"It had good bones,” recalls Phil Kean, architect, designer and owner of Phil Kean Designs in Winter Park; speaking of the structure that attracted him to his now renovated weekend home in Cocoa Beach. The ranch-style home built in 1963 was representative of the popular design at that time, during the Space Coast’s heyday.

Even with good structure though, the house had small rooms, low ceilings and outdated fixtures. While he could have used his skills and resources to completely change the appearance of the outdated house, he worked carefully to preserve its original character.

“There is something cool about saving a mid-century house and bringing it back to its former glory,” said Kean.

Phil’s company has received numerous design awards and is committed to using “green” building techniques. Phil Kean Designs is a member of the Florida Green Building Coalition, and a member of the Central Florida Chapter of the U.S. Green Building Council among other associations.

The Melbourne native utilizes restoration in lieu of demolition whenever possible and knows that building green is more than just buying organic materials.

“Be smart,” explains Phil. “Don’t spend extra energy to get materials from far away. Buy locally… find uses for leftover materials… that’s more green, better for the world, and better for the economy.”

Phil stuck close to this motto while renovating his Cocoa Beach home. “I design and build about five 5,000 to 7,000 square foot homes a year, but I’m more comfortable in a smaller home. I tore down some walls and removed the dropped ceiling,” explains Phil, “but aside from adding the new wing, I kept the footprint of the house the same.”

The new “wing” he refers to consists of a short hallway with a half bath and new master bedroom with full bath. The new layout gave the house four bedrooms, three and a-half baths, and a split floor plan, increasing the square footage of the house from 2,200 to approximately 2,700. He also added a swimming pool and new patio.

A marathon runner and triathlete, Phil enjoys the outdoors and sought to create spaces where he and guests could experience nature and enjoy the relaxed beach atmosphere. Even from the house’s entryway, the line between outside and inside is interconnected.

As you approach the front door, a 7-foot tall quartz rock wall (built from materials left over from another project) guides you from the driveway, across the threshold and into the house. The same stacked stones form the foyer wall. The horizontal lines keep you moving into the open living area, to a panoramic view of the patio, pool and river through floor- to- ceiling, wall- to- wall, sliding glass doors.

When it came to design, Phil used a simple color palette on the interior – white washed ceiling and walls, natural woods and stones and a refinished terrazzo floor flecked with sea green glass. Much of the artwork and furnishings are from local antique shops or were made by friends. The coconut shell end table is from a local consignment store, the wire chair was won at a fundraiser, and an old dry bar came from an antique store in Melbourne.

He incorporates water from the pool and river as a design element. Because the yard slopes down away from the patio to the seawall and then to the river, it appears from within the house as if you are surrounded by the water and with nature, as if on a ship.

During renovations, when walls and ceilings were removed to create the open floor plan, Phil chose to leave the ceiling beams exposed.

“It only added four actual inches of height to the 8-foot tall ceiling,” said Phil, “but gives the perspective of much more room.”

And similar to the ribs on a ship’s hull, the exposed ceiling beams seem to stretch toward the water and make the living area feel wider.

More ribbing appears on the large white George Nelson (the mid-century modernist designer) saucer bubble lamp hovering above the round custom built dining room table like a space ship. Another smaller ribbed Nelson lamp hangs in the corner. Modern touches like these lamps, wall-mounted flat screen TVs, floating shelves, and sleek furniture give the half-century- old house a contemporary feel.

Along with the addition of the master bedroom wing, Phil added a covered patio, accessible from both the master bedroom and the living room. At the touch of a button, two walls of retractable screens descend from the ceiling to the patio floor, offering complete protection from rain and insects, while still allowing access to evening breezes and sounds of nature. Misters along the roof and seawall repel mosquitoes and no-see ums with a natural citronella-based product, making Florida evenings even more enjoyable.

When installing the new pool and patio, Phil echoed the existing curve of the seawall in the patio so that the pool deck, yard and seawall all maintain the same gentle curve. From the patio it seems as if you are looking over the curving rail of a ship to the water below.

The modern open kitchen, with custom built dark wood cabinets and built-in appliances, shares the same rock wall from the entryway. If you look closely, and follow the line of the interior rock wall, you’ll see how it continues outside, recreated as a sea glass covered wall by the steps of the pool.

This is a perfect example of Phil’s unique design details that give his home, and those homes he creates for others, award winning style.

Phil Kean Designs has received numerous accolades for outstanding designs and green building techniques, including the Orlando Business Journal’s 2008 Readers’ Choice Awards as Best Custom Home Builder.

“Winning the People’s Choice award was a great honor,” acknowledges Phil.

But Phil’s sense of accomplishment comes helping people realize their dreams, and from following his own dream.

As the son of a contractor/carpenter, the passion for building and design bloomed early in Phil.

“I’ve always been fascinated with blueprints. I would walk around a job site with my dad and imagine where the rooms would be. I can see blueprints in 3-D in my head.”

At a time when most men are settling into their careers, Phil Kean abruptly changed his course.

“When 9/11 hit it was a big impetus to live my dream,” recalls Phil.

At that time he owned a successful chain of stores called the Stamp Cabana, but his heart (along with a Masters degree and MBA) was in architecture and design.

“Changing careers at 40 was the scariest thing I ever did,” said Phil. But he has never looked back. “I love helping people build their dream home.”

Phil talks about his beach retreat with affection, pointing out little imperfections that are part of the house. The smooth, refinished terrazzo floor shows wear from the past 50 years of use.

“They said the stain would come out, but it didn’t,” he says, pointing with his foot to a dark mark on the floor. “Now I kind of like the way it looks. It’s part of the history of the house.”

The remodel project has become his weekend get-a-way. A place where he can lie low, visit his favorite restaurant, The Fat Snook, or enjoy a long run on the beach. He can relax with family and friends, and let the natural beauty of Florida coastal living surround him.

To learn more about Phil Kean Designs, visit www.philkeandesigns.com.