Though my initial response was surprise (“Are we sure that’s the best use of space?”), Doug’s plan revealed what I consider to be a very modern approach to architecture—designing with our needs and personal values first, even if that meant throwing out a few expectations in the process.

Since our family’s top priority is to create an atmosphere for connection and making people feel welcome, what better way to foster that sense of togetherness than through one big open room that’s made for gathering? The more I looked through my inspiration photos and envisioned the family holidays and dinners with friends in this house, the more excited I got about the space.

So, let’s start with a look at the house’s current kitchen, to give you an idea of the less-than-ideal conditions we’re working with (and why we’re starting from scratch with it.)

Here is the current kitchen:

The current bungalow kitchen is wedged into a corner of the back of the house. When I’m cooking or doing dishes, my back is turned to anyone else in the room. Overall it has a closed-off feeling that’s not conducive to my style of cooking, which is all about casually conversing with Adam or my kids while I chop.

I have a long-held dream of a massive kitchen window above the sink that floods the room with sunshine.

It’s a design element I’ve never had in a house that I’ve lived in, hence why my “Dream Kitchen” Pinterest board is covered in huge kitchen windows.

And now, for the new Great Room addition—I’ll lead with the visuals to give you an idea of what we’re envisioning, and then I’ll explain. Here is the interior rendering—note that colors and finishes aren’t accurate yet, but this shows the space:

I can’t wait until the day when I’m prepping for dinner with the music turned up, glass of wine in hand, and ocean breezes blowing in through the open doors.

Here are a few of the key elements that we’ve carved out for this space:

Wall of doors that fully opens

I think that every house should have one element that makes a major statement. It’s the design moment that, if guests remember little else, at least they won’t forget it. In our beach house project, the 30-foot wall of pocket doors that open straight to the outside is, without a doubt, that statement. Since one of the reasons we’re drawn to Southern California is the ability to spend 12 months of the year outside, one of our top priorities is creating a natural flow between the indoors and out. All of our windows and doors are coming from Marvin, and I’m really excited about the beautiful wood-framed selections we’re going with.

Plus, this seamless transition enables us to turn the covered terrace into an outdoor dining room that will feel like part of the great room space. No, it’s not a conventional approach to a dining room, but for a family that loves to eat as many meals outdoors as possible, it works.

Oversized kitchen island

The Great Room’s focal point is a 13-foot kitchen island that at first felt almost too big, but upon further investigation, is scaled just right in context with the size of this room. This is a hardworking island that will more than earn its keep—not only will it be the central gathering place for kitchen prep and casual dining, but it will also house the cooktop and main sink, plus tons of storage. The interior side of the island will have deep drawers where we’ll keep everything from plates and bowls to flatware. The side facing outward will have open shelving for cookbooks and display objects on the corners with space for barstools in the center. Since the rest of the kitchen has minimal cabinetry, we’re relying on this island to hold a lot.

Fireplace to anchor the room

Since we’re not adding a designated “living room” to the house, we’ve carved out one end of the great room as the area where we’ll cozy up with a glass of wine and a good book. And there’s nothing like a fireplace to welcome everyone to kick up their feet —plus it’s a design element that will provide clear differentiation between the “cooking” part of the room and the “relaxing” part of the room, even though they won’t be separated by an actual wall. We’re planning to position a round table surrounded by low-slung chairs in front of the fire—an inviting spot for a cozy dinner for two or game night with the kids.

Beverage station

I wanted to design the more “lounge-y” side of the great room (near the fireplace) in a way that flowed with the kitchen, but didn’t feel like you were still in the kitchen. However, since we traded in most of our upper cabinetry for a massive kitchen window (more on that below), we needed all the extra storage we could get. So, I designated the wall that runs perpendicular to the fireplace as a bar and beverage station. It will hold practical items like wine storage, coffeemaker, mugs, and glassware. And it will also feature more design-forward elements, like our vintage turntable and sculptural objects on the open shelving, to keep it from feeling too much like part of the kitchen. 

And last but not least… I finally get my big kitchen window!

As mentioned, I’ve long dreamed of a statement kitchen window that floods the space with sunshine. And not only will our 10-foot wide x 6-foot high window let in tons of natural light, but it is also a fully functioning slider that opens up to the back patio. There will be a counter on the exterior side that’s perfect for serving drinks and passing food to throw on the grill.

One design decision I’m still contemplating is what type of tree to plant just outside this window. As the visual focal point to this room, it’s as crucial to the design elements as any interior piece of art, so I’m approaching it with the same level of thoughtfulness. As of now, my top contenders are either a gnarly, twisting ornamental olive tree, or a lush citrus tree—just imagine being able to open up the window and pluck a ripe orange right off the branches! It’s hard to picture anything dreamier, but I’ll let you know where we end up.

