Crowning Achievement
A Chatham home celebrates its majestic bayside setting
This article appeared in Cape Cod Home, Early Summer 2019
Writer: Lilly Lowe; Photographer: Dan Cutrona
Nestled in the secluded mouth of Chatham’s Ryder’s Cove, a commercial fishing port, hustling and bustling during the summer months, lies one New York-based couple’s new second home. The alluring and all-encompassing view serves as the inspiration and focal point of the gambrel-style house. The connection to the inviting surroundings flows through each room, seamlessly stretching all the way to the foamy seashore.
The couple had been eyeing the property—and its show-stopping view—while living in their previous summer home just a street over. When it went up for sale in 2016, they purchased the older, out-of-style ranch with the intent to replace it with their dream home, all within a tight schedule of 10 months, in order to be ready for the summer season. With new waterfront access, the couple was excited to moor their boat right in their backyard and fully enjoy the waterfront location.
“We wanted the house to be a real sanctuary for our family,” the homeowner says. “It was all about being comfortable, enjoying the views, and bringing those beautiful surroundings into the home as much as possible.”
The couple enlisted project manager April Ducott of Cape Associates, interior designer Susan Tuttle of Surroundings Custom Interiors, and architect Erik Tolley of ERT Architects to bring their concept to life. Because the home is within a conservation district and on a sensitive site, Nick Crawford, principal of Mashpee’s Crawford Land Management was also brought on the project as a conservation specialist, and Coy’s Brook Landscaping and Cheney Landscape Design completed the landscape work.
Collaboration between all parties was key to meet the tight deadline and to achieve the polished finish that the homeowners envisioned. Tolley crafted a design program that acknowledged the homeowners’ goals of maximizing the unforgettable views from all of the bedrooms. The homeowner also wanted private space for her two adult sons to be able to come and go with little interruption or distraction. Two master suites allowed for one with sound seclusion and spectacular views upstairs, and a second master on the ground floor accommodates guests, but also allows for flexibility for any change in life’s circumstances.
“We all worked really closely throughout the whole project,” Ducott says. “We worked through options together and everyone contributed different ideas. It was a work in progress, and the finer details involved a lot of on-site collaboration with samples, pictures and mock-ups for visualization.”
The overall design of the home is a balancing act of inviting the ocean into every room, while maintaining a simple yet sophisticated look and feel that doesn’t steer attention away from the view. Clean lines keep the space light and uncluttered, and neutral, creamy colors encourage warmth and complement the incoming rays of sunshine. These earth tones enhance the connection to the vistas outside, while intricate details in stones and tiles add pop and intrigue throughout the home.
Theses kind of details were the results of deliberate, well-thought-out and collaborative material selections—from the tiles, to the fabrics, to the woods, and more. “When you’re in the space, you can sense how all of the details really work well together,” Tuttle says. “This was our goal, and I’m very pleased with the results.”
An open-concept layout greets you as you enter the main floor of the home, where a sleek kitchen, complete with custom cabinetry, expands into a dining area and living room. Cozy upholstered stools flank a center island stretching the full length of the kitchen. Contemporary pendant light fixtures perch above the smooth-surfaced island, arranged in an artful display, each hanging at different lengths from the beautiful beadboard ceiling. Gazing straight ahead, the eye is drawn to the blue-green hue of the sea visible through a curtain-less bank of windows.
