Ina Garten's Hamptons home features a risky 'no paint' exterior – but the warm, country aesthetic pays off for a masterclass in rustic but elegant style

Farmhouse style has reigned for decades, and all the more in coastal areas like the Hamptons. Ina Garten has found a way to apply the look to the exterior of her home.

Images of the chef's long-time Hamptons house exterior color show that she's chosen naturally sealed wood as a clever alternative to paint. The home has a beautiful, classic Hamptons country look. Garten's walls are light and brushed, flowing seamlessly into her darker roof tiles. It's the perfect complement to her gray gravel driveway, the surrounding greenery, and the bright blue skies.

It's a simple inspiration. For those who admire farmhouse decor, there is no better design. Carr Lanphier, paint expert at Improovy explains: 'I’d say the primary benefit of this type of unpainted exterior is going to be a certain aesthetic. It definitely has a unique appearance, and gives more of a farmhouse or barn look than what you’d expect from a traditional home.'

The Natural Wood Edit

If you want the look of natural wood in your home without dealing with the difficulties that it can cause, accessories and furniture are an easy way to integrate the beautiful natural material.

Before committing to installing this kind of scheme, it's important to consider the maintenance required. Lanphier cautions: 'In order to maintain unpainted wood you’d have to be sealing and staining the wood it somehow. I’ve found many homeowners aren’t aware of how much exterior paint protects your home from. It’s not simply decorative, and gives your home protection from pests, moisture damage, and mold. So, you’d really need to make sure you’re properly protecting this type of unpainted wood, and that might also involve re-sealing or re-staining it more frequently than you’d need to repaint the outside of a home.'

However, as seen in Garten's home, this effort can be well worthwhile. For a coastal farmhouse or rustic home, it's a wonderful way to bring the design of the interiors to the outside of the home. It tends to look gorgeous against the plants native to these regions. It's a New England staple. As long as you do proper research and are prepared to put in the work, an unpainted wood exterior can look just as beautiful as on Ina Garten's house.

Whether the Barefoot Contessa's home serves as full inspiration, or a passing idea, it's the perfect jumping off point for understanding the different finishes that can make a house look beautiful.