Houzz Tours
My Houzz: Contemporary Camp Style Wows on the U.S. West Coast
Guest cabins, a barn for parties and a spacious communal bathroom make a couple's coastal home an entertaining dream
With a passion for surf and sun, Stuart Gasner and Kate Ditzler built a dream second-home retreat for themselves, their five kids and friends on a vast meadow hidden in the mountains of Aptos, just south of the surfing community of Santa Cruz in California. The compound-style retreat pulls inspiration from California barns and rustic cabin compounds found in Sweden's Stockholm archipelago, where the couple has traveled.
Cass Calder Smith of CCS Architecture helped create the home, which they now use for everything from weekend getaways to work retreats and New Year's Eve parties. "We wanted the place to be superflexible," says Ditzler. "It easily accommodates 25, while also feeling intimate with only the two of us."
Houzz at a Glance
Who lives here: Kate Ditzler and Stuart Gasner
Location: Aptos, California
Size: 2,800 square feet on 16 acres; 3 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, 2 cabins and a barn
That's interesting: The couple plans to create a hiking trail around the 16-acre property.
Cass Calder Smith of CCS Architecture helped create the home, which they now use for everything from weekend getaways to work retreats and New Year's Eve parties. "We wanted the place to be superflexible," says Ditzler. "It easily accommodates 25, while also feeling intimate with only the two of us."
Houzz at a Glance
Who lives here: Kate Ditzler and Stuart Gasner
Location: Aptos, California
Size: 2,800 square feet on 16 acres; 3 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, 2 cabins and a barn
That's interesting: The couple plans to create a hiking trail around the 16-acre property.
California painter Antoinette Von Grone's “Timber Baron of Mendocino County" piece hangs in the dining room. Thomas Schwaiger Design, a maker of hand-crafted furniture in Murrieta, California, created the rustic chandelier.
Table: Restoration Hardware; chairs: Scandinavian Designs; rug: Krimsa
Table: Restoration Hardware; chairs: Scandinavian Designs; rug: Krimsa
All of the furniture and interior elements were designed to keep a rustic but elegant look, Ross says.
"Like the cabins we saw on the rocky outcroppings in Sweden, the house is made for outdoor family living that is not like everyday life," says Gasner. The main house is one 60-foot room with a living area, dining area and kitchen. The wall of windows are enormous sliding doors that open the space up completely to the lawn outside.
"We love the sun streaming in the big windows and everyone gathered around the huge island, chatting while eating, cooking and drinking," says Ditzler.
"We love the sun streaming in the big windows and everyone gathered around the huge island, chatting while eating, cooking and drinking," says Ditzler.
"Kate is attracted to fairly minimalist style but still friendly and inviting. She was particularly interested in a house that was easy to keep tidy and clean," Gasner says.
Cabinet paint: Caliente, Benjamin Moore; chairs: Scandinavian Designs
Cabinet paint: Caliente, Benjamin Moore; chairs: Scandinavian Designs
The exterior siding is all custom reclaimed barn wood from Vermont. The couple was able to choose the style and color they wanted. The siding is 50 percent red, 25 percent brown and 25 percent gray.
Inspired by a camp-like setting, the couple chose not to include a bathroom on the main floor of the house, requiring their guests to go outside to use the Costanoa-style communal bathroom — Costanoa is a local coastal retreat site. In the communal bathroom at the couple's home are two toilets, a large stone shower with two showerheads and a family-style sink.
"The bathroom becomes one of the most popular hangouts," says Ditzler. "Everyone is often in here together chatting and getting ready."
Cedar wood paneling lines the interior walls and ceilings. Walnut was used on the stairs and the kitchen island.
Calder Smith designed the staircase landing to have visual interest by adding architectural details such as an opening that overlooks the dining room.
Art: Charles Prentiss
Art: Charles Prentiss
The upstairs main bedroom is the only bedroom in the main house. (There is a separate structure with guest bedrooms as well as onsite sleeping cabins.) The bedroom overlooks the property and has a view of Monterey Bay on clear days.
Gasner sits in his home office. The space includes the only bathroom in the house.
A window in the bedroom overlooks the living room and the fireplace chimney.
Ditzler and Calder Smith disagreed on certain features of the home, such as adding this Woods wallpaper by Cole & Son and window treatments to the guest bedrooms. Ditzler feels these elements give the rooms a cozier and more private feel, while Calder Smith prefers a more open aesthetic.
