Sweeping views of beaches, ocean and dramatic coast compliment the splendid interior spaces of Seabeach, a superbly sited estate on Newport’s famed Ocean Drive.
Seabeach is an early design by famous architect and decorator Ogden Codman. Its strong, symmetrical facade was heavily influence by Federal Style design. Perched upon a rise above the dunes the building is organized vertically to maximize its access to views of the sea to one side and views to the nearby pond on the other.
Tall Palladian windows bring light into gracious living spaces. Recent interior restoration has brought plaster walls, ceilings and decorative elements back to their original beauty. Throughout the first two floors, gleaming wood floors and eight marble and stone fireplaces accent Ogden Codman’s favored light classical style.
The first floor’s main living and entertaining spaces are centered around an 18 x 28 foot grand salon with three sets of glass doors opening onto an ocean view terrace. The symmetrical layout offers a spacious kitchen and a library to the east and west. Both have glass sunrooms flanking the central terrace providing indoor and outdoor spaces from which to enjoy the garden and water views.
The master suite on the second floor offers long views over the sandy beach and rocky coast. The master and three additional bedrooms have fireplaces and updated baths. The third floor has four bedrooms, two full baths, a sitting room and kitchenette.
The Cottage, completed in 2005, adds 1,382 sq ft of living space to the property. The building was designed as a contemporary compliment to Seabeach. With a stucco exterior, Palladian windows and dormers it mimics many of the design elements of the main house. The Cottage is elegantly appointed with a large formal living room, dining room, cherry kitchen, 3 bedrooms and 2 ½ baths.
Seabeach sits on 3.5 acres and additional buildings include a 3-car garage for the main house and a 2-car garage, accessible by a separate driveway, for the cottage.
Built in 1896 and once faced in stucco, it is reported that Codman later chose to transform the building into a more informal cedar shingle-clad structure that fit more comfortably with the meandering Ocean Avenue and the wild rock and rugged outcroppings which are typical of the of the terrain. Codman was a close confidante of the writer Edith Wharton and together they authored the seminal work on design, The Decoration of Houses (1898).
