As the saying goes, “if you are not living on the edge, you are taking up too much room.”

Living your best life means striking a balance between staying in your comfort zone and taking risks. Those willing to push the limits are often rewarded with some of life’s greatest riches. Living on the edge offers the opportunity to experience the exceptional. For some, it’s about thrill and adventure; for others it’s about accomplishing a noteworthy feat or obtaining the best. An experience like this may require travel, but you may also find it right at home.

At the brink of it all is often where you can uncover the most beautiful extreme. This is why many awe-worthy homes are dramatically positioned on nature’s edge. From panoramic ocean views to infinity pools, owning a cliff top property often comes with perks.

Built into a ledge or a rocky promontory, living on the edge is taken literally in these five magnificent coastal homes.

A New England Cliffside

Designed by world-renowned Schwartz/Silver Architects this captivating oceanfront contemporary is an architectural masterpiece.

Perched high on top of Little’s Point, a rocky promontory with crashing waves below and unlimited ocean views, you’ll find the natural beauty of the outdoors and three levels of superb interior design that create an unparalleled luxury experience.

This magnificent 5-bedroom home perfectly blends arcing forms, soaring ceilings and expansive windows to create panoramic views of sea and sky. Right whales (one of the most endangered of all large whales) have been spotted from the expansive decks.

Located at the end of a private lane, the gated residence on 1.4 acres of beautifully landscaped grounds, provides its owner with the ultimate, quiet, oceanfront lifestyle just 30 minutes from Boston.

Pacific Promontory

Designed by Ken Ronchetti, this once in a lifetime residence blends contemporary, warmth and elegant styles seamlessly. Occupying its own sea bluff and nestled between sandstone and verdant canyon terrain, the idyllic oceanfront setting is exceedingly private.

Commanding views of the ocean, sunsets and sandy beach below through voluminous walls of glass are paired with copious outdoor terraces, which only enhance the continuity to its natural environment. Dramatic design encompasses a separate 1-bedroom guesthouse and studio that surround the zero-edge infinity pool. State of the art Savant automation home system allows for effortless and flawless operation.

Built in 2003, the home’s 8,627 square-feet of living space includes a guest house and studio, 2,932 square-feet of stone terraces, decks, and balconies, 1.19 acre site, a gated private driveway for ingress/egress and a 1,071 square-foot, 3-cargarage with storage from gated motor court. The 1 bedroom guest house has ocean views and is equipped with separate washer/dryer. La Jolla Farms residence allows for private road beach access privileges.

Unrivaled Views of Catalina Island

Imagine waking every day to the sound of crashing waves against the iconic bluffs of Palos Verdes. The simple beauty of the Point Vicente Lighthouse framed by the silhouette of Catalina Island in the background leaves you breathless. Dive into the Infinity pool, water pouring over the edge of the bluff as if escaping to the Pacific below.

Consider improving upon this property to create your dream home on the perfect south facing, sun filled Lunada Bay bluff. The residence, styled with timeless modern design by renowned local architect Louie Tomaro, encompasses 6,155 square feet of living space and features 5 bedrooms, 5.5 baths, a spectacular mezzanine office, laundry room, basement level theater and game room, 3-car garage and more. Renderings of City Approved Plans by Tomaro Design Group are available.

Life at Lighthouse Watch

No other home demands dramatic sunrises and ocean views quite like Lighthouse Watch. Perched at the edge of the sea, in a community of other exclusive homes, this custom-designed home reflects the brilliance of the deep ocean in every finely tuned detail.

Rich Honduran mahogany lines the floors and oversized crown molding contours the 10-foot-tall ceilings, setting the stage for the reflections of the waves to dance upon your walls from the ocean views in every room. Luxury washes over each visitor from the second they enter through the double mahogany doors and step in the grand foyer.

With 3-levels of living space, you will find everything you want and more. A state-of-the-art kitchen is perfect for any home chef, with a marble island, high-end appliances, and a separate breakfast nook.

The master is just one of four en-suites, and features an office, and dressing areas, a walk-in closet, and a fireplace to warm up by after an evening of watching the sunset on your own private deck. The garden level is home to an oversized laundry room, with additional space to finish and make completely your own.

A Surf Song on a Golf Course

Surf Song is a secluded estate north of Bandon Dunes Golf Resort. Surrounded by fragrant gardens within verdant forests, the home sits atop a magnificent promontory with unparalleled panoramic views from every room.

The Agate Lane compound consists of 3.6 acres at end of a private road in a gated community. There are three buildable parcels: one with the 5,448 square-foot home on the bluff overlooking the Pacific Ocean, another landscaped oceanfront parcel with a terrific vista to the Northwest, and a third parcel with significant ocean views.

The home was built to exacting standards and its thoughtful design makes it as easy to host formal dinner parties, as it is family movie nights with popcorn and pizza.

Built in harmony with nature, you’ll sense the rhythm of the ocean, feel the cadence and power of growing storms, and appreciate the transcendent calmness that comes with entering this special environment.

Originally published in September 16, 2019 by sothebysrealty