Pacific Modern

The book is a portfolio of three Northern California architectural projects: Canyon House, Inverness House, and Mocabee House. The houses are very different in style, but the themes that are explored are consistent in the architecture and the interiors.

Canyon House is detailed to seamlessly nestle into its steep creek-side landscape. The house follows the contours of the landscape, and is built with attention to carving space out of the canyon. Using the expertise of crafts people and design consultants to create the unique wood carved screens and furniture, the soft stone floors, and the interior and exterior flow of the home, make Canyon House an exceptional example of craft and beauty.

Inverness House is built on a ridge-top with views of Tomales Bay. The house explores the intersection between the local vernacular of an older western red cedar wood cabin and a new modern house. The materials used are sourced locally and the home has an organic, simple, cosy well-being feeling in its architecture and presentation.

Mocabee House is a modern concept of a farmhouse set on a former four-acre walnut orchard. The house has an agrarian feel, and is set up to create light-filled spaces all day long with its low horizon and borrowed distant views of the Mayacama Mountains. The house is designed to use the exterior spaces with ease and celebration, and its farm to table lifestyle is clearly reflected in the selection of building materials and interior design.

Book Features:

• Three restful and well-placed houses in different types of Northern California landscape exemplifying design principals of detail, light-filled and hygge.
• This book features windows and door systems such as Nana, Optimum, Milguard, Bonelli, as well as the use of Western Red Cedar siding, Ipe decking, custom cabinetry in macassar ebony and rift sawn white oak, and furniture from Westelm and Emtek Door Hardware.

100 colour images

About the Author

Gustave Carlson founded the award-winning firm Gustave Carlson Design in Berkeley California in 1999, following a decade of architectural work in New York, Los Angeles, and San Francisco. Carlson's career in architecture began at the celebrated firm of Peter Marino Architects in 1989. Since moving to the Bay Area in 1997, Carlson has designed renovations, additions, interiors, and new construction projects for more than 50 private homes, ranging from classic to contemporary styles in San Francisco, Marin County, the Peninsula, and Sonoma County.