Sausalito Floating Home Mural

Overview

This large-scale exterior mural was created for a floating home in the historic Sausalito houseboat community. The piece transforms the entire façade into a soft, atmospheric landscape - merging ocean, horizon, and sky into a continuous gradient that wraps around the home’s structure. The design brings a sense of calm movement to the dock, blending seamlessly with the surrounding marina and natural environment.

Concept & Inspiration

The mural was inspired by the quiet rhythm of the Bay: morning fog, shifting tides, and the layered coastal mountains that frame Richardson Bay. The intention was to create a living landscape - a visual transition from deep ocean blues to warm shoreline tones and sky pastels.

The lower portion of the home features textured, wave-like patterns built from thousands of hand-painted dots, referencing ocean foam and the motion of water against the hull. As the gradient rises, the palette warms into sandy peach tones and finally soft sky blues, echoing the region’s iconic light.

A small crescent moon was included near the front window as a subtle symbolic detail - an anchoring point of stillness within the evolving landscape.

Design Goals

Integrate the home with its natural surroundings
Create a softened, elevated aesthetic for the entire dock
Reflect the atmosphere of Sausalito’s fog, light, and water
Offer a sense of serenity and spaciousness
Enhance curb appeal while preserving the character of the floating community

Process

This was a multi-day exterior project completed on-site.

Steps included:

Concept sketches and color palette development
Scaling and transferring the gradient design to large exterior surfaces
Custom mixing ocean-tone pigments to match the local water and light
Hand-painting the wave textures and dot details layer by layer
Sealing with a marine-grade protective coating for longevity

Color Story

Deep Blues: Depth, movement, tidal energy
Teal + Aqua: Transitional water tones, clarity
Sandy Peach: Shoreline warmth, grounding
Sky Blue: Calm, openness, coastal atmosphere
White+ Light Blue Dotwork: Foam, texture, light reflection

Impact

The finished mural completely transformed the floating home - making it feel lighter, more expansive, and integrated with its environment.

It stands as a visual landmark on the dock, adding a sense of artful identity to the community.

Client Notes

The homeowners wanted a mural that felt elevated, calming, and timeless, something that would age beautifully with the movement of the tides and the shifting California coastal light. The final piece exceeded their expectations and became a talking point among locals and visitors.