Jacksonville Magazine Home Profile - November 2013 - Modern Family

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Modern family
One Atlantic Beach home blends minimalism,
clean lines and bold colors for a thoroughly
contemporary (but family-friendly) abode
WORDS BY JULIET JOHNSON // IMAGES BY WALLY SEARS
Lynne and Jeff Roskein were
spending an increasing
amount of time listening
to their two tween
daughters squabbling in
a shared bathroom.
They knew a decision was looming. They could renovate
their beach cottage to add a bathroom, or they could
build a sleek, more “grown-up” house to better accommodate
their maturing family. While some homeowners
are content to think small, and inside the box, the
Roskeins are the rare type that actually love to build.
The couple is best friends with a contractor and a local
architect who they say “totally gets them.” When their
Atlantic Beach “cottagey affair” sold in less than 24
hours, they set about re-imagining their family life with
two surfing teenagers.
96 | JACKSONVILLEMAG.COM NOVEMBER 2013

The mixed media exterior of the
home is fitting for homeowner
Lynn, a mosaic artist. The post
and deck railings were created by
metalsmith David Nissan.
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Lynne found a corner lot—she loves the bustle
of corner life—where the Atlantic Beach
hotel once stood, prominently situated at
the end of Plaza Street. Architect James
Dupree says he knew he had to create
something that would “respect that it was at
the end of a major access.” Lynne collected
images from websites like houzz.com and,
while the photos were all very different,
Dupree found commonalities and set
about “unifying different massings” into a
home that would work. Okay. But what does
that mean?
“By taking a lot of boxes and connecting
them to one another,” the architect
achieved a striking exterior with two high
massings, a deep porch, floating decks and
large windows. The bold variety of materials
used throughout the home create a mix of
textures and patterns.
The cantilevered floating porch off of the master bedroom
overlooks a large, freshwater pool. The path on the side of
the house leads to an art studio next to the garage.
98 | JACKSONVILLEMAG.COM NOVEMBER 2013

The home came with its fair share of
challenges. “A massive truss system,” says
builder Mike Phillips, “was the hardest
part. There’s a lot of cantilevered weight,
with the floating decks. SRC Framing did a
magnificent job. No question, this was a
fun build; it’s so different. It was refreshing.
Lynne’s vision is cutting edge for
Atlantic Beach.”
Placing rectangles and squares together
in an artistic way resonates for Lynne, a
mosaic artist herself. Mosaic in threedimensional
relief is a recurring design
motif, as is the use of negative space.
Windows are placed so as to allow for
light and privacy and the home makes
use of the enormous amount of natural
light that pours through the staircase
through vast picture windows.
Lynne drew inspiration from relatives
in Miami and aimed for a South Beach
modern vibe via gleaming marble floors
and stark contemporary lines punctuated
with strong, vibrant art. She sourced each
piece from a combination of local retailers
and online searches, and will admit to
only one rummage sale find (though she
won’t tell which particular piece it is).
The unusual frosted-glass and
mahogany front door opens into a white
marble hallway, a space illuminated with
light pouring in from the staircase windows,
accented by a pair of paintings by
Florida artist, Burton Youngman. The
vivid blue of the paintings carries into the
great room, where the Italian glass dining
table from ScanDesign and a tempting
salt water swimming pool beyond take
center stage. The family room is centered
around a dramatic floor-to-ceiling black
hearth, with a floating marble mantel
that stands like a giant exclamation point.
An off-white sofa with black-and-white
pillows sits on a black-and-white zebra
rug and two sassy swivel chairs in yellow
offer a humorous nod to The Jetsons in a
room that might otherwise feel stark and
formal. The strong contrasts of the black
“
No question, this was a fun
build; it’s so different. It was
refreshing. Lynne’s vision is
cutting edge for Atlantic Beach.“
—Builder, Mike Phillips
Clockwise from left: The porch lamp, from West Elm,
was a natural choice for the outdoor dining area; an
open floor plan makes the dining area a perfect place for
entertaining; the full-length glass doors in the living area
fold accordion-style, an interesting architectural touch.
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and white, and the wall of sliding glass panels that leads
to the porch outside, are balanced with an elliptical offwhite
sofa, sinuous glass coffee table and large chrome
arch lamp. The space feels ultra-stylish, but not intimidating.
Rather, it’s a casual, inviting combination that
makes it easy to imagine sleepovers in the living room.
The kitchen is an immaculate ode to white, with lustrous
quartz counters, stainless steel appliances and a
5-burner gas cooktop. Above the “ooh, I’ve got to touch
that” stainless mosaic tile backsplash are contemporary
cabinets. A substantial walk-in larder completes the
kitchen fantasy, as do chic ruby-rippled pendant lights.
There’s a guest bed and bath around the corner, soon to
be turned into a den.
Upstairs, a nifty deck overlooks Plaza Street. A steel
post anchors the truss work here, fashioned by local
metalsmith David Nissan, who also joined the honeycomb
metal sheets to steel railings. Lynn says the family
often takes in a sunset on the deck. “There’s always a
cooling breeze. It’s a great place for homework, and
catching up on the day.”
Each girl has exactly the same-sized room, with the
same-sized closet, and the same-sized “en-suite” bathroom.
That they look and feel totally different is a testament
to human nature; no two of us are ever really
alike, are we?
The master bedroom has its own private deck, and
features a headboard from West Elm. George Kovacs
lamps provide bedside lighting and a luminous painting
by local artist Tonsenia Yonn offers a gentle, playful
suggestion of intimacy. A cherished leather chair and
ottoman round out the space. The master bathroom,
with its unusual striped marble tile, a double-wide walkin
shower and deep soaking tub, completes the oasis.
Outside, a cedar fence is covered in jasmine. On the
way to Lynne’s attached studio, a freestanding shower
allows guests to wash off when coming home from the
beach.
This is quite the house. And all because a very creative
mom wanted something a little smaller, simpler and easier
to run, where her children could grow in peace.
Clockwise from rom above right: Like the dining area, the kitchen is open
and airy, featuring appliances by GE; a silk lamp in the bedroom was sourced
online, and adds to the home’s use of various textures; the bathroom’s
striped marble tile came from Opus Stone, while the cabinetry came from
Ikea; the Roskeins’ teen daughters incorporated their love of surfing into their
rooms’ interior design.
100 | JACKSONVILLEMAG.COM NOVEMBER 2013