Claudine Sheppard sought inspiration from the houses around Cape Cod in Massachusetts, USA when she built her new home in Brisbane’s Seven Hills. Looking to make her home elegant and timeless, just like the Hamptons homes, she chose roof tiles from Monier Roofing.
Claudine and Kane Sheppard wanted to capture the wonderful calmness, the quiet simplicity and the relaxed holiday vibe of Cape Cod houses in their new Brisbane home, located a mere five kilometres from the city centre.
This is Claudine’s third home built in a Cape Cod style. She explains that she loves this look because of its timeless quality. “It’s classic and it won’t date,” she says.
It is, however, the first house she has built using roof tiles instead of metal and she is much happier with her choice this time around; she feels the tiles give her home a more authentic appearance – closer to the architectural style she sought for her new home.
“The main reason I went with that roof tile was because I wanted to keep the look, the authenticity, of the Cape Cod look. You don't have a Colorbond roof on a Cape Cod house.”
Claudine chose Monier’s Concrete colour-through Madison tiles in Soho Night because she felt they captured the shingle look she wanted. The fact that C-LOC technology helps to maintain the colour for longer also played a big part in her decision. The classic black and white palette would also look good for years to come.
“I wanted to use the shingle-style tiles and felt the charcoal hue worked best with the black and white look,” she says. “I looked at using white roof tiles, but I think the white ones are more suited to a contemporary modern look or a beach feel, not really for a classic look.”
The generously sized house has five bedrooms and a large kitchen/living space. Claudine designed it herself based on her experience with her previous two houses, knowing what would work and what wouldn't so that she didn't repeat any of the mistakes made previously.
There are many things she loves about the final design outcome, including the flow of the house and the grand entrance.
While she plans to spend at least a couple of years in this house, Claudine had built the house to sell it for a tidy profit, as she did with her previous projects. This was a major consideration in her material choices.
“I definitely look at using classic options so that the house doesn't date,” she says. “When I look to put something that's on trend into a house, I want the house to not need to be renovated in 10 years’ time. You need to get it right the first time, so it's going to last you a lifetime. I cannot see that you'll need to update those tiles.”
How to get the Hamptons look in new homes
1. Shingle look tiles
Dark flat-profile roof tiles are essential for an authentic Cape Cod-style roofline, says Claudine. She chose Monier’s Concrete Madison tiles in Soho Night colour, which is a charcoal shade that mimics the look of slate, without the upkeep needed.
2. The right white
Claudine chose Dulux’s Whisper White for the trim on the front of the house, which she felt works well in the bright Queensland sun. “I didn't want it to be too stark,” she explains. “I didn't want the white to be too stark against the black. For me, a warmer white matches a black or a charcoal much better.”
3. The perfect black
The choice of Dulux’s Monument for gutters and trims is popular at the moment, and complements the Soho Night colour of the Madison roof tiles. Claudine says she felt the charcoal tone adds character to the new build and matches well with the statement front door, which is painted in Deluxe Black.
