A beautiful and classic sustainable seaside home
The dream
To create a modern beach house that is warm, inviting, and celebrates its location and sweeping coastal views.
The details
Generous vaulted open-plan living spans the first floor, with a wall of windows framing spectacular sea views. Stepping out onto the balcony—sheltered by the deep overhang of the roof—offers an incredible outlook over the beach and ocean, while still providing a sense of privacy and enclosure.
Designed the best of beach front living
This seaside haven in West Wittering is a new build modern beach house that embraces sustainability and respects the local context. We designed this elegant “upside-down” house to make the most of its seafront setting. Living, dining, and kitchen spaces are placed on the first floor, enjoying unbroken views of the sea and sunsets, with generous balconies off the living room and master bedroom. A vaulted ceiling enhances the sense of light and space and rooflights on the first floor bring in fresh air and natural ventilation, while also pulling natural light deep into the heart of the home. Acoustic glazing ensures peace and quiet even during stormy coastal nights.
The home is designed with daily life in mind—side access leads into a spacious boot room perfect for sandy feet and muddy boots, while a discreet service lift makes upstairs living effortless. Outside, an outbuilding provides comfortable guest accommodation.
Built to endure its exposed location, the house is clad in horizontal Thermopine shiplap timber, treated for protection and designed to silver naturally over time. Traditional detailing—including white corner boards, sash windows, French doors, and window boards—softens the contemporary form. The roof is finished with high-quality Welsh slate, chosen both for its durability and as a nod to the family’s roots.
The private beach terrace has been reimagined with a robust oak-clad structure that doubles as a sea defence while creating a flexible entertaining space. Complete with a reclaimed brick barbecue, extensive planting, and salvaged materials throughout, it is both enduring and welcoming.
This project embodies a fabric-first approach to sustainability, with renewable technologies integrated seamlessly into the design – including an air source heat pump, flush solar photovoltaic panels within the Welsh slate roof, electric vehicle charging, and rainwater harvesting for garden irrigation. Reclaimed materials are used throughout the home, such as decking made from the Brighton Pier, old York stone paths, reclaimed timber and brick, and slate for the hearth and BBQ. Hazel hurdle fencing was used on top of brickwork walls to the boundary.
Enhancing its coastal environment, the design embraces biodiversity. There is a green roof of sedum and wildflowers, chosen to thrive in salty air, slow rainwater run-off, and encourage pollination. The gardens and sea terrace were carefully designed with coastal-appropriate planting and reclaimed materials to enrich local ecology while offering a serene private retreat. Bat and swift boxes were integrated to support local wildlife.
Working together to create incredible spaces
Collaboration
Architecture: Randell Design Group
Builder: WSCB (West Sussex Carpentry & Building Ltd)
Landscape Design: Tulip Landscapes
Photography: Julia Toms
“It was a joy to take this project through from concept design to the client’s moving-in day. The design, the contractor's skill and care, as well as the client's desire to be as sustainable as possible, have delivered a stunning home for the family to enjoy for generations.”
Cathryn Crisp, architect
“We were absolutely delighted to be the chosen contractor for this beautiful beachfront project. Working closely with such a professional design team made certain that the standard of finish and detailing met the client’s wishes and aspirations. A very enjoyable project to be a part of.”
Jamie McGregor, Director, WSCB
