Built for the Bluff, A Sea Ranch Home is Remade from the Inside Out The house had always been grounded, on an ocean bluff at The Sea Ranch. It sits unencumbered, adjacent to one of the most dramatic stretches of the Sonoma coast with protected commons meadow to the east, uninterrupted Pacific views to the west, and a bluff trail running alongside. What it lacked was the feeling of home, one that could hold up its own against the natural landscape. The owners are entrepreneurs with deep involvement across tech, real estate, and development and they know how things are built. The Sea Ranch house had been in their lives for years, a second residence and a place for family to gather. Built for a different time, it felt more compromising than comfortable. Sitting in a closed off nook, the kitchen fit one cook at a time and turned its back on the rest of the house. The entry was dim and compressed, divided by a structural column that presented itself at exactly the wrong moment. The primary suite was small relative to the view outside it. A large rear bedroom sat behind a lowered ceiling with a bathroom that had never been added. The house was certainly worth the trouble of doing it right. What followed was not one project but four, each with its own design challenge, each addressed over a period of time. Where the House Meets the Ocean The most complex piece of the project, in both structural and spatial terms, was the kitchen expansion. The existing room was a single-person galley squeezed in as an afterthought with no meaningful connection to the dining room, the living space, or the deck outside. To make it useful for a family that cooks and gathers, it needed to grow outward into an existing patio and flow into the rooms around it. A big challenge was the roofline. Several planes at different pitches and angles converged directly where additional volume was needed. A new form had to join that geometry without reading as a correction. The solution found the simplest possible connection between the existing angles, a roofline that from outside the structure, appears entirely original. From the bluff trail where the addition is visible, there is no discernible seam. Inside, the kitchen is now open to the living and dining rooms without interruption. A large sliding glass door connects the space onto the rear deck. The deck itself was expanded and oriented so that the body of the house shields it from the coastal wind which is a common consideration that determines whether outdoor space at The Sea Ranch actually gets used. The result is a room that works for large family gatherings where no one feels cutoff, and one that makes the boundary between being inside and outside easy to ignore. Welcoming Light A structural column stood at the convergence of eight distinct roof planes in the entry. It was load-bearing, but it was also the reason the entry had always felt like a hallway rather than a welcoming arrival. With the structural engineer, a custom steel connector was designed to receive beams from six separate directions, redistributing the load through a single new continuous beam. The column was surgically removed. Three triangular skylights were then cut into the roof above, their shapes drawn from the existing geometry of the planes around them. The entry is now bright and open. The skylights feel native to the structure because they follow the logic already present in the roof. Two Suites, Two Views At opposite ends of the house, the two bedroom suites were each reconfigured, and each found a different way to introduce more of the landscape into the room. An addition to the primary suite extended the structure outward to create a wraparound plan with a loop from the bedroom through bath and closet that had not been possible before. The expansion opened a slot view from the tub and shower toward the ocean. The view is precise and private. The ocean view is present and deliberate. The rear bedroom absorbed an adjacent storage room to transform it into a full second suite with a vaulted ceiling, a large bathroom with a tub, a shower, and a sauna. A private fenced garden courtyard sits just beyond the glass bringing the outdoors inside. The tub was placed so that, looking past the courtyard and through the bedroom beyond, the ocean is visible at the far end. It is a long view and it makes the room feel larger and more settled than its footprint would suggest. Glass on Four Sides, Fire at the Center The main living and gathering room had always been caught between two competing facts: glass on four sides meant exceptional views but at The Sea Ranch, it also meant a cold room. A 360-degree cylindrical fireplace was added at the center on a raised stone base, providing radiant heat in every direction and giving the room a focal point around which a group naturally orients itself, whether that means two people at the end of the day or the whole family after dinner. Owners Who Picked Up the Tools The owner was not a passive client. they came with construction knowledge, specific ideas, and the desire to be an active part of the process, a dynamic that other architects may had found difficult, which Klopf Architecture accepted as an asset. They took it upon themselves to complete some of the work during construction, including the installation of a new radiant heating system beneath the floors. The radiant system added to the older and less-desirable forced-air setup. At The Sea Ranch, that change matters as the house sits close enough to the ocean and moving air competes with the sound of it, where radiant heat does not. Solar panels were added to the roof as part of the new system. Insulation was upgraded throughout the walls, roof, and crawl space. The house that had always had the right setting now holds warmth the way a house on the bluff should. They were also deeply involved in the design and selections throughout, and the finished house reflects both of them in ways that are specific rather than generic. The process took longer and moved through more iterations than a more arms-length relationship might have allowed. The result is more defined and personal because of it. The Landscape Holds Priority Every exterior decision was shaped by The Sea Ranch Design Standards, which require that buildings defer to the landscape around them rather than compete with it. Because this house sits on the bluff and is visible from the public trail, the additions faced a close review. Existing materials were matched. Geometries were resolved. The additions had to become indistinguishable from the original building. From the trail, the house reads exactly as it always has — low, cedar-clad, secondary to the meadow and the water. The setting holds priority. Inside, the house has been remade. Klopf Architecture Project Team: Geoff Campen and Trenton Jewett
Contractor: Shawn Bettega Construction
Photography: ©2025 Mariko Reed
Year Completed: 2023
Location: The Sea Ranch, CA

