130SUM21_cover-FINAL_NoUPC

Building Business: This is Del Mar

Cape Cod Home  /  Summer 2021 /

Writer: Allyson Plessner / Photographer: Mike Crane 

Building Business: This is Del Mar

130SUM21_cover-FINAL_NoUPC

Cape Cod Home  /  Summer 2021 /

Writer: Allyson Plessner / Photographer: Mike Crane 

With a sleek new office space and an ever-growing year-round staff, Del Mar Vacations is well-positioned to provide both renters and homeowners with an exceptional Cape Cod experience.

The spaces in which we live and work directly affect one’s well-being; if a bedroom is cluttered, you may also feel scattered or unorganized. In fact, in many instances a room can be an extension of your personality (this is your sign to go for that brightly colored couch you’ve been eyeing). An office space should be no different. Developing a vibrant and successful brand should extend into every detail of a company, right down to the color of the office walls. For Del Mar Vacations, their brand is one of dedicated service and attention to detail. The company culture is defined by a love of Cape Cod—heralded by their growing staff of year-round employees—and a commitment to incomparable quality. Now, they have the office space to match.

“When we looked at the building it was this massive, cedar shingle warehouse in the middle of Orleans. It was very imposing,” shares Luke Chapman, CEO and founder of Del Mar Vacations, about their original office space. “We wanted to take this imposing building and modernize it using dark colors, so it almost disappears. It’s still very present, but because of its size and location on a hill, we wanted it to feel less overbearing.” For years, Del Mar has provided both homeowners and vacationers with full-service rental experiences from Dennis to Provincetown. Renters can expect Del Mar to meet their every need, right down to providing fresh hotel-quality towels, and homeowners can trust that their property is secure and well-maintained. For Chapman, it seemed only right that the Del Mar office space receive the same, unparalleled level of attention that he provides to his owners and guests.

When deciding to reinvigorate the Del Mar offices, Chapman turned to his friend and former college roommate, Wes Piermarini, to conceptualize the design. “I’m very proud to have a friend involved,” says Chapman. “He’s all the way in Canada, but his creative spirit shines through in this new space.” Piermarini’s designs are characterized by light touches to the exterior and interior of the building, breathing life and distinctive character into the space without changing the original footprint, and to carry out those plans Chapman entrusted Eastham-based Cape Associates. Through valuable collaboration with Chapman, the Cape Associates team turned Piermarini’s vision into full-scale documents and, eventually, a striking new space. Rich Bryant, executive vice president of Cape Associates, perfectly defines the finished project in a single word: “sleek.”

“The new look is very modern, with fine-lined windows and doors that create a black accent tone which ties into the gutters and roofing,” explains Bryant. Horizontal channel siding (known for being low-maintenance and having recessed grooves between boards) gives the exterior a contemporary look. This is particularly emphasized by the deep navy color, “the darkest blue you can have without adding any black pigment,” emphasizes Chapman. The decision to avoid that black pigment, which would require a higher energy use to keep the building cool, came from a desire for energy efficiency. “Dark colors and composite products can lead to excessive thermal expansion of the product, so getting the correct heat resistive formula was critical,” explains Bryant. Creating an energy efficient design is a distinctive way in which Chapman’s vision and attention to specifics shines.

“The owner has an incredible eye toward detail,” elaborates Bryant. “We managed to take a building more than 40 years old and increase the overall thermal performance through a new weather resistive barrier and siding, high-performance wall insulation, energy efficient windows and doors, and a new standing seam metal roof.” To top it off, the team at Cape Associates also incorporated a new solar array to help offset energy usage. 

Inside, blue jean-colored carpets are contrasted by pops of invigorating orange (Del Mar’s signature colors), and contemporary desks and lighting make for a handsome yet subdued appearance. Windows and glass partitions between workspaces add to that elegant yet fashion-forward environment. Since the footprint didn’t change, the window placement throughout the first floor also remained the same, meaning that there are some asymmetrical elements that defy the symmetry of the space, creating an edgy feel. The best part of the new space? A third roof deck surrounded by stylish, stainless cable rails with views of Orleans’ Town Cove. 

“There are multiple levels of decking and with the stainless steel cables, navy siding, and a cool breeze, you almost feel like you’re on a yacht,” elaborates Chapman. “I think that captures our brand well—it’s this feeling of vacation elegance.” Del Mar embodies both the classic, timeless energy of Cape Cod as well as the accessible, modern requirements of the service industry, and the space certainly speaks to that. “For us, it’s the five-star service that’s really important,” emphasizes Chapman. “Anyone can get their house booked, but that doesn’t mean they’ll be getting the level of service they deserve.” 

Chapman would say that Del Mar solves problems, but it is perhaps even more accurate to say that they anticipate needs—everything from landscaping to housekeeping, the level of service at Del Mar is distinct. And in a world where convenience is king, customers can rest easy knowing that their home or vacation is being handled by a professional, and importantly, local team. 

“You can’t outsource service,” explains Chapman. “Our staff is integrated and talking to each other all the time. We support over 40 year-round jobs, another 30 seasonal employees, and around 100 part-time seasonal team members which means that we can provide true, on-the-ground protection for your home.” Having such a large, local staff means that the Del Mar team has both the expertise and resources to provide renters with long-lasting Cape Cod memories and homeowners with the peace of mind knowing that their home is being taken care of at a standard befitting the Del Mar brand. The growing staff was also a big part of the decision to revitalize the Del Mar offices in order to increase efficiency and give the team a place to work that is representative of the culture of their company. An undeniable benefit to the overall Cape community as a whole is the unseen investment the company makes to the local infrastructure. A gainfully employed work force supports the local economy, and the rental industry that is often derided or criticized is reponsible for millions of dollars flowing to muncipalities from occupancy taxes.

From the desirable areas to work out on the deck, to the functional, chic offices inside, the Del Mar office has become a true a reflection of the brand, thanks to the insight of the Del Mar team and the expertise of those at Cape Associates. Entering the building is like looking at a snapshot of the refined personality that is Del Mar: style, functionality, detail, comfort, and overall, unrivaled experience. These are all the things that make up a great vacation rental, and coincidentally, (or perhaps more accurately: intentionally) they are what form the foundation of Del Mar—both figuratively, and now with a reinvigorated building, literally. 

If you’re looking to find Del Mar online—though really their new office is one that deserves to be enjoyed in person—like many of the deliberate details of the organization, it is perhaps fitting that their URL is thisisdelmar.com. That is because every experience with Del Mar, be it in a home, or in their stunning new office, has an unmistakable quality of exceptionalism—one that will make you say, beyond a doubt, “This is Del Mar.” 

For more on Del Mar, visit thisisdelmar.com, and to reach Cape Associates, visit capeassociates.com.

Allyson Plessner is a freelance writer for Cape Cod Life Publications.

Allyson Plessner

Allyson Plessner is a former editorial intern for Cape Cod Life and now works for the publication as a staff writer and digital media coordinator. Born in Florida, Allyson has been a lifelong summer resident of the Cape. She is a recent alumna of the College of Charleston, located in Charleston, South Carolina, where she completed bachelor’s degrees in both English and Spanish. In her free time, Allyson is an avid sailor, beach-goer, and—like her fellow Cape Cod Life colleagues—a dog-lover.