Sea Ranch Retreat Undergoes Modern Refresh

Designer Eche Martinez updates a 1970s Northern California home without sacrificing its architectural legacy.

Published on Feb. 3, 2026

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After a decade of running his San Francisco-based design firm, Eche Martinez was tasked with refreshing a longtime retreat at Sea Ranch, Northern California's planned utopian community. The 2,100-square-foot, three-bedroom home was originally built in the early 1970s by architect Carson Bowler and has been in the same family for three generations. Martinez's light-touch update included waterproofing windows, sanding floors, and replacing redwood details only where necessary, while overhauling the furnishings and art to better complement the home's modernist aesthetic.

Why it matters

Sea Ranch is known for its strict design code that prioritizes minimal impact on the land and use of local materials. Martinez's renovation honors the home's architectural legacy while updating it for the next generation of the family, showcasing how thoughtful design can preserve a property's history while giving it new life.

The details

Martinez began the project by clearing out decades of accumulated furniture to create a cohesive point of view. He balanced tactile materials like shearling and wool with streamlined furnishing profiles to harmonize with Bowler's original vision. Bespoke pieces include new walnut beds and an oval games table, while the clients' existing art collection, including works by David Hockney and Teresita Fernandez, were newly installed throughout the interiors.

  • The home was originally built in the early 1970s.
  • The renovation project took 10 months to complete, with a hard deadline to have the home ready for the family's annual Thanksgiving gathering.

The players

Eche Martinez

A San Francisco-based designer who was tasked with refreshing the longtime Sea Ranch retreat.

Carson Bowler

The architect who originally designed the 1970s home.

Connie and Stewart

The Bay Area couple who own the Sea Ranch home and asked Martinez to update it.

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What they’re saying

“The first thing we did was empty the house. Decades of furniture from different homes and different years had just accumulated—there was no cohesive point of view.”

— Eche Martinez, Designer (Elle Decor)

“The family has 50 years of history here, so we wanted to make sure we were honoring that and being as minimally invasive as possible.”

— Eche Martinez, Designer (Elle Decor)

What’s next

The family plans to continue using the refreshed Sea Ranch home as their longtime Thanksgiving retreat.

The takeaway

Martinez's renovation demonstrates how thoughtful design can preserve a property's architectural legacy while updating it for modern living, honoring the home's history while giving it new life for the next generation.