A complex, floor-to-ceiling renovation at this four-level residence capitalized on ocean views
Written by Kristen Hampshire
Photography by Stacy Zarin Goldberg
Home design was a lot different in the early 1990s, marked by features like “angles everywhere and small windows, lots of columns,” and notorious hunter green granite—even inside many coastal properties like this Bethany Beach site with ocean views for days and dunescape surroundings.
Stephanie Gamble experienced the evidence firsthand.
The previous design of this prime real estate didn’t take advantage of its location. There were vista obstructions stealing views all over the place.
“It’s almost like the house was built to ignore the beach,” quips Gamble, principal of her eponymous firm based in Baltimore. “You were left scratching your head, wondering, ‘Why?’”
This question ultimately guided the transformation of the 9,000-square-foot Bethany Beach residence, a multi-year undertaking in partnership with Dewson Construction.
When Gamble’s client happened upon the property for sale, they realized that a total reconfiguration would be essential to create a second home for gathering with friends and extended family. “The whole team looked at it as an opportunity,” she says of the lot, the home’s shell, and its potential.
“The client gave us a lot of creative license and there was a lot of trust,” Gamble says, emphasizing reasons why this extensive renovation—a gut and reimagine project—was executed seamlessly despite zoning and homeowners’ association restrictions.
The renovation was a passion project for all. “It was a dream,” says Gamble—and a 180-degree pivot from the team’s initial impression of the interior spaces and décor.
Gut Job
In a word, Gamble describes the previous interior as “heavy.”
The choppy floor plan was deconstructed, and the process began with a gut job, which always uncovers infrastructural surprises. “We reworked an entire side of the house to remove angles and open up space, and we put in headers to lose the columns that were everywhere on the main level,” Gamble relates.
All told, the home has four levels, five bedrooms, four full and two half baths, and can sleep a couple dozen guests, thanks to custom bunk rooms with ample space for multiple queen and twin beds plus storage. The master is on the third floor and bunks are on level four. An elevator and redesigned staircase—the original was an enclosed stairwell—offer two ways to access bedrooms.
The tear-out ensued—then the project got shut down by the HOA. The rule is, no construction inside or out from Memorial Day to Labor Day, and no exceptions.
“We lost the appeal,” Gamble says, and the project came to a screeching halt. The team had just discovered the old windows were allowing water to seep into the walls, causing wood damage that needed to be addressed.
All windows and doors were replaced, but not until after Labor Day. The windows were on backorder during pandemic construction, so the crew ensured the home was secured to withstand wind and rain—and they waited.
This allowed time for thoughtful space planning, Gamble points out.
A considerable amount of trading spaces and borrowing square footage from one area or another occurred during the process. For example, a guest bedroom included a roomy walk-in closet that was reassigned to the master ensuite to enlarge the bathroom.
The main-level powder room was exceedingly large with an unnecessary 7-foot vanity. Here again, walls came down and space was borrowed to provide more real estate for functional living.
A renewed aesthetic throughout the home achieved the client’s desire for “family-friendly, understated luxury for guests,” Gamble says. No fuss, all class. “They didn’t want to run over to the table with a coaster if someone set down a drink.”
Easy, Breezy Living
Cabinetry throughout the home by Lyndon Heath offers flexibility for creative storage, and Gamble exercised her design prowess by expanding a too-small island to about 11 feet by 6 feet. She added a buffet piece to its end for serving and integrated a hutch area that connects seamlessly with the dining room.
Countertops in Calacatta Cremo marble extend into a backsplash behind the Wolf/Sub-Zero range, complete with a custom plaster hood. A slim “mantel” allows for conveniently storing spices and cooking oils.
White oak is worked into spaces throughout the home, introducing warmth and capturing dune tones.
Coastal comfort carries into the living room, with floor-to-ceiling window views. Gamble specified furnishings from Gregorius Pineo and Holly Hunt. A neutral paint program in primary living spaces is mostly Benjamin Moore Vanilla Milkshake with walls in the family room awash in Calm.
The clients punctuated walls with artwork from their collection. A piece by Olivo Barbieri called “Adriatic Sea Dancing People 9” is displayed in the great room.
Light fixtures throughout the home deliver a sense of grandeur that 10-foot ceilings allow. A woven chandelier by Palecek hangs over the Community Manufacturing dining room table. In the foyer, a fixture by Oly Studio reminds Gamble of berries. “The unique shape fits the space,” she says, also pointing out a solid wood chair by Sublime Original.
Cozy Quarters
How many beds can you sneak into a bunk room? Spacious top-floor rooms with characteristic dormer angles made way for designing quarters to suit a crowd. And in both rooms, the walls do speak.
In one room, whimsical Juliet Travers wallcovering in a pattern called Free Fall adds playful sophistication. Beds naturally tuck into dormer spaces.
The second bunk room with shiplap walls in Benjamin Moore Boothbay Gray lends a cozy, calm feeling. A row of three twin beds, each with an integrated nightstand, allows for rest and recharging. “We put electrical outlets on top of each end table for a lamp or electronics,” Gamble says.
This room also features a full-size bed that doubles as a roomy window seat and a queen bed, still leaving plenty of floor space.
Gamble proudly speaks about the whole-house transformation, which included a fully equipped entertainment room and thoughtful spots throughout the home to take in views. During a two-day photo shoot, there were still spaces left uncaptured. Overall, she says, “The project showcases thoughtful design and high-end craftsmanship.” CS
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