Many of our projects begin to come to life this time of year. Most of our Customers want to use their Cape Cod homes as sum retreats, so we have them built, ready and clean before the Memorial Day weekend. Here’s some video I took this morning of one of the Custom Homes we are building on Cape Cod. This one has a spectacular kitchen with a million-dollar view of Cape Cod Bay.

Check out the video:

REEF built home overlooking Cape Cod Bay

REEF built home overlooking Cape Cod Bay

Once you’re settled into your Cape Cod home, spending time on creating a beautiful backyard landscape can be very rewarding. There are myriad opportunities for color and texture, and discovering new plants and flowers to accent your space as the seasons change can be challenging. Here is a great site with lots of ideas and designs to consider. Stone walls, terraced slopes, and winding paths can really enhance your property, and your enjoyment of your Cape Cod home!

Backyard Landscape ideas for Cape Cod

Last week I posted part of the evolution of a home that REEF is building here on Cape Cod. The blog received a lot of attention. It seems many people are interested in watching the metamorphosis of an old, rundown cottage into a modern waterfront or water view Cape Cod home. The home I featured last week overlooks the dunes on the north side of the Cape, and Cape Cod Bay.

Here’s another REEF project with southern exposure over a beautiful bay and river in Dennis. It’s the small one in the center of the first photo, right above the red and green buoys. You can see that the neighborhood has grown up around the old cottage. The scene is pretty tranquil now, as the photos were taken in November through January. However this area is alive with small boat activity in the summer, which will provide for endless hours of quiet enjoyment.  I’ll update the blog photos as construction progresses. The kitchen and living area, as well as most of the bedrooms in the home, overlook the water. It will be breath taking. Stay tuned…!

Many of our customers seek to replace their old cottages with new homes. There is no new land being created on Cape Cod, so often folks will purchase an older home for its location. Then they come to us to maximize the views, and create a wonderful home for their family to enjoy. Here are a few photos of one of our current projects. We designed the home to take advantage of commanding views of some north side dunes and Cape Cod Bay. The view from the kitchen window is breathtaking. Adjacent is a large living area with an expansive bank of windows and sliding glass doors. The last photo is the view from the soon-to-be-completed deck.

If you have a wonderful view and a not-so-wonderful house, or you’d like to enjoy a similar Cape Cod home, just call us. We are happy to help.

Cape Cod in the winter? You may not know that the richness of life on Cape Cod and the Islands is celebrated with festivals all year long. We celebrate our clams, chowder and scallops, daffodils and strawberries, fine wines and culinary fare, extraordinary films and filmmakers, along with our seafaring heritage. February must be slow and quiet, right? Well it’s not as buys as July, but there’s plenty going on:

The Magnificent Splendor of Trees Exhibit, Cahoon Museum of American Art, Cotuit; Van Gogh Through the Weaver's Eyes: An Exhibit of Woven Art, Cultural Center of Cape Cod, South Yarmouth; Presidents’ Holiday Antiques Show and Sale, a quality antique show featuring over 30 dealers, including fine and country furniture, Americana, quilts, stoneware, and more; Gershwin, By George!, Highfield Hall, Falmouth; Broadway and Beyond! A Salute to the Oscars, Orleans.

Here’s a great Cape and Islands Event Calendar to help you plan your year. You’ll be plenty busy!

Cape Cod Event Calendar

“The party’s in the kitchen.” It seems the kitchen is where we frequently end up with friends. It’s our favorite place, near the food, full of comfort, and relaxed. Collectively people spend much of their time in the kitchen, which is why we put so much effort into making sure it’s just right for our customers. We’re constantly looking for new ideas. Here’s a bunch of different treatments and ideas to get your creative juices flowing. Ideas like these are great to have on hand when you’re thinking about your new space. Frequently our customers will bring in lots of photos, articles and ideas, for us to include in their Cape Cod kitchen design. Enjoy! 

25Wonderful Kitchen Design Ideas

Many of the homes we design and build have an emphasis on wonderfully relaxing spaces. Frequently our customers seek to create an oasis of escape, with a focus on comfort and flow. Personal spaces like bedrooms, bath rooms, living rooms, and even kitchens are receiving more attention to detail than simply creating the space. Here are great samples of how using texture, color, patterns and other simple touches can increase the comfort and enjoyment of bedroom sanctuaries.

Cozy Cape Cod Cottage Style Bedrooms

Windows are bigger than ever today. They play an increasingly important role in helping our customers maximize the value of their home by welcoming light, opening vistas, and creating interesting, inviting spaces. There are myriad options, from decorative to functional. Some of the energy efficient models may even qualify for energy rebates. Many of our customers build or re-buld their homes around views of Cape Cod Bay, Vineyard or Nantucket Sound, marshes and bogs. Here are some great ideas for using windows to create truly special spaces.

Factors to Consider when Choosing Windows

In some areas the housing recovery is accelerating, adding upward pressure to home prices. With interest rates at historic lows, and real estate inventory starting to move, it may be time to get off the sidelines and find your dream home.

Could you get priced out of the Real Estate market?

So the weather has been cooperating with us this fall, and we have been moving along nicely on this new home in Wellfleet, MA.  This project is unique, as the site posed a few challenges due to its proximity to the coastal bank. When building anywhere near the water, the permitting process will involve approval by the local conservation commission.  The conservation commission's input will influence things like lot coverage, site drainage and septic locations, vegetation preservation or removal.  REEF was able to work with its team of engineers and the commission to negotiate an exceptional location for this house, which allowed the preservation of critical environmental concearns, while maximizing the views of Wellfleet Harbor.  Here are some photos from the site this week. The house has been insulated, and we are starting to sheetrock and plaster today.... If you have a property on Cape Cod with a challenging site like this, click here to see how REEF can help you!! CONTACT US