DESIGN by JAMES YAROSH
PHOTOGRAPHY by PATRICIA BURKE
TEXT by NAYDA RONDON
A beach house can chase the view, or it can frame a life. A five-level, 5,000-square-foot home in Surf City on Long Beach Island does both. Designed by James Yarosh—founder of Holmdel-based James Yarosh Associates Fine Art & Interior Design Gallery—this multigenerational haven puts family, art, sweeping seascapes and memory-making moments at its heart.
For more than 25 years, the owners have trusted Yarosh, first to acquire art, then to reimagine spaces in their primary home and, most recently, to help realize their dream beach house. After completing architectural plans with Long Beach-based Studio Tagland Designs for a six-bedroom, eight-bath residence with 4,000 square feet of decking and a rooftop pool, they brought Yarosh into the project pre-construction to join a longtime collaborator, builder Tommy Nardini of Surf City-based Nardini Custom Homes.
The 18-month project, completed in 2024, unfolded with seamless cooperation. The husband worked closely with Nardini on structural realities; the wife and Yarosh refined the aesthetics. Yet boundary lines never got in the way. “James and I were involved in almost all selections with the owners,” says Nardini, noting that Yarosh weighed in on bedroom and bath layouts, and specified everything from wood ceilings and wall treatments to stone slabs and tiles.
Everyone’s shared objective: a home nodding to the owners’ 1970s childhoods, yet forward-looking enough to appeal to their grown children—and eventually grandchildren. In Yarosh’s words, “a backdrop for family vacations that gathers memories the way the shore gathers shells.”
Retro inflections meet maritime restraint. Slatted wood ceilings with integrated acoustical lighting extend from exterior overhangs into interior spaces, evoking vintage boat hulls and beachfront estates. At the main entry, a vintage Lucite étagère adorned with sea glass, shells and family photographs signals a house devoted to collecting memories, not just objects. Sand-toned travertine floors laid in linear patterns echo the shoreline. Custom iron railings by Newman Iron Works rise in “banana” arcs— part pool ladder, part sculpture—guiding the ascent.
“As you climb, the palette warms, almost like a slow sunrise, until you arrive on the main living level, where you’re met with an expansive oceanfront view and a room that turns yellow, orange and red with the sun,” says Yarosh. “The room has to earn the right to share that view.”
It does. Terrazzo floors from Artistic Tile ground the space in cool whites, offset by warm walnut cabinetry and cognac leather seating. A bespoke bull’s-eye rug from Carini Lang Carpets gathers the palette, while glass-blown Roche Bobois cocktail tables keep circulation flowing. Arte Le Sisal textured wallpaper enriches the fireplace wall. Dedar Milano drapes, fabricated by Shrewsbury-based M. Silberstein Interior Designs, frame the waves. Overhead, Trella orb pendants glow above the double islands and dining table.
Miriam Beerman’s “Flame”—two figures clasping hands in an amber field— serves as a conceptual touchstone. “I loved that the entire interior design could spin subplots around that one piece,” Yarosh says. Pillows in Scalamandré and Knoll textiles echo its heat while terrazzo, walnut and yellow accents “shake hands” across the room.
The kitchen section holds its own. “The open plan didn’t want a safe, white kitchen,” says Yarosh. “It wanted something memorable.” He adds that it also had to be functional and integral. The wife—an avid cook like her mother—imagined a space for serious preparation and shared participation. Plain & Fancy cabinetry pairs with quartzite slabs from OHM International, their exuberant veining providing a 1970s energy. The stone climbs to a full-height backsplash, reinforcing continuous rhythm. Dual sink zones allow for simultaneous prepping and cleanup; an island sink with its own dishwasher turns clearing the table into a communal act, while metal swivel stools upholstered in nutmeg fabric from Oskar Huber Furniture & Design keep seating flexible. Nearby, an artisan-made, walnut-topped dining table and GAR Products persimmon-red wooden chairs seat 10 comfortably; curated shelving ensures that serving pieces remain easily accessible.
If ever there was proof that the kitchen—like the home— lives as intended, it came over dessert. Yarosh often baked apple cake—a favorite of Nardini’s—to bring to the job site, including on the day of the photo shoot. “As I plated it and whipped fresh crème, I got to feel what it was like to host here,” he says. “It felt natural—grand, but free of pretense. Exactly what a big, fun beach house should be.”
Carrying its elegance lightly, the home welcomes loved ones, meals, moments. And it doesn’t mind a little sand—or a few crumbs.
Says the wife: “While our home’s interior is coastally inspired, it’s unique and doesn’t follow traditional designs being used in Shore homes. James had a vision, and we decided to bite our tongues a few times and trust him throughout the process.”