GRAPHĒ

A Santa Rosa Beach Retreat Offers Panoramic Gulf Views for $11.5M

Fully furnished across three elevator-accessible levels, the home’s crowning touch is its Scott Merrill-designed ceiling.

2130 East County Highway 30A in Santa Rosa Beach, Florida, is currently listed at $11,598,750 by Richard Jabbour and Gayle Adams at Scenic Sotheby’s International Realty.

Perched just steps from the sand in the heart of Seaside, Beluga is a timeless coastal retreat where classic architecture meets easy, elegant living. Step through the front door and into a small, welcoming den anchored by original shiplap and rich wood floors that continue throughout the home.

A private elevator, serving all three levels, sits just off the entry alongside a full laundry room. Down the hall, two spacious king suites offer private retreats of their own. Each features a king-size bed, shiplap walls, and a full en suite bath with a tiled shower-tub combination behind glass enclosures; the second suite adds built-in dresser drawers and a separate vanity area with polished chrome fixtures. Both come fully furnished and ready for guests.

Further down the hall, mirror-image bunk suites flank either side, each outfitted with two sets of twin-over-full built-in bunks and generous built-in storage. Every bunk suite has its own private bath, one finished in marble tile with a separate shower. Each opens conveniently to both the interior hallway and directly to the back door, making it easy to rinse off after a day at the beach.

An owner’s storage closet completes the first floor. Take the elevator or stairs to the second floor, where a light-filled landing opens onto a cozy den with built-in storage and plenty of seating. The rest of this level belongs entirely to the primary suite, a true retreat with two separate en suite baths.

One bath features a spa-style shower and penny-tile flooring, while the other is finished in marble with built-in storage, a dressing table, a full shower-tub combination, its own full-size washer and dryer, and floor-to-ceiling windows that flood the space with light. Step outside onto a private balcony furnished with a sleeping swing and lounge seating, perfect for morning coffee or evening sunsets.

The third floor is the heart of the home, crowned by a soaring, light-filled ceiling designed by Scott Merrill, the same architect behind the iconic Chapel at Seaside. Floor-to-ceiling windows frame panoramic gulf views, illuminating an open living room with gas fireplace and a dining area that comfortably seats eight with room to spare.

The kitchen is outfitted with Viking appliances including a six-burner gas range, marble countertops, a farmhouse sink, dishwasher, and generous counter space, with a pass-through window connecting it to the living area so the whole floor feels open and connected.

A powder bath sits just off the kitchen. North-facing windows look toward Seaside’s town center, and the elevator reaches all the way up here too, opening directly into the kitchen. Beyond the living area, step out onto Beluga’s showstopping entertaining porch. Finished with the same signature ceiling detail as the living space inside, this expansive outdoor room comfortably seats a crowd and includes space for outdoor dining, all beneath sweeping gulf views, the perfect stage for sunset gatherings and long, easy evenings by the water.

Fully furnished and thoughtfully laid out across three levels, Beluga sleeps up to eighteen guests across five bedrooms and five and a half baths in roughly 3,500 square feet, offering the rare combination of architectural character, everyday comfort, and true gulf-front living.

Listing Details

Bedrooms: 5

Baths: 5 full, 1 partial

Year Built: 2004

Square feet: 3,500

Courtesy of Scenic Sotheby's International Realty

See the full story on Dwell.com: A Santa Rosa Beach Retreat Offers Panoramic Gulf Views for $11.5M
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Budget Breakdown: In Nova Scotia, a Master Metalworker Builds a Steely ADU for $292K

"If you do wood, you have to maintain it. Galvanized steel rusts. Cor-Ten, though, lasts for a lifetime—I don’t have to touch it," says homeowner Marc Schaedler. "It’s the only material I really think will last in this climate."

Cor-Ten steel fencing encloses a courtyard shared with the main house.

Metalworker Marc Schaedler spends his days fabricating steel railings, planters, and range hoods for other people’s architectural visions. For his own backyard suite in the West End neighborhood of Halifax, Nova Scotia, he wanted something bigger: proof that steel could carry an entire project, not just accent one.

