Expert tips on selecting original pieces of art for your beach home to create a relaxing, welcoming environment.

SPONSORED CONTENT WITH SINGULART

Coastal homes are already pieces of art on their own. So how do you choose wall art for a place like this? You’ll have some different considerations to think about — views, color palettes, weather, and how the space is being used — but with a little time and attention, you’ll be able to choose the perfect wall art for your coastal home.

We’ve enlisted some help from the experts over at Singulart for the art-picking process. “[Your coastal home] should be a place to disconnect from daily life and connect with objects and artworks that inspire you all around,” says Christophe Penasse, founder of design studio Masquespacio, adding that “most coastal homes are used for an encounter with family and friends for a relaxing moment.”

Singulart is an online art and design gallery that makes it easy to shop for original art by simply opening up your laptop. The website works with over 10,000 artists from around the world, so they have thousands upon thousands of pieces of original and fine artwork to check out. Some artists are emerging, while others are more established, so you’ll find works at every price point — from below $1,000 to above $10,000. Singulart sells art in all mediums, from paintings to sculpture to fiber art to photography. 

Read on for a few of our top tips to help you get started with choosing wall art for a beach home. And afterwards, check out Singulart for some inspiration — you can even use their discover page to find out what you like and to get inspired.

Don’t overshadow the view.

In a coastal home, the best (and most expensive) piece of art should always be front and center — the view. Especially if you have an ocean view, you probably have a window or two that frames that view well. And in those rooms, let the view speak for itself! Don’t place a colorful, attention-grabbing painting on an adjacent wall where it’ll distract from the beautiful vista outside the window. “Art should harmonize not only with the key elements of the coastal home but also with the feeling that such a place evokes each time, creating a welcoming and refreshing atmosphere,” says artist Giovanni Sanesi.

You might want to enhance or complement the view, however, with a couple of smaller pieces on either side of a view-framing window. If there’s space, and if the small pieces are by the same artist and create a sense of symmetry, it’ll help you further highlight the view.

And sometimes, you might want to use the view as a foil. Say you have a large, blank wall on the opposite side of the room as a big window with a view — take that opportunity to play against that view with a piece of artwork that frames it. You might choose a large painting with calm, light, neutral colors that doesn’t overshadow the view, but rather complements it, so the rest of the room doesn’t feel too empty.

Choose colors inspired by nature.

Blues, grays, whites, and other neutral colors typically star in a beach house. And for good reason — they play well with the views outside and create a calm atmosphere for relaxing by the sea. And if your coastal house is already furnished, these colors likely already make up your palette, so consider calm and cool neutrals first when checking out art. “Opting for relaxing shades like cerulean, white, or green can evoke the relaxing atmosphere of the coast,” says Sanesi.

But remember that nature-inspired colors aren’t always blues and grays. Maybe you love the peach and orange of the sunset at the beach, or the vibrant green of the beach grass outside. Take inspiration from the colors around you that make you love your coastal home to choose art that makes you feel good.

While we’re all about choosing vibrant colors that speak to you, remember that oftentimes, less is more. We recommend soft or nature-inspired colors for coastal wall art to create a space that’s elegant, relaxing, and makes folks feel at home.

Consider direct sunlight.

Especially if you have large, view-framing windows, consider whether or not certain walls sit in direct sunlight. If a piece of wall art will see direct sun, you should choose oil paintings or acrylic paintings that’ll withstand sunlight well. On the other hand, avoid a photograph in direct light as it’ll fade in the sun. And, as a rule of thumb, it’s best to draw the blinds or minimize the amount of time any piece of art is in direct sunlight.

Consider the lighting in the room throughout the day, too, and how different types of light — sunrise, midday, golden hour — will affect the way a piece of art looks.

Think outside the box.

Coastal art doesn’t have to be all paintings of the ocean and photographs of seashells (although it can be, if you want!). Consider how you can evoke a coastal vibe with long lines, calming colors, nature themes, or other motifs that feel beachy without being too on the nose.

Consider all types of art, too. Bringing texture into a beach home makes it feel more whimsical and grounded in a sense of place, so we love frames made of natural ropes and textured tapestries that give a cozy vibe, along with accessories like wicker baskets and braided rope. Photographs work beautifully in a beach house, too — with the right subject, they can feel both playful and elevated, like artwork in a fancy coastal hotel. “We think here about materials like rattan, wood with light tones as well as the use of a lot of textiles and fabrics,” says Penasse.

Sculptures shouldn’t be overlooked, either. Sculpture art like vases become gorgeous standalone pieces or the perfect way to feature some pampas grass or some flowers that grow on your property.

Look into some of Singulart’s textile art, photography, and sculptures for more inspiration for wall art for your coastal home. And once you’re ready to buy, Singulart makes it stress-free to get your artwork, shipping it straight to you, fully insured. The online art gallery aims to revolutionize the world of art buying, helping folks more easily connect with and support artists from around the world.

A strong breeze blew through the open air entryway at the Hyatt Regency Aruba Resort Spa + Casino as we arrived late in the afternoon. Squinting through the bright sunlight, I could make out palm trees rustling in the wind and the turquoise ocean just beyond, calling my name for a quick plunge—right after I finished the cold glass of champagne they welcomed us with.

A swim and a shower later and we were having a bite for dinner at Alfresco Bar, the resort’s version of a lobby bar, dining on one of the best meals I’d had in a long time—a deceptively simple fresh fish skewer with fries. We watched the stars appear one by one and listened to the rush of a little waterfall behind us, already planning tomorrow’s extremely busy day of Pilates, an alfresco breakfast, and working with our toes in the pool all afternoon. I couldn’t wait to take advantage of everything the property offers—and it’s a lot.

