Soaring with Angles to Spare

There's a head‐turner of a home now on the market in Carmel Valley that practically redefines modern.

Crafted by Monterey Bay architect Marcel Sedletzky (1923‐1995), the asymmetrical structure is a joy to behold. Bringing awe to design is a quality the architect is known for in his residential designs along the Central California coast.

Known as the Stahl House, the tranquil retreat is built on a 1.35‐acre lot in La Rancheria, one of the most highly sought‐after areas in Carmel Valley, where gently rolling hills of oak‐lined land are a 20‐minute drive from Carmel‐by‐the‐Sea, and five minutes from the village.

Courtney Stanley of Sotheby's International Realty represents the property at 50 La Rancheria in Carmel Valley, which lists at $4.995 mil.

"It's so architecturally interesting, and unlike anything I've ever seen in or around the area," Stanley says. "I don't think there's a 90‐degree angle anywhere in that house!"

Even given its angularity, "It's a house you feel kind of embraced in," she says. "They found clear heart redwood for the walls, which is very warming to the angle; and it's nice to see the natural grain in the redwood."

A primary focal point is the sunken living room, which Stanley describes as having "this incredible aggregate wall in the second living room…where the wall continues from the living room to the outside, and the glass wall butts up to it."

Bill Stahl, the current and only owner the house has ever had, shares a fascinating history with the house. His father, who once owned an auto dealership in Monterey, purchased the lot in the 1940s.

"As a young man, Bill used to drive and look at real estate, and he bought that lot in his early 20s from his dad," Stanley explains.

On one of these drives, Stahl spotted a '60s house in Pebble Beach that he discovered was designed by Sedletsky. When Stahl was ready to build, he set up an appointment to meet with the architect at his downtown Carmel office, and the two immediately 'clicked.'

Sedletsky devised a conceptual framework for a home that Stahl and his future family could grow into.

Russian born, Sedletzky had immigrated to the U.S. during the post‐World War II years, opening his own practice in Carmel, and teaching architecture at Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo.