Cath Muscat
Deborah Hutton may have sold her Bronte home and moved to the NSW South Coast, but that doesn’t stop us wanting to peek inside the Hamptons-style abode.
While her new build is inspired by a darker, British colonial style, Hutton was once Hamptons obsessed. Ever since she saw Diane Keaton’s coastal home in Something’s Gotta Give, with its relaxed coastal style and washed-out palette of whites and weatherboards, driftwoods and sandy neutrals, she was hooked.
After living in her Bronte abode for two years, Deb embarked on a renovation in 2017 with a more timeless coastal aesthetic in mind. The three-bedroom, two storey house was then renovated in true Hamptons style, with a nod to her grandparents’ beloved weatherboard Queenslander.
“There is something about the relaxed, casual nature of Hamptons architecture that fits perfectly with a seaside home and our Australian lifestyle,” Deborah said at the time. “I want to bring certain elements of that into my renovation.”
Listen to Deborah Hutton discuss her new South Coast build on The Edit podcast:
Here’s what we know about Deb’s Bronte home, renovation, and sale.
When did Deborah Hutton sell her Bronte home?
Deborah sold her Bronte residence in 2021 for close to $10 million ($9.85 million). The buyer was confirmed by realestate.com.au to be Sydney-based CEO, Rachel Wiseman. Deb originally purchased the property in 2015 for $3.8 million.
The Bronte home was sold in 2021 after Hutton purchased a new home on the NSW South Coast for $5.6 million. She demolished the Wombarra property’s existing residence, to make way for a sprawling family mansion.
Inside the renovation
Deborah created a moodboard for her renovation that encompassed her personal style and her Hamptons vision for the home. She used this as a visual reference when meeting with her architects, builders and designers. “The impression you get when you see a house for the first time stays with you, so getting the exterior right is essential,” she shared.
The home was wrapped in Scyon Linea weatherboard to achieve the beautiful deep shadow-line of Hamptons architecture. The exterior finish was chosen to also meet the harsh coastal conditions of the north-east facing property.
“Timber balustrades, exposed beams, tongue and groove panelling all lend their style to my Hamptons inspired coastal façade.”
Deborah Hutton
Making the most of her coastal location, Deb leaned in to the hallmark Hamptons muted colour palette, with light and bright open living spaces packed with textured neutrals. Moving into the bedrooms, the home embraced Deb’s favourite blue hue, which she later described to Home Beautiful as being like “a warm hug”.
Before Hutton decided to sell her lovely Bronte beach pad, Home Beautiful caught up with the media personality to talk about her interior design style and renovation tips and tricks. Read the full interview below.
What was your brief for this home renovation?
“My brief was a timeless, classic house that looked like it been here for some time, so in 30 years it still feels beautiful.”
And what was your style starting point?
“The Hamptons was the original inspiration. And then it was sort of coastal – it was a bit Palm Beach. But I look at the home now and I think it has a Colonial influence, a little of St Barts.”
Have you renovated a home before?
“No, I renovated a bathroom – that’s it! As in, I just re-tiled something. I’ve never done anything like this before.”
What was the best thing about the building process?
“It was fast, efficient and fabulous! The builders worked six days [a week] and I moved to a rental home next door, so I project managed from right next door.”
How did you find the process of choosing fixtures and finishes?
“Ah look, I enjoyed some if it. I loved [some of] it, I should say! But I found some of it really tedious. There were so many details to consider and it was a bit challenging at times.”
Did you have any must-haves before you started renovating?
“Oh, absolutely! The first must-have was the ceiling detail [in the upper level living room, dining room and kitchen]. I also wanted weatherboard – to me, that is Hamptons, that says beach style.”
You have such beautiful artworks throughout your home – can you tell us a bit about your collection?
“I’ve been collecting for years. I was a bit paranoid when I was moving into this house that I wouldn’t be able to hang all that much – but, funnily enough, I managed to find plenty of wall space. There were only two pieces that didn’t really work and I’ve gifted them away.”
Before the renovation: Photos
Prior to the renovation, Home Beautiful received a look into the home, and we can share these ‘before’ images to show the progress of the renovation.
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