8 Ideas for Hamptons Style Kitchens

Don’t feel limited to traditional design when you’re designing your Hamptons kitchen — you don’t have to install shaker cabinets. Instead, focus on keeping the vibe light, organic and contemporary.

In this modern Hamptons style, you can normally find timber in the kitchen that softens the standard white palette. Different wood tones change how your kitchen feels — you’re more likely to see lighter timber, but whether it’s warm or cool-toned is up to you. 

2. Make the kitchen a social space

Kitchen islands with seating are common in Hamptons kitchens. They turn the space into a social area that works for everything from morning coffee to post-swim snacks and cocktails.

You'll usually see natural materials used for bar stools in these kitchens — just make sure you think about practicality too. Fabric upholstery looks great but isn't ideal for homes with young kids or messy cooks. The practical details also count — you need about 30cm of knee room under the counter, and adding power points to the island makes it more useful.

3. Use white tiles for a bright base

White tiles are a Hamptons kitchen staple. They reflect light through the space and don't compete with your other design elements. They're also more forgiving than you might think — you might be able to see the stain, but it’s pretty easy to clean up.

Your grout choice makes a big difference to the final look. White grout creates a cleaner look, while darker grout outlines each tile and hides stains better. In this kitchen, our Newport Matte Bone Mixed Square Tiles look great next to white shaker-style cabinets and a contrasting strip of warm timber.

4. Maximise natural light

Good natural light gives you that Hamptons feeling. It's worth thinking about window placement if you're starting from scratch — morning light from the east makes the most sense for kitchens. But think as big as you want! This kitchen has a huge skylight overhead that makes the room feel spacious and bright.

5. Incorporate natural colours and textures

Natural colour and textures ground Hamptons kitchens. Add these through small design choices and accessories. Just remember that kitchen items get grimy quickly — choose materials you can wipe down or wash easily, like leather and wood. This kitchen has it in spades — two rattan pendant lights, woven leather bar stools and timber details, all in the tan colour family.

Keep the natural feel going with a few plants. Hardy herbs on window sills usually do well and serve a practical kitchen purpose.

6. Choose a coastal colour palette

You don't have to stick with just blue and white in a Hamptons kitchen — modern Hamptons spaces also use pastels like butter yellow and pale green. And they’re moving beyond just small accents in the kitchen. These soft colours work just as well on small accessories as they do on entire cabinets.

When using pastels on larger kitchen elements, keep the rest of your materials simple to let the colour be the focus. This approach still has the light, luxurious Hamptons character but with a contemporary twist.

7. Embrace modern minimalism

The latest take on Hamptons style is more minimalistic than the traditional way. This approach keeps the light, bright feeling but ditches some of the more decorative elements for cleaner lines and simpler forms.

Your choice of hardware makes a big difference to how contemporary your kitchen feels. Minimal or hidden handles create a sleeker look — just remember that handles are practical when your hands are wet or messy from cooking. Make sure you plan plenty of storage too. That uncluttered look only works when everything has a place to live behind closed doors.

8. Feature zellige tiles

Zellige tiles have become popular in Hamptons kitchens because they tie into the luxury beach theme. These tiles are handmade, and each one looks slightly different, creating a lovely texture on walls and kitchen splashbacks. There's a practical advantage to their uneven surface too — they hide marks better than perfectly flat tiles. 

Create your dream Hamptons kitchen

Following a style isn’t just about copy-pasting elements into your home. If you want a Hamptons-style kitchen, you also have to think about what really works within your space, needs and budget.

If you’re stuck, let us help you. Our design team runs appointments where we can chat about how to lean into a specific style using tiles. We’ve seen many Hamptons kitchens come together and would love for yours to be the next.

If you’d rather shop on your own, see our curated collection of Hamptons tiles and tapware.