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Simple renovated beach house goes all in on timber

Wonky geometry is balanced by a Sea Ranch-inspired aesthetic

Angular house clad in Alaskan timber slats. Gregg Segal

When you’ve got a house with as many shapes and angles as the house Blue Truck Studio was enlisted to renovate, the best directive is a simple one: Keep things clean. A family of four tapped the San Francisco studio to refresh and simplify a vacation home in Manhattan Beach, California.

“The design intent was to calm down the geometry of the house,” said Blue Truck Studio’s Peter Liang.

Man reading next to open sliding glass door. Gregg Segal

The family wanted a home reminiscent of the angular, wooden abodes found in the idyllic Northern California community Sea Ranch. To achieve that, the studio wrapped the house in Alaskan cedar slats, creating a neutral facade that almost looks like an op-art installation.

Inside, the house was opened up—Liang removed a fireplace in the living room to create more interior movement and allow space for a wall-sized sliding window that opens directly onto two patios.

The rest of the house follows the cue of the exterior; white siding wraps around the stairwell and neutral wood accents bring just the right amount of warmth to an otherwise cool and toned-down design.

Close up shot of home at night. Gregg Segal
Two men sitting outside on patio. Gregg Segal