This gorgeous home was featured in Northern Virginia Magazine. Even though it was horribly dated when we started, we saw tremendous potential! We started with Craftsman-like molding, and envisioned warm white walls and rich dark wood floors. Lots of texture through wallcoverings, window treatments and rich wool rugs transformed this grand home into a stunning project.

After an extension renovation, this almost 5,000 square foot city residence now exudes quiet luxury. Long sight lines were established to capitalize on expansive views. The introduction of classical proportions throughout elevates one’s experience of the space. Brass elevators open directly into the private foyer, now lacquered in black with hand-painted tortoise shell ceiling. Interiors by Lisa Tharp. Photography by Max Kim-Bee.

This gorgeous beach condo sits on the banks of the Pacific ocean in Solana Beach, CA. The previous design was dark, heavy and out of scale for the square footage of the space. We removed an outdated bulit in, a column that was not supporting and all the detailed trim work. We replaced it with white kitchen cabinets, continuous vinyl plank flooring and clean lines throughout. The entry was created by pulling the lower portion of the bookcases out past the wall to create a foyer. The shelves are open to both sides so the immediate view of the ocean is not obstructed. New patio sliders now open in the center to continue the view. The shiplap ceiling was updated with a fresh coat of paint and smaller LED can lights. The bookcases are the inspiration color for the entire design. Sea glass green, the color of the ocean, is sprinkled throughout the home. The fireplace is now a sleek contemporary feel with a tile surround. The mantel is made from old barn wood. A very special slab of quartzite was used for the bookcase counter, dining room serving ledge and a shelf in the laundry room. The kitchen is now white and bright with glass tile that reflects the colors of the water. The hood and floating shelves have a weathered finish to reflect drift wood. The laundry room received a face lift starting with new moldings on the door, fresh paint, a rustic cabinet and a stone shelf. The guest bathroom has new white tile with a beachy mosaic design and a fresh coat of paint on the vanity. New hardware, sinks, faucets, mirrors and lights finish off the design. The master bathroom used to be open to the bedroom. We added a wall with a barn door for privacy. The shower has been opened up with a beautiful pebble tile water fall. The pebbles are repeated on the vanity with a natural edge finish. The vanity received a fresh paint job, new hardware, faucets, sinks, mirrors and lights. The guest bedroom has a custom double bunk with reading lamps for the kiddos. This space now reflects the community it is in, and we have brought the beach inside.

In the mudroom, we custom built multi-tiered cubbies. The various sizes of the openings provide plenty of room for coats, shoes, and more! Sleek and contemporary, this beautiful home is located in Villanova, PA. Blue, white and gold are the palette of this transitional design. With custom touches and an emphasis on flow and an open floor plan, the renovation included the kitchen, family room, butler’s pantry, mudroom, two powder rooms and floors. Rudloff Custom Builders has won Best of Houzz for Customer Service in 2014, 2015 2016, 2017 and 2019. We also were voted Best of Design in 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019 which only 2% of professionals receive. Rudloff Custom Builders has been featured on Houzz in their Kitchen of the Week, What to Know About Using Reclaimed Wood in the Kitchen as well as included in their Bathroom WorkBook article. We are a full service, certified remodeling company that covers all of the Philadelphia suburban area. This business, like most others, developed from a friendship of young entrepreneurs who wanted to make a difference in their clients’ lives, one household at a time. This relationship between partners is much more than a friendship. Edward and Stephen Rudloff are brothers who have renovated and built custom homes together paying close attention to detail. They are carpenters by trade and understand concept and execution. Rudloff Custom Builders will provide services for you with the highest level of professionalism, quality, detail, punctuality and craftsmanship, every step of the way along our journey together. Specializing in residential construction allows us to connect with our clients early in the design phase to ensure that every detail is captured as you imagined. One stop shopping is essentially what you will receive with Rudloff Custom Builders from design of your project to the construction of your dreams, executed by on-site project managers and skilled craftsmen. Our concept: envision our client’s ideas and make them a reality. Our mission: CREATING LIFETIME RELATIONSHIPS BUILT ON TRUST AND INTEGRITY. Photo Credit: Linda McManus Images

Example of a trendy u-shaped light wood floor eat-in kitchen design in Portland with black cabinets, concrete countertops, gray backsplash, glass tile backsplash, stainless steel appliances, an island and flat-panel cabinets

This custom home built in Hershey, PA received the 2010 Custom Home of the Year Award from the Home Builders Association of Metropolitan Harrisburg. An upscale home perfect for a family features an open floor plan, three-story living, large outdoor living area with a pool and spa, and many custom details that make this home unique.

