Celebrating 40 Years of Long Beach Island Custom Homebuilding For generations, the unique nostalgic magnetism of LBI has lured people onto its sandy shores. Many just visit for the summer, whereas others come to realize that they can’t bear to part ways with coastal living and wind up staying forever. It’s not just about the lulling sound of crashing waves, the sensation of sand between ones toes, or the amazing smell of salty air—it’s about a culture that centers around calmness amidst the chaos of everyday life, a haven that awakens our senses and reinforces a lifestyle aspiration that juggles just the perfect amount of work, play and charm harmoniously. And for one such Surf City native,
Planning and building a beach home may essentially follow the same fundamental process of primary home designing, but there’s something special about knowing you have the chance to create your own great escape. Summer homes give us the opportunity to be creative and expressive, more so than we get to be in our day-to-day functional, efficient surroundings. Since getting away at the beach is an immersive experience, this is why each precise little detail—or each grand, elaborate one—will give you a feeling that you’re somehow removed from everyday life and truly on island time for the duration that you are there. While new custom homes by the sea can be designed to reflect casual living patte
Colorful, bold and impactful—container plantings are the exclamation point in the landscape design, providing continual interest as the garden transitions through the season. They attract hummingbirds and butterflies to delight the homeowner, provide culinary herbs to spice up an outdoor dinner and add flare to brighten up a shady retreat. They help draw the eye to beautiful bay and ocean vistas, distract attention from unsightly equipment and lead guests through pathways and entryways, garden rooms and courtyards. They help soften the hard, rigid effects of hardscaping and add flare to monochromatic evergreens and privacy screens. Whatever their function, planters should be selected and des
In 2013, Thom Sweeney, the brilliant creative genius all of the interior design of the Bonnet Island Estate, Mallard Island Yacht Club, the Ashford Estate, and most recently, the iconic Hotel LBI, received a voicemail message from a woman who had seen his work while shopping around for venues for her daughter's upcoming wedding. Like-minded in taste and enthused by his style, she had casually inquired if he would be interested in helping her with the selection of furniture and a few window treatments intended for her newly built home in Loveladies on Long Beach Island. Sweeney agreed to meet with the prospective new client, but not until he pulled up to the gates of the property for the very
Maybe you surf, maybe you don't. But on one special day each year, when the California-based Waves of Impact sponsors a free surf camp for local children with special needs and disabilities here on the beach in Ship Bottom, it’s impossible not to be moved by the magical effects that the ocean—and surfing in particular—has on our community. Since it’s inception in 2010, Waves of Impact, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, has been introducing individuals facing exceptional challenges to the thrill of riding waves, while focusing on building and rebuilding confidence in those who need it most. It was created by a passionate group of watermen who recognized the powerful impact our oceans have o
