Situated blocks from Venice Beach and the popular Abbot Kinney Boulevard in Venice, California, the 1979 Caplin House marks the first solo project by renowned architect Frederick Fisher, who worked in Frank Gehry’s office in the 1970s before he launched his eponymous firm in 1981.

Fisher designed the idiosyncratic, 2,684-square-foot residence for the family of artist Laurie Caplin and composer Loren-Paul Caplin toward the end of his time in Gehry’s office. Laurie, who had previously lived on a boat on the Seine in France, wanted to bring a nautical feeling to her new dwelling. In response, Fisher designed the home with a curved roof that looks like a boat hull from the inside and a rolling wave from the outside—an homage to the nearby ocean and Venice’s surf culture.

The home is anchored by a two-story central atrium with an exposed-beam ceiling and oversize skylights. Just off the main living area, a chef’s kitchen with stainless-steel Viking appliances, wooden cabinets, and a large island steps down into a light-filled office with custom furniture handcrafted by woodworker Shin Okuda of Waka Waka Studio in Los Angeles.

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From the ground level of the central atrium, a double staircase leads to an open walkway with lofted balconies and a library nook. This narrow passageway encircles the atrium and connects the three upstairs bedrooms.

A double staircase leads to the home’s upper level, which houses the three bedrooms.
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The principal bedroom includes a cozy window nook that overlooks the front yard and an en suite bathroom with a double shower and tub. Clerestory windows flood both spaces with natural light. One of the other bedrooms features a lofted area—accessible by ladder—as well as a private balcony with a bright-yellow staircase that leads to a sunny roof deck with panoramic views. Keep scrolling to see more of Frederick Fisher’s 1979 Caplin House, which is currently listed for $3,495,000.

229 San Juan Avenue in Venice, California, is currently listed for $3,495,000 by Billy Rose and Natasha Sizlo of The Agency.

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