Walking along the beach at Bexhill, East Sussex, the architecture is much like any other seaside town in England: simple, unassuming and within the ordinary. Which is why, when Romy and John Summerskill found the perfect location for their seaside home, they knew they had to do something about the drab 1970s house that stood on the plot. “We wanted our beach house to be truly contemporary: somewhere that was exactly right for us. I researched coastal architecture abroad and fell in love with the beach houses in California,” says Romy. “The glass, the light and the way the houses were at one with their location was exactly what I was looking for.”

The local planning authority wouldn't allow the couple to knock the existing house down, so they commissioned Glas, an architectural practice used to creating contemporary homes. “John and I have a lot of building knowledge as we've been developing houses in south-east London for more than ten years. But this was different: we needed architects to help us get our ideas into a workable form that would be passed by the planning authorities,” explains Romy.

As the family spends the week living in an Edwardian house in north London, Romy and John were determined to create something really different for their weekend home. “This was to be a complete contrast: clean lines and open-plan, with everything as simple as possible. It's unusual to have the opportunity to start from scratch and we knew that we were lucky to have the chance to create the house we really wanted.” Their ideas for the new house included wrapping the exterior of the old and new buildings with iroko timber cladding. Not only would the timber add to the beach house feel, but it would link the two buildings together and at the same time protect the house from harsh seaside elements. The timber is now weathering to a beautiful silver-white and, as it blends into the surrounding environment, the wood begins to mirror the natural tones of the sand and driftwood on the beach.

Full-height windows on each floor mean the sea is always visible, with Beachy Head in sight on clear days. “We wanted to bring as much light into the house as possible,” says Romy. On the ground and top floors, the windows fold right back, so the inside of the house blends seamlessly with the terraces and balconies. Maple or white floors and simple, contemporary furniture keeps the interior airy and modern. “We tried to include elements of the seaside in the decor, such as the aqua and sand-coloured mosaic tiles in the bathrooms.”

With three children – Tara, seven, Archie, three, and baby Freddie – the house had to be practical as well as good looking and the children were always in Romy's mind when planning their new home. “John and I had both holidayed in East Sussex when we were young, which is why we were drawn to the area. It's lovely to know we can give our children the same seaside memories that we have,” she says. “Instead of making the effort to go abroad we spend school holidays here. Even when it's not sunny the children love it – they are always desperate to head to the beach and splash in the sea.”

The ground floor comprises an open-plan sitting room, kitchen and dining room. There is also a playroom with a sliding door that divides it from the rest of the space. “It's the only door on this floor, and it does come in handy when I want to screen all the mess from view,” says Romy. Upstairs there is a grand total of eight bedrooms. “None of these are very big, but we wanted to be able to invite lots of people to stay.” It's a treat for friends escaping the city as most of the bedrooms have their own balconies overlooking the sea.

“This is a house where you can't escape from the elements,” says Romy. “It's magical when the sun is shining, but almost more dramatic when there is a storm. We now have the best of both worlds: a traditional family house in London, and a modern, seaside house that's exactly the way we would like it.”

WORDS JENNY HASTIE
STYLING LUCY BERRIDGE
PHOTOGRAPHS JAN BALDWIN
JULY 2004