What’s the Difference Between Coastal and Hamptons Home Designs

The luxury of beach-living- all year round

If you ask most Australians to describe their dream home, you’d expect to hear features like: open space, natural light and a relaxing atmosphere.

It’s no surprise then that styles like Hamptons and Coastal are some of the leading aspirations for countless Australians. In fact, these beach-inspired homes are the top home preference for almost 30% of the country.

Although easily confused, Hamptons and Coastal styles actually offer different approaches to the ocean-inspired look through the use of colour, texture and space. Both styles are a favourite source of inspiration for G.J. Gardner Homes for their bright, light and airy feel that transforms where you live into an idyllic retreat.

What is Hamptons home design?

The popularity of Hamptons-inspired homes has been on the incline for years. And today this love spans generations as Hamptons-living recently went viral on Social Media with even Generation Z fawning over its charm.

Australia’s climate and relaxed beach-loving culture is a perfect match for the Hamptons style, with the added twist of luxury. This look is defined by classic and elevated details and a rustic charm both inside and outside the home. As a popular inspiration for our G.J. Gardner Homes designs, here are the three staples of the Hamptons home.

The famous façade

Hamptons homes can be recognised by their weatherboard exterior and overstretching arbours that greet guests at the front door. Along with a shingle roof for that classic pitched look, Hamptons homes are known to be sprawling in size, and suit either single or double storey. Usually painted white, navy or grey, the Hamptons façade is the first introduction to this clean and classic home.

Dark accents

Both inside and outside, you’ll find the use of cool hues like cobalt navy, french grey or duck-egg blue contrasted with a bright white. This crisp colour combination provides Hamptons homes with an always refreshed and chic look. The neutral white perfectly grounds the home’s colours to let the accent colour energise the space

Shaker style & clean lines

If you’ve ever wondered how to create a Hamptons inspired-home, you have likely heard that shaker style cabinetry and kitchens are a must-have. But what is shaker style? It’s actually been in our kitchens for centuries and is defined by its clean line bordering. From kitchens, to wall paneling and pillars, shaker style uses recessed panels to frame and border whatever the feature might be. Best compared to maybe a picture frame.

This iconic Hamptons feature provides the space with plenty of clean and sleek lines to give off an elevated effect.

What is Coastal Home design instead?

When comparing Coastal homes to the Hamptons style, it would be easy to say it’s just the West Coast Californian sibling. Australian coastal design has been impacted by many influences from abroad and at-home with the likes of surf culture, beach shacks and even Mediterranean escapes

Today, G.J. Gardner Homes’ take on Coastal Homes marries these influences to craft the perfect relaxed, beach-inspired and casual home style. Still relying on that fresh white colour palette, coastal homes take a different route. They let you bring the joys of beachbound holidays home and into your everyday life. So what are our three favourite features of coastal homes?

Natural organic texture

When compared to Hamptons style, coastal has a little less navy check and a lot more rattan detailing. Coastal offers a different take on luxury, drawing from the organic materials you might find in a tropical resort like timbers, straws and even clay adobe. These sources of texture bring a warmth and softness to the home that not only contrasts against the dominant white colour but also provides depth.

Light and bright

Natural light and airy spaces are a shared feature for both Hamptons style and Coastal style homes. However, the minimalism of Coastal homes relies on open-plan living spaces that only enhance the natural light. Generously sized windows let sunshine wash over living rooms and beyond and the fewer walls even let you enjoy natural airflow.

Simplified styles

Our Coastal Homes incorporate minimalist features to provide that ultimate calming effect. From waterfall benchtops and concealed cabinets to classic wood-look flooring, the modern Coastal design is known for its perfect combination of comfort and chic. Where Hamptons homes opt for pattern and even a touch of opulence in its styling, for Coastal homes, less is always more.

Get in touch

If you have fallen for the beauty of these beach-inspired home designs, get in touch with our friendly G.J. Gardner Homes team. Whether it’s Hamptons or Coastal, or even maybe a bit of both, G.J. Gardner Homes’ expert designers can make your dream home a reality.