Innholdsfortegnelse for Coastal Cottages 2016 i The Cottage Journal

C Coastal living to island living—this special issue of The Cottage Journal has a variety of architectural styles and designs. There are gabled cottages with overlook views, Nantucket shingle style cottages, and Old-World fisherman’s cottages to name a few. Open doorways or windows welcome time spent with family and friends at these stunning coastal retreats that sit along the natural beauty of the coastlines. Comfortable interiors create lovely homes we all long for—whatever the style. Whether your preference is romantic or rustic or anywhere in between, we hope you enjoy this coastal collection created by the editors of The Cottage Journal magazine.…

WWishing to downsize from an over-sized and under-used house to live at the beach, this homeowner experimented with building a small, personalized, and livable coastal cottage. “I wanted to demonstrate that smaller homes work and are outstandingly cute,” says Tom Bateman, who designed, built, and furnished his New Jersey home. Relying on the local cottage traditions for inspiration, a broad porch runs the width of the cottage and is complete with a swing and bright blue rockers. The painted cedar board-and-batten and clapboard exterior is time-tested to stand up to the salty sea breezes. The interior is intended also to be true to local cottage traditions—durable enough to withstand sand, seaweed, and wet bathing suits yet personal in that it tells the story of the family and their interests. A…

TThis coastal cottage in Bermuda has sat on the water’s edge of Harrington Sound for nearly 200 years. Originally built as a fisherman’s cottage from Bermuda stone, it has since been remodeled twice and is a combination of concrete block, stone, and cement. Homeowner Carol West says it’s safe to say the fisherman wouldn’t recognize the cottage she’s created. The den–office combination houses the remains of the original cottage. With the interior walls painted white the cedar beams salvaged from old ships offer a striking contrast and interest. An African drum brought back from travels to Nairobi takes center stage in the room as the coffee table. A wellloved leather chair provides a comfy seat for reading, and an Oriental rug grounds the floor with color. The galley kitchen has…

WWhether you’re dining alfresco along a sandy shoreline or eating in your own kitchen or dining room, there are plenty of ways to bring coastal inspiration to your tablescape. This coastal tabletop was inspired by a late afternoon sunset by the sea. When you’re on the coast every hour seems magical, but there’s something extra special when the light is soft and the colors are rich. Warm hues of coral and orange dance across the water as it reflects the setting sun. This dance creates the optimum color partner to the water’s sparkling shades of blue, and it’s where our inspiration was found. For this table we started with a neutral base, much like the Gulf’s white sandy beaches, using an antique French linen cloth. The centerpiece is a ceramic,…

HHeather O’Neill was a teenager when she first began planting around the cottage on Long Island Sound. That was 24 years and two owners ago, but she still remembers the sensations she felt that first summer when as a teenage gardener she was hired to gussy up the original little gingerbread cottage. She remembers wedging plants into the back seat of her Volkswagen sedan and can still feel the brisk sea breeze and the resonance of her shovel when she attempted to dig into the soil but hit unyielding coastal cliff. But what Heather has remembered most clearly over the decades is her reaction to the ambience. “From the beginning, this place was so peaceful and serene; it was like being transported to a whole different world,” Heather explains. No…

More often than not coastal living is about a relaxed pace and casual comforts than it is an exact geographic location. Soft shades of blue and white, wicker furnishings, and the joys of transitional indoor/outdoor living spaces ignite a sense of life on the water. “The ocean stirs the heart, inspires the imagination, and brings eternal joy to the soul.” Whether you’re vacationing at the beach or call the coast your home having comfortable, stylish, and no-fuss furnishings is essential to relaxation. SEA GLASS On shorelines around the world, small, colorful specks can be found nestled in the sand where it meets the surf. A light rinsing in the water reveals the beauty of these tiny treasures, known as sea glass. Broken bits of bottles and jars lost to the…

FFew people can resist the ribbon of curvy coastline along the Florida Panhandle, with its shimmering aqua water and beaches as white as the snowy egrets that tiptoe through the tidal marshes. For Yvette and Tim Leihgeber of Tyler, Texas, the desire to enjoy that laid-back “salt-life” experience on a regular basis led them to WaterSound, a community that celebrates the area’s natural beauty. Acting as her own architect, Yvette did long-distance designing, working closely with contractors to make sure every detail was finished to perfection. The Nantucket/Cape Cod-style exterior required for all homes in the neighborhood is painted bright white and has large, two-over-one windows that allow sunlight to illuminate even the innermost spaces. A pair of reclaimed-wood mirrors flanks a window in this sun-drenched space. Yvette whitewashed the…

WWith a fresh translation of traditional precedents and a decidedly coastal flair, this Gulf Coast cottage features a welcoming scale, poised proportions, and Old-World craftsmanship. Interior designer Georgia Carlee and architect Matthew Savoie teamed up to strike a balance between a laid-back beach vibe and gracious refinement for Patty and Kevin Kabat’s inviting beach house in WaterColor, Florida. Like many beach houses along Scenic 30-A, the main floor is hoisted up to capture the breezes, afford privacy, and take advantage of the views of both Western Lake and the Gulf of Mexico. Its congenial charm unfolds immediately with a cloistered screen porch that doubles as a true outdoor room and a generous breezeway connection between the main house and freestanding carriage house. Inside and out, the choice of materials and…

