The New Wave

A 1937 cliffside cottage suffused with eccentric lore, the New Wave floats ethereally above Monterey Bay—a boatlike family refuge contoured in wave-inspired detail.

Warm oak staircase with rounded cutout banister panels, plaster pendant light, and metallic ceramic wall sculpture in entry hall of Santa Cruz coastal home by Chroma.

Location

Santa CruzCA

Year

2025

Area

3000 ft2 / 278 m2

Collaborators

McGriff Architects Architect
Joni L. Janecki & Associates Landscape Design
Putney Construction General Contractor
Stephen Kent Johnson Photography
Michael Reynolds Styling

A deceptively intricate feat and true labor of love—the seaside home is sensitively tuned to its environment, floating ethereally above the rhythmic ebb and flow below. The home is softly contoured with woods, rattan, and ceramic, exquisite in their humble simplicity. Thoughtful, warm, and deeply referential of history and family, the design centers local craft and community as well as the family’s own playful quiddities.

Living room ocean view detail with cane lounge chair, brass vintage floor lamp, and Monterey Bay through floor-to-ceiling windows in Santa Cruz home by Chroma.
Ocean-facing living room with curved navy bouclé sectional, tide-pool-inspired custom rug, vintage cane chair, and floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking Monterey Bay in Santa Cruz home by Chroma.
Dining room with wave-inspired wood paneling, wave-form white table on sculptural base, navy built-in banquette, Danish leather chairs, and undulating ceiling fixture in Santa Cruz home by Chroma.
Pair of map-quilted daybeds flanking open ocean doors with copper garden stools in reading room of Santa Cruz blufftop home by Chroma.
Close detail of sage green kitchen with perforated hood, open ceramic plate rack, marble countertop, ceramic tile backsplash in Santa Cruz home by Chroma.
Sage green kitchen with custom rounded hood, globe pendants, open plate racks, wood island with marble countertop, and herringbone floors in Santa Cruz coastal home by Chroma.
Powder room with custom walnut vessel sink, grasscloth walls, vertical ceramic tile, oval mirror, globe pendant, and vivid gradient artwork in Santa Cruz coastal home by Chroma.
Sun-drenched breakfast nook with curved navy banquette, surfboard-shaped wood table, sculptural fabric ceiling pendant, and roman shades framing panoramic Monterey Bay views in Santa Cruz home by Chroma.
Primary bedroom with slatted white paneled walls, linen pendant, quilted upholstered headboard, blue carpet, ocean panorama through picture windows and open terrace doors in Santa Cruz home by Chroma.
Primary bath with floating walnut double vanity, marble countertop, pill-shaped hanging mirrors, gingham roman shade, and wall-mounted faucets in Santa Cruz cottage by Chroma.
Children's bedroom with custom oak bunk beds, navy blue carpet, tie-dye-printed curtain alcove seat overlooking Monterey Bay in Santa Cruz cottage by Chroma.
Children's bedroom bunk beds in natural ash with striped quilts, woven whale toy chest, and ocean-view window seat alcove in Santa Cruz home by Chroma.
Primary shower with deep blue mosaic tile, marble bench, glass enclosure, and clerestory hopper windows flooding the space with natural light in Santa Cruz coastal home by Chroma.
Half bath with navy wall-mounted ceramic sink, oak medicine cabinet, linen roman shade, and ocean view window in Santa Cruz cottage by Chroma.
Game room in casita with pool table, woven rattan pendant, blush pink-blue sunset gradient walls, and ocean view French doors in Santa Cruz home by Chroma.
Casita living room with sage mohair sofa, rattan lounge chairs, woven pendant light, agate wall sculpture, and warm golden walls opening to ocean views in Santa Cruz home by Chroma.
Illuminated gold-leaf botanical artwork glowing beside ocean-view window with eucalyptus branches in primary suite of Santa Cruz home by Chroma.
Casita exterior at dusk with board-and-batten siding, Monterey cypress, and garden terrace connecting to main cottage at Santa Cruz blufftop property by Chroma and McGriff Architects.
