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Inlet Cottage
This two-bedroom structure is designed in classic cottage style. Single-light doors, undivided windows, and intricate railings update the home's traditional elements. |
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Seaside Escape
A low-pitch, hipped metal roof gives this four-bedroom home a modest profile, while tall doors topped by transoms nod to grand structures from a previous century. |
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Island Villa
Florida-based architect Tim McNamara modeled this home after 17th-century Colonial residences and modified it for modern living. The two-level structure blends exotic architectural styles into a distinctive tropical hybrid.
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Block Island Cottage
This simple structure recalls rural farmhouses found throughout the Eastern United States. Gently sloped, metal roofs with exposed rafter tails enhance the home’s rustic appeal, while a combination of board-and-batten and clapboard siding lend cottage charm. |
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Captain's Watch
A design team from Historical Concepts, the award-winning Georgia-based architecture firm, designed the 10th Anniversary Idea House in classic coastal style. |
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Harborside Cottage
The modest width of this two-story home makes it ideal for the narrow lots common in many beachside communities. |
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Bayside Cottage
The open layout of this classic coastal design suits an informal beach atmosphere and accommodates large family gatherings. |
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Seagrove Guesthouse
This cottage-style guesthouse with traditional details and a versatile design
complements almost any residence or swimming pool. |
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Summer Cottage
The architect of this 2,200-square-foot informal coastal retreat chose a footprint suitable for a narrow lot, then designed an open plan with spacious rooms.
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Dune Duplex
This family-friendly plan incorporates two 2,500-square-foot residences under one roof, so guests can share time at the beach but have their own space. |
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Gathering Place
First-floor living, dining, and cooking spaces mingle and flow out onto the entry porch, which includes a screened area, and another porch that features a fireplace in this family-sized beach house. |
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Shoreside Hideaway
With plenty of outdoor areas and a tower
to capture panoramic views, this raised cottage—designed in the Lowcountry vernacular—capitalizes on the best of waterfront living. |
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Beachside Bungalow
With less than 500 square feet of interior space and a covered front porch, this cottage welcomes couples or singles for a few days of quiet relaxation. |
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Tidewater Landing House Plan
Combined details from area architectural precedents reflect the Chesapeake Bay's rich heritage in our 2005 Idea House. |
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Sawgrass Cottage Alternate
A two-bedroom version of Sawgrass Cottage, designed for golf-cart-only communities, features a small garage in place of the private-entrance guest suite. |
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Sawgrass Cottage
This 1,727-square-foot, compact getaway home, doesn't waste one square inch. |
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Dockside Dogtrot
With this design, open-air and screened areas keep outdoor living comfortable, while indoor spaces capture sea breezes. |
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Eastern Cove Cottage
A new look for a classic form of Southern architecture. |
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Family Central
This narrowly proportioned, three-story beach house accommodates family and friends eating, sleeping, and playing under one roof. This plan provides plenty of room for all with both copious outdoor living areas and intimate gathering spaces. |
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Boathouse
Inspired by an outbuilding
in a small Nova Scotia fishing village, this plan is designed to serve a multitude of purposes. The unadorned plan is ready to evolve with its owner’s whims. |
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Couples' Cottage
The plan boasts two desirable master bedrooms on the second floor. Each room includes a full bath, abundant closet space, and access to a private veranda. |
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Barrier Island Escape
This home’s floor plan capitalizes on the seascape. The two-bedroom, two-bath design features one large space that incorporates living, dining, and cooking areas, backed by a bevy of windows. |
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Palm Garden Retreat House Plan
Our 2004 Idea House embraces timeless design ideals. The spacious house, with more than 1,500 square feet outdoor living space, doesn't have to be constructed all at once. |
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Bayside Homestead
With more than 1,000 square feet of porch and deck space, this Florida Cracker—inspired design by Historical Concepts in Atlanta, Georgia, centers around outdoor family fun. |
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Waterside Retreat
This Caribbean-inspired vacation home reflects its tropical roots with more than just ample porch space for outdoor living. |
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Spartina Cottage
Family living drives the Spartina Cottage design. With ample space for entertaining, the simple design is perfect for full-time residence or a second home. |
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The Bunkhouse
No place has more charm than a little boathouse perched over the water. The outbuilding comes in all shapes and sizes—from an expansive design, with guest apartment above and storage below, to a simple shed. |
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Classic Nantucket
The clean-lined exterior of this plan possesses the charm of the weathered-gray, wood-clad cottages that have stood on the Massachusetts island for generations. |
