This 3,600 square feet beach house is designed by Hughes Umbanhowar Architects. It’s nestles in the interstices between waterfront and road along a narrow site on the northern coast of Jupiter Island, Florida. The house is designed in modern style and is both a quaint coastal cottage and a chic isle villa. The house is separated on three areas: the sleeping one, the entertaining space, and the contemplative living space. Each segment is sensitively oriented to capture light and views. The cerebral geometries of the house are complemented by the pitched nautical dynamism of a structure perched on piers and railings, ready to set sail at a moment’s notice. The ceramic fritted glass of the kitchen and dining room lends translucency and visual play to the south-facing two-story entertaining space. The textured face of stucco or “sand” of the north-facing sleeping area underscores the ancient wisdom of worn stone, an apt sensibility for an intimate space infused soft morning light and its concomitant tranquility. Linking the two, the central kitchen area is sheathed with louvers, or “hull”, imparting an affable sense of camaraderie and storytelling.