For Jeffrey Dungan, architecture starts with art, pure and simple. The features of fine art that pull our eyes and imaginations—an instinctive play of light, the sensuous use of curves, and shapes that feel inborn—are some of the longtime architect’s favorite principles to draw on in his work. 

So it’s only natural that when Dungan, the principal of Jeffrey Dungan Architecture, was asked to design a home in beautiful Alys Beach, Florida, he immediately began to think of natural, pleasing shapes and malleable materials—something, in fact, like a sandcastle. 

“One of my favorite things is to dig into walls, nibble around the edges, and carve, like we did as kids with sandcastles,” Dungan says from his Mountain Brook, Alabama, office. “I also wanted to do something that felt simple.” His materials of choice for the three-story Alys Beach vacation home, concrete and stucco, fit his vision perfectly. “With concrete, unlike wood, you have this great flexibility in formwork, and I’ve always been drawn to curves. I just wanted to play with different opportunities.” 

Rather than a hindrance, Dungan found the Alys Beach design dictum—that homes have a white exterior—to be a lovely opportunity for creativity. “White is powerful; it’s a monochromatic palette,” Dungan says. “You’ve got all this white stucco. Shadow striking a white surface is very pure. I found that to be fascinating. What you’re left with is the detail.”

The home’s exterior details are stunning: deep windows with charcoal-colored frames; a porch with fluted walls; a chimney that becomes an artful creation, complete with teardrop shapes on top, almost like tiny fish. “The voids are also curved,” Dungan says, “so you get these delicious shadows.”

The interior architecture is more complex, with its varying layers, shapes, curves, and occasional vaulted ceilings. On the main level are the primary living spaces, including an elegant little pool set in a courtyard. The second floor holds the bedrooms, a den, and balconies for faraway views. The third floor is reserved for a terrace, bar, and hot tub. White oak cabinetry, designed in-house, and floors are bathed in a warm-hued stain. The creative work of many people—carpenters, builders, masons, metalworkers, artisans, and plasterers—lends the house a one-of-a-kind, easygoing spirit.  

“The house exterior has some muscular moments,” Dungan says. “We wanted the interiors to feel a little soft, a little quieter.” Paint colors in the interior, harmonious with nature, work beautifully on stucco, which takes on a creamier hue indoors. Interior designer Ohara Davies-Gaetano supported the interior’s architectural detailing with a light touch that is both sophisticated and calming. 

Dungan worked with meticulous detail on the play of light and the strong heat of the Florida sunshine. “When I design a home, one of the first things is to have an understanding of how the sun moves across that particular piece of dirt. Then you can understand your light source. I’m always interested in making the most of the natural light. I find natural light and the way it moves into the box can be very powerful, very emotional.” 

Unsurprisingly, Dungan entered architecture through an artist’s portal. Long before he designed homes, he painted watercolors and drew. The author of The Nature of Home: Creating Timeless Houses (Rizzoli), Dungan takes his cues from natural sources. He was very happy when the homeowners told him their simple request: that their vacation home have a relaxed vibe and be welcoming to children. Alys Beach, with stunning vistas and white sand like powdered sugar, was the perfect setting. 

The home’s north side, long and broad, has plentiful glass, allowing natural reflected light to drift in. “I was able to construct a carefully considered structure to allow in morning light but largely avoid direct sun. It’s fabulous,” he says. The garage is tucked on the west side, which in another location could have introduced harsh sun. 

A visitor senses that the house is exactly where it should be, in this stunning beach community. “Every house tells a story,” Dungan says. “The story starts with the roofline. It continues on the interior, but it’s more intimate. There is continuity. You want it to be the same story. Here, it’s the emotional feel, the vibe.” 

For more information, visit  jeffreydungan.com

When interior designer Allison Babcock set her sights on her own new waterfront home, she relished the chance to sit at both sides of the worktable, as client and designer. 

“It was exciting and intimidating,” says Babcock, principal of Allison Babcock Design in Sag Harbor, New York. Like so many homeowners, she had a timeline, a budget, and many ideas from her family to sift through. But thanks to her intuitive sense of design and how it relates to architecture, she and her family love the house and its potential to evolve over time.

Overlooking Morris Cove in the Hamptons, Babcock’s home reflects the easy livability of the interiors that she designs for her clients, with a focus on comfort and color palettes that jibe with the tremendous views. The mix of vintage and new furnishings, artworks, enticing colors and fabrics, and abundant ocean views, bathed in soft sunlight and shadows, is perfectly at ease.

