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Beach #1

I thought of sailboat sails when I began this house design. An image of the Sydney Opera House went through my mind (though I didn't intend to make sweeping, curved rooflines).

True to the "beach" style, there isn't much on the ground floor except garage and storage. I did choose to place a bathroom there, since it would be a good idea if people could wash off the sand and salt before coming back into the house. Besides, wouldn't a convenient place to relieve oneself be nice?

The front

the beach side (but no beach)

Some things worth noting:

• As I mentioned, there's a bathroom on the ground level.
• There is ample deck space, to take advantage of the pleasant outdoor weather.
• The dining room has a 10 ft. tray ceiling. It is a rather odd non-rectangular shape, but it should be large enough for a family dining table. There is a breakfast nook next to the kitchen for that morning coffee.
• On the lower level, the stairwell has a planter. The stairwell itself is open to the third floor, so there is a nice vertical space.
• As you can see, the master closet is rather small. As for this being a vacation house, that's probably OK. Were someone to live here year-round, then I think this closet would be a bit too small.
• The only "public" bathroom (that's not upstairs) is on the ground level. This shouldn't be too much of a problem, given that vacation homes tend to be rather casual.
• Off the kitchen is a "pantry/storage" room that's large enough for crafts, sewing, or other such hobbies.

On the upper level (plan below), you might note the following:

• Both bedrooms have high, shed ceilings with clerestory windows. Clerestory windows also grace the open study area surrounding the stairwell.
• There's a plant ledge over the bathroom that's visible from the right side bedroom. It is the smaller of the two.

Note the stacked windows along the right wall. First 2, then 3, then 4 windows. This would be the direction of the most light, and probably the best view.

This is the beach-side image, shown at night.

The front deck, looking back directly at the master bath window. Note how the upper level doesn't line up with the main level. Of course, that's by design.

The back deck, looking toward the family room and the master study.

The back deck, looking back the other way. Those are the sliding doors into the family room.

This is my requisite shot from inside the front door. If that view isn't interesting, then I think the whole house is lost. After all, that's the view--the first impression--that your guests get when they come into your home.

I think this view is pretty good. It certainly is an interesting vertical space.

Standing at the sliding glass doors in the family room, looking toward the front doors.

The kitchen. Cozy. Big enough.

The breakfast nook seen from the pantry door.

This is the dining room, and the tray ceiling is plainly visible.

The stairwell.

The master study, standing in the doorway from the family room.

The master bedroom, looking from the master bath doorway toward the view.

The master bath, looking from the opposite corner of the master bedroom.

On the ground level, this is the view standing inside the ground floor door at the "front" of the house. Those doors straight ahead go out to the beach. Yippee! (But, I think I personally like the mountains, better.)

Standing at the beach doors, this looks back toward the ground level entrance.

This is from the upper level, standing in the far corner of the study. Check out those clerestory windows!

Here is what we would see looking out into the upper family room.

There's a balcony alongside the family room, and if we stood there and looked back toward the study, we might see something like this. Pretty nice space, I think.

The right side bedroom. Note the plant ledge between the doors. That's the bathroom under the ledge.

The other bedroom. Both bedroom afford nice views, but this bedroom has perhaps the most excellent view of all. I'd take this room (assuming I wasn't living in the master bedroom).