KKnown for its pink sand beaches and clear, cerulean blue ocean waters the island of Bermuda is an ideal spot for vacationers across the globe. So after years of holiday travels to the beautiful British territory, an American family decided it was time to find a more permanent residence on the island. When the couple first spotted this property, dubbed “Castle Point,” it had been suffering from neglect both inside and out since the 1980s, but that did not deter them. The family hired OBMI, a local architectural firm. Colin Campbell of OBMI shares, “We were challenged to create a retreat for the family that could be intimate when it was just the two of them or work well with all four children, spouses, and guests.” For the exterior of…

LLong revered by beachcombers and wayfarers alike, the breathtakingly lush environs of the Caribbean have also served as backdrops for countless books and movies, including works from Hemmingway to James Bond. Such scenic destinations capture a sense of fantasy and ultimate adventure that beckon eager travelers to the beaches and crystal waters. Homeowner David Flint Wood not only understands this lure of the exotic—he also has scripted his own tranquil paradise on Harbour Island in the Bahamas. Known as King’s Treat, which is a clever play on words for King’s Street (the palm-shaded drive leading to the property), this novel-worthy hideaway consists of a main house and guest cottage that are nestled within a walled garden. Enhanced with wide verandas that capture passing breezes, King’s Treat allows both David and…

IInspired by a shell-covered box he found at an antiques shop, artist Johnny Sims began collecting seashells for a project of his own. From Key Largo to Key West he has combed the beaches for treasures. He also orders shells in bulk from wholesalers and even talked a Florida restaurant owner into saving oyster shells for him. From his studio, dubbed the Shell Shack, Johnny creates beautiful picture frames, mirrors, boxes, and even chandeliers decked in gifts from the sea. The soft monochromatic palette of the shells offers a subtle sheen to any space. Johnny’s biggest job to date is the pair of 8x4-foot oyster shell mirrors for the casino in the Atlantis Hotel in the Bahamas.…

TThis welcoming waterfront cottage provides a serene retreat from life’s hustle and bustle. As you enter the foyer, you’re greeted by striking pecky cypress walls, which contrast with the painted pine walls of the adjoining areas. The console table is made from an old iron balcony, and on the limestone tabletop, a piece of blue coral brings in the accent color used throughout the home. Windows climb the 20-foot-high walls in the living room, welcoming sunlight and beach breezes. Pecky cypress is used again, this time for the fireplace mantel. Tabby, a perfect building material for a beach home, is made of crushed shells and lends texture to the fireplace wall. In the master bath, elegant marble floors, walls, and counters are balanced by the warmth of wood cabinets and…

TThe outdoor living area for this cheery green clapboard home stretches from the sliding doors to the edge of the dock, and there is far more living space outside than in for this New Jersey beach cottage at the edge of the Atlantic. Both covered and uncovered, the many choices for dining and seating provide friendly hospitality to family members and guests from the first pot of morning coffee until the stars come out at night. One of the keys to outdoor living is creating “rooms,” much like one does in an open floor plan. Here, there is distinctiveness to the wicker seating, with its bright aqua cushions and colorful potted plants defining the perimeter. Beyond, a table and chairs are made from teak for a different feel with a…

WWhen Tom Crane was about to retire he and his wife, Kim, knew they were ready to make a change. But rather than moving or downsizing they decided to update their kitchen, opening the room to the den to create a place where friends could gather. As the old adage goes, one thing led to another. When the couple began working with interior designer Deborah Hastings, Kim recalls explaining, “We had four rooms, and the living room was basically a room to hold our piano.” With that, the plan changed from opening the wall between the den and kitchen in their 1970s home to removing all walls to create an open concept. Before beginning a remodel Deborah tells clients, “The thing to remember is to make the changes count—have a…

Inspired by the unique architecture of a late-19th century lifesaving station on the Outer Banks of North Carolina, Pat and Michael Mansfield built their home, dubbed “M. Kinnakeet,” alongside a creek where the notorious pirate Blackbeard prowled three centuries ago. Their coastal cottage is fashioned with tucked-in dormers, a wood-shingled exterior, a panoramic watchtower, wrap-around porches covered by a hip roof, and shuttered windows. Prone to adventure, the history-loving Mansfields personify the restless verve of people who find inspiration at every turn. Their house exhibits not only exquisite functionality and simplicity but their individual and coupled artfulness. Pat retired after a 31-year career as a professor of interior design at the University of Wisconsin–Madison, and Michael retired around the same time after a career as an electrical engineer—with a side…

LLaurie Swim knows every subtlety of the seacoast. She learned every ripple of the water growing up in the little fishing town of Lockeport, Nova Scotia. “It’s actually an island, connected to the mainland by a half-mile-long white sand beach,” Laurie says. “My family goes back four or five generations in the town; we’re related to the original Lockes.” From her ancestors she claims to have gained a subliminal connection with the water, knowing its gentle moods as well as its fierce wrath. When Laurie thinks of home, bright seaside shanties and masts come to mind—instead of backyards, she sees boulders and barnacles. Laurie left Nova Scotia to attend art school where she explored textiles as her medium. From there, she toured Europe before settling into an apprenticeship with a…