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How to get the Hamptons look: Intrim answer your top questions

Intrim Mouldings by Front Porch Properties
Intrim Mouldings by Front Porch Properties

Sponsored by Intrim

Regular readers may have seen the Instagram Live we hosted for Intrim, alongside interior designer and Hamptons design queen Natalee Bowen of Indah Island recently. A fabulous and informative chat (you can check it out here if you missed it), we discussed how to get the Hamptons look in your home, and how Intrim mouldings can help you do so. With so many reader questions, we thought we’d bring you the top 10 questions and a series of expert Intrim answers.

Also read to the end for details of how you could win a design consultation with Natalee.

Intrim Mouldings by Front Porch Properties
Intrim Mouldings by Front Porch Properties

Are decorative large skirtings & architraves expensive?
The height and thickness of the profile, what material it is made from (ie. FJ Pine or MDF) and whether it is primed or unprimed will determine the cost. If you consider that the install cost for skirting and architraves will be roughly the same for smaller and taller skirting, the key difference is the timber itself.

For the visual impact it provides, it’s one of the highest return on your investments for a reno. It’s also often overlooked. You can get a tall decorative skirting on a thinner profile and save a heap but still create big impact. You can easily work out a figure for budgeting for your project by downloading the price list from the Intrim website.

How do I work out how much material I need? 
For skirting, measure around your floors, room by room. Start from left to right, work around the room and remember each length is 5.4 metres so calculate how many lengths you need. We recommend allowing an extra 10% for skirting. For your architraves, measure around all four sides of the windows, and three sides of the doorways. Add 20% scrap for architraves.

Intrim Mouldings by Front Porch Properties
Intrim Mouldings used by Front Porch Properties

How do I see samples or a showroom? 
We have displays in Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane. Check with Covid restrictions, however you can also order up to four samples for free from our website. They really help when creating a vision board.

I don’t know where to start? Who can help me?
We always recommend browsing through the project galleries on the Intrim website or visiting our Pinterest boards for inspiration. When you have an idea of the style, but you are after help in selecting your profiles, you can filter on the website by style and size. After you’ve shortlisted a few options you can then order samples online. Another option is to book a design consultation, where you can have a virtual consultation with a product expert from Intrim to help you.

Do you do site visits or in-home consultations?
If you want someone in your home to help you work out your requirements then it’s best to talk to a builder or carpenter. If you need help for a design consultation then jump online to request a virtual consultation.

Intrim Mouldings by Indah Island
Intrim Mouldings used by Indah Island

I want to match the profile I already have? 
Profile matching is absolutely available so you can stay true to the heritage of your home. The best way to do that is contact the Intrim team to assist you to custom make this for you. Additional lead time is required.

Can I just pick up the stock when I need it?
With such a huge range of options and designs, timber mouldings are not an off-the-shelf item, except for the most basic profile stock in your local hardware store. That’s why everything is made to order, so depending on where you are located you need to allow four-to-six days production time plus freight to your location.

Intrim Mouldings by Indah Island
Intrim Mouldings used by Indah Island

How do I work out how to do the wainscoting panelling?
This will depend on the style you are after. Once you have decided whether you want lower third or full height, with or without a chair rail and your profile style, you can work out how many panels you need. A general rule of thumb is to keep all the spacings equal between the panels above and below to create the symmetry. A panel shouldn’t be more than a metre wide.

Can I put VJ panelling in the bathroom?
Intrim’s VJ Board Pro, is an MDF material and isn’t suitable for bathrooms or wet areas. Some VJ products can be used in a bathroom, but you need to ensure it is a specifically rated for wet area use, as many are not. You can however use FJ Pine products in bathrooms – Intrim lining boards are ideal to get the VJ look in a bathroom (our very own Jen did this). You can also do wainscoting in bathrooms (just not in the shower), and it looks fantastic in Hamptons homes.

Curves and arches are really in at the moment, how do you get an architrave or skirting board curved?
Arches are custom made to your sizes in the matching profile for the rest of your architraves. Skirting boards on curved walls can also be made to match exactly with a more flexible material that, when painted, looks identical to the straight FJ pine timber skirting. 