Inner reflection has long been a springboard for Babcock. “I started by osmosis,” she says. Growing up in Charlottesville, Virginia, surrounded by the influence of Thomas Jefferson’s Monticello and other classic architecture, she felt a spark early on. “As a girl I was constantly rearranging my room,” she says. She eventually worked with the Richmond, Virginia, designer Nan McVey, and thoroughly learned her craft with Cullman & Kravis in New York City.

Reflections of her rich background pop up throughout Babcock’s home, which she shares with husband Luke and their two teenage daughters. In the first-floor open living area is a striking vignette of a 1960s teak console, 1970s cork lamp, and a painting by the Vietnamese artist Le Than Son, all topped by a whimsical chandelier from Moooi Lighting. More soft sunlight spills from the adjoining French doors, where lush ferns provide their own deep color. On the other side of the house are views of Morris Cove, part of Upper Sag Harbor Cove.

“I migrate toward more transitional and minimalist; cleaner lines and fewer things,” Babcock says of her philosophy. “We’re bombarded with messages all day long. I like the home to be quiet and restful.” She has long been attracted to barns and small farmhouses: the coziness, simplicity, and lack of pretense. 

Her own home, designed in collaboration with the architect Blaze Makoid of nearby Bridgehampton, along with local builder Greg D’Angelo, is a modern take on a barn, with three rectangular structures topped by a pitched roof and centered with a courtyard. The house is a fit with the Hamptons’ laid-back mood and outdoor lifestyle. “I really appreciate natural light, bringing the outdoors inside,” Babcock says. In fact, she and her family rarely need to turn on lights during the daytime.

One prime gathering spot on the first floor is the kitchen, with an island and countertops of Jet Mist Granite with a honed finish. A divider separates the kitchen from the dining room and cunningly hides any kitchen mess. It also serves as a niche for cookbooks. Curtainless windows shed just the right amount of light. Throughout the house, white oak flooring and cabinetry, and walls painted in Calm by Benjamin Moore, create a tranquil background. 

The adjoining dining room is anchored with a table by Rotsen Design in Miami. The table’s single walnut slab sits on an acrylic base, appearing to float. When the Babcocks have a party, the chairs, from the online marketplace 1stDibs, are easily moved. Upstairs, two bedrooms and Babcock’s office are tucked off a hallway lined with family photos.

The yard is filled with low-maintenance plantings, including evergreens, ferns, boxwood, and Japanese switchgrass. Sweet box shrubs scent the air in springtime. Separating the front of the house from the backyard and the pool is a slatted gate that casts bands of light and shadows.

Indoors and out, Babcock mostly wanted her family’s Sag Harbor home to be welcoming. “We live a very active life,” she says. “I needed the house to be low maintenance, clean looking, and relaxed, without it being a lot of work. I don’t believe in things being absolutely perfect. That would be very hard to live with.”

For more information, visit allisonbabcock.com

Before hammer hit nail, there were 21 schemes—meticulous line drawings—for the new home that would be positioned a stone’s throw from Florida’s Intracoastal Waterway. After an intense six months of sketching, it clicked: The staff of Ferguson & Shamamian Architects in New York City found the key to unlock this treasure of a house in Jupiter Island, Florida. 

Stephen Chrisman, one of the firm’s six partners, recalls the process, which included countless conversations with the homeowners. Says Chrisman, “A lot of work went into making this look effortless, to make the project feel like it’s always been there.”

With a spirit that is both easygoing and balanced to precision, the Anglo-Caribbean style house, with nuances of Colonial character, is welcoming and stately. The central portion of the home—including a centered front entry that provides a view straight through to the water—remained mostly unchanged throughout the 21 iterations. Wings, which extend forward to hug the property, encompass the kitchen, shared family space, and bedrooms. 

The entire second floor is the spacious primary suite with an adjoining covered porch. A separate guesthouse provides space for the couple’s grown children to visit. Terraces, decks, and porches add space and a charming touch. 

The exterior is right in step with Anglo-Caribbean style with a large hipped roof, simple framework enclosing five bays, and custom mahogany window frames. The windows, with large glass panes, render views of the Intracoastal. Shutters, painted an appealing gray-blue shade suggested by New York City interior designer Victoria Hagan, add warmth to the stucco walls. 

The couple had fallen in love with the two-acre setting and the Jupiter Island community, and committed to full participation in their home’s design—enough so that they practically lived on the property for long periods. “They wanted to know where the sun came up and set; the views and the landscape; what you see at different times of day. They wanted to truly learn the land,” Chrisman says. Having worked previously with Ferguson & Shamamian, the couple confidently depended on Chrisman and the team, including partners Oscar Shamamian and Tom McManus.

