It’s an all-time favourite style. The Hamptons kitchen is loved for its beachy, relaxed holiday home vibe. And it is refined and elegant at the same time. It’s been reinvented over the years – from the traditional kitchen 20 years ago to the sleeker contemporary look of today. In this post, we will show you how to get the look of a high-end, contemporary kitchen for a mid-range budget.
The key to the contemporary Hampton is to stick to some of the principles of the style, but pare back the embellishments. Here is Josh and Elyse’s Kitchen from the Block.
What defines a Hamptons kitchen?
Large, airy and drowning in natural light. The kitchen cabinetry has a distinctive joinery trim on the door. But before we get into the detail of how to get the look – Is a Hamptons style home the right choice for your kitchen?
Here are some questions to ask:
- Does the style fit into the architecture of your home? It does not have to be a period home. Perhaps you already have cupboards throughout the house in this style. It is perfect for traditional homes with a modern extension, or in homes with a contemporary architecture.
- Does the kitchen open into a garden or backyard which will allow natural light to flood in? A white Hamptons kitchen, for instance, really glows in daylight.
- Is it an open plan kitchen? If yes, will the Hamptons style fit into the décor of the living areas? If your furniture is Scandinavian, retro modern or eclectic – it’s going to fit in very nicely.
If the answer to these questions is yes, a Hampton style kitchen is the right choice for you. And to keep it contemporary is really quite easy. Here are a couple of kitchen designs from a San Francisco based design firm, Green Couch that are exemplary.
Image credit: https://www.jeffschlarb.com/greenwich-street/
Here’s how you can achieve a similar look for your kitchen:
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Choosing the right handles
This is important because the type of handle you choose will influence whether it looks modern or traditional. You could use the sleek modern handles or more ornate ones (e. claw-shaped) depending on the look you are after. The sleek handles will give you a balance between detail and clean lines, which is the hallmark of the contemporary version.
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Pair it with the right splashback
Two stand-out finishes for a Hamptons kitchen are tiles or glass. Also, there is a range of new materials available that look like natural stone, but are purpose designed as splashbacks. They are more reasonably priced and will mean less maintenance in future. Our designers at Zesta will be able to walk you through your options.
A tiled splashback works well in a Hampton kitchen. Avoid patterned tiles, because they will have the opposite impact to what you’re trying to achieve. Stick to white or a subtle pastel. New York subway tiles would be a great choice. Marble tiles in a herringbone setting also work really well.
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Buy sleek appliances in steel or black
Sleek appliances – slate grey, silver or solid black are all options that make a great colour board and are a good fit that will add modernity to the Hampton style. Keep the sink and tapware within these boundaries too. What to avoid? Retro. There is a great range of retro appliances that work well with other styles, but unless you are doing an older style Hampton’s kitchen, its best to steer clear.
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Add ultra-modern accents and furniture
It pays to sweat the small stuff. The lighting or bar stools you choose could either result in a perfectly executed modern Hamptons design or take you in a different direction. Choose striking but simple design that will highlight your kitchen not draw attention away from it.
Image credit: http://ourhamptonstyleforeverhome.blogspot.com.au/
If you are planning on buying a new kitchen the good news is that a Hampton’s kitchen can look very upscale and trendy without blowing out your budget. If you remember you are looking for elegant simplicity without ornate trims, you won’t go wrong.
Our designers at Zesta have done hundreds of sophisticated Hampton kitchens without the hefty price tag, so walk into one of our Kitchens showrooms or call to book a free in-home design consultation and we will show you how it’s done.