Moon Shadow
This beloved seaside cottage was originally built in 1920 and has been occupied by the same family for several generations. Over the years, the house has been renovated several times but has retained its classic gambrel-roofed beach house character. The main focus of PSD’s renovation was to open up the living, dining, and entry hall spaces to one another and to the expansive ocean view. As a getaway for an active family, it was important to have a connection to outdoor living spaces and to facilitate socializing.
| Project Category | Renovation |
|---|---|
| Scope of Work | Architecture, Landscape Architecture, Construction |
| Finished Space Above Grade | 2,906 |
| Photography | Jared Kuzia |
The existing front entry was tight and dark. PSD expanded the space modestly, but enough to provide natural light from three directions.
The enlarged entry also now features built-in storage that adds mudroom function to a house that doesn’t otherwise have one. The conservation restrictions on the bluff-top site did not allow new foundation, so the “saddlebag” bay windows cantilever off the small existing entry porch with fanciful reverse curve bases. Other exterior additions: a small dormer facing the street, another fanciful detail around the arch-topped front window, a cupola and mermaid weathervane, a bay window in the kitchen, and a bracket-supported overhang over the doors and windows facing the view. The design at the top of the entry built-in was created to reference the existing arched-top transom at the main door—repeating a classic motif as a subtle decorative pattern engraved into the woodwork.
From the main entry, one now has a panoramic view out to the ocean through the living and dining spaces.
These spaces were opened up to each other through an arcade that defines them as separate, but still allows social interaction. Wraparound windows take advantage of the view and capture natural light from three directions. The scallop shell fireplace pilasters, ceiling design, paneled walls, and new stair parts all add special character.
Atop the existing kitchen wing now sits a large custom-designed mermaid and starfish weathervane on a small cupola. She is in scale with the beach and ocean below and intentionally, and delightfully, out of scale with the house.
PSD also served as the landscape architect, designing walkways, front patio for dining out of the wind, outdoor kitchen, plantings, and a fire pit terrace at the edge of the bluff.
As Seen In...
A Whimsical Wonderland, by Nichi Pandey, Volume II 2022.