For the landscape design, the homeowners and designers wanted an easy flow of native plantings, which would gently segue into spacious neighboring properties. Jorge Sanchez of SMI Landscape Architecture in Palm Beach spoke their design language. Sanchez’s philosophy started with an emphasis on the relationship of the house and its lush setting, allowing much of the property to remain a bit overgrown. Layers of plantings edge the lawn, while palm trees and old ficus trees grace the property. 

It was imperative, Chrisman says, that the architect, interior designer, and landscape architect work closely together for a seamless whole: “We thought about architectural character of the property a lot.”

Inside, each room stands on its own, enfilade style, directly linking the spaces rather than depending on corridors. The arrangement encourages the interior’s beautiful natural lighting and gives the house a cozy feel. An interior palette of light, neutral shades and minimal but very special art, allow the architectural lines to fully shine.  

The home design’s biggest challenge, and the way Chrisman and his team approached it, resulted in one of its most appealing features: a covered porch off the second-floor primary suite, which the clients had specifically requested. Considering the hipped roof and the home’s overall style, the team at first was puzzled. Then the answer emerged in somewhat nontraditional fashion—creating space for the airy porch by incorporating an open-ended bay. It has become one of the homeowners’ favorite places, sitting on the porch, amid the tree tops, morning coffee in hand.  

The challenge also became one of the best moments in the design process, says Oscar Shamamian, who founded the firm with his longtime colleague Mark Ferguson: “It was fun and scary. The homeowners put us to the test, in all the right ways.” 

Learn more about the project team

Architect: Ferguson & Shamamian Architects
Interior designer: Victoria Hagan
Landscape architect: SMI Landscape Architecture

When architect Grant Kirkpatrick met his new clients, a young married couple, his ears perked up at their unconventional approach: There were no demands, no preset notions. They were ready to hear any and all ideas. 

Their only wish for their new oceanfront home was that it offer easy movement between indoors and its nature-oriented setting, on The Strand in Manhattan Beach, a quintessential stretch of lovely Southern California coastline. The couple knew that freedom and space to play—inside the home and beachside—would be ideal for their children. 

“For the most part, they had no agenda,” recalls Kirkpatrick, the founding partner of KAA Design Group in Los Angeles. He and his staff were delighted with the world of possibilities set before them. 

The goal of establishing an easy transition between the house and outdoors was perfectly in sync with KAA’s philosophy of placing as much importance on a property’s setting as on the house itself. “Our work always starts with the architecture and the landscape architecture. It’s all about the indoor and outdoor environment and taking advantage of the beautiful setting,” Kirkpatrick says. “It’s interwoven.”

Today the airy three-story, five-bedroom home is warm, comforting, and elegant all at once. Louvered shutters both inside and out give an expansive feel. Other large features—such as the outdoor room that tops the home and offers a stairway to the pool—make the spaces even more accessible. Below the middle floor, where visitors enter the home, is a playroom with a pool table and bar. 

Many layers of materials give the home interest and a dash of sophistication. “Chiseled stone forms the walls for the home, indoors and outdoors,” Kirkpatrick says. “We used the warmth of the stone to provoke the notion of indoor-outdoor living. The stone is interrupted only by doors or beautiful millwork.” Interior décor, by Lynn Pépe of Pépe Studio, Inc. in Manhattan Beach, embraces the tones and textures of the rugged yet refined architecture. 

Custom-built cedar louvered screens by Louvertec, are an easy-on-the-eyes way to control the effects of weather and address privacy concerns. The louvers work in a “lift and slide” system, which seals tightly. As Kirkpatrick says, “You want the views and breeze, but need some privacy and sun control.” Limestone floors are refined, sturdy, and easy to clean.

In close collaboration with KAA Landscape Architect Michael McGowan, Kirkpatrick and his staff created the symbolic and physical center of the home: a private courtyard, which replaces a traditional front yard. All the rooms revolve round the courtyard, a beauty with a gentle tropical feel and shade-loving plants such as bamboo and philodendron. The courtyard brings in light and provides a sheltered outdoorsy space where the couple’s three small children can play. It also offers a pleasing view through its interior and toward the entry gate and a linear garden. 

Nearby is a swimming pool with a hydraulic lift that can lower a stone roof over the pool when more standing space is needed. Within view of the pool is the top-floor outdoor room, located off the primary bedroom suite. Covered with Alaskan yellow-cedar stain for a light driftwood effect, the space gives the parents a view toward both the pool and the ocean.   

