Point of Rocks Beach

JNA was initially hired by these clients to help them evaluate properties to buy in the mid-cape region as they were looking to purchase, renovate or build a summer home. After looking at a number of homes, one a rambling antique with potential but deep issues, they decided upon a piece of raw land across the street from the magnificent Point of Rocks Beach. At low tide this beach has tidal flats extending half a mile out into Cape Cod Bay. The colors of the water and sand are a live water color—offering children endless opportunities to explore safe tidal pools for an entire childhood.

They were a young growing family with a warm social connection to their extended family, so we embarked upon designing an elegant but practical kid-friendly home and landscape. Bernice Wahler Landscapes was brought onto the team at the start and the project was designed in collaboration.

The owners enjoy historic Cape homes but were excited about a fresh reinterpretation. The program was to build a five-bedroom home with a study and playroom. Desiring a more modest scale for the sandy road neighborhood, the expansive home is broken into a collection of elements. The great room is transparent from the south garden to the north screen porch and lawn with large lift-and-slide doors de-materializing the walls and connecting the central living spaces to the sun, site, and views.

On many projects, as with this house, the spaces that are especially loved are the mudroom, pantry, screen porch, bunk room, outdoor shower, guest cottage, and outdoor terraces.

The owners were committed to all aspects of a green home: energy conservation, energy production, non-toxic materials, and products that do less harm in sources.

We were pleased to enroll in the USGBC LEED for homes certification program and to achieve LEED Silver in 2015.

Builder: Cape Associates
Landscape Architect: Bernice Wahler Landscapes
Interior Design: Martha’s Vineyard Interior Design
Photographer: Meredith Hunnibell