Coastal Home Design Blog

Maximize Your Outdoor Space for your Elevated Beach House

Make Use of That Great Space Underneath Your Deck

You’ve bought your dream house by the coast, with a beautiful deck and gorgeous water views. In addition, the deck has a decent amount of space underneath it. Of course, this under-deck area is ideal for storage, but what about utilizing that space to create your perfect outdoor oasis?

Hurricane Strap & Tie Primer: Building in High Wind Zones

Residential Construction and Wind Loads Building on the coast in high wind zones requires adhering to a more robust set of building codes. The standards have changed dramatically over the past twenty years. Important testing and guidance comes from a variety of government agencies including the Department of Energy, FEMA and even the Department of […]

Coastal Driveways and Concrete Pavers

Understanding Your Local Codes and Why Concrete Pavers May Be Your Friend Relief. After months of searching, you finally found the perfect seaside lot. You can see it now – a two story home with three bedrooms, large swimming pool, wide spacious driveway, and a porch with an amazing view of the ocean. Next step–finding […]

Coastal Design Element #1: Exposed Rafter Tails

What Makes a Beach House Look Like a Beach House? Choosing a design for your coastal property presents the opportunity to explore home styles that are a bit more unique than the designs found in most subdivisions. As you search for a coastal or beach house design that fits your lifestyle, you’ll begin to notice […]

Coastal Design Elements #2: The Metal Roof

by Brett Hanson While searching for an appealing coastal home design that fits both your needs and taste you will undoubtedly discover that some design features instantly add a truly coastal feel to almost any design. The second installment in our continuing series about Coastal Design Elements explores the historical origin and modern implementation of […]

Coastal Design Element #3: Bermuda & Bahama Shutters

“Bermuda, Bahama, come on pretty mama…” For many, this famous Beach Boys’ tune creates illusions of tropical seascapes, bronzed beauties, and cute little fruity drinks with mini umbrellas. For us, some of the best coastal home design elements come to mind. Named after the tropical hotspots of their origin, Bermuda and Bahama are also types […]