Palm Beach meets Cape Cod in a stunning multigenerational home in Massachusetts

Daytime view of shingle home facade with circular driveway

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James Phillip Golden, Architect, designed this multigenerational family beach home on the Cape, in the village of Osterville, Massachusetts, nestled on a 0.62-acre property. The home encompasses 6,600 square feet of living space, with seven bedrooms and ample room to host extended family without losing the feeling of a single-family home.

The homeowners are a large extended family centered on a patriarch and matriarch, with adult children and grandchildren cycling through across the seasons. The patriarch uses a wheelchair, which set the terms of the plan from the start: the owner’s suite sits on the first floor with full accessibility, and the principal living, dining, and kitchen spaces all run on one level around it.

DESIGN DETAILS

ARCHITECT James Phillip Golden Architect
CONTRACTOR Bayside Building
INTERIOR DESIGN Digs Design Company
LANDSCAPE ARCHITECT Coy’s Brook Landscaping

Formal Cape Cod Portico Welcomes Guests

Front exterior of shingle style home at dusk with golf cart

Family suites for the adult children and their kids stack above on the second floor and above the carriage house, giving each branch of the family its own zone without isolating anyone from the main house.

Wicker Console Anchors a Bright Entry

Entry landing with wicker console table and oval window

“Our design intent was to create multiple opportunities throughout for intimate gatherings while keeping the swimming pool at its heart – yet visible throughout the project.” – Jim Golden, AIA

Foyer view toward living room with chevron patterned chairs

The plan is organized around that idea. The kitchen and great room open directly to a screened porch and a bluestone pool deck, with the pool itself visible from most of the principal rooms. A pergola-covered dining area off the pool cabana handles evening meals outside. The first-floor owner’s bedroom suite is set apart from the public spaces for privacy; the six additional bedrooms on the upper floors accommodate extended family and guests.

Detail of blue chair arm beside patterned area rug

The site planning for this Cape Cod beach home was as much of the project as the building. A dead-end road at the rear of the lot provided a discreet service approach, allowing the carriage house and guest parking to be positioned at the back of the property rather than the front. The result is a main residence that arrives cleanly through its portico – no cars on the lawn, no driveway dominating the approach.

Chevron Chairs Bring Color to the Living Room

Open living room with chevron chairs and wicker dining table beyond

The facade carries a formality gradient. The front elevation is white clapboard under a gracious Cape Cod portico – the public face of the house, intentionally more composed. As the building turns the corner and works toward the rear, the cladding shifts to traditional cedar shingles with white trim and colored shutters, settling into something more relaxed by the time it meets the pool and the family side of the property.

Wave detail on blue ottoman with nailhead trim accent

What We Love About This Home

This Cape Cod beach home makes multigenerational living feel effortless, giving the patriarch full first-floor accessibility without making any part of the house feel institutional or separate. We love how the pool stays visible from nearly every room, keeping the family connected even when everyone is scattered across different wings. The shift from a white clapboard front facade to relaxed cedar shingles at the rear captures the essence of this beach house: formal out front, barefoot out back.

Tell Us: What design features do you love most about this family beach house? Let us know in the comments below!

Note: Be sure to check out a couple of other amazing home tours that we have highlighted here on One Kindesign in the state of Massachusetts: An unbelievably stunning Massachusetts beach house with idyllic water views and A midcentury inspired house designed for empty nesters has Atlantic Ocean views.

Reading nook with floral swivel chair beside built in bookshelves

Living room console table with tropical print skirt and lamps

Skirted blue armchair detail atop scalloped jute area rug

Green Leaf Tile Backsplash Defines the Kitchen

Kitchen island with light blue base and green leaf tile backsplash

Wide kitchen view showing tiled backsplash and blue pendant lighting

Kitchen island seating area with woven bamboo style counter stools

Range wall with green patterned tile and stainless steel appliances

Kitchen corner showing range hood and scalloped bamboo counter stool

Sparkling water bottles and lemons against green leaf tile backsplash

Rope Pulls Add Character to Kitchen Drawers

Open drawer detail showing rope pulls and stacked dinnerware

Light Blue Cabinetry Warms the Butler’s Pantry

Butler's pantry with light blue cabinetry and glass front uppers

Marigolds in blue pitcher beside glass front pantry cabinet doors

Rattan Chairs Set a Coastal Dining Room

Dining room with rattan chairs, blue hutch, and lantern pendants

Open dining area with folding doors leading to outdoor pool deck

Turquoise Vanity Brightens the Powder Room

Powder room with turquoise vanity and shell patterned wallpaper

Floral Wallpaper Cheers Up the Laundry Room

White laundry room with four appliances and floral wallpaper accents

Open laundry cabinet storing pitchers, detergent, dryer balls, and clothespins

Farmhouse sink beneath window flanked by sunflowers and daisy wallpaper

Fretwork Railing Lines the Upper Hallway

Upper hallway with fretwork railing and arched window nook

Stairway view looking down at painted blue stair runner

Blue Upholstered Bed Anchors this Bedroom Suite

Coastal bedroom with blue upholstered bed and pink patterned bench

Blue and white armchair beside dresser and scalloped mirror

Stargazer lilies in blue and white vase near patterned curtain

Freestanding Tub Centers the Bathroom

Primary bathroom with freestanding tub and glass shower enclosure

Blue den with cream sectional and framed seaplane photograph

Blue Ladders Frame a Lobster Themed Bunk Room

Bunk room with blue ladders and lobster themed bedding

Rope Framed Mirror Styles a Kids Bathroom

Bathroom with orange dotted wallpaper and rope framed mirror

Cane Chair Furnishes a Coastal Home Office

Home office desk with cane chair and coastal accessories

Casual lounge nook with rattan chairs and sailboat artwork

Striped Bench Organizes a Green Mudroom

Green mudroom with striped bench and built in storage cubbies

Covered Porch Overlooks the Pool and Rear Facade

Covered porch with woven armchairs facing pool and rear facade

Daytime rear facade with covered porch overlooking pool and spa

Side view of shingled home with covered patio dining area

Lounge Chairs Line a Sprawling Pool Deck

Wide pool view with lounge chairs and detached pool house

Bifold Doors Open the Pool House to the Deck

Poolside cabana with striped floats and open bifold doors

Exterior view of shingled pool house with folding glass doors open

Rattan shelving stocked with folded pool towels near bathroom entrance

Pool House Wet Bar Serves Poolside Gatherings

Pool house sitting area with blue floral swivel chairs and wet bar

Stone Fire Pit Anchors a Wooded Lounge Area

Stone fire pit lounge area surrounded by ornamental grasses

Rear facade at dusk overlooking pool with striped floats

Poolside patio with lounge chairs and pool house at twilight

Twilight view of shingle style home with vintage blue Moke

PHOTOGRAPHER Greg Premru