Search results for "Degree meaning" in Home Design Ideas

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

If there’s one thing Nelson, British Columbia is known for, it’s snow. Every year thousands of skiers and snowboarders flock to Nelson, located in interior BC, to get a dose of the area's famous fresh powder.
However, along with epic snow comes freezing temperatures. During the winter season, Nelson typically averages a low of 12 degrees Fahrenheit (-5 degrees Celsius) and a high of 41 degrees Fahrenheit (5 degrees Celsius.) When combined with the humidity the area usually receives in the winter months, these already freezing temperatures can feel significantly cooler.
Our customer took this into account when designing his Nelson-area home. The homeowner wanted to get the most out of the location and climate without spending a fortune on heating. With this in mind, a passive solar home was designed and constructed. This type of home is designed to harness, store and distribute solar energy in the winter to heat the home without the use of mechanical or electrical devices.
However, with average lows hovering around 12 degrees Fahrenheit, a little more was needed to take the bite out of the chilly air. Ultimately we determined our Prestyl Heating Panels would be a great way to add heat to this home. They transfer sun-like-warmth directly to people and objects and are zone-controlled, which allows the user to heat only the spaces they are using. Ultimately what this means is you can increase your comfort while decreasing your heating costs: A perfect solution for an environmentally-conscious/budget-conscious homeowner in a ski town.

PLEASE NOTE THAT , in case of return there would be 25% Re stocking fee would apply to the order amount and Returning shipping cost would be pay by the customer .
. Since the bar front corrugated Tile ceramic products are produced by hand workmanship, it is normal for the products to have color tones.
. WOW TILE The back side of the corrugated tiles has a matte ceramic base and serrated, the front side is glazed and glossy polished.
. Our product, which is shown in the front of the bar ceramic picture, is made with a mixture of ceramic tiles and its upper structure is made with tile paint SIR.
. Wow tile bar front tile Bench front, counter front, bench forehead bar front ceramics are glazed and preserve its appearance for many years. No loss of color and pattern
Bar Design tile Handmade Bar front tiles are baked at 1050 degrees (oven). For this reason, it is resistant to weather conditions such as sun, wind, etc.
. The bar front ceramics are water and moisture proof thanks to the glossy glazed finish. For this reason, it does not hold water on its surface, prevents the formation of bacteria
and mold.
. The cafe bar model, which has special design tile colors, is covered with ceramic tiles in front of the bar, and its upper structure is covered with a special tile secret crackle and
its surface is cracked. These cracks remain under the secret.
. Cafe bar restaurant decoration for cafes
. Our under-counter tile products are preferred in your interior and exterior architectural decoration and designs, and in cafe patisserie projects.
Specifications :
Width : 10 cm
Height : 50 cm
Thickness : 2,5 cm
1 m2 Weight : 25,00 kg.
1 m2 Piece : 20
Additional info
PRODUCT DESCRIPTION :
– Production is made with a digital glass printing machine.
– UV printing technology and paint are used.
– It is baked at 980 degrees.
– It adds a visual meaning to the space used.
– Does not release moisture, does not form bacteria and mold.
– There are absolutely no problems such as pattern loss, flying etc. on the interior and exterior.
– Colors remain as vivid as the first day
– We can print all your high resolution images.
Find the right local pro for your project