The Setting 

The Hyatt Regency Aruba is situated in the bustling Palm Beach neighborhood on the island’s northwest coast. It’s a 359-room, family-friendly beachfront resort with two pools, a spa, and a huge lineup of amenities.

The resort’s lush, sprawling grounds wind from the entrance and Alfresco Bar all the way down to the beach, featuring waterfalls, a multi-level koi pond, towering palms, iguanas sunning themselves, and a three-tiered activity pool, complete with a huge waterslide and a swim-up bar along the way. One of the best late afternoons we spent at the resort featured a daiquiri in the pool and a quick ride on the waterslide.

There’s a second, adults-only pool tucked on the other side of the property, fittingly called Trankilo, and featuring an infinity wall that overlooks the ocean and first-come, first-served lounge chairs—but if it’s a special occasion, I highly recommend splurging on one of the pool cabanas with food and drink service, a stocked minifridge, a flatscreen TV, and a private pool entrance.

The picture-perfect beach is just as nice a place to park yourself for an afternoon—in June, the calm, crystalline water was an ideal almost-bathwater temperature that made getting out arduous. And check this out: guests can reserve complimentary beach palapas and pool umbrellas up to four months in advance at hyattbeachservices.com.

The Island

Aruba is super-easy to get to from the States, with direct flights from major cities like New York, D.C., Boston, Houston, Chicago, and Atlanta. While the island is technically a Dutch colony, it’s very Americanized—if you’re looking for an Olive Garden, a Dunkin Donuts, or a Wendy’s, you can find those nearby. As in most Caribbean spots, folks in Aruba speak English—along with Dutch, Spanish, and Papiamento, their native language.

Just make sure you wear (and reapply) sunscreen—the Aruba sun is no joke. And if you’ve forgotten yours at home, the resort has a couple of swim shops where you can find any and all essentials, including reef-friendly sunblock.

The Accommodations

The resort’s tranquil accommodations are fuss-free and elevated, with plush beds, beachy neutrals, and full or Juliet balconies. They offer single rooms with kings or two queens, or suites with one or two bedrooms, ideal if you’re traveling with the whole family. Bathrooms are fully updated and have lux waterfall showers, and other amenities include coffee makers and 65-inch flatscreen TVs. And almost all rooms have stunning ocean views—waking up to those scenes never gets old.

The Dining

The Hyatt Regency offers seven onsite dining options, from casual grab-and-go to upscale. Grab a quick breakfast at the Shoco Coffee Bar or sit down to an a la carte or buffet breakfast at Palms Beachside Grill. Palms also serves lunch daily, but if you’re busy chilling by the beach or pool you might want to grab an acai bowl at Kadushi Juice Bar or casual fare at Balashi Bar & Grill. 

The Palms Beach Bar is open for drinks and bites from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. daily, while Alfresco Bar is perfect for happy hour or after dinner drinks. The highlight of the dining program is Ruinas del Mar, a stunning indoor/outdoor upscale dinner restaurant that mimics gold mill ruins and is surrounded by a koi lagoon, waterfalls, and gardens. The menu features fresh seafood, Italian-inspired favorites, and an extensive wine list. A candlelit dinner here was almost too picturesque, made even more memorable by the koi we could almost reach out and touch.

Things to Do

While it’s easy enough to spend a few days doing nothing but the pool and beach, Hyatt keeps a full schedule of wellness, dining, and family-friendly activities. You’ll find highlights like morning beach yoga at 7:30 a.m. on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays; a tennis clinic on Tuesdays and Thursdays at 8:30 a.m.; mixology classes with a bartender on Mondays and Wednesdays on 4:30 p.m.; or salsa dancing lessons on Saturdays at 5:30 p.m.

Speaking of things to do, take advantage of your stunning Caribbean surroundings, if you feel so inclined, with watersports or tours. Aruba’s Red Sail Sports, located right on the Hyatt’s beach, offers water-based activities like catamaran cruises and snorkeling trips, or land-based tours like Jeep safaris and an ostrich farm excursion. You can even learn how to kite surf or spend a day deep sea fishing.

Wind down with an appointment at the onsite ZoiA Spa, where they highlight the healing properties of Aruba’s natural resources like aloe vera. Zoia means “balance” or “poise” in Papiamento. They offer specialized massages, body treatments, and even luxurious Hydrafacials, which use a patented water vortex technology to cleanse and hydrate the skin. My Bon Bini (which means “welcome” in Papiamento) treatment included a relaxing massage with aloe to treat my sunburn from the previous day, followed by foot reflexology, all in an outdoor cabana where the sounds of a passing shower lulled me to a near sleep.

Getting Off Site

While the Hyatt Regency makes it easy to never leave, you’d be remiss not to explore Aruba beyond the resort while you’re there. Take a stroll along the beach boardwalk and you’ll find yourself passing resort after restaurant after resort, perfect for switching up your scenery with a sunset cocktail at Pelican Pier, gyros at Kouzina, or dinner on the beach at Moomba.

The Palm Beach neighborhood is active and touristy, with tons of restaurants, bars, and shops open well into the night, even on weeknights. You’ll find any type of restaurant you’re after, from steakhouses to French brasseries to pizzerias. Or, take my advice and head out after dinner at the Hyatt Regency for gelato or dancing at one of the many bars, all within easy walking distance of the resort. 

With everything on offer both at the resort and on the island at large, it’s more than easy to kill a whole week here—but a quick weekend away to lounge in the sand is just as worth it.

Arriving at the Hamilton Princess & Beach Club in Bermuda was a royal experience—the stately flamingo pink building towers above its surroundings and the harbor, and inside bellhops and well-dressed guests bustled to and fro, clacking along the marble-tiled floor. Something delicious and expensive-smelling wafted through the air.

