This Coastal Inspired Farmhouse with bay views puts a casual and sophisticated twist on beach living. Interior Design by Blackband Design and Home Build by Arbor Real Estate.

The Port Ludlow Residence is a compact, 2400 SF modern house located on a wooded waterfront property at the north end of the Hood Canal, a long, fjord-like arm of western Puget Sound. The house creates a simple glazed living space that opens up to become a front porch to the beautiful Hood Canal. The east-facing house is sited along a high bank, with a wonderful view of the water. The main living volume is completely glazed, with 12-ft. high glass walls facing the view and large, 8-ft.x8-ft. sliding glass doors that open to a slightly raised wood deck, creating a seamless indoor-outdoor space. During the warm summer months, the living area feels like a large, open porch. Anchoring the north end of the living space is a two-story building volume containing several bedrooms and separate his/her office spaces. The interior finishes are simple and elegant, with IPE wood flooring, zebrawood cabinet doors with mahogany end panels, quartz and limestone countertops, and Douglas Fir trim and doors. Exterior materials are completely maintenance-free: metal siding and aluminum windows and doors. The metal siding has an alternating pattern using two different siding profiles. The house has a number of sustainable or “green” building features, including 2x8 construction (40% greater insulation value); generous glass areas to provide natural lighting and ventilation; large overhangs for sun and rain protection; metal siding (recycled steel) for maximum durability, and a heat pump mechanical system for maximum energy efficiency. Sustainable interior finish materials include wood cabinets, linoleum floors, low-VOC paints, and natural wool carpet.

In the design stages many details were incorporated in this classic kitchen to give it dimension since the surround cabinets, counters and backsplash were white. Polished nickel plumbing, hardware and custom grilles on feature cabinets along with the island pendants add shine, while finer details such as inset doors, furniture kicks on non-working areas and lofty crown details add a layering effect in the millwork. Photo by Pete Maric.

View of Great Room/Living Room from front entry: 41 West Coastal Retreat Series reveals creative, fresh ideas, for a new look to define the casual beach lifestyle of Naples. More than a dozen custom variations and sizes are available to be built on your lot. From this spacious 3,000 square foot, 3 bedroom model, to larger 4 and 5 bedroom versions ranging from 3,500 - 10,000 square feet, including guest house options.

The Mazama house is located in the Methow Valley of Washington State, a secluded mountain valley on the eastern edge of the North Cascades, about 200 miles northeast of Seattle. The house has been carefully placed in a copse of trees at the easterly end of a large meadow. Two major building volumes indicate the house organization. A grounded 2-story bedroom wing anchors a raised living pavilion that is lifted off the ground by a series of exposed steel columns. Seen from the access road, the large meadow in front of the house continues right under the main living space, making the living pavilion into a kind of bridge structure spanning over the meadow grass, with the house touching the ground lightly on six steel columns. The raised floor level provides enhanced views as well as keeping the main living level well above the 3-4 feet of winter snow accumulation that is typical for the upper Methow Valley. To further emphasize the idea of lightness, the exposed wood structure of the living pavilion roof changes pitch along its length, so the roof warps upward at each end. The interior exposed wood beams appear like an unfolding fan as the roof pitch changes. The main interior bearing columns are steel with a tapered “V”-shape, recalling the lightness of a dancer. The house reflects the continuing FINNE investigation into the idea of crafted modernism, with cast bronze inserts at the front door, variegated laser-cut steel railing panels, a curvilinear cast-glass kitchen counter, waterjet-cut aluminum light fixtures, and many custom furniture pieces. The house interior has been designed to be completely integral with the exterior. The living pavilion contains more than twelve pieces of custom furniture and lighting, creating a totality of the designed environment that recalls the idea of Gesamtkunstverk, as seen in the work of Josef Hoffman and the Viennese Secessionist movement in the early 20th century. The house has been designed from the start as a sustainable structure, with 40% higher insulation values than required by code, radiant concrete slab heating, efficient natural ventilation, large amounts of natural lighting, water-conserving plumbing fixtures, and locally sourced materials. Windows have high-performance LowE insulated glazing and are equipped with concealed shades. A radiant hydronic heat system with exposed concrete floors allows lower operating temperatures and higher occupant comfort levels. The concrete slabs conserve heat and provide great warmth and comfort for the feet. Deep roof overhangs, built-in shades and high operating clerestory windows are used to reduce heat gain in summer months. During the winter, the lower sun angle is able to penetrate into living spaces and passively warm the exposed concrete floor. Low VOC paints and stains have been used throughout the house. The high level of craft evident in the house reflects another key principle of sustainable design: build it well and make it last for many years! Photo by Benjamin Benschneider

Beach house on a coastal island
Mid-sized coastal two-story exterior home idea in Wilmington with a hip roof

The site for this new house was specifically selected for its proximity to nature while remaining connected to the urban amenities of Arlington and DC. From the beginning, the homeowners were mindful of the environmental impact of this house, so the goal was to get the project LEED certified. Even though the owner’s programmatic needs ultimately grew the house to almost 8,000 square feet, the design team was able to obtain LEED Silver for the project. The first floor houses the public spaces of the program: living, dining, kitchen, family room, power room, library, mudroom and screened porch. The second and third floors contain the master suite, four bedrooms, office, three bathrooms and laundry. The entire basement is dedicated to recreational spaces which include a billiard room, craft room, exercise room, media room and a wine cellar. To minimize the mass of the house, the architects designed low bearing roofs to reduce the height from above, while bringing the ground plain up by specifying local Carder Rock stone for the foundation walls. The landscape around the house further anchored the house by installing retaining walls using the same stone as the foundation. The remaining areas on the property were heavily landscaped with climate appropriate vegetation, retaining walls, and minimal turf. Other LEED elements include LED lighting, geothermal heating system, heat-pump water heater, FSA certified woods, low VOC paints and high R-value insulation and windows. Hoachlander Davis Photography

