Houzz Tours
Houzz Tour: A Mindfully Built Coastal Retreat in California
Ancient Indian building principles inform a 70-acre family haven on the Central Coast
For a busy professional couple with equally busy grown children, a place to regroup and reconnect with family is vital — and for this particular family, building with intention was far more important than building quickly. With the help of architect Mary Ann Gabriele Schicketanz, these homeowners followed the strict Indian building principles of Sthapatya Veda to deliberately and meticulously construct a coastal retreat.
Sthapatya is a word from ancient India that means “establishment,” and Veda means “knowledge.” The guiding principles of the practice are based on an understanding of established cosmic order. Each element of the building must face a certain direction, and a particular emphasis is placed on the importance of using green building materials.
The result of this painstaking effort? A home that is appropriate for the art of recentering.
Sthapatya is a word from ancient India that means “establishment,” and Veda means “knowledge.” The guiding principles of the practice are based on an understanding of established cosmic order. Each element of the building must face a certain direction, and a particular emphasis is placed on the importance of using green building materials.
The result of this painstaking effort? A home that is appropriate for the art of recentering.
Reclaimed barn siding clads the exterior of the home, creating an almost cabinlike facade and immediately reinforcing that its purpose is to provide repose.
Exterior doors and windows: Blomberg
Exterior doors and windows: Blomberg
Flowers float in a large bowl, carved from a single piece of marble. It sits on the sand as a minimal centerpiece.
While the house was being designed, the homeowners purchased a large piece of abstract art specifically for the wall in the dining room. “It really defines the space,” Schicketanz says.
The homeowners also owned a small collection of antique light shades, which lighting designer Terry Ohm incorporated into a custom light fixture and suspended above the dining table.
Flooring: distressed wide-plank walnut
The homeowners also owned a small collection of antique light shades, which lighting designer Terry Ohm incorporated into a custom light fixture and suspended above the dining table.
Flooring: distressed wide-plank walnut
Jerusalem Gold limestone clads the wet zones and countertops in the master bathroom.
Plumbing fixtures: Henry series in antique brass, Waterworks; bathtub: Empire, Waterworks; custom reclaimed light fixtures: Ohm Light
Plumbing fixtures: Henry series in antique brass, Waterworks; bathtub: Empire, Waterworks; custom reclaimed light fixtures: Ohm Light
A small living area allows guests to relax in solitude. The pullout sofa can accommodate extra sleepers.
Flooring: antique herringbone, Exquisite Surfaces
Flooring: antique herringbone, Exquisite Surfaces
The bedroom in this guest house, in keeping with the rest of the property, remains minimally furnished yet abundant in warmth. Dappled light filters in through the windows, and sweeping views support a constant connection to nature — both as a principle of Sthapatya Veda and as an essential tool in the pursuit of tranquillity.
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Houzz at a Glance
Who lives here: Empty nesters and their grown children
Location: California’s Central Coast
Size: Main house of 4,000 square feet (372 square meters), plus small separate guest houses, on 70 acres (28 hectares)
Designers: Architect Mary Ann Gabriele Schicketanz of Studio Schicketanz and lighting designer Terry Ohm of Ohm Light
“It took a long time to source the right materials,” Schicketanz says. “We went about the process very slowly in order to have a project that was very well integrated with the site.”
The project was originally built completely off the grid. Today, a connection to the grid exists, but the entire property is primarily serviced by a large solar array, and conservation of natural resources remains very important to the family.