The Hamilton Princess is a five-star, privately owned, Fairmont-managed property in Hamilton. The hotel first opened in 1885, the year after Queen Victoria’s daughter Louise visited and became the inspiration behind the building’s “princess” name.

The Princess’s current owners bought it in 2012 and have been slowly renovating it ever since. Now, the luxe hotel features newly redone guest rooms, two outdoor pools, three on-site restaurants, a spa, a 60-berth marina, a retail corridor, and a private beach just a short ride away.

The Warhol-esque portraits of Queen Elizabeth behind the check-in desk turned out to be real Warhols as I came to grips with the magnitude of the art collection at the Princess—a Picasso in the lobby, a Haring on the way to the restroom.

And the art collection throughout the hotel is world class. The private collection of the owners, the compilation could belong to a gallery—but here, the works are presented in a lived-in way. Pieces from other modern and pop art giants like Henri Matisse, René Magritte, David Hockney, Banksy, Anish Kapoor, KAWS, and Takashi Murakami make this one of the most impressive art collections you can find outside a museum. 

The hotel is large, with 386 guest rooms in total, including 45 suites and 13 junior suites. Guest rooms, while all newly renovated and similarly outfitted, come in variations—Fairmont rooms have bathtubs, while Garden View, Harbor View, and Bay View rooms all have private terraces. The top tier Fairmont Gold rooms and suites are in their own private wing and come with a designated concierge service and access to the private Fairmont Gold Lounge, which includes a patio and daily continental breakfast, afternoon tea, desserts, and an honor bar. 

Accommodations have upscale modern amenities like walk-in showers, Nespresso coffee machines, and bluetooth speakers. I loved starting my mornings off slow with a coffee on the private balcony of my Signature room overlooking the harbor. Another elegant touch—the bathrooms have Le Labo toiletries in the scent Rose 31 (remember the pink exterior of the building?).

The Princess is an easy five-minute walk from pedestrian-friendly downtown Hamilton. About the size of downtown Newport, Rhode Island, Hamilton has endless attractions like restaurants, shopping, and nightlife—but you’ll only have to leave the property if you really want to. 

Choose from three on-site dining options in the summertime—the breezy 1609 Restaurant & Marina Bar, offering a seafood-heavy lunch and dinner menu, closes for the offseason. Other dining spots are the casual all-day eatery Crown & Anchor, a contemporary venue with both indoor and outdoor dining that serves a buffet breakfast all the way through a late-night menu, and the newest dining concept, Intrepid, an upscale steak and raw bar spot. 

Intrepid was named after one of the hotel’s more prominent guests: Sir William Stephenson, Ian Fleming’s inspiration behind James Bond. During World War II, Stephenson, code name “Intrepid,” headed the Allied Forces’ Atlantic censorship station located in the Hamilton Princess. Now a refined steakhouse with elegant Art Deco decor, Intrepid served my most memorable meal of the trip—a flavorful hamachi crudo, a super fresh halibut filet, and a lemon cheesecake for dessert.

Since the hotel is located in the heart of Bermuda’s capital, they don’t have a beach on site—a drawback they remedied in recent years with the purchase of a private beach club in Southampton. The hotel’s jitney shuttles back and forth from the beach several times a day, and the exclusive beach club has restrooms, umbrellas, towels, cabanas, seasonal food and drink service, walking trails, a white sand beach, and a crystal clear cove for swimming.

The jitney to and from the beach takes about 15 to 20 minutes, and the benefit of the commute is the quiet seclusion when you get out to the seashore, and getting to see a bit more of the beautiful island. In November the water was chilly, but the picturesque turquoise water and the bright sunny weather made it all worth it.

Because of its central location right in Hamilton, the Princess sees a ton of business travel. They have several function rooms ranging from traditional ballrooms with chandeliers to smaller boardrooms, and are currently adding four more function rooms geared towards events with 40 to 80 guests. Besides a steady flow of business guests, the Princess welcomes an increasing number of couples and families, drawn to its upscale amenities and great location.

More on amenities: One of the hotel’s pools is an infinity pool with a hot tub, and the other is adults only—both are heated with harbor views. The adults-only pool is right outside the fitness center and spa area. The Exhale spa offers fitness classes and a full spa menu of facials, massages, body scrubs, and nail services. 

Between the hotel’s restaurants open to the Bermuda public, and the marina with dozens of berths, the property feels like a bustling, comfortable community meeting space. But head to one of the pools, sit in a cabana overlooking the harbor, or relax on your room’s terrace, and you’ll feel worlds away from the hubbub of daily life. The hotel provides a perfect jumping off point to easily explore the rest of Hamilton or the entire island, but I had everything I needed at my fingertips to just unwind quietly at the Princess.  

For more information, visit thehamiltonprincess.com

The fragrant steam from my banana leaf fish wafted off the plate in front of me as I basked in the sultry humidity of the warm evening. I looked up at the stars, and I could hear the waves lapping the shore just out of sight. Had I really woken up earlier that day on a cold, cloudy autumn morning in Boston?

I had arrived at Amanyara that afternoon, ready for a few days in the Caribbean sun at this luxury resort on the Providenciales island of Turks and Caicos. The welcome team, greeting me at the front entrance with a juicy pink grapefruit concoction, whisked me around the corner and through the resort’s central lobby area, where the line between inside and outside begins to blur. The teak buildings practically float on the water of the reflecting pond, among trees and other greenery, and the onyx swimming pool seems to flow straight into the clear water of the Atlantic just beyond. Thirty seconds in and my breath was already gone.

While the ride from the airport to the hotel is only twenty-five minutes, Amanyara feels as secluded as if it were the only resort on the island. And when you’re inside your room, you might as well be the only ones at the resort. Accommodations, all recently refurbished, consist of 38 standalone pavilions that typically sleep two, and 18 villas with three to five bedrooms each, perfect for families.