At its heart, the house is very family-centric, Kirkpatrick says: “The clients were very interested in exploring ways for young families to live. Everything is about ease and flow.” 

For more information visit kaadesigngroup.com

Designer Theresa Obermoser was in lockdown at a ski resort in her hometown of Kitzbühel, in the Austrian Alps, biding her time during the pandemic, when a homeowner approached her about designing the interiors of his family’s vacation house, in the Le Cap Ferret area of southwest France. 

“I was very excited,” says Obermoser, the founder and creative director of TO Interior Design, based in London and Vienna. Besides it being her first project in France, the home’s chic charm and oceanfront setting—in view are the Dune of Pilat (the tallest sand dune in Europe) and Arcachon Bay—made the project irresistible.  

The home shines with history. The large 1910 bungalow, similar to other homes in the area, has influences of Prairie style, the early 20th-century school of architecture whose founders include the renowned Frank Lloyd Wright. The family members, who travel to the house for vacations from their homebase of Paris, had filled the house with their own history of grand journeys and special family pieces. The client had seen Obermoser’s work and was drawn to the deft way she has injected a Bohemian vibe into elegant interiors.

Obermoser also knew that the brilliant turquoise water, just steps from the house, would be a stunning natural element and influence on the home’s interior. As Obermoser says: “I would never say no to a project on the beach.” 

The family’s request was simple: to bring the 2,150-square-foot house into the 21st century and add a bit of modern, casual flair. “It’s beautiful when you can work with history,” the designer says. 

It was critical that the home itself—which appears to be built of wood but is actually concrete—maintain the same exterior, in keeping with the local architectural style. Enormous windows face the ever-changing waters of the bay. “You can’t escape the view,” Obermoser says. She felt strongly that “the ocean should be allowed to be itself,” and chose a neutral chromatic palette with earthy colors for the bedrooms and living area. 

The main floor revolves around the living room and dining room, which are separated by open shelving, a family piece. The area fully opens onto a tranquil swimming pool and greenery, including pine trees and native grasses, all of it flanked by terraces. The kitchen is tucked to one side, away from the activity of the rest of the house.    

The living area, with its original timber ceiling, is furnished with a mix of the family’s antiques and fresh additions from Obermoser that modernize the mood. The shelving behind one of the sofas is lined with ancient clay pots, all heirlooms. “We used a lot of the family’s antiques,” she says. Throughout the main floor, natural materials such as wood, ceramic, and linen provide a gentle segue to the outdoors. 

Below the main floor is a basement that includes a cinema, bar, game room, gym, and sauna. Tropical wallpaper gives it an appealing ease, while wood panels lend intimacy. Green marble and goldleaf wall lamps behind the sleek bar are elegant yet discrete. Four large mirrors facing the window reflect the garden, beach, water, and sky. 

At times, the interiors of the main floor evoke the breezy style of oceanfront California and Florida homes. Obermoser is very fond of the U.S. and would like to work on projects in North America. Most of her work is in Europe, but France had eluded her until the Le Cap Ferret project came along. (Since then, she has finished the interiors of the Paris branch of the Australian bank Macquarie and a Parisian apartment.) “This home was my breakthrough in France,” she says. 

What a breakthrough it is. Today the impeccable home and elegant beauty of Le Cap Ferret are in perfect harmony with the mesmerizing water view outside the spacious windows. “I like to say that the house is an invitation to contemplate the changing horizon of the ocean,” Obermoser says. “No matter where you are in the house, you have this magnificent view.” 

For more information, visit tointeriordesign.com

Being the middle child isn’t easy. Either way you look, there’s another presence stealing the thunder. Providence, Rhode Island, located between the intimidating glamour of New York City and the ever-enticing Boston, hasn’t always gotten the spotlight. And that’s a shame.

Providence, with a bustling airport and sleek train station, and positioned in the heart of New England, is taking a sparkling bow in the world of culture, food, and art. Add to this mix the crisp beauty of autumn, and you have a perfect getaway.

In one autumn weekend – for us, just 24 hours – Providence delivered the best aspects of city life and coastal New England, burnished in the season’s beautiful light.

Providence draws on its long history and rich architecture to present great food, art, and multi-cultural communities, all in an urban setting that is small enough to get around easily. Just 20 minutes outside the city is storybook-perfect farmland in its fall dressing: baskets of freshly picked apples, cider donuts, spectacular leaf-peeping, and the rolling terrain, with towering trees and flowers in rich colors.

Start your morning with a food tour. Rhode Island Red Food Tours presents a packet of intimate, unique culinary experiences, including a stop at the restaurant Double Zero, located in the Plant City Food Court, the world’s first plant-based vegan food court, housed in an 1860 brick building, formerly a mill.  

