A Family-First Coastal Retreat in South Bethany
Noubikko - Lifestyle Moderator 
With five children and five dogs, Kathy and Rob Taishoff knew their new beach home had to be a family-friendly place that prioritized organization and in a peaceful setting. What parent or busy professional wouldn’t agree? The couple got their wish. Now the Taishoffs are ensconced in their South Bethany, Delaware beach home, Pura Vida, overlooking the blue waters and sweeping views of the Atlantic Ocean, where they regularly escape from their Annapolis, Maryland home.
They had heard about Marnie Oursler, president and founder of Marnie Custom Homes, and arranged a visit. Oursler remembers the visit well. “With the children and the dogs, we knew in the design phase that function had to be just as important as style,” she says. To answer that challenge, Oursler set a goal to make life easy and organized “so the family can spend less time worrying about mess and more time enjoying the home together.”
Then the couple watched their dream home take shape. Today, Pura Vida (“Pure Life”) gives the family a true getaway, a place for peace and family bonding. “We absolutely love our new house for the tranquility it brings us every time we step inside,” says Kathy Taishoff. “It’s our happy place.”
The interiors, which Kathy Taishoff designed herself, feature ocean hues, including sand, blue, and shades of white. Flooring throughout is engineered tongue-and-groove white oak, heirloom grade, by Carlisle Wide Plank Floors. Easygoing furnishings also reflect the ocean setting.
With almost 3,800 square feet, there is plenty of space for the six-bedroom, six-and a-half bath layout, plus decks to enjoy the outdoors. The decks, the swimming pool, and the pizza oven—the centerpiece of a spacious kitchen—are high on their list of most-loved features.
The home has everything the family needs for fun times and caring for children and pets. Every nook and cranny offers storage and pet-friendly details, Oursler says. “And the layout makes the transition from the beach to the house seamless.”
The first floor is devoted to a large rec room that faces the ocean, as well as a custom bunk room with ensuite bath, a guest room suite, and a powder room that leads to the outdoor shower. The Taishoffs wanted pet-centered design features; they now have a custom dog crate and a dog wash station (also, they say, great for rinsing toddlers). Generous windows focus on the outdoors, including unobstructed views toward the north and east.
On the second floor are the kitchen and main living area, with a screened porch, and the pool. The bunk room and bath are perfect for company. The kitchen is also here, featuring a stupendous view, thanks to a wall of windows that segues into floor-to-ceiling multi-slide doors overlooking the pool and beach.
Countertops are of white Bellagio Quartzite with a honed finish. Custom cabinetry by QCCI, a cabinetmaker in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, in Broadway Drawer Style, is painted an appealing shade of white, Chantilly Lace by Benjamin Moore. The third floor holds the homeowners’ private space, an oceanfront airy suite with a bath, plus another ensuite bedroom, both facing west. The couple also enjoys a coffee bar and exercise area with ocean views.
Best of all, the Taishoffs have a house that welcomes friends and family as warmly as the couple do. As Kathy Taishoff says, “Being able to host family and friends with the incredible ocean view, the large kitchen, the swimming pool, and outdoor living decks has been the best part of living here.”
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