We completed this beach house just before hurricane Sandy. Though it faces the Atlantic, the house came through unscathed thanks to our vertical fiber-cement siding, corrosion-proof metal roof, projectile-rated windows, and the fact that the entire house, deck, and pool are raised high on wood pilings. The interior is all whitewashed wood boards and exposed beams, with windows positioned to receive ocean breezes. An open stair forks to upper bedrooms on one side and the master suite on the other.