We’re a long way from the traditional home of the Hamptons on Long Island, but that hasn’t stopped builders and architects from co-opting the style into a unique Australian variation. Here’s why so many people love the Australian Hamptons look.

“This home in Fremantle, WA started as a single-storey bungalow and had an upper-storey addition and Hamptons makeover. I call this Australian Hamptons because of the corrugated iron roof, small Dutch gable and the verandah. Hamptons is about the details and this house has rafter tails, small pane windows and is styled with Adirondack chairs.”

The Hamptons home that we conjure in our minds today is quite far removed from the original buildings on the United States’ east coast.

“Grounded in the colonial style, the old Hamptons houses were designed around what materials were available back in the day,” says Christian Hansen, Product Marketing Manager at James Hardie.

“They started as little farmlet houses on the coast, in wooded areas so they used shingles for the cladding. But then there was a big shift where these quaint little homes transformed into the beach houses of New York’s rich and famous.”

More recently, this opulent style has been embraced by Australian designers and homeowners who want to bring all the glamour of the Hamptons down under.

“We have different materials and different weather conditions, so the Australian Hamptons style is a bit more down to earth. It’s become quite an affordable style because we do things they wouldn’t do in the actual Hamptons – corrugated-iron roofs and weatherboard, typically fibre-cement products like Linea cladding, rather than shingles to create that uniform horizontal look. It’s a luxe style that often borders on contemporary.”

“A beautiful example of a volume builder house in Monterey, NSW. It has some nice gables, it’s a fairly standard grey and it’s not overly detailed. The dark gutters are a contemporary way of pencil-lining the shape of the house, while a welcoming verandah and Adirondack chairs welcome you inside. The front door and entry feels quite opulent. First impressions last.”

The appeal of an Australian Hamptons home is obvious as soon as you set your eyes upon it.

“Starting at the street, a Hamptons house should make you feel like you're on holiday every day,” Christian says. “Other modern houses with a big wall up the front might make it feel like a compound protecting the occupants from the evils of the outside world. In contrast, the Hamptons is immediately welcoming. You've probably got a picket fence and varying levels of detail. Maybe you walk through an arbour built over the gate, with Adirondack chairs set on the front verandah, as if to say: ‘This house is for people. Relax and hang out.’ We're all for that summer-holiday and coastal vibe.”

There’s also a focus on details upon details, and typically an indoor-outdoor flow where families and friends can connect and be entertained.

“The Hamptons is an opulent lifestyle and the home reflects this,” Christian says.

With James Hardie seeing a significant number of new-home builds and renovations in the style of Australian Hamptons, Christian says it’s important for builders to differentiate their projects so they don’t fall into the cookie-cutter Hamptons look.

“People are starting to copy the same mid-grey, neutral tones on weatherboards and making the same window choices. Whoever makes those square and round gable vents has probably seen their sales increase 400% over the last couple of years because everyone is putting those features in.

“So the people who really want their Australian Hamptons house to feel special have to try a bit harder. Architectural features like cupola roofs or the little vents at the peak of the gable are expensive features, but they really make your home a bit more special than everyone else’s.”

Christian adds that there’s also growing interest in adapting the look with more modern traits.

“For a modern take on the Hamptons look you might have bolder gables but the fiddly details are pared back. Or instead of the standard neutral weatherboard and the contrasting white trims, it might be white on white so there's more emphasis on the form. Or you might even flip it on its head with dark cladding that’s super-modern against a drastic contrast of white trim.”

Whatever the finished product looks like, there’s no denying that the Australian Hamptons style is here to stay.