The post Yes, Our 1,000 Square Foot Addition Is Basically One Giant Kitchen—Here’s Why appeared first on Camille Styles.

Materials really matter—here’s why

You know that feeling of sinking your feet into a super soft rug when you climb out of bed in the morning? To me, that cocoon-like state is the exact feeling that I’m trying to channel whenever I’m home. And it’s proof that the textures and materials in our homes go a long way toward creating an experience that sparks joy. You may remember from this post that the first step in my design process is defining how I want to feel in a finished space. Well, nothing influences feeling quite like the materials around me—combined with color and form, they can evoke deep emotion.

Through material, we can enhance our everyday experiences by creating a sense of coziness, calm, a clean slate, or a fresh perspective. 

Define your vibe

I began by creating a mood board defining the materials and color palette that I want to carry throughout the beach house. Though some of you guys may feel energized by choosing a different tile and paint color for every room in the house, I’m on a constant pursuit of serenity in my own home. For me, that means some level of consistency throughout the spaces. I love to choose a few special touches for certain areas, but in general, I lean towards repetition of materials and color throughout the house. For our beach house, we’re using a calming, neutral color palette, so one of the main ways I’ll add interest to the space is through contrasting textures: hard against soft, smooth next to rough.

There are certain materials I’ve always been drawn to, and they usually come from the earth—stone, wood, linen, and clay. This attraction to natural elements has been my compass as we hone in on the materials we’ll be using throughout this project, illuminating the earthy hues that naturally come with them. 

Order samples

As I go through the materials selection process, I’ve been ordering as many samples from potential vendors as possible. I’ve started laying them out, side by side, to see how each element plays against the others. Especially when working within a neutral palette, it’s this integration of different materials and interesting textures that will bring interest to the house, creating the contrast and tension that invites the eye to linger, absorb, and find unique beauty in each space. 

Here Are the 5 Materials We’ll Be Using Throughout Our Renovation

My goal is to leave most of these materials as unvarnished as possible to let their natural beauty take center stage.

For the Exterior: Redwood

The most impactful design decisions are usually the ones you agonize over most, since the final verdict can completely change a home’s appearance. This was definitely the case when deciding on the exterior material of the beach house. Adam and I have always loved stucco homes, as evidenced by our current Mediterranean-style house. However, the soul of the coastal Malibu house is surf shack vibes, and we knew that a timber-clad exterior would perfectly capture the timeless, beachy essence we were after.

As I began my research, I learned that there are so many timber options, and we even toyed with the idea of whitewashing the wood. However, when I discovered the natural beauty of California redwood as an option, I was intrigued. I talked to the team at Humboldt Sawmill, one of our Sunset Idea House partners, and they shared more about redwood’s strength and natural resistance to insects and decay. And since sustainability is a core value of this renovation, I was drawn to the fact that the forestlands, manufacturing, and distribution operations of Humboldt Sawmill redwood are certified to the standards of the Forest Stewardship Council.

I love the warm tones of redwood even more with age, so we’re working with our builders to treat the wood so that it develops that beautiful grayed-out color even faster. Stay tuned.

For the Walls: Plaster and Sheetrock

The wall finish has been a major source of internal debate—while my husband, Adam, and I both love the depth and texture that plaster gives a room, it’s a pricey and a time-consuming process to apply it. And the alternative–smooth sheetrock in a beautiful semi-matte shade of white–definitely captures the beachy vibes we have in mind. That said, there are a few key areas where we feel the texture of plaster will be worth the splurge. Namely, our great room addition and primary bedroom, both spots where we want to embrace some negative space by leaving a few walls bare—a much more intriguing proposition when they’re formed from earthy, textural plaster. (Read about our journey to plaster walls in our Austin house here.)

Other areas of the house and the entire guest house will be simple and timeless sheetrock that we’ll paint white for the best of all worlds: the texture of plaster in key areas, with the affordability and durability of paint in the rest of the house. We’ll color-match the plaster and painted walls so that the eye doesn’t notice where one ends and the other begins. 

For the Countertops: Caesarstone

I’m endlessly fascinated by the various types of stone—there’s something romantic and almost mysterious about a dramatic vein running through a slab of marble, or a timeless piece of moody soapstone. But when it came time to choose the stone we’d use for our countertops and backsplashes, I really didn’t consider anything besides Caesarstone, which I’ve used and loved on the last three major design projects I’ve tackled. My current kitchen countertops have stood up to massive wear and tear without so much as a scratch or a stain. 