Is a coffered ceiling a must for a Hamptons home?

Hamptons style is all about the layers, and adding a coffered ceiling works perfectly for Hamptons style layered with wainscoting and large architraves and skirtings. Coffered ceilings are definitely not a DIY job, so speak with your builder to achieve this look.

Intrim Mouldings by Front Porch Properties
Intrim Mouldings used by Front Porch Properties

Enter our competition to win a virtual design consultation with Natalee Bowen and download your free guide to choosing timber mouldings

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Designers House Tours

Family farmhouse in WA transformed into Hamptons estate

In Toodyay, WA, a small 1860’s farmhouse has been transformed into an Australian Hamptons mansion sprawling over 1,000sqm. Now known as ‘The Farm Estate’ the property, which has been in the Bowen family for five generations, has been reimagined by award-winning designer Natalee Bowen.

“The Australian Hamptons look is uniquely our own, standing apart from the American original,” says Natalee, who is somewhat of an expert and a longterm fan of the aesthetic. “It combines the original tenants of timeless style that evoke the surrounds and a love of entertaining, with Australian hues and classic weatherboard. We wanted to embody those ideas in The Farm Estate by continuing the legacy of the traditional home, while exploring that of the Hamptons style.”

Natalee says while The Hamptons has become synonymous with celebrity and extravagance, this fairly recent incarnation of the look appeared in the last 20-to-30 years when Manhattan’s high society developed the coastline by emulating farm houses seen further inland. “This design origin makes it surprisingly easy to place in rural WA.”

Upon first look it’s easy to see the grandeur of the Hamptons style thanks to the addition of two wings and a refined roofline accented with gables. At the same time an extensive veranda, corrugated iron roof and a full Linea Weatherboard wrap, tie the home to the classic Queenslander style.

“Nothing typifies traditional Aussie home design quite like weatherboard. This offers an element of texture with simple shadow lines and an air of craftsmanship,” Natalee says. “In America, they use shingles which are staggered to create a more complex pattern and over time, fade to light grey in the sun giving a home a sense of timeless charm.

“Traditionally, this would require timber which is relatively high maintenance in the long run. Thankfully, there are modern alternatives like Linea Weatherboard, which is made from thick boards of premium fibre cement that create deep, defined shadow lines. They are also resistant to warping, flaking and damage from moisture and fire, so they hold the look longer.”

In most cases, the palette of a Hamptons home is defined the coast, but in rural WA, a new approach had to be taken: “Hamptons is built on sun, sea and sand, so we turned to our surrounds. We tested different white and grey paints for two weeks before settling on Dulux’s Milton Moon and Lexicon quarter strength.” She adds: “Greys in particular can be very reflective so went with a tone that would contrast against the white without overpowering the façade. Grey with white details is a very traditional Hamptons look that won’t date.”

Natalee says you should never rush when choosing paint colours. “Think long term, as it is a big investment that you’ll have to live with or make costly changes.”

Moving inside, the detailed craftsmanship of the facade is continued with James Hardie’s Axon cladding in the veranda’s soffits. This vertical groove look is mirrored within, through Hardie Groove lined ceilings. “Texture is key to any Hamptons home and consistency is a universal rule of modern Australian design,” Natalee continues.

Natalee likes to design from the inside out, so she had her sofas and kitchen planned well before the structure. Additions such as Akubra hats next to blue and white ginger jars pay homage to generations of Bowens and Natalee’s love of Hamptons. In the kitchen, cabinets have been given a twist with a navy finish, part of a unique colour palette that also reflects the surrounds.

“We’ve injected the home with an Aussie feel through colour,” Natalee adds. “Downstairs we’ve used richer caramels and softer blues to mirror the wheat fields and sky outside. Upstairs, muted greens emulate the beautiful native treetops. It’s the best way to honour both looks.”

Additionally, HardieGroove panelling features in the bathrooms and master bedroom as a new take on the traditional square panel and dado rail wainscoting. This in turn continues the textured detailing through from the front to the back of the home.

“No Hamptons home is complete without an indoor-outdoor entertaining space, which ties perfectly into the Australian lifestyle,” says Natalee. “We wanted to create something with a wow factor and have six seating areas in the gardens and under the veranda, which is lined with Axon cladding to cope with extremes in weather conditions.”

