Reinventing the Beach House
What makes a beach house a beach house, other than simple proximity to a body of water? While beachfront architecture can vary pretty wildly depending on the location, its regional architectural vernacular and its economic conditions, seaside homes typically share a sense of openness to the landscape, a laid-back vibe and a bit of the local color. Each one is designed to make the most of the views, take in the sea breeze and encourage interaction with the beautiful setting just outside.
These characteristics can remain much the same whether the beach setting is in a tropical island locale or on the misty, chilly coast of Oregon. Take, for example, “Singing Sands.” This gorgeous residence located on Cannon Beach, about an hour outside Portland, features all the glazing you can handle to enjoy vistas of the evergreen-dotted shore, plus design features that help buffer strong coastal winds.
The double-height living area features a mezzanine office, custom-designed furniture and a cedar ceiling that lends it a sense of warmth that can sometimes be lacking in high-ceilinged spaces. The homeowner and architect hand-selected the log used for the custom live-edge mahogany dining table.
Steel framing represents another departure from the Oregon architectural norm, as Jones wanted to maximize the size of the home’s floor-to-ceiling windows rather than framing out square-shaped openings in wood. The entire west facade of the home consists of a convex arc of glass to take in as much of the shore as possible.
The home also features two best bedrooms attached to the main house, but with their own private entrances that open onto the courtyard. This separation not only gives the widowed owner’s friends privacy when they’re visiting, but also ensures that the house doesn’t feel overwhelming when she’s there alone. With the guest quarters closed off, the 3,500-square-foot residence feels more like a spacious one-bedroom apartment.
The overall effect is one that shines in all weather conditions — an important quality to have on the Oregon coast, where you can experience all four seasons before breakfast. Capturing some of the moodiness of this specific coastal atmosphere and turning the rain into a focal point honors the location and creates a meditative place from which to experience it all.