This exquisite master suite combines rough hewn reclaimed wood, custom milled reclaimed fir, VG fir, hot rolled steel, custom barn doors, stone, concrete counters and hearths and limestone plaster for a truly one of kind space. The suite's entrance hall showcases three gorgeous barn doors hand made from from reclaimed jarrah and fir. Behind one of the doors is the office, which was designed to precisely suit my clients' needs. The built in's house a small desk, Sub Zero undercounter refrigerator and Miele built in espresso machine. The leather swivel chairs, slate and iron end tables from a Montana artist and dual function ottomans keep the space very usable while still beautiful. The walls are painted in dry erase paint, allowing every square inch of wall space to be used for business strategizing and planning. The limestone plaster fireplace warms the space and brings another texture to the room. Through another barn door is the stunning 20' x 23' master bedroom. The VG fir beams have a channel routed in the top containing LED rope light, illuminating the soaring VG fir ceiling. The bronze chandelier from France is a free form shape, providing contrast to all the horizontal lines in the room. The show piece is definitely the 150 year old reclaimed jarrah wood used on the bed wall. The gray tones coordinate beautifully with all the warmth from the fir. We custom designed the panelized fireplace surround with inset wood storage in hot rolled steel. The cantilevered concrete hearth adds depth to the sleek steel. Opposite the bed is a fir 18' wide bifold door, allowing my outdoor-loving clients to feel as one with their gorgeous property. The final space is a dream bath suite, with sauna, steam shower, sunken tub, fireplace and custom vanities. The glazed wood vanities were designed with all drawers to maximize function. We topped the vanities with antique corbels and a reclaimed fir soffit and corner column for a dramatic design. The corner column houses spring loaded magnetic doors, hiding away all the bathroom necessities that require plugs. The concrete countertop on the vanities has integral sinks and a low profile contemporary design. The soaking tub is sunk into a bed of Mexican beach pebbles and clad in reclaimed jarrah and steel. The custom steel and tile fireplace is beautiful and warms the bathroom nicely on cool Pacific Northwest days. www.cascadepromedia.com

The homeowner of this old, detached garage wanted to create a functional living space with a kitchen, bathroom and second-story bedroom, while still maintaining a functional garage space. We salvaged hickory wood for the floors and built custom fir cabinets in the kitchen with patchwork tile backsplash and energy efficient appliances. As a historical home but without historical requirements, we had fun blending era-specific elements like traditional wood windows, French doors, and wood garage doors with modern elements like solar panels on the roof and accent lighting in the stair risers. In preparation for the next phase of construction (a full kitchen remodel and addition to the main house), we connected the plumbing between the main house and carriage house to make the project more cost-effective. We also built a new gate with custom stonework to match the trellis, expanded the patio between the main house and garage, and installed a gas fire pit to seamlessly tie the structures together and provide a year-round outdoor living space.

The homeowner of this old, detached garage wanted to create a functional living space with a kitchen, bathroom and second-story bedroom, while still maintaining a functional garage space. We salvaged hickory wood for the floors and built custom fir cabinets in the kitchen with patchwork tile backsplash and energy efficient appliances. As a historical home but without historical requirements, we had fun blending era-specific elements like traditional wood windows, French doors, and wood garage doors with modern elements like solar panels on the roof and accent lighting in the stair risers. In preparation for the next phase of construction (a full kitchen remodel and addition to the main house), we connected the plumbing between the main house and carriage house to make the project more cost-effective. We also built a new gate with custom stonework to match the trellis, expanded the patio between the main house and garage, and installed a gas fire pit to seamlessly tie the structures together and provide a year-round outdoor living space.

The homeowner of this old, detached garage wanted to create a functional living space with a kitchen, bathroom and second-story bedroom, while still maintaining a functional garage space. We salvaged hickory wood for the floors and built custom fir cabinets in the kitchen with patchwork tile backsplash and energy efficient appliances. As a historical home but without historical requirements, we had fun blending era-specific elements like traditional wood windows, French doors, and wood garage doors with modern elements like solar panels on the roof and accent lighting in the stair risers. In preparation for the next phase of construction (a full kitchen remodel and addition to the main house), we connected the plumbing between the main house and carriage house to make the project more cost-effective. We also built a new gate with custom stonework to match the trellis, expanded the patio between the main house and garage, and installed a gas fire pit to seamlessly tie the structures together and provide a year-round outdoor living space.

