“There are treehouse vibes galore in this wood-clad, three-story midcentury house.” - Dwell Magazine

In choosing materials, color palette, furniture and artwork, we deliberately kept things clean, simple & understated. We felt by doing so the house itself was able to be front and center. The color palette consists of black, to contrast with the wood, and colors from the area that hint at the sun, sand and sea. While the house looks quite large from the outside, it actually has a small footprint. We had to optimize every inch of the interior and each piece of furniture was chosen to both be highly functional while also proportional to the space. Some of the furniture and accessories are one of a kind or made in limited quantities, such as the string lamp in the living room hand made in Portland. The metal rocking chair was 1 of 4 pieces made in Bali and the kitchen island was custom built for the kitchen. The kitchen backsplash tile was custom made and hand painted. You’ll see artwork all over the house, most are originals with a few limited edition prints. Some of the artwork was created by the owners exclusively for the house. We wanted the house to feel cozy, even in the harsh Winters that we frequently have on the coast. We put heated floors in both bathrooms and there is a modern and warm fireplace in the living room.

Level 1: Master Bedroom | Master Sitting Area | Master Bath
The first floor is one large room with a private balcony and bathroom. It features it’s own sitting area with sofa & TV. The bathroom features heated floors and a shower. This floor also houses the washer and dryer. A privacy curtain at the stairway closes off the room.

Level 2: 2 Bedrooms | Wet Bath | Balcony
The second floor features 2 smaller bedrooms each with a Queen sized bed. The smaller of the two bedrooms has a balcony. This floor also contains a wet bath which features heated floors.

Level 3: Living Room | Dining Room | Kitchen | Balcony
The top floor is an cozy open plan living room, dining nook and kitchen. It also contains a balcony. There is a TV and a remote controlled gas fireplace. The kitchen is well stocked and features an oven, stove, microwave, coffee maker and dishwasher. The house’s many intricate angles, wood walls and vaulted ceilings are on full dramatic display. You can view the ocean in the distance through the trees. You will truly feel like you are one with nature, tucked away in a modern treehouse, but you are only minutes from downtown and the beach.

Tillamook County Permit #851-18-000111-STVR

3 Bedroom 

2 Bath

sleeps 6

FEATURES 3 BALCONIES, HEATED BATHROOM FLOORS, A WELL-STOCKED MODERN KITCHEN AND A FIREPLACE

neahkahnie beach

A small community nestled between manzanita and oswald west state park

Oregon Coast Modern is located at the base of Neahkahnie Mountain, a few blocks from the ocean. We are about a 1.5 hours drive from Portland and about 20 minutes from Cannon Beach. Neahkahnie Beach is connected to Manzanita Beach to the South. You can take a walk down the beach into town in about 20 minutes. In Manzanita you’ll find shops, restaurants, bars and the information center. On the other side of the mountain you’ll find Oswald State Park and Short Sand Beach, a favorite surfing spot for locals and visitors alike. There are many trails to hike around the area and you’ll find more activities, such as crabbing, fishing and kayaking in the nearby Nehalem Bay just to the South of Manzanita.

history

Mid-century modern meets coastal treehouse

Mid-century modern architect Marvin Witt set out to design and build a house for his family in an area where many other Portland based architects, such as A.E. Doyle, had built homes as well. He picked a secluded, wooded spot at the very top of the neighborhood. Not only was it at the top of a hill, but he wanted to build it up amongst the trees. Standing at 3 stories with vaulted ceilings on the top level the house soars upward towards the sky to grab the views of the ocean through the tree branches. As the story goes, Witt built most of the house himself, along with his sons, until it got too high and dangerous and he had a local builder finish it off for him. Being his own home, Witt was allowed to experiment with angles and ideas that he had long dreamed of implementing. We can only imagine how lucky the kids must have felt having their dad build them their own coastal treehouse.

In 2018 the Witt family decided it was time to pass on the house to new owners. We were honored they chose to let us buy their house from them. Marvin Witt passed away not long after we acquired the property. We thought back to Marvin Witt every time we had to make a decision with our updates. The house had been fairly neglected and had not been updated since it was built. We completely updated the bathrooms, kitchen and other services such as plumbing and electrical. We redid the floors and finished off some unfinished ceilings. We added a fireplace and other modern luxuries, such as heated floors in the bathrooms. We like to think that Marvin Witt would be happy with our choices in updates. We have been told by acquaintances of his that he would have been very pleased.

Featured in

Oregon Home Magazine
Mod Cottage: An artist couple brings an iconic beach home back to life

1859 Magazine
Three Home Renovations: Inside three fantastic remodel projects

Dwell Magazine
17 Dreamy and Rentable Retreats for a Pacific Northwest Escape: Oregon Coast Hilltop House