Houzz Tour: Modern Farmhouse Basks in Ojai’s ‘Pink Moments’
Big views, intimate spaces and bohemian style add up to a cozy family retreat in the mountains north of Los Angeles
Ten years ago, designer Sherry McKuin and her husband bought 10 acres of land outside Ojai, California, a “charming, quaint little town that’s very close to L.A. but feels like a world away,” McKuin says. They spent years visiting the property and camping there in an Airstream trailer, getting to know the land and the views. Finally, they were ready. McKuin designed a simple A-frame house with soaring ceilings to capture the views, with some smaller, more intimate spaces “folded in.”
Design. The main house, above, is a U shape, with the main wing (containing the public spaces) on one side, the bedroom wing on the other side and a courtyard in the middle. The large cathedral windows in the living room on the left and the master bedroom on the right face the Topatopa Mountains, known for turning magnificent shades of red and orange in the evening when the rock reflects the sun’s glow. “That beautiful moment at dusk when the sunlight reflects off the sides of the mountains is known locally as the ‘pink moment,’ ” McKuin says. The shape of the house and exterior wood siding help the home blend into the scenery.
The challenge. The biggest problem McKuin faced was the site work. “I had always done projects in cities, where you had utilities,” she says. “This was raw land with no utilities, so we had to install a septic system, electrical and a well for water.” Drainage issues presented another challenge: The property floods during intense rains, so McKuin had to build up the house pad and direct water away from the home.
How a Site Can Shape a Home
How a Site Can Shape a Home
Kitchen. Undercounter refrigeration and open shelves allow wide views throughout the kitchen. “I wanted everything unobstructed,” McKuin says. “I didn’t want to see appliances.” The family often invites guests for weekend getaways and wanted space for everyone to cook at once. Honed Carrara marble covers the counters and backsplash on the left, and honed soapstone tops the island. “I chose Carrara knowing and accepting that it’s going to have this character over time,” McKuin says. “I wanted the house to get worn in.” The floor is concrete slab.
McKuin designed the cabinets to look like furniture. She loves the soapstone, which is “durable and naturally antimicrobial and stain-resistant,” she says.
Custom cabinets by ToDo Something; matte black faucets: Watermark; cabinet paint: Templeton Gray, Benjamin Moore
Browse matte black faucets
Custom cabinets by ToDo Something; matte black faucets: Watermark; cabinet paint: Templeton Gray, Benjamin Moore
Browse matte black faucets
“From the kitchen sink I can see the kids in the pool or people at the dining room table, or I can look over the fireplace and see the Topatopa view,” McKuin says. Finding the right shade of white to work on the walls and ceilings with the constantly shifting light was a challenge, but she found the right balance in Benjamin Moore’s White Dove.
10 Pros Share Their Favorite White Paints
10 Pros Share Their Favorite White Paints
Dining. The dining area features a farmhouse-style table and a mix of chairs near a recessed hutch.
McKuin says she had trouble detaching from the design process — as homeowner and designer — and at times even felt paralyzed by all the decisions that had to be made. “After doing this project, I learned to not be afraid of creating imperfect spaces,” she says. “That’s what gives a home character.”
Hutch paint: Knoxville Gray, Benjamin Moore
McKuin says she had trouble detaching from the design process — as homeowner and designer — and at times even felt paralyzed by all the decisions that had to be made. “After doing this project, I learned to not be afraid of creating imperfect spaces,” she says. “That’s what gives a home character.”
Hutch paint: Knoxville Gray, Benjamin Moore
Fireplace. Structural requirements dictated the location of the wood-burning fireplace because of the need for a supporting column in that spot. “Other than that, there are no structural elements that hinder the view,” McKuin says. The strategic location of the fireplace diminishes the presence of the column. McKuin designed the fireplace and hired a local mason to build it.
How to Remodel Your Fireplace
How to Remodel Your Fireplace
A seating area on the other side is often the site of fierce backgammon tournaments. “That area gets used quite a bit,” McKuin says. “The kids even roast marshmallows in the fireplace.”
Living room. Furnishings throughout the house are an “eclectic mix of high and low,” says McKuin, who describes the style as “Scandinavian modern with a touch of bohemian Ojai.” The large pink velvet sofa in the living room, seen in the background, is from Australian company Pop & Scott; other pieces are from Anthropologie and Urban Outfitters. “I didn’t want to have anything precious, but I still wanted unique pieces,” McKuin says.
Powder room. Moorish tiles made of screened plywood with a ship-grade finish cover the wall in the powder room. The tile doesn’t stain or warp.
Patio. The family and guests often eat outside. McKuin found two beer garden tables and put them together to create a large square. The awnings are bamboo.
Master suite. The master bedroom is larger than McKuin originally planned, thanks to input from her husband after he saw the house staked out in the field. Flooring is a mix of 10- and 12-inch-wide Douglas fir boards.
The bed faces the same pink-moment views as the living room.
Master bathroom. When you design a house on paper, you “hope for moments” in which views are captured to maximum effect, McKuin says, but in reality things don’t always work out that way. “Sometimes when I’m walking and I see these captured views it feels great. It’s such a pleasant experience.” The master bath includes a skylight and plenty of built-ins.
Paint on built-ins: Templeton Gray, Benjamin Moore
Paint on built-ins: Templeton Gray, Benjamin Moore
Moorish plywood tiles lend a cheery feel above the vanity.
Matte black plumbing fixtures: Newport Brass
Matte black plumbing fixtures: Newport Brass
Guest rooms. Two en suite guest rooms and bunk room with its own full bath provide plenty of space for overnight guests. McKuin used painter’s cloth for the window treatments throughout the house to keep costs down and create a casual vibe.
One of the en suite guest bathrooms continues the eclectic, casual feel with matte black finishes and neutral hexagonal tile.
The bunk room gives the kids space for sleepovers and playing inside.
The property includes a pool, tennis court and bocce ball court.
Cabana. The cabana has a full bathroom, a Murphy bed for guests and windows that slide open so the kids can run in and out to get cold drinks while playing in the yard.
The hanging chair with views is “the best seat in the house,” McKuin says.
When builders excavated the site, they uncovered tons of rock, which was later crushed and used in retaining walls on the property and in the gabion walls of the cabana.
Construction drawings: Kevin Tsai Architecture
Landscape design: Bionic
Contractor: Space Construction
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Construction drawings: Kevin Tsai Architecture
Landscape design: Bionic
Contractor: Space Construction
More home tours: Apartments | Small Homes | Colorful Homes | Contemporary Homes | Eclectic Homes | Farmhouses | Midcentury Homes | Modern Homes | Ranch Homes | Traditional Homes | Transitional Homes | All
Other Resources on Houzz
Find an architect
Browse home products
House at a Glance
Who lives here: This is a weekend getaway for designer Sherry McKuin; her husband, Joel, an attorney; and their two children, ages 6 and 7
Location: Ojai, California
Size: 5,400 square feet (502 square meters); four bedrooms, 4½ bathrooms; plus a 700-square-foot (65-square-meter) cabana with a Murphy bed and a full bathroom
Architectural design and interiors: McKuin Design