"I work with top architects on bits and pieces," says Marc, who founded the firm Urban Handcraft. "This was my opportunity to do a full project."

The 735-square-foot ADU, tucked behind Marc’s existing home on historic Chebucto Road, began not with a wish for more space, but as an experiment to push the boundaries of his craftsmanship. "Should I do a normal wood-framed house? More metal fabrication? Something totally different?" Marc recalls asking himself. "It was kind of scary, but I started to sketch something super simple—a garage."

Corrugation and texture elevate what could otherwise be a simple shed form. — In Halifax, Canada, Urban Handcraft founder Marc Schaedler teamed up with David Bourque Architecture to design and build a 735-square-foot ADU behind Marc’s home. It’s wrapped in Cor-Ten steel, and the corrugated material elevates what would otherwise be a simple shed form.
Photo by Julian Parkinson

The Corten exterior will continue developing its rusted patina over time, requiring no maintenance. — The exterior will continue developing a rusted patina over time, requiring no maintenance.
Photo by Julian Parkinson

Architect David Bourque, principal of David Bourque Architecture and a frequent collaborator with Marc, saw larger potential. "It’s a project to show the versatility of the material he works with every day," Bourque says. "Not just a railing or planter or range hood. You can do an entire project with metal, and it was a nice opportunity to demonstrate that."

A wood credenza leans against the blackened feature wall. — A wood credenza leans against the blackened steel feature wall.
Photo by Julian Parkinson

See the full story on Dwell.com: Budget Breakdown: In Nova Scotia, a Master Metalworker Builds a Steely ADU for $293K
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Summer Never Ends at This Sun-Soaked Menorca Villa Asking €2.45M

Decked out with colorful original tile, the updated 1960s home opens to a lush garden and a sparkling pool.

Location: Llucmaçanes, Menorca, Spain

Price: €2,450,000 (approximately $2,827,815 USD)

Year Built: 1960

Renovation Year: 2025

Renovation Designer: Vera S. Guasch

Footprint: 2,928 square feet (5 beds, 5 baths)

Lot Size: 0.2 acres

From the Agent: "In the heart of Llucmaçanes, S’Hora Baixa reinterprets the Menorcan village house. It features terra-cotta tile laid in a herringbone pattern, limewashed walls with niches, and wood and natural fiber in just the right measure. The five bedrooms are laid out without feeling forced upon the original floor plan. The period hydraulic tiles have been kept with their floral pattern intact, alongside new floors in microcement and marés stone. The bathrooms have handmade emerald-green tile, matte black fittings, and basins set on masonry counters. The kitchen, open to the dining room with an island and breakfast bar, is fitted with Miele appliances. The living area opens entirely onto the courtyard: the glazing disappears, and the dining room and garden become one and the same. The terraced garden features dry-stone walls, olive trees, a fig tree, a path of flagstones over gravel, and a long pool turned toward the last light of the day."

Located on the eastern coast of Menorca, the home is 10 minutes from Maó, which is the island's capital. — Located on the eastern coast of Menorca, the home is 10 minutes from Maó, which is the island’s capital.
Photo by Maria Missaglia

Wood and natural fibers accent the interior.
Photo by Maria Missaglia

See the full story on Dwell.com: Summer Never Ends at This Sun-Soaked Menorca Villa Asking €2.45M
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Forget Gatekeeping, Annie Meyers-Shyer’s "This Oak House" Shares Every Single Source for Her Home

The social media personality took an unbelievably meticulous approach to her home renovation. Readers can use it as a cheat sheet—or an escape from the real life stresses of making over your space.

When I was working as a personal assistant, one of the first tasks I was assigned was assisting my boss with the completion of her home renovation. Running around Tribeca for paint samples, supervising contractors as they installed custom storage solutions, and managing lighting deliveries, I often became overwhelmed by the various microdetails that would complicate what seemed like straightforward decisions. As a less-than-amateur when it came to design and home renovation, it taught me a lot that I knew would be useful for my own future (hopefully!) as a homeowner, mostly that I should avoid a major renovation at all costs.

