Where the lawn slopes down to the waters of Casco Bay at 76 West Shore Drive, a hammock and two Adirondack chairs are ready for recliners to watch boats, big and small, move between themselves, Portland’s Eastern Promenade and Mackworth Island.

Also looking out over that 182-feet of ocean frontage is a spacious yet simple home, tucked back into the trees just enough to be shielded from any boats looking back.

The western wall is covered in windows, including floor-to-ceiling glass in the living room. On the first floor, and also bathed in natural light, are the master bedroom and an office space. Outside on the deck, a built-in grill can help cook up dinner and then transition to a fireplace to keep you warm when the sun goes down.

Pull back a little more and there’s the fully heated outbuilding, nearly 1,000 square feet of open space where sky light radiates off the hardwood floors. With a half bath and tall French doors that open to the waterfront side, it could make a luxurious guest house or be the perfect place for a summer soiree.

The home and studio were designed by Samuel Van Dam, a prodigious architect who has built many New England homes and influential Portland-area projects like renovations at Portland Head Light and new marine laboratories for the State of Maine, Bowdoin College and University of New England.

On Diamond Cove you get around by golf cart or bicycle, blending into the history of Fort McKinley which housed 1,500 military members at one point between World Wars I and II. Now on the National Register of Historic Places, the beautiful, red-brick residences can be rented or owned while some of the artillery buildings have been left to return to nature.

As members of the Diamond Cove Homeowners Association, residents have exclusive access to tennis courts, five private beaches, as well as a gym, weekly yoga classes and an indoor basketball court. At the main landing, Diamond’s Edge and Crown Jewel are a harmonious pair of classic and hip restaurants.

All in all, the home at West Shore Drive fits right in to the artistic, leisurely history of Diamond Cove, a private community that guarantees peace and seclusion with a quick connection to the mainland.

76 West Shore Drive is listed at $1,399,000 by David Banks of RE/MAX By The Bay in Portland. Please contact David at 207-773-2345 or at david@davidbanksteam.com.

Comments are not available on this story.