Greg Premru
Huge country beige two-story vinyl exterior home photo in Boston with a gambrel roof

Interior Design by ecd Design LLC This newly remodeled home was transformed top to bottom. It is, as all good art should be “A little something of the past and a little something of the future.” We kept the old world charm of the Tudor style, (a popular American theme harkening back to Great Britain in the 1500’s) and combined it with the modern amenities and design that many of us have come to love and appreciate. In the process, we created something truly unique and inspiring. RW Anderson Homes is the premier home builder and remodeler in the Seattle and Bellevue area. Distinguished by their excellent team, and attention to detail, RW Anderson delivers a custom tailored experience for every customer. Their service to clients has earned them a great reputation in the industry for taking care of their customers. Working with RW Anderson Homes is very easy. Their office and design team work tirelessly to maximize your goals and dreams in order to create finished spaces that aren’t only beautiful, but highly functional for every customer. In an industry known for false promises and the unexpected, the team at RW Anderson is professional and works to present a clear and concise strategy for every project. They take pride in their references and the amount of direct referrals they receive from past clients. RW Anderson Homes would love the opportunity to talk with you about your home or remodel project today. Estimates and consultations are always free. Call us now at 206-383-8084 or email Ryan@rwandersonhomes.com.

This home in Bonita Bay, Florida is located in a development designed with a tropical, entertaining-friendly courtyard floor plan, barrel tile roofs, and arched windows. The only thing missing was a modern, elegant and functional kitchen where two chefs could work simultaneously and have better flow among the surrounding spaces. Having worked with Progressive Design before on three prior renovations, all in less than one year, Progressive was the obvious choice for their fourth major remodel—this masterful kitchen renovation. Challenge Ultimately, Progressive Design Build was tasked with transforming a closed-off kitchen into an open concept floor plan. The design and production team began working on a solution to the structural beam support—confirming its adequacy for supporting the loft above after cutting a few holes in the drywall. Secondly, the size of the current marble tile flooring was no longer available. We needed a solution that would seamlessly blend the new flooring with the old. Thirdly, the existing lighting plan was inefficient and would need to be updated to accommodate the new island location and kitchen layout. Solution Since the existing marble flooring tile size was no longer available, we designed a beautiful stone border between the new kitchen and the existing living space to create a small break in the two-floor patterns, minimizing the noticeable difference in the tile sizes. Once installed, we re-polished and sealed the entire floor creating a beautiful sheen and natural flow throughout the space. The new location of the kitchen island, as well as additional perimeter lighting, necessitated the need to move electrical outlets and light switches to a more convenient and intuitive location. This was implemented strategically using a well-thought-out lighting plan. The clients were thrilled when we suggested removing a sink from their existing wet bar (which was rarely used) and moved the wet bar drain to the new laundry room, located on the backside of the wet bar. Special features include custom-designed Dura Supreme cabinets painted in a white finish, for the kitchen, wet bar, and laundry room; Wolf and Sub-Zero appliances, and an impressive gas range with downdraft at the cooktop. Results Not only was this Bonita Bay couple thrilled to receive all of their remodel wish list items, but Progressive Design Build was able to complete their project ahead of schedule and on budget.

GAO Zhiqiang: A dialogue between tangible space and intangible emotions——Space Emotional Design Series, Beijing Dahu Villa One's way of life is based on his understanding of culture. In other words, 'home' has long been separated from the simple definition of just a house. It is both a deep feeling that lies in the blood and a spiritual destination of body and mind. The project is a private residence of Beijing Dahu villa. The owner is an entrepreneur who has passion with life. The house bordered by a lake on both sides has a very good view. The owner who has his own unique and profound views on life aesthetics enjoys gardening in his spare time. Therefore sunlight, air, water and plants are the four design elements which perfectly meet the owner’s needs of having an exquisite land-scape indoors. There are floor-to-ceiling glass windows, unbounded gardens, wooden shelves and vines indoors. All these elements togeth-er form a peaceful and introverted daily emotion which gives the owner a sense of belonging. This three-storey house has a very clear division of functional space: reception and leisure on the first floor, master bedroom and three guest rooms on the second floor and the logistics area is on Negative layer. The living room with no basement below is designed to sink 30 centimeters as a solution of insufficient height. There are large French win-dows on both south and west sides of living room which introduces plenty of light into the space. There are indoor and outdoor area of teahouse dealing with different seasons and weather. The study is located in the northwest corner which is the most important position of a house in Fengshui. Next to the study is a wine and cigar bar where people can relax and enjoy the scenery outside the window. The dining table in the garden is under a natural pavilion formed by wooden shelves and vines. The owner can have cup of tea together with some friends whether the weather is sunny or rainy. There will always be someone who will create a life the way you want to live. And a good design should not only provide people a comforta-ble living space, but also give them the ability to enjoy life. Circular moving lines connect space one by one smoothly. Scenery and light become the focus of the design. Through many design lan-guages such as the arrangement of moving lines in the space, different space interaction and the amount of body shape, the designer is try-ing to describe a picture, tell a story and construct a new attitude towards life. The dining room and the west kitchen are the other most important spaces besides the living room. Under warm yellow lamplight, classic and contemporary indoor style interweave here. Different materials carry emotions as well as record time which happen to echo the sense of ritual shaped in space. On the east side of the second-floor master bedroom is a living room with Ivory curtains, sofas, carpets where the owner can drink morning tea and receive his friends. What space itself presents is the elegant temperament that is gifted by time. The designer chose a modern style Italian frame bed enclosed by screen for the main bedroom. Milky white, light grey, beige and soft tex-ture, vernal sunshine together become a soothing force. At present, people's needs for living space are more spiritual. Its tolerance and temperature cover a family heritage. It is the artistic creation in the changing times. It can carry history and also inspire future.

