HOMES OF THE YEAR >>
#1 ATLANTIC BEACH
Modern family One Atlantic Beach home blends minimalism, clean lines and bold colors for a thoroughly contemporary (but family-friendly) abode
WORDS BY JULIET JOHNSON // IMAGES BY WALLY SEARS
Lynne and Jeff Roskein were spending an increasing amount of time listening to their two tween daughters squabbling in a shared bathroom. 48
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hey knew a decision was looming. They could renovate their beach cottage to add a bathroom, or they could build a sleek, more “grown-up” house to better accommodate their maturing family. While some homeowners are content to think small, and inside the box, the Roskeins are the rare type that actually love to build. The couple is best friends with a contractor and a local architect who they say “totally gets them.” When their Atlantic Beach “cottagey affair” sold in less than 24 hours, they set about re-imagining their family life with two surfing teenagers.
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The mixed media exterior of the home is fitting for homeowner Lynne, a mosaic artist. The post and deck railings were created by metalsmith David Nissen.
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The cantilevered floating porch off of the master bedroom overlooks a large, freshwater pool. The path on the side of the house leads to an art studio next to the garage.
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ynne found a corner lot—she loves the bustle of corner life—where the Atlantic Beach hotel once stood, prominently situated at the end of Plaza Street. Architect James Dupree says he knew he had to create something that would “respect that it was at the end of a major access.” Lynne collected images from websites like houzz.com and, while the photos were all very different, Dupree found commonalities and set about “unifying different massings” into a home that would work. Okay. But what does that mean? “By taking a lot of boxes and connecting them to one another,” the architect achieved a striking exterior with two high massings, a deep porch, floating decks and large windows. The bold variety of materials used throughout the home create a mix of textures and patterns.
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the home makes use of the enormous amount of natural light that pours through the staircase through vast picture windows. Lynne drew inspiration from relatives in Miami and aimed for a South Beach modern vibe via gleaming marble floors and stark contemporary lines punctuated with strong, vibrant art. She sourced each piece from a combination of local retailers and online searches and will admit to only one rummage sale find (though she won’t tell which particular piece it is). The unusual frosted-glass and mahogany front door opens into a white marble hallway, a space illu-
minated with light pouring in from the staircase windows, accented by a pair of paintings by Florida artist, Burton Youngman. The vivid blue of the paintings carries into the great room, where the Italian glass dining table from ScanDesign and a tempting salt water swimming pool beyond take center stage. The family room is centered around a dramatic floor-to-ceiling black hearth, with a floating marble mantel that stands like a giant exclamation point. An off-white sofa with blackand-white pillows sits on a blackand-white zebra rug and two sassy swivel chairs in yellow offer a humorous nod to The Jetsons in a
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No question, this was a fun build; it’s so different. It was refreshing. Lynne’s vision is cutting edge for Atlantic Beach.
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The home came with its fair share of challenges. “A massive truss system,” says builder Mike Phillips, “was the hardest part. There’s a lot of cantilevered weight with the floating decks. SRC Framing did a magnificent job. No question, this was a fun build; it’s so different. It was refreshing. Lynne’s vision is cutting edge for Atlantic Beach.” Placing rectangles and squares together in an artistic way resonates for Lynne, a mosaic artist herself. Mosaic in three-dimensional relief is a recurring design motif, as is the use of negative space. Windows are placed so as to allow for light and privacy and
—Builder, Mike Phillips
Clockwise from left: The porch lamp, from West Elm, was a natural choice for the outdoor dining area; an open floor plan makes the dining area a perfect place for entertaining; the full-length glass doors in the living area fold accordion-style, an interesting architectural touch.
room that might otherwise feel stark and formal. The strong contrasts of the black and white, and the wall of sliding glass panels that leads to the porch outside, are balanced with an elliptical off-white sofa, sinuous glass coffee table and large chrome arch lamp. The space feels ultra-stylish, but not intimidating. Rather, it’s a casual, inviting combination that makes it easy to imagine sleepovers in the living room. The kitchen is an immaculate ode to white, with lustrous quartz counters, stainless steel appliances and a 5-burner gas cooktop. Above the “ooh, I’ve got to touch that” stainless mosaic tile backsplash are contemporary cabinets. A substantial walk-in larder completes the kitchen fantasy, as do chic ruby-rip-
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pled pendant lights. There’s a guest bed and bath around the corner, soon to be turned into a den. Upstairs, a nifty deck overlooks Plaza Street. A steel post anchors the truss work here, fashioned by local metalsmith David Nissen, who also joined the honeycomb metal sheets to steel railings. Lynn says the family often takes in a sunset on the deck. “There’s always a cooling breeze. It’s a great place for homework and catching up on the day.” Each girl has exactly the samesized room, with the same-sized closet, and the same-sized “ensuite” bathroom. That they look and feel totally different is a testament to human nature; no two of us are ever really alike, are we? The master bedroom has its own private deck and features a head-
board from West Elm. George Kovacs lamps provide bedside lighting and a luminous painting by local artist Tonsenia Yonn offers a gentle, playful suggestion of intimacy. A cherished leather chair and ottoman round out the space. The master bathroom, with its unusual striped marble tile, a double-wide walk-in shower and deep soaking tub, completes the oasis. Outside, a cedar fence is covered in jasmine. On the way to Lynne’s attached studio, a freestanding shower allows guests to wash off when coming home from the beach. This is quite the house. And all because a very creative mom wanted something a little smaller, simpler and easier to run, where her children could grow in peace. z
Clockwise from opposite: Like the dining area, the kitchen is open and airy, featuring appliances by GE; a silk lamp in the bedroom was sourced online, and adds to the home’s use of various textures; the bathroom’s striped marble tile came from Opus Stone, while the cabinetry came from Ikea. Home S P R I N G 2 0 1 4
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“This is a very friendly, pedestrian neighborhood,” says Bjornson. “There are always people walking by. It’s great. I wanted to preserve my piece of it.”
