5 Green Design Trends for Custom Homes

February 18, 2019

Custom homes have a unique place in the world of new construction, offering an opportunity for experimentation with new eco-friendly materials and design trends that could eventually become common in all newly built homes. At…

What’s New In Home Design - Inside and Out - For 2019

February 12, 2019

While timeless design is always in, two experts - Designer and Builder Marnie Oursler, CEO of Marnie Custom Homes and host of DIY Networks’s Big Beach Builds, and Washington, DC Designer Annie Elliott, owner of…

How To Make Sure Your New-Construction Home Is Built To The Highest Quality

January 3, 2019

In the 10 years that Wendy Arriz has been a real estate agent in New York City, she’s seen some of the best, selling ultraluxe new-construction homes, as well as lower-priced properties. But she’s also…

The 5 Biggest Trends in Beach House Design According to Celebrity Builder Marnie Oursler

December 10, 2018

Whether you’re dreaming of renovating a current home, building anew, or are simply dreaming, chances are you’ve spent more than a few afternoons glued to a design-focused reality show. And if your dreams involve bliss…

ASK A DESIGNER: Interior doors can add light, personality

November 9, 2018

Clients are sometimes surprised when home builder and designer Marnie Oursler starts talking about bedroom doors. They expect to discuss things like windows, wall colors and where a built-in bookcase might fit best. But many…

Marnie Oursler’s BUILDING BIG: The 2001 alumna’s beach homes are prime time

September 17, 2018

She’s still just as busy, only now she’s juggling her own business, Marnie Custom Homes, and a TV show on the DIY Network, “Big Beach Builds.” “My days are kinda crazy,” she says. “If we’re…

Home & Design: The Scene

September 4, 2018

Marnie attended a Home & Design reception at Poggenpohl in Georgetown. Marnie was featured in an issue of Home & Design magazine and attended the event to meet other design industry professionals also highlighted, as…

Prime Time

August 16, 2018

DIY Network star and custom builder Marnie Oursler brings functionality and coastal cool to her own Bethany Beach home.

Breezy Ways to Incorporate Beachy Design

August 9, 2018

Every summer, people flock to their local sandy shores for a little R & R. But whether you live near a beach (or just dream about it) you can incorporate a classic coastal style at…

Ask a Designer: Closet organization that lasts

August 7, 2018

Most people don’t start out with a messy closet. Even when a closet is carefully organized at the beginning, however, it might not take long for order to turn to chaos.

A home by the sea that’s always ready to welcome waves of guests

July 28, 2018

Ocean’s 11, a Marnie Custom Homes design with an inspiring background, is the cover story in the Real Estate section of the Washington Post.

Welcome to the Beach

June 27, 2018

Tom and Lisa Kloster kicked off and wrapped up the summer in Bethany Beach, Delaware. The Potomac couple loved to escape the grind of their busy lives in the D.C. area for a slower pace on…

Beach Beauty

June 26, 2018

Abby and Neil Imus found the ideal place to build their vacation home, a rare vacant lot on the ocean in Bethany Beach. To transform their vision of a high-end, family-friendly retreat into a reality,…

My Real-Life Big Beach Build

June 22, 2018

DIY Network star Marnie Oursler takes on colossal coastal projects - this time, her own! Marnie gave a tour of her own home, Dream Catcher, as part of a feature for the July/August edition of…

HGTV Magazine

June 13, 2018

HGTV Magazine is sharing tips and tricks from the folks the HGTV and DIY Network hosts count on to make houses look fresh and fab. Marnie's painter Ed Hileman says "Pro's don't always prime fresh…

Bring the beach home: Expert tips for designing a relaxing, coastal space

May 3, 2018

WASHINGTON — There’s something about a beach house that triggers a state of instant relaxation. Sure, the location doesn’t hurt (especially if there are miles between you and your inbox), but there’s more to it…

"New Year, New Pier" for Entertainment Cruises at the Wharf

April 16, 2018

Entertainment Cruises, Washington, DC, celebrated its “New Year New Pier” initiative with a private tour unveiling their new office space– shaped like a ship and located in the heart of the revitalized Wharf complex.

Big Beach Builds with Marnie Oursler

April 11, 2018

Marnie Oursler, host of DIY Network’s Big Beach Builds shows some fancy beach home renovations! Catch season 2 of Big Beach Builds on the DIY Network.

Big Beach Builds: Q&A with Marnie Oursler

April 6, 2018

I’ve spent practically my entire life vacationing on the Delaware shoreline, from Fenwick Island, where my parents had three different places over the years (including this one), up to Bethany and Rehoboth beaches...