Opulent Design Build — Orange County's Premier Custom Home Builder & Full-Service Design-Build Firm Opulent Design Build is Orange County's award-winning design-build firm, bringing over 20 years of experience to custom home construction, whole-home renovations, and high-end remodeling projects across Irvine, Newport Beach, Corona Del Mar, Laguna Beach, Coto de Caza, and beyond. As a true one-stop design-build company, we manage every phase of your project under one roof — from initial concept and architectural design to engineering, HOA approvals, permitting, construction, and final inspection. No handoffs. No miscommunication. No surprises. What We Do: Custom home building & ground-up construction Whole-home renovations & luxury remodels Kitchen remodeling & custom cabinetry Bathroom remodeling & master suite transformations Room additions & Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs) Eco-friendly & sustainable building solutions Outdoor living spaces & stamped concrete Interior design & finish selections Why Homeowners Choose Opulent: Our in-house team of engineers, licensed contractors, interior designers, and landscape specialists means your project moves faster, stays on budget, and reflects your exact vision. We use state-of-the-art project management software so clients receive daily progress updates and full transparency throughout construction. From gated Newport Harbor estates to sprawling ranch homes in Trabuco Canyon, we've delivered hundreds of custom builds across Orange County — each one crafted with uncompromising attention to detail and premium materials. 5x Best of Houzz Winner | Licensed & Insured | Fixed-Price Estimates | No Hidden Fees ? Irvine, CA | Serving all of Orange County ? (949) 340-0915 | opulentdb.com

San Elijo Hills Custom Hood and Valance Design by Coastal Home Design Studio. The entire kitchen received a facelift on the cabinets; as well as new sinks installed into the existing granite. All cabinets were refaced and given all new colors. An added feature were the custom iron corbels designed and installed by our team.

Opulent Design Build — Orange County's Premier Custom Home Builder & Full-Service Design-Build Firm Opulent Design Build is Orange County's award-winning design-build firm, bringing over 20 years of experience to custom home construction, whole-home renovations, and high-end remodeling projects across Irvine, Newport Beach, Corona Del Mar, Laguna Beach, Coto de Caza, and beyond. As a true one-stop design-build company, we manage every phase of your project under one roof — from initial concept and architectural design to engineering, HOA approvals, permitting, construction, and final inspection. No handoffs. No miscommunication. No surprises. What We Do: Custom home building & ground-up construction Whole-home renovations & luxury remodels Kitchen remodeling & custom cabinetry Bathroom remodeling & master suite transformations Room additions & Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs) Eco-friendly & sustainable building solutions Outdoor living spaces & stamped concrete Interior design & finish selections Why Homeowners Choose Opulent: Our in-house team of engineers, licensed contractors, interior designers, and landscape specialists means your project moves faster, stays on budget, and reflects your exact vision. We use state-of-the-art project management software so clients receive daily progress updates and full transparency throughout construction. From gated Newport Harbor estates to sprawling ranch homes in Trabuco Canyon, we've delivered hundreds of custom builds across Orange County — each one crafted with uncompromising attention to detail and premium materials. 5x Best of Houzz Winner | Licensed & Insured | Fixed-Price Estimates | No Hidden Fees ? Irvine, CA | Serving all of Orange County ? (949) 340-0915 | opulentdb.com

