Creating a Hamptons Style Outdoor Living Space

The Hamptons style, known for its elegant yet relaxed aesthetic, has become a sought-after look for outdoor living spaces. Originating from the coastal region of Long Island, New York, the Hamptons style blends sophistication with a breezy, beachside charm. Here’s how you can create a Hamptons-inspired outdoor living space that exudes comfort, style, and timeless elegance.

Key Elements of Hamptons Style

To achieve the Hamptons look, focus on these essential elements:

1. Colour Palette: Stick to a neutral colour palette dominated by whites, soft blues, and earthy tones. This creates a serene and airy atmosphere that reflects the coastal origins of Hamptons style.

2. Natural Materials: Incorporate natural materials like timber, rattan, and wicker. These materials add texture and warmth, creating a welcoming and organic feel.

3. Elegant Furnishings: Choose classic and comfortable furniture pieces that balance form and function. Look for items with clean lines and traditional craftsmanship.

4. Coastal Accessories: Decorate with coastal-themed accessories such as seashells, marine-inspired artwork, and nautical stripes. These elements add a touch of beachside charm.

Furniture Selection for Hamptons Style Outdoor Spaces

The right furniture is crucial in creating a Hamptons-style outdoor living space. Here are some key pieces to consider:

• Adirondack Chairs: These iconic chairs are perfect for a Hamptons-inspired setting. Their wide armrests and slatted design offer both comfort and rustic charm. At The Porch, our Adirondack chairs come in a variety of finishes and colours, including the durable Poly Classic Adirondack Chair, which is ideal for outdoor use as it will not rot and is low maintenance.

• Garden Lounge Furniture: Opt for plush garden lounge chairs and sofas with deep cushions in neutral tones. This seating creates a comfortable and inviting space for relaxation and entertaining.

• Wooden Porch Furniture: Incorporate wooden porch furniture such as benches and tables to add a touch of classic elegance. The natural wood finish enhances the overall aesthetic and ties in with the coastal theme.

• Outdoor Pool Chairs: Stylish and functional pool chairs are a must for any Hamptons-style outdoor area. Choose designs that are both comfortable and weather-resistant.

Decorating Tips for a Hamptons Outdoor Living Space

Once you have the right furniture, it's time to add the finishing touches:

• Soft Furnishings: Use cushions, throws, and outdoor rugs in soft, neutral tones to create a cosy and inviting atmosphere. Textiles with subtle patterns like stripes or coastal motifs can add visual interest without overwhelming the space.

• Lighting: Incorporate a mix of lighting options to enhance the ambience. Lanterns, string lights, and outdoor lamps can create a warm, inviting glow in the evenings.

• Greenery: Add potted plants and greenery to bring life and freshness to your outdoor space. Opt for plants that thrive in your climate and require minimal maintenance.

• Coastal Decor: Accessorise with coastal-inspired decor such as driftwood sculptures, seashells, and nautical-themed artwork. These pieces help to reinforce the beachside aesthetic and add character to your space.

Creating Your Hamptons Oasis

Whether you’re located in Perth, Sydney, Brisbane, Melbourne, or Adelaide, you can create a Hamptons-style outdoor living space that reflects the elegance and charm of this timeless design. At The Porch, we offer a wide range of garden furniture and accessories to help you achieve this look.

Explore our collection of Adirondack chairs, garden lounge furniture, and more to find the perfect pieces for your outdoor oasis. With our high-quality products and expert advice, you can transform your garden, patio, or poolside into a beautiful Hamptons retreat.

Shop Hamptons Style Furniture at The Porch

Ready to create your Hamptons-style outdoor living space? Visit our online store to browse our selection of premium outdoor furniture. We ship across Australia, ensuring you can enjoy the best in Hamptons style no matter where you are.

Embrace the elegance and comfort of Hamptons style with The Porch. Shop now and start transforming your outdoor space into a coastal paradise.

Make it a day trip to The Porch

Did you know The Porch is located within 500m of many of the Dandenongs best tourist attractions? Many of our visitors make a day of their trip by combining a visit to see our furniture with tea and scones, a walk or feeding the local wildlife.

Here are just some of the things you can see and do, which are just a stroll from us.

Grant’s Picnic Ground: If you want to get away from suburbia and enjoy our lovely countryside, you could visit Grant’s Picnic Ground, where you can hand-feed sulphur-crested cockatoos and rosellas.  There is a cafe, walking tracks and lots of photo opportunities. Distance from The Porch: 500 metres.

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Kallista Village Market: On the first Saturday of each month, Kallista holds a village market focusing on organic, hand-made art and craft.

Distance from The Porch: out the back gate and across the main road.

Kallista Tea Rooms: The Kallista Tea Rooms are located in a gorgeous 1930s art-deco building. You can sit inside the circular tearooms and have beautiful Devonshire tea while watching the birds that visit from feeders located just outside the windows. Distance from the Porch: 500m

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George Tindale Gardens: This public garden houses a unique collection of exotic plants set beneath a canopy of large mountain ash. It is a great place to have a picnic on the lawn, or just to wander through the meandering paths. Distance from The Porch: 300m (but you’ll need to drive as it is a very steep hill to get there!)

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How to keep your outdoor wood furniture looking like new

Proper maintenance of your wooden outdoor furniture will help keep it looking good over many years.  But, wood is a natural product, so like all organic products when exposed to moisture and changes in temperature and humidity, it reacts in a number of different ways.  