Cliffside stone terrace with hand-hewn cypress log bench against rough granite sea wall overlooking Monterey Bay at the Santa Cruz cottage designed by Chroma.
Santa Cruz cottage perched on rocky bluff at sunset, surrounded by Pacific waters on three sides, renovated by Chroma interior design and architect Benjamin McGriff.
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Historic 1937 Santa Cruz cliffside cottage perched above Monterey Bay at golden hour, framed by a gnarled eucalyptus tree, renovated by Chroma and architect Benjamin McGriff.
Warm oak staircase with rounded cutout banister panels, plaster pendant light, and metallic ceramic wall sculpture in entry hall of Santa Cruz coastal home by Chroma.
Living room ocean view detail with cane lounge chair, brass vintage floor lamp, and Monterey Bay through floor-to-ceiling windows in Santa Cruz home by Chroma.
Ocean-facing living room with curved navy bouclé sectional, tide-pool-inspired custom rug, vintage cane chair, and floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking Monterey Bay in Santa Cruz home by Chroma.
Dining room with wave-inspired wood paneling, wave-form white table on sculptural base, navy built-in banquette, Danish leather chairs, and undulating ceiling fixture in Santa Cruz home by Chroma.
Pair of map-quilted daybeds flanking open ocean doors with copper garden stools in reading room of Santa Cruz blufftop home by Chroma.
Close detail of sage green kitchen with perforated hood, open ceramic plate rack, marble countertop, ceramic tile backsplash in Santa Cruz home by Chroma.
Sage green kitchen with custom rounded hood, globe pendants, open plate racks, wood island with marble countertop, and herringbone floors in Santa Cruz coastal home by Chroma.
Powder room with custom walnut vessel sink, grasscloth walls, vertical ceramic tile, oval mirror, globe pendant, and vivid gradient artwork in Santa Cruz coastal home by Chroma.
Sun-drenched breakfast nook with curved navy banquette, surfboard-shaped wood table, sculptural fabric ceiling pendant, and roman shades framing panoramic Monterey Bay views in Santa Cruz home by Chroma.
Primary bedroom with slatted white paneled walls, linen pendant, quilted upholstered headboard, blue carpet, ocean panorama through picture windows and open terrace doors in Santa Cruz home by Chroma.
Primary bath with floating walnut double vanity, marble countertop, pill-shaped hanging mirrors, gingham roman shade, and wall-mounted faucets in Santa Cruz cottage by Chroma.
Children's bedroom with custom oak bunk beds, navy blue carpet, tie-dye-printed curtain alcove seat overlooking Monterey Bay in Santa Cruz cottage by Chroma.
Children's bedroom bunk beds in natural ash with striped quilts, woven whale toy chest, and ocean-view window seat alcove in Santa Cruz home by Chroma.
Primary shower with deep blue mosaic tile, marble bench, glass enclosure, and clerestory hopper windows flooding the space with natural light in Santa Cruz coastal home by Chroma.
Half bath with navy wall-mounted ceramic sink, oak medicine cabinet, linen roman shade, and ocean view window in Santa Cruz cottage by Chroma.
Game room in casita with pool table, woven rattan pendant, blush pink-blue sunset gradient walls, and ocean view French doors in Santa Cruz home by Chroma.
Casita living room with sage mohair sofa, rattan lounge chairs, woven pendant light, agate wall sculpture, and warm golden walls opening to ocean views in Santa Cruz home by Chroma.
Illuminated gold-leaf botanical artwork glowing beside ocean-view window with eucalyptus branches in primary suite of Santa Cruz home by Chroma.
Casita exterior at dusk with board-and-batten siding, Monterey cypress, and garden terrace connecting to main cottage at Santa Cruz blufftop property by Chroma and McGriff Architects.
Cliffside stone terrace with hand-hewn cypress log bench against rough granite sea wall overlooking Monterey Bay at the Santa Cruz cottage designed by Chroma.
Santa Cruz cottage perched on rocky bluff at sunset, surrounded by Pacific waters on three sides, renovated by Chroma interior design and architect Benjamin McGriff.