Dawn Sherry to design their dream home, it wasn’t just a happy coincidence that brought them her way. Sherry, who has lived on her boat in the Santa Barbara harbor for more than 25 years, first met Baldwin over 20 years ago when he was living on his boat as well.

“We share a love of the ocean, the light, and wide-open views, so we were a good fit in terms of vision for their home,” Sherry says. “That shared nautical sensibility was a natural starting point for our design concept.”
Designed to maximize sunlight and scenery, the house’s nautical DNA presents itself subtly. Solid horizontal massing and wood elements at ground level give way to the lightness of the primary bedroom and roof deck levels above, evoking the impression of a helm and fly bridge atop the main deck of a luxury cruiser. Materials utilized throughout the home—from the exterior walkways reminiscent of a boat dock to the stainless steel and wood railings on the staircases—add to the quiet sense of its seaborne inspiration.

“We also integrated the self-sufficiency of life on a boat through completely off-grid solar and battery power and a rain catchment system that provides rainwater for the landscaping,” adds Sherry.

An uninterrupted dialogue between interior and exterior living spaces further underscores the house’s life-on-the-water ethos
and offers an open embrace to the community around it.

“Connection with the environment is at the heart of life on the water,” says Sherry. “We’ve captured that spirit here.”