When you build a beach house at the Jersey shore, you’re creating a place to make special memories with family and friends for years to come. Here are 12 features to consider to make your new home comfortable for shore living.
- Durable floors. Wood floors typically don’t stand up well to sand, water, and humidity—even if you train your kids and guests to remove their shoes. And carpet at the beach can be a sand trap. Choosing flooring that’s durable and warp-resistant is key, and luckily there are a lot of options. Vinyl and laminate flooring are available in a range of styles that look and feel like hardwood. Both hold up well to sand, stains and fading. Tile is another option, which can feel refreshing on hot days. If you like the color and softness of carpet, use indoor/outdoor area rugs that are easy to clean or natural fiber rugs like sisal that can stand up to sandy feet.
- Large windows. Blue skies and sunshine are what living at the beach is all about. So be sure to have plenty of windows to let in light and that ocean breeze. Glass sliders can help make smaller rooms feel larger. A sliding kitchen window can be used to pass drinks and snacks to friends outside on the deck.
- Outdoor shower. Plan for an elegant and comfortable outdoor shower to help encourage family and visitors to clean up after the beach outside instead of tracking sand, salt and water inside. An enclosed shower large enough to hang up towels, get undressed and wash your hair while feeling the ocean breeze on your skin is the ultimate relaxation device. In addition, an outdoor shower can be used for bathing pets, packs of sandy kids, and as an extra house shower for visitors. Consider features like a hand-held showerhead or a showerhead placed at leg height to clean off clingy sand.
- Outdoor grill. Don’t heat up your house by cooking inside. Most of our clients have a gas line put in outside for a grill. This makes firing up a feast for a hungry crowd much easier!
- Room to entertain outside. The best part of being at the Jersey shore to spending time outside in the sun with friends and family. Make sure your home has ample deck and patio space for entertaining with ease. Radiant heat. If your beach house is your main house, or if you plan on using the home in the off-season, radiant heat can take the chill out of tile floors in places like the bathroom or bedroom.
- Plenty of storage. If you don’t have a garage, you’ll need a ground-level, lockable site to store surfboards, rafts, and extra chairs. We often create storage space under the front steps of our customers’ homes.
- Adjustable awnings. In addition to adding a pop of color to your home, adjustable awnings can provide needed shade on decks and patios during the dog days of summer.
- Covered entry. On blustery days, a covered entryway with a table large enough to put down a bag is invaluable while searching for your keys.
- Entry door with a combination lock. Instead of handing out keys to your guests, provide them with a combination for easy entry—and no lost keys. And, it’s practical for you, too. No need to bring your keys to the beach or on a walk to the ice cream parlor.
- Outdoor Fire Pit. When the weather is nice, who needs to go indoors? A fire pit will not only keep you warm when the ocean air gets cooler at night, but it’s a great option for roasting marshmallows. Gather your family for a night of s’mores, storytelling, and togetherness you will remember for years to come.
- Large-capacity washer and dryer. If you have a large family or will be hosting many guests, you’ll likely have lots of wet and sandy towels. And, if you use throw rugs to soften hard flooring, you’ll need to be able to wash them when the time comes.
- Elevator. When planning the design of your new beach house, consider adding an elevator. It’s not as expensive as you may think, and it comes in handy to reach the third floor. It’s particularly useful when older folks visit or after a large shopping trip. If an elevator isn’t in the budget, consider putting in a shaft now and adding the elevator later, especially if you plan to retire to this home.
No matter what options you choose, your new Dakan home will be a home to build memories in.
Sources:
https://www.windowworld.com/blog/6-things-every-dream-beach-house-needs
https://www.houzz.com/discussions/2345274/beach-house-owners-favorite-things
