The first edition of the the International Residential Code in 2000 prohibited horizontal intermediate rails in guards on open sides of stairways, raised floor areas, balconies and porches but that sentence was removed in subsequent editions. Check local amendments.

Cable railing do not pair well with all beach houses.

Mark - I have to disagree. I had a beach house for 12 years and cable rails was almost everyone's favorite feature. In that photo vegetation blocks the view quite a bit. But when you have an unobstructed view - you don't want clunky thick white posts blocking it. You also don't want to repaint those every other year.

The architecture is meant to enhance the view. The vegetation helps protect the dune and is also part of the view. All that is in the photo show an honest emergence of a summer home on land that has been in the same family for several generations and will be in the same family for many years to come. A cable railing here would disgrace the architecture.

Juuuusssstttt got back from the beach and Modern Coastal is a thing. All the new houses combine coastal with modern farmhouse and many have either cable railings or some clear plastic type panels. They are building everywhere along the coast, Lord help us when storms hit.