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A quiet palette ensures the focus stays where the design team envisioned: on the calming bay waters and marshlands of the Jersey Shore.

- JODY GARLOCK

There's no denying that a summer home set along the water has a certain allure. It brings the promise of carefree days soaking up sunshine and fresh air, of savoring panoramic views and sunsets from both land and sea, and of family and friends coming together for long weekends.

It was almost as if a lucky charm surrounded the clients of Linwood, New Jersey, architect Steve Fenwick and Philadelphia interior designers Dana Bergman Falcione and Erica Vassalotti.

Kitchen Elegant millwork and the china hutch's elongated glass doors enhance the kitchen. Exterior Gambrel and hipped roofs detail the back facade. The cedar shingle siding is a classic for Northeast coastal homes. Previous pages A double-sided fireplace and octagonal ceiling are living room focal points.

White oak planks and beams contrast the formality of the paneled walls, as do the casual furnishings. "Adding casual touches makes the room more approachable," designer Dana Bergman Falcione says.

The clients owned a summer home on one of the barrier islands on the Jersey Shore, about an hour away from their primary residence. With their two daughters out of college and starting their careers, the clients were ready for a new chapter. Their mission: Build a new house that would elegantly capture the essence of summer and become their year-round home.