Capri Architecture finds a way to design a classic coast cottage in a tight, tricky spot.
Photos by 365 Creative Co.
There’s a classic style of coastal cottage that’s big on the Oregon Coast: charming, peaked roofs; lots of space for kids, friends and family; and sweeping ocean views.
Trouble is, those dreamy escapes aren’t always easy to come by, and they’re even trickier to build new thanks to the often-tight lots — and tighter building restrictions — present in Oregon Coast cities.
But a little creativity can work wonders, as Amanda and Dustin Capri, the couple at the helm of Newport-based Capri Architecture, proved with an Oregon Coast vacation home they designed in Lincoln City this summer.
“The shape most people want is that delightful, steep roof and dormer feel,” Amanda says. “It takes a lot of height to do these charming cottages. They need to be three stories so you can get that feeling and have lots of space for the kids, bunk rooms and guest suites. But these lots are really constrained. You have to find creative ways to make it happen.”
Capri’s clients had purchased a narrow infill lot on a scenic road leading up toward God’s Thumb, a prominent outcropping that towers above Lincoln City and the Pacific Ocean. The lot was small but the clients’ aspirations for a coastal getaway were big.
“It was a really unique challenge because of the size of the lot,” Dustin says. “It’s like a postage stamp, so we had to figure out how to get our clients what they wanted. It was a fascinating and fun challenge.”
Capri’s delivery relied on a mix of conventional construction, with trusses sitting on top of wood studs, and what the couple describes as “creative eave configurations and overhang manipulations” — basically, the adjustments that make a three-story house look like a two-story one. A steep roof above a prominent eave in front give the cottage the soaring feel the clients wanted — but only the feel. Amanda says that particular part of the design is really only a facade element, not a structural one.
And though the look from the street level is of a tidy, two-story seaside abode, a peek around back shows the true three stories, including a daylight basement that’s home to a music room, a bunk room, an entertainment area and a bathroom. The main floor is for the entry, garage and primary suite, while up top are guest bedrooms, a bathroom, the living and dining areas under vaulted ceilings and, of course, expansive windows that gaze out on the wild ocean.
It took more than just creative design to pull off a cottage like this. Capri Architecture worked closely with partner Mike Riddle Construction, who had to deal with the constrained space and slope of the lot in the real world.
“Capri is masterful at hearing the client’s vision and creating a home that encompasses that vision,” Riddle says. “My role in the process is to execute the creativity the clients and architects have dreamed up.”
Dustin says the team did just that on this one-of-a-kind retreat.
“The challenge for Mike on this was the construction parameters,” says Dustin, noting that the two firms have partnered on unique lots out on the Coast before. “There was no space to build, no space to stage, but as always, his team was incredible in bringing this project to life.”
For more information, visit capriarchitecture.com and mikeriddleconstruction.com.