HOMES OF THE YEAR >>
#2 JACKSONVILLE BEACH
Life at the Ranch A JAX BEACH RANCH HOUSE IS REBORN INTO A SLEEK AND CONTEMPORARY BACHELOR PAD. words by Juliet Johnson // photography by Wally Sears
Surely you’ve driven by one of the many 1950s-style single-story homes in Jax Beach. They might not look overly impressive but, as the saying goes, don’t judge a book by its cover. Certainly not in the case of Erik Bjornson’s renovated residence. 62
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Bjornson, a commercial realtor, loved the location of his house, just a scant block from the beach. The small rooms with low ceilings, however, weren’t working for him. Bjornson, whose family is from Iceland, selfidentifies as a Viking. In other words—he is a very tall man. While he craved a beachy, cottage-style space initially, the plans eventually evolved into something much more contemporary, with plenty of added
space. Today, the 2300-square-foot home, located in South Jacksonville Beach, has vaulted ceilings and an open layout with a hip industrial vibe—one that artfully hints at history without any of the awkward boxiness of mid-century architecture. Bjornson did not want to tear down a perfectly feasible Florida single-story ranch and replicate the two-story mansions so prevalent at the Beaches. Rather, he wanted to preserve the original
look. In the end, he found what he liked best was the blend of old and new: white subway tile from New York City of 1904 (when the subway system first ran) paired with hyperefficient, hi-tech stainless steel appliances. For him, the contrast is “hip and edgy. You’re getting the best of both worlds—classics from the past combined with the latest in modern sophistication.” Home S P R I N G 2 0 1 4
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Some of the home’s wow factor comes courtesy of a massive, single slab of white Carrera marble on top of the kitchen's central island, which forms a natural gathering spot for everyone who enters the space. A pair of French doors in the dining room have been stripped almost entirely of paint and hung—barn-door-style—for a fun, rustic touch. The doors are a good counterpoint to the Shakerstyle raised panel cabinetry in the
This page from above: The subway-style tile came from Floor Club, and the kitchen cabinets are from Kitchen Design Gallery; Opposite page, top: The home retains its original fireplace and front door.
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all-white kitchen, which contains subway tile and black granite work surfaces around the perimeter. Bjornson traded in the dining room’s once ordinary windows in favor of doors and a patio to extend the entertaining space, and decorated the home with a mix of quirky furnishings from his travels. The living room is comfortably arranged around his mother’s Noguchi table—a family heirloom. “My grandparents bought the Noguchi table in the 1950s,” he says. “It sat in their living room for 60 years and then when my grandmother died in 2008, at age
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98, it went into storage. When my mother came to see how I’d renovated my house, she thought it would be a great fit, and it is. I really love it.” Other furnishings from Texas, Scandinavia and Bali add to the eclectic feel. Of course, much of the decor hints at Bjornson’s bachelor lifestyle. A steer skull hangs above a bar that holds Scotch and cigars and a multi-component stereo system with a billion remotes sits in the living room. There’s also a secret gun storage area and a collection of surfboards hanging from the garage
ceiling. The look is contemporary and sleek, from the bleached floors to the vaulted ceilings. White and cream colors prevail throughout the first floor, as does deep trim work. There are some vintage touches, though. With its custom teak vanity, steel sink and hexagonal floor tiling, the hall bathroom is a nod to an old train station. The doors in the home are a nod to the past, too—all are five-panel, and a play on old barn doors. The front vestibule contains a 1950s-style door, a nod to the home in its original incarnation. Of course, the kitschy frosted glass has been
This page: An open floor plan with beams creates an industrial loft feel. The steer skull was sourced from Savannah, GA; Opposite page from top: The teak vanities were custom-made by Buster Marrow of Atlantic Beach.
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freshened up a bit and now offers a stylish way to add light while maintaining privacy. Likely the home’s most dramatic feature is the master bathroom, which has marble countertops, a custom teak vanity and an enormous rain shower enclosed by thick, glass, frameless doors. “I knew I wanted my master bathroom to look and feel like a spa,” he says. “So, I went with an above-ground tub and all white, contemporary fixtures and stone tile,” says Bjornson Like the rest of the house, the bathrooms retains a masculine feel— with one major exception: a Balinese mirror framing the aforementioned colossal soaking tub. That, Bjornson shyly admits, is an investment in the future. z
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