SHIP SHAPE
A classic modern beach house blossoms into the perfect space for a young family
When destructive Hurricane Sandy came barrelling up the eastern U.S. seaboard in 2012, a young family’s Bay Head, New Jersey, beach house suffered critical damage. The New York-based family had owned the dwelling for only one month – and had spent only two weekends there. They were devastated, but determined to return it to its former glory so they could start building new sunkissed memories. Enter a trusted resource with whom the family was already familiar: interior designer Susana Simonpietri of Chango & Co. She teamed up with contractors to reconstruct the beach house on a larger scale and transform it into a five-bedroom 2,118-square-foot raised bungalow-style retreat. “I’d worked with the family on their primary residence,” says Susana, “so I easily understood
their mandate: They sought a comfortable getaway that felt relaxing yet fun.”
It took one and a half years of hard work, wrestling with mould that had set in and dealing with insurance companies. But now, the quaint cottageinspired architecture encompasses sloped ceilings, cozy bedrooms and an open-concept main living area that sets the scene for this casual coastal space that’s just a block away from the Atlantic Ocean.
To honour the seaside locale, a white-painted shiplap envelope was enlivened by punchy nautical patterns and fresh bold hues – evidenced by the bright red lobster-patterned wallpaper in one of the bathrooms, the blue-painted front door and the vivid toss cushions in the guest rooms. “Throughout the house, we maintained a contemporary nautical look that focusses on a primary palette against a crisp white background, set off with shiny polished nickel fixtures and rope accents,” says Susana.
Natural materials, from the bleached-wood floors to the jute rugs to the woven baskets, temper the bolder elements, warm up the space and make it feel like a place you can comfortably enter after a day at the beach. No rooms are off-limits – which is perfect for this family with
two young daughters. “Jute and hardwood can withstand wear and tear (they look great as they weather), while shiplap is easy to wipe clean,” says Susana. “Sandy wet towels and sticky sunscreened fingers aren’t a problem.” Meanwhile, the furniture throughout is minimal and comfortable, with hard-wearing Sunbrella fabrics and washable slipcovers.
Determined to design a place that maximized every square inch and was easy to keep shipshape, Susana incorporated lots of practical built-ins. These include an L-shaped banquette with storage space in the seat in the breakfast nook and a kitchen island with cupboards. And most functional of all is the mud room that runs the length of the entryway hall. It boasts hooks and cubbies for storing the family’s beach accessories, as well as benches with cushions in a durable material.
“Barefoot and carefree summer living is what we had in mind,” says Susana. And, in the decor, at least, the home’s hurricane-struck history is long forgotten and the path is open for new memories to be made.