Penn Valley architect Samuel Gordon likes building houses from scratch at the Jersey Shore, because he can enjoy full architectural freedom, writes Paul Jablow for The Philadelphia Inquirer.
When it comes to designing homes in the Philadelphia suburbs, Gordon found that his clients often want to implement formal ideas of a home, with formal living and dining rooms that are not used often. Meanwhile, Shore homes are more receptive to functional and open designs.
“At the beach, these formal spaces don’t exist, so the homes can be more efficient with less waste,” he said.
He is especially proud of the Long Beach Island home he recently completed for Ellyn Rosenfeld and her husband, Howard Landsman.
“On the outside, Ellyn wanted drama … and in contrast inside, she wanted the bathrooms to feel like the calmness of a spa,” said Gordon.
As a result, the home has many unusual touches, including a primary bathroom boasting both inside and outside showers and a balcony office observation post looking over the living room.
A large family room is on the second floor, along with two semi-private guest suites, while the third floor can almost be considered a separate apartment for guests.
“Everybody can have their own space,” said Rosenfeld.
Read more about Samuel Gordon in The Philadelphia Inquirer.
