Dream Home: $2.3 Million for a Sea Ranch-Inspired Home

Address: 4949 Keith Road, West Vancouver

Price: $2,299,000

Listing: West Coast Modern

The skinny: Three-bedroom, two-bathroom, 2,442-square-feet property in West Vancouver

The chic:

Revel in the magnificence of the Sea Ranch House, inspired by California’s coastal community by the same name. This home ties in nature’s elements with modernism, perfectly embodying the essence of west coast energy. 

This three-storey abstract home is nestled in a private forested lot in West Vancouver’s Caulfield neighbourhood. Being surrounded by greenery and nature allows custodians to fully reconnect with the outdoors. This property was designed and built in 1975 by architect Stuart Howard and the home’s original custodian, a senior engineer at RJC Engineers. The two hoped to emphasizing the site-specific relationship with the home’s surrounding landscape, just like how the Sea Ranch community preserves the character of properties’ surrounding nature. As a result, they created a piece of art with a design that truly stands the test of time.

The exterior of the home is designed to be a part of the landscape. Diagonal cedar cladding dresses the exterior walls, and an abundance of varying shaped windows and skylights usher in plenty of natural lighting throughout the day. The sloped shed roofs blend in with the rough landscape, which helps shape the multi-tiered living spaces. 

Interior elements of the home is streamlined with the exterior, complete with natural wood finishes that harmonize with the surrounding forestry. With that being said, the contrasting textures inside the home (ie. tiled walls, velvet furniture, wooden beams) still create an interesting dynamic. Each floor also features plenty of windows and skylights to let in the west coast sights. 

The main floor in this abstract home houses two bedrooms, one bathroom, the dining room, kitchen and living room. Here, you’ll also have access to three separate decks and a roof deck. Each room is brightened up with pops of color in the form of either furniture or decorative pieces. This unexpected fun touch adds liveliness to the otherwise calm and cozy space. 

Head to the upper floor for a private entrance to the large 473 square-feet master bedroom suite. Here, you have access to yet another deck, the uppermost roof deck and a luxury ensuite bathroom with a built-in sauna room. Custodians can relax in the sauna room while appreciating the forest view through the floor-to-ceiling windows. 

The bottom floor is made up of various storage spaces and a beautiful solarium, boasting explosed brick detailing and a built-in wooden bench. Custodians can enjoy their morning cup of tea here, as they overlook their harvest, while being just steps away from the vast forest. 

The hidden extras:

This property also offers a 445 square-feet garage with enough room to fit two vehicles. In the same space as the garage is a workshopping area for any personal projects.