Gulf Coast Beach House, Florida

This beach house was designed for a couple in fashion design as a respite and retreat from their busy lifestyle. It sits on 1.65 acres on the Gulf Coast and provides a lush getaway for the owners and their guests. The compound was designed to provide the utmost in privacy with supportive spaces for wellness and graceful areas for entertaining. The owners had specific requirements for the landscaping including verdant plantings – “a jungle” in their description, with no views of the private areas of house from neighbors or the roadway, and elegant spaces for relaxation surrounded by green nature. The site is neatly divided into three zones: the densely planted front entry, the pool deck and entertainment area, and a transition zone through the natural dune to the public beach.

Dense plantings in front build up layers of screening, and two mature 30-foot-tall Ficus trees were brought in to provide privacy, scale and a sense of timelessness. Jewel-toned bromeliads and pale orchids, and dramatic vines climbing up the palms add to the rich diversity of textures and colors, with fragrant Jasmine and Gardenia accompanying the path to the house. Views from inside the house into this area show the intricate layering of the jungle without betraying the driveway close by.

The pool area is sheltered from the Gulf winds by a meandering hedge which provides privacy from the adjacent public beach. The pool deck is edged with a row of Sea Grape which were artfully pruned in-situ to accentuate their sculptural qualities. The trees provide a filtered view of the pool from the interior rooms and mediates between the calm of the shaded overhang and the more active pool deck. The pool deck is furnished with multiple options for lounging, umbrellas for shade and a hidden outdoor shower to rinse off after a swim in the ocean.

The measure of success is often in the pleasure that the owner has in the finished product. Close connection to nature can be restorative. This owner was quoted saying: “…the world can throw you into a black mood. Your day can be overwhelming. It’s why places like the house (is) important to us – getting into nature somehow…I need to decompress, be into that chilled, barefoot zone.” The lush, green, layered textures of the planting; the sheltered comfort of sitting in the shade with the sound of the waves; or walking on the sandy paths with the scent of jasmine or discovering a beautiful blossom provides that respite that is so important for personal wellness and restoration.

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