A Beach House Reno for the Whole Family

Sometimes a house is just a house, but sometimes it becomes part of your family. That’s definitely the case for Young Chung, who bought this vacation home in Stone Harbor, New Jersey, with his late wife Kris more than 20 years ago. They imagined it as a getaway they could enjoy with their kids, Sabrina and Peter, but soon a steady flow of cousins, aunts and uncles started staying here, too — and the visitors only increased after Kris died in 2014. “My mom and her four siblings grew up spending time in this area, so coming here really bonds that side of the family,” says Sabrina, now 26. Everyone crammed into the old place for decades, but Young finally renovated it to suit a crowd. “It was silly to have a huge primary suite. The closet alone was big enough to sleep in,” he says. Sabrina, her cousin Grace and Kris’ sister Missy oversaw the project, with help from the design firm Toledo Geller. “My mom would have loved the redesign,” says Sabrina. “It brought her so much joy to see a beautiful space come together.”

(From left: Missy, Mark, Tolu, Grace, Sabrina, Young and Peter)

Sandy-colored siding paired with white and black trim feels beachy but modern — much like the elevated coastal style inside. The glass doors on the second floor deck open to the dining room for ideal indoor/outdoor entertaining.

Sabrina wanted to maintain her mother’s original color palette, which included sky blue accents, so she helped find a similar shade for the new cabinets (Parma Gray by Farrow & Ball). The island is where everyone assembles their sandwiches at lunchtime. “We moved the sink so it faces the living room, which feels more communal,” Sabrina says.

“We rarely go out to eat because we have a ton of fun doing big family dinners here,” says Sabrina. Everyone gathers around the 72-inch aged oak table from RH. A trio of pendants from Design Within Reach, hung at different lengths, accentuates the vaulted ceiling and beams. "When we have a large group over for a meal, we’ll spill onto the deck to max out the seating," she says.

As in many beach homes, the living room and kitchen are upstairs. “The top floor has always been open, but we doubled the seating because our family loves to gather around the TV for big summer sporting events like the Olympics,” says Sabrina. The sofa is from Hallman Furniture, the rug is from Kravet and the chandelier is by Currey & Company. Codie, Sabrina’s dog, loves spending summers at the shore!

There are no assigned rooms in the house, says Young. Each of the six bedrooms was decorated for maximum comfort and mass appeal. Here in the former primary bedroom, all the main pieces, including the Lee Industries bed, Four Hands armchair and Universal Furniture bench, are a tranquil off-white. The bedding, from Serena & Lily, adds a little color.