Marnie Oursler’s ‘Big Beach Builds’ Season 2 Airs April 9

April 4, 2018

Home building in Bethany Beach is second nature for fifth-generation builder Marnie Oursler, who grew up in Virginia and Maryland before making Bethany Beach her new hometown and starting Marnie Custom Homes while in her…

Trendsetting And Forerunning Your Industry With Marnie Oursler

April 25, 2017

Today’s guest spends her time building luxury homes and is also an Entrepreneur and CEO of Marnie Custom Homes. Her company is based in Bethany Beach, Delaware and specializes in building beach homes which are…

Bethany Beach Woman Builds On Family Legacy Of Builders

April 23, 2017

BETHANY BEACH, Del. (AP) - From picking up garbage at homes created by her father to her own series on the DIY Network, Marnie Oursler’s story weaves together a family legacy of builders. “It’s all…

Bethany’s Marnie Oursler Launches Charity Website

April 20, 2017

Bethany Beach homebuilder Marnie Oursler recently announced the launch of Sawdust & Salt Co., an online shop where 100 percent of profits are donated to charity. Oursler said she opened the online store because she…

Marnie Oursler Builds On Family Legacy Of Builders

April 17, 2017

From picking up garbage at homes created by her father to her own series on the DIY Network, Marnie Oursler's story weaves together a family legacy of builders. "It's all just been so incredible," Oursler…

Upgrading Your Beach House This Summer

April 10, 2017

DIY network star of Big Beach Builds, Marnie Oursler chats with Chris about how you can update and revitalize your beach home.

Marnie Oursler Launches Sawdust & Salt Co.Online Shop; 100% Of Profits Donated To Charity

April 3, 2017

Bethany Beach, DE – Marnie Oursler, Founder and President of Marnie Custom Homes and star of beach home renovation show Big Beach Builds on DIY Network, is pleased to announce the launch of Sawdust &…

Bethany Beach Homebuilder To Debut DIY Network TV Show

March 16, 2017

Bethany Beach homebuilder Marnie Oursler makes being a woman in a male-dominated industry work to her advantage. "If I'm building a house for a husband and wife, I connect with both.

A builder who's been in the field for 14 years says the smartest choice you can make building a home has nothing to do with money or location

March 15, 2017

If you're planning — or considering — building a home, you're probably asking yourself two questions: "Where?" and "How much?" But Marnie Oursler, star of "Big Beach Builds," says the most important question you should…

The D.I.Y. Network comes to Delaware beaches with new show 'Big Beach Builds'

March 13, 2017

With her out-of-the-box thinking and construction background, Marnie Oursler now has her own show on the D.I.Y. Network called Big Beach Builds.

Northern High grad to star on DIY Network show

March 8, 2017

One of Calvert County’s own is DIY Network’s newest star. Marnie Oursler will be the host of the upcoming “Big Beach Builds” show premiering March 20 at 9 p.m. Oursler’s family moved to Calvert County…

Building a dream by the ocean

March 8, 2017

Hollywood, MD - For generations, the men in Marnie Oursler’s family have been builders. Oursler grew up in Prince George’s County and lived briefly in Northern Virginia before her family moved to Calvert County. The…

It's All in the Details: 5 Ways to Bring Coastal Style to Your Home Year-Round

February 28, 2017

Marnie Oursler, host of DIY Network’s new series, Big Beach Builds, constructs and decorates custom homes for clients along the Delaware coastline. Inspired by childhood summers at the beach, Marnie incorporates the same "relaxed" coastal…

Marnie Oursler Built One of the First All-American Homes; Here’s What She Learned

February 13, 2017

Nearly 60 percent of everything Americans buy comes from overseas, including what’s in our homes. Though purchasing home products and materials overseas may be cheaper up front, it comes with risk and can be costlier…

Marnie Oursler Delivers Keynote Address At Women In Business Downstate Luncheon

December 1, 2016

Thursday, December 1, 2016 BRIDGEVILLE, DE – Marnie Oursler, President of Marnie Custom Homes, delivered the keynote address at The Women in Business Downstate Luncheon, hosted by Delaware Today Magazine and the Delaware Business Times.…

Bethany Beach Builder Marnie Oursler Joins Board Of Advisors For The Center Of Entrepreneurship And Innovation At Duke University’s Fuqua School Of Business

August 18, 2016

BETHANY BEACH, DE – Award-winning Bethany Beach builder Marnie Oursler has been named a member of the Board of Advisors for The Center of Entrepreneurship and Innovation at The Fuqua School of Business at Duke…

Marnie Named The Coolest Woman in Delaware

August 12, 2016

We’ll start with a disclaimer: There are just waaaay too many awesome women in this country. So we had to pare it down to one per state. From small but important accomplishments (like being the…