The Australian rural environment is worlds apart from the Hamptons coastline, so it’s important to build accordingly. “In addition to insulation, we chose premium fibre cement products and a TrueCore frame for their fire-resistant qualities as a blaze ripped through the original home in 2008,” Natalee adds.

By combining the timeless charm of New York State’s quaint farm lets and extravagant coastline properties, with the natural beauty of rural WA’s wheat fields, Natalee’s latest renovation has created an Australian Hamptons legacy all its own.

Natalee Bowen is an ambassador for James Hardie

Spotlight on Natalee Bowen of Indah Island | Six must-have features of a Hamptons style home | Hamptons style 101

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Design Designers Interviews Styling

Six must-have features for a Hamptons style home

Intrim mouldings

Sponsored by: Intrim Mouldings

There’s no denying the enduring appeal of the Hamptons aesthetic. And with more and more people falling under its fresh white spell, we caught up with Hamptons expert and interior designer Natalee Bowen of Indah Island, to talk us through how to get the look.

Intrim mouldings
All mouldings are from Intrim

Mouldings
“Skirting boards, mouldings and architraves around your doors and windows are key to the Hamptons look. Panelled detail such as wainscoting and shiplap are great feature mouldings too,” says Natalee who doesn’t believe these features can be overused. “I find that people will do their whole home if their budget allows but if not they’ll just insert interior mouldings in specific areas such as the entrance or main living areas.”

Intrim mouldings
All mouldings are from Intrim

“We’ve just got back from revealing Deborah Hutton’s newly renovated home for Open Homes Australia. The mouldings and architraves are all from Intrim and they look amazing,” says Natalee.

Cabinetry
From the kitchen to the bathroom, laundry, fireplace and built-in bookshelves, Hamptons style cabinetry is key to the look. “Think Shaker-style front door details with corresponding handles. Drawer pulls should be half-moon shaped and door hardware is usually a simple knob,” says Natalee. As for finishes, it’s generally chrome or black but we’re seeing a bit more brass and polished nickel lately for that more modern take.”

Half-moon drawer pulls are hallmarks of the Hamptons aesthetic
Half-moon drawer pulls are hallmarks of the Hamptons aesthetic

Colours
“When it comes to colourways, we’re looking for very light, bright and neutral tones that allow the moulding to shine. All the moulding details (architraves, skirtings, ceiling, window trim) should be white to make them pop and bring out detail,” says Natalee who recommends pairing the bright white with very subtle neutral colours. “The complementary paint colours shouldn’t be too dark but should just feature a tint of grey or a tint of taupe. I’m a fan of Dulux Beige Royal, Hogs Bristle and Grand Piano but all in quarter strength.”

Styling
From natural linens to jute rugs and plenty of American Oak timber, Natalee says that layering is vital to the aesthetic. “Think layer upon layer upon layer like a Sara-Lee cake. Blue and white cushions, pops of black and white, floorboards are always American Oak or stained chocolate. Then finish the look with greenery including orchids and palms,” says Natalee who favours the styled vignette too. “Create little vignettes throughout the home – style with items you love and things you have collected on your travels.”

Hamptons styling
Hamptons styling usually features lots of linen, American Oak and often an accent colour of blue

Lighting
Whether hung over the kitchen island bench, dining table or even used in a formal lounge, staircase, bedroom or bathroom, pendant lights are important for in achieving the Hamptons aesthetic. “I love a chandelier in a bathrooms and wall sconces in entrances and bathrooms are a great look too,” says Natalee who says the finish should complement the rest of the home. “Whether you choose chrome, black or brass depends on the other colourways throughout the house. For example, if you’ve got brass taps and handles in the kitchen then you’d go gold over your kitchen island.”

Pendant lights
These pendant lights finish the space

Exterior trims
“Obviously exterior trims are important too. From weatherboard to cladding, mouldings and architraves you should make sure that all external trims are neutral in colour with white the best choice,” says Natalee who has noticed a navy trend popping up of late also. “We’re just completing a home with navy as the main external colour and the trims are all painted white. It’s perfect for those heavily coastal themed homes.”