After other stops for delicious tastings, which ended with bubble tea at the delightful Charuma, we strolled through Providence, founded in 1636. Views from a pedestrian bridge, across the rushing Providence River, rendered sights of Narragansett Bay and a majestic downtown skyline.

Providence has a wide selection of dinner restaurants covering all price ranges. One particular upscale spot is Bellini, located in the downtown historic district, with a very cool vibe and a rooftop bar.  

Providence is also home to the much-acclaimed WaterFire, a nighttime fire sculpture installation downtown on Memorial Boulevard and the Providence and Woonasquatucket Rivers. For an extra thrill, contract with a boat company, such as the Providence River Boat Company, for a serene float around the lit braziers floating in the water.

When it’s time to sleep, the choices are abundant. One source is the Providence Warwick Convention & Visitors Bureau. Or consider spending the night on the Samuel Slater, a canal boat named for the father of the American Industrial Revolution, tied up in the Blackstone River in Central Falls. This one-of-a-kind US-moored boat, built in Cambridgeshire, England, is available for overnights, or book the boat for a cruise on the scenic Blackstone River.

After a night in Providence, rural farmland with beautiful fall foliage is a mere 20 minutes away. A breakfast of handmade cider donuts and hot coffee is a treat. Try Phantom Farms and munch on donuts as you take a brisk walk through the fields in the autumn air.

A short jaunt away is Chase Farm & Hearthside House, a natural beauty with beautiful fall colors, historic buildings, and a tranquil butterfly garden. It also was the filming location of the wildly popular movie Hocus Pocus 2.  A leisurely drive through the entire region is magic for the eyes and soul.

We topped off the getaway with a visit to The Guild Brewery in Pawtucket, deep in the Blackstone Valley. The Guild is a friendly social scene and known for its impressive beer list. Revitalized by a plate of nachos and a trio of sample brews, we headed for home.

Creativity is a wellspring that frequently bubbles up where it is least expected. When Hillary Stamm was working in production at Sony Pictures—and wrote a how-to book about her experience there—little did she imagine the skills she honed in movie production would translate to residential interior design.

As it turned out, it was a natural fit. “At Sony, I was surrounded by beautiful places and beautiful people. I took that love of creative set design and aesthetics and applied it to my design,” says Stamm, the principal of HMS Interiors in Manhattan Beach, California. Working with homeowners along the West Coast, Stamm and her crew specialize in beach houses that use space wisely and pack a dreamy mix of high-end coastal design laced with a light beach vibe.

Stamm’s recent project in Hermosa Beach, perched over the Pacific Ocean, projects a breezy, stylish ease. “We wanted to build it as a beach house but with more of a modern sense, fresh-forward and different,” she says. The three-story house was a collaboration with the builder RJ Smith Construction in Manhattan Beach and architect David Watson, also in Manhattan Beach. 

The home’s kitchen and five bathrooms are especially polished departures from more traditional beach houses. Thanks to intriguing lighting, a variety of materials, custom cabinetry, and Stamm’s bold use of tiles, each of the rooms is a spectacular design statement but still highly functional.

“We set out to make the kitchen the anchor of the house,” Stamm says. The room’s eye-catching visage begins with an elegant mix of shapes and colors in bold black and gray hues. A slab of Calacatta marble—its creamy base offset by sweeping veins of gray and brown—tops the island. Throughout the space are black-framed custom windows and black cabinetry, custom built by VSI in Los Angeles and covered with Farrow & Ball paint. Strategic lighting beams from artisanal pendant fixtures from L’Aviva Home in New York City, casting a glow off the marble at twilight. The stovetop hood, over the Thermador range, is covered in eco-friendly Portola Roman Clay paint.

Another eye-catcher in the open kitchen space is the abundant use of Moroccan four-by-four black tile, installed by Westside Tile & Stone in Beverly Hills. The Moroccan tile establishes a presence through the home, an important design statement. As Stamm says, “We took chances with the tile.” 

A bar is located on the third floor, just off a great room. The arresting feature here is the panoramic view, ranging from Palos Verdes to Malibu, a quintessential Southern California ocean-rimmed skyline. It is a perfect gathering spot; the deck is set up with a firepit and grill and a window for passing drinks from kitchen to outdoor guests.

Stamm’s ambitious take on tiling converts what is sometimes a ho-hum feature to a standalone design feature in each of the home’s five bathrooms, providing a luxurious, artful touch. 

