Acclaimed television presenter, magazine editor, and media personality Deborah Hutton is renovating her charming three bedroom house in Bronte into her own Hamptons inspired forever home, with work due to be completed later this year. The Hamptons style is characterised by a muted colour palette, bright and open living spaces, and Linea weatherboard cladding. The shadow lines created by weatherboard cladding contrast nicely with sun-soaked coastal locations. “I have always loved the magnificent mansions you see in the Hamptons, they are true coastal chic,” Deborah explains. The Hamptons form part of the East End of Long Island in the state of New York, and comprise a group of villages and hamlets in the towns of Southampton and East Hampton.

Residential real estate prices in the Hamptons rank among the highest in America, with New Yorkers flocking to the Hamptons throughout the year for weekend long, seaside retreats. Bronte, meanwhile, is a beachside suburb of Sydney located just 7 kilometres from the Central Business District. “There is something about the relaxed, casual nature of the architecture that fits perfectly with a seaside home and our Australian lifestyle,” Deborah says.

Hutton acknowledges that building her dream home has not been without its challenges, and she began researching design features “almost the minute I bought my house.” Deborah continues, ” I spent many hours scouring design sites to create my mood board. Having a strong, defined mood board makes talking to architects, builders, and designers much easier when you have imagery that illustrates what you want to achieve.”

When designing the new structure of her home, Deborah paid special attention to maximise airflow and natural light. “The property faces North East which is wonderful for creating that light and breezy Hamptons feel. It also sits high on the hill, so in summer there is nothing between me and the blustery winds that come up in the afternoon.”