Bed frame: La Lune Collection, from Kathy Best Design
Bed frame: La Lune Collection, from Kathy Best Design
Contractor Brian Bedell came up with a variety of ideas to save the couple money and to maximize space. He turned the empty space above the guest room closets into additional sleeping lofts.
"There is a limited age group that can use the lofts," notes Gasner. "You have to be young enough to still sleep in a room with your parents, but not young enough to fall, and not so old you can't get up the ladder!"
"There is a limited age group that can use the lofts," notes Gasner. "You have to be young enough to still sleep in a room with your parents, but not young enough to fall, and not so old you can't get up the ladder!"
Capitola landscape designer Natalain Schwartz used native shrubs and trees, succulents and native grasses for a low-fuss yard; a meadow and play area has Agrostis pallens. "She was really responsive to our desire to keep monthly maintenance to a minimum, and designed around the fact that we are part-time residents and wished for a low-maintenance setting," says Ditzler.
"The focus of the landscape design for this beautiful property was inspired by Kate and Stuart's desire to connect with the land," says Schwartz. "The plants were selected to fit the existing environment and be harmonious with the style of their home. I focused on function, form, texture and year-around interest, including plants that covered a lot of territory."
"The focus of the landscape design for this beautiful property was inspired by Kate and Stuart's desire to connect with the land," says Schwartz. "The plants were selected to fit the existing environment and be harmonious with the style of their home. I focused on function, form, texture and year-around interest, including plants that covered a lot of territory."
"I included plants with certain characteristics," Schwartz continues. "Ones that were not greedy with water and offered a pattern of foliage of color on the hillside year-round, and supported the natural habitat of birds. Even with the challenge of deer, gopher and wild turkey, the plantings remain successful to this day with little replacement."
She included LED fixtures to illuminate the property's stairs and pathways with minimal uplighting.
She included LED fixtures to illuminate the property's stairs and pathways with minimal uplighting.
The couple wanted to be as environmentally conscious as possible when building their home, and to take full advantage of their sunny environment. Below the pool is a row of solar panels, which heat water for the entire property; the solar energy that's left heats the pool.
All the fencing, pathways and mulch were made from repurposed natural materials found onsite.
More: How to pick a mulch
All the fencing, pathways and mulch were made from repurposed natural materials found onsite.
More: How to pick a mulch
"We’ve named the property Ola Grande, which is Spanish for 'big wave,'" says Ditzler. In addition to referring to Gasner's passion for surfing and the huge sloping meadow out front, the name is a nod to Gasner's approach to challenges in life, which, like surfing big waves, typically go better when you paddle hard and do not hesitate, he says.
"We initially hoped for a simple house with a lot of modern prefab components, but it ended up very customized and much more expensive than we hoped," says Gasner. "We were so happy with the final product that we have largely gotten over the expense."
One of the biggest challenges the CCS design team faced was the sloping nature of the property. To achieve flat, comfortable spaces, they created a retaining wall that solved problems while creating a spacious, flat lawn.
"The house felt like our own when we hosted our first family reunion, Camp Gasner, in July 2009, and we have loved hosting our families for reunions and Thanksgivings ever since," says Ditzler. "We always enjoy bringing the playful side out of people with the camp-like atmosphere." A high point for Gasner was hosting his group of best surfer friends for a weeklong surf camp and "seeing the guys take advantage of every feature of the place, from sauna to hot tub, to billiard table, to horseshoe pit," he says.
There is a patio outside of the sleeping quarters with Adirondack chairs that are perfect for relaxing and enjoying the view. Beyond is a sauna that Gasner installed himself.
The overhangs off the main house and the sleeping quarters did not have columns for support in the original design. However, after the home was built, the couple decided to add them to better frame the space, giving the contemporary concept a little bit of traditional style.
To save money, the beams are made of glulam rather the steel.
To save money, the beams are made of glulam rather the steel.
A path leads from the main sleeping quarters to two tent-style cabins, offering more sleeping space for guests. "Our guests love these," says Ditzler. "They are usually the first spoken for."
The couple purchased the cabins online; they came with all the pieces but had to be built by hand.
The decor of the cabins has a summer camp allure.
The property had a permit for a barn, so the couple chose to build one. They use it for everything from surfboard storage to parties and billiards.
Kate Ditzler and Stuart Gasner relax at home with their two dogs, Apollo and Athena.
See more photos of this home | Share your home with us!
See more photos of this home | Share your home with us!
They commissioned San Francisco artist Jeff Canham to create the piece on the living room wall.
Couch, chair: Roche Bobois; rug: Krimsa