Houzz Tours
Houzz Tour: A Modern Take on Arts and Crafts
A love of surfing, proximity to the coast, and major life changes inspire a relaxing and thoughtful design
It all started 16 years ago when architect and surfer Richard Bubnowski bought a small Arts and Crafts cottage in Point Pleasant, New Jersey. He turned the garage into a surf shack and tinkered with the main house for years. Then as he was getting ready to shingle it in cedar, his future wife Diana threw out the idea of tearing it down and starting over.
The result, Surfer's End, is a home with a design influenced by its neighborhood, views, ocean breezes, and the design of the original Arts and Crafts cottage and surf shack. With the new construction came great life changes: While the original cottage housed a bachelor who went off to work for someone else every day, the new place is a family home and serves as base for Bubnowski's architecture practice. See how he created a relaxing beautiful home full of good vibes.
Houzz at a Glance:
Who Lives Here: Architect Richard Bubnowski, his wife Diana, his 6-year-old son Thomas and his black lab Mystic.
Size: 2,100 square feet, 3 bedrooms, 2.5 bathrooms, finished basement with office and playroom
Location: Point Pleasant, New Jersey, with views of the Manasquan River
See more shingle-style homes
The result, Surfer's End, is a home with a design influenced by its neighborhood, views, ocean breezes, and the design of the original Arts and Crafts cottage and surf shack. With the new construction came great life changes: While the original cottage housed a bachelor who went off to work for someone else every day, the new place is a family home and serves as base for Bubnowski's architecture practice. See how he created a relaxing beautiful home full of good vibes.
Houzz at a Glance:
Who Lives Here: Architect Richard Bubnowski, his wife Diana, his 6-year-old son Thomas and his black lab Mystic.
Size: 2,100 square feet, 3 bedrooms, 2.5 bathrooms, finished basement with office and playroom
Location: Point Pleasant, New Jersey, with views of the Manasquan River
See more shingle-style homes
The renovation story really began back here, long before Bubnowski ever dreamed of tearing down the original house. Anxious to complete a building project himself, he first renovated a small garage (click here to see the before picture), turning it into an outdoor shower and surfboard storage shed. The small project wound attracting a lot of great press, which in turn led to more work, including the commission on The New Moon Cottage.
When he decided to tear down his original cottage, saving this charming little building and building around it became a major priority. He also borrowed characteristics from this building and applied them to the new house.
When he decided to tear down his original cottage, saving this charming little building and building around it became a major priority. He also borrowed characteristics from this building and applied them to the new house.
Bubnowski paid homage to Arts and Crafts style in a modern way, and mixed in coastal Shingle Style. The welcoming entranceway is an example of this mashup. There is a traditional bungalow door, painted in Benjamin Moore's Sea Star, framed by Arts and Crafts tapered columns and lit by a beautiful copper lantern fixture by Royal Craftsman.
Cedar shingles accented with crisp white trim have a coastal look, while modern pergolas overhead emphasize this entrance.
Cedar shingles accented with crisp white trim have a coastal look, while modern pergolas overhead emphasize this entrance.
This modern pergola also relates to a similar detail on the surfboard shed. "It provides screening from the sun, creates interesting shadows, and helps mark the entrance," says Bubnowski. The extended brackets are repeated throughout the exterior.
Bubnowski knows how to make constraints work for him. A 40' x 93' lot with strict setback requirements limited the home's footprint and siting. "By creating little slices and indentations within the design, you can create interest, extend sight lines, take advantage of natural light and create shadows," he says. "Constraints often can offer solutions you may not think of otherwise."
Case in point: A more casual entrance was set into the side of the house and allows for an angled approach. This provided a covered spot that protects one from the elements while fumbling for keys, and allowed for that vertical window, which provides a sneaky view from the kitchen all the way to the street.
Case in point: A more casual entrance was set into the side of the house and allows for an angled approach. This provided a covered spot that protects one from the elements while fumbling for keys, and allowed for that vertical window, which provides a sneaky view from the kitchen all the way to the street.
"Getting the details right is so important," says Bubnowski. This special chimney top is a fun detail; it was inspired by Arts and Crafts lanterns and is topped in copper. You can see how this sketch came to life in the first picture in this Houzz tour.
While Bubnowski showed respectful restraint on the front facade, he was able to loosen up and go more modern in back. The cantilevered balcony upstairs was inspired by a house he once admired in Barbados. The wraparound windows upstairs and downstairs are a contemporary move. The elevation is asymmetrical yet balanced, and ties into the rest of the house because the elements are the same.