This home in Bonita Bay, Florida is located in a development designed with a tropical, entertaining-friendly courtyard floor plan, barrel tile roofs, and arched windows. The only thing missing was a modern, elegant and functional kitchen where two chefs could work simultaneously and have better flow among the surrounding spaces. Having worked with Progressive Design before on three prior renovations, all in less than one year, Progressive was the obvious choice for their fourth major remodel—this masterful kitchen renovation. Challenge Ultimately, Progressive Design Build was tasked with transforming a closed-off kitchen into an open concept floor plan. The design and production team began working on a solution to the structural beam support—confirming its adequacy for supporting the loft above after cutting a few holes in the drywall. Secondly, the size of the current marble tile flooring was no longer available. We needed a solution that would seamlessly blend the new flooring with the old. Thirdly, the existing lighting plan was inefficient and would need to be updated to accommodate the new island location and kitchen layout. Solution Since the existing marble flooring tile size was no longer available, we designed a beautiful stone border between the new kitchen and the existing living space to create a small break in the two-floor patterns, minimizing the noticeable difference in the tile sizes. Once installed, we re-polished and sealed the entire floor creating a beautiful sheen and natural flow throughout the space. The new location of the kitchen island, as well as additional perimeter lighting, necessitated the need to move electrical outlets and light switches to a more convenient and intuitive location. This was implemented strategically using a well-thought-out lighting plan. The clients were thrilled when we suggested removing a sink from their existing wet bar (which was rarely used) and moved the wet bar drain to the new laundry room, located on the backside of the wet bar. Special features include custom-designed Dura Supreme cabinets painted in a white finish, for the kitchen, wet bar, and laundry room; Wolf and Sub-Zero appliances, and an impressive gas range with downdraft at the cooktop. Results Not only was this Bonita Bay couple thrilled to receive all of their remodel wish list items, but Progressive Design Build was able to complete their project ahead of schedule and on budget.

San Elijo Hills Custom Hood and Valance Design by Coastal Home Design Studio. The entire kitchen received a facelift on the cabinets; as well as new sinks installed into the existing granite. All cabinets were refaced and given all new colors. An added feature were the custom iron corbels designed and installed by our team.

Before their move, the family had always lived in subdivisions. “Our previous homes were a great place to raise our kids, and we always loved getting to know our neighbors,” she notes. However, she and her husband began looking for a home with a little extra outdoor space and a more manageable interior that would accommodate them as they grew older. Though they’d toured many houses and even put contracts on a few, this Westwood ranch-style home spoke to them as soon as they stepped foot through the front door. “The house and the property just had the feeling I was looking for, even though it wasn’t in the best condition yet. It was just so peaceful.” Peacefulness and a connection to nature were the main focuses for the renovation. The homeowners sought the help of Rochelle McAvin of LU Design Build to make their vision come to life. “I needed a designer who understood my love for gently-used furniture, which I find more personal and interesting. They also needed to get the look I was going for; Mid-century modern with a twist. I felt that LU Design Build was creating the kind of projects I was looking for.” Designer Rochelle McAvin has worked in the design build industry for over six years, and she focuses mainly on residential remodeling. For all projects, she believes in letting the clients’ priorities fuel the design. “Form follows function, and we wanted to make this house as efficient and comfortable as possible for the homeowners.” The goal of the project was to create a personal oasis for the pair they could enjoy for years to come while leaving a minimal environmental footprint. They aimed to make the space feel calm, serene and interesting without making the entire house white. The home is interesting from the moment you enter. To the right of the front door is a sunken living room that the homeowners lovingly call “The Pit.” Built in 1967, the sunken living room was original to the home, but the previous owners leveled the space in a 1980s remodel. Both the new owners and Rochelle agreed that restoring the sunken floor plan gave the home character, though they made it smaller to increase coziness and intimacy. Primarily used as a family gathering place and game room, “The Pit” needed ample seating and enough space for visitors to pull up a chair and enjoy each other’s company. The large couch was a find from Stash Home, and the gray swivel chair and roomy coffee table came from Pottery Barn. The homeowner finished off the space with vintage ottomans from an estate sale to act as side tables. Large windows at the front of the room give a perfect view of the pond just outside and let in plenty of natural light during the day. Dimmable light fixtures from West Elm give the room a warm glow once the sun sets. Because the homeowners don’t always require a lot of seating, they opted for a table in their dining room with many removable leaves, allowing it to shrink down to the size of a desk. A Napoleon electric fireplace adds to the warm ambience at dinners, gently lighting the striking wallpaper. White oak floors and tongue-and-groove white ceilings lead from the front of the home back into the main living space. The living room has vaulted ceilings and an original brick fireplace. The homeowners wanted to find a perfect balance between bright and cozy; the windows and the added skylights gave the room great natural light, but the team added an oiled plywood wall to warm up the color scheme. The fireplace, painted beige in a previous remodel, received a fresh coat of gray paint to act as the room’s anchor. The homeowner found the majority of the home’s furniture from Facebook marketplace. Buying furniture second-hand is a great way to recycle interesting pieces and minimize one’s environmental footprint in the remodeling process. “She has such a good eye bringing in earthy, vintage pieces that made every space more personal and cozy,” says Rochelle. “I think she nailed it!” In the kitchen, the homeowner desired a space that “felt like any other room. I didn’t want it to scream ‘kitchen.’” To achieve this look, the team chose natural Missouri limestone from SFI for the island and countertops. The walnut cabinets are custom-made from Hulls Cabinetry; the bottom cabinets are painted evergreen to match the lush trees shown through the large windows. Lucite hardware with brass accents from CB2 add interest and ease. The Facebook marketplace table keeps the space light and fun. To avoid clutter, the team created a butler’s pantry off the kitchen to house the family’s odds and ends, as well as the wife’s house plant collection. “We created a bright, functional space for her off the main living area for her to stow all her keepsakes," comments Rochelle. "She’s a collector, and we wanted to give all her things a home without affecting the rest of the home’s design.” Rochelle knew the main bedroom needed a calming, relaxing vibe for both homeowners to enjoy. “I don’t spend much time in my bedroom, but I wanted it to feel like a getaway, almost like our own personal hotel room,” the wife notes. She and Rochelle chose the softest carpet they could find. A Harlequin “Foxley” wallpaper accent wall elevates the suite, complemented by walls painted in a custom gray/taupe. A tree trunk headboard in gray adds a final natural element. “Our last bathroom was very large, and it was always cold,” the wife says. “We wanted this bathroom to be as warm as possible.” They kept the bathroom’s layout relatively small, but it allowed enough space for all the wife’s requests, including a matte eco-friendly Perlato Vittoria tub in lapis stone, zero-entry shower and Missouri limestone vanity. Heated porcelain floors designed to mimic slate paired with high-gloss, straight stacked tile on the walls keep the bathroom both natural and eye-catching. “This project was so organic from beginning to end,” says Rochelle. “The homeowner and I made changes to the design as we went along. Our constant collaboration is what made this home so customized for them. It really fits their personality." “We don’t intend to move again, so with this house, we really went for it,” the wife says. “It’s everything we wanted from the start: easy to live in, peaceful, beautiful. I’m so happy every time I come home because I know this space made for us.”

