When Clay and Margot Coffey, the husband/wife team behind the architecture firm Isaac-Rae, were approached to spruce up a 1987 beach house in Watermill—a hamlet of Southampton—their clients were only looking to give the dated abode a fresher, more modern look.

Yet, due to several disjointed revamps the home had already undergone throughout the years, along with significant water damage that had affected the structure's framing, it was determined that a ground-up renovation was needed. After reconfiguring the layout, the design duo was ultimately able to reimagine the residence and expand the home for more comfortable, modern living. Take a look at the fascinating "before" and "after" images below.

Before: The Exterior

Fortunately, the home was well situated and private, as it was tucked off a quiet road, spread across almost two acres of land. Inspired by these surroundings, Isaac-Rae created a beautiful natural landscape and then devised how to bring some of the outdoors in—opening up the home and adding light and breath to the formerly dark spaces.

After: The Exterior

"The relationship between high-quality living space and nature was key in our design process," explains Coffey. "We aimed to create an elegant and private natural landscape and framed it from every vantage point possible within the home. We totally re-envisioned the geometry of the house and the indoor/outdoor space."

In the end, the renovation increased the home's square footage from 4,000 square feet to 5,300 square feet—turning the original three-bedroom, three bath-property into a five-bedroom, seven bath home, and expanding the floor-to-ceiling ratio of all the rooms.

Before: The Side Yard Exterior

After: The Side Yard Exterior

Before: The Back View

After: The Back View

Project Credits:

Architect of Record: Isaac-Rae Studio

Builder/General Contractor: Charles Gallanti Inc.

Structural Engineer: John Condon

Landscape Design: Isaac-Rae Studio

Lighting Design: Isaac-Rae Studio

Cabinetry Design: Isaac-Rae Studio