The impact of temperature drop on the chimney can impact the structure and functionality of the chimney. As we have been experiencing in Chicago winters, temperatures have gone from 50 degrees down to 21 degrees during the day, with temperatures falling even further at night. What can you do as a homeowner to watch for, and when to bring in a certified technician from Superior Chimney.
External: Impact of Temperature Drop on the Chimney
Anytime there is a rapid temperature change, it causes the bricks, stones and mortar to expand and contract. These durable materials are still susceptible to thermal shock, especially when it gets wet from ice, rain or melting snow. Because of the drastic change in temperatures, this can cause hairline cracks to begin, and if it goes unnoticed, larger cracks in the masonry will form.
External: Freeze-Thaw Damage
Mortar, bricks and stones are porous materials, meaning that air and water enter the materials. Sometimes, it leaves or dries out, and other times it stays longer. When the temperatures drop below 32 degrees, any of the trapped water freezes and then expands. This can cause small cracks to start, deterioration of the mortar or spalling which is the flaking of the bricks to occur.
External: Ice Build Up on the Chimney Cap or Chimney Crown
When temperatures are 50 degrees and it rains, water accumulates everywhere, including the highest point on your house, the chimney. The chimney cap and chimney crown are always exposed to the harshest elements. When it rains and temperatures drop during the day or night, freezing occurs and can create ice buildup. This can cause the chimney crown to crack or the chimney cap to loosen.
Internal: Chimney Flue Lining
The temperature swing also affects the chimney flue liner. Some chimney flue liners are made from clay. These are especially susceptible to crack forming from the swing in temperatures. But what also happens whether you have a gas or wood burning fireplace is the formation of condensation which can occur when there is fast cooling after the fire in the fireplace is put out or turned off.
Bring out the Sun!
Well, yes, the sunshine melts the ice and snow, but when temperatures go down at night, what remains wet, will refreeze again. The repeated process places stress on the masonry, bricks and stone.
Chimney Inspections Work
A chimney inspection can help with both safety and preserving the structure of the chimney. When a chimney technician conducts an inspection, they will search for cracks in the bricks and mortar, any spalling or deterioration from the thermal shock and freeze thaw cycle. These areas will be marked for repairs if it gets any worse and before it becomes too expensive to repair.
We can’t forget the biggest intruder in the home: water. The chimney technician will also be checking for water leaks from the chimney flashing, the chimney crown, chimney cap or the efflorescence which is the white material that shows up on the chimney or fireplace.
These are just a couple of key areas that a chimney inspection completes. There are numerous other areas, and this can be found on Superior Chimney’s 14-point inspection guide.
Contact us today, and we’ll set you up for a chimney inspection with photo evidence so you have peace of mind with the safety and security of your home.

Mist Works outdoor high pressure misting systems with fans and ultra fine mist nozzles, can drop temperatures up to 20 degrees in the humid climates, up to 30 degrees in dry arid areas. Mist Works systems with high pressure misters mean you wont experience surface wetting, only cool breezes! Mist Systems for all budgets

This ledgestone veneer provides the rustic appeal of an old cottage style fireplace. Equip with 90 degree corners this fireplace stone design add dimensional texture and style to this space.

Example of a small 1950s 3/4 white tile and ceramic tile porcelain tile and white floor bathroom design in Vancouver with flat-panel cabinets, medium tone wood cabinets, a two-piece toilet, white walls, a vessel sink and wood countertops

Inspiration for a mid-sized contemporary master white tile and stone tile porcelain tile bathroom remodel in Toronto with flat-panel cabinets, light wood cabinets, a one-piece toilet, white walls, a trough sink and solid surface countertops

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

Since the bar front corrugated Tile ceramic products are produced by hand workmanship, it is normal for the products to have color tones.
. WOW TILE The back side of the corrugated tiles has a matte ceramic base and serrated, the front side is glazed and glossy polished.
. Our product, which is shown in the front of the bar ceramic picture, is made with a mixture of ceramic tiles and its upper structure is made with tile paint SIR.
. Wow tile bar front tile Bench front, counter front, bench forehead bar front ceramics are glazed and preserve its appearance for many years. No loss of color and pattern
Bar Design tile Handmade Bar front tiles are baked at 1050 degrees (oven). For this reason, it is resistant to weather conditions such as sun, wind, etc.
. The bar front ceramics are water and moisture proof thanks to the glossy glazed finish. For this reason, it does not hold water on its surface, prevents the formation of bacteria
and mold.
. The cafe bar model, which has special design tile colors, is covered with ceramic tiles in front of the bar, and its upper structure is covered with a special tile secret crackle and
its surface is cracked. These cracks remain under the secret.
. Cafe bar restaurant decoration for cafes
. Our under-counter tile products are preferred in your interior and exterior architectural decoration and designs, and in cafe patisserie projects.
Specifications :
Width : 10 cm
Height : 50 cm
Thickness : 2,5 cm
1 m2 Weight : 25,00 kg.
1 m2 Piece : 20
Additional info
PRODUCT DESCRIPTION :
– Production is made with a digital glass printing machine.
– UV printing technology and paint are used.
– It is baked at 980 degrees.
– It adds a visual meaning to the space used.
– Does not release moisture, does not form bacteria and mold.
– There are absolutely no problems such as pattern loss, flying etc. on the interior and exterior.
– Colors remain as vivid as the first day
– We can print all your high resolution images.
About Use;
- Tile products under the counter in front of the bar are sent without a net. You can also buy it individually
- We do not recommend using the corrugated tiles in front of the bar directly in the water.
- You can easily use the products produced with special glaze crackle in wet places.
- In front of the bar, Spa decoration, behind the Turkish bath basin, tile panel or above the basin, as a decor in the bathroom shower cabin, Kitchen countertop and countertop, etc. used in the fields.
- Corrugated tile ceramic-based tiles are not laid on the floor as floor tiles, since their surface is corrugated and glossy.
- Production is made in the RAL code you want. For such special orders, the minimum production amount is 10 m2.
- You can also use our corrugated tile ceramic products in front of the bar, cafe patisserie countertop, mosques, interior-exterior wall and column tile coating and decoration.