This detail shot shows a confluence of architectural styles and common elements that tie everything together. These include extended brackets, exposed rafters, cedar and the crisp white trim.
These elements are thoughtfully repeated on all four sides of the house, sometimes in the same scale and rhythm, sometimes in totally different ways.
These elements are thoughtfully repeated on all four sides of the house, sometimes in the same scale and rhythm, sometimes in totally different ways.
Looking at floorplans will give you a feeling for how an architect thinks about how to live within that setback-dictated footprint. Layout, flow and taking advantage of natural light, shade, views and breezes all influence the lifestyle within the home. As we move inside you'll be able to see how 9-foot ceilings, good proportions, an open floor plan and easy flow give the interior a calm and comfortable feel.
Thanks to the wraparound windows, the kitchen is bathed in sunlight. This room is completely open to the dining room, so both spaces benefit from the natural light.
Admiring all of those beautiful cabinets and the island? Rather than choosing typically Arts and Crafts oak or mahogany, Bubnowki opted for cherry wood throughout the home. "I really like cherry; it's a relatively hard wood with beautiful grains and lots of light and dark tones that give it a visual depth," says Bubnowski. "It will also darken very quickly with age."
Floor: Brazilian Cherry
Counters around the rest of the room: Polished Dakota Mahogany
Pendant Lights: Arroyo Craftsman
Admiring all of those beautiful cabinets and the island? Rather than choosing typically Arts and Crafts oak or mahogany, Bubnowki opted for cherry wood throughout the home. "I really like cherry; it's a relatively hard wood with beautiful grains and lots of light and dark tones that give it a visual depth," says Bubnowski. "It will also darken very quickly with age."
Floor: Brazilian Cherry
Counters around the rest of the room: Polished Dakota Mahogany
Pendant Lights: Arroyo Craftsman
This stunning island, custom designed by Bubnowski, is the heart of this kitchen. Crafted from cherry wood and topped with a honed Andes Black granite, it creates a visual boundary between the kitchen and the dining spaces within an open floor plan. The tapered legs are distinctly Arts-and-Crafts inspired; the curved countertop softens the edge between the two spaces.
In addition to being beautiful, the island is very hardworking. It contains drawers, trash and recycling bins and electric outlets. More important, it serves as a social hub, as there's room for four stools under the curved edge (they were removed for this picture to give you a good look at the island).
In addition to being beautiful, the island is very hardworking. It contains drawers, trash and recycling bins and electric outlets. More important, it serves as a social hub, as there's room for four stools under the curved edge (they were removed for this picture to give you a good look at the island).
Across from the kitchen is this dining area with Arts and Crafts elements but a light and modern feel. "The built-in china cabinet is very modern because of the clean, crisp horizontal pattern in the doors," says Bubnowski. It was inspired by R. M. Schindler's King's Road House. The white planks surrounding the china cabinet introduce a coastal element.
Tip: Mounting cabinets to the wall saves space and makes a room feel larger. "Cantilevering the cabinets allowed the white base to carry through the room, giving the illusion that these cabinets are floating," he says.
The drawings over the cabinets are both colored pencil on trace renderings by Bubnowski, media inspired by Michael Graves, one of his favorite architects.
Tip: Mounting cabinets to the wall saves space and makes a room feel larger. "Cantilevering the cabinets allowed the white base to carry through the room, giving the illusion that these cabinets are floating," he says.
The drawings over the cabinets are both colored pencil on trace renderings by Bubnowski, media inspired by Michael Graves, one of his favorite architects.
In the living room, Bubnowski faced a common modern-day challenge: where to place the television. "In a small house, there are so many openings from windows, fireplaces, doors and an open floor plan that it leaves you with very little wall space," he explains.
"A fireplace is such an important and profound statement in a room; I would never put a television over the fireplace." The solution here was to design this cherry media cabinet, which is built into the wall and conceals the television and associated components.
In another Arts and Crafts tradition, Surfer's End inspired a furniture line that goes beyond built-ins. The line includes the Diana Chairs you see here, as well as the Skinnygirl Cabinet behind them. While these are handcrafted investment pieces, Bubnowski hopes to explore designing furniture that can be produced less expensively.
