Cabin

In California's idyllic Sea Ranch community, a vacation home privileges views of the Pacific Ocean and fog-shrouded trees. The bright and airy interiors, following a crisp, Scandinavian aesthetic, are pared back to retain focus on the spectacular surroundings.

Situated between the main living space and the other bedroom, the middle cabin is furnished with a Calder side table by Konstantin Grcic, a vintage Dalu lamp by Vico Magistretti, and handwoven blankets from Swans Island Company.

“We did our best to tuck the buildings into the site—the goal was to get up high on a perch. It was a matter of setting that elevation and working back down with the topography.”—Riley Pratt, architectural designer

Using wood as the primary building material imbues an aesthetic warmth to the structure. It's also cost-effective, considering the abundance of Canada's natural timber resources and strong local carpentry trade. Photo by Shai Gil.

The back deck features an outdoor shower designed by Scott. Made of stainless steel and brass components, it uses a garden watering nozzle for the shower and foot-wash heads.

“I wanted the house to feel like a boat in the middle of the forest or on an island, standing alone,

A wood stove by Stûv faces Mathias sofas from West Elm in the living area.

The interior is lined almost entirely in birch plywood panels.

A breezeway complete with swings connects the front and back decks. “We knew we wanted a covered entry, but we left it open to create a larger outdoor space,” says Scott, who admits to occasionally using the swings himself. Mud guards are built into the Kebony decking to keep dirt from being tracked inside. The teak chairs are by Skagerak.

The surrounding forest served as a major design inspiration for the timber-clad home, which is oriented to face views of the trees.

Woodhouse's exterior is clad in vertical strips of Douglas fir and punctuated by full-height windows.

Guests unwind in the cedar ofuro soaking tub, overlooking the blazing fire pit and dense forest.

The dark cedar-stained lanai is the cozy, attractive center of activity at Kūono .

Bunk beds served Jessica’s two young children for four years in the tiny home. They each had a small niche in the wall, illuminated by a pull chain light, where they could store a few things, and a pull out closet at the end of the beds for clothing. A day bed against the far wall (not pictured) served as the “guest room.”

Built-in sofas provide lots of flexibility for entertaining, lounging, and even spare sleeping arrangements—plus they provide plenty of storage, thanks to pull-out drawers. A floor-to-ceiling bookshelf was key for corralling clutter, providing some of the only horizontal space in the home. The bookshelf wall is extra thick to accommodate two small cupboards behind the sofa cushions that open into the adjoining bathroom.

The home’s walls are clad in Oregon white oak reclaimed from a dismantled barn on the property. Jessica Helgerson chose to paint them white to create a bright, airy look, but she left the kitchen wall au naturel for a visual pop. With storage at a premium, the kitchen needed ample cabinetry as well as some ingenious solutions—including a pull-out cabinet hidden in one half of the range hood. A vintage cabinet on the left wall provides open storage for everyday dishes.