"If nautical nonsense be something you wish…"

Michael and Debra hired architecture firm Dungan Nequette to design the house. The result was nothing like Michael and Debra envisioned but was everything they wanted. "We absolutely love it!" Debra says.

A favorite feature is the 640 square feet of outdoor living space (the two-bedroom, two-bath interior measures less than 1,000 square feet). There's a screened porch, a deck on the back of the house, and a second-floor sun deck.

Debra and Michael came up with the blue-and-green color scheme and then added the purple accent color, which was inspired by a sea horse that Debra painted. "The house really shows up," she says. "Every time we drive up to it, we smile."

photo: A built-in platform bed and shelves make smart use of the small master bedroom. The walls are painted Cayman Blue (2060-50) by Benjamin Moore.