Fireplace: Autumn Gold Slate
Oak Bench: Garage sale find
Chairs and Cabinet: Surfer's End Furniture Collection
"A fireplace is such an important and profound statement in a room; I would never put a television over the fireplace." The solution here was to design this cherry media cabinet, which is built into the wall and conceals the television and associated components.
In another Arts and Crafts tradition, Surfer's End inspired a furniture line that goes beyond built-ins. The line includes the Diana Chairs you see here, as well as the Skinnygirl Cabinet behind them. While these are handcrafted investment pieces, Bubnowski hopes to explore designing furniture that can be produced less expensively.
Fireplace: Autumn Gold Slate
Oak Bench: Garage sale find
Chairs and Cabinet: Surfer's End Furniture Collection
Diana Chair
The Diana chair has an ebony-and-holly inlay inspired by the stringers found in traditional surfboard designs.
Moving upstairs, we see how to make every inch in a 2,100-square-foot family home count. This library balcony is a cozy spot that maximizes space that is often wasted. The horizontal railings echo the railings used on the exterior balcony.
"When my wife said we should paint this hallway this color I thought 'you've got to be kidding me!'" says Bubnowski. "I wanted everything to be white. But she was right; it warms things up and it stands up a lot better to sticky fingerprints from a 6 year old!"
"When my wife said we should paint this hallway this color I thought 'you've got to be kidding me!'" says Bubnowski. "I wanted everything to be white. But she was right; it warms things up and it stands up a lot better to sticky fingerprints from a 6 year old!"
In the master bedroom, views of the river and access to the balcony let the couple enjoy the outdoors from upstairs. "The horizontal steel railings have an almost transparent look. I can lie in bed and see the river right through them; they almost disappear," says Bubnowski.
The beadboard adds coastal cottage style, while the horizontal orientation is a modern twist. The room's vaulted ceiling and pleasing proportions make it feel relaxing, airy and spacious.
The beadboard adds coastal cottage style, while the horizontal orientation is a modern twist. The room's vaulted ceiling and pleasing proportions make it feel relaxing, airy and spacious.
The master bathroom continues the relaxed feel. White walls, a ceiling that vaults to from 9' to 12' (as you can see in the mirror's reflection), natural light and translucent glass doors keep the space feeling open.
Cherry Wood: CWP Custom Wood Products.
Vessel sinks: Kohler
Counters: Honed Durango Stone from Mexico
Floor: Travertine
Cherry Wood: CWP Custom Wood Products.
Vessel sinks: Kohler
Counters: Honed Durango Stone from Mexico
Floor: Travertine
A pocket door between the main part of the master bathroom and a small room containing the commode is another clever space saver, as are the wall-mounted faucets and vessel sinks. In case you're wondering, yes, there is a shower; the photographer is standing next it.
"One of the biggest compliments I've received about this house was from a mentor who told me that it doesn't just appeal to architects and artists, but to most people, because it has a calming and comfortable feel before you even start to unpeel the layers of the details," Bubnowski says.
It's true; whether you know the stylistic origins of a bracket or simply want to stash your board and hit the outdoor shower, this home's good vibes have a universal appeal.
Photography: Alexandra Rowley, Paul S. Bartholomew Photography, Inc.
More:
Houzz Tour: Shingle Style Meets SoHo on the Jersey Shore
Shingle Style: Warm Home Design for Seaside to Suburb
Getting it Wright: Today's Prairie Style
Yankee Modern: The Houses of Estes/Twombly (a recommendation of Bubnowski's)
"One of the biggest compliments I've received about this house was from a mentor who told me that it doesn't just appeal to architects and artists, but to most people, because it has a calming and comfortable feel before you even start to unpeel the layers of the details," Bubnowski says.
It's true; whether you know the stylistic origins of a bracket or simply want to stash your board and hit the outdoor shower, this home's good vibes have a universal appeal.
Photography: Alexandra Rowley, Paul S. Bartholomew Photography, Inc.
More:
Houzz Tour: Shingle Style Meets SoHo on the Jersey Shore
Shingle Style: Warm Home Design for Seaside to Suburb
Getting it Wright: Today's Prairie Style
Yankee Modern: The Houses of Estes/Twombly (a recommendation of Bubnowski's)
"Most of the architecture in the neighborhood is quite traditional, so we kept the front facade more conservative," says Bubnowski. This side is a good example of how he balances symmetry and asymmetry. While the house has a symmetrical outline, the placement of the front door and other elements is asymmetrical.