Bay St. Louis, Mississippi

Project Site:  A long and narrow plot with select scenic waterfront views

When presented with such a development challenge, special consideration must be paid to room layout and orientation in order to maximize water-facing vantages.  The specific design challenge here was the narrowness of the lot, which was most narrow fronting the waterway.  This often times necessitates a hierarchy of sorts among the rooms:  some spaces allow water views and some do not.

The solution here was to create a great room space that would be “stacked back” such that the living room, dining room, and kitchen would all have waterfront vistas.  At the rear wall, three large glass door panels fold back so that the glass wall completely opens.  This creates a seamless flow of indoor-outdoor living space with the screened porch, in addition to maximizing waterfront views.  The screened porch ceiling was vaulted and supported by a massive wood truss, which allows for views up through the truss chords and 180 degrees from the screened porch.  The space is extraordinary.

The master bedroom was situated adjacent to the living room along the rear wall in order to share the waterfront views.  With a large picture window and a door leading out to the screened porch, the master suite is a special place to retreat.  An oversized rolling barn door between the master bedroom and bathroom can be shut for privacy or opened to allow for water-facing views from the master bath, as well.

The site was specifically designed to allow the homeowner to pull his boat through the entire property, from the street to the boat launch at the rear property line.  A special garage under the house was custom designed with garage doors at each end and louvered side walls to allow the space to take on water during hurricanes.

The architecture of this house was inspired by the natural setting, maximizing indoor-outdoor living space and capitalizing on the gorgeous natural environment and scenic views.