Taking matters into their own hands, architect Geoff Campen and designer Diana Ruiz designed their new home at The Sea Ranch in Sonoma County, California. Campen, a Senior Associate at Klopf Architectureand Ruiz left San Francisco city life behind after falling in love with Sea Ranch and its “consistency, inventiveness of designs, and the careful architectural connections to the land.” Castle Black follows the building codes of the area while paying close attention to the volume’s relationship to the unique site. A forest of trees lines the back of the house, while sight lines from the front are of the ocean, providing the best of both worlds.
The structure, which features a dark stained siding, rises higher in the back as the land slopes down.
The interior has an open floor plan with flexible spaces that are sectioned off with a series of curtain systems or on a separate floor. Only the two bathrooms are enclosed.
Large windows frame the picturesque views that make Castle Black feel like a dreamy vacation home.
The minimalist kitchen wraps around a central structure that houses a bathroom. By floating in the middle of the living space, the views of the ocean and forest are maintained.
The materials and color palette used throughout are kept simple, with white walls, white oak paneling, exposed concrete floors, and raw steel trim. The pale green/blue toned tile wrapping the kitchen’s backsplash adds a new hue and texture to the space.
The open upstairs is the bedroom loft with the bed positioned into a nook. The same dark siding from the exterior continues inside on the ceiling contrasting the white walls and light floor.
On the opposite side of the house is the art/design studio with a central wood component housing a Murphy bed that can be closed off with curtains.
Photos by Mariko Reed.
Klopf Architecture Project Team: Geoff Campen
Designer: Diana Ruiz
General Contractor: Empire Contracting
Structural Engineer: ZFA Structural Engineers
