Before we drift away dreaming of how to create our own Hamptons respite, let me share with you how and where the enviable style began.
East and South Hampton are two of the oldest towns in the USA, founded in 1648. They began to grow rapidly when the rail line linked commuters from New York to the beachside towns for summer vacations. Historically, the towns began as a tiny English settlement, developing into an expanding international resort in the 20th century, which we now know as the Hamptons. Its namesake was bestowed by the British
in honour of England’s southern port city, Southampton.
Locating the Hamptons on a map is easy — a group of towns all closely situated on the southwestern end of Long Island’s South Fork. A cruisy three-hour drive from bustling Manhattan, New York, or a mere 45-minute flight via seaplane will land you in this coastal paradise. Alternatively, you can channel your favourite Sex And The City character and catch a jitney bus from New York. It is easy to drive from one side of the Fork to the other in only a few hours, however make sure you take your time to appreciate the beauty of the Disney-like locations, and you’re likely to see Bambi greet you as you drive by.
During my 2017 trip to the Hamptons, I had the wonderful opportunity to meet New York architect Gary Lawrance, author of Houses of the Hamptons 1880-1930. In his book, Gary explains that from 1880 to 1930, the original stunning summer homes were anything but … they were isolated farming and fishing settlements on the outskirts of town. The townships were home to working-class farmers, built with humble materials, but their design was influenced by Georgian- and English-style manors as well as Tudor-style homes, all white and constructed to withstand the rugged location. You can spot these architectural influences in some heritage buildings that still stand, with the roof structure being a dead giveaway, and classic Dutch-inspired windmills still dotted around the area. It wasn’t until the early 1960s that the simpler shingled cottages would be transformed into elaborate mansions.
On tour, Gary explores the streets and history behind most closed doors. What strikes me is that a home built in the early 1900s has the same beauty and appeal as one built in recent times. The biggest differences between them are the kitchens — formally hidden from the home itself for staff quarters, they too now embrace Shaker-style-profile door fronts, with kitchen island benches in marbled Carrara wooing the ceramic butler’s sink. The rooms are somewhat smaller in stature and heavily detailed in darker-toned woods. The furnishings are in hues of blue and white with rolled-arm sofas and oil paintings in embossed gilded frames. These rooms could be mistaken to be an older version of their newer counterparts even to this day; the classic style will always stand the test of time.
To be the proud owner of one of these homes will set you back US$10million (roughly AU$14.5 million) to north of a colossal US$100million (about AU$145 million). These mansions sit upon expansive acreage on arguably one of the most notable streets in the world. They are truly one-of-a-kind homes with no expenses spared — each complete with a movie theatre and bowling alley, an Olympic-sized pool with a pool house, tennis court and additional housing on the estate. Encasing the beaches with no fences — or with a dock if it is a bay-frontage property — they are a rarefied offering, and the prices reflect that. When we refer to the “I’ve made it” home, this is it.
This article originally appeared in Hamptons Living #1