Each pavilion features a soothingly minimal layout—a bed in the middle of the room, a spacious bathroom area with a soaking tub and rain shower, and glass walls on three sides. Open up a wall or two for a breezy indoor-outdoor accommodation, or shut them all to keep in the AC. The king platform canopy bed makes it hard to get up each morning, but the views of the pond or ocean right outside your pavilion ease the pain.

Our ocean-view pavilion was a short golf cart or bike ride away from the resort’s main areas. We could trip down the path to the water and jump straight into the turquoise waves crashing against the rocky shore when we felt adventurous, or just lie out on lounge chairs, taking in our private view of the Atlantic framed in lush vegetation. The shade of the water by the coast at high noon was the most vivid teal I’ve ever seen.

Dining options at Amanyara include The Restaurant, The Bar, and The Beach Club. The Restaurant serves breakfast and dinner daily and has ample alfresco seating. We loved breakfast under the shade of a tree on the terrace, but for dinner I’d recommend sitting on the deck right over the glittering pond. 

The Bar, the circular centerpiece of Amanyara’s main area, does drinks and light bites throughout the day, served beneath its soaring conical roof or, if you please, beside the pool.

The Beach Club, the resort’s more casual option perched above the white-sand beach, serves lunch daily. On Saturdays, however, the venue puts on a special Indian multi-course prix-fixe dinner with live music, featuring a chef from the Aman team in India. The meal was a smorgasbord of fragrant, savory flavors—freshly baked naan, samosas, and spicy curry were balanced by zingy yogurt and cilantro hints.

Amanyara provides unmatched escapism and relaxation to guests—and the spa, specializing in renewing wellness treatments, is the beating heart of the hotel’s restorative experience. An oasis within an oasis, the spa comprises a main lobby, an outdoor pool, a yoga sala, a sprawling deck overlooking a reflecting pond, and four treatment rooms. After a treatment, you’ll open your eyes to the sun shining over the pond just outside, as if the spa couldn’t get any more delectable. The bliss never really ends.

Amanyara’s spa treatments combine Asian-inspired practices with some Caribbean touches, like cold-pressed coconut oil from Turks and Caicos. While guests can sample any of the spa’s tempting treatments a la carte, like a lymph draining massage, a facial incorporating crystals, or a skin-softening body wrap, Amanyara’s signature wellness immersions deliver an experience like no other. 

The immersions provide guests personalized, results-oriented programs, built in collaboration with the property’s therapists and nutritionists. Guests choose their goal for the immersion, whether it’s grounding themselves mentally, kickstarting their metabolism, or detoxifying. Then, the property’s wellness team will lead them through movement sessions, specialized spa treatments, and a curated menu for the length of the immersion. 

And if you prefer to do your own thing on vacation, there’s no shortage of ways to keep busy on property. The fitness facilities include a gym, four clay Har-tru tennis courts, a soccer pitch, a Pilates studio, and gear for other sports like Ping-Pong, basketball, and lacrosse. 

Prefer to stay by the water? Amanyara’s stretch of private beach has paddleboards, kayaks, and optional snorkeling trips to nearby reefs where colorful fish dart in and out of coral formations inches from your reach. The resort also offers a new, nature-focused kids program called Science Explorers and Environmental Keepers (SEEK).

When it’s time to wind down, evening activities aren’t sparse, either. While you can dine under the stars at The Restaurant and catch the nightly movie at the playhouse, my favorite part of the evenings came a bit sooner—at sunset. We lounged in one of the sunset salas as twilight set in, sipping champagne after a day in the sun and watching the towering clouds turn pinker and pinker over the ocean. If I relived that experience every day, I’d never tire of it. Amanyara, notably, roughly translates to “peaceful place.” 

The lack of light pollution in Turks and Caicos made for the brightest night sky I’ve seen in a long time. We sat quietly on the beach late at night, catching glimpses of shooting stars, making wishes that we’d never have to leave.  

For more information visit aman.com/resorts/amanyara.

The warmth hits my face first when I open the door onto the balcony in the morning. From several stories above, I hear the waves crash onto the white sand beach as the wind blows sea air into my room. On the other side of the hotel, the colorful homes of Saint Lawrence Gap, just outside Bridgetown, Barbados, stretch over the hills and into town. Not a bad view to wake up to.

I’m at O2 Beach Club & Spa, a new luxury all-inclusive resort on Barbados’ south coast. The five star hotel hits all the important points—pools, private beach, delicious on-site dining, and a spa. But O2 makes luxury comfortable and down-to-earth, with poolside dining, friendly service, and artwork by Bajan creatives hung on the walls.

Fifteen minutes east of Bridgetown, O2’s location on the south coast means there’s something for everyone—snorkeling, windsurfing, lively restaurants and nightlife, and relaxing, swimmable beaches. We even ventured to a nearby distillery for a rum tasting one day. Staying on the south side is a bit of a choose-your-own adventure.

O2 focuses on cultivating a sense of place—while travelers might head to a Caribbean island like Turks & Caicos for seclusion, Barbados is great for explorers who like learning about a destination’s culture. The resort’s newly opened gift shop features exclusively Barbados-made items.

O2’s 130 guest rooms, suites, and residences come in three tiers: Club Collection, Luxury Collection, and Concierge Collection. All rooms include private balconies, crisp white linens, and beautifully updated bathrooms with rainfall showers. And with a five-night stay, all guests get a complimentary round of golf at the 18-hole Barbados Golf Club.

The adults-only Luxury Collection suites are situated in a newly constructed nine-story tower, which also houses the property’s new chic, state-of-the-art spa with panoramic views. The Luxury Collection’s first-floor swim-up suites offer direct access to the river pool surrounding the building, with the beach just beyond. 

