With seven bedrooms and seven bathrooms, this shaker-style home complete with shingles is reminiscent of the Hamptons homes favoured by New York’s rich and famous.The owner has transformed a clearing in the native scrub, just a stone’s throw from Portsea’s moody backbeach, into a hidden enclave of tranquillity and style.Despite its luxurious appointments and grand scale, the unique home with its barn-like styling has the same timeless and understated quality as many of The Hamptons houses A certain degree of local knowledge is required to navigate the scientifically concealed staircases and doorways between an underground guests’ carpark and the entrance to the home.”The use of the timber and particularly shingles is a theme picked up from Hamptons and interpreted in a modern, Australian way.Unlike many architectural homes with seemingly endless internal space, The Hamptons exudes a warmth achieved through the liberal use of natural finishes, ranging from leather door handles and limed French oak floors to the red cedar shingles that dominate its exterior.Also unlike many of its contemporaries, the property doesn’t appear to celebrate space for the sheer sake of it.It is divided into four “pavilions”, essentially separate buildings bound together by a 3m-wide glassed hallway running 35m through the centre of the house.Its showpiece pavilion houses an enormous open living, dining and kitchen area looking north over lush lawns and a stunning infinity pool to native bushland.The kitchen has an old-style black enamel Aga stove that stands out amid the stark white Corion cabinetry, which is finished with leather and stainless steel handles.The kitchen even boasts a lift to ferry groceries from the 10-car garage hidden below the house.Another pavilion houses a master suite with a pair of mirror-image en-suites, two dressing rooms and a plush carpeted formal lounge.The “second pavilion” has four bathrooms, five bedrooms, including a second master suite, and an enormous laundry.Another, called the “children’s pavilion”, includes a rumpus room, a dormitory, bathroom and dressing room.”It’s a very effective way to ensure the parents can get some peace and quiet while the kids are free to yell and scream and do what kids do.”That’s what beach houses are for.”Features:Infinity pool, Childrens pavilion, Tennis court,10-car garage with a dumb waiter lift to the kitchen, Seven bathrooms, Seven bedrooms, Including a master suite with two en-suites Five Queen six single beds