For more on Intrim Mouldings

A Hamptons-style family home

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Designers Interviews

SPOTLIGHT ON: Natalee Bowen of Indah Island

Natalee Bowen at home

Natalee Bowen at home
Natalee Bowen at home

Where you studied and what: Interior design at TAFE as that was all we had back then.

When you started your business and how: My dad was a builder so I grew up in the industry. I was always on sites for as long as I can remember, collecting bits and pieces and creating rooms as young as 13! After studying 20 years ago, I started off as a visual merchandiser but interior design became my true passion. Ultimately we got our building licence to renovate and build so now we have a turn key business that creates the look and design from start to finish including styling and furniture – the complete vision for clients.

The best business advice you ever received: Don’t compare your business to any one else. Be an individual, go with your gut and have a grand plan! You need to be able to foresee your end goal and put the steps in place to create your dream business.

Size of team: We have three people including myself on the front line, plus a tribe of trades.

Your proudest achievement so far: Having my children say that they want to be just like me when they grow up! They see how hard I work and then see the magazines, TV shows and the opportunities it creates. It’s very cute when they want to be around when we are filming. They see that hard work pays off.

Natalee Bowen sitting area

When did you realise you’d made it? I think you always strive to become better at your craft. I don’t think you every really ‘make it’ as such, however it is lovely to be recognised with new clients saying that they saw our work in a magazine or a home they loved on a TV show. Also, the feeling when a client walks into their new home and they burst into tears of joy, you know you have made it!

Best investment you’ve ever made in your business: My husband. He takes care of all the paperwork, accounting and is a fantastic sounding board for me. He is way more logical and analytical than me so with my creativity and his business knowledge, it works well.

What do you outsource? We have fantastic trades that we call on to do some of our build works. We have an upholstery team for soft furnishings and craftsmen to customise pieces if we cant find them.

Biggest challenge in running a business: Time! I’m a hands-on control freak so this takes time and energy. Clients rely on me and when they are spending their hard earned money on creating their dream home I won’t allow anyone else to make decisions. I have a studio but also work from home so it’s not a normal 9-to-5 job!

Favourite project of all time: My own home as I had free rein to do what I do with all the bells and whistles, including furniture and styling. Having access to so much, it allowed me to really go to town and show my style.

Natalee Bowen bedroom

Whose work inspires you? I love a lot of American designers as our style is the Hamptons style. People like India Hicks, Victoria Hagan, Suzan Kesler, Mark Dsikes and Bunny Williams are all fabulous!

Describe your own home: I live in a classic Hamptons style home. We did a huge renovation using Scyon Walls cladding to create the weatherboard look. It has a very indoor/outdoor feel and is comfortable and very layered. People don’t know where to look when they come to our home as there are so many beautiful pieces, vignettes and pieces to see. I find them forever looking around to try to take it all in!

Natalee at home
Natalee at home

Your advice for would-be designers/stylists: I think you need to get experience in the craft by learning the basics – colour, design, fabrics and products. Social skills are important too because you find that a lot of the time you become a psychologist, counsellor and friend. A strong work ethic is important too.

What you’re working on at the moment: We are filming our second series of Ready Set Reno for Channel 9. We have two homes and our farmhouse project which is massive! I am also helping Deborah Hutton with her new home in Sydney and am the interior designer on the new Open Homes Australia – the first series was a huge success so we are now filming our second.

We also have a lot of clients across Australia doing builds and renovations. Plus, I’m an ambassador for Scyon Walls where I share my experiences as to how to create the Hamptons look.

Natalee Bowen kitchen

Do you love your job now as much as ever? I really don’t feel like this is a job! To be totally honest I get to do what I love with the people I love and create beautiful homes for clients. I get to design and create, be amongst other creatives, go on buying trips around the world to source amazing products and indulge in fine fabrics. What more could I ask for? It is an incredible thing to wake up every day and jump out of bed excited to do what you love.

FAVOURITES

  • Colour: Blue
  • Piece of furniture in your home: Chairs
  • International designer/stylist: Andre Tchelistcheff
  • White paint colour:  White on white
  • Accessory for a wow factor: Boston fern or orchid. Blue and white ginger jars and great fabric for cushions.