Since I’m using Caesarstone in both my kitchen and some of the baths (including slabs on the floor and walls in the primary bath!) I’ll be incorporating a few different color choices throughout the house to give subtle variance. Here are the colors I’m considering:

• Primordia – “A light concrete base heightened by rich splotches of off-whites, veils of grays, touches of browns, and oxidized traces of faint yellows and washed greens for a full-bodied industrial look,” according to the Caesarstone website.
• Airy Concrete – “An airy feel to real concrete in full movement, swirling with clouds of darker hues and white flashes, over a deeply textured surface that is refined for the home,” the website says.
• Layalite – “The purest white of fresh snow, melting away in broad streaks spread out wide, softly exposing the rough grays and ochers of underlying metamorphic rock, creating an emotive effect in Honed finish,” says the Caesarstone team.
• Symphony Grey – “A mild-gray backdrop, veiled by delicate white tones and a textured depth of diagonal silvery streaks,” the website reads.

For the Bathrooms: Clay Zellige Tiles 

Every renovation project should have at least one element that gives you butterflies when you envision it in the finished space, and for me, that’s the use of clay zellige tiles. I’ve never gravitated toward a lot of decorative tile in the past—perhaps I had too many negative associations with the ’90’s tile applications from houses I’ve previously rented. Though I used to think that lots of tile equaled bold color, that all changed when I discovered the earthy, organic texture and colors found in clay zellige tile.

Zellige tiles are usually handcrafted in Morocco using an ancient tradition passed down over generations. The process starts by soaking raw clay in water and placing it in a mold. The pieces are then left to dry in the sun, resulting in subtle, one-of-a-kind variations that reflect the craftsmanship and wabi-sabi nature of the process.

Our tiles are coming from Zia Tile, and I’ll be using the following selections in various bathrooms, as well as the guest house kitchen:

• Powder bath (backsplash) Unglazed Natural Trapezoid Zellige
• Guest House Kitchen (backsplash) and Bath (Tub Surround): Pure White Trapezoid Zellige
• Guest Bathroom (floor and shower walls) Unglazed Natural 2×6 Subway Zellige

Even though I’m in love with this material, tile still scares me a bit! There are so many factors to consider: horizontal versus vertical, stacked versus staggered versus herringbone lay… and then there’s the grout! I’m reminding myself that, sometimes, you’ve just got to do the research and then take a leap. 

For Hardware: Unlacquered Brass

Plumbing fixtures and hardware are some of those seemingly small details that can completely change a room—the impact of chrome hardware sets a completely different tone than matte black or brushed nickel. Though I’ve loved unlacquered brass hardware—with its beautifully aged patina—for many years, I knew it wasn’t right for our current more contemporary house. But at the beach house, I’ve finally found my chance to use it. The warmth and softness that unlacquered brass brings to a kitchen or bath would feel right at home in the casual, sun-bleached palette I’m envisioning for the house.

I’ve heard many cautionary tales about using unlacquered brass (also known as a “living finish”). There’s maintenance—you have to use a special cleaner, and most experts recommend installing a water softener. You also have to embrace the patina and the age that happens over time—kind of like the decision to use marble, you have to be ready for it to look “imperfect” with use. I see charming character, whereas others might see flaws.

In my research, I’ve learned that it takes about a year for unlacquered brass to age naturally. However, if you want to speed up the aging process (like I do), you can use vinegar, salt, or a brass aging product. After looking at lots of different options, I’ve settled on Kallista’s unlacquered brass fixtures, mainly from the gorgeous One collection. 

Plumbing fixtures are one of those decisions that many people leave until the end, but since unlacquered brass is a definite design statement, I wanted to lock in that decision as part of my big vision that will help guide the other elements of each space.

The post Materials Matter—We’re Using These 5 to Turn Our Beach House Into a Cocoon of Coziness appeared first on Camille Styles.

So far, I’ve shared the backstory and our overall inspiration for this project. We’re creating a serene, minimalist beach bungalow, while keeping the 1950s ranch elements that give the house its character. Now, I’m excited to start diving into the nitty-gritty details of the design and renovation itself, and there’s no better place to start than by walking you through the new beach house floor plan. Ready to see how we’re laying it all out, and exactly what the added square footage will include? Come on in…

Let’s revisit the existing house floor plan…

Here’s the breakdown of the current house…

Square footage:

1421 square feet in the main house

Room Layout:

The current 2 bedroom / 2 bathroom house has an undeniably awkward floor plan. It’s the only time I’ve ever seen people get lost in a house this small, because the floor plan makes absolutely no sense. The kids’ room connects directly into the living room (divided by a curtain, no less), and the “primary” bathroom is separated from the primary bedroom by a small den that was added on to the house at some point.