Bring a piece of nature into your entertaining area with our rustic elegant Chisum Axis Barstool. Let your retreat become an adventure in its own right. Featuring genuine axis deer hide, this 360 degree swivel stool brings an authenticity to your space that cannot be duplicated. The axis deer hide backing seamlessly transitions to a hand-tufted leather seat and back cushion, to create a unique experience that pairs the wild with the refined in this high-end leather barstool. Comfort, quality and tasteful design come together to create this fine leather barstool. 100% American Made to the highest standards of quality and craftsmanship.
Overall Barstool Dimensions: 43" H x 26" W x 22" D
Seat Height: 30"
Top of Arm Height: 40"
Overall Counter Stool Dimension: 38" H x 26" W x 22" D
Seat Height: 25"
Top of Arm Height: 35"
Leather Description: A fully drum dyed top grain cowhide on European raw material. This leather is lightly ironed and then milled extensively for a unique distressed appearance. This is a natural full grain leather. The hides have not been altered in any way during the tanning process. Shade variation is normal and areas of hides absorb dyes differently, so natural dye lot variations will occur. Remember that a swatch is a general representation of the leather's color and texture, not an exact match. Scars, marks, and branding are not flaws but rather are proof of authenticity, what we call "hallmarks of the trail". Leathers will fade if exposed to direct sunlight. This is a pull up leather which means color diffusion and "burst" will occur when worked by hand. If any of these characteristics is a problem please consider a "painted" leather. One that has been corrected and heavily pigmented.
100% top grain cowhide leather is characterized by variations in shade, texture, color and grain. Healed marks and scars are to be expected and enhance the natural beauty of the hides. These variations should not be considered defects as they are normal and unique features of genuine 100% top grain cowhide leather.
Frame Construction: Made with American Alder Wood, our frames are glued, screwed and dowelled at the joints. Two coats of high quality stain is hand rubbed on the wood finish and then sealed with industrial grade clear coat.

Attractive living as an architectural experiment: a 136-year-old water tower, a listed building with a spectacular 360-degree panorama view over the City of London. The task, to transform it into a superior residence, initially seemed an absolute impossibility. But when the owners came across architect Mike Collier, they had found a partner who was to make the impossible possible. The tower, which had been empty for decades, underwent radical renovation work and was extended by a four-storey cube containing kitchen, dining and living room - connected by glazed tunnels and a lift shaft. The kitchen, realised by Enclosure Interiors in Tunbridge Wells, Kent, with furniture from LEICHT is the very heart of living in this new building.
Shiny white matt-lacquered kitchen fronts (AVANCE-LR), tone-on-tone with the worktops, reflect the light in the room and thus create expanse and openness. The surface of the handle-less kitchen fronts has a horizontal relief embossing; depending on the light incidence, this results in a vitally structured surface. The free-standing preparation isle with its vertical side panels with a seamlessly integrated sink represents the transition between kitchen and living room. The fronts of the floor units facing the dining table were extended to the floor to do away with the plinth typical of most kitchens. Ceiling-high tall units on the wall provide plenty of storage space; the electrical appliances are integrated here invisible to the eye. Floor units on a high plinth which thus appear to be floating form the actual cooking centre within the kitchen, attached to the wall. A range of handle-less wall units concludes the glazed niche at the top.
LEICHT international: “Architecture and kitchen” in the centre of London. www.LeichtUSA.com