The Concierge Collection suites bump up the opulence even more with designer kitchens, oceanfront balconies, and butler service. Both the Luxury and Concierge Collections include amenities like a bottle of champagne on arrival, nightly turndown service, spa credit, and unlimited access to Sea Breeze Beach House, O2’s nearby sister property, a smaller, quainter location featuring more private beach and pool access. 

Besides the adults-only river pool, O2 has two other pools—one of which is among the only rooftop pools in Barbados.

O2’s six onsite restaurant concepts range from no-shirt-no-shoes-required to bespoke private dining options. Elements is the beating heart of the property, situated between the two buildings of accommodations and serving up deluxe buffet breakfasts, sit-down lunches, and curated rotating dinner menus. 

Oro, on the ninth floor of the newly constructed building, serves European-Caribbean cuisine in a sleek, sexy space with 270-degree views of the sea. Brisa, on the rooftop of the main building, is the perfect spot to grab a cocktail before dinner, enjoy tapas as the sun sets, or snag something sweet at the end of the night. Unlike many all-inclusives, O2 stocks a range of high-end wines and liquors. 

And because it’s vacation, no meal beats a casual seafood lunch from Bluefin. The snapper and fries served right to my poolside lounge chair felt like a true Bajan experience. The bar near the pool, Oasis, serves up cocktails, afternoon teas, and sweet treats throughout the day. 

O2’s new Acqua spa, opened in February 2022, delivers luxury treatments on the eighth floor of the resort’s new building (a floor below Oro). They have the only Hammam steam room on Barbados, and they use OSEA products throughout the spa. They offer massages, facials, signature body rituals, and manicures and pedicures, and they’ve recently introduced a new spa culinary menu for light, nutritious pick-me-ups in between treatments like strawberry mint bisque and fresh seafood ceviche. The white marble and the floor-to-ceiling windows affording views of the sea make tension almost impossible in a place like this.

O2 has two other sister properties in the Ocean Hotels Collection, both five minutes away: Sea Breeze Beach House, a boutique hotel with private beachfront and Bajan charm, and South Beach Hotel, a retro-inspired spacious all-suite property steps from the beach. Guests of O2 staying in the Luxury or Concierge collections have open access to Sea Breeze Beach House and its amenities, like an adults-only pool, watersports, and more creative restaurant concepts like fine-dining Cerulean, alfresco Aqua Terra, and De Rum Shop Cafe, located in a charming blue cottage.

While O2 has more than enough activities to keep guests busy throughout their stay, heading out on an excursion gave us a taste of Barbados’ culture. We drove over to the rugged east coast for stunning views, checked out historical churches, and went for a rum tasting at Mount Gay. We stopped for lunch at Tides, an elevated Bajan cuisine spot situated right above the lapping waters of the west coast in a former post-war seaside home. On the island you can also explore botanical gardens, a boardwalk, Friday night fish fries, and natural wonders like caves.

Sitting under the shade of a palm tree by the pool with the crash of the waves behind me, I soaked up my last full day in Barbados. Like most tropical destinations, it’s almost always sunny and warm—and a bit windy. But unlike some other tropical spots, the island pulses with energy. Relaxing in the balmy weather is great, but whatever the evening will bring might be better. 

For more information, visit o2beachclubbarbados.com

When Portia and Chris Durbin settled in Newton, they wondered where people disappeared in the summertime. They both grew up in suburbs with strong pool and tennis club cultures; jaunts to tony islands and rustic lake camps were foreign to them. A neighbor suggested they visit Wellfleet, a laid-back town towards the end of Cape Cod. They loved it, and rented a house there for years. During the summers that they opted for national park vacations instead, the family of six made daytrips there. “We’d have lunch at the Beachcomber, nap on the sand, play mini-golf and eat at Red Barn Pizza, then watch a movie at the drive-in before heading home,” Portia says. 

About five years ago, with the kids mostly grown (they’re now between 20 and 28 years old), the Durbins came across a listing for a 1970 deck house overlooking Wellfleet Harbor and Cape Cod Bay. Despite it needing a fair amount of work, they proclaimed it perfect. After spending two seasons in it, they hired Mark Hammer of Hammer Architects to renovate. “The house was crowded and dark, but they wanted to keep the mid-century spirit of it alive, so we designed with that in mind,” the Provincetown- and Cambridge-based architect says. 

By taking down a few walls, popping two small additions onto either end, and converting existing garage bays into living spaces, Hammer transformed the dark, dated house into a generous, light-filled home. The new plan, which retains the upside-down layout with the main living spaces on top, provides plenty of privacy, along with places to gather, inside and out. 

Expanding the narrow kitchen was essential, as the family loves to cook together. (During the pandemic, all six of them, plus two of the kids’ partners who also sheltered there, competed in their own culinary challenges based on the Food Network show Chopped.) Hammer gutted the kitchen and removed the wall between it and the dining room, dismantled the deck, and extended that side of the house a little over 10 feet. It’s now a sunny dining area that is open to the new kitchen with mahogany cabinetry and a deep center island. “I often use mahogany millwork and white counters,” Hammer says. “It feels light and bright, and works well with the wood in modern houses.” 

The kitchen also opens to the living room, which stretches along the south side of the house. Here, Hammer tucked in new mahogany bookshelves and cleaned up the original fireplace. Designers Emily Pinney and Brittney Lombardo of Pinney Designs devised an airy scheme with neutral furnishings punctuated by pops of turquoise. “The color bridges the interior with the ocean, making the space feel much bigger,” Pinney says.

A trio of sliders open onto a new deck that wraps back around towards the dining room and steps down to a stone patio. The view is spectacular in all directions, overlooking a golf course to the north and Wellfleet Harbor and Cape Cod Bay to the south. 

