House and attached garage: 4,556 SF, 2 bedrooms, 2 baths, study Studio apartment: 660' with one bath Deck: 1,074

Featured in;
Kitchen Trends 1999
Womens Day 2000 & 2002

   Perched atop the cliff of a famous surf break, this 1950s ranch house was as passé as it could be. The challenge was to remodel the structure to create a crisp contemporary interior within the existing house envelope and update the exterior while complying with the neighborhood's historical guidelines, strict building codes, and subdivision covenants.

   The alterations began outside with an overhaul of the grounds: A gracious natural Palos Verdes-stone stepped path now leads arriving guests to the front doorway, along what was once a hot asphalt driveway. The garage, which pinched the foyer, was relocated to the opposite side of the house, freeing up space for a verdant garden with an outdoor room for entertaining. The site was regularly inspected by coastal land use authorities and all potential environmental impact on the Pacific Ocean 200' below was addressed.

   Entering the residence, the owner's appetite for modern accoutrements is immediately apparent. A solid slab of black and white marble forms a wall-to-wall mantle for the fireplace, reflecting the black and white theme of the faux zebra carpet and living room sofa. Surrounded by chairs from the owner's collection, a clear glass dining table - a Rich Young design - fades from sight. Stock lighting fixtures arranged on a custom track suspend from a lazy-S above.

   Seaweed glass pendants from Eurolite Pacific dangle delicately through a custom carved and etched Heather Glass fly-over, floating above its mirror image counter - both pieces a collaboration of Rich Young, kitchen designer Michelle Wagner, and artist Heather Robyn Matthews.

   Custom created kitchen cabinets by Snaidero are a blend of natural and synthetic materials - some were finished in Emerald Green lacquer and light walnut veneer, while others were fashioned with fused Melamine over an oak and beech chip core. Anthracite Grey laminate countertops sit side-by-side with a Snaidero stainless steel curved top and integrated sink. Almond Mauve granite, used throughout the home as floor tiles, repeats in slab form as the island counter for a Gaggenau stainless steel oven, cooktop, and hood.

   At the far end of the kitchen a Miele washer and dryer sit hidden under counter, over-looking the Pacific Ocean through a large sliding glass door. A custom low-voltage light mobile by Rae Douglass  moves with the wind above the custom-crafted granite laundry table.

   At the exact opposite side of the house chocolate brown marble forms the counter for the dual sinks in the master bedroom, and wraps around custom cabinets to comprise the headboard/bed. Closet, shower and toilet, are accessed via a hidden room. Two walls of glass, connected by a mitered-window in the corner, offer magnificent views of the Pacific Ocean. At dawn, a multitude of sea gulls daily wake the owner to one foot in California's rich past and the other in it's trendy future.