New Home Combines Beauty and Durability for a Young Family

Designer Samantha Stathis Lynch creates a place to grow and entertain

It was a tall order. Jake and Lauren Beim wanted their brand-new Oceanport home to be welcoming yet functional, beautiful but not fussy. It should incorporate water views but not feel too beachy.

A large sectional sofa provides plenty of space for family and guests to sit. The bookcase in the reading corner is a Facebook Marketplace find, while the rug that anchors everything is an antique.

The task fell to Samantha Stathis Lynch, principal of Hoboken-based Samantha Ware Designs, and the Beims couldn’t be happier with the result. “We feel like our house can handle the craziness of our lives and also be a beautiful space for our family and friends to gather,” Lauren Beim says.

Lynch recalls her first meeting with the couple, who were then expecting their first child. “It was important for the home to be as functional and long-lasting as possible,” she says. “We meticulously combed through every inch of the architect’s plans, changing spaces to suit the Beims’ daily needs and making sure the house would grow with them over the years.” The primary focus was twofold: optimizing space and choosing durable materials. “When building your home from the ground up, the world is your oyster, but all the choices can be overwhelming. It was my job to make recommendations and decisions that were in line with their visions and goals.”

The dining area separates the kitchen from the family room in the open-plan first floor.

In the family room, for example, Lynch wanted to provide ample seating for the family and guests because it’s “the sole hangout spot” in the house, but she made sure it doesn’t feel cluttered. A large sectional covered in stain-resistant, dog-friendly upholstery faces a fireplace made of natural stone, a granite hearth with a leathered finish and a custom white oak mantel. Flanking the fireplace are a cozy reading corner with a comfy chair, wicker table and bookcase on one side and a vintage chest to hold extra throws and pillows on the other. An antique rug anchors the room. The blue sofa, pops of blue in the rug and the wicker table give a subtle nod to the home’s coastal location. Throw pillows add pattern.

To give the brand-new kitchen a time-honored sensibility and function, Lynch looked to traditional English design for inspiration. “I incorporated as many Georgian elements as possible, such as classic cabinets, a larder cupboard, natural light and an earthy palette,” she says. Handmade textural zellige tiles on the range and sink walls add warmth through their imperfection. Windows on both sides of the range create a focal point and offer views to the side gardens. Two cabinets on the outer edge of both windows hold everyday dinnerware while large drawers on both sides of the range store pots, pans, spices and cooking utensils. The large larder cabinet sits next to a built-in refrigerator and freezer, and a large coffee bar with doors that open and push back on tracks hides a standing mixer and toaster. The island consists of drawers on the side facing the range and discreet cabinets on the front. The sink is contained in a bay with large windows that look out on the water, “which glistens in the sunlight, creating a magical ambience,” Stathis Lynch adds.

The kitchen is completely open to the dining area and family so entertaining is a breeze. “Lauren and Jake love to have family and friends over and entertain weekly, so the kitchen needed to be able to handle regular influxes of people,” the designer says, and to have enough storage to keep things neat and tidy. Beim adds, “Samantha was meticulous in the kitchen design process. We have a larger distance between the range and island that ensures two busy cooks won’t run into each other. Our soapstone island is often where everyone gathers, and it is as much a workhorse as it is beautiful.” The island includes a section of butcher block with a removable piece to dispose of trash into a receptacle underneath.

The dining area is anchored by a wood table with a stained finish surrounded by black-painted chairs with spindle backs that play nicely with the open-weave back of the natural rattan counter stools just beyond.

A bar area, easily accessible from the family room and kitchen, adds a bit of drama in deep blue and also allows guests to serve themselves.

A nearby bar area allows guests to help themselves to a cocktail or glass of wine without having to interrupt anyone working in the kitchen. The bar is painted a custom dark blue shade for a refined splash of color, and the antiqued glass backsplash reflects ambient lighting in the evening, “making for a relaxed and cozy space to enjoy time with family and friends,” the designer notes.

Originally planned as an office, this space was opened to the kitchen and turned into a playroom where the Beims’ three young children now play together under the watchful eyes of their parents.

Just off the kitchen, a room that was supposed to be an office was turned into a playroom. “Samantha suggested we open the space up to the kitchen and use it as a playroom,” Beim says. “I now have three young children, and I cannot imagine the house without that room.”

While the busy owners love to entertain, they also appreciate an opportunity to rest and rejuvenate. “The primary bedroom provides some much needed peace and serenity,” Beim says. Contributing to the room’s refined, coastal ambience are pale green/gray walls, rose-colored accents and an eclectic mix of furniture with Midcentury silhouettes along with vintage pieces, Stathis Lynch says. The large room presented an opportunity to include a sitting area in a bay overlooking the water. Two chairs and an ottoman “provide the perfect spot to curl up with a morning coffee or good book at the end of the day,” she adds.

The primary bedroom is a serene sanctuary where the owners can relax and rejuvenate surrounded by a soft palette and a sitting area that looks out onto the water.

Meanwhile, a vanity with a natural oak finish and Carrera marble countertop, along with a sleek bathtub and a glass-enclosed shower, bring a modern simplicity to the primary bathroom.

The light colors and sleek profiles of the primary bathroom add a modern touch and provide a restful place to begin and end the day.

“Our gatherings are relatively informal and often involve many children and dogs!” Beim says. “And all of the finishes and furniture in the house can withstand the chaos.” Her favorite room? “The kitchen is where I spend the most time, whether it’s cooking, watching my children play together or trying to get three kids under the age of 3 involved in baking cookies,” she says. “There’s so much learning, quality time and fun that goes into the kitchen.”