We spend two weeks at the beach every summer. Here are my favorite things about the beach house we rent:

1) The enormous porch that faces the water. Wonderful to sit on and watch thunderstorms, sunrises, etc.
2) The crow's nest that gives us a view of the marsh.
3) The pool table/family room in the basement. Invaluable when there are different generations on different schedules in the same house. This last beach trip we had little kids and their parents, twenty-somethings and their parents (us!), and my 75 y/o mother all in the same house. You can imagine the various schedules. There 20-somethings had the basement to themselves (pool table, one bedroom, multiple couches and a full bath) which made life MUCH easier for everyone.

Things I would consider for the kitchen--
1)two refrigerators. There is NEVER enough cold-storage in one refrigerator in a beach house. (Heck--cold drinks can take up half the space in one!)
2)A wine refrigerator would be a lovely splurge.
3)A REAL exhaust fan--not a recirculating one.

As to bathrooms--my one complaint about the beach house we rent is that the ONLY bathroom one does not have to go through a bedroom to reach is the one in the basement. A main-floor (whereever the living room is) powder-room would be nice.

Some of the newer beach houses I've seen have been built with the common space on the top floor (where the view tends to be better) and the bedrooms on the lower floors(where the decks/porches keep things cooler/darker for sleeping). This makes sense to me.

Have fun dreaming!

melanie

I have been dreaming about building a beach house for a very, very long time. My problem (other than $$$, of course) is I want a beach house close to home so I can drive to it easily for weekends. But, I live in NJ and I am just not a fan of the jersey shore. Oh, well, I don't have the $$$ anyway so I just dream big.

My house would have (in no particular order):
- A lot of bedrooms (7?) to accomodate lots of guests Preferably each with their own bathroom (I want people to come and not want to leave!)
- A large bunk room for lots of kids to stay in one big room
- A very large kitchen and eating area and open to large family room
- Large built in ice maker (we go thru a lot of ice even in our everyday house)
- Another smaller living/family room so those that want to get away from the noise can
- No dining room! Not going to be a formal house. Just a large eating area in kitchen
- A pool overlooking the ocean
- Lots of patio space around pool for a lot of lounge chairs and tables/chairs/umbrellas
- Outdoor kitchen, with another built in ice maker and refrigerators for lots of drinks
- A large covered porch on the back of the house to give those that want shade that option, but right next to pool to be able to socialize with those in the sun (me!). Lots of comfy seating and rocking chairs
- Outdoor shower. Really like the idea of the foot rinse that was mentioned in the post you linked. Never thought of that, but it's added to my dream list
- Bathroom with door to outside that accessible to pool/beach without having to come into actual house
- Multiple washer/dryers. Going to be washing a lot of towels
- One of those built in coffee makers. I don't want to have to get up in the morning before I want to. Guests can push the button and have coffee if they are up before me
- Lots of whites, beiges (my every day house has color and I would love to decorate a neutral house on the beach)
- Lots of beadboard
- Lots of window seats to sit and look at the ocean
- Someone other than me to clean it!

Here is an architects website that I drool over from time to time. Especially the house (Red Beach) I linked directly to, but look around the Portfolio link. Lots and lots of houses, all in the same New England style I love so much.

How lucky are you to have this opportunity! Congratulations and keep us updated.

Here is a link that might be useful: Red Beach House

Great ideas so far!

mjsee- I was also thinking of having one or 2 of the bedrooms to be "bunk rooms" for the kids, maybe 4 kids in each room. That surely would build many fond memories for the kids.

Also wanted to have a rec/game room with a TV on the bottom floor for the kids to hang out and leave the mess out of the main living area.

I like the 2 fridge idea(i hadn't thought of that)

I think the main living area on the top floor is a great idea, but my dh vetoed it, so it will likely be the 2nd from the top.

jillinnj- that house you linked was totally drool-worthy! Way bigger than the small 50x100 lot we have. our build will have to be narrow and tall. I will check out the rest of the site as well- thanks for the link!

We won't have much room for outdoor space. We will put a large oceanside deck on each floor. No oceanside pool or outdoor kitchen for us :( Anything left outside will usually rust and corrode due to the salt air.

indoor/outdoor shower/foot wash/bathroom accessible from outside is also in the plans.

I like the idea for multiple washers and dryers.

Congratulations on such a wonderful opportunity! For me, just having a beach house would be a dream! But since we're dreaming, here are some things I would love in a large beach house.

• Tons of windows that can be opened to let in the sounds, smells, and breezes of the ocean in every single room.

• Balconies or decks on every floor.

  • Covered deck overlooking the ocean off of the main living space with room for lounging and dining and outdoor cooking.

  • Balcony or deck off of the master bedroom with room for lounging and reading.

• An pool with views of the ocean.

• A bathroom easily accessible (preferably directly) from the outside.

• An outdoor shower.

• Keypad entries so that keys are unnecessary.

• A gas fireplace in the main living area.

