Tour a stunning Cape Cod summer house overlooking the Atlantic Ocean

Circular driveway view of gray shingle-style coastal home

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This Cape Cod summer house looks straight out over the Atlantic Ocean, thoughtfully updated by James Phillip Golden Architect, Digs Design Company, and Bayside Builders. The spectacular shingle-style waterfront home sits on a 0.91-acre property on this peninsula in the southeastern corner of Massachusetts.

Spread out over two levels, this eight-bedroom house was created to accommodate a large extended family during the season – a working coastal home at scale, not a vacation house pretending to be one.

What started as a straightforward remodel grew into a full repositioning and expansion, adding a breezeway, a pool, and separate guest quarters, while the team retained 80% of the original framing.

DESIGN DETAILS

ARCHITECT James Phillip Golden Architect
CONTRACTOR Bayside Building
INTERIOR DESIGN Digs Design Company
STYLIST Karen Lidbeck-Brent

Symmetrical facade of shingle-style home with brick chimney

Outside, the look is straightforward New England: white cedar shingles weathering to grey, crisp white trim, gabled rooflines, and dormer windows pulled into the upper floor to keep the second-story massing in proportion to the first. Diamond-fretwork windows and a three-story staircase carried over from the original 19th-century structure give the house some of its most distinctive historic character.

Front porch of shingle-style home with white rocking chairs

Otherwise, the architectural moves are deliberately quiet at this size. A more ornate facade on a 9,800-square-foot house starts to read as a hotel; the restraint here keeps the building grounded as a residence. A wraparound porch serves as the principal exterior room. White columns carry it the full length of the elevation facing the water, giving the house a continuous covered outdoor space sized for the bedroom count inside.

A Grand Curved Staircase in the Entryway

Curved staircase with dark wood railing and arched front door

Glazing across the main floor is generous – large windows on the water side, smaller and more rhythmic openings on the approach. A new breezeway ties the addition back to the original structure without competing with it.

Blue anchor-hardware dresser beneath curved staircase with white flowers

Inside, Digs Design leaned into a fresh, lively blue-and-white palette throughout, paired with casual, durable furnishings built for a house full of family all summer. The designers created a relaxed yet sophisticated atmosphere that blends historic integrity with contemporary comforts. It’s a look meant to hold up generation after generation.

Wave-patterned vase with clematis beside a bowl of seashells

What We Love About This Home

This Cape Cod summer house holds on to its 19th-century bones, from the three-story staircase to the diamond-fretwork windows, while the blue-and-white palette throughout keeps the interiors feeling fresh and on-trend. The wraparound porch does double duty as the home’s main gathering space, giving eight bedrooms’ worth of family somewhere to hang out together outdoors. Most of all, we love that a full repositioning and expansion still reads as a single coherent historic house rather than a new addition tacked onto an old one.

Tell Us: What’s your favorite space in this Cape Cod summer house: the wraparound porch, the blue-and-white living room, the red, white, and blue guest kitchenette, or another space? Let us know in the Comments below!

Note: Be sure to check out a couple of other sensational home tours that we have highlighted here on One Kindesign in the state of Massachusetts: Inside a Nantucket dream house with a serene coastal color scheme and Step inside this Cape Cod forever home that lives as beautifully as it looks.

Bird's-eye view of dark wood staircase railings and oak treads

Blue and White Living Room With Ocean Views

White swivel chairs around coffee table with coastal art above

Blue and white credenza styled with ginger jars and coral lamp

Close-up of blue and white ginger jars with white anemones

Blue and white ceramics grouped beneath navy drum lampshades

A Cozy Sunroom Sitting Area

Striped wingback chairs and brass pendant in sunroom seating area

Sunroom with navy striped chairs and ocean-facing French doors

Navy striped wingback chair with coral throw and side table

Coastal vignette with seashells, greenery, and white ceramic vases

Curved Breakfast Nook With Ocean Views

Blue and white breakfast nook with curved banquette and ocean view

Pink dahlias in patterned vase beside croissants and coffee setup

Kitchen and dining area connected by glass-paned barn doors

Barn doors open to kitchen with cobalt blue range hood

A White Kitchen With a Cobalt Blue Range Hood

Cobalt blue kitchen hood over marble island with woven barstools

White kitchen sink and range framed by ocean-view windows

Butler's pantry with scalloped blue tile backsplash and glass cabinets

Sage Green Dining Room With White Wainscoting

Green and white dining room with striped curtains and ocean view

Round mirror reflecting dining room chandelier and ocean beyond

Green wallpapered dining room with patterned chairs and seahorse lamps

Navy Blue Twin Bedroom for Kids

Twin bedroom with navy spindle beds and block-print ceiling

Twin beds flanking white nightstand with sunflowers in pitcher

Blue and white pom-pom trimmed pillows beside sunflower bouquet

Owner’s Bedroom With Ocean-Facing Balcony

White bedroom with beaded chandelier and ocean-facing French doors

Scalloped Mirrors in the Owner’s Bathroom

Double vanity bathroom with scalloped mirrors and blue roman shade

Bathroom counter styled with pink florals and scalloped mirror

Detail of scalloped white mirror and nickel wall sconce

Pale blue bedroom with white bedding and ocean-view balcony doors

Window seat with patterned throw pillows and round tufted ottoman

Detail of white fireplace mantel against blue floral wallpaper

A Red, White, and Blue Guest Kitchenette

Vaulted family room with red retro fridge and striped chairs

Kitchenette with red Big Chill fridge beside navy bar stool

Patterned Tile Bathroom in Red, White, and Blue

Red white and blue tiled bathroom with matching vanities

Star-tiled shower with red accents facing an ocean-view window

A Brick-Floored Laundry and Mudroom

White laundry room with mismatched ceramic pitchers on shelving

Mudroom hallway with brick flooring and navy striped bench

Blue Paneled Family Room With Ocean Views

Blue paneled sitting room with striped rug and navy sofa

Navy sofa detail with knit throw and patterned pillow

Close-up of houndstooth rug beneath navy sofa and throw

Arched doorway framing a glimpse of a blue paneled room

Kitchen Island With Teal Barstools

Kitchen island with teal barstools and dip-dyed glass pendants

Detail of woven teal barstools and striped tote bag

A Teal and Green Sitting Room

Blue and green living room with wave-print swivel chair

Wave-patterned swivel chair on chrome base beside rattan table

Detail of blue oval mosaic tile in shower stall

Pink and Blue Bathroom With Starfish Decor

Pink scalloped mirrors flanked by woven starfish wall decor

Bluestone Patio and Rear Exterior on the Water

Bluestone patio with wicker chairs overlooking coastal lawn and sea

Landscaping was designed to read as part of the architectural composition rather than as a frame around it: clipped hedges defining the foundation line, planted beds against the porch base, lawn extending to the water. The intent was a house that looks settled into the property rather than placed on it.

Shingle-style home exterior with black shutters and stone patio