Year round beach house article

breezy

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Coastal Living

By Patricia D’Ascoli

Photography by Scott Van Sicklin

A beach cottage evokes feelings of pleasant summer vacations spent in the company of family and friends who gather together in a comfortable and relaxed atmosphere, where cool breezes blow off the water and afternoons are spent rocking lazily in a hammock on the porch. In the casual elegance of one coastal Connecticut home, it is exactly this sense of a place where extended family and friends are always welcome to visit, and not just in the summer but in every season of the year, that gives this home its own unique charm.

Designed by Michael McKinley & Associates of Stonington and built by JMS Builders of Rhode Island, this waterfront residence is located on a gently sloping lot and in the Wamphassuc Point section of Stonington. The rambling shingle-style home is painted a location-inspired slate blue with bright white trim, and overlooks beautiful Stonington

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Harbor where sailboats dot the watery landscape – an idyllic setting for a residence that architect Michael McKinley calls a “family homestead.”

The spirit of gathering together at the beach was not only an important element of design for this home, but a prerequisite of the future homeowners, who conceptualized the home with their large extended family in mind. “We wanted a house that our children and our brothers and sisters would come to and could be comfortable – that we could live in and entertain in,” says the homeowner during a recent tour of the house.

The challenge for McKinley was to design a family home suitable for year-round living and entertaining, but also one that is reflective of a relaxed, casual beach cottage style – a style marked by light, bright and airy aspects. Although the homeowners wanted a sizeable residence, they also desired a cheerful, friendly atmosphere that would not seem imposing or ostentatious to visitors.

Every room in the house has a view of the harbor .

Deriving his inspiration and ideas from the many coastal homes in the area, McKinley notes that in order to create the essence of a beach home on a much larger scale, it would be necessary to ensure that the various spaces within the interior of the house did not feel overwhelming. This is where knowledge of interior architecture became critical in achieving the desired effect, and consideration was given to such elements as woodwork, built-ins, lighting and furnishings which would ultimately compliment the exterior structure as well.

From an exterior standpoint, the house was designed so that it would turn back on itself on the water side, forming a three-sided interior court somewhat like a U-shape with a swimming pool at the center. “Because the pool was such an integral part of the family’s enjoyment and being together, we enhanced that aspect by making the pool seem a part of the house,” McKinley explains. Every room in the house has a view of the harbor, enhancing the seaside ambiance of the home and creating the sense of tranquility that comes from living in close proximity to the water.

The unique all-season beach house McKinley created is reached by way of a cobbled terra cotta circular driveway which leads to a large front door, inviting entry into a spacious, bright two-story foyer. The floors throughout the house are covered with gleaming cherry hardwood. Warm butter-yellow walls accented with white trim in the foyer and living room create a cheerful, sunny atmosphere reflective of summer living.

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Down a few steps from the foyer is the living room, an understated yet elegant space appropriate for both family gatherings and formal entertaining, dominated on one side by windows that allow a magnificent view of the harbor beyond. Through double doors straight ahead, one can enjoy a large, comfortable porch furnished with white wicker furniture, where a requisite hammock beckons from the corner.

Similar double doors on the right side of the living room open onto a brick patio, leading to a lovely swimming pool.

Reminiscent of original 19th-century shingle-style homes, a particularly charming feature incorporated into the living room is the inglenook chimney corner, where a fireplace is flanked by two easy chairs, and provides a cozy sitting area.

The homeowner says that every room in the house has what she calls its own special “perks” in the way of built-ins, hidden storage spaces or other unique features, adding that each room maintains a distinct character and yet still manages to complement the other adjoining spaces within the house. Ceilings throughout the residence are high, and attention is drawn to large windows which let in considerable light, giving the home a feeling of continuous brightness.

On the second floor of the residence, there is a separate master suite and three additional bedrooms, one for each of the couple’s grown children. The expansive master suite includes a private study and two large his-and-her bathrooms. The master bedroom, with its own private deck, has a wonderfully inviting extra-large window seat with a breathtaking view of the water where one can imagine enjoying an afternoon siesta. The homeowner remarks that she especially loves to hear the sounds of fishing boats coming through her bedroom window at night.

Perhaps the most unique feature of this year-round beach home is the adjoining structure referred to as the “casino building,” which was designed with plenty of space to accommodate visiting family and friends. It is a separate building connected by a second-story enclosed bridge which leads into the casino room proper, an open area with a vaulted board ceiling and built-in beds along three sides, 82 SUMMER 2006 | HOME LIVING connecticut

like large window seats, that can sleep up to six. With the push of a button, screens come down over the windows and a large projection screen television comes up, transforming the space into a home theater room – an amazing area that the family’s adult children have claimed as their own.

The first floor of the casino building is a charming studio apartment that seems most like a beach cottage, with a light, airy feeling achieved by decorating done

exclusively in tones of cobalt blue and bright white. And like the rest of this unique beach house, the casino building has wonderful water views.

Patricia F. D'Ascoli is a freelance journalist whose work has appeared in a number of Connecticut publications including Fairfield County Times, Connecticut County Kids, and the New Milford Spectrum. She also publishes Connecticut Muse, a literary newsletter about Connecticut authors.

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