Sleek and Modern

A Beach House on the Gulf

By Jordan Staggs | Photography by Jack Gardner

Known as the “Love Shack,” this unique modern home in the Camp Creek community of Santa Rosa Beach, Florida, offers stunning views of the white-sand beaches below. Enhancing these breathtaking vistas are custom Loewen windows and doors supplied by E. F. San Juan Inc., a custom architectural moulding, millwork, and cabinetry company based in nearby Youngstown, Florida. Since 1976, the San Juan family has collaborated with top architects and builders along the Southeastern Coastal US to provide building products that transform a house into a masterpiece.

Building along the Gulf Coast presents challenges, notably the occasionally harsh conditions and strong winds from the coast. To address these issues for their clients and homeowners, artisans work closely with the most trusted providers of impact-rated glass doors and windows to create custom products that combine beauty, functionality, and protection. Using thicker glass and premium wood species and materials ensures that a structure’s exterior doors and windows are better insulated, soundproof, and more impact-resistant than those using stock products.

Partnering with the E. F. San Juan team allows architects, builders, and contractors to benefit from exceptional service and uniquely tailored products for each project.

Like any Gulf-front property, this custom home is exposed to corrosive salt air, high winds, and other harsh environmental elements that accompany a stunning beach location atop beautiful dunes. All exterior windows and doors needed to be secure and durable, capable of withstanding these conditions without sacrificing aesthetics. Architect Gary Justiss and homeowner Elton B. Stephens (founder of Alys Beach, Florida) envisioned a modern, sleek beach house with exceptional views from nearly every space. This required wall-to-wall and floor-to-ceiling exterior windows and doors that were both impact-rated and visually striking.

E. F. San Juan worked closely with Justiss and the builder, Peter Horn of Artisan of Seagrove, Inc., to find custom exterior windows and doors that were both visually appealing and durable enough to withstand the high winds and rains that may come from the Gulf.

The team and its partners at Loewen, based in Steinbach, Canada, created a stunning array of LiftSlide doors for the Gulf side of the home. These multi-panel, impact-rated glass doors slide open, fully connecting the living area with the pool deck, rooftop sundeck, and beautiful Gulf views. The result is a true indoor-outdoor living experience throughout the home.

E. F. San Juan also sourced and installed Loewen windows around the exterior, including a porthole-style window and large single-pane windows in the tower lounge, maximizing the breathtaking Gulf views with minimal visual obstruction. While the interior windows and the glass door to the garage are not Loewen, they complement the impact-rated exterior products, creating a unique display for the homeowner’s vintage vehicle.

This modern beach house truly reflects its design team’s vision, talent, and commitment to excellence.

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To learn more about E. F. San Juan, visit EFSanJuan.com or follow @e.f.sanjuan on Instagram. Architect Gary Justiss and Artisan of Seagrove can be found at GaryJustiss.com and Artisan-Builds.com.