The Complete Hamptons Style Interior Design Guide for 2023

It’s no surprise that the timeless, relaxed, and coastal style of the Hamptons is experiencing a huge resurgence in 2023. The style itself has been around for a long time, but after the trending term 'coastal grandmother' traipsed through social media, a new generation of homemakers began looking for timeless ways to turn their spaces into something that could belong on the Atlantic coast.

This Hamptons style room features light and bright furniture and décor, with a blue and white striped roll armchair as the main focus to contrast the off-white walls and light wooden floors. A white sideboard displays multiple wicker baskets through exposed doors. A stack of neutral books, a photo frame, an indoor plant and a piece of coral help tie the room together.

With the help of Artiss, you won’t have to rely on an interior designer to create the perfect Hamptons space, simply follow our style guide and you’ll be well on your way to a home with the perfect mix of beachy and luxurious interiors in no time.

What is Hamptons Style Interior Design?

There are few interior design styles that emit the feeling of a day by the beach. Full of muted tones that mimic the ocean, the Hamptons style will often feature a sand-coloured couch dressed with splashes of ocean-blue throw pillows, light hardwood floors and a bevy of seashells delicately placed on a timeless coffee table. In your mind, you could be sitting by the beach, but in reality, you are tucked away in your home.

Think airy rooms with exposed beam ceilings painted in a luxurious white, light timber flooring and navy and grey accents to warm up the room with just a touch of sophistication. They will more often than not feature classic staircases, wooden balusters painted white with accents of black handrails, and white panelled walls to add some depth to the signature style.

This image displays a mostly-white staircase against beige walls and an ocean-blue floor-to-ceiling curtains. The side of the staircase features multiple storage cupboards, the dark wooden steps and handrail contrasted with the white balustrades. Gold wall sconces and detailed wall trimmings feature to bring different textures to the room.

The origins of the Hamptons style

The Hamptons style originated in the early 1600s when American settlers arrived in the Long Island area on America’s east coast. They built classic beach houses that were sure to endure the salt, wind and sand. The townships, coined the Hamptons in 1879, were mostly inhabited by the upper class and slowly transitioned from modest beach shacks to the luxury homes of the 21st century.

As the coastal town became a popular holiday destination for celebrities and wealthy families alike, the Hamptons-style home began to trickle into modern interiors and furniture.

The style became increasingly popular due to its use in pop culture. Nancy Meyer’s cult classic movies Something’s Gotta Give and It’s Complicated had interior designers everywhere in high demand to replicate the sophisticated elegance of the movie sets.

On the left is an image of a living room with white walls and couches contrasted by a blue and white striped rug. Accents of dark wood side tables feature, as well as multiple lamps and soft furnishings. On the right is an outdoor setting with a pool. Two white umbrellas cover four lounge chairs with blue and white striped cushions. Both images are set designs from Nancy Meyer's 2003 film Something's Gotta Give.

Now, we are seeing a shift towards interiors with an abundance of layers of fabrics, textures and complementing colour palettes. The Hamptons style is the perfect embodiment of comfort and luxury, and the neutral colour palette paired with its timelessness is why it is still so popular today.

What are the Key Characteristics of Hamptons Styling?

Neutral colour palette

Hamptons furniture uses a colour palette that emits feelings of calm while also remaining timeless. The purpose of this style is to replicate the beach, so neutral colours like white, muted greens, yellows, and a variety of blues from light to navy are all typical to Hamptons-inspired homes and furnishings.

The Artiss Cayes dining chairs are the perfect way to bring the Hamptons style into your dining room, with light wooden legs to contrast charcoal fabric upholstery. The button details pay homage to the signature Hamptons style of relaxed elegance.

Off-white colours are also extremely popular, as well as different shades of grey that help to keep the décor looking classic. These dining chairs are a great example of combining the classic charcoal grey of Hamptons interiors with the natural wooden legs to suit the relaxed style.

Natural materials and soft furnishings

The whole idea behind Hamptons style furniture and interiors is that it features natural materials to create layered textures and mimic how the style of house was originally built. You’ll want to look for natural fabrics like linen, timber, cotton, leather, and stone.

This relaxed living room is the perfect mix of natural elements that is signature to Hamptons styling. Two cream couches with blue throw pillows sit opposite a round wicker coffee table that displays flowers in a vase. A large rug breaks up the light timber flooring, and blue curtains soften the beige shiplap walls to tie the room together.

Armchairs and couches with the added texture and style of button studs are the perfect addition to your Hamptons living room. Add a few cushions to bring in a pop of blue or green and balance block colours out with stripes or other designs, check out our blog post on How to Mix and Match Throw Pillows For Your Sofa.