A doctor in Dallas hired Mapos to design his dream home in the upscale neighborhood of Bluffview that would serve as both a haven from his hectic days at the hospital and a space to support his active outdoor lifestyle. Mapos was tasked with designing a modern home that would function as a definitive counterpoint to the new, yet traditional McMansions on adjacent properties. The client emphasized the necessity of informal living and dining areas for entertaining, spacious bedrooms, a home office, and plentiful storage space for his outdoor gear and automobiles. He also requested an outdoor pool, hot tub, and lush landscape to isolate the property and establish a sense of privacy. The two-story interior was designed as an open volume with the second floor inserted into a larger box, creating a dramatic interplay of double-height and compressed spaces on the lower level. For the exterior, Mapos composed the house out of four flat-roofed volumes, assembled to create welcoming front and rear outdoor spaces, intimate landscaped side gardens, and visual protection from the neighbors. The forms and proportions combined contain a rich assembly of indoor and outdoor spaces that will serve the client for years to come.

Cork’s cellular structure mimics that of a honeycomb’s, and each of the cells is filled with air. When you walk on this type of a surface, the air becomes compressed and released. This process not only absorbs the shock of impact but provides a cushioning surface, making it extremely comfortable to walk on. This same ability allows for its thermal and sound properties. Thus with cork floors, you will be insulated against sound vibration transfers thru the floor. Cork is one of the best office floor.

The bathroom walls are in Champagne plaster, which is a earthen plaster with mineral colors that are exposed when it is compressed during application. Ken Vaughn-photographer

Color: Naturals-Marea
Mid-sized elegant bedroom photo in Chicago with beige walls

Color: Luminaries-Fiesta
Bedroom - mid-sized contemporary guest bedroom idea in Chicago with beige walls