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Long Island Lodge
This plan takes inspiration from the weathered shingle exteriors and creamy wood trim of the mills and lighthouses that dot Long Island's landscape. |
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Tidewater Retreat
Architect Carson Looney combines a rustic exterior with sophisticated, modern finishes in this compact cottage. |
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Sea Oats Villa
This plan features a unique deck that comes to a point--like the bow of a ship. The cottage is 2,688 square feet, but multiple covered porches and the deck make it feel larger. |
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Bay Point Cottage
This plan celebrates one of the best things about a beach house--sharing it with family and friends. |
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Classical Retreat
This elegant home offers a masterful blend of classical details and inviting spaces. The exterior is an updated version of the Greek Revival style. complete with a roof garden. |
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St. Helena House
Exposed rafter tails, expansive porches, and a raised foundation highlight the St. Helena House plan. |
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Carolina Craftsman
Perfect for a small lot, this two bedroom bungalow has an uncluttered design, with details borrowed from the Craftsman style. |
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Rocky Cove Retreat
This 1,988-square-feet shingled cottage owes its charm to historic architectural details and a clever mix of materials. |
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Mariner's Watch
Mariner's Watch offers Bermuda shutters, vaulted ceilings, and generous decks and porches. |
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Coastal Dream Home / Bermuda Bluff Cottage
Architect Bill Allison created a 1,984-square-foot all-season Coastal Dream House featuring a spacious interior and generous porches that invite the outdoors in. |
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Charleston Cottage
The floorplan of the Charleston Cottage is modeled after historic Charleston town houses. |
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Georgia River House
Expansive porches, a grand entrance, and high ceilings hearken to an earlier era of home building. |
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HGTV Dream Home 2000
This picturesque house combines a rustic exterior with clean lines and an open, contemporary interior. |
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Rustic Beach Cottage
With roomy porches, vaulted ceilings, and plenty of windows, this compact cottage offers all of the luxuries of a second home. |
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Hampton Bay Retreat
A steep roofline and shingle siding give the Hampton Bay Retreat the feel of a coastal New England home. But, the floorplan works on any coast. |
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Island Cottage
The architectural firm Historical Concepts of Peachtree City, Georgia, created the Island Cottage. It consists of four independent bungalows connected by covered walkways and screened porches. |
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Palm House House Plan
The raised foundation, expansive galleries, high ceilings, and shutters all capitalize on the Caribbean influence in The Palm House at South Padre Island, Texas. |
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Marsh House
With over 1,000 square feet of decking and a Southern style porch, the marsh house embraces outdoor living. |
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Bayside Retreat
Straightforward and superefficient, Jim Pfaffman's 1,500-square-foot, two-story Bayside Retreat can sleep 10—all in rooms with a view. It would be at home anywhere. |
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Beach Bungalow
Dennis Wedlick's 839-square-foot, two-story Beach Bungalow catches the breeze with plenty of windows and a porch carved out of the roof. |
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Caribbean Getaway
Inspired by the town houses of Guadeloupe, architect Bill Phillips' 1,400-square-foot Caribbean Getaway cottage features airy rooms that open onto generous wrap around porches on each floor. |
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Open House / Coastal Cottage
We like the wraparound veranda, all the windows, and turn-of-the-century good looks of architect Edward J. Seibert's 1,436-square-foot Open House. |
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Nautical Cottage
Inspired by small summer cottages built along the East Coast, Scott Ziegler's 1,315-square-foot Nautical Cottage adapts to a variety of climates and locations. |
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St. Simon's Retreat
French Colonial shotgun houses were the inspiration for architect Ken Tate's 1,450-square-foot board-and-batten beach cottage, St. Simon's Retreat. |
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Island Farmhouse
Simplicity was key for architect Geoff Prentiss when he designed this versatile cottage with two outbuildings. With the Island Farmhouse plan, ocean views take center stage. |
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Inlet Retreat
When an architect designs a house for his family, you know it's going to work. The Inlet Retreat is such a house. |
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Coastal Cabana
Architect Carey McWhorter incorporated traditional Mediterranean influences into a contemporary style to give the Coastal Cabana a unique design well suited to its Rosemary Beach, Florida, setting. |
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Biloxi Bayou
Large, functional spaces result from a simple, narrow plan. Only 30 feet wide, Biloxi Bayou is an example of limited space at its full potential. And a narrow profile helps it fit on small coastal lots. |
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Carillon Beach--1999 Coastal Living Idea House
Our 1999 Idea House combines the elements that our readers look for in a beach house. From shaded porches to a tower room with views of Gulf Waters, the home contributes to the Carillon Beach community's master plan. |