EITHER OR

  • Open plan or separate rooms? Open plan
  • Luxe or casual? Both mixed together
  • Neutral or colourful? Both mixed
  • Linen or cotton bedding? Linen. Once you try it you will never go back.
  • Wallpaper or paint? Wallpaper
  • Bath or shower? Both
  • Tea or coffee? Herbal tea and great coffee.

For more on Indah Island | SPOTLIGHT ON Miriam Fanning

We’d love to know who you’d like us to shine a spotlight on next! 

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Decorating 101 Expert Tips

Hamptons style 101

Fresh from my much-Instagrammed trip to the Hamptons courtesy of the lovely people at Scyon Walls, I thought I’d kick off all the info I’m going to share with you, by getting back to basics!

Bringing to mind a mix of coastal charm and sophisticated luxury, Hamptons-style home design remains a winner amongst Australian homeowners. Whether it’s the classic weatherboard look, or deep shadow lines, the Hamptons design is an inspiration for contemporary or traditional weatherboard-style homes. Unfortunately, not everyone gets it right. Here, interior designer Natalee Bowen from Indah Island describes the essential must-haves for creating a dream Hamptons-esque home.

Hamptons – just this one word conjures images of relaxed coastal living, families enjoying light and spacious living areas; and entertaining in sophisticated elegance reflective of the summer retreats of affluent New Yorkers along the Hamptons coastline. It is the attraction of this easy-going elegance and coastal charm that appeals to a growing number of Australians looking to capture this slice of paradise for their own dream home.

Despite its popularity, it can be easy to be led astray from the defining features of a Hamptons-style home. Whether it’s the high-end, antique look, the relaxed coastal charm, or the mixed classic and eclectic feel – a Hamptons-style home is not complete without the neutral colour palette, light and spacious living spaces, detailed touches in cabinetry, and the hallmark exterior look of weatherboard cladding.

THE RIGHT PALETTE

Mimicking the neutral colours of the coast is one of the defining features of a Hamptons-style home. A focus on neutral shades of whites, creams, linen tones and greys provides the foundation palette for this look, while blues in a range of tones, from duck egg to a rich navy, offer the ideal contrast.

THE MUST-HAVES For the exterior of a Hamptons-style property, the lines of the cladding take centre stage so a muted palette is best. As well as the more muted colour palette, exterior cladding colours see blue and white proving popular among those looking to carry the nautical-inspired colour scheme. Transitioning from exterior to interior, neutral tones help open spaces up and bring an instant feeling of freshness, while also providing a blank canvas for decorating.

From here, Natalee suggests adding accents of colour in the form of soft furnishings and greenery, particularly palms and orchids, and finding a colour scheme to bring the entire home together. “Find a colour scheme that flows through your home,” she says. “For example, if you love blue tones then use navy, duck egg and cobalt blue in different areas as accent colours.”

IT STARTS OUTSIDE

Synonymous with relaxed coastal living, it’s no surprise that Australian homeowners gravitate towards Hamptons-style home designs. While particular elements, such as neutral colour palettes, natural textures, internal panelling, high ceilings and traditional cabinetry all remain definitive features of a Hamptons look, nothing is more Hamptons-esque than the hallmark weatherboard exterior. Paramount to Hamptons architecture, exterior cladding provides clean, horizontal lines that instantly evoke a sense of classic, coastal charm. Given Australia’s harsh climate, traditional timber weatherboard cladding can be prone to splintering, fading, warping and collecting moisture. With the same charm as timber boards, but more durable, Scyon Linea weatherboard cladding is hard-wearing, low maintenance and resistant to damage from termites, rot, moisture and fire. It can also be gun nailed, is easy to cut like timber and seamlessly captures the Hamptons look. Perfectly complementing Scyon Linea weatherboard cladding is Scyon Axent trim – a thick and versatile edge treatment for windows. Scyon Axent trim is the finishing touch to internal and external corners, as a design enhancer at butt joints – plus Axent can be used with any James Hardie cladding and any domestic window, eliminating the need for special window orders to match different cladding.