Built for the Bluff, A Sea Ranch Home is Remade from the Inside Out The house had always been grounded, on an ocean bluff at The Sea Ranch. It sits unencumbered, adjacent to one of the most dramatic stretches of the Sonoma coast with protected commons meadow to the east, uninterrupted Pacific views to the west, and a bluff trail running alongside. What it lacked was the feeling of home, one that could hold up its own against the natural landscape. The owners are entrepreneurs with deep involvement across tech, real estate, and development and they know how things are built. The Sea Ranch house had been in their lives for years, a second residence and a place for family to gather. Built for a different time, it felt more compromising than comfortable. Sitting in a closed off nook, the kitchen fit one cook at a time and turned its back on the rest of the house. The entry was dim and compressed, divided by a structural column that presented itself at exactly the wrong moment. The primary suite was small relative to the view outside it. A large rear bedroom sat behind a lowered ceiling with a bathroom that had never been added. The house was certainly worth the trouble of doing it right. What followed was not one project but four, each with its own design challenge, each addressed over a period of time. Where the House Meets the Ocean The most complex piece of the project, in both structural and spatial terms, was the kitchen expansion. The existing room was a single-person galley squeezed in as an afterthought with no meaningful connection to the dining room, the living space, or the deck outside. To make it useful for a family that cooks and gathers, it needed to grow outward into an existing patio and flow into the rooms around it. A big challenge was the roofline. Several planes at different pitches and angles converged directly where additional volume was needed. A new form had to join that geometry without reading as a correction. The solution found the simplest possible connection between the existing angles, a roofline that from outside the structure, appears entirely original. From the bluff trail where the addition is visible, there is no discernible seam. Inside, the kitchen is now open to the living and dining rooms without interruption. A large sliding glass door connects the space onto the rear deck. The deck itself was expanded and oriented so that the body of the house shields it from the coastal wind which is a common consideration that determines whether outdoor space at The Sea Ranch actually gets used. The result is a room that works for large family gatherings where no one feels cutoff, and one that makes the boundary between being inside and outside easy to ignore. Welcoming Light A structural column stood at the convergence of eight distinct roof planes in the entry. It was load-bearing, but it was also the reason the entry had always felt like a hallway rather than a welcoming arrival. With the structural engineer, a custom steel connector was designed to receive beams from six separate directions, redistributing the load through a single new continuous beam. The column was surgically removed. Three triangular skylights were then cut into the roof above, their shapes drawn from the existing geometry of the planes around them. The entry is now bright and open. The skylights feel native to the structure because they follow the logic already present in the roof. Two Suites, Two Views At opposite ends of the house, the two bedroom suites were each reconfigured, and each found a different way to introduce more of the landscape into the room. An addition to the primary suite extended the structure outward to create a wraparound plan with a loop from the bedroom through bath and closet that had not been possible before. The expansion opened a slot view from the tub and shower toward the ocean. The view is precise and private. The ocean view is present and deliberate. The rear bedroom absorbed an adjacent storage room to transform it into a full second suite with a vaulted ceiling, a large bathroom with a tub, a shower, and a sauna. A private fenced garden courtyard sits just beyond the glass bringing the outdoors inside. The tub was placed so that, looking past the courtyard and through the bedroom beyond, the ocean is visible at the far end. It is a long view and it makes the room feel larger and more settled than its footprint would suggest. Glass on Four Sides, Fire at the Center The main living and gathering room had always been caught between two competing facts: glass on four sides meant exceptional views but at The Sea Ranch, it also meant a cold room. A 360-degree cylindrical fireplace was added at the center on a raised stone base, providing radiant heat in every direction and giving the room a focal point around which a group naturally orients itself, whether that means two people at the end of the day or the whole family after dinner. Owners Who Picked Up the Tools The owner was not a passive client. they came with construction knowledge, specific ideas, and the desire to be an active part of the process, a dynamic that other architects may had found difficult, which Klopf Architecture accepted as an asset. They took it upon themselves to complete some of the work during construction, including the installation of a new radiant heating system beneath the floors. The radiant system added to the older and less-desirable forced-air setup. At The Sea Ranch, that change matters as the house sits close enough to the ocean and moving air competes with the sound of it, where radiant heat does not. Solar panels were added to the roof as part of the new system. Insulation was upgraded throughout the walls, roof, and crawl space. The house that had always had the right setting now holds warmth the way a house on the bluff should. They were also deeply involved in the design and selections throughout, and the finished house reflects both of them in ways that are specific rather than generic. The process took longer and moved through more iterations than a more arms-length relationship might have allowed. The result is more defined and personal because of it. The Landscape Holds Priority Every exterior decision was shaped by The Sea Ranch Design Standards, which require that buildings defer to the landscape around them rather than compete with it. Because this house sits on the bluff and is visible from the public trail, the additions faced a close review. Existing materials were matched. Geometries were resolved. The additions had to become indistinguishable from the original building. From the trail, the house reads exactly as it always has — low, cedar-clad, secondary to the meadow and the water. The setting holds priority. Inside, the house has been remade. Klopf Architecture Project Team: Geoff Campen and Trenton Jewett
Contractor: Shawn Bettega Construction
Photography: ©2025 Mariko Reed
Year Completed: 2023
Location: The Sea Ranch, CA

Kevin Wells, www.kevinwellsphoto.com
Inspiration for a contemporary landscaping in Portland.

SKU 6002CR Channel-back chair channels a 1940s French salon. Sloped and rounded arms invite, as does the simple bench cushion. Set on tapered legs finished with brass sabots. Motion Type Stationary Style Traditional Finish Metal only. Fabric Over 50 fabrics available. Contrasting Fabric Available for welt only. Contrasting fabric options available for an upcharge. Description Gigi Settee Padding Padded outside arms and back for smoother surface and neater appearance. Seat Blendown Seat Back Tight Back Seating Construction Sinuous wire springs, synthetic webbing, 1.8 lb foam density, 25 lb compression for a comfortable and firm seat with resiliency to last and beveled polyurethane core with polyester wrap Trim Standard welt trim. Contrasting welt trim available with upcharge. *Also shown: Cynthia Rowley Aura Round Accent Table w/ Shell Top SKU 1586-80116-MULTI The round accent table top is a stunning mother of pearl mosaic. Set on gold-finished legs connected with scalloped stretchers.

Color: Luminaries-Flora
Mid-sized elegant u-shaped cork floor eat-in kitchen photo in Chicago with raised-panel cabinets, dark wood cabinets, black appliances and an island

Kevin Wells, www.kevinwellsphoto.com
Inspiration for a contemporary landscaping in Portland.

