When a London family bought their summer home in Manhattan Beach, California, they were thrilled with it being close to relatives in the Los Angeles area, but not with its ’90s-era look. The wild geometry of the house, with angular lines and triangular shapes, felt too intense to them. But they could see that it had the potential to become something more serene.

“Squinting our eyes, we could kind of see there were connections with Sea Ranch,” says homeowner Erica, referring to the coastal community in Northern California known for its distinctive architecture of simple forms and rustic textures.

Erica tapped Blue Truck Studio, a small architecture practice based in San Francisco, to undertake the renovation. Its founder and principal, Peter Liang, had come out of the University of California, Berkeley’s architecture program, which has strong ties to Sea Ranch architects.

On the exterior, Blue Truck Studio reconfigured windows and covered the house in cedar siding, which brought symmetry to the form of the house, as well as a measure of privacy.

“We used siding as a wrapper to simplify the form and also do screening in front of some windows—mitigating the light and adding privacy,” says Liang. Over time, the raw cedar will gray, developing a weathered patina.

Liang collaborated closely with the contractor, Rough Workshop, a Los Angeles–based design-build studio founded by Bryan Bethem. To bring calmness and consistency to the 3,770-square-foot house, they gutted the interior, opened up spaces, and created a seamless indoor/outdoor flow that takes advantage of the location’s balmy weather. They also worked with New York City–based interior designer Mary Valaika who chose fixtures, finishes, furnishings, and more that contribute to the natural and tranquil feel of the home.

The family of four, including two children, wanted a home that was conducive to entertaining, particularly since Erica is a Los Angeles native with family and friends in the area.

At the same time, Liang and Bethem also created more private living quarters and guest spaces that feel tucked away in the four-bedroom house.

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“It has all the fun things of a vacation home, where you’re not encumbered by your normal things in life,” says Bethem. “But it also has to feel completely like a home, for Erica especially, to give her kids this sense of place, like ‘Los Angeles is your home, too.’”

The balance of large, open gathering spaces and private, cozier areas was key for the family. “Whether it’s just our family of four that’s there or whether we’re having a get-together with 25 or 30 people, there’s something that’s organic, natural, and super comfortable about it,” says Erica.

Related Reading:

Less is More in This Manhattan Beach Bungalow

The Legacy of Sea Ranch, a Utopian Community in Northern California

Project Credits:

Architect of Record: Peter Liang, Blue Truck Studio / @bluetruckstudio

Builder: Rough Workshop

Structural Engineer: Palos Verdes Engineering

Landscape Design: Romana di Suvero

Interior Design: Mary Valaika Design

Cabinetry Design: R Landis Interiors

Lumber Mill: Bear Creek Lumber

Photography: Gregg Segal

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A Southern California Beach House Gets a Sea Ranch–Inspired Makeover