On the other end of the house, Hammer expanded the floor plan to include a primary suite for Portia and Chris, complete with a new attached bath that boasts a private, outdoor shower. There’s also a new side entry with a proper mudroom, plus a laundry, and a full bath. Chris points out Hammer’s efficiency in planning, noting how the architect maintained the location of the original laundry and bath, organizing the new spaces around them. 

On the ground level, Hammer enlarged the family room and the bath, as well as the two bedrooms by extending them beyond the existing footprint into the bottom portion of the additions on either end of the house. One bay of the attached two-car garage became a third bedroom with an en suite bath. While this bedroom doesn’t have a view, it has a private entrance. 

Hammer brought in Keith LeBlanc of LeBlanc Jones Landscape Architects, a frequent collaborator, to help establish paths around the property and between its various outbuildings. There’s the detached garage-turned-guest house with a bedroom suite atop play and work spaces with a ping pong table and a woodshop; a shed-turned-art studio; and a 15-by-15-foot, freestanding screened porch that is cantilevered over the sloping site. LeBlanc integrated various patios that connect seamlessly to the decks, designed a cedar-clad spa that blends into landscape, and is currently working on a pool, which the family is excited about. 

“We created a huge amount of utility by adding just under 575 square feet to the house, not including the separate 225 square foot screened porch,” Hammer says. “There are rooms for everyone and a lot of outdoor living space, a hot tub, and a fire pit. We checked all the boxes.” 

Architect: Hammer Architects, hammerarchitects.com 
Landscape Architect: LeBlanc Jones Landscape Architects, leblancjones.com 
Interiors: Pinney Designs, pinneydesigns.com 
Builder: E.W. Tarca Construction, ewtarcaconstruction.com

Following the success of the Amanyara Legends program launched earlier this year, the Turks & Caicos resort welcomes a collaboration with NFL football greats Demarcus Lawrence, a defensive end for the Dallas Cowboys, and Xavien Howard, a cornerback for the Miami Dolphins, who will hold football clinics for resort guests on June 25 and 26.

The Legends program provides Amanyara guests with exclusive access to icons in the world of sports through a series of clinics held throughout the year. Tennis great Maria Sharapova and doubles champions the Bryan brothers as well as basketball player Kevin Love have held multi-day clinics earlier this year.

“We are delighted to welcome these two NFL superstars to Amanyara,” says Ian White, general manager. “These residencies continue to elevate the one-of-a-kind experiences at the resort and our guests really enjoy these special opportunities to play with sports legends who they might only see from afar at a game.”

Demarcus and Xavien, both two-time Pro Bowlers and All Pros, will be in residence over two days for adult football clinics. Children can attend the pre-game refreshments and guests can spend some downtime with the professionals at cocktails and dinner the final evening. All proceeds from the dinner will benefit the Edward C. Garland Youth Centre, a local nonprofit organization.

“We are excited that Demarcus and Xavien will be part of the Amanyara Legends program,” says David Canter, president and CEO of DEC Management, representatives for the players. “They are both fun, engaging guys who will make the football clinics a really great experience for the guests.”

Rates for the 90-minute sessions (pre-game refreshments plus 75 minute clinics) are $375 per person and the special dinner with the players is $600 per person.

Demarcus Lawrence, defensive end for the Dallas Cowboys, is a two-time Pro Bowler and an All-Pro. Demarcus’ play on the field combined with his aggressive passion to help others off the field led him to becoming the highest paid Dallas Cowboy in NFL history in April 2019. Demarcus gives back to the community through many events helping kids, first responders, and, in previous years, through football camps in his hometown of Aiken, South Carolina. 

Xavien Howard is a cornerback for the Miami Dolphins. A two-time All-Pro and two-time Pro Bowler, Xavien was the NFL Leader in interceptions twice in his career, as recently as this year, where he had 10 interceptions, which was the most in a season since 2007. Xavien was a finalist for the NFL Defensive Player of the year this past season. Xavien doesn’t forget where he came from and enjoys holding events that encourage kids to live out their dreams and to never stop working hard to accomplish their goals.

Located on a pristine stretch of a private white sand beach in Turks & Caicos, Amanyara offers a tranquil and rejuvenating getaway for travellers searching for seclusion and access to the great outdoors and nearby marine life. Removed from the rest of the world, Amanyara is set on the shores of an 18,000 acre nature reserve complete with newly refurbished standalone pavilions that embrace indoor-outdoor living, each with a terrace and wooden sundeck surrounded by coastal vegetation.

Amanyara’s abundance of space makes it an ideal location for sports and recreation with guests able to take advantage of outdoor tennis courts, a full size soccer field, and a professional boxing studio, as well as wellness activities.

Amanyara offers Covid testing on property for travelers to meet the requisite travel requirements for return back to the US.

For more information, visit aman.com/amanyara.

Anyone who’s ever acquired a summer house has this request: that it be completed by the start of the season. The notion of complete, however, can vary. For the owners of this Shingle style custom home designed by architect David Neff in Quogue, complete meant every last detail in place, inside and out. This included a thoughtful collection of art. 

Katharine Earnhardt, founder of Mason Lane Art Advisory, had worked with the clients, a professional couple with two young boys, to build a collection for their TriBeCa loft, so she wasn’t exactly starting from scratch. “We looked at that artwork, which is vibrant and urban contemporary, to determine what we would do differently,” Earnhardt says. “In Quogue, they wanted a softer palette, fewer hard edges, and nothing metallic.” 

Guided by the couple’s tastes and the overall scheme that interior designer Jennifer Garrigues presented, Earnhardt assembled a 40-plus piece collection with an ephemeral, not too serious feel. “I never want the art to match the throw pillows, but I’m not there to create a new vision either,” Earnhardt says. “I’m there to further the vision and make the design shine.” 

