Cantilevered atop a steep hillside site and peering over the ocean, the residence typified Kappe’s bravery and intuitive craft. It unfolded down its site via a central stair lit by a long gabled skylight, connected to the scene below with outsize windows. Flanked by floating, staggered floors and oversize balconies, the ethereal property remained grounded through the heft of exposed redwood and smooth, thick concrete.
While the home’s dramatic views and monumental forms beguiled visitors, Keeler, who had lived there since its completion, especially liked details like the silky redwood surfaces. “We were all stroking the wood when it arrived. It was so beautiful,” she said. The upper floor’s exposed redwood beams, she noted, were formed from overlapping boards, giving them a surprising texture and presence. “To be able to sit at the dining room table and look up and see those amazing joists and their shadows — that’s something I really enjoyed,” she said.
Crosby Doe, a real estate agent whose firm focuses on architect-designed properties, had been working with Keeler to sell the home, which was listed for $8 million. “I’ve been looking at important houses from Frank Lloyd Wright to Frank Gehry for over 50 years, and I considered this one of the 10 most creative works of architecture that I’ve ever seen,” Doe said.
