For years, Marka Hansen and her husband, Joe Brubaker, walked the docks of Waldo Point Harbor in the seaside town of Sausalito in Northern California, coveting the candy-colored houseboats of all shapes and sizes. The marina has a storied past—and present—as a floating community where freethinkers, naturalists, artists, writers, and musicians live, gather, and create.

The harbor has been around for more than a century, and it’s lived many lives. After World War II, out-of-work shipbuilders found refuge here, crafting floating homes from flotsam and found materials. It drew beatniks in the 1950s and ’60s and hippies in the ’70s.

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According to locals, the docks—situated just five miles north of the Golden Gate Bridge—have welcomed the likes of Otis Redding, Fleetwood Mac, Maya Angelou, Jack Kerouac, Jerry Garcia, Jean Varda, Alan Watts, Stewart Brand, and Anne Lamott. There are tales of spectacular parties, all-night dancing, and the creation of great works of art, including Redding’s “(Sittin’ On) The Dock of the Bay.”

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Today, the harbor draws contemporary creatives and professionals—like Marka, a retail executive and the former president of Gap Inc North America and Banana Republic, and Joe, a Bay Area sculptor. “We used to take walks down here and Joe would say ‘We should live on a houseboat,’” says Marka. “I fell in love with the idea.” She started searching for a floating home in the legendary artist community, and she eventually found a 350-square-foot houseboat and purchased it as a surprise for Joe.

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The couple, who live full-time in San Rafael, spent weekends huddled together in the tiny, cabin-like floating home. “It only fit a double bed, so we were always wanting to go home and sleep in our bigger bed,” says Marka. They dreamt of something larger, and they were eventually approached by neighbors looking to sell their 1,400-square-foot floating home.

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“They were planning to renovate, but then they decided to abandon the project and move to Canada,” explains Marka. She was thrilled with the square footage as well as the idea of having a blank slate that could be tailored to her and Joe’s wants and needs. “They asked me if I wanted to buy it and I said yes,” says Marka.

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Marka and Joe sold their tiny floating home to a musician who needed a writing studio, and they began imagining their future dreamboat with builder and designer Steve Crutchfield of True North Construction. “Steve did our house in San Rafael,” says Marka. “He can do anything—he’s a genius.”

The plan was to maintain the exterior shell and layer the interior with a serene palette, artwork, texture, and bespoke and vintage furnishings that reflect who they are, what they love, and the waterfront landscape. As Marka began to think about the personal, collected feel she wanted for the home, she thought of Michelle Chan, the former fashion and editorial director she worked with at Gap and Banana Republic. “Michelle is a true creative and brilliant designer,” says Marka. “We’ve a similar style vibe. She’s incredible at taking inspiration and figuring out how to execute the idea without breaking the bank.”

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converted from a passenger ferry that was inhabited by American artist Jean Varda. A metal pendant that mimics a fishing net and a ceramic bell by Michele Quan hang near the sofa. The artwork above the sofa is by David Rudell." layout="wide" credit="Photo by Nick Brubaker" photoUserId=""/>

Since Chan grew up in Sausalito, Marka also knew she was the right designer to help connect the home to its environment. “As a local, I believe the surroundings and history dictate an authenticity and soul that can’t just be skin deep,” says Chan. “You can’t find a better setting than the Sausalito piers, so we focused the design on nature and the amazing view.”

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Marka hired Chan as her designer and the two promptly got to work finding just-right furnishings for the unfinished interior. “The day I signed the contract for the house, we went to Sonoma Country Antiques and got these surgery lights that were from an old ship,” says Marka, who envisioned hanging the pair of polished metal pendants in the dining area, which looks out to the water.

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According to Chan, she and Marka were inspired by the home’s original features. “The boat was pretty raw, as the previous owner had completed demolition, but there were special details that remained, like a few of the portholes and the interior wood siding and ceiling,” says Chan. Marka and Chan maintained the ceiling and the shiplap walls, which they painted white. They found antique portholes to complement the existing ones and placed them throughout the public and private spaces.

In the loft-style primary bedroom, they added a massive porthole inspired by a similar aperture in the historic Vallejo boat, which bobs in a nearby berth. Originally a passenger ferry, the Vallejo was owned by a group of artists, including Jean Varda, who hosted parties and salons there in the 1960s and ’70s. “I wanted more light and light reflection,” says Marka. “As the sun comes through in the afternoon, it sends light across the walls.”

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As she planned the sunken kitchen, realized by Kozo Designs, Chan was inspired by chef René Redzepi’s home kitchen in Copenhagen. She selected similar wood cabinetry with flat fronts and butterfly joints, topped with basalt counters. “It’s so beautiful and unpretentious,” says Chan. “It’s all about family cooking and being the heart of the home.” A pony wall that delineates the kitchen from the dining area allows Marka and Joe to gaze out at the seals, Canadian geese, and seagulls that congregate along the waterfront near the docks.

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“My life is focused on nature and I’m insane for my family and my dogs,” says Marka. She wanted the floating home to reflect her greatest loves, and the artwork that hangs above the bed perfectly encapsulates this goal. “My husband did this piece with my son as a collaboration,” says Marka. “My son does mosaic work and the drawings are Joe’s. I love it because they did it together.”

A second collaborative artwork hangs above a cabinet in the living room. “We had a painting party with artist friends, including Nicholas Wilton, Terri Froelich, and Bibby Gignilliat who’ve studios in the Industrial Center Building across the way,” says Marka. “I gave everyone 16-inch squares and asked that they paint them in their own style. Then, I cut them up and put them together in the way that I wanted.” Figurative sculptures by Joe also perch throughout the home—in the hallway, the living area, and the main bathroom.

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Once the design was complete, Marka and Joe named their floating home Seneca, after the Stoic philosopher. “I’m inspired by the principals of Stoicism: wisdom, temperance, justice, and prudence,” says Marka. “The philosophy urges us to be better people and reminds us of the shortness of time—the idea that it’s not how long you live, but how well you live.” Undoubtedly, the time Marka and Joe are able to spend on the water—by themselves and with family and friends—is life well-lived.

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Project Credits:

Design: Michelle Chan

Interior Construction and Design Consultation: Steve Crutchfield, True North Construction

Photography: Nick Brubaker

Original Architect: Michael Sheets

Barge Construction: Forbes Kiddoo, 1968

Kitchen Cabinetry: Herb Zacks Woodwork

Staircase and Railing: Dennis Ludeman, Sculpture and Architectural Metal

Kitchen and Baths Planning: Jane Ariyoshi, Kozo Designs

Kitchen Shelving: Karl Stark, Peroba Reclaimed Wood & Live Edge Slabs