the garden to fill each room within.
When beginning to style the living area, I always startwith a deep linen sofa, layering a neutral palette with pops of warm caramel to complement the landscape. The aesthetic of furnishings can lean either of two ways; a pretty country look full of floral patterns and a pastel blue and green palette, or a more masculine country vibe, with pops of leather in the upholstery and monochromatic neutral colours.
Oak timbers dominate in the large furniture pieces, and there is space for natural rattan to have its moment. Slip-cover armchairs are forever beautiful and practical, with washable and interchangeable covers for when you feel like introducing a new colour palette. The design of chairs is more traditional with roll arms and wingbacks, and we see lots of plaid and gingham patterns mixed with soft florals and pinstripes.
The Country Hamptons look is more casual than classic, with books piled up on an island bench, in libraries and sprawled across coffee tables. Baskets of wood for the fire and knitted blankets, raffia shopping bags hung by the door ready for a trip to the market add a sense of whimsical living.
When it comes to textiles for cushions and upholstery, I have a rule of three: bring together a geometric, a stripe and a floral print, again inspired by a fragrant garden. These three patterns will bounce off each other, adding lots of interest to your styling. I love to use colours that communicate with the seasons, so in spring and summer, an addition of duck-egg blues and eucalyptus greens brings a new fresh feeling to the existing neutral base of layered linen in warm shades of white.
Comfortable outdoor living that you can spend hours reclining in is key to a Country Hamptons home. The verandah wouldn’t be complete without a tapestry of flora arranged in vintage vases or topiary in terracotta pots. I love to use an array of rattan chairs and sofas in plump outdoor-friendly fabrics, clustered together for entertaining and sweet conversations. My number-one rule: “bring the outside in” is reversed here as the soft blues and fresh greens of the interior palette make their way outside into the soft furnishings.
This article originally appeared in Hamptons Living #1