Another hallmark of Hamptons-style design is timber decking, again, a difficult material to upkeep with Australia’s unforgiving climate –cement composite decking such as HardieDeck is the ideal alternative. Creating consistent flow between the indoors and outdoors.

While weatherboard cladding exteriors may be associated with living by the sea, it doesn’t mean it can’t be brought to life in places far from the coast. What makes Scyon Linea weatherboard cladding a popular look is its versatility in capturing resort-style luxury and easy elegance anywhere in Australia – be it the country, a leafy suburb or a family home in the hills.

LIGHT AND BREEZY LIVING

Traditionally, Hamptons homes were designed for easy living and entertaining, with interiors evoking sojourns by the sea. Recreating this look depends on two key elements – light and space. Natural light can really transform a room, so it’s worth spending time at the start of a Hamptons-inspired build or renovation to consider key ways to maximise light all-year round. Think expansive open-plan living areas with soaring raked or coffered ceilings, oversized bi-folds and large windows, to bathe indoor areas in natural light. High ceilings are the most effective way to boost natural light when paired with tall windows. To maximise light, lightweight voile curtains that drape to the floor will increase sunlight and give the illusion of height. A gabled roof will promote higher indoor ceilings and superior spatial awareness, while the lightest shade of white paint for the ceilings is the final step in maximising space within. Whether it’s a new build or renovation to create a dream home, the Hamptons-style look offers an ideal design blueprint for capturing Australia’s love affair with the outdoors while ensuring a relaxed and stylish space for entertaining family and friends.

For more about Scyon products.

Disclaimer: I was taken to the Hamptons as a guest of Scyon with other Australian homes journalists.

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Designers House Tours Interviews RENO ADDICT

Now THIS is how you do Hamptons decor in Australia!

Natalee Bowen has always been creative. At the age of 15, she started designing and selling clothes, a career she would have happily pursued if it wasn’t for her parents. “They told me they had spent way too much money on my private school education for me to just make clothes,” Natalee explains. “So they told me to go study! I couldn’t see the point in studying fashion as I was already making money from it, so the next obvious choice was to go and study interior design and I fell in love.”

A few years later, Indah Island was born. With a holistic approach to design, she works on new builds and renovations, as well as interior styling and custom furniture design. Her style is classic Hamptons with a Caribbean twist, an aesthetic that emerged after Natalee visited the US holiday destination. “Visiting the Hamptons, I realised that this was the look I had always emulated… Hamptons can be such an overused cliché in Australia, however the real look is in how you bring it all together. There are many styles within the American classic such as the glamorous Manhattan look to the traditional classic beach vibe. A mansion to a typical home can be styled with this look.”

Having designed homes across Australia, transforming her own Perth residence has been one of Natalee’s favourite projects. Adding a pool, an alfresco area, detailed balustrade work and decking, it was a chance for the designer to become the client. “It was great to experience what I put others through! It is a messy, noisy experience and it can also be a long and tedious ride but the results are amazing!”

Other career highlights include a beautiful house in a prestigious area of Perth, which she was involved in from initial design to final furnish. With the dream brief “just do what you would do if this was your home,” Natalee was on site for every breakthrough and setback. “When renovating, you start to peel away years of a home and it can reveal a load of issues. But if there weren’t dramas I would be worried; these create fast-thinking creative design ideas and great teamwork.”

It’s for this reason Natalee recommends clients have an interior designer or project consultant, as while trades read what’s on a plan, designers are paid to think outside the box. “My job is to be the advice-giver and problem-solver. You don’t want a client to be asked questions they don’t have the answers to or walk into their home and realise what they got is not what they wanted. A designer saves a lot of heartache and a lot of money in the long run.”

Now with a successful business behind her, Natalee’s biggest achievements of late have been on the silver screen. Alongside cameos on a range of interior design shows, she will star in Channel 9’s upcoming program Ready, Set, Reno. “In two episodes we are going to go through the entire renovation, up until the reveal. It will allow clients to see the process and the end result in each episode, which is fantastic.”

With many other exciting television projects underway it’s fair to say we haven’t seen the last of Natalee. So stay tuned, we may have the next Shaynna Blaze in our midst!

For more on Indah Island | Other designer profiles