Hem-fir is a species combination of Western Hemlock and five of the True Firs: California Red fir, Grand fir, Noble fir, Pacific Silver fir and White fir. The Hem-fir species combination is one of the most important in the Western region, second only to the Douglas fir-Larch species group for abundance, production volume, strength and versatility. In products graded for appearance, wood-savvy architects and designers often choose Hem-fir for trim, fascia, paneling, molding and millwork, as well as for exposed wood ceilings. Hem-fir is also useful for a multitude of general-purpose framing applications and is capable of meeting the span requirements of many installations. Hem-fir is also used for exposed ceilings, as its face, or better side, conveys its sophisticated elegance. Its moderately light weight makes it easy to handle and install. It is also a practical choice for roofing, flooring or subflooring, and is commonly used for structural decking for its strength and beauty.

This exquisite master suite combines rough hewn reclaimed wood, custom milled reclaimed fir, VG fir, hot rolled steel, custom barn doors, stone, concrete counters and hearths and limestone plaster for a truly one of kind space. The suite's entrance hall showcases three gorgeous barn doors hand made from from reclaimed jarrah and fir. Behind one of the doors is the office, which was designed to precisely suit my clients' needs. The built in's house a small desk, Sub Zero undercounter refrigerator and Miele built in espresso machine. The leather swivel chairs, slate and iron end tables from a Montana artist and dual function ottomans keep the space very usable while still beautiful. The walls are painted in dry erase paint, allowing every square inch of wall space to be used for business strategizing and planning. The limestone plaster fireplace warms the space and brings another texture to the room. Through another barn door is the stunning 20' x 23' master bedroom. The VG fir beams have a channel routed in the top containing LED rope light, illuminating the soaring VG fir ceiling. The bronze chandelier from France is a free form shape, providing contrast to all the horizontal lines in the room. The show piece is definitely the 150 year old reclaimed jarrah wood used on the bed wall. The gray tones coordinate beautifully with all the warmth from the fir. We custom designed the panelized fireplace surround with inset wood storage in hot rolled steel. The cantilevered concrete hearth adds depth to the sleek steel. Opposite the bed is a fir 18' wide bifold door, allowing my outdoor-loving clients to feel as one with their gorgeous property. The final space is a dream bath suite, with sauna, steam shower, sunken tub, fireplace and custom vanities. The glazed wood vanities were designed with all drawers to maximize function. We topped the vanities with antique corbels and a reclaimed fir soffit and corner column for a dramatic design. The corner column houses spring loaded magnetic doors, hiding away all the bathroom necessities that require plugs. The concrete countertop on the vanities has integral sinks and a low profile contemporary design. The soaking tub is sunk into a bed of Mexican beach pebbles and clad in reclaimed jarrah and steel. The custom steel and tile fireplace is beautiful and warms the bathroom nicely on cool Pacific Northwest days. www.cascadepromedia.com

Dutchman's Breeches / Dicentra cucullaria Photo: Kristine Paulus, via Flickr, licensed under Creative Commons Attribution-2.0 Generic
Design ideas for a landscaping in Other.

The homeowner of this old, detached garage wanted to create a functional living space with a kitchen, bathroom and second-story bedroom, while still maintaining a functional garage space. We salvaged hickory wood for the floors and built custom fir cabinets in the kitchen with patchwork tile backsplash and energy efficient appliances. As a historical home but without historical requirements, we had fun blending era-specific elements like traditional wood windows, French doors, and wood garage doors with modern elements like solar panels on the roof and accent lighting in the stair risers. In preparation for the next phase of construction (a full kitchen remodel and addition to the main house), we connected the plumbing between the main house and carriage house to make the project more cost-effective. We also built a new gate with custom stonework to match the trellis, expanded the patio between the main house and garage, and installed a gas fire pit to seamlessly tie the structures together and provide a year-round outdoor living space.

Formal Backyard Garden Showcases the Beauty of Natural Gray Concrete This Pacific Northwest project called for a total backyard transformation that required a significant reduction in lawn space, most of which was saturated and mossy. Emily of Emily Russell Landscape Architecture designed this formal backyard garden which was installed by Northwest Construction & Landscape, LLC. Previously unused space was organized through the creation of a courtyard patio which functions as an extension of the house that the homeowner can use for family gatherings, entertaining, or reflection. Budgetary concerns led her to opt for concrete rather than a mortared flagstone patio. “I always let homeowners know that we can do either for them, but to me, going with concrete is an easy choice to make because of the cost savings,” says Colby Brand, President of Northwest of Construction & Landscape, LLC. Ashlar slate stamped concrete was suggested by Colby to mimic the pattern used in Emily’s conceptual design. The final plan featured natural gray, ashlar slate stamped concrete with antique coloring for texture. Colby and his team poured the steps first. Substantial in size – the rise is 4’ with a run of 5,’ and includes a 4’ landing on top – the steps allow an easy and fluid transition from inside to outside. After the steps were completed, the curved walkway on the side of the house was poured, connecting the backyard to the front yard. Instead of a conventional, rectangular shape for the 647 sf courtyard patio area, the formality of the plan called for sections of the concrete to bump out into the garden beds against the back side of the house, tying the contrasting elements together. Granite urns and curved, concrete benches purchased by the homeowner rest atop the rounded portion of the concrete and provide a space for sitting and an inviting view from the house. Regarding the final product, Emily Russell states, “My client and I are extremely happy with the finished patio. It's such an inviting space that is well loved and used on a regular basis.”

