Houzz Tours
Houzz Tour: Modern Meets Rustic in Rural Marin County
A lodge-like home is an oasis for an artistic, outdoorsy family
The Point Reyes Peninsula, an hour north of San Francisco in western Marin County, is home to wild beaches, grazing elk and cows, a historic lighthouse, oyster farms and agri-tourism, making it a favorite getaway for outdoor enthusiasts and food lovers. It was the perfect setting for architect Gustave Carlson’s clients, a couple who surf, are Waldorf teachers and have twin daughters.
The Inverness, California, home Carlson built on their 3-acre property was a “bridge between the couple’s tastes. He wanted a white modern box; she wanted a cozy shingled cabin with a porch,” Carlson says. He stayed true to the traditional cabins in the area while incorporating sustainable features and modern design. Whenever possible, local craftsmen and suppliers were used. And, in keeping with the region’s environmental and sustainable ethos, many of the materials were reclaimed and recycled.
The Inverness, California, home Carlson built on their 3-acre property was a “bridge between the couple’s tastes. He wanted a white modern box; she wanted a cozy shingled cabin with a porch,” Carlson says. He stayed true to the traditional cabins in the area while incorporating sustainable features and modern design. Whenever possible, local craftsmen and suppliers were used. And, in keeping with the region’s environmental and sustainable ethos, many of the materials were reclaimed and recycled.
Horizontal Western red cedar panels at the base of the house slide open to access space under the deck, where the owners store garden tools.
The spacious living room is anchored by a floor-to-ceiling board-formed-concrete fireplace. Carlson says the wood-grain pattern of such concrete gives it a softer, warmer look. Clerestory windows along the beamed ceiling open to the outside to “create a passive cooling ventilation effect, where the warm air rises and is released through the upper windows,” Carlson says. Some of the windows are opened electronically by a switch, some with a pole. The house is powered by propane, but there’s no need for air conditioning in the cool coastal climate, Carlson says.
Sofa and chairs: Knoll; lighting: Artemide Castore; vintage tables with feet: designed by John Dickinson, owners’ collection
Sofa and chairs: Knoll; lighting: Artemide Castore; vintage tables with feet: designed by John Dickinson, owners’ collection
Doors in the living area open wide to the deck and views of Tomales Bay. Carlson wanted a seamless boundary between indoors and out, so he also used Western red cedar for the barn-like ceilings and beams. Carlson said the wood is ideally suited for interior and exterior use “due to its high impermeability to water and its natural preservatives. It has excellent staining capabilities and [is] a stable wood with low shrinkage.”
The open floor plan allows a clear view from the kitchen to the living room. A large island has plenty of workspace and storage, with space for a few stools. Teak floors extend throughout the space. Carlson chose dark brown trim for the windows and door frames for its modern appeal. “I wanted to bridge the architecture between ‘local farm to table’ meets modern.”
Kitchen appliances: Viking, Sub-Zero
Kitchen appliances: Viking, Sub-Zero
Artemide Castore pendant lighting continues in the kitchen. Handmade countertops and backsplash tile were made locally in Point Reyes, to cut down on shipping costs.
Countertops and backsplash: Blue Slide Art Tile
Countertops and backsplash: Blue Slide Art Tile
The indoor-outdoor feel extends into the master bedroom, where wide French doors open onto the deck. A floating dresser built into the wall is a modernist way of making the room appear larger.
Chrome mesh chairs: Knoll Bertoia Diamond chair
Chrome mesh chairs: Knoll Bertoia Diamond chair
The cozy breakfast room paneled in Western red cedar pays homage to the 600-square-foot cabin that sat on the property before the house was built.
Table and chairs: CB2
Table and chairs: CB2
More locally sourced tile is used in the bathroom. Just out the window is an outdoor shower, which the owners use for rinsing off after surfing.
Tub: Duravit; counter, backsplash: Blue Slide Art Tile
Tub: Duravit; counter, backsplash: Blue Slide Art Tile
Pavers and gravel in the backyard provide a permeable surface for rainwater, reducing runoff. A rain chain hangs from the roof over a deck of durable ipe wood.
Patio furniture: McGuire Furniture
Patio furniture: McGuire Furniture
Columns of structural lumber clad in Western red cedar help support the roof, which is steeply pitched to accommodate the clerestory windows of the home. Dog Luna is pictured.
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Who lives here: Adam Neale and Megan Freitas Neale, and their two daughters
Location: Inverness, California
Size: Three bedrooms, two bathrooms on a 3-acre lot
Architect: Gustave Carlson Design
Drive through the nearby hills dotted with ranches and dairy farms, and it’s easy to see architect Gustave Carlson’s inspiration for this home. The architect says the house pays homage to the pastoral area’s cabins and barns, but with a modern flair.
The exterior is stucco and locally sourced Western red cedar, and the house is angled to take advantage of the view of Tomales Bay through the trees. A vertical cutout in the stucco wall along the stairs also opens to the view.