PUNCHMAGAZINE.COM 81 Both Rebecca and her clients consider the luminous entryway a stellar feature. The multipaned double doors open to blond-wood stairs. The washed wood flooring lends a beachy feel to the area, and by day it’s bathed in natural light through doors, windows and the sun-drenched great room. In the evening, a flush-mount light fixture near the door and a series of playful orbs suspended from the second-floor ceiling welcome guests and illuminate the great room as well. In the two-row array, one You could call Greg Barsh and Carolyn Russo designing types. Seeing their full-on engagement in their new home’s development and flair for detail, Katkin Architecture’s Rebecca Katkin says she wanted to hire her clients. When this highly intentional pair of doctors returned to California after years in Alabama, they craved easy coastal access, a smaller place and a sense of community. Settling on El Granada, the Coastside town designed by a famed city planner, they enlisted local architect Rebecca, who helped them choose the ideal 5,000-square-foot lot. At an intersection where much of the traffic consists of dog walkers, the trapezoidal property also offers mature eucalyptus and cypress trees and coveted Half Moon Bay views. At the outset, crafting the jewel for this perfect setting required abundant discussion and much perusing of images. The couple’s key ask was for indoor-outdoor living in a guest-friendly, modern design. Leveraging Greg’s passion for interior spaces, they developed an unusual floor plan where the common areas reside on the upper two floors. The ground floor houses the garage and two bedrooms, one used as a gym and one for guests, affectionately called “the kids’ room” for visits by their grown children and new grandbaby.
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