When Sean Brunson, a graphic designer and creative director, and his wife, Geri, decided to move back to Geri’s hometown of Satellite Beach, Florida, they settled into an affordable house blocks away from the beach. Happy to be closer to the ocean and in a more tight-knit community after years of living and working in Orlando, the Brunsons nevertheless found themselves unsatisfied. “We had always been inspired by the simple pureness of design in 1950s- and ’60s-era modern homes,” explains Sean. “And then we had the idea that we could build something from scratch. That itch never really went away.”

When a small infill lot in the neighborhood became available, Sean and Geri jumped on it. “We went for it with no idea if it would even be possible to build what we wanted to build,” recalls Sean. Because of their affinity for midcentury-modern designs, the couple aspired to create a glassy, post-and-beam home—but they weren’t sure they could pull it off within present-day building codes. Not to mention their location in a hurricane zone.

“One of the great things about those historic homes is that they’re just so delicate and light,” says Sean. “If it was going to become something heavy and bulky to meet codes, we just weren’t interested.” Sean was also set on guiding the design of the new home himself. Besides collecting midcentury furniture as a hobby for decades, Sean built up his design chops by helping architect Gene Leedy of the Sarasota School renovate several 1950s ranches. The couple also completed several renovation projects on their previous home.

After doing some preliminary sketching, Sean sought out the help of his friend, architect Alex Stone, to see if the glassy, low-slung design he and Geri envisioned would be possible. “We spent about a year testing the feasibility and seeking out engineering consulting,” says Sean. “It was looking positive, so we developed all the plans, and our architect created the drawings.”

A key challenge was balancing the light, airy design of the 1,250-square-foot home with the necessary hurricane resilience features. Sean and Stone developed a solution that involved using more concrete than a normal home would require, concealing a good amount of steel in the structure itself, and using twice as many hurricane straps as required by code.

Soon, the couple found themselves on the hunt for a builder. “It took a full year of interviewing builders to find someone who would create our design—and keep to our modest budget,” recalls Sean. Finally landing on a contractor, Sean strategized ways to save money. “Time is money, so we discussed with the builder that the less time he spent on site, the less money we’d spend,” he says.

In turn for offering the Brusons a fixed fee, the builder agreed that Sean would be the primary boots on the ground. “I was here every single day,” says Sean. “I juggled that with my day job, but I was OK with it because it was so much fun. I spent so much time developing the plans with the architect, that our builder would be the first to admit I knew the house better than anyone.”

Besides managing day-to-day communication and coordination with subcontractors on-site, Sean also acted as interior designer, sourcing and procuring the majority of the materials, finishes, and furnishings for the home. While Sean and Geri enjoyed selecting everything themselves, an unexpected challenge came with the cypress wood used for the tongue-and-groove ceiling. “Cypress does well in high-moisture environments like Florida, and it was used a lot in midcentury homes,” explains Sean. “You can buy it presealed, but it’s double the cost. So my wife and I decided to do it ourselves.”

After spending four days over a Fourth of July weekend sanding and sealing a massive pile of cypress wood beams, Sean and Geri realized they had only received half of the necessary wood from the supplier. “That was the one time in the project where the wind really got knocked out of our sails,” recalls Sean. With encouragement from their builder, Sean and Geri tackled the second half. All told, completing that work themselves saved the couple over $20,000.

Finally, after nine months of construction and countless hours of sweat equity, the Brunsons moved into their new home. Even though it doesn’t have the ocean views of their previous locale, the couple feels more connected to the outdoors in their new home. Nestled in the crook of the L-shaped home is a pool that mirrors the floor plan, giving the couple views of the water from every room. Using sliding glass doors instead of windows helped maximize connections between inside and out.

“The house is so peaceful,” says Sean. “It’s the water and the plants, but it’s also being surrounding with sculpture, art, and furniture that we enjoy.” Most of the period furniture in the home was sourced and restored by Sean. Even though the couple would be the first to admit designing and building their dream home was a challenge, they insist they’d do it all again. “If you’ve ever experienced good architecture, you know it’s like being inside a work of art,” says Sean. “It enhances your life.”

A Modern Home For a Design-Savvy Family in Florida

Project Credits:

Architect of Record: Alex Stone

General Contractor: Rob Brent Homes

Structural Engineer: H. B. Associates LLC

Landscape Design, Interior Design, Lighting Design, and Architectural Concept Design: Sean Brunson

Cabinetry Installation: Bright Wood Works

Photography: Doug Scaletta

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A Design-Loving Couple Set Out to Build Their Midcentury Dream Home From Scratch