Vacation Home | Mini-Mod

This diminutive weekend home, designed by Joseph Esherick and Associates in 1968, has democratic and ecological principles running in its very foundation. It is one of a series of demonstration homes commissioned by The Sea Ranch developer Oceanic Properties and an example of a well designed, ecologically sensitive weekend getaway home that would have been affordable to a family on a school teacher’s income.

During our conversations, we helped the new owners prioritize their needs: a fully equipped, modern kitchen, sleeping for 6 people, securable storage and low maintenance, hard-wearing materials. Framestudio sought a balanced approach to the project which preserved the architectural intent and fabric of the home while making new, functional additions that bring it to the 21st century.

The new elements were designed to respect the original architecture: a privacy door was added to the bunk room, but in order to keep the open-plan design intact, it becomes part of the paneling when open.

The homeowners requested the home to be durable and cleanable, withstanding the wear and tear caused by kids, dogs and renters. Natural materials like recycled wool fabric were used to upholster the custom sectional sofa, intentionally matching the family dog’s coloring.

Most of the work on projects like this, where the intention is to keep the original design, is invisible on the surface. This home received a down to the studs update of its building systems and technology which brought its performance and comfort up to date with today's expectations.

The small details are hugely important to us. The extra effort that was taken to preserve the patina, down to keeping the splatter marks from a former yellow paint scheme are, in our opinion, what preserved this home’s soul. Rather than making it anew, we've just added a few pages to its story.