Maybe I would have been less surprised by the millions of small details if I’d had Annie Meyers-Shyer’s new book, This Oak House, back then. Part personal narrative and part how-to guide, This Oak House provides exhaustive detail about her experience renovating her family home, a "country colonial-style five-bedroom" house inherited from her mother-in-law. When Meyers-Shyer was looking for a new home for herself, her husband, and their two sons, it was not in her plans to take on a deep renovation of an old home. But she saw major potential in the home and approached its renovation with zeal.

In the book, readers can see architect Brian Covington’s drawing specifying the spacing for the front door hardware placement, read Meyers-Shyer’s list of auction search terms that help her find antiques and artwork, and find out how she calculates the appropriate distance between lights in a hallway.
Image courtesy of Chronicle Books

In the book, Meyers-Shyer describes the home as "a dream," and it’s a dream that hundreds of thousands of people have lived vicariously through her Instagram, which shares a name with her recently published book.

What began as a "journal" for her friends and family back in NYC to follow her journey in Los Angeles became, within a few months, a renovation travelogue with 11,000 devotees following along. Sure, many of these people were undoubtedly first attracted by Meyers-Shyer’s lineage (her mother, filmmaker Nancy Meyers, is the unofficial godmother of the Coastal Grandma aesthetic). Still, that in itself wouldn’t be enough to keep everyone’s attention. What made the account so appealing was her particular kind of openness about home design. While it’s not uncommon for homeowners to share their home transformation process, it’s not often that they invite their audience to discuss all the nitty-gritty details: what to do with the space between eaves in her children's bedrooms, if wood flooring made sense for a bathroom, whether a particular room should be painted light or dark. Many of her followers enthusiastically engaged with Meyers-Shyer in the comments, and she commented back, as she often still does. Even more appealing was her receptiveness to taking feedback and suggestions from them, a decision that made the experience feel like "a collaboration with her followers," as Nancy Meyers notes in her foreword to the book.

The dining room moodboard (left) includes a stripe fabric by <a href="https://www.rosetarlow.com/">Rose Tarlow</a> for the curtains and a jute rug from <a href="https://www.lawrenceoflabrea.com/">Lawrence of LaBrea</a>. The garden moodboard (right) includes a <a href="https://www.hollyhunt.com/products/collections/great-plains">Great Plains</a> fabric for the ottomans and limestone pavers from <a href="https://www.eco-outdoor.com/en-us/stone-flooring/limestone">Eco Outdoor</a>. — The dining room mood board (left) includes a stripe fabric by Rose Tarlow for the curtains and a jute rug from Lawrence of LaBrea. The garden mood board (right) includes a Great Plains fabric for the ottomans and limestone pavers from Eco Outdoor.
Image courtesy of Chronicle Books

She maintains this anti-gatekeeping offensive in the book as well. This Oak House is divided into two sections, aptly titled House and Home. "House" is technical and no nonsense, with Meyers-Shyer accounting for every possible decision, right down to determining the placement of outlets according to one’s furniture plan. "Home" is more intimate and personal, though no less detailed and instructive. Alongside mood boards of fabric swatches and design sketches, she includes family recipes for hot fudge and menus for hosting lunch and dinner parties.

But Meyers-Shyer goes beyond easy inspiration and advice—she teaches her readers how to communicate their design ideas, too. Not only does she explain terms like "RCP" (reflected ceiling plan) and "paint schedule," she also shares each of hers, walking readers through all of the minutiae. Consider her description of her lighting choices early in the book: "[M]y favorite type of over-head nondecorative ceiling light is a monopoint—a single light fixture using a track-style head, mounted to a ceiling without a track system. I would opt for monopoints over any type of can light (a recessed light installed in the ceiling). Monopoints all day, every day!" As you can tell, she doesn’t dumb anything down for her readers—instead she helps them speak the same language as the design professionals they may encounter during a renovation.

