Carl Maston's 1984 Ventura Beach House Asks $5.1 Million

A $5.1 million asking price now hangs on Carl Maston's Susman House, a 1984 oceanfront home at Faria Beach in Ventura built around a substantial brick chimney that rises through its center.

The house sits above a sandy cove with views toward the Channel Islands. Its original brief was appealingly specific: preserve the spirit of a traditional California cabin within a contemporary home. That request came from Tracy "Babs" Susman, who commissioned the house with her partner on land previously owned by her sister and brother-in-law.

Maston answered with cedar siding, brick floors, generous glazing, and a roofline that creates a distinctive silhouette. The materials carry the cabin connection without making the house feel like an exercise in rustic nostalgia.

How Does the Layout Work?

Across 2,640 square feet, the shared spaces keep a clear relationship to both the fireplace and the coastline. An informal lounge connects with the dining area and kitchen, while a double-sided fireplace also serves a den. A full bathroom sits behind a cedar wall.

These divisions give the lower floor distinct places to settle without separating every activity into an enclosed room.

The material palette does much of the design work. Exposed timber beams establish a steady rhythm overhead, while brick flooring extends around the broad hearth. Wood paneling and shelving reinforce the sense of enclosure. Against that textured interior, the glazed openings become especially legible: they frame the coast while leaving plenty of solid, tactile surfaces around the seating area.

Where Does the House Meet the Ocean?

Floor-to-ceiling sliding doors open toward the ocean, and the brick paving continues onto the patio. Carrying the floor material outside gives the terrace a direct visual relationship with the rooms behind it.

The kitchen keeps its own character through an original wood-slat ceiling, with a view of the bay available from the sink. Even the more ordinary household tasks have a place along the waterfront.

What Happens Upstairs?

Three bedrooms and a separate sitting area occupy the spaces beneath the sloping roof. A central atrium and landing wrap around the brick chimney, with internal glazing allowing light to reach deeper into the house.

Rather than treating circulation as leftover space, Maston makes the route between rooms part of the architectural experience, linking the upper level visually with the living area below. Timber-framed internal windows sit beside the chimney, their angular tops following the roof. That arrangement makes the building's geometry readable from within.

What Does the Price Buy?

The listing's appeal extends beyond the waterfront address. Maston gave the interior enough substance to hold attention even when the ocean is outside the frame. For buyers weighing the $5.1 million figure, the house offers a documented example of mid-century Californian architectural thinking that still reads as livable four decades on.

Design: Carl Maston.