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Capeside Cottage
Architects Spitzmiller and Norris of Atlanta have captured the coastal lifestyle in this carefully crafted home. Capeside Cottage's open design flows easily from room to room and offers a view at every turn. |
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Family Reunion/Ocean House
With 4,362 heated square feet and 2,912 square feet of decks and covered porches, the Ocean House maintains quaint appeal while providing plenty of living space. |
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Cottage of the Year 2002
This plan takes inspiration from summer camps and family houses that expanded as needed. Two areas off the main house serve almost as separate cottages. |
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Harborside / Cedarbrook
This delightful cottage sits well against any coastal backdrop. The architects cleverly mix cedar shake and board-and-batten for a rustic
feel, but add an element of refinement with columned details and decorative shutters. |
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Sea Island Cottage
The Sea Island Cottage combines classic design and large porches with modern amenities for relaxed family living. |
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Bayfront Cottage
With its expansive wraparound porches, raised foundation, and split stairway, Bayfront Cottage draws architectural inspiration from French Colonial styles. |
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Tannin House
The appeal of this home lies in its simplicity. Architects Juan Caruncho, Frank Martinez, and Ana Alavarez combine clean lines and a compact design to create a charming coastal cottage. |
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Windsong Cottage
The exterior of this cozy Lowcountry home offers a wraparound porch on three sides. Whether you plan to admire the sunrise or sunset from the cottage, you simply have to pick the right spot. |
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Shoreline Cottage
Inspiration for the Shoreline Cottage came from the desire for a simple house that would capture serene views from all sides. An urban family in Seattle, Washington, challenged architect Geoff Prentiss to create the ideal weekend getaway for their site. |
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Seagrove Cottage
Lofty 10-foot ceilings and an abundance of windows give Seagrove Cottage a bright and airy feel. Porches on three sides of the cottage create welcoming entrances from different vantage points. |
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Whitefish Retreat
Inspired by fishing cabins of the 1930s, our Whitefish Retreat recalls vacation homes handed down through generations. Its simple form, designed by Stephen Fuller of Atlanta, has a timeless appeal. |
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Heron's Nest
The towering Heron's Nest puts you high above the treetops for an unencumbered view of sand, sea, and sky. "It's why we go to the beach," says Jeff Dungan of Dungan Nequette Architects. "This cottage is a retreat in every sense of the word, for solitude or family vacations. |
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Coastline Cottage
Architects Jeff Dungan and Louis Nequette of Birmingham, Alabama, capture the essence of beachfront living in a clever design with an integrated living-dining room, a luxurious master suite, and private guest quarters--all in less than 2,000 square feet. |
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Waterview Cottage
The design of the Waterview Cottage draws on early 20th-century Southern-style coastal architecture. |
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Double Vision House
Despite a limited budget, architect Clay Adams realized his beach-house dream, partnering with friends to build a clever side-by-side design. |
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Brunswick Cottage
The charm of our Brunswick Cottage comes from designer Catherine Tredway's clever mix of exterior materials and its sensible form and function. |
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Bluffton House
Along the coast, porches have an architectural tradition almost as long as the shoreline itself. Our Bluffton House reflects that heritage. |
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Chastain Pointe
While this cottage looks like a
conventional shotgun from the street, the designers put a twist on the plan by moving the main entrance to the side of the house, improving the flow of the interiors. |
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Harbor Cove Cottages
Modeled after historic U.S. lifesaving stations, this three-level, modified Victorian-style cottage references 19th-century buildings still found along America's coastlines. |
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Island Oasis
North Carolina–based architect Jason Bigelow separated this beach dwelling into two modest structures: a main residence and a smaller office/guest suite. |
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Tidewater Cottage
Horizontal lapped siding and a standing-seam metal roof lend rustic appeal to this classic cottage, while divided-light windows, columns, and traditional detailing add touches of formality. |
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Shoreside Cottage
Though this bungalow is designed to occupy a small lot, its open living spaces, high ceilings, abundant windows, and well-designed floor plan allow the modest home to live large. |
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Harborside Hideaway
This three-level structure's 12-foot concrete columns make it well suited for lowlands and floodplains. |
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Bayview Classic
North Carolina–based residential designer Scott Sullivan looked to classic New England style when planning this shingled, two-story home. |
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Shoreside Homestead
This one-and-a-half-story plan permits owners to live on one level, with guest accommodations upstairs. Wide, sweeping porches wrap the home’s exterior and extend living spaces outward through a series of French doors. |
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Port Royal Coastal Cottage
Holiday Coastal Cottage |
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