Designing your LBI beach house: Balancing dream features with coastal reality
Designing a home on Long Beach Island is one of the most exciting steps in the building process. It’s when your ideas, inspiration boards, and favorite shore memories start to take shape on paper. But building an LBI beach house also comes with unique considerations, and the best designs are the ones that bring your dream features to life while standing up to the realities of coastal living.
Start with how you’ll live in your LBI home
Before choosing styles or finishes, think about how your family will use the house day to day. Will mornings begin with coffee on a rooftop deck? Do you want an open kitchen where everyone gathers after the beach? Should there be a bunk room for cousins and friends during summer weekends?
Some of the most popular Long Beach Island home design features include:
Reverse living floorplans that capture the best views from the main living areas
Multi-level decks and rooftop spaces for sunrise-to-sunset enjoyment
Backyard pools for days when you’d rather skip the beach crowds
Bunk rooms and flexible spaces that make hosting family and friends simple
Build your beach house for coastal durability
The ocean is part of LBI’s magic, but it’s also something to respect. Salt air, wind, and coastal storms mean your home needs to be designed with strength and longevity in mind.
Materials: Choose finishes that thrive in coastal conditions, like composite decking, fiber-cement siding, and impact-rated windows
Structure: Work with an LBI builder or architect who understands FEMA elevation requirements and local wind-load codes
Layout: Plan for beach gear storage, outdoor showers, and easy transitions from sandy feet to relaxing indoors
Design trends that fit Long Beach Island living
Today’s Long Beach Island homes are blending timeless coastal style with modern comfort. A few design trends that work beautifully here:
Soft, natural palettes layered with coastal textures
Open-concept floorplans anchored by a chef’s kitchen
Multi-purpose rooms that evolve with your family’s needs
Energy-efficient systems that make the home comfortable year-round
Collaborate with your LBI dream team early
The most successful LBI home designs come from early collaboration between you, your architect, your builder, and your interior designer. A trusted team will know how to maximize your lot’s views, meet code requirements, and integrate all the special features that make your beach house uniquely yours.
Coastal living on Long Beach Island isn’t just about the look of a home - it’s about a lifestyle. When your beach house reflects the way you want to spend your time here and is built to withstand the realities of the shore, you’ll end up with a home that’s every bit as beautiful inside as the views outside your window.