Broad Cottage on the Jersey Shore

Broad Cottage on the Jersey Shore

Most seasonal beach towns are built upon the exact same principle: build to sleep because many people as you possibly can, since the summer season is brief, and land is at a premium. Tucked off in Ocean City, N.J., in which duplexes considerably simplifies single-family homes, sits a cottage just like you’ve never seen. In fact, calling a 5,000-square-foot, 6-bedroom home a”cottage” is a small contradiction. Among the more intriguing contradictions of the turn-of-the-century style home would be its technological progress. Nestled away in a small cupboard sits a slew of devices, including the HVAC, security and stereo systems, all of which are controlled via an iPad. Although this home is state-of-the-art, it is also perfectly reminiscent of this getaways that our great-grandparents could have wished they would summered in.

Colleen Brett

at a Glance
Builder: Mike Buck
Location:
Ocean City, New Jersey
Size: 5,000 square feet, 6 bedrooms, sleeps 20!

Colleen Brett

The asymmetrical layout as well as other architectural elements like the”Witches Hat” cedar shake roof and oval windows give this home its own old-fashioned cottage look. Mike Buck, who grew up at the Main Line area outside of Philadelphia, built the home to fulfill the needs of a clientele that he’s very familiar with. His challenge was to create the”Goldilocks” of cottages: not too big, not too small; however”just right” for a couple or a crowd. As a kid from a large family (he is 1 of 9 kids), he understands what it is like to be crammed under a single roof. It had been important to him that this home not just easily fit an onslaught of summer traffic, but that two people could live here in the off-season without feeling as if they were floating in an empty property.

Colleen Brett

Colleen Brett

The home greets you with all the vast vertical space of this entryway. In the door, you can view all of the way up to the third-floor attic. Buck redesigned the stairway last minute to provide the space more breathing room. That motivated change allowed for another floor reading nook flanked with built-in bookcases.

Colleen Brett

White trim, luxury hardwood floors, and period fittings all ground the 19th-century motif. Notice the white paneling beneath the stairway, a detail that provides elegance to a usually uncelebrated bit of property.

Colleen Brett

Such attention to detail is remarkable throughout the home, but it is most apparent in the woodworking. Angled beams, magnificent archways and raised ceilings resemble those of a chapel.

Colleen Brett

The windows are magnificent in their own, but Buck has taken it an extra step by highlighting the curvature with wooden slats that mimic the hull of a sailboat.

Colleen Brett

A mudroom is an essential part of any beach house. If you’ve ever hauled home armloads of sandy towels from the beach, you know this concept well.

Colleen Brett

Here it has been made to look like a converted porch, finished with exterior siding, a brick bench, and a slate floor.

Colleen Brett

The dining room has a understated elegance that matches this home perfectly. The simple wooden table (Bassett) and chocolate partitions are offset with wrought iron seats (Restoration Hardware), textured silver accessories and subtly sprinkled starfish.

Colleen Brett

A wet bar direct you from the dining room in the best room of the home — the kitchen.

Colleen Brett

White cabinets stretch from corner to corner, giving the kitchen a very uncluttered, clean feel. Even the appliances are concealed as normal cabinets. A built-in home screens dishes and serving platters, each one dimly lit from the base of the shelf it rests upon.

The wooden island supplies enough counter space to prepare and eat your meals at the exact same region, and a beautiful distressed table offers seating for six just a few steps off.

Colleen Brett

Glass-paneled pocket doors create a subtle split between the kitchen and family room, but still keep an open, airy stream.

Colleen Brett

In the family room next door, a mirror has been placed to pop the sage walls, and reflect the windows that have become a signature aspect of the home. A wood-burning fireplace adds a homey touch to the room, which can be designed with sophisticated entertaining in your mind. The vivid colours of this throw cushions give this proper room electricity and warmth.

Sofa collection: Bassett
Throw cushions: Bassett

Colleen Brett

On the next floor, the master bedroom awaits. Vaulted ceilings and a round sitting room (this is what is hiding at the Witches Hat) provide the illusion of a great deal of room, but it is actually quite cozy and intimate.

Upholstered seats: Bassett

Colleen Brett

The vaulted ceilings are highlighted with white beadboard to provide the master room a quaint, cottage-like feel.

Sleigh bed: Bassett

Colleen Brett

Sky blue walls and white fittings create a soothing knowledge in the master bathroom. A freestanding tub and his-and-hers marble countertops carry the antique feel.

Colleen Brett

The white cabinetry that appears throughout the cottage comes into play once again for the dressing room. Built into the area with 17 individual closets and drawers, it begs you to sit down and take the time to pamper yourself.

Colleen Brett

In one of the six bedrooms of the home, a custom window window seat was constructed with extra storage. It serves as yet another functional and beautiful detail in the home.

More inspiring homes:
Shingle Style Meets Soho on the Jersey Shore
Eclectic Country Beach House
A Neutral Palette Pleases By the Sea

See related