A writer and a scientist sharing a common appreciation for the beauty and solitude of the Sonoma Coast, dreamed of someday having a place of their own to read, to write, to rest, to host, and to share with others having similar longings.

They married in The Sea Ranch chapel and spent their summers exploring its neighborhoods, each time boarding in a different home, discovering the unique design decisions each architect had made to suit the site and the homeowners.

Over years of immersing themselves in The Sea Ranch, the couple realized that a sense of belonging in this exclusive community shouldn’t have to be earned; it ought to be shared. When property ownership became a reality, they were determined to approach the project with a mind of inclusivity. How could their home embrace those who’ve not had access to this pristine stretch of the coast and who’ve not experienced the sense of leisure they’ve become accustomed to?

This mission set the writer and the scientist down a path of design decisions that would lead them to a humble 1,000 sq ft cottage. It is sized for two but fits a family, restful but built for hosting, unassuming but carefully packaged with each of the experiences the couple enjoyed in a coastal retreat.

Set between a babbling creek with protected riparian vegetation and an eastern home’s protected view corridor, the unadorned rectangle was cinched in tightly and oriented toward a broad view of the ocean and shielded from the sounds of the highway.

As if grown from the site itself, the pine clad box sits atop an ipe base embedded into the site, landscaped header steps blurring the transition from site to structure.

Grounded by the basalt of the ocean floor and the sandstone of the rising bluff, dappled light rays puncture a rising pine grove. The protected nook plays with light and shadow, framing views of the open coastal prairie.

The home is curated to encourage a variety of activities introducing its visitors to the land and the lifestyle of The Sea Ranch.

Awake to a peaceful gaze through layers of fog on the distant forested hills. Take a bike out for a morning ride. Hike down the bluff and collect seashells. Meditate on the day’s discoveries while turning pottery. Arrange a beautifully set table. Enjoy cooking a meal for friends. Gaze at the stars lying on a hot stone slab beside the warmth of the fire.

  • The thousand square foot home is smaller than many ADUs, yet it sleeps two couples or a small family, offers a workshop for pottery and writing, boasts a chef’s kitchen, and hosts a 6-person gathering starting with tea in the ocean-facing living room, moving to dinner at the fireside table, completed by stargazing on a hot stone slab aside the hot tub.

    The creative doubling of the entry as a guest sleeping loft, elimination of excess circulation and use of furniture as architecture to house activities efficiently, creates a compact, affordable vacation for a diverse audience, all of which deserve access to Northern California’s beautiful coastline.

The well-equipped bathroom and outdoor amenities coupled with the sounds of the ocean and the soft salty air support the repose of a wellness retreat.