Open floor plan

Open-plan living is a big part of the lifestyle of the Hamptons – a relaxed home where living, kitchen, dining, and outdoor spaces are combined. Entertaining guests is easy with a kitchen overlooking the dining area and living spaces, and open floor plans help to get that spacious feeling while still maintaining the intimate setting of a relaxed home.

Plenty of light

One of the key features of the Hamptons home is the amount of light. Initially inspired by a group of homes by the beach, your interior should emulate the same sun-drenched feeling of your favourite holiday home.

Along with plenty of natural light, it is equally important that you choose furniture that makes the space feel light. White paint and mirrors will help to reflect the light, as well as light flooring to mimic the sandy beaches of the Atlantic coast.

Big windows

Classic Hamptons style homes like to blur the lines between indoor and outdoor – the whole idea being that you feel like you could be sitting on the beach while still in your living room. They will either feature large windows to look out on a view or include something like servery windows so you can conveniently entertain directly from the kitchen to your outdoor space.

The Artiss blockout curtains in beige are perfect to give the illusion of large windows so your space can appear bigger. Adding these floor-to-ceiling curtains is a cost-effective way to add soft furnishings to any space to achieve the Hamptons style.

If your home wasn’t built with the traditional Hamptons-style windows – no worries! Adding floor-to-ceiling curtains in a soft beige will give the illusion of big windows and high ceilings, making your space feel bigger than it actually is, and is a much more affordable option than renovating. You can even use wall lights or sconces to seamlessly carry light through your home and add the touch of sophistication that is a keystone to Hamptons interior design.

Timber flooring

Flooring is one of the main components that can help transform a space and create the foundations for a warm and inviting space that is typical to Hamptons homes. Light-toned woods are the most popular to capture the sun-bleached, coastal vibe, however, darker woods also work to add a touch of sophistication.

Adding a rug to your living area is the perfect way to relax your space and add a splash of the signature Hamptons blue to the room.

How to Furnish a Hamptons Style Interior

You’ll want to start with the big ticket items when styling your interior, so choose things like couches, a bed frame or bed head, and a dining table with accompanying chairs. Stick to neutral colours when it comes to these items to make them easier to match with your other furnishings- it’s much cheaper to update your throw pillows compared to buying a whole new couch. Think of this as the foundation of your interiors, and from there you can easily add the finishing touches of other furniture and décor.

Start to add colours and other statement pieces to your home. Think blue or natural-toned rugs like sisal rugs, throw cushions, blankets and bedspreads to add plenty of soft furnishings. You can even paint a statement wall in the signature Hamptons blue or grey to compliment the space.

This living room shows a modern take on the classic Hamptons style, the linen-covered off-white couch perfect for lounging is decorated with a variety of neutral throw pillows. Wicker baskets and sea-inspired decorations are displayed in built-in shelves. Wicker and cane furniture is displayed to keep with the coastal style of the Hamptons.

Fill the space with a classic bedside table and a beige ottoman to get the perfect mix of opulence with that rustic feel while also adding extra storage in a dynamic way. Once you’ve chosen your furnishings, you can start to decorate your space with Hamptons style knick knacks. Vases, floral patterned bowls, coffee table books, wall hangings and a variety of table lamps will help complement your furniture.

You don’t want things to look cluttered, so keep clean lines when displaying the decorations and you’ll capture the perfect Hamptons feel and have your dream home in no time.

FAQs

Is Hamptons furniture always white?

While Hamptons furniture features predominately white and off-white colour palettes, it is not the only colour choice. Hamptons style interiors also feature neutral tones like grey, beige and gentle blues. Modern styles are likely to have accents of black or copper to achieve a more sophisticated look, so you can decorate your space with a variety of neutral-toned colours.

What is the difference between Hamptons and coastal interior style?

The main difference between the two is that Hamptons style interiors focus on elegant and timeless styling and the classic look of the Hamptons with a touch of luxury. Coastal interiors are more raw and relaxed, featuring natural textures like rattan and less luxury-style items. Compared to Hampton's style steel grey and navy blue colour accents, coastal style interiors feature a lighter colour palette. Both styles encapsulate the relaxed nature and the neutral tones of the beach.

Is Hamptons style going out of fashion?

The Hamptons style is still extremely popular in the Australian interiors landscape, and it isn’t going anywhere anytime soon. Hamptons interior trends continue to be updated each year to keep up with the changing trends, and we have started to see a more modern take on the traditional décor in recent years. The timeless nature of Hamptons style makes it the ideal choice for anyone looking to furnish their home, it merges the idea of a holiday home with a touch of luxury and continues to be one of the most popular interior styles of the 21st century.