Attractive living as an architectural experiment: a 136-year-old water tower, a listed building with a spectacular 360-degree panorama view over the City of London. The task, to transform it into a superior residence, initially seemed an absolute impossibility. But when the owners came across architect Mike Collier, they had found a partner who was to make the impossible possible. The tower, which had been empty for decades, underwent radical renovation work and was extended by a four-storey cube containing kitchen, dining and living room - connected by glazed tunnels and a lift shaft. The kitchen, realised by Enclosure Interiors in Tunbridge Wells, Kent, with furniture from LEICHT is the very heart of living in this new building.
Shiny white matt-lacquered kitchen fronts (AVANCE-LR), tone-on-tone with the worktops, reflect the light in the room and thus create expanse and openness. The surface of the handle-less kitchen fronts has a horizontal relief embossing; depending on the light incidence, this results in a vitally structured surface. The free-standing preparation isle with its vertical side panels with a seamlessly integrated sink represents the transition between kitchen and living room. The fronts of the floor units facing the dining table were extended to the floor to do away with the plinth typical of most kitchens. Ceiling-high tall units on the wall provide plenty of storage space; the electrical appliances are integrated here invisible to the eye. Floor units on a high plinth which thus appear to be floating form the actual cooking centre within the kitchen, attached to the wall. A range of handle-less wall units concludes the glazed niche at the top.
LEICHT international: “Architecture and kitchen” in the centre of London. www.LeichtUSA.com

Attractive living as an architectural experiment: a 136-year-old water tower, a listed building with a spectacular 360-degree panorama view over the City of London. The task, to transform it into a superior residence, initially seemed an absolute impossibility. But when the owners came across architect Mike Collier, they had found a partner who was to make the impossible possible. The tower, which had been empty for decades, underwent radical renovation work and was extended by a four-storey cube containing kitchen, dining and living room - connected by glazed tunnels and a lift shaft. The kitchen, realised by Enclosure Interiors in Tunbridge Wells, Kent, with furniture from LEICHT is the very heart of living in this new building.
Shiny white matt-lacquered kitchen fronts (AVANCE-LR), tone-on-tone with the worktops, reflect the light in the room and thus create expanse and openness. The surface of the handle-less kitchen fronts has a horizontal relief embossing; depending on the light incidence, this results in a vitally structured surface. The free-standing preparation isle with its vertical side panels with a seamlessly integrated sink represents the transition between kitchen and living room. The fronts of the floor units facing the dining table were extended to the floor to do away with the plinth typical of most kitchens. Ceiling-high tall units on the wall provide plenty of storage space; the electrical appliances are integrated here invisible to the eye. Floor units on a high plinth which thus appear to be floating form the actual cooking centre within the kitchen, attached to the wall. A range of handle-less wall units concludes the glazed niche at the top.
LEICHT international: “Architecture and kitchen” in the centre of London. www.LeichtUSA.com

Attractive living as an architectural experiment: a 136-year-old water tower, a listed building with a spectacular 360-degree panorama view over the City of London. The task, to transform it into a superior residence, initially seemed an absolute impossibility. But when the owners came across architect Mike Collier, they had found a partner who was to make the impossible possible. The tower, which had been empty for decades, underwent radical renovation work and was extended by a four-storey cube containing kitchen, dining and living room - connected by glazed tunnels and a lift shaft. The kitchen, realised by Enclosure Interiors in Tunbridge Wells, Kent, with furniture from LEICHT is the very heart of living in this new building.
Shiny white matt-lacquered kitchen fronts (AVANCE-LR), tone-on-tone with the worktops, reflect the light in the room and thus create expanse and openness. The surface of the handle-less kitchen fronts has a horizontal relief embossing; depending on the light incidence, this results in a vitally structured surface. The free-standing preparation isle with its vertical side panels with a seamlessly integrated sink represents the transition between kitchen and living room. The fronts of the floor units facing the dining table were extended to the floor to do away with the plinth typical of most kitchens. Ceiling-high tall units on the wall provide plenty of storage space; the electrical appliances are integrated here invisible to the eye. Floor units on a high plinth which thus appear to be floating form the actual cooking centre within the kitchen, attached to the wall. A range of handle-less wall units concludes the glazed niche at the top.
LEICHT international: “Architecture and kitchen” in the centre of London. www.LeichtUSA.com

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

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

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