Bright and Breezy
Living upside down has its advantages , especially when it comes with a shoreside address near Narragansett Bay and the Jamestown Bridge . Exhibit A : this modern shingle-style beach house in Bonnet Shores that started life in the 1940s as a small , two-story Cape .
“ We have friends who ’ d been coming here for years , so we rented in 2016 to try it out . It was one of the best vacations we ’ ve ever had ,” says owner Lynn Poling who , with her husband , Rod , put in an offer at an open house after just two weeks in Narragansett . “ It was an impulse decision ,” she admits . “ If we were going to buy a house , we needed to see the water .”
The original goal was to enlarge and remodel the Cape ’ s existing 1,600 square feet , but site restrictions , including the size of the lot , meant the renovation had to stay within the original footprint . Another issue : A structural engineer discovered serious problems with the crumbling foundation . The optimal solution was to tear down and rebuild .
The final design was the result of brainstorming by the homeowners , as well as architect Lisa Carlisle and builder Jim Coughlin of Coughlin Brothers . It comes with picture-perfect vistas from the second-floor kitchen and living areas as well as the third-floor master suite .
72 RHODE ISLAND MONTHLY l MARCH 2021