With four simple steps you can keep your outdoor wooden furniture looking great for many years:

1.      Re-oil stained furniture every six months: Oiled furniture needs to be re-oiled every six months to keep them in optimum condition. The oil helps to prevent decay and fading, which can occur if exposed to harsh weather environments. Your local home and garden store will have many options from which to choose.

2.      Clean once a year: Painted and oiled wood furniture should also be cleaned once a year. Mix one tablespoon of bleach, five tablespoons of a gentle dishwashing liquid and a 3 litres of water, and softly rub the surface of your wood furniture with a soft bristle brush. Wash the solution from the furniture, and allow it to dry completely in the sun.

3.      Re-paint painted furniture every few years: Just like your house weatherboards, your painted outdoor furniture will benefit and be protected by a lick of paint every couple of years. The new paint will not only make the furntirue look fresh, it also re-protects the underlying wood.

4.      Cover or re-position: All woods are susceptible to rot and decay if left in damp, humid and shady areas for a long time. Wood that becomes saturated with rain water is more likely to warp and rot, so using waterproof protective covers when your furniture is not undercover will keep your wooden furniture in good shape. The bases of furniture legs are definitely the most susceptible when it comes to water damage. If wood furniture is kept on the grass, or on a surface that collects rain water, the legs can become saturated. Covering the bottoms of each furniture leg with rubberised material or small sections of cedar fencing material will help protect your furniture from rotting from the bottom up.

Properly maintaining your outdoor wood furniture can make it last for many years and maximise your investment. Outdoor wood furniture makes a charming addition to any backyard, deck, patio, or garden, and with care, it will continue to make a great impression for years to come.

What's so good about HDPE lumber?

Environmentally friendly, cost efficient, resistant to mould - what's not to love about HDPE lumber. Our new Eco White chairs are made from HDPE lumber and we couldn't be more excited about adding this product to our range. Here is what you need to know about HDPE lumber so that you can see why we love it so much!
 

1. HDPE lumber is environmentally friendly: It is made from recycled high-density polyethylene retrieved from recycled water bottles, milk jugs, detergent bottles and other plastic containers. It saves space in landfills because it is made of post-consumer recycled plastic. It reduces the demand for wood lumber, thus saving forests, and it can be seen as fighting climate change by reducing the demand for trees, which filter the harmful greenhouse gas carbon dioxide. The material reduces soil and water degradation by reducing the use of pressure-treated wood from which harmful chemicals can be released.
2. HDPE lumber looks like wood, but is better: While it closely resembles wood lumber, it is denser, heavier and more flexible. It does not require waterproofing, staining or painting.
3. HDPE lumber doesn't rot: It is extremely resistant to mold, bacteria and mildew. It does not absorb water, so it will not warp or rot. The material is maintenance-free even in extreme weather conditions.
4. HDPE lumber is cost efficient: Because of the material's unique characteristics, furniture built with HDPE plastic lumber can be expected to cost less over its lifetime than the same project made with wood. HDPE lumber does not deteriorate at the same rate as wood, and it does not require maintenance.

So, when considering which chair to buy, take a look at our Eco White chair, made from genuine HDPE lumber.

To fold or not to fold?

Folding Adirondack chairs - a good idea or not? At The Porch we have flirted with the folding Adirondack chair like many other outdoor chair companies. After many design trials we have come to the conclusion that to make the chair fold comes with comfort and durability compromises. At least they do in the case of some we've seen sold at other outlets.

Many folding Adirondack chairs sold elsewhere are flat across the back rather than have the curve which we prefer for comfort. A curved back means that you can sit back in comfort without a cushion.

Folding Adirondack chairs are mostly made lighter so that they can be lifted easily. This can make them unstable.

The paint finish can also be an issue for folding chairs as the legs of the chair are rubbed against in the folding action.

Our Adirondack chairs have been designed to withstand the elements, so there is no need to bring them in 'under cover'. We use an acrylic paint similar to the paint on the outside of your house, with the same durability. The wood is a hardwood so not likely to split and warp. So, if you want a chair without compromises then the non-folding Adirondack chair is the right choice.

In the meantime, we will keep working on making a folding Adirondack chair that doesn't compromise design, comfort and durability.

Launch of new kitchen garden at Kallista Primary school

We just spent a lovely afternoon at Kallista Primary school for the launch of their new kitchen. The school is part of Stephanie Alexander's Kitchen Garden Foundation. The aim of the program is for children around the country to get their hands dirty and learn how to grow, harvest, prepare and share fresh, seasonal food. At Kallista Primary School the new kitchen overlooks the vegie garden, so the children can walk directly from the garden into the kitchen to start cooking.

The Porch supplied the custom-made cypress pine tables which sit on the verandah between the kitchen and the garden, and we are very proud to be part of such a fantastic program.

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Alternative eco materials for our chairs

We are very close to introducing a new range of chairs made from alternative materials, such as strand woven bamboo and plastic lumber, which looks and feels very much like painted timber. Very excited. Watch this space.

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Important factors to consider when buying an Adirondack chair

Important factors to consider when buying an Adirondack chair.

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How to pronounce 'Adirondack'

From the tentative pronunciations that we hear when people ring up to ask about our chairs, we are guessing a little help is needed to know how to pronounce 'Adirondack'.

It is is pronounced Ada-RON-dacks. The emphasis is on the second syllable.

Or if you would like to listen to it go here and click the play button:

http://www.pronounceitright.com/pronounce/10329/adirondack

Customer Gallery

Our customers often send us photos of their new chairs or dovecotes in the garden. Here is a selection of these photos.