This is an example of a small modern shade backyard concrete paver formal garden in Portland.

This custom wine cellar in Huntington Beach, (Newport Beach area) California is a perfect example of how any space, no matter the size, can be made into a fully functional and beautiful wine storage solution. Custom Wine Cellars generally have no specifications other than a properly prepared room with vapor barrier and proper insulation. This gorgeous small wine cellar utilizes a custom glass and wrought iron wine cellar door with stained glass features throughout. A glass enclosed small wine room requires boosting the cooling unit size often times because of lost heat and humidity. When using glass in your wine cellar, it is always best to use dual pane with a 1/4 inch gap. Vintage Cellars carries a variety of custom glass doors, custom wrought iron doors, and a combination of the two. This small wine closet showcases the owner's collection beautifully. With a bit of wine case storage below, individual bottle redwood racking, full reveal bottle display features, and a small decanting and pouring countertop- this rustic small wine cellar will surely become your new favorite nook in your home. This wine room in particular was constructed next to the breakfast nook in our client's beach house; a handy location for perusing and selecting wines. Wood custom wine racks were used, along with an iron and glass custom wine cellar door in California. Vintage Cellars has built gorgeous custom wine cellars and wine storage rooms across the United States and World for over 25 years. We are your go-to business for anything wine cellar and wine storage related! Whether you're interested in a wine closet, wine racking, custom wine racks, a custom wine cellar door, or a cooling system for your existing space, Vintage Cellars has you covered! We carry all kinds of wine cellar cooling and refrigeration systems, incuding: Breezaire, CellarCool, WhisperKool, Wine Guardian, CellarPro and Commercial systems. We also carry many types of Wine Refrigerators, Wine Cabinets, and wine racking types, including La Cache, Marvel, N'Finity, Transtherm, Vinotheque, Vintage Series, Credenza, Walk in wine rooms, Climadiff, Riedel, Fontenay, and VintageView. Vintage Cellars also does work in many styles, including Contemporary and Modern, Rustic, Farmhouse, Traditional, Craftsman, Industrial, Mediterranean, Mid-Century, Industrial and Eclectic. Some locations we cover often include: San Diego, Rancho Santa Fe, Corona Del Mar, Del Mar, La Jolla, Newport Beach, Newport Coast, Huntington Beach, Del Mar, Solana Beach, Carlsbad, Orange County, Beverly Hills, Malibu, Pacific Palisades, Santa Monica, Bel Air, Los Angeles, Encinitas, Cardiff, Coronado, Manhattan Beach, Palos Verdes, San Marino, Ladera Heights, Santa Monica, Brentwood, Westwood, Hancock Park, Laguna Beach, Crystal Cove, Laguna Niguel, Torrey Pines, Thousand Oaks, Coto De Caza, Coronado Island, San Francisco, Danville, Walnut Creek, Marin, Tiburon, Hillsborough, Berkeley, Oakland, Napa, Sonoma, Agoura Hills, Hollywood Hills, Laurel Canyon, Sausalito, Mill Valley, San Rafael, Piedmont, Paso Robles, Carmel, Pebble Beach Contact Vintage Cellars today with any of your Wine Cellar needs! (800) 876-8789 Vintage Cellars 904 Rancheros Drive San Marcos, California 92069 (800) 876-8789

