Though Jamie Camche—the founder and owner of JL Rocks in Westport—is a well-known tastemaker, it’s her husband, Glenn, who drove the design for their Saugatuck home’s major makeover. By day, he’s the president and creative director of Dolce Vita Handbags, but at his core, “Glenn is a frustrated architect,” notes Jamie. “Instead of looking through Vogue magazine like I do, he looks through real estate.”
The three-story renovation added large windows, an expansive rooftop deck and a ground-floor entry. Landscape design is by Allison Feuer Design.
Large-scale artwork by Eric Freeman adds pops of color to the ground floor entryway; the bench is through Clubcu.
The kitchen is by IRP Design (now Culnova); the bar stools are from Stowed Home.
In the dining area, a light fixture from Apparatus is mixed with a dining table from Croft House and oak-and-leather chairs from Gestalt New York.
In the living room, an RH sofa and leather sling chairs from Stowed Home surround a large coffee table atop a rug from Lillian August.
A wall of bamboo helps breaks up the neutral tones in the living room.
The couple’s cavapoo, Beau, lounges on a bed from YLiving in the primary bedroom. The rug is from Lillian August and the wave photograph is by Terence Pieters.
On the roof deck, teak furniture is the perfect perch for enjoying the view.
The Camches used all-white for the home’s exterior, foregoing the black-frame windows they have used on previous homes.
Where, for some, renovations are often nightmarish means to an end, for the Camches, each new home is an inspiring chance to create something fresh. “I just love the process,” says Glenn. Over the last decade, he and his wife have renovated three houses, not including the Westport home where they lived for 18 years (with two renovations) while raising their family. After the kids were grown, the couple spent a few years in a tiny 1920s cottage in Compo Beach that Jamie likens to a “sexy little two-seater convertible.” But when a broker friend called in 2019 and asked if they’d consider putting it on the market, they moved and took on a new project—a 1970s contemporary, their first place in Saugatuck Shores. They’d just finished getting it all up to date when that same broker friend called, wondering if they’d consider selling. So, they knocked on the door of this neighboring split-level, and the process began again.
Glenn had a vision to make the older ranch into a modern, vertical beach house with a separate ground-floor entrance, plus an open layout of living spaces on the first level that includes a large great room, custom kitchen and dining space that lends itself to entertaining. The couple added a pool with a natural stone patio and created a beautiful two-level walkout to the outdoors to make the home a truly four-season space. One level up the sunlit staircase from the living spaces, the bedrooms include a Jack-and-Jill setup that the kids use when they visit, and a primary bedroom with a vaulted ceiling and a large custom closet where Jamie keeps her impressive handbag collection. The top floor has an office and a large terrace with views of the water.
The original residence was a split-level ranch.
The new ground-floor entry makes all-season living easier, especially with a dog.
The Camches worked with architect Bill Achilles and Burke Construction on the plans for this renovation.
After taking the structure down to the studs, it was time to build upward, taking advantage of vertical space.
With the roof installed, it’s easier to see the rooftop deck taking shape.
Every floor has a view of the pool and patio, which is accessible from the ground and first level.
Jamie Camche points to the site of what will be the pool by Signature Pools.
Though the couple change houses often, their neutral, clean, comfortable aesthetic has stayed the same. “We never tire of it,” says Glenn. With full schedules and demanding careers, they’ve always enjoyed coming home to spaces that feel calming, comfortable and clean—an aesthetic shared by designer Yvonne Ferris, with whom they’ve worked on multiple homes and trust wholeheartedly. “They love a casual and comfortable vibe that is minimal but exudes warmth,” says Ferris. She helped them choose pieces that complement the architecture, white oak floors and large windows. “What I love about working with Jamie and Glenn is that it is always a collaboration—and we have so much fun along the way,” she says.
Although neutral colors anchor the interiors, a mix of textures and styles keeps things interesting. Wood-and-leather chairs, luxurious rugs and comfortable couches create a feeling of warmth while still remaining spare and uncluttered. The airy, gracious design makes the house a sanctuary—but it’s also party central. “It’s a real happy-hour house,” notes Jamie. Family and friends often gather around their kitchen island or relax into their living room sofas with a cocktail in hand. Because the kitchen is so often a place where people congregate, Glenn had the island extended, so they could place three barstools on either side, which allows the hosts to sit across from their guests instead of standing behind the counter all night. “It’s a vacation house all year round,” says Jamie. “‘We’ve got our two-seater convertible enhanced.”