I've always thought that a house sited on the water [the 'cottages' of Newport notwithstanding] should have a kick-off-your-shoes ambiance to them. But perhaps this view is unbalanced, as it pigeonholes coastal residences as vacation homes—which is definitely not the case for many, if not most, of the houses in question. Yet it's still possible to inject a working family kitchen with a getaway feel: witness this wood floor painted in a tropical green.
