"House at Seaside," by Robert A. M. Stern Architects, LLP
ROBERT A. M. STERN ARCHITECTS LLP
"HOUSE AT SEASIDE" BY ROBERT A. M. STERN ARCHITECTS, LLP | VIEW FROM EAST | PHOTO: PETER AARON/ESTO | RAMSA.COMThe couple who wisely commissioned Robert A. M. Stern to design their oceanfront home in the New Urbanist town of Seaside, Florida, "wanted a house that would become an icon." Mr. Stern and his associates certainly satisfied their clients' request.*
"HOUSE AT SEASIDE" BY ROBERT A. M. STERN ARCHITECTS, LLP | VIEW FROM EAST | PHOTO: PETER AARON/ESTO | RAMSA.COM
I'm amazed at how beautifully the structure melds with its surroundings, yet still manages to feel so unique. To even conceive of combining "the elegance of 1930s Swedish Classicism with the charming vernacular of turn-of-the-century wooden American seaside resort houses" speaks volumes about the architects' mastery of their craft.*
"HOUSE AT SEASIDE" BY ROBERT A. M. STERN ARCHITECTS, LLP | LIVING ROOM PORCH | PHOTO: PETER AARON/ESTO | RAMSA.COM"Children's bedrooms are located at the garden level with the great room at the piano nobile, both with porches overlooking the ocean. The master bedroom suite, with sweeping vistas of both the town and the ocean, occupies the third level."*
"HOUSE IN SEASIDE" BY ROBERT A. M. STERN ARCHITECTS, LLP | LIVING ROOM | PHOTO: PETER AARON/ESTO | ARCHITECTURALDIGEST.COM Architectural Digest featured the home's superb interiors (also designed by Robert A. M. Stern Architects, LLP) in its April 2008 issue. "The interior architecture continues the simplified wooden Classicism (of) the exterior design." (Notice the intricacy of the beautiful cream-and-white painted coffered ceilings and the built-in bookshelves that surround the fireplace.)*
"HOUSE IN SEASIDE" BY ROBERT A. M. STERN ARCHITECTS, LLP | KITCHEN | PHOTO: PETER AARON/ESTO | ARCHITECTURALDIGEST.COMSpace-saving elements in the home's fabulous kitchen include pocket doors and a corkboard message center incorporated into the wall.*
"HOUSE IN SEASIDE" BY ROBERT A. M. STERN ARCHITECTS, LLP | GUEST BEDROOM | PHOTO: PETER AARON/ESTO | ARCHITECTURALDIGEST.COM The entrance hall, a perfect blend of simplicity and sophistication, features a beautiful stone-and-marble floor from Walker Zanger.*
"HOUSE IN SEASIDE" BY ROBERT A. M. STERN ARCHITECTS, LLP | BUILT-IN SLEEPING NOOK IN CHILDREN'S BEDROOM | PHOTO: PETER AARON/ESTO | ARCHITECTURALDIGEST.COM
Thoughtful details abound throughout the house, like a "whimsical built-in sleeping nook" (above), which adds such charm to this child's bedroom.*
To learn more about this extraordinary home and the talented professionals associated with this project, please follow the links below:
- Robert A. M. Stern Architects, LLP
- "House at Seaside," by Robert A. M. Stern Architects, LLP
- "Making a Splash in Seaside: On The Florida Coast, a Singular Structure Engages with its Site and Redefines the Beach House," Text by Gerald Clarke/Photography by Peter Aaron/Esto, Architectural Digest (April 2008)
- The Seaside Institute (www.seasideinstitute.org)
Reader Comments (1)
Stern's designs are exquisite, as are Peter Aaron's photographs of them. My favorite? The sleeping nook with built-in bookshelves and what appears to be a stained glass (or at least shaded) window. Although it's meant as a child's bedroom, it may not appeal to children until they're well over the age of 40!