A Room Tour with Houzz: Mid Century Modern Beach House

We are thrilled to announce that Houzz recently approached us for an interview to discuss the transformation of one of our standout projects, our Mid-Century Modern Beach House. It’s an honour to be recognised for our work and to share the creative journey behind turning a functional space into a fabulous, vibrant home. In this journal post, we delve into the details of this exciting project, the vision of our clients, and the design philosophies that guided us through the process.

Room Tour: A Ground Floor Goes From Functional to Fabulous

Our journey began with a house in East Sussex that boasted an enviable location and beach views, but its slightly industrial ground floor and open-plan layout needed personality to match the new owners’ tastes and lifestyle. Our director, Susie Pfeiffer, and the talented Pfeiffer Design team were tasked with redesigning the kitchen and reconfiguring the adjoining living spaces. The goal? To add warmth, texture, vibrancy and life while maintaining the airy, open feel that the space naturally provided.

Reconfiguring the Space for Optimal Use

The ground floor’s original layout, while spacious, lacked clear zones for each function that the family needed. Inclusive of a Kitchen, dual Living spaces and Dining, as well as the staircase, the ground floor originally felt vacuous and undefined. By partitioning each function, we created distinct areas: a light, formal lounge and a more tucked-away snug with individually defined atmospheres. This reconfiguration not only maximised the use of space but also provided practical zones with clear functions, enhancing the family’s daily living experience.

Before: The client felt the home felt vacuous, non-purposeful and cold. Our design ethos for the home focused on pulling in the clients vibrant personality and love of the midcentury modern era into every nook and cranny!

Creating a Luxurious yet Functional Home

The new owners, a couple with a young daughter, wanted their home to be both aspirational and functional, and we focused on making the available rooms efficient, infusing them with the much-needed character the clients were seeking. The key to this was integrating the owner’s cherished midcentury modern furniture and artwork, adding a timeless yet personal touch to the design. Each piece was thoughtfully incorporated, adding warmth and personality to the spaces, and the bespoke kitchen, pantry, and living room joinery were designed to complement these items, creating a home for every piece blending the old and new throughout the home.

A Kitchen Designed from Scratch

One of the highlights of this project was the complete redesign of the kitchen. Custom-made from scratch, the new kitchen features a large island with a breakfast bar, making the most of the generous space and providing a perfect spot for family and friends to gather. We positioned it to take full advantage of the garden views, enhancing the indoor-outdoor connection to the owners beautiful exterior spaces. The circular addition to the island adds soft, organic lines to a previously angular kitchen, while the combination of oak cabinets and a brass base adds a touch of elegance.

Embracing Natural Elements and Sustainable Practices

With the owner’s love of natural wood and earthy tones, particularly green, we took inspiration from the home’s green and coastal surroundings, choosing materials that reflect their stunning sea views and the beachy feel of East Sussex. Sustainability is always a key consideration of our projects, but it was great to work with clients who were conscious of their impact and wanted this to be incorporated into their design work. With locally sourced materials and the involvement of local craftspeople to reduce the carbon footprint, we considered the home with holistic oversight, aligning both design aesthetics and an eco-conscious approach into the home. Even the original kitchen elements were repurposed, ensuring that nothing went to waste.

A Home That Reflects Its Owners

From the creation of a stylish pantry in an otherwise unused corridor to the inclusion of a bioethanol fireplace for sustainable heating, every element of this redesign was carefully considered and this project is a testament to our client-oriented approach at Pfeiffer Design. By listening to our clients and understanding their vision, we were able to transform a vacuous house into a truly personal home that feels luxurious, functional, and inherently sustainable to its core. The owners now enjoy a space that celebrates their love of midcentury design statements, embracing the natural beauty of its location, and supporting their lifestyle in every way.

We invite you to read the full article on Houzz to see more about this stunning transformation. Thank you for joining us on this journey, and we look forward to sharing more of our design stories with you on our Journal!

See the project on Houzz here: Mid-Century Modern Beach House

Read the Houzz article here: Room Tour: A Ground Floor Goes From Functional to Fabulous

Ou en français! Avant/Après : Un rez-de-chaussée fonctionnel devient fabuleux