Soft TOUCH

HOLIDAYING IN THE HAMPTONS INSPIRES A MELBOURNE FAMILY TO BUILD A COASTAL RETREAT THAT RADIATES AN ELEGANT BALANCE OF MODERN AND TRADITIONAL

-  JESSICA BELLEF

Almira fell in love with the Hamptons look when she lived in A New York with her finance-executive husband Brad for three years during the mid-aughts. They would visit the glittering coastal enclaves of Montauk and the Hamptons and gush over the character-filled abodes with grand gables, shingled roofs and white picket fences.

FRESH TAKE Hamptons style doesn't have to be all-white and highly embellished. This new build in a bayside Melbourne suburb offers a modern approach to the traditional look. "I wanted to keep true to the Hamptons aesthetic, but include a few modern details," explains homeowner Almira (pictured, with daughter Imani, 10, and son Will, eight). In the kitchen, clean lines and a soft grey and white palette shine, with Shaker cabinetry, Caesarstone Calacatta Nuvo benchtops, island joinery in Dulux Mason Grey and 'Ingolf' stools from Ikea. Carrara Bianco marble splashback tiles from Beaumont Tiles and 'Goodman' pendant lights from The Montauk Lighting Co. add a touch of luxe. On the exterior (opposite), Monier 'Horizon' roof tiles emulate the textured look of shingles, while James Hardie Scyon Linea cladding is in Dulux Endless Dusk, with trims and a picket fence finished in Dulux Lexicon Half. "With so many Hamptons houses popping up in our area, it's interesting to see the different interpretations," says Almira.

"We always knew, if we had the opportunity to build, that would be the style of home we would create," says the stay-at-home mum.

Fast-forward to 2019, when Tasmanian-born Almira, Brad and their two children, Imani and Will (now 10 and eight), moved into their own Hamptons-inspired retreat nestled into the Melbourne bayside suburb of Highett.