Creating a Cape Cod Home for a Blended Family

December 10, 2025

A newly married couple creates a waterfront retreat that keeps their future in mind.

Text by Alyssa Bird Photography by Greg Premru

January – February 2026

A modern exterior balances natural textures—stone, wood, and metal—with a dramatic glass gable that invites light into the home’s interior. A mature landscape of wild grasses softens the clean architectural lines.

This waterfront residence on Cape Cod features ash siding, a metal roof, a copper front door, and New Hampshire granite details; the existing overgrown site was transformed by STIMSON, which incorporated primarily native plantings.

With walls of glass overlooking the water, this open-concept dining room pairs clean-lined furnishings with sculptural lighting and a gleaming black grand piano, creating a space that is both elegant and serene.

Sliding glass panels allow for indoor-outdoor living in the great room, where chairs from Cassina surround a dining table from B&B Italia; the light fixture is from Neenas, and the rug is from Fort Street Studio.

This streamlined kitchen features pale wood cabinetry, integrated appliances, and a dramatic marble backsplash that adds movement and sophistication. Leather stools at the island add a pop of color and warmth.

The rift-oak-veneer kitchen cabinetry has a sand-color wire-brushed finish that pairs nicely with the Danby marble backsplash and countertops.

Veined marble clads every surface of this jewel-box powder room, where a custom sink and contemporary brass fixtures create a luxurious, gallery-like experience.

The powder room walls feature a mix of slab marble and wallpaper from Nobilis; Franz Viegener sink fittings add some glam.

A floor-to-ceiling fieldstone fireplace makes a strong architectural statement in this inviting living room, where floor-to-ceiling windows frame expansive water views. Sculptural furnishings add an artistic layer to the coastal setting.

The great room’s fireplace is comprised of a granite surround and a marble hearth.

A sculptural soaking tub sits beneath vaulted ceilings and expansive picture windows, offering peaceful views of the surrounding water and treetops. The rich veining of the stone walls adds drama and contrast to the minimalist silhouette.

The walls of the primary bath are sheathed in porcelain slabs while the floors are marble.

Tucked beside a wall of windows, this minimalist office brings the outdoors in with garden views and a modern Saarinen-style table paired with cozy upholstered chairs.

Sliding doors separate the husband’s office from a light-filled bre

The primary bedroom opens directly onto a stone patio overlooking the water. Inside, bold textiles and curated antiques strike a sophisticated yet relaxed tone.

The clients’ artwork, an antique desk, and a vintage sculpture lend interest to the primary bedroom.

Warm light glows from the interior of this gabled contemporary home, where floor-to-ceiling glass captures the transition from day to dusk. The clean geometry and glowing warmth create a striking silhouette against the evening sky.

The structure that contains the garage and guesthouse—which boasts a kitchen, bath, living and dining areas, a guest room, and a workspace—mimics the contemporary gable form of the main house.

At twilight, this rear exterior view reveals the harmonious blend of rustic stone and modern glass. The patio’s seating area and firepit make it the perfect gathering spot year-round.

An outdoor area off the great room features a firepit surrounded by a sofa and chairs from Brown Jordan and a dining table and chairs from Casa Design Group.

Building a Thoughtful Cape Cod Home for a Multigenerational Family

The process of building a new house is so much more than selecting fixtures and finishes. For this couple—who were married during the project—it was about merging their lives and creating a thoughtful first home together on the outer Cape. Perched on a forty-five-foot cliff, the dilapidated structure had seen better days, and its surroundings were quite overgrown. However, the commanding views of the cove below couldn’t be ignored. “My husband previously owned a property nearby, but we decided that we’d build something new together,” says the client. “We have four children and six grandchildren between us, and we wanted a home our entire family could enjoy as well as a place where we can age comfortably.”

To imagine the 6,000-square-foot, six-bedroom residence and 2,400-square-foot guesthouse, the couple enlisted John Day, who was a partner at LDa Architecture & Interiors at the time. In response to updated zoning regulations, the team “reused the foundation of the previous structure in order to keep the house as close to the cliff as possible,” explains Day, now a principal at Blue Hour Design, where the project was completed. “The classic materials and gable forms are synonymous with New England, but the lines are more contemporary.”

Designing a Contemporary New England Retreat Focused on Sustainability and Aging in Place

The couple’s top priorities included planning for aging in place (there’s an elevator, a first-floor primary suite, and a guesthouse that can accommodate a caretaker if necessary), maximizing indoor-outdoor living and water views, creating spaces to accommodate family, and incorporating green technology. “The owners are very environmentally conscious,” says builder Todd LaBarge. “In fact, the solar panels have the capability to power more than just this property.”

The clients’ sensitive thinking extends to the landscape architecture, which was overseen by Joe Wahler of STIMSON. In addition to reconfiguring the entrance sequence and raising the site around the guesthouse so it’s level with the main house, Wahler worked with the clients to restore the overgrown site. “The property was full of invasive species that were having a parasitic effect on the native plants,” he says. “The goal was to remove those, bring in pollinators, and create a verdant native landscape in a rich tapestry of colors and textures.”

The landscape feels one with the structure itself, thanks to the home’s large expanses of glass. “The inside and outside are seamless,” says interior designer Dean Sawyer. “In the living area, which is open to the kitchen and dining area, there are sliding panels of glass that allow the entire corner to open onto the deck and firepit.”

Curating Art, Architecture, and Interiors for a Personal and Evolving Home

Despite an abundance of windows and easy flow throughout, it was critical to have enough wall space to display art (the wife has been collecting since she was sixteen years old). “There’s a glass staircase we designed that’s illuminated by a skylight and makes for a great gallery area,” says Day.

The couple’s collections—which, in addition to artwork, include sculpture, pottery, and books—helped shape the interior decoration. “We had conversations about not trying to match the art but making sure that the interiors coordinate,” says Sawyer, who was able to incorporate furnishings that the clients already owned supplemented with streamlined pieces found on shopping trips to New York. “It’s a mostly neutral palette, with the color coming from the soft goods and their collections.” And said collections are ever evolving.

“We have a travel bucket list, and we buy artisan-made items for the house wherever we go,” says the client. “Building this home has kept us young by invigorating our minds and sparking our creativity. It’s a good reminder to never let age hold you back.”

Project Team
Architecture and interior design: Blue Hour Design (project began at LDa Architecture & Interiors)
Builder: LaBarge Homes
Landscape design: STIMSON