FEATURES
Rare Beauty
This 15,000 Square Foot Estate Is Designed With Understated Elegance And Fine Finishes
Text By Vanessa Kogevinas
Photography By Matt Walla
High in the rolling coastal foothills of the Santa Ynez Mountains north of Santa Barbara on the Gaviota coast, a residence of the finest quality commands unobstructed 180-degree views of the ocean from a completely hidden one hundred acre parcel of land, without a single other residence in sight.
The California Mission-style house was painstakingly planned and executed over the course of four years by architects Jock M. Sewall & Associates, interior design firm Mark Weaver & Associates, with all outstanding interior architecture and detailing completed by Darrell Wilson, principal associate at Mark Weaver & Associates and builders Kitchell Custom Homes.."It is one of those rare projects where all the teams worked in a symbiotic unison to consistently bring the project up to another level,” says Weaver of Mark Weaver & Associates, established in 1970 and known for their quality of work and attention to detail.
All product and materials were selected specifically for the residence from all over the world, as well as locally, ensuring a truly unique, superior property. "The client wanted to have a world-class destination,” says Sewall, "designed with understated elegance and fine finishes. A home characteristic of the best coastal and traditional work.” Ceramic and terracotta tile flown in from Spain, Portugal and Italy, custom steel windows manufactured in Ventura, eighteenth century limestone for fireplaces, natural woods and stains, and heavy fire resistant timbers, to name a few.
"They wanted something that was not going to fail,” says Shane Mahan of Kitchell Custom Homes. "The location is breathtaking, but also remote enough that natural elements like wind, fog, rain, heat and the proximity to the ocean needed to be addressed and safeguarded against with durability.” The logistics of building such a high-end property on previously untouched land—owned by the client for many years prior—were astounding. Infrastructure—electrical, water, gas—and a two-mile driveway all had to be established just for starters. "The client was very cognizant of the pristine location and spent considerable time and effort working with local departments and commissions to ensure a state of the art building that did not impede the setting in which it is located,” says Mahan.
"The entrance is designed as a classic Spanish-style loggia,” notes Weaver, off of which are a formal living room, dining room, library and powder room, as well as a generous open-plan living space comprised of a family room, kitchen, and dining area. The master suite is accessed at the far end of the loggia and the 15,000 square foot house includes three guests suites and nine bathrooms. A pool and spa have their own cabana; outdoor dining areas, a fountain, and a fireplace grace the exteriors. The property also boasts an additional room/gymnasium, a home theater and a helipad.
The interior color palette is serene and muted, drawing in the colors of the surrounding landscape—hills, ocean and sky. Rich, dark wood Spanish Mediterranean furnishings were chosen in keeping with the style of the house and juxtaposed with contemporary and classical art—often in black, white, grey and cream tones.
"I think the thing that is most spectacular and resonates with people,” says Weaver, "is that from all of the primary rooms you have overwhelming views of the entire coastline and Pacific Ocean. It’s stunning.”
