photos by Jessie Preza
Located directly adjacent to the Atlantic Ocean, the lot purchased by a family of New York transplants was ideal for beach life. The build was fairly seamless, too, thanks to plenty of space to create exactly what was needed for the couple and their two adult children (who don’t live in the home, but still visit frequently). “Coming from New York, she was looking for a more classic, Southeastern aesthetic,” notes Amanda Webster, principal of Amanda Webster Design, the firm tapped to design the home. “Meanwhile, he was interested in a more modern look.”
Cues were taken from the landscape to establish a cohesive color palette, with the blues of the sky reflected in upholstery and furnishings, and the greens of the ocean mimicked in accessories and artwork. By incorporating woven textures and natural elements, the team created a space that feels light, bright, and not at all fussy—but still manages to exude a modern sensibility. “There’s a struggle with coastal—you never want it to feel too kitschy or cute,” says Webster. “So you have to concentrate more on blocks of colors and incorporating texture.”
While the kitchen’s blue and white color palette reads traditional, the architectural details add a modern edge. “There’s a clean edge to all the cabinetry, and simple, cove crown molding,” notes project lead Amy Ralph. “The doors in the hallway are traditional— three-panel and classic—but with straight, simple lines. Painting those doors a color was a nice way to soften those lines.”
An oversized abstract painting, and two deep-blue, smaller abstract works found their place on the dining room wall serendipitously, after Webster called on the artist to supply her with something for a photoshoot.
“I reached out to Michelle Knox, a local artist, to see if we could borrow something to take photos of the space. It turned out that the clients were actually really good friends of hers, as well, and ended up falling in love with all three pieces.” Using three pieces of complementary art, rather than two matching works, adds interest, note the designers. “It feels more curated that way, like a collection,” says Ralph.
A petrified bleached teak wood console sits in the stairwell, a contemporary design featuring custom-made balusters by St. Augustine blacksmith Seth Satterfield. “We wanted the stairs to have really clean lines and square edges and feel like a modern staircase,” says Webster. “The homeowner had a big hand in that design and he wanted the stairs to feel as wide as possible.”
A guest bathroom offers a pop of vibrant blue on custom cabinets built by Atlantic Beach company Beaches Woodcrafts. Ralph notes that most of the hardware featured in the home is satin nickel, “which feels very modern in the space.”
A minimal mix of accessories—a piece of driftwood, small ceramics, and an artfully arranged set of prayer beads—are featured on a wall built-in. “A handful of textured pieces can often be just enough to make a space feel fresh and current,” says Webster.
The home office—complete with a wall of wood-clad built-ins—doubles as a space in which the couple can catch up on the latest Netflix binge at night.
Blue accents are featured throughout the master bedroom and bathroom. “We arranged much of the design of each space around fabrics,” says Webster. “We would narrow it down to two or three fabrics that she really loved, and then present them for she and her husband to make final decisions together. They were both included in all of the selections and even though they have different tastes, they were wonderful at compromising for a shared end result.” The bedroom features a grasscloth wallcovering that provides a subtle warmth of texture and a whisper of color. In the master shower, a geometric tile adds a bold statement.
The couple’s daughter—a twenty-something who no longer lives at home, but wanted a place to call her own on visits—contributed to the design of this room. “She has a lot of style and she wanted glam,” says Ralph. Her favored palette of blush and gold drove the design of the room, with lucite-clad nightstands, plush velvet pillows, and a textured brass and sheepskin ottoman. A vintage-style beach painting takes pride of place above the bed.
The blush pink guest bathroom features Hollywood lights and wallpaper by Hygge & West. “Their daughter spent years working in the makeup industry in New York, so she wanted more of a professional space in which to get ready,” says Ralph.
The second guest bedroom was more of a creative challenge than the other rooms, says Webster. “The owner fell in love with the periwinkle blue of the drapery fabric, but she also wanted to keep the chair, from their former home, which was a greener blue. So, we found trim pieces and bedding that tied those two shades together.”
The laundry room is bright and cheerful thanks to blue and white patterned wallpaper.
The Details
Builder: Gary Grider • Architect: Terry Simmons • Custom metal work: Seth Satterfield • Custom cabinetry: Beaches Woodcrafts • Custom oak wood floors: Burchette & Burchette • Kitchen island pendants: Urban Electric • Tile: Tile Market of San Marco • Plumbing fixtures: Hollingsworth
