I came across this property this morning while scrolling and drinking too much coffee at Intelligentsia in Silver Lake. It honestly feels like the definition of Big Sur… calm, private, and a little surreal. It sits on a forested bluff just above the ocean, a short walk from the Esalen Institute and surrounded by trails that lead straight into the hills.
Designed by Francis Palms and Mickey Muennig, the home and guest cottage feel like they’ve been part of the landscape forever. The main house has 3 bedrooms and 2.5 baths spread over two stories, with wood-burning fireplaces on both levels. Upstairs, the living room opens to walls of glass and a wraparound deck that catches sunsets and coastal views all the way up to Pfeiffer Point.
The kitchen leads to another deck overlooking a lily pond with ocean views to the south — one of those spots that feels almost too peaceful. The primary bath has heated marble floors, a big soaking tub, and doors that open straight to a hidden garden. There’s also a small study, a half bath, and a traditional Japanese-style room that looks out on its own private garden and Bodhi tree.
Downstairs, a Muennig-designed office faces the gardens and ocean, with bedrooms on each side — one set up as a media room, the other with its own entrance. The five-acre property winds through native gardens and stone paths, ending at a small cottage with a deck and an endless pool tucked into the trees.
It’s the kind of place that captures what Big Sur is really about — quiet design, deep connection to the land, and space to breathe.
55700 Highway 1 | Big Sur, CA
Listed by Michael Gilson at Coldwell Banker