• A gas fireplace in the master bedroom.

• A kitchen open to the main living area.

  • Island or peninsula seating.

  • Large dining table off of the kitchen and main living area.

• Plenty of beds for guests.

• Plenty of storage for beach toys.

• Easy to clean bathrooms and kitchen.

• Native landscaping encouraging wildlife visitation.

sorry jillinnj- the bunkroom comment should have been directed to you...

The best thing we had at a family house on the bay in NJ was on prickly and jill's lists: an outdoor bathroom, not just a shower. That was the best!

With four floors, an elevator is also a must. Are you already approved for so many levels? Some towns restrict beachfront heights.

Also, I would make one of those decks a screened-in porch for days and evenings when there is a land breeze rather than a sea breeze.

Do you subscribe to Coastal Living magazine? If not, you should. They feature many beautiful beach houses in each subscription - you can find lots of great ideas.

I am not sure what they are called but I would want those central vac sweep ups in many areas to sweep the sand straight into. I would have an outdoor storage area that could house beach toys chairs even towel storage and I would want a washer dryer set out there for towels and suits. But I would be happy if all I had was a beach shack with no frills! You lucky duck!

I didn't read all of the posts so forgive me if I duplicate someone else's idea. Use the toughest, most resilient materials on the exterior that you can. Fighting salt air corrosion and dry rot are two of the biggest maintenance expenses as the beach. Wooden homes with wooden windows are gorgeous, but high, high maintenance. Also, make sure to choose window screening that will stand up to the salt air. Black offers the best visibility through it for views.

If you use tile anywhere, install it with the smallest grout line possible which is much easier to keep clean.

I love the idea of a bathroom with shower and a small kitchenette (basically fridge, microwave, ice maker and sink) on the first floor with access to the outside.

For me, the #1 Must was the ability to walk in the front door and see straight through to the view. When people come in, they don't even notice the house. It's all about the view. Ditto to heated tile floors, outdoor shower, as large a deck as you can manage, multi-purpose furnishings you can move around,depending on the size of your group, Kitchen that accomodates several cooks (2 sinks for sure,)storage for the outdoor stuff.

Never had my own, but everyone of all ages love friends' single-bed-sized bay with a view of the water (in the living room). Day and night always occupied. BTW, theirs is cantilevered--no foundation. At the time it was built, that got it around their setback requirements.

I do agree with so many of the excellent suggestions above (especially the outdoor shower and accessible bathroom for the shore side) -- so here's my addition:

--enough parking spots with walking access paths around the main area

cyn427- we are in an unincorporated part of town so the 3 level height restriction doesn't apply :) Definitely want a large screened in porch area...

gail-already have a subscription... I wish they featured more houses and decor and less travel and food though...

roarah- I love the idea for the vac pans/dust pans(i think that's what they call it)

forhgtv- kitchenette (or at least a fridge) on the bottom floor is a great idea as well... I am all for low maintenance- convincing DH to pick something a little less attractive for the durability will be the challenge for me...

ab65- A view of the ocean from the front door is what my MIL's current cottage has going for it(all 950 sq feet of it)- you don't even notice how small it is because the back wall consists of 2 very wide glass sliders with a great view...

Keep the great ideas coming everyone! Thank you!

nancy

We have rented a number of beach homes throughout the years, and our favorites have had the outdoor shower made of long vinyl shutters attached to treated lumber supports. My brother liked the idea so much that he recreated one for his pool house. Mostly maintenance free!

We have also stayed in a couple of homes that would meet your criteria of tall and narrow. I've linked to the current home that we rent. There are some things that we would change about the layout and function, but mostly, we love this house...especially the 4 large porches. Two on the canal, and two facing the marsh - my favorite view.

I like the suggestion of two refrigerators. Our house does not have enough cool storage space. We set up coolers in the dining area for beer, water and canned drinks.

The architectural feature that I most love about both homes was/is the taller interior and exterior doors and thick moldings.

Here is the other rental.

Charlotte's Pearl: http://deweesrentals.com/featured-rental-houses/home-51-charlottes-pearl/

Here is a link that might be useful: Dash Away - Current rental home

Lots and lots and lots of beds! (Truism: If you build it, they will come. :) )

I'd like a wall of built-in bunk beds on one side of a kids' game room. Each bed would have its own reading lamp, outlet for electronics and phones, and maybe a couple of little built-in shelves for books and other personal items. And I'd invest in a really good white noise machine for sleepy time. :) You could also build in some drawers underneath the bottom bunks for storage.

And since I love wrought iron beds, I'd put twin Wesley Allen beds in a couple of the bedrooms. Some of the twins have room for trundle beds underneath, providing even more sleeping. :)

If you do a search for "built-in bunk beds," you'll get lots of great ideas.

Here is a link that might be useful: built in bunk beds

LOVE the built-in bunk beds! Such a space saver...

Window seats with storage for games; built-in bookshelves for books, beach finds, and photos through the years.

A dog shower.

