Coastal Island Residence - Scituate, MA

Sitting serenely on its own island and tucked into the coastline near Cohasset Harbor, this rambling shingle-style home gazes across expanses of salt marsh to the water from every window.

The house is perched on a rise and framed by oak and blueberry woods. It's approached by a long stony causeway through the salt marsh and woodland. Suddenly, in a sunny opening, the architecture is revealed. The new landscape wraps its base in broad swaths of color, giving it a festive sense of arrival.

Perennials and indigenous shrubbery welcome visitors to the front door. And there is no lawn in sight. Brick and stone walkways wend their way through the front beds, providing changing views and places to sit and reflect. Maintenance-free plantings of Beach Rose and Inkberry hug a patio wall that surrounds the entire back of the house.