Coastal design, the stylistic bridge between water and land, transcends time. It’s rooted in the history of the North Shore, yet its versatility speaks to our 21st-century lifestyles in a manner no other can.
SV Design Principal Tobin Shulman, AIA, and Associate Katy Finkenzeller, AIA, from the collaborative firm that offers multidisciplinary architectural and interior design services, tell us how coastal design informs their projects.
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What exactly is it that defines coastal design?
Shulman: The coast is where the ocean meets the land – this presents unique architectural design opportunities and challenges, from siting of the home to detailing of the building envelope to aesthetic choices. There are multiple architectural styles that folks would consider “coastal,” from traditional shingle-style “summer cottages” to modern glass and steel, but there are some elements that transcend and cut across these various styles. Coastal design captures and frames the view; has a strong indoor/outdoor connection; features a casual arrangement of living spaces that are oriented to the water; includes a front façade that opens to a dramatic rear; and offers careful architectural detailing that can withstand storm surges, strong sun, wind-blown rain and snow and high winds.
Finkenzeller: Coastal design styles vary greatly based on the coast they are on. A home from West Palm Beach, Florida, would feel out of place in Ipswich, Massachusetts, and vice versa.
Photograph By Michael J. Lee
What makes it such an enduring and popular style?
Shulman: Human beings are drawn to the ocean – its serenity, its drama. It enhances people’s connection to their particular location.
The style varies by region; how does it play out in the North Shore? And in vacation homes versus primary residences?
Shulman: It varies not just by region, but even by each individual site. That’s because the unique character of the land determines how the home should be designed and built in response to make the experience of living on that land as beautiful and commodious as possible.
Finkenzeller: On the North Shore, a primary residence for a family means a sizable mudroom to handle snowy boots, coats and backpacks, enough bedrooms with good-size closets for each family member and a kitchen and a dining room capable of aptly handling Thanksgiving. It usually has a two- or three-car garage. A summer home for that same family might have a simple back entry with hooks for beach hats and a place to toss flip flops. Kids may share rooms or even have bunk beds, the closets are less formal, and family spaces shift to include things like puzzle tables, reading corners and napping nooks.
What role do history and climate play in North Shore coastal design?
Shulman: We have a long history of coastal design, going back to the summer cottages of the late 19th century. Many of these were shingle-style homes, and new construction will often incorporate elements that reference these classic homes – deep porches, sweeping roofs and dramatic ocean-side fenestration. The deep shingle-style porches reduce solar heat gain in the summer and keep snow buildup away from the main structure. White cedar shingles, which turn a beautiful silver-grey as they age and have been exposed to salt air, have been used in New England construction since colonial times for their durability and low maintenance.
Finkenzeller: The coastal homes of Beverly and Manchester-by-the-Sea, which were summer destinations for the wealthy of the 19th century, have played a huge role in setting the standard for what we think of as a New England coastal home today. However, the port cities of Marblehead, Salem, Gloucester and Newburyport boast a different type of coastal home, that of a sea captain. These were year-round residences that had to endure the battering of wind and snow. They are adorned with widow’s walks, which today are repurposed as roof decks, often boasting the best seats for the Fourth of July fireworks displays from the water.
How does coastal design affect your choice of materials, colors and textures?
Shulman: Because coastal design is primarily a method of enhancing the natural environment, natural materials and material integrity are important – things should look like what they are. Wood shingles look like wood; copper flashing patinas naturally over time; stone is used on the foundations. The windows enhance the concept but are sized and located to frame the views, which become like artwork inside the home. Inspiration can be drawn from the landscape – colors of the coastal ledge can be brought into the interior countertops. The color palette should reflect and enhance the beauty of the natural light.
Finkenzeller: These elements bring the outdoors in and root the house to the site. When selecting colors for the outside and inside, we want to see the site under many different conditions, watching it through the seasons. People often comment on how the sea changes color constantly, from blues to greens, and sometimes even greys and black. A great coastal home acknowledges and embraces this ever-changing palette.
How does coastal design connect to nature?
Shulman: There are unique requirements when doing coastal design. Homes today are complex structures, balancing aesthetics and engineering to enhance their owners’ lives. Coastal design requires perhaps the most in-depth approach to the technical and the aesthetic elements to create a home that truly enhances the site where it is built.