Studio Schicketanz does it again with this gorgeous Carmel Bay remodel. Their client had a passion for the California Central Coast’s natural beauty, and after seeing this, we absolutely do too! Read on to explore the home + enjoy our project Q&A with designer, Mary Ann Schicketanz.

ARCHITECTURE & INTERIOR DESIGN BY STUDIO SCHICKETANZ | BUILD BY DENNIS JONES, D.L. JONES CONSTRUCTION | LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURE BY MARIE GOULET, WILD LAND WORKSHOP | PHOTOGRAPHY BY JOE FLETCHER PHOTOGRAPHY

This home was built with sustainability in mind, changing the architecture instead of completely rebuilding the home. Cone shaped roofs were removed, the floorpan was re-designed, and rooms were rebuilt to make this home more functional for their client, all while reducing waste and keeping the original square footage.

When we first saw this home, we were so surprised that it was actually a remodel. What were some of the biggest challenges you faced with the original home and how did you solve them?

The biggest challenge was the fact that there was no view from the second floor because the roofs of the first floor obstructed all the glorious views. The advantage of these roofs was the fact that they allowed for high/ vaulted ceilings. Once we decided to take the roofs off, move the master suite upstairs and open that floor up to the views the trick was how to get the highest possible ceilings in the living spaces downstairs. We decided we could go all the way up to the window sills on the second floor (that yielded 9-6 ceilings on the ground floor) - but who wants to look at the back of patio furniture? So we installed a green roof in front of the master bedroom and positioned the patio (with its fire bowl and furniture) off to the north.

 A Neutral Tone Kitchen & Dining

Studio Schicketanz went with solid white oak flooring for this project. The light, neutral finish served as the perfect base to layer neutrals & warm accents throughout the entirety of the home. Hot Tip: Opting for neutral-tones for your flooring allows the home to feel more open & cohesive while varied flooring breaks up the home & rooms, creating a large divide between spaces.

How did the environment where the home was remodeled influence the design?

It being oceanfront materials needed to be durable - redwood and teak. On the inside we only used oak for all wood which is native to California and the color palette was inspired by our surroundings.

The Ocean View Great Room

One look at this home and it’s easy to see that you all are masters at layering neutrals and playing with texture to create visual interest. What is one tip that you can give others that want to achieve this look?

Stay restrained and disciplined when selecting finishes. There are so many fantastic wallpapers, fabrics, tiles, etc on the market, it takes a lot of restraint to stick with a concept and not get carried away by adding product that does not fit the original vision.  

The Bedrooms

How long did this remodel take from start to finish? 

18 months.

The Master Bath

The Roof

What is your favorite feature of the home?

I love the way it connects to the oceanside patios, and we very much enjoyed creating interiors that are casual and elegant at the same time.

The use of soft neutral tones in the design reflect the surrounding nature’s pallet, using locally sourced stone and beautiful white oak floors. Overall, this home is absolutely stunning with breathtaking views inside and out. A huge thanks to the Studio Schicketanz team and Mary Ann Schicketanz for giving us the insider scoop on this incredible project. Be sure you follow them on Instagram, here!

Want to go to the beach now too? Head to the east coast and check out our home tour of Lauren Leonard's Atlantic Beach House for a more traditional style, but with those getaway feels!

Explore all our home tours, here!

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