I know you mentioned decks, but if you can include a covered porch as others have suggested (no less than 8' deep :)) with the option of removable screens, I would highly recommend it. We rented a beach house for years (with a porch) that overlooked the water and that porch was worth its weight in gold. It had a number of rocking chairs, a checkers table and an extra-long picnic table. In addition to being a great spot on sunny days and moonlit nights, it was a wonderful space for messy lobster meals (as well as most of the other meals) and rainy day craft projects for the kids!

If available, natural gas hookup for grill - who wants to refill a propane tank?

House is Beachfront(east facing) on a 50 wide x 100 deep lot.

Not to be a spoilsport, but this is not a very large lot. You're really thinking about four stories? What will be the interior square footage? Do you have any zoning restrictions?

Question: Are there neighboring houses? How close are they to you your house?

Is this to be a four-season house? Three season?

Fireplace? Propane-fueled?

You'll notice that my concerns are practical. You will have to be practical, too, eventually.

We have a seasonal waterfront house in CT; it sits on a 50x100 lot. The houses on either side of us also sit on similar-size lots. I can't imagine building a four-story house here. It would loom over our neighbors.

Just wondering.

*Preface notes:

Family has owned a beach cottage (built from the ground up) for over 30 years. Recently, another family member has built another house right down the street. Here are the good/bad/ugly/genius from both.*

-Elevator from garage level to upper levels. Wonderful for grocery/luggage unloading and for the less-capable to have easy access to the living levels from any level.

-MULTIPLE HOT WATER HEATERS. Look into Insta-Hots. I yell this because last January was "Crazy Cold Water Town" for half of the house during a birthday weekend. 1 bedroom and the kitchen/downstairs shower had warm water (3 people). The 2 Master bedrooms and 2 other BRs shared a water heater for 2 bathrooms. That's 5 adults and 7 teens sharing one water heater in a 2 hour period. Cold!

-Open Kitchen with:
*fridge drawer for snacks/fresh seafood (take your pick which goes in there)
*2 dishwashers (non-human)
*an ice maker

-Near beach/pool private shower and/or showers (newer beach house has two large walk-ins, older house has one). Just have an outdoor FULL shower where you can walk in in a bathing suit, shower in your birthday suit and emerge in a great outfit. They are the shizzle ("yes, I said "shizzle"). I have taken one indoor shower in 20-some years and it was cold (see above).

-Another ice maker (or GIANT cooler) and full fridge under the house. You will use (and need) way more ice the you expect and you will always need more room for food and beverages. Especially if you eat fresh seafood or have teens/kids in college.

-Two Double or Queens in the secondary bedrooms. Do it.

-Baby Crib. Do it.

-Easily managed materials. Old Beach House has to be painted outside (Everything! Porch ceilings, all outside including: outside shower, porch rails, deck rails, you get it...) every 5 years, which equals a ton'o money. New beach house is clad in ipe and teak woods, copper, and has a sustainable plastic-like material used for the outside shower doors. House is virtually maintenance free. Cost to set up is more, but maintenance? Feh. So much smarter than Old Beach House.

-Window Film. Don't clog up your beach view with curtains.

-Hurricane shutters! DO IT! The best and easiest to install that you can afford. If you have to clamp down on your own, make it easy on yourself. If you have to hire someone local to clamp your house down, make it easy on them. They have their own house and family to worry about, you know?

oooo...hurricane shutters ARE a must.

I have stayed in a bunch of beachfront houses here in New England I think it's all about the outside spaces: Screened in porch, patio, outdoor kitchen, outdoor fireplace/firepit and shower. Don't just do one outdoor shower stall, do two or three of them so when the family all comes back from the beach they don't have to wait. Our kids fight over the outdoor shower we have. Also, AC. People always think oceanfront homes don't need AC but excessive heat and humidity happens - even on the waterfront. Oh and lots of places to store beach toys, chairs, and towels (especially hanging wet towels). As for interiors - go looking at high end yachts at a boat show and you'll get a ton of ideas for neat interior details!

goldengirl-I've been trying to convince DH about the covered screened in porch- I definitely need one of those- the mosquitos can get pretty bad in the late summer...

mclarke- We are in the unincorporated part of town so we don't have to abide by the 30 ft town height restriction- county height restriction is 42 feet i think (so enough for 4 floors). There are numerous duplexes and houses on similar lots that are 3-4 floors high. There are also several small condominium buildings 4 floors high as well, so it won't stand out. Actually, the current cottage just 2 floors high stands out because of how short it is compared to it's neighbors.

hsw_sc- Definitely planning on tankless water heaters if they can do it. Ideally one on each floor, so the hot water doesn't have a long way to travel. In our current house(non beach), our HW tankless heaters are on the opposite side of or house from the MBR so in the dead of winter it can take 7-8 minutes to get hot water at the sink(very annoying!)

We have automated hurricane shutters in the current house and they are very easy to operate, so deifinitely on the list.