Meyers-Shyer’s advice extends beyond aesthetics and into practical details, like custom drawer organizers and outlet placement.
Image courtesy of Chronicle Books

See the full story on Dwell.com: Forget Gatekeeping, Annie Meyers-Shyer’s "This Oak House" Shares Every Single Source for Her Home
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Once Condemned, This 1888 San Diego Victorian Is on the Market for $4.5M

After a monumental overhaul, the Broderick Kenny House has a hidden speakeasy, more than 30 chandeliers and sconces, and pillars from the "Titanic" film set.

Location: 2133 2nd Ave, San Diego, California

Price: $4,500,000

Footprint: 4,502 square feet (4 beds, 5 baths)

Lot Size: 0.10 acres

Year Built: 1888

From the Agent: "Steeped in history and overlooking the San Diego skyline, 2133 2nd Avenue is more than a residence—it is an architectural treasure. Built in 1888, this iconic Victorian in the heart of Banker’s Hill has been meticulously restored to honor its storied past while blending modern luxury. From the stately wrought iron gates to the intricate architectural details, every inch reflects timeless craftsmanship. A dramatic freestanding spiral staircase and reimagined vintage elevator create an unforgettable experience, while a hidden speakeasy and secluded backyard provide exceptional spaces for entertaining and relaxation. The home offers two elegant guest suites, an additional en suite bedroom, and an entire third-floor primary retreat with multiple decks capturing panoramic views of the harbor, downtown skyline, Coronado Bridge, and Pacific sunsets."

The home is illuminated by more than 30 chandeliers and custom sconces. — When the current owner purchased the home in the 1990s, it was condemned by the City of San Diego. An extensive renovation brought the property back from the brink.
Photo by Sam Chen

During the renovation, the seller sourced columns from the set of <i>Titanic. </i> — During the renovation, the seller sourced columns from the set of the film *Titanic* that are replicas of ones from the real ship’s first-class dining room.
Photo by Sam Chen

See the full story on Dwell.com: Once Condemned, This 1888 San Diego Victorian Is on the Market for $4.5M
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All of the Partitions in This Art Collector’s Taiwan Apartment Are Translucent

Glass-brick walls enclose the bathrooms and a folding door with frosted panels separates the office.

Houses We Love: Every day we feature a remarkable space submitted by our community of architects, designers, builders, and homeowners. Have one to share? Post it here.

Project Details:

Location: Taoyuan, Taiwan

Architect: Habitat Architects

Footprint: 1,292 square feet

Photographer: Studio Millspace / @studio_millspace

From the Architect: "Raw & Warm is a 1,292-square-foot apartment in Taoyuan, Taiwan, designed for an art collector who lives alone. The goal was to create a flexible home in which art could become part of everyday life rather than be treated as a separate display. Existing partitions were removed to open up the main living area, allowing furniture to organize the space instead of fixed walls. The original ceiling and exposed building services were retained and paired with seamless flooring, pine plywood, stainless steel, and glass brick, creating a contrast between raw and warm materials. A change in floor finish marks the transition between the shared and private areas, forming a small gallery-like threshold while preserving a continuous sense of movement through the apartment."

Glass-brick walls enclose the bathrooms and a folding door with frosted panels separates the office.
Photo by Studio Millspace

See the full story on Dwell.com: All of the Partitions in This Art Collector’s Taiwan Apartment Are Translucent
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Rubble From 9/11 Was Sent to Just One Landfill. This Photographer Has Spent 9 Years Documenting It

Jade Doskow’s work from Freshkills Park is proof that even a former dump can become a poignant place of mourning.

After the 9/11 attacks in New York City, nearly 1.5 million tons of rubble were removed from the site and sent to Staten Island’s Fresh Kills landfill. Once the largest dump in the world, the 2,200-acre site had already been decommissioned, and a competition for park designers launched, when it was selected as the place where Ground Zero materials would be redirected. Finally, in 2003, the decades-long revitalization project that would turn the stinking landfill into a massive wildlife park—subtly renamed "Freshkills"—officially began. Led by landscape architect firm Field Operations, the project has been partially open to the public since 2021 and will be completed by 2037.