The primary bathroom, off the second-floor bedroom, is decadent but understated. A beautiful gray-toned fiberglass tub from Victoria & Albert rests under a black-framed window. Nearby is a full steam shower with cream-white tiles and, again, custom cabinetry.

A secondary bedroom, on the second floor, shows another arresting use of Moroccan tile. The green-blue shades and uneven texture “make it pop,” Stamm says.

A first-floor powder room offers a different mood, with soft-gray, custom-cut horizontal tiles, and a delicate circular mirror with scalloped edging from Serena & Lily. Walls shimmer quietly with a coating of Portola paint in Bardot, another of the company’s Roman Clay blends. 

Each of the bathrooms has its own personality. “Each is its own departure, has its own flavor,” Stamm says. As is the house itself: “It has soul to it the minute you walk in, which is what every good house should have.” 

For more information, visit hmsinteriordesign.com

Behind the elegant lines of the new house on Cape Cod’s dramatic oceanfront are enough sublime details to last a lifetime and then some. Beguiling pieces abound: an oversize stainless-steel pinecone in the living room fireplace, oversize gold mobiles hanging from a cathedral ceiling, light fixtures that suggest fine art.  

“There are enough little surprises that people smile when they come in the door,” says the homeowner, who shares the home with her husband. “It gives you a good feeling.” 

Even before entering the house, an arresting feature captures the eye: While the house suggests modern style, it also incorporates a mix of architectural vernacular that allows it to fit beautifully with its surroundings and the very old family compound next door. 

The firm in charge of designing the house, Latitude Architecture, LLC in Belmont, Massachusetts, injected stylistic details that subtly evoke an earlier era and give the home a unique identity, while invoking a sense of modern living. This, says Latitude’s Greg Graham, was key in allowing the site – on a bluff overlooking the Atlantic Ocean and within range of old shingled residences – to shine.

Graham and his colleagues, Christian Prescott and Corey MacPherson, constantly bounced ideas off each other as the design evolved. “We pride ourselves on getting emotionally involved with the design, and we listen to each other,” Graham says. “The end result looks easy because it is seamless.”

The seamlessness perfectly suits the homeowners, who asked for a simple design that would easily accommodate family and friends. The home’s tripartite layout—three distinct sections—fulfills the wish in elegant style. The subtle blend of design—including the traditional seaside Shingle Style and the Cape Cod saltbox—were pulled together in concert with the builder, C.H. Newton Builders, Inc. of Cape Cod.

“The main portion is saltbox style,” encompassing the main living area, Prescott says. Two wings provide private spaces. Shingle Style, Prescott notes, is evident in the home’s elongated shape, steep roof, and weathered exterior shingles. All blend organically with the architects’ modern interpretation. The subtlety of the exterior was natural for Latitude, says MacPherson: “Being new Englanders, these things are imprinted on our psyche.” 

The homeowners, also New Englanders, are new grandparents with a flock of extended family members. They needed enough space to accommodate friends and family, who often meander over from the family compound next door, a large 1886 shingled home. “My husband and I thought, why wouldn’t we build our house next door?” the homeowner recalls. The fluid nature of family members visiting in the two houses makes for a family-centered, slightly raucous summertime.

The center of the first floor fulfills the couple’s desire, with a great room, kitchen, dining room, and living room positioned in an easy, natural flow. To one side is the primary suite, a story and a half, with a sweeping ceiling. The lowest level, the basement, holds another bedroom; above the kitchen are two more. A bunkroom above the garage provides the youngest generation lots of room. 

The tripartite design and carefully placed windows add livability and intimacy to the 8,500-square-foot home. “We focused on human scale, so it doesn’t overwhelm the site,” Graham says. The only grandiose note, he adds, is the roof slope at the home’s entry point. The entry itself is compressed, leading to a soaring space with a straight-on view of the ocean. The narrow site required some finesse. “In the early stages the house was flipped and adjusted to get the most out of the site while maintaining the clients’ desire for privacy,” says MacPherson. 

Throughout the interior, Tracie Evans Schumacher of the Colorado firm Studio 80 Interior Design, established the base with a simple black and white palette. Visuals then shift to spots of bright primary colors, adding a sense of lift and lightness. Creative touches pop out in the lighting design, by Lana Nathe of Light Insight Design Studio Inc. in Boston.

Anchoring the ocean side of the property is an infinity pool, kitchen, and firepit. Pockets of private areas are woven together with gardens designed by landscape architect Gregory Lombardi of Gregory Lombardi Design in Massachusetts. 

