
Location: Sebastopol, California, USA
Architect: Turnbull Griffin Haesloop – Eric Haesloop, FAIA and Mary Griffin, FAIA, Jerome Christensen, Juliet Hsu
Landscape Architect: Jennifer Brooke, Landscape Office, Ltd.
Engineer: Mike Forbes, Fratessa Forbes Wong
Interiors: John and Loreta Hornall
General Contractor: Ken Sawyer and Micah Sawyer, Sawyer Construction
Year: 2008
Photographer: David Wakely, David Wakely Photography


Designed for two graphic designers, this house bridges between two stands of redwood trees, with the northern window wall facing out to the expansive view. Decks located at either end of the house open onto paths that lead to the pool on one side and the studio/garage on the other.


The southern elevation screens the interior from the driveway and road above, but allows southern light in through the clerestory windows. As you enter, a dormer rises up over the dining area to frame the view. The main house is modest in size, only 1,700 square feet, but feels spacious due to an open floor plan.

The clients’ wonderful art objects are housed in the long southern wall bookcase. The exterior is clad in cedar siding with a metal roof and the interior features a Douglas fir ceiling and decking, sheetrock walls and Ipe flooring.

Products in this project
Bathroom Equipment: Duravit
- Bathroom Equipment by Duravit
Construction materials, Semi-finished materials: Bonded Logic isulation, Icynene
- Insulation by Bonded Logic isulation
- Insulation by Icynene
Furniture: Douglas Fir
- Cabinetry by Douglas Fir
Joinery: Loewen
- Windows by Loewen
Kitchen Equipment: Sub Zero, Viking
- Refrigerator by Sub Zero
- Range by Viking
Lighting, Heating, Home/building automation: Grey Design Studio, Litelab Corporation
- Element 55 chandelier by Grey Design Studio
- Track lighting by Litelab Corporation
Roof: AEP Span
- Dura tech 5000/Zincalume finish by AEP Span
Walls: Douglas Fir
- Walls by Douglas Fir
- © David Wakely Photography
- © David Wakely Photography
- © David Wakely Photography
- © David Wakely Photography
- © David Wakely Photography
- © David Wakely Photography
- © David Wakely Photography
- © David Wakely Photography
- © David Wakely Photography
- © David Wakely Photography
- © David Wakely Photography
- © David Wakely Photography
- © David Wakely Photography
- © David Wakely Photography
- © David Wakely Photography
- © David Wakely Photography
- © David Wakely Photography
- © David Wakely Photography
- © David Wakely Photography
- © David Wakely Photography
- Floor plan
- Diagram
- Section
- Site plan

























Great project, very clean and warm.
There’s something I’m missing here. Which building is the small office with the desk, wood stove, tan couch and wooden chest located in? I don’t see it in the floor plan at all so I’m assuming that it’s located in one of the outbuildings??
Stephen,
The studio is in the space next to the garage and carport
Thanks eric. Looks like a wonderful space to live in (for me at least). I love the crispness, the clean modern lines, the amount of light that enters the space and the apparent simplicity of its layout.
What was the reason for separating the livings spaces from the utilitarian spaces – garage, etc? I’m wondering about the walk between these spaces on rainy days (granted, this is in California).
interiors are pretty boring.
It seems very comfortable and homie. I’d love to live there and to be there right now. Just a few projects of houses make me feel like that. I love it!
I don’t know why some people say “interiors are pretty boring”, a house is supposed to be functional and confortable, and then beauty, but “fun” doesn’t seem to me like the most important feature. some people think it has to be like a piece of art or something. We don’t live in museums, we (at least me) want our house to be warm. I just don’t find it boring…
the windows look “cheap” from the exterior…white always makes me think of vinyl windows…red or blue I think would work better and be more “woodsy”
there seems to be some discord between the roof structure and the window wall…the roof beams are big and heavy and appear to bear on the window jambs…no doubt there are concealed steel posts, but it looks proportionate and “un-realistic”
otherwise, nice and simple…TGH continues to deliver their version of the refined trailer-home-revival.
dis-proportionate…not “proportionate”.. wa-hoops.
Beautiful landscaping. The house has a nice balance of expanse and privacy.
how could the interiors be boring with all that scenic beauty being brought in.
One thing I don’t like is that all the woods are a bit too similar in tone … the flooring especially irks me. Using lots of types of woods and pulling it off is quite a balancing act, should be approached with caution.
A linear plan that works. Access to full sunlight throughout warms
and brightens all interior spaces. Excellent use of space inside and outside.
Very liveable in a treed environment.
lonely rich couple sitting there in the dark woods.. scary!
I like the work by TGH… well executed, making the best of the surroundings… the kind of house were I would like to live, rather than just watch on magazines.
very njke
with all the recent wild fires, it takes faith to build an all wood house in the forest. Beautiful design none the less.
Wow, I’m in love!!