This is the custom wine rack design on the right wall. At the topmost section, you can see the wine cooling unit concealed in a wooden grill. Below it are individual wine racks. The middle section consists of a high reveal display, which highlights some of the owner's wines. More single storage slots are provided in the racking at the bottom section of the right wall racking. We created a stellar custom small wine cellar design for a couple who had lost their home and wine collection in the wildfires in Rancho Bernardo in North County San Diego, California in 2007. We encountered some challenges in this project. The room where the client wanted to build the wine cellar was relatively small, and we needed to hide a beam that runs through the left wall. We provided a wine storage solution that solved the construction issues and met our client's requirements. This glass enclosed, contemporary yet rustic small wine room features magnum storage, individual bottle redwood wine racking, diamond bins, wine case storage, horizontal displays, as well as a section in the wall for liquor storage. Wine Cellar Builders at Vintage Cellars were able to construct this wine room after bumping out a wall in the client's kitchen for additional storage space. This added 80 square feet more to the tiny room on the second floor. We framed the small wine closet before installing the racking for the Rancho Bernardo San Diego California wine cellar. We also installed the proper insulation and vapor barrier to protect our client's wine from damage, and to prevent wine cooling system or wine cooling unit breakdowns. Vintage Cellars has built gorgeous custom wine cellars and wine storage rooms across the United States and World for over 25 years. We are your go-to business for anything wine cellar and wine storage related! Whether you're interested in a wine closet, wine racking, custom wine racks, a custom wine cellar door, or a cooling system for your existing space, Vintage Cellars has you covered! We carry all kinds of wine cellar cooling and refrigeration systems, incuding: Breezaire, CellarCool, WhisperKool, Wine Guardian, CellarPro and Commercial systems. We also carry many types of Wine Refrigerators, Wine Cabinets, and wine racking types, including La Cache, Marvel, N'Finity, Transtherm, Vinotheque, Vintage Series, Credenza, Walk in wine rooms, Climadiff, Riedel, Fontenay, and VintageView. Vintage Cellars also does work in many styles, including Contemporary and Modern, Rustic, Farmhouse, Traditional, Craftsman, Industrial, Mediterranean, Mid-Century, Industrial and Eclectic. Some locations we cover often include: San Diego, Rancho Santa Fe, Corona Del Mar, Del Mar, La Jolla, Newport Beach, Newport Coast, Huntington Beach, Del Mar, Solana Beach, Carlsbad, Orange County, Beverly Hills, Malibu, Pacific Palisades, Santa Monica, Bel Air, Los Angeles, Encinitas, Cardiff, Coronado, Manhattan Beach, Palos Verdes, San Marino, Ladera Heights, Santa Monica, Brentwood, Westwood, Hancock Park, Laguna Beach, Crystal Cove, Laguna Niguel, Torrey Pines, Thousand Oaks, Coto De Caza, Coronado Island, San Francisco, Danville, Walnut Creek, Marin, Tiburon, Hillsborough, Berkeley, Oakland, Napa, Sonoma, Agoura Hills, Hollywood Hills, Laurel Canyon, Sausalito, Mill Valley, San Rafael, Piedmont, Paso Robles, Carmel, Pebble Beach Contact Vintage Cellars today with any of your Wine Cellar needs! (800) 876-8789 Vintage Cellars 904 Rancheros Drive San Marcos, California 92069 (800) 876-8789

In collaboration with architect Gustavo Penengo of PRDG Architecture & Design, Better Builders brought this bold contemporary vision to life. Built using modular construction on a steep lot once considered “unbuildable,” the home required a highly engineered foundation with H-piles driven 40 feet into the hillside. The offsite-built sections allowed for precision assembly and made possible dramatic cantilevers, expansive views of the Sound, and an energy-efficient design. The finished home showcases modern architecture at its finest—creative, sustainable, and perfectly suited to its unique site.

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

It's not everyday that we get to radically transform the heart of a home. There are often restrictions that keep the kitchen in the kitchen. These clients wanted a vaulted kitchen ceiling, which would have required major roof reconstruction. That is until it was decided to use an adjacent part of the home that already had a vaulted ceiling. The kitchen is now more connected to the living and dining areas, they have a walk-in pantry that better uses the low-ceilings, and with added storage space. Like the clients said we "blew their minds!"

It's not everyday that we get to radically transform the heart of a home. There are often restrictions that keep the kitchen in the kitchen. These clients wanted a vaulted kitchen ceiling, which would have required major roof reconstruction. That is until it was decided to use an adjacent part of the home that already had a vaulted ceiling. The kitchen is now more connected to the living and dining areas, they have a walk-in pantry that better uses the low-ceilings, and with added storage space. Like the clients said we "blew their minds!"

The design started with the footprint of the existing building extended to four additional stories. Simple, clean materials with minimal maintenance requirements were important inside and out. The owner envisioned a Northwest home that used extensive glass and natural light, focused on the building’s busy waterfront and the commercial neighborhood. Interiors of bamboo flooring, light quarter-sawn oak cabinetry and doors, grass cloth, simple modern tile, trim, and fixtures reflect the clean, contemporary lighting.

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