It was a fine balance, Lombardi says. “It’s an ecologically sensitive area; we wanted things to fit in while respecting the history and place, and still be fresh and new for the owners, to give them their own more personal vision.” Dwarf fountain grass softens the edges of the pool. A wildflower meadow sweeps across the back property, with an herb garden tucked inside the walkway. Grasses and native shrubs line the coastal bank. 

Constant communication among team members was crucial, Graham says, with passionate discussion and critique allowing creativity to bloom. “We relish the dialogue, MacPherson says. “We feel strongly. It only helps enrich the project.”

Learn more about the project team

Architect: Latitude
Builder: C.H. Newton Builders, Inc.
Interior architect/ designers: Studio 80 Interior Design
Lighting designer: Light Insight Design Inc.
Landscape architect: Greg Lombardi Design

Outdoor living: Just the words bring a rush of pleasure. Creating a sweet spot where you can inhale fresh breezes and gaze at nature while enjoying your home has never been more coveted. Whether it’s a moment of solitude or a let-loose gathering of friends you crave, furniture designers are ramping up options to furnish your space. 

GamFratesi, the design duo established in 2006 by Stine Gam and Enrico Fratesi, is stepping up with furniture designs that combine the ring of tradition with the light touch of innovation. The Danish-Italian team takes full advantage of both European cultures, weaving together robust Danish craft traditions with a poetic nod to Italian conceptualism, in a new line of outdoor furniture for Minotti. 

Stine Gam and Enrico Fratesi

Ocean Home asked the Copenhagen-based team to forecast this season’s five biggest trends in outdoor furniture. Here is the designers’ list, as well as suggestions to fulfill each trend from GamFratesi’s furnishing pieces for Minotti, the Italian furniture company with US stores in New York City, Miami, Chicago, Los Angeles, and Boston. 

For those who can’t get enough of outdoor living, GamFratesi is on your team. Anything is possible, Stine Gam says. “We’re seeing no more divisions between outdoor and indoor spaces.”

Flexibility

With so many coastal homes featuring various ways to enjoy the outdoors —from two-season rooms to outdoor spaces that are created by the flick of a switch—flexibility in furnishings is crucial. GamFratesi’s Patio seating system meets that requirement. “It is truly a system that allows for a great variety of configuration and continuous change and flexibility in the future,” Enrico Fratesi remarks. “We like the approach of informality and flexibility in the outdoor space.”

Love of Nature

One look at a piece from the GamFratesi Fynn Outdoor seats brings a sense of calm. The solid-teak designs are outfitted with interwoven frames that support cushy seats and backrests. Each piece, with organic curves and a smooth surface, are handmade to in-depth precision. Gam and Fratesi call Fynn Outdoor a “family” of pieces. You’ll want to call your family and friends for a visit right away.

Ultra Comfort

You want your furniture to call out to you, inviting you to relax. GamFratesi’s Lido Cord Outdoor family of seats is built for comfort, from fabrics that are certified recyclable polypropylene. Gently rounded sofas and chairs with luxurious cushions will hold you like a nest. The sofa’s elongated organic shape and bronze-toned varnished aluminum base, balance a beautiful, bold sculptural look with extreme potential for relaxation. Even the backrest is the shape of a soft nest. Naptime, anyone?

Lightness for Ease of Movement

However much you love the arrangement of your outdoor seating system, you know you’ll want to reposition it at times. The Patio seating system, while appearing substantial, is relatively lightweight, a result of its solid, minimal structure. The line’s materials—wood, stone, cord, and aluminum—mix sublimely. Patio’s modular design and geometric shapes lend ample ways to shape the outdoor area for various needs, delivering equal portions of elegance and ease. The sofa is a dream, with a range of available measurements and configurations and options for adjusting the backrest. All the pieces share the same feet and die-cast aluminum joints. Some of the Patio seats offer a built-in tray in solid stained mahogany or natural teak. 

Bring Down the Boundaries

Both Gam and Fratesi take the spirit of freedom seriously: freedom of movement, self-expression, and living your best life. The pair’s Minotti furnishings blur the line between outdoor and indoor living spaces, giving you choices, depending on weather and mood. Other options specific to the collection—materials, depth of cushions, and system configuration—also free the stylist in you. 

Burnished by the sun, the shingled ocean home looks perfectly in place on a peaceful stretch of New Jersey Shore, its classic design right in step with the rippling Atlantic Ocean. Meanwhile, across the country and overlooking the Southern California coast, a refurbished 1940s bungalow has a distinctly different presence, its angular lines and flat roof girded by brick chimneys. 

Two different coasts, two different styles. Yet both homes carry the same sense of deep calm and familiarity, reflected in their symmetry, cohesion, and exquisite details. 