San Elijo Hills Custom Hood and Valance Design by Coastal Home Design Studio. The entire kitchen received a facelift on the cabinets; as well as new sinks installed into the existing granite. All cabinets were refaced and given all new colors. An added feature were the custom iron corbels designed and installed by our team.

In this transitional farmhouse in West Chester, PA, we renovated the kitchen and family room, and installed new flooring and custom millwork throughout the entire first floor. This chic tuxedo kitchen has white cabinetry, white quartz counters, a black island, soft gold/honed gold pulls and a French door wall oven. The family room’s built in shelving provides extra storage. The shiplap accent wall creates a focal point around the white Carrera marble surround fireplace. The first floor features 8-in reclaimed white oak flooring (which matches the open shelving in the kitchen!) that ties the main living areas together. Rudloff Custom Builders has won Best of Houzz for Customer Service in 2014, 2015 2016 and 2017. We also were voted Best of Design in 2016, 2017 and 2018, which only 2% of professionals receive. Rudloff Custom Builders has been featured on Houzz in their Kitchen of the Week, What to Know About Using Reclaimed Wood in the Kitchen as well as included in their Bathroom WorkBook article. We are a full service, certified remodeling company that covers all of the Philadelphia suburban area. This business, like most others, developed from a friendship of young entrepreneurs who wanted to make a difference in their clients’ lives, one household at a time. This relationship between partners is much more than a friendship. Edward and Stephen Rudloff are brothers who have renovated and built custom homes together paying close attention to detail. They are carpenters by trade and understand concept and execution. Rudloff Custom Builders will provide services for you with the highest level of professionalism, quality, detail, punctuality and craftsmanship, every step of the way along our journey together. Specializing in residential construction allows us to connect with our clients early in the design phase to ensure that every detail is captured as you imagined. One stop shopping is essentially what you will receive with Rudloff Custom Builders from design of your project to the construction of your dreams, executed by on-site project managers and skilled craftsmen. Our concept: envision our client’s ideas and make them a reality. Our mission: CREATING LIFETIME RELATIONSHIPS BUILT ON TRUST AND INTEGRITY. Photo Credit: JMB Photoworks

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