It’s no exaggeration to say that I’ve been ready to share this submit with you for years. For those who’ve been following for some time, you’ll know that in 2020, we went all in on our massive dream to renovate a seashore home in Malibu. We fell in love with an acre of land overlooking Zuma Seaside, with views of a ravishing horse farm and gardens overflowing with wild roses and olive timber. The breezes carried the scent of jasmine and salt water, and at night time the solar set simply on the level the place the ocean meets the mountains. It was love at first sight.
A few months later, we received the keys to the home and our journey started. We employed Doug Burdge, our beloved Malibu-based architect, to reinvent the ground plan and add 1,000 sq. toes. We received all our geese in a row and submitted every little thing to the town. After which started three years of ready as we slogged via the allowing course of with the Metropolis of Malibu. We didn’t know on the time how a lot endurance and uncertainty this dream of ours would require, however all through, we held tightly to our imaginative and prescient and refused to surrender.
In my Substack right now, I shared much more about our private journey and what it taught me, and the vary of feelings that come from constructing in a spot that’s so not too long ago been rocked by tragedy. If you need the total story (together with why we’re “crazy” sufficient to construct in a high-risk space) head over to the submit. Over right here, we’re kicking off the primary submit in our Renovation Diaries collection, as a result of now we have formally begun development!
Since I’m going to have loads to share about our Zuma Seaside Home mission within the coming months, this would be the official spot the place you’ll be able to comply with alongside. My hope is that, for these of you who’re as design-obsessed as me, it’s going to change into a useful resource on your personal renovation journeys, in addition to a spot for inspiration and concepts. We’ll be getting granular on the small print: how we designed the kitchen island, precisely what supplies we’re utilizing in each area, and fixing these difficult selections that come up in each renovation mission. And sure, I’ll be asking you to weigh in, too.
It feels proper to start with a birds-eye view: a zoomed-out have a look at how the home will change, what we’re retaining and what we’re altering, and an outline of the design fashion and references which have impressed us.
First, the “Before”
What to know in regards to the present home:
1950’s ranch-style bungalow—though it has some charming components, this home is basically all in regards to the property.
1,400 sq. toes with two bedrooms and two loos
600-square-foot visitor home above the storage
The property is just below an acre overlooking Zuma Seaside, with towering palm timber and luxurious citrus and avocado timber.
Points with the present home:
A big electrical pole. It was smack dab within the heart of our seashore view. After two years of working with the town, we lastly received it taken down and had the ability strains buried. It was a serious funding, however so price it to open up the view.
No clear entrance entrance. Whereas there technically is a entrance door, it’s been utilized by precisely zero individuals since we purchased the home. While you pull into the driveway, the trail leads you down a sidewalk straight to the again door. So, nobody is sort of certain whether or not to circle round to the entrance of the home, or enter straight into the door of our laundry room.
Lack of area. Other than the awkward flooring plan, we’re additionally missing area generally. It’s a comfy match for our household of 4, so when household or associates come to stick with us, we’re bursting on the seams. There’s additionally nowhere for me and Adam to work (which is an issue once you each work at home), so one in every of us often finally ends up taking calls from the bed room whereas the opposite sits on the kitchen desk with Air Pods in, praying that the youngsters received’t get right into a battle within the meantime.
Closed-off rooms. For those who’ve seen our Austin home, that Adam and I are massive on an open structure. We gravitate towards an ethereal vibe, so a home made up of small rooms which are separated from one another makes us really feel claustrophobic. We are able to’t wait to open this area up.
Low ceilings. For my part, low ceilings are one of the crucial regarding issues a few home as a result of they are often actually tough to vary—and infrequently, can result in a home feeling darkish and crowded. So, after we first thought-about the acquisition of this home, ensuring that we’d be capable of elevate the ceilings was a prerequisite. Extra on that later.
Tucked-away kitchen. For me, the kitchen is the center and heart of a house, so having a small kitchen awkwardly tucked into the nook of the home (with dated granite and cabinetry) was going to be the very first thing to go in any renovation.
I gave a full tour of the outdated home right here and answered a bunch of FAQs in regards to the property and site, if you wish to dive deeper.
The Renovation Plan
The addition: We’ll add a 1,000 sq. foot nice room (a big open kitchen with residing area). Our architect Doug brilliantly discovered a technique to hold the unique footprint of the present home, however we’ll rework the non-load-bearing partitions to fully reimagine the inside flooring plan.