This house was designed to maintain clean sustainability and durability. Minimal, simple, modern design techniques were implemented to create an open floor plan with natural light. The entry of the home, clad in wood, was created as a transitional space between the exterior and the living spaces by creating a feeling of compression before entering into the voluminous, light filled, living area. The large volume, tall windows and natural light of the living area allows for light and views to the exterior in all directions. This project also considered our clients' need for storage and love for travel by creating storage space for an Airstream camper in the oversized 2 car garage at the back of the property. As in all of our homes, we designed and built this project with increased energy efficiency standards in mind. Our standards begin below grade by designing our foundations with insulated concrete forms (ICF) for all of our exterior foundation walls, providing the below grade walls with an R value of 23. As a standard, we also install a passive radon system and a heat recovery ventilator to efficiently mitigate the indoor air quality within all of the homes we build.

This house was designed to maintain clean sustainability and durability. Minimal, simple, modern design techniques were implemented to create an open floor plan with natural light. The entry of the home, clad in wood, was created as a transitional space between the exterior and the living spaces by creating a feeling of compression before entering into the voluminous, light filled, living area. The large volume, tall windows and natural light of the living area allows for light and views to the exterior in all directions. This project also considered our clients' need for storage and love for travel by creating storage space for an Airstream camper in the oversized 2 car garage at the back of the property. As in all of our homes, we designed and built this project with increased energy efficiency standards in mind. Our standards begin below grade by designing our foundations with insulated concrete forms (ICF) for all of our exterior foundation walls, providing the below grade walls with an R value of 23. As a standard, we also install a passive radon system and a heat recovery ventilator to efficiently mitigate the indoor air quality within all of the homes we build.

The owner wanted a Tuscan feel to het kitchen, Ronald used a product that he imports from Italy, a hand applied self mottling glaze, that is plied by a brush and then using a trowel he compresses the material to create the color variation.

This house was designed to maintain clean sustainability and durability. Minimal, simple, modern design techniques were implemented to create an open floor plan with natural light. The entry of the home, clad in wood, was created as a transitional space between the exterior and the living spaces by creating a feeling of compression before entering into the voluminous, light filled, living area. The large volume, tall windows and natural light of the living area allows for light and views to the exterior in all directions. This project also considered our clients' need for storage and love for travel by creating storage space for an Airstream camper in the oversized 2 car garage at the back of the property. As in all of our homes, we designed and built this project with increased energy efficiency standards in mind. Our standards begin below grade by designing our foundations with insulated concrete forms (ICF) for all of our exterior foundation walls, providing the below grade walls with an R value of 23. As a standard, we also install a passive radon system and a heat recovery ventilator to efficiently mitigate the indoor air quality within all of the homes we build.

The 18' foyer is a compressed space with dark graphite gray ceilings, three chandeliers, and dramatic wallpaper that leads the eye to an open living/dining/kitchen space with floor to ceiling windows that frame spectacular views and welcomes natural light. The unique niches and sculptures add to the one-of-a-kind design scheme. Photo by Robin Lechner Designs

A seaside community centred around the local wharf. The village is home to a general store, outfitter, post office, a handful of very tasty cafes, two pubs, and a smattering of small operations aimed at servicing visitors to the great outdoors. SCALA Participated in this exiting Tri-point properties Project, working along with other consultants on the Project Management, Design Coordination, and Construction Management. The Villages of Loreto Bay were constructed of adobe, compressed earth blocks that were a traditional building material. The Company evolved to become the world’s largest user of Rastra, a recycled styrofoam and concrete system which cut heating and cooling costs by 60%”. All designed in courtyard-style architecture. Phase II, Agua Viva, right along the Sea of Cortés with a vibrant confluence of human habitation and a series of regenerated estuaries. Built from 2003 to 2010 Development area: 3,200 Acres Houses: 6,000 Type: Villages, Golf course, beach custom homes

Designed + Built by Cascade West Development Inc. Website: https://goo.gl/XHm7Un Facebook: https://goo.gl/MCD2U1 Cabinets by Northwood Cabinets - https://goo.gl/tkQPFk Paint by Sherwin Williams - https://goo.gl/nb9e74 Windows by Milgard Window + Door - https://goo.gl/fYU68l Style Line Series - https://goo.gl/ISdDZL Supplied by TroyCo - https://goo.gl/wihgo9 Lighting by Destination Lighting - https://goo.gl/mA8XYX Original Plans by Alan Mascord Design Associates - https://goo.gl/Fg3nFk Photographed by Exposio HDR+ Website: https://goo.gl/Cbm8Ya Facebook: https://goo.gl/SpSvyo

Color: Naturals-Creme-Pazzo
Mid-sized elegant living room photo in Chicago with beige walls