That design, Garrigues says, is “clean, but not minimalistic, very child-friendly, and with a touch of simple glamour.” There’s lots of white, as befits a beach house, with plenty of blue, a color that both wife and husband love. “The house feels very open,” she says. “There are no mad, large-scale prints, but every room has a punch.” 

Blue makes its mark from the start, with a fun, navy Dutch door and a white pitted iron bench upholstered in performance fabric with a mosaic-like pattern. Earnhardt subtly reinforces the decor and the coastal locale with Mike Solomon’s hypnotic painting made from watercolor on papers infused in resin that resembles reflections of water. “As the light changes, hexagons appear and disappear,” Earnhardt says. “It’s very dynamic and sets the tone without being a literal or cliché landscape which was very important to us.” 

Just off the entry in the living room, whitewashed wall boards and a jute rug with a topstitched stripe establishes a neutral backdrop for crisp white sofas, tactile navy accents, and a hint of glimmer from a hammered metal drinks table with an iridescent shell top. Rather than add a piece that could be perceived as nautical, Earnhardt went for a composition of frolicsome forms reminiscent of Matisse’s cut-outs. The artwork by Paige Kalena Follmann counterbalances the room’s symmetry while echoing its airiness. Earnhardt also points to how the bits of black bolstering the room’s design. “Contrast helps a room feel energized and alive,” she says. 

In the adjacent sunroom-turned-dining room, the art goes quiet so as not to distract from the antique Chinese buffet. Still, its layered mix of media—ink, silk, and beeswax on panel—ensures that Eric Blum’s abstract isn’t invisible. Earnhardt’s juxtaposition of contemporary against historic aligns perfectly with Garrigues’ approach. “I design like I throw a cocktail party, mixing the older generation with the younger one,” Garrigues says. 

While one set of French doors opens to a covered porch, another pair leads to a languid green guest suite. Here, the art embraces the room’s hue. “It’s a hard color to work with if you’re fighting against it,” Earnhardt explains. A magical landscape photograph by Petros Koublis hangs over a Balinese-inspired canopy bed, providing a window to an otherworldly forest beset by fireflies. The choice adheres to Earnhardt’s practice of using less pricey pieces in secondary rooms and simultaneously broadens the spectrum of media and subject matter. 

Earnhardt follows suit on the other side of the house by inserting a pair of llama prints in the playroom and a humorous piece portraying stick figures swimming in an upstairs guest bedroom with a view of the pool. “Diversity of media, subject matter, and style is important,” she says. 

On the second level landing, Eugene Healey’s abstracted, cerulean seascape with collaged strips of fabric lures people up the stairs. Its palette speaks to the couple’s love of blue while the medium injects textured richness into the spare space, as does the antique Chinese console table and glazed ceramic lamps. “It’s simple, but there’s a patina,” Garrigues says of the tableau. Earnhardt adds, “If this were a catch-all place with clutter, I’d have chosen more streamlined art.” 

Down the hall, Garrigues created a serene primary bedroom suite where a white, nailhead-studded upholstered bed stretches out like a cloud against the chambray-colored grasscloth-covered walls. Karine Leger’s organic gems in dusky colors draw the eye up to the penny board paneled ceiling. Like the mathematically-influenced ombre oil painting by Nicky Broekhuysen over the dresser, Legere’s commission offers softness with a layered effect. And, as with so many other pieces in the collection, Earnhardt achieves her goal. “These works refer to what’s happening in nature without being a blatant reference.” 

Architect: David Neff Architect, davidneffarchitect.com 
Interior designer: Jennifer Garrigues, jennifergarrigues.com 
Art consultant: Mason Lane Art Advisory, masonlaneart.com 
Builder: Hamptons Habitat Fine Homebuilding, hamptonshabitat.com 
Landscape designer: Elliott Templeton Landscape Design, templetonlandscape.com

Kerry Tyson and Zack King weren’t actually in the market for a house when King pulled up to a construction site on the banks of Mount Hope Bay in Portsmouth, Rhode Island. In fact, they had just finished a painstaking remodel of their historical home in nearby Bristol. But he was intrigued. “We had noticed this unusually modern house going up from the bridge, so I decided to take a look,” King says. “The builder, Mike Cabral of Newport Renewables, came out and offered to show me around.” 

Excited not only by the modern architecture and waterfront lot, but the highly energy efficient design, King made an appointment to show the less-than-half-done home to his wife. The couple and their two kids moved into the 4,700-square foot dwelling on Mount Hope Bay a year later, just in time for Thanksgiving. 

Although architect Stephanie Horowitz of ZeroEnergy Design had designed the home for an elderly couple who ultimately changed course, the flexible plan allowed the Kings to tweak as needed. “We design custom homes that are tailored to the clients’ needs and aesthetics, but we’re always thinking about how they might be adapted in the future; this is a great example,” Horowitz says. 

The major modifications happened outside. While the original owners had not planned for outdoor activity, this family loves swimming, boating, grilling, and all the other perks of a coastal New England lifestyle. “Kerry and Zack took over with a completely different vision for the property,” landscape architect Charles Earl says. “They wanted to marry the style of the house and the landscape and create dynamic transitions that lead from one space to another.” 

The front lawn eases down to the house where a custom Corten steel fence provides privacy for a host of entertaining areas. The carport under the house, which is elevated ten feet off the ground to comply with flood zone regulations, is now a sheltered outdoor lounge they call the California room. The couple also added a pool alongside it, complete with a clear glass panel enclosure that doesn’t block the bay view. 