Create a transparent entrance entrance. As talked about above, the present home lacks a transparent entrance and leaves company confused about the place they need to go. Within the reworked structure, we wish anybody who arrives on the home to know precisely the place to park, with a transparent plan for learn how to enter. Do you know there’s an precise title for this matter? It’s wayfinding, and contains ideas like creating “well-structured paths” and avoiding “too many navigational choices.” Undecided why I’m obsessive about this matter, however I discover it endlessly fascinating.
Open flooring plan. For the areas the place we stay, eat, and play collectively as a household, I desire a wide-open area that ideally opens to the outside. For those who hold studying, you’ll learn the way we’re attaining that with a 1,000-square-foot addition that’s principally one massive kitchen.
Vaulted ceilings. After we thought-about buying this home, I knew that for the funding, we’d want to have the ability to elevate the ceilings. Fortunately it wasn’t too difficult right here, particularly since we’re retaining it to 1 story. We’ll be vaulting the ceilings, which implies that we’re extending into the triangular area between the place a ceiling would usually sit and the highest of the roof. This won’t solely assist the rooms really feel bigger than they really are, nevertheless it’ll additionally let extra pure mild into every area.
Room for company. Whereas we wished to maintain this a reasonably modest-sized home, we additionally knew that this was a spot we anticipated internet hosting household and associates for years to return. By including a visitor suite and a bunk room, we’d make room for an extra 4 to 5 individuals to stick with our household in the primary home.
Huge kitchen for entertaining. Because the kitchen is my pleased place, I naturally need to have the ability to spend time in it surrounded by household and associates. I would like a kitchen massive sufficient to accommodate cooking tasks, recipe picture shoots, and plenty of individuals, since most dinner events find yourself with everybody gathered across the island. Based mostly on the present tucked-away nook kitchen, I knew this is able to require a whole reimagining of the area.
Pure mild. The present home already has nice mild, however we knew that by elevating the ceilings and including extra home windows and doorways to the again of the home, we might create an much more light-filled area.
The Fashion: Japandi Fashionable Seaside Home
We’re calling this a Japandi Fashionable Seaside Home as a result of it combines the minimalism, clear strains, and pure supplies of Scandinavian design with the heat, tranquility, and deal with craftsmanship from Japanese design. Our priorities are simplicity, performance, and concord, bringing the indoors and open air collectively in a seamless move. We wish this home to really feel like a sanctuary, utilizing pure supplies, impartial tones, and handcrafted particulars.
The Visualizations: The place We’re Headed
We’ve been working with the staff at YouSee Studio to create life like 3D renderings of our plans so we will actually visualize what we’re creating. I can’t suggest this course of sufficient. Not solely has it allowed us to make spacial selections in regards to the structure, however having the ability to take a look at out completely different supplies and room layouts has already saved us from a number of selections we might have regretted.
I can’t wait to share these visualizations of every area in the home as we undergo the design course of over the following few months—we’ll be capable of have a look at completely different comparisons and choices collectively as we make all these remaining selections to deliver the mission to life.
Right here’s the property overview that exhibits the brand new exterior. To the left, you’ll be able to see the nice room addition with the out of doors terrace. The precise facet is the present home that turns into the bedrooms, loos, and media room.
Options of our Japandi Fashionable Seaside Home:
It’s vital to Adam and me that each aspect of this mission is an intentional mix of magnificence and performance. Listed here are just a few design selections which are guiding your complete mission:
Exterior Design:
Scandinavian-inspired wooden cladding. We’re utilizing lovely redwood from Humboldt Sawmill Firm in Northern California.
Giant home windows and doorways that blur the strains between indoors and open air.
Corrugated metallic roofing, including a recent edge to the minimalist design.
Inside Supplies:
Pure wooden flooring and cabinetry for heat and texture. Our flooring are by Stuga, a direct-to-consumer wooden flooring firm that’s primarily based within the US and works with Scandinavian producers.
Stone accent partitions that floor the area and replicate the encompassing surroundings. I can’t wait to indicate you guys the stone that we selected from Eldorado Stone—it’s beautiful and will likely be such an announcement.
Easy, purposeful layouts that maximize area and light-weight.
Design Philosophy:
A deal with pure components like olive and citrus timber, agave, and native grasses within the panorama.
A impartial coloration palette of black, wooden, creamy plaster, concrete, and stone for a chilled vibe.
An emphasis on craftsmanship and high-quality, long-lasting supplies.
General Ambiance:
A mix of Scandinavian hygge (coziness) with Japanese wabi-sabi (magnificence in imperfection).
Areas designed for peace, rest, and connection to nature.
The Workforce