But photographer Jade Doskow has been well-acquainted with the goings-on in Staten Island. For the past nine years she has been photographing the park, now as the Photographer in Residence, documenting the curious landscape forms—four mounds: north, south, east, and west—with images that quietly showcase the rewilded paradise. The West Mound, where the waste from Ground Zero was sent, holds special significance for New Yorkers as it has become what she calls a "humble memorial" to that day. Doskow’s photographs are being exhibited at All Street Gallery this month as one of the many tributes to mark the 25th anniversary of 9/11. She spoke with Dwell about her work, and how her documentation speaks to the complexities of creating a natural parkland out of the past’s discards, and the ruins of tragedy.

*Summer Storm, Observation Point*, 2024
Photo by Jade Doskow, courtesy All Street

Tell me about yourself and your photography practice—what informs your work?

Jade Doskow: The core of my inspiration, I would say, is the transformations within the urban built environment, and also the unexpected relationships and juxtapositions within that environment. In my previous project, Lost Utopias, I was looking at outdated World’s Fair architecture and landscaping globally, and now I’ve been working for eight years at Freshkills, which was New York City’s largest garbage dump, but is now being rewilded into this really amazing, fairly indescribable engineered wilderness.

What draws you to these subjects?

I grew up in a 1700s farmhouse in Pennsylvania, but I would often visit my grandmother in the Bronx, and she lived at the end of the train line overlooking these graffiti-covered subways, which was so fantastic. Part of living in this old house was that often these elements from the past would come up in the dirt, literally; pieces of ceramic or old tools would become unearthed. So I’ve always had this awareness that the past is always present, and certainly photography is the medium for that. It’s the one medium where we can really explore the past, present, and future almost as a time machine.

How did your residency come about?

I was winding down the Lost Utopias work after 12 years, and I suppose I was open to something new coming my way. I was teaching a School of Visual Arts class on liminal green spaces in the cities; we were going to community gardens and rooftop farms, and the typical parklands. Through my research, I came across Freshkills, and I arranged a visit. As soon as me and my students set foot onto the Freshkills hilltop, I was just blown away. I’ve just never experienced anything like it. It’s these kind of infinite meadowlands punctuated by methane pipes, and then surrounded by the New York City skyline to the north and to the west, the New Jersey industrial cityscape. I was immediately drawn in and asked how I could become the main photographer here. I ended up submitting a multipage proposal to Sanitation and Parks, and a few months later they approved my initial proposal, which was to photograph for 10 years all around the site. It’s such a complex place. I just keep learning more and more, and being more and more inspired.

*White Snakeroot, Mugwort, Honey Locust, and some others..... (Overgrowth, Freshkills)*, 2021
Photo by Jade Doskow, courtesy All Street

Walk us through the landscape—what are some of the natural and unnatural layers that you were uncovering?

Fresh Kills stopped taking materials in 1996, and the only time the site was reopened was in 2001, following the Twin Towers tragedy. Because of that, the West Mound, which is where those materials were brought, has taken the longest time to rewild, engineer, and transform into its future self as a park or wilderness. Each of the mounds is a pyramid: Underneath are household waste and trash from the last 53 years, and then there’s multiple layers of engineering and barriers to essentially separate the new meadows and trees and so on from what’s beneath. It’s kind of like a mummification process. There’s leachate, which is what we would commonly call garbage juice—the liquid that you might find at the bottom of your compost or something like that. That has to be treated; there’s several laboratories on site at the leachate treatment plant that use a lengthy process of organic and inorganic steps to clean that water and return it safely to the waterways. Methane is also produced by garbage and Fresh Kills was actually one of the first sustainable sites in this country in that, starting in the 1980s, they were piping that methane into the usable gas grid of Staten Island. So within these pyramids, there’s methane wells and flare stations to burn the gas off. But above all that is the thick, impermeable plastic layer, on top of which soil is brought in from around the country. Then finally, that’s where the plantings happen, where they plant native plant grassland species to create the park of the future.

*Sundown, Autumn, View 4*, 2025
Photo by Jade Doskow, courtesy All Street

See the full story on Dwell.com: Rubble From 9/11 Was Sent to Just One Landfill. This Photographer Has Spent 9 Years Documenting It