Envisioning the home as a haven for their parents, siblings, children, and extended family, the homeowners impressed upon James their desire for the beach home to be a place where stress melts away. James took this idea and ran with it, elegantly marrying modern design elements with classic maritime influence. Slatted wooden ceilings carry in from the exterior canopies, referencing old boat hulls and traditional beachfront estates, while cool whites and seaside grays connect to the stunning vista beyond. Warm tones create a timeless feel while pops of stark white decor tie the whole space together in a playful nod to the classic fashion rule of wearing white before Labor Day.

The home’s color story defines the visitor experience from the first steps inside the entrance foyer, where sand-colored travertine floors lie parallel with the shoreline just outside. Soft gray tones keep the visual temperature cool and evoke an atmosphere of serenity. A long sofa welcomes guests for a relaxing stay, while contrasting dark navy knot pillows create a visual path outwards to the dune decks and sea beyond. A vintage lucite etagère houses blue and silver decorative objects that deconstruct the adjacent wallpaper print and catch the light reflecting from the glass doorway.

As though climbing upwards to the sun, a high-gloss custom pipe railing (reminiscent of pool railing) leads all the way up through the home to the roof top deck and pool area, stopping at the big reveal on level five, where all the colors of the sun are reflected in the decor and over twenty feet of ocean view serves as a visual reward. An elevator serves as an alternative option to support guests of all mobilities. Tiles of white terrazzo flecked with grays and honey sourced from Lynn Anderson Artistic Tile cover the full footprint in a diagonal pattern. The tiled expanse opens up the space and balances the drama of the Armstrong walnut slat ceiling with compatible USAI micro downlights sourced through lighting designer Ryan M. Clarke, Diversified Group. In the kitchen, a bold creamy white rust-veined quartzite sourced from OHM international sets the identity of the retro-inspired living space. The kitchen is outfitted with all the accouterments needed for a family of entertainers including Wolf appliances, a Sub Zero refrigerator and freezer, a walk-up bar and wine fridge, and a second sink and dishwasher in the prep island. To further aid with the hosting of family and friends, the second sink area enables the duties of table setting and food preparation to occur simultaneously.