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Houzz Tour: Modern California Beach House
Generous windows, mountain views and an open floor plan bring spaciousness to a modest-size, ecofriendly coastal home
Architect David Wilson in Berkeley, California, had been on the hunt for the perfect plot of land in Stinson Beach for years. This small beach community in Northern California is just north of San Francisco in Marin County and is one of the few stretches of usable beach in the area. For Wilson and his wife, Stacia Cronin, it was their dream location for a modern and ecofriendly home.
Eventually, they found the ideal spot — a south-sloping plot of land with beautiful views of Mount Tamalpais' ridges and the perfect amount of sunlight for solar power. There was only one problem: They were limited by zoning laws to 1,400 square feet. But this was a welcome challenge for Wilson, because it meant minimizing his home's footprint as much as possible.
Houzz at a Glance
Who lives here: David Wilson, Stacia Cronin, and their Labrador, Teton
Location: Stinson Beach, California
Size: 1,400 square feet
That's interesting: The south-sloping roofline is perfectly situated for solar panels, which supply the home's annual energy needs.
Eventually, they found the ideal spot — a south-sloping plot of land with beautiful views of Mount Tamalpais' ridges and the perfect amount of sunlight for solar power. There was only one problem: They were limited by zoning laws to 1,400 square feet. But this was a welcome challenge for Wilson, because it meant minimizing his home's footprint as much as possible.
Houzz at a Glance
Who lives here: David Wilson, Stacia Cronin, and their Labrador, Teton
Location: Stinson Beach, California
Size: 1,400 square feet
That's interesting: The south-sloping roofline is perfectly situated for solar panels, which supply the home's annual energy needs.
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Wilson's biggest design priority was to take full advantage of the home's view of Mount Tamalpais, which sits just behind the property. Wilson decided to open up the home and implement a clerestory window system and high rooflines, which ensure that this stunning view is completely visible from the home's great room.
Corrugated Galvalume metal was used with cement-board siding to create a strong, clean and economical exterior. Wilson and his firm did all of the landscaping themselves, implementing local varieties of coastal plant life.
Corrugated Galvalume metal was used with cement-board siding to create a strong, clean and economical exterior. Wilson and his firm did all of the landscaping themselves, implementing local varieties of coastal plant life.
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A full wall of windows exposes the living room to one of the mountain ranges just beyond the house. Recycled wood ceiling decking — salvaged from the old gymnasium at Stanford University — warms up the steel and glass in this space. Ecofriendliness was important, so the home was designed to ventilate completely naturally, and concrete flooring and open-cell foam insulation help maintain the temperature.
Chandelier: Foscarini, Lightweight
Chandelier: Foscarini, Lightweight
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A custom built-in seating area serves as a replacement for a space-sucking sofa or armchairs. The plush leather cushions and custom pillows are incredibly comfortable but allow the living room to feel open and light. The coffee table is a piece that Wilson designed especially for this house.
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The color palette naturally developed as the house's design progressed. Rather than deciding on it from the beginning, Wilson decided to base his design on how the color of each new material and finish reacted to the previous ones.
While most of the walls are made of an unfinished and uncolored plaster, the hallway is done in a green integral color plaster, which draws the eye down the hallway toward the stairwell. The mossy green works beautifully with the cool gray stone of the fireplace surround.
While most of the walls are made of an unfinished and uncolored plaster, the hallway is done in a green integral color plaster, which draws the eye down the hallway toward the stairwell. The mossy green works beautifully with the cool gray stone of the fireplace surround.
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Even though the house is on a tight lot, the large windows and clear views help it feel open and connected to the outdoors. Wilson brought more of the natural outdoor elements inside with a custom dining table of his own design. Photos by Wilson and a painting by Chase Wilson add color to the white walls.
Dining chairs: Design Within Reach; chandelier: Foscarini, Lightweight
Dining chairs: Design Within Reach; chandelier: Foscarini, Lightweight
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| Quarter-sewn olive ash was used for the light-colored kitchen cabinetry. The bar stools are part of a set that Wilson designed in the 1990s, and they work perfectly with the cabinetry's light hue. Pendants from Prandina provide ample lighting for the island workspace and blend in with the space's modern décor. |
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| A custom stainless steel hood, upper cabinetry and concrete tiles all reinforce the home's modern theme, but they were also chosen for their sturdy and economical designs. Granite countertops in an antique finish were also chosen for their durability as well as their aesthetic. |
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| Wilson shaped the design of the house around a great room, with bedrooms and bathrooms branching off the main space. The connected living room, dining room and kitchen allow for a large and inviting space to host family and friends who trek out to the beach. |
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Instead of cutting down on communal space, Wilson scaled down the size of the bedrooms to fit everything in. They were designed to fit the necessities: a bed and little else.
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| A solar thermal array was installed on the south-sloping roofline as an efficient means for the home to produce its own energy. The roofline has the perfect orientation for this installation, and it's able to provide all the energy needs throughout the year. Metal fabrication: Hellikson Design; windows and doors: Blomberg; sinks: Concreteworks; lighting: City Electric, Sunny St. Pierre; cabinets: Richard Klunge; recycled wood: Crossroads; structural steel: Allen Steel More Houzz Tours: A Cheerful Beach House for Every Season Urban Beach Style at Beach Bungalow 8 Style and Surprise in the Hamptons |
Ideabook updated on Feb. 21, 2012.
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