Offering a unique combination of heritage features with a fresh coastal twist, it’s no wonder Hamptons style is in demand with homeowners here in Australia. So how do you build a timeless period home using modern methods and materials?
Clean and crisp design
Clean lines of horizontal cladding and a crisp colour scheme of charcoal or grey with white detailing and trim, are key features that present the Hamptons style as a timeless classic.
While a Hamptons style property might stand proud in a streetscape of boxy brick post WW2 homes, it certainly won’t look out of place. This is just one of many reasons why the Hamptons look is such a winner for new builds and renovations.
With timber-style cladding as a key feature, a modern Hamptons build echoes the charming but cramped weatherboard shacks of yesteryear. Yet this new approach to heritage-style home design offers extra scale and elegance to meet the most exacting demands of today’s homebuyers.
Here’s how custom builder, Brad Chesterfield achieved the Hamptons look for his customer:
The right materials for the job
At first glance, the luxury feel of a Hamptons design might seem difficult to achieve. According to Brad Chesterfield of BFC Builders, it’s actually relatively easy to create the Hamptons look if you use the right materials.
For a large-scale, brand new Hamptons build in the popular Melbourne suburb of Vermont, Brad had to bring his A-game to get every detail right.
“It’s a really big, prominent home with a 570m2 floor plan,” says Brad. “The owner included all sorts of features and period details, from lifts to verandas, plus a below ground theatre and garage. So it hasn’t been a straightforward build, none of our BFC Building projects are!”
As a builder known for his faithful, high-quality recreation of the Hamptons look, Brad has long relied on Scyon Linea fibre cement cladding boards as a key material.
“When Dahlsens introduced me to Linea, its authentic weatherboard profile made it the obvious substitute for timber,” says Brad. “It’s pretty hard to spot the difference between two homes finished in timber and Linea. You’d have to really know what you’re looking for. But it’s value as a material goes far beyond how it looks. It has enormous practical appeal because it saves you time on site, there’s less waste and you’ll get a finish you can trust to look good for longer.”
Why Linea? Reliable, efficient and cost effective
The time and cost savings start with the way Linea cladding is put together.
“Timber boards join up on a wall stud, so you’re going to have plenty of short off-cuts you can’t use,” says Brad. “With Linea, the fixings are concealed and it uses a groove system for assembly so you’re not limited to using studs as anchors for the boards. You can wrap the home with minimal waste and get a lovely clean finish.”
“The Scyon boards come pre-primed, so that’s one less coat to worry about when it comes to painting,” says Brad. “And on a project of this size, that’s no small amount of time and cost saved. In fact, for owners of any Hamptons property Linea is the hero for delivering a cleaner look than timber as well as saving a bundle on future maintenance.”
“Timber shrinks and expands, so you’ll get gaps between the boards and cracks in the paint finish too. Scyon Linea maintains that nice straight form and holds the paint beautifully. It’s likely to be a good ten years before you’ll need a new coat of paint on Linea, compared with five years or less for timber.”
Learn more about how to create Hamptons style homes with Dahlsens.
Find out more about using Scyon Linea to create the Hamptons look. Talk to your Dahlsens Account Manager and we’ll arrange your consultation with a James Hardie expert. Don’t have a Dahlsens account? Get in touch with us today.
