Photography: Abbie Melle
After years of Hamptons-inspired homes dominating Australian interiors, a new coastal aesthetic is quietly making waves: Nantucket-style interior design. A touch more grounded, effortlessly charming and deeply steeped in heritage, Nantucket-style interiors are emerging as the next big thing in design – offering a refined yet relaxed look that feels just right for 2025.
So, what is Nantucket style?
Unlike the typically more polished Hamptons aesthetic, Nantucket-style interior design embraces eclectic touches and a deeper sense of history. Think antique furniture with cheerful fabrics, rich timber floors paired with character tiles, internal wall and ceiling panelling, and that all-important fireplace.
There’s an overarching sense of character and seaside whimsy, with charming gardens that spill over with buxus, hydrangeas and an abundance of blooms.
Secrets to Nantucket-style interiors
“The interior design of the Nantucket look is defined by several key elements,” says Belinda Dowsett, director at BM Interiors, whose own Palm Beach home is the perfect example. “Antique furniture, often darker in tone, contrasted with colourful fabrics, rich timber floors and an atmosphere of casual simplicity.”
The mood is less about polish and more about place. While Hamptons homes have been about aspirational coastal grandeur, Nantucket interiors are intimate and character-filled, drawing from New England’s centuries-old architectural traditions and layered storytelling. “Nantucket, a beautiful island off Cape Cod, is steeped in history,” says Belinda. “Its well-preserved architecture, antique-filled shops showcasing lovely handcrafted baskets, and meticulously maintained gardens, both formal and informal, contribute to its unique charm.”
Your Nantucket interiors cheat sheet
Incorporating Nantucket-style interiors into your home isn’t as difficult as it may sound. Belinda suggests including these key details…
- Rich timber floors
- Wall and ceiling panelling
- Tiled areas that bring character
- Antique pieces or items with a history
- Patterned wallpaper and curtains
- Fireplace as a focal point
- Attic or eave spaces for bedrooms
- Gardens that connect to the indoors
- An overall sense of quaintness and charm
Nantucket is having a moment
Cultural buzz is helping fan the flame. British influencer Lydia Millen recently waxed lyrical about Nantucket in a YouTube video, calling it her dream destination outside of England: “If I didn’t live in England, I think I would live there,” she said, sporting a Nantucket jumper.
On screen, the hit Netflix series Sirens starring Julianne Moore and Australia’s own Milly Alcock, has brought the windswept, fisherman-core aesthetic to the mainstream. The show is set on a fictional New England-style island inspired by Nantucket – a visual feast of grey shingles, heritage homes, and rolling seaside gardens.
Nantucket meets an Australian sensibility
Belinda feels Australians are ready for the shift. “I believe the rising popularity of Nantucket style in Australia is partly due to the revitalisation of older, charming timber cottages in our suburbs,” she says. “Australians are now embracing timber in a way we perhaps should have all along.”
And while design trends often come and go, this one has staying power. “Nantucket style is not a passing trend,” says Belinda. “It is grounded in history. I try to incorporate furniture that my clients love and have been in their families, as this creates a sense of history and belonging that a welcoming home should be.”
In short, if Hamptons was the coastal dream of the 2010s, Nantucket is its soulful successor – a timeless way of living that speaks to character, comfort and authenticity.
