Dream Surf Shack at Pleasure Point

Oct - 16
2018

Dream Surf Shack at Pleasure Point

The owners of the home and their adult children are avid surfers. If they fell in love with the sport they fell hard, and determined that they wanted a weekend house close to their favourite surfing spot — Pleasure Point.

By adding classic beachfront details into a more modern frame, Bay Area architect Noel Cross designed a house that’s a natural match for the unique neighborhood in Santa Cruz, Calif.. Pleasure Point got its name from its quite scandalous background as a Red Light District during Prohibition. From the 1960s, Pleasure Point became better known for its waves, and it is still a surfer’s mecca today.

Noel Cross+Architects

Cross paid tribute to the regional vernacular by remaining in line with the scale and easy materials of the shore cottages and bungalows surrounding this residence. Board and batten, cedar shiplap, and clapboard on the outside help contribute to the contemporary beachfront look.

Landscape architect Christopher Yates utilized a composite of low-maintenance coastal plants for the front lawn. One challenge was containing the horsetail grass, which may become a problem if not held back. In the end, Yates and his group encased the entire planting area in a concrete basin.

Noel Cross+Architects

“I love the towers,” Cross says. “They are intended to evoke the lifeguard towers you see often on California beaches.” Each tower is rotated 5 degrees for the best perspectives.

Christopher Yates Landscape Architecture

The customers wanted a patio with a fire pit that would create enough heat to make it comfortable even about the foggiest Santa Cruz nights. One of those owners solved this problem himself by installing two gas lines and building a tall vertical gas manifold out of steel tubes. “Lighting it may be challenging if you value your lashes,” says Yates.

Christopher Yates Landscape Architecture

A winding steel and Cor-Ten staircase winds its way up to a second-floor balcony. The curved wall round the firepit is made of rusted Cor-Ten, as is the firepit itself. Yates used full array bluestone for the patio and also for the fire-pit cap. The wood boardwalks — another beach-inspired element — are made out of Ipe, a sustainable wood.

“This is a rare client in that he asked the design team to take chances, believe boldly, and bring him a creative and edgy layout that would still fit into the cloth of a somewhat sleepy seaside surfing community,” says Yates.

Viscusi Elson Interior Design – Gina Viscusi Elson

From the early 20th century, a motel known as”Cozy Cabins in Breakers Beach” on this site was a staple for the regional Red-Light district. The customers commemorate that piece of history using a replica of this first hotel hint in their foyer.

Viscusi Elson Interior Design – Gina Viscusi Elson

The kitchen, designed by Viscusi Elson Interior Design, was made for casual entertaining. The curved counter and corner position of the kitchen reflects the pivoted position of this part of the home, and adopts the sea view.

Designer Gina Viscusi found the pendants in Charleston, North Carolina. The cabinetry was custom made in Santa Cruz. Since many members of the household are extra tall, so Viscusi had the barstools made using a little extra height.

Countertops: Baja and Lagos Blue from Caesarstone
Interior color: Mellowed Ivory by Benjamin Moore
Backsplash: Smoke by Walker Zanger

Viscusi Elson Interior Design – Gina Viscusi Elson

The exceptional piece of living room art was created by one of the owners, who placed family photographs on a curving dune fence. Viscusi found the gently glowing floor lamps in a little store in Savannah, Georgia.

Interior color: Boothbay Gray, Benjamin Moore
Chair: Custom layout by Viscusi, made by A. Rudin in Los Angeles

Viscusi Elson Interior Design – Gina Viscusi Elson

The fireplace surround was custom designed by Viscusi and her team using reclaimed lumber. The mantle is made from an old barn beam by a supplier in Santa Cruz.

Viscusi Elson Interior Design – Gina Viscusi Elson

Cross designed the upper floor to adopt the perspective of the Monterey Bay. The customers wanted to have the ability to find the rest of the waves from their house, and every room has a view of the sea. A little reading nook in the master bedroom is a wonderful spot to enjoy an evening sunset or a morning cup of java.

The drawers underneath the bed provide great storage space and elevate the bed for the over-6-feet-tall husband.

Interior color: Antique Jade by Benjamin Moore
Armchair and ottoman: Crate & Barrel

Viscusi Elson Interior Design – Gina Viscusi Elson

Ocean-inspired hues continue into the master bathroom, where Viscusi painted the walls in a soft blue color and incorporated a sea-glass backsplash from Walker Zanger.

Viscusi Elson Interior Design – Gina Viscusi Elson

Though this bedroom is on the primary level of the home, it gets an abundance of natural light during the day. Viscusi Elson Interior Design built this chamber in a cheerful sea-glass green with sea inspired accents.

Bedding: Pottery Barn Organics
Interior color: Antique Jade by Benjamin Moore
Starburst mirror and Table Lamps: Pottery Barn
Nightstands: Redford House

Viscusi Elson Interior Design – Gina Viscusi Elson

Another guest room on the main floor retains four 7-foot extended bunk beds for seeing friends of the customers’ grown children. The exceptional piece of art within this room is just another one of those owners’ beachy layouts. Bedding: Company Store

Architecture: Noel Cross Architects
Landscape Architect: Christopher Yates
Interior Design: Gina Viscusi Elson
Lighting Design: Vita Pehar
Contractor: The Conrado Company
Photography: Frank Paul Perez (exterior) and Dean Birinyi (inside )

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