Water seems to be a recurring theme for London studio Denizen Works, which won acclaim last year for a coastal home on the Scottish Isle of Tiree. The setting for this six-bedroom build is a little less wild, though no less lovely. The architects have rightly deferred to the site’s remarkable views of Brighton Marina and beyond, installing wide picture windows and sliding doors in any wall that might block a glimpse of shimmering blue. Leaning on slatted timber, terrazzo and marble, the house is a radical departure from the rows of Victorian terraces in nearby Kemptown and the grand Regency villas further along the seafront.

British master painter JMW Turner famously declared the skies over the Thanet as “the loveliest in all Europe” – and it was the seaside resort of Margate that he returned to time and time again. Today, however, it’s not just about the beautiful views: this stretch of the Kent coast has become a destination for art and food alike – and all of it is within easy reach of this home. Tucked away on a quiet lane but minutes from the seafront and the old town, this mews house has been carefully renovated by its current owners. Its wide Crittall windows recall a historic shopfront, while an unexpected void to the rear draws yet more light into the open living space. Walls clad in driftwood play it just right, nodding to the coastal setting without veering into nautical pastiche.

Some of the great 20th-century architects raised estates and even entire suburbs; others only a handful of homes. German modernist Eugen Kaufmann was one of the latter, leaving behind precious few projects on British soil, making the survivors all the more special. One of four still standing in Angmering-on-Sea, this family home follows early mid-century principles to the mark, from sharp lines and stepped levels to the integrated garage and clerestory windows. The effect is smartly softened by an external spiral staircase, connecting the bedrooms and balcony with the secluded garden. On a quiet day you can hear the waves coming in at East Preston beach.

Building on the otherworldly headland of Dungeness is rightly restricted, so dwellings here have to cut simple silhouettes and lie low in the landscape. This three-bedroom house on the beach is a case in point. Arranged over a single storey – there is little need for elevation here, where sight lines stretch to the horizon in every direction – its profile was inspired by the old 19th-century train-carriages-turned-homes that dot Britain’s only desert. For many, the black clapboard exterior will bring to mind Derek Jarman’s Prospect Cottage, a beloved local landmark only a short walk across the shingle.

A masterclass in white, this Dungeness home is proof, if needed, that it’s worth being precise with your paint charts. Here, pleasing neutrals bounce soft light around the space, with the lines of floorboards, beams and shiplap walls lending subtle texture. An unusual lateral layout makes a star of the solo upstairs bedroom, which has its own balcony accessed through French doors – a boon for bright mornings, to be enjoyed with coffee in hand. Cleverly, the low wall that marks the front boundary just obscures the road, so that views from downstairs suggest one continuous stretch from the shingle to the sea.

A pretty village that is now considered a suburb of Folkestone, quiet Sandgate has retained its relaxed character. This one-bedroom apartment on the Victorian promenade has a handful of highly sought-after extras, from the separate study and utility space to the small terrace and share of the freehold. But we suspect the practicalities might fade into the background once you get a good eyeful of the view from the bay window, which has been fitted with bench seating by the owners for ultimate lingering on sunny days. Built-in wardrobes, a marble bathroom and a sleek new kitchen with oak worktops and open shelving round out the renovation.

Sandwiched between Dover and Deal, pretty St Margaret’s Bay is the launch pad of choice for Channel swimmers, thanks to its relative proximity to France – rumour has it that your mobile network might get muddled if you linger too long on the white chalk cliffs. Predictably, plots here are hard to come by – and a site like this with a wildflower meadow is a rare affair indeed. A resourceful design by Holloway Studio proposes a 2,200sq ft home angled for privacy from the road, with an open triangular living space and modish interiors in oak and concrete. An east-facing terrace will catch the morning light.