Marnie Homes Named One of 13 "Cool Companies" In Delaware

July 20, 2016

Delaware is a place where everybody knows everybody. Or do we? Cool new companies are sprouting up all over the state, and some stalwart companies are reinventing themselves. Let us introduce you to 13 of…

How This Home Builder Survived the Recession and Landed a TV Show

June 2, 2016

Marnie Oursler’s steely work ethic and bubbly personality helped. It sounds like the punchline to a twisted joke. But in July 2007, at the precipice of the subprime mortgage crisis that would send the entire…

How rooftop decks are becoming the must-have amenity for 2016

May 14, 2016

When Conrad Lifsey and his partner, Derek Loftin, who own a luxury RV rental company in Palm Springs, bought a house 2015 in a property development called Sol, what sealed the deal for them wasn’t…

DIY Network to air 'Big Beach Builds' series

March 31, 2016

SALISBURY, Md. — When Bethany Beach builder Marnie Oursler's television pilot, Big Beach Builds, aired on HGTV in February, she was unsure what was next. She was hopeful a network would decide to turn the…

Bethany builder hosts HGTV pilot

February 5, 2016

Bethany Beach-based custom home builder Marnie Oursler will be bringing national attention to coastal Delaware when HGTV premieres the pilot episode of her new show, Big Beach Builds, Friday Feb. 5. "One episode will take…

HGTV Female Entrepreneur Marnie Oursler

February 5, 2016

If you’re a female entrepreneur in today’s world, you know it’s an uphill battle. Being underestimated and overlooked is part of the game, and sometimes all you have is your own determination to bank on.…

Bethany Beach Renovator Lands HGTV Show

February 5, 2016

Bethany home renovator Marnie Oursler is normally figuring out the best way to construct households. With the debut of her new HGTV series, “Big Beach Builds,” she will now also try to entertain them.

Bethany Beach Woman To Appear on HGTV's "Big Beach Builds"

February 5, 2016

Adding a touch of summer decor to your home

February 3, 2016

Winter can sometimes be a drag, from the shorter days to the darker nights. But, Marnie Oursler, president of Marnie Custom Homes and star of HGTV's "Big Beach Build," showed us how we can brighten…

An HGTV star explains the one renovation mistake that could cost you a fortune

February 2, 2016

The most expensive mistake you can make when renovating your home — or building a new one — is a choice, says HGTV star Marnie Oursler of "Big Beach Builds." "If you decide you want…

DC Native Gets Her Own TV Show

February 2, 2016

Growing up in and around DC with parents who were both builders, Marnie Oursler had no intention of following in their footsteps.

“Big Beach Builds,” Reality Television on the Delaware Coast

February 2, 2016

Delaware is once again getting its fifteen minutes of fame. Bethany Beach, Delaware has recently been in the limelight after the development of a new reality television show. “Big Beach Builds,” premiers this Friday (February…

Audio: Bethany Beach Builder Lands Network TV Show

February 1, 2016

A Bethany Beach builder lands her own television series. Marnie Oursler owns Marnie Custom Homes, and will star in the pilot episode of the new series:

Bethany builder to star in HGTV show 'Big Beach Builds'

January 28, 2016

When Marnie Oursler started building resort homes in the Bethany Beach area, she never thought she'd have her own television series because of it. But now it's a possibility. Oursler, owner of Marnie Custom Homes,…

How one woman went from making $11 an hour to building a business that earns nearly $7 million a year

September 21, 2015

In 2003, when Marnie Oursler was 24 years old, she bought her first house. The home, in Bethany Beach, Delaware, where her family had vacationed when she was a child, was a $240,000 fixer-upper that…

One of the first All-American homes is in Bethany

July 21, 2015

About 60 percent of everything Americans buy comes from overseas. Marnie Oursler, from Marnie Homes, believes all-American-made is the key, when it comes to home building [...]

Cozy Bethany Beach House Inspiring Relaxation: The Lookout

July 6, 2015

Do you want to see how a builder’s home looks like? Here is Marnie Oursler’s former home, the Lookout, a beautiful white and blue Bethany Beach house. Customized to her own needs and desires, the…

How to have fun while creating a spectacular home

April 20, 2015

Marnie Oursler used to sell houses. Now she designs and builds stunning homes that delight her clients. And in doing so, Marnie has learnt how to run a successful business. Marnie knows how to have…

Bethany Beach’s Marnie Oursler Promotes Use of American Construction Products Through Marnie Homes

March 1, 2013

Marnie Oursler of Bethany Beach may be one of the few people to get accepted to a prestigious MBA program after admitting in an application letter that people thought she was crazy. But after eating…