SEASTONE

Historic “Casa Del Mar Azul” is one of the first major residential designs of Carmel Stone in Carmel by-the-Sea. Marie Gordon, wife of Southern Pacific Railroad Executive, Kearny Gordon and native of Charleston, South Carolina built the home. The happy couple settled in San Francisco in 1914 and initiated summer visits to Carmel. Mrs. Gordon, known locally for her contributions to the stage and music activities in Carmel had trained for the stage at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts in London and later showcased her stage activities at the Forest Theater and the Golden Bough in the early 1920’s and soon made Carmel her permanent home. The Gordon’s house, Casa Del Mar Azul, was designed by San Francisco architect George F. Ashley with considerable input from Marie. World travelers, the Gordon’s had collected a number of artifacts from Spain for incorporation into their new Carmel home including small tiles from El Greco’s house in Toledo and ceramic fragments from the Alhambra at Granada. Newly arrived contractor Lee Gottfried employed local Carmel Stone as his building material, using stone mason Juan Rubel to lay the coursed walls. The eclectic form of the residence with its one and two-story layout owes as much to Morocco as it does to Andalucia as its source of inspiration. Carmel artist/interior decorator couple George and Catherine Seideneck worked with the Gordon’s to furnish the home using wrought iron grills, railings and light fixtures fabricated by local craftsmen to do the job.

 

In 1978, the artist Gatia Rothe, world renown for her Mezzotints added the studio, which is now the garage/mudroom and family room. Gatia was a prolific artist who worked in many different mediums and she added numerous artistic touches to the home, many of which can still be seen today like the courtyard fountain and the intricate painting of the beams in the living and dining rooms. She used the larger lower bedroom as her studio. The home was subsequently purchased by local couple, Chris and Cindy Sedan, who began a renovation of the home. The Sedans added a number of fine improvements to the home, including upgrading of many of the antiquated systems but decided not to complete their grand plan. In 2003, we purchased, or actually, traded homes with Chris and Cindy and began the process to make the home into what it is today. Recognizing its historic nature and the unique contributions of the past owners we wanted to combine the history and architecture of the Spanish Eclectic style with modern living conveniences of today’s homes. Our good friend, Roger Jolley, a well-known and extremely talented designer and builder, got wind of the purchase and we couldn’t keep him away. Roger along with Tim and Lynn designed the remodel of the main house, redesign of the entry court and the conversion of the art studio to the garage and guesthouse complex. We used the home as our primary residence with our boys, Logan and Tyler residing downstairs in the “cave” and their respective bedrooms, Katie upstairs, with the best view, and Lynn and I in the original primary suite. The guesthouse functions as a mudroom and family room combination. We loved our time in the home and are happy that we are now able to share it with you. We hope that sometime in the far distant future, well after we have left this planet, the new owners will see us as a small but relevant footnote in its rich history.