The feeling of familiarity is no happy accident. The architectural firm in charge of both projects, Ike Kligerman Barkley of New York City and the San Francisco Bay Area, have built a reputation for adhering to classical aesthetics laced with a modern vibe and unique flourishes. 

Begun almost 35 years ago, Ike Kligerman Barkley (IKB) has designed sleek, modern homes, and others with a strong, classic bearing. Always, the houses embody the homeowners’ desires, 21st-century conveniences, and each structure’s unique place in history and locale.

“We’re very strong on history,” says John Ike, one of IKB’s three partners. “We make the houses relevant to current lifestyles, while retaining familiarly to history and fitting into a greater context.” Always, Ike adds, the homes must be “easy to live in, functional, and comfortable.” 

It’s a lifework philosophy forged by Ike and his two partners, Thomas A. Kligerman and Joel Barkley, along with Mia Jung, the firm’s director of interiors. Their reverence for history and elegance has led to various accolades, including an award from the American Institute of Architects New York Chapter, and a Julia Morgan Award and Stanford White Award, both from the Institute of Classical Architecture & Art. 

Working as a team and taking cues from each other is all in a day’s work. “It’s always a collaboration,” Ike says. “We’re strong designers and we all care about interiors. We think it leads to a more unified, singular vision, and aim for the same vision to transfer to the landscape.”

While Ike led the design of the three-story New Jersey Shore home and established its strong look, he frequently conferred with his partners and Jung. “This house demonstrates the firm’s continued fascination with the American Shingle style,” Ike says–around 1880 in this neighborhood.

The homeowners, living primarily in New York City, wanted a way to gather their large extended family on weekends. The 7,500-square-foot house suits them perfectly, with its warm, inviting exterior wrapped in bleached Alaskan cedar shingle, a front porch that extends the length of the house, and plenty of bedrooms and amenities. 

There are also large spaces for gathering. The first-floor layout reflects the iconic 19th-century Shingle style, with just three rooms: a large entry hall with sculptural fireplace, which segues into the dining room, as well as a kitchen and living room. The living room’s two main walls are dominated by triple-hung windows; between them, the fireplace is a beauty of off-white lime plaster. 

A wing holds a large family room. Seven bedrooms on the second and third floors offer plenty of space for children, grandchildren, and other family and friends. A spacious kitchen has plenty of use for homeowners who love to cook. Outside the family room is a sheltered cooking area and swimming pool.

Interior designer Jung, working with her staff, agreed with Ike that the interior should reflect the landscape’s colors, including the Atlantic hues. First-floor walls are lined with handwoven coverings in soft, natural shades, from the Manhattan rug and tapestry studio, FJ Hakimian. Fabrics with aquatic motifs enhance the public rooms, with large spaces that flow gently together, simplifying gatherings. The family room is an indoor/outdoor space, displaying an interior of the same bleached Alaskan cedar shingles that enclose the exterior. 

Within each space are special curated pieces mixed with comfortable Italian family favorites, many with textured wood surfaces, all with abundant seating. “We wanted to make the house easy to use, with the whole family together,” Jung says. Jung also mixed antiques, including a simple woven-rattan Japanese settee, which adds texture, fiber, and, as she says, “a daintier effect.” A chunky coffee table of white-washed oak beams is by Andre Joyau, a French furniture maker in Brooklyn. 

Similar wall covers, materials, and styling techniques —including the bleached Alaskan cedar shingles—also appear in Point Loma Casita, a snug bungalow on the beach in San Diego redesigned by IKB. 

As Ike’s second home, the casita has a spirit and history as charming as its architecture: The 2,800-square-foot house, overlooking San Diego Harbor and downtown, was built in 1947 by a World War II naval commander and some of his idle soldiers. Ike and his team gutted the interior and rearranged it in a basic, accommodating pattern. 

The furnishings, a mix of new pieces and vintage auction house furniture and light fixtures, give the interior a comfortable, coherent air. Ike especially likes the two-story deck off the master bedroom, as big as the bedroom itself.  

Although IKB does mostly residential work, they sometimes embrace public projects, such as the Stanford University building that houses the Institute for Economic Policy. 

Whatever their style, all the projects have a natural, human warmth, arising from cutting-edge technology and classic, artful work. It’s perfectly reflective of the firm’s work mode: While a 3D printer renders a model of almost every IKB project, the structures are also replicated in beautiful watercolor drawings, by partner Joel Barkley. As Ike says, “It’s a bit of a contrarian approach.” 

For more information, visit ikekligermanbarkley.com.

Photographs by William Waldron