A Brazilian hardwood patio wraps from the pool to the back of the house where there’s a fire table and a covered outdoor dining area with a polished concrete floor. The backdrop? Oiled western red cedar slats that also hide the concrete pilings on which the house is raised. Finally, a new spiral stair connects it all to the deck outside the kitchen where the couple added a built-in grill. “There was no better place to be during the pandemic, especially for our kids,” Tyson says gratefully. 

Overall, the existing interior layout suited the family of four. The front door opens to a white oak and steel stair behind a three-story expanse of windows where there’s also an elevator. Horowitz refers to this shed-roofed portion as the “stacked volume.” It’s where the kitchen and the kids’ bedroom suites are located, topped by the primary suite and office. 

The main living space stretches perpendicular to the west in the long, gable-roof section of the house. Here, a feature wall of local, reclaimed ash slats pulls visitors into the bright cathedral-ceilinged space with floor-to-ceiling, triple-paned windows that look out to the water. Like the slatted wall outdoors, it’s the backdrop for the dining area where a Lindsey Adelman chandelier hangs over a black elm table. Because the original owners preferred that the sleek, contemporary kitchen be a distinct space, Horowitz tucked it around the corner from the feature wall. However, she points out, “The wall is recessed to offer a peek of it.” 

An adjacent wall clad in blackened, hot-rolled steel—King’s idea—provides interest and reflectivity, and ties to the enormous gray sectional. “We played up the long room by incorporating low-slung, linear furnishings,” Keith Musinski of Equilibrium, who helped the couple furnish the home, says. A concrete panel fireplace surround flanked by a wall of felt and another section of vertical ash slats is the focal point for the seating ensemble which includes the couple’s long-beloved Eames lounge. The den slotted behind it boasts a wall lined with more concrete panels and an ash slat-sheathed, sky-high ceiling. A dark, epoxy-dipped, fiberglass pendant hangs like a moody full moon over a plush blue velvet sectional, and a glam wet bar inhabits a niche to one side. 

Tyson and King are “one hundred percent glad” that they took the leap, thrilled and thankful to have created a warm, modern home. “This style of architecture really suits us,” Tyson says. “It’s made of concrete, steel, and glass, but everyone tells us how cozy it feels.” 

Architect: ZeroEnergy Design, zeroenergy.com 
Landscape Architect: Charles Earl Landscape Architecture, charlesearl.design 
General Contractor: Newport Renewables, nptre.com 
Cabinetmaker: C.K.January, Bristol, RI, 401-474-6175
Interior Designer: Equilibrium, design-eq.com

Sponsored Content

Daniel and Vangie Pepper’s Seattle lake home needed to fuse together their contrasting styles—he likes eclectic, and she likes elegant. Their residence had to be modern but relaxed, traditional but livable, and bring the couple’s vision of a classic Italian countryside villa to life in present-day.

To help them realize their vision, the Peppers enlisted interior designer Lisa Staton and architect Tim Hossner. Hossner positioned water and courtyard views to allow a cascade of natural light into the home’s living spaces, while Staton chose creamy tones, natural textures, and select antique furnishings to meld together the homeowners’ tastes. 

“It was really very diverse stuff,” says Hossner. “Modern, traditional, and everything in between. But to me, it all had the feel of being very tailored and crafted.” And to tie everything together, the Peppers chose Carlisle Wide Plank Floors to design a floor that would be the perfect foundation throughout the home.

The ten-inch wide Walnut hardwood flooring from Carlisle reduced the number of noticeable seams that a standard hardwood floor might have, allowing the rooms to flow into one another without visual distraction. While the grain of walnut has a traditional feel, the width of the planks was ideal for this contemporary home with an open floorplan. 

In waterfront homes like the Peppers’, wide plank floors provide the visual cohesion needed to connect an open layout. Keep reading to discover why wide plank floors are one of our top picks for your coastal or lakefront home. You too can find the perfect foundation for your home. 

1. Durability

Wide plank floors are cut from the heartwood of old growth trees, meaning they have a denser, less porous grain pattern. Carlisle sources only U.S.-grown, high-quality lumber for their wide plank floors, and each floor is made by hand, board by board. In fact, each board is handled by over two dozen pairs of hands from start to finish, ensuring the highest-grade final project. 

2. Longer, Wider Boards Add Value and Beauty

Wide planks and long lengths are “in” for both the value they add to the home and the beauty they bring. It’s simple math—wider and longer planks create fewer seams and joints, which dramatically simplifies the floor’s visual effect and allows the beauty of the wood to stand out. By upgrading from a three-inch width to an eight-inch or wider, you will reduce the number of seams in your floor by eighty percent.

3. Test of Time

Early New England colonists crafted their floors of sturdy wide planks—and some of these floors still hold up today, hundreds of years later. Constructed of huge, mature trees, these floors were built to last a lifetime or more. Today, Carlisle channels that vision with distinguished craftsmanship, creating high quality hardwood flooring that’ll continue to maintain their timeless beauty generation after generation.

4. Endless Customization

Since each Carlisle floor is made to order, every floor is a custom floor. One of their wide plank specialists will walk you through your project, discussing colors, textures, special finishes, and the overall character of the floor. After determining your needs and wants, Carlisle will handcraft your floor exactly to order. Waterfront homes’ styles can vary greatly—but Carlisle’s unique ability to customize means their floors will work in perfect harmony with any home. 

Carlisle has earned a reputation as the leader in wide plank flooring through innovation, integrity, and sustainability. All of Carlisle’s flooring is made in America with responsibly sourced domestic hardwood and reclaimed wood from sawyers who are committed to sustainable forestry practices, and who provide the highest quality material available.

Below, view the video and see more imagery from this beautiful Seattle waterfront project. To explore Carlisle’s Collections and learn more about their direct-to-consumer wide plank floors, visit wideplankflooring.com.

Click here to read the full Peppers’ residence case study.