This stained glass window was not original to the space. It was removed from a different house just before it was going to be torn down and installed in this house. It does a perfect job of letting light in with privacy. Photographer: John Wilbanks Interior Designer: Kathryn Tegreene Interior Design

Inspiration for a coastal living room remodel in New York with a stone fireplace

Small white painted kitchen in cottage on the beach in California. Natural wood shelves and natural materials with white cabinetry, A small weekend beach resort home for a family of four with two little girls. Remodeled from a funky old house built in the 60's on Oxnard Shores. This little white cottage has the master bedroom, a playroom, guest bedroom and girls' bunk room upstairs, while downstairs there is a 1960s feel family room with an industrial modern style bar for the family's many parties and celebrations. A great room open to the dining area with a zinc dining table and rattan chairs. Fireplace features custom iron doors, and green glass tile surround. New white cabinets and bookshelves flank the real wood burning fire place. Simple clean white cabinetry in the kitchen with x designs on glass cabinet doors and peninsula ends. Durable, beautiful white quartzite counter tops and yes! porcelain planked floors for durability! The girls can run in and out without worrying about the beach sand damage!. White painted planked and beamed ceilings, natural reclaimed woods mixed with rattans and velvets for comfortable, beautiful interiors Project Location: Oxnard, California. Project designed by Maraya Interior Design. From their beautiful resort town of Ojai, they serve clients in Montecito, Hope Ranch, Malibu, Westlake and Calabasas, across the tri-county areas of Santa Barbara, Ventura and Los Angeles, south to Hidden Hills- north through Solvang and more.

Renovated to accommodate a family of eight, this oceanfront home proudly overlooks the gateway to Marblehead Neck. This renovation preserves and highlights the character and charm of the existing circa 1900 gambrel while providing comfortable living for this large family. The finished product is a unique combination of fresh traditional, as exemplified by the contrast of the pool house interior and exterior. Photo Credit: Eric Roth

Interior Design by Blackband Design, Home Build by Graystone Custom Builders, Photography by Ryan Garvin
Large beach style master bathroom photo in Orange County with shaker cabinets and white cabinets

Industrial modern bar in a small beach house. Reclaimed wood siding and glass tile with galvanized steel pendant lighting. A small weekend beach resort home for a family of four with two little girls. Remodeled from a funky old house built in the 60's on Oxnard Shores. This little white cottage has the master bedroom, a playroom, guest bedroom and girls' bunk room upstairs, while downstairs there is a 1960s feel family room with an industrial modern style bar for the family's many parties and celebrations. A great room open to the dining area with a zinc dining table and rattan chairs. Fireplace features custom iron doors, and green glass tile surround. New white cabinets and bookshelves flank the real wood burning fire place. Simple clean white cabinetry in the kitchen with x designs on glass cabinet doors and peninsula ends. Durable, beautiful white quartzite counter tops and yes! porcelain planked floors for durability! The girls can run in and out without worrying about the beach sand damage!. White painted planked and beamed ceilings, natural reclaimed woods mixed with rattans and velvets for comfortable, beautiful interiors Project Location: Oxnard, California. Project designed by Maraya Interior Design. From their beautiful resort town of Ojai, they serve clients in Montecito, Hope Ranch, Malibu, Westlake and Calabasas, across the tri-county areas of Santa Barbara, Ventura and Los Angeles, south to Hidden Hills- north through Solvang and more.

A traditional fireplace and classic white painted mantel in the casual living room. Coastal dark wood floors and white walls throughout this classic interior with white painted ceiling beams.

The Cleveland Park neighborhood of Washington, D.C boasts some of the most beautiful and well maintained bungalows of the late 19th century. Residential streets are distinguished by the most significant craftsman icon, the front porch. Porter Street Bungalow was different. The stucco walls on the right and left side elevations were the first indication of an original bungalow form. Yet the swooping roof, so characteristic of the period, was terminated at the front by a first floor enclosure that had almost no penetrations and presented an unwelcoming face. Original timber beams buried within the enclosed mass provided the only fenestration where they nudged through. The house, known affectionately as ‘the bunker’, was in serious need of a significant renovation and restoration. A young couple purchased the house over 10 years ago as a first home. As their family grew and professional lives matured the inadequacies of the small rooms and out of date systems had to be addressed. The program called to significantly enlarge the house with a major new rear addition. The completed house had to fulfill all of the requirements of a modern house: a reconfigured larger living room, new shared kitchen and breakfast room and large family room on the first floor and three modified bedrooms and master suite on the second floor. Front photo by Hoachlander Davis Photography. All other photos by Prakash Patel.

This project occupies a low ridge at the tip of a small island and is flanked by a beach to either side. The two beaches suggested the image of the two-faced god Janus who was the inspiration for the design. The house is flanked by two large porches, one facing either beach, which offer shelter from the elements while inviting the visitors outdoors. Three buildings are linked together to form a string of buildings that follow the terrain. Massive concrete columns lend strength and support while becoming part of the language of the forest in which the house is situated. Salvaged wood forms the majority of the interior structure and the floors. Light is introduced deep into the house through doors, windows, clerestories, and dormer windows. The house is organized along two long enfilades that order space and invite long views through the building and to the landscape beyond.

Eric Laignel
Example of a large minimalist three-story exterior home design in New York

Morgan Howarth
Example of a beach style white tile and mosaic tile pebble tile floor and beige floor alcove shower design in DC Metro with beige walls

Beach style subway tile bathroom photo in New York with white countertops