Coastal Home Plans are open, light, and airy. They are ideal for most any waterfront lot—coastline, seaside, lakefront, or riverside. They range in plan size according to the building lot size and are commonly built tall and narrow just to accommodate that lot. The lot may even be suited for your own pool—maybe even a saltwater pool! The Coastal home plan style ranges from cottage to modern. Special attention to detail is a must with the Coastal home plans due to the elements of where the home is constructed. Coastals are often built with piers or pilings to protect from rising surfs and to withstand coastal winds. Surf, higher winds, and inclement weather all impact the codes of construction for the sake of safety. Strict codes and guidelines set standards for pilings, roofing, exterior components, and all areas of construction.
The architectural design is typically two or more stories. With this design style, there may be dramatic two-story foyers, open areas from the floor above and below, and of course, lots of windows! Coastals incorporate open air living and open air dining areas. Many Coastals have the family rooms or living rooms on the second floor to maximize the amazing views of the coastline and to enjoy the ocean breeze. Sunlights and sunrooms are great fits with the Coastals. Open air kitchens and grilling porches with outdoor ovens and barbecues are perfect for preparing meals while enjoying every moment of the scenery. These “outdoor in” areas include decks and porches that tend to wrap around the house. The porches may be covered, screened, front, back, or sun! Covered balconies, lanais, verandas, patios, porticos, pergolas, gazebos, terraces, and open sundecks offer many choices for the outdoor living that is right for you. Adding a hot tub or Jacuzzi and a ceiling fan for the hot days and fireplace for the breezy evenings makes for complete relaxation. Double master suites with each suite having a bedroom and bathroom are a good choice for lots of family and friends visiting and vacationing! Lofts are quite popular to add to the living space, yet still keeping with the open feel. For the logistics, easy access laundry facilities are a good component to consider. Tile is a popular choice for the interior flooring to make dealing with the sand and water quick and easy (but isn’t it so worth it?!) Inclined, vaulted, and cathedral ceilings add to the element of openness. Exposed beams add a dramatic flair. Interior paint colors may range from warm neutrals to pleasant pastels to Caribbean brights! Diverse architectural features such as lookout towers, widow’s walks, and spiral staircases up to the lookout add excitement to the Coastal home plan.
Dormers, tin roofs, shingle siding with fish scale accents add the perfect seaside touch. Garages and carports offer parking underneath the house. This makes for great storage for bikes, rafts, kayaks, surfboards, beach chairs, umbrellas, coolers, and any other outdoor items. Elevators may be necessary and convenient for some family members and for shopping trips. Colors for the exterior range, just like the interior, from the warm neutrals to the pleasant pastels to the Caribbean brights.
Obviously, there is a bit more “red tape” when building a Coastal style home plan, but being in that setting is definitely worth the extra effort!
