We are pleased to share that Ocean Home has recognized Hoerr Schaudt’s On the Rocks coastal retreat with a 2026 Ocean Home Award for Coastal Landscape. The project is featured in the magazine’s August/September issue celebrating the best in residential coastal design.
Set along the rocky shoreline of Newport, Rhode Island, the landscape was conceived as a series of connected outdoor rooms shaped around summer entertaining, quiet retreat, and multigenerational gathering. Led by Partners Doug Hoerr and Nick Fobes, the design follows the site’s natural topography, unfolding from the residence through a sequence of reclaimed granite stairs and terraces before arriving at an infinity-edge pool overlooking Narragansett Bay.
A custom louvered pergola anchors a comprehensive outdoor living environment complete with fireplaces, a kitchen, dining and lounge areas, a spa, and generous lawns for recreation and events. Together, these spaces form what Nick describes as “a home without windows,” extending daily life into the landscape from early spring through late fall.
Planting plays an essential role in shaping the experience. A resilient palette of Rosa rugosa, juniper, hydrangea, Rose of Sharon, honey locust, and ornamental grasses responds to the demanding conditions of constant salt spray and wind while softening the architecture and creating a gradual transition to the rugged coastal setting.
The completed landscape reflects the enduring spirit of Newport summer living, balancing ease and elegance with a deep response to place.
Read the full feature in the August/September 2026 issue of Ocean Home.
Photography by Scott Shigley