Issues with the current house

No clear front entrance. While technically there is a front door, it’s been used by exactly zero people since we bought the house. When you pull into the driveway, the path leads you down a sidewalk straight to the back door. So, no one is quite sure whether to circle around to the front of the house, or enter straight into the door of our laundry room.

Lack of space. Aside from the awkward floor plan, we’re also lacking space in general. It’s a cozy fit for our family of four, so when family or friends come to stay with us, we’re bursting at the seams. There’s also nowhere for me and Adam to work (which is a problem when you both work from home), so one of us usually ends up taking zoom calls from the bedroom while the other sits at the kitchen table with air pods in, praying that the kids won’t get into a fight while you’re on an important call.

Closed-off rooms. If you’ve seen our Austin house, you know that Adam and I are big on an open floor plan layout. We gravitate towards an open, airy vibe, so a house made up of small rooms that are separated off from each other makes us feel claustrophobic. We can’t wait to open this space up.

Low ceilings. In my opinion, low ceilings are one of the most concerning things about a house because they can be really difficult to change—and often, can lead to a house feeling dark and crowded. So, when we first considered the purchase of this house, making sure that we’d be able to raise up the ceilings was a prerequisite. More on that later.

Tucked-Away Kitchen. For me, the kitchen is the heart and center of a home, so having a small kitchen awkwardly tucked into the corner of the house (with dated granite and cabinetry no less) was going to be the first thing to go in any renovation.

GOALS for the new house

Clear front entrance.

As mentioned above, the current house lacks a clear entrance and leaves guests confused about where they should go. In the remodeled layout, we want anyone who arrives at the house to know exactly where to park, with a clear plan for how to enter the house. Did you know there’s an actual name for this topic? It’s wayfinding, and includes principles like creating “well-structured paths” and avoiding “too many navigational choices.” Not sure why I’m obsessed with this topic, but I find it endlessly fascinating.

Open floor plan.

For the areas where we live, eat, and play together as a family, I prefer a wide-open space that feels expansive and preferably, opens up to the outdoors as well. If you keep reading, you’ll find out how we’re achieving that with a 1000 square foot addition that is basically one big kitchen.

Vaulted ceilings.

When we considered purchasing this house, I knew that for the investment, we’d need to be able to raise the ceilings. Thankfully it wasn’t too complicated here, especially since we’re keeping it one-story. We’ll be vaulting the ceilings, which means that we’re extending into the triangular space between where a ceiling would normally sit and the top of the roof. This will not only help the rooms feel larger than they actually are—it’ll also let more natural light into each space.

Room for guests.

While we wanted to keep this a fairly modest-sized house, we also knew that this was a place we anticipated hosting family and friends for years to come. By adding a guest suite and a bunk room, we’d make room for an additional 4 – 5 people to stay with our family in the main house.

Big kitchen for entertaining.

Since the kitchen is my happy place, I naturally want to be able to spend time in it surrounded by family and friends. I need a kitchen large enough to accommodate cooking projects, recipe photo shoots, and lots of people, since most dinner parties end up with everyone gathered around the island. I knew that, based on the current tucked-away corner kitchen, this would require a complete reimagining of the space.

Lots of natural light.

The current house already has great light, but we knew that by raising the ceilings and adding more windows and doors to the back of the house, we could create an even more light-filled space.

Floor plan version 1

Our architect, Doug Burdge, pretty much nailed the new layout on his first pass. We had thought that the addition would probably be comprised of a primary bedroom suite, however Doug totally reimagined the footprint of the current house to include all the bedrooms/bathrooms, while adding a 1000 square foot great room that would become the home’s focal point. He truly understood our desire to make this house about entertaining and hosting, and created an open floor plan that was really all about gatherings.

For this first pass, Doug experimented with an interesting vision for a modern “hacienda-style” entrance, where once people entered the main gate from the driveway, they could roam around to the front of the house and enter through the huge glass sliding doors. However, for us this plan was missing a few things… namely, a clear front door. We liked the concept, but felt like it ultimately wouldn’t be conducive to everyday life.

Floor plan version 2:

Our second floor plan introduces the new front door, and (surprise!) it’s actually on what is currently the back side of the house. We basically flipped the entrance so that when you walk down the path from the driveway, you enter down a long tree-lined path and enter right into the new Great Room.

One other concern we had from the first set of plans was that our Primary Bathroom was tiny. So, in version 2 we expanded the Primary Bath by stealing the closet from Guest Room 2 (sorry guests!) We’ll add a built-in to that room to serve as the closet. It would have been cool to have an actual closet there, but a small primary bath is just not a great option since I want this one to feel airy and spa-like.

We also turned Guest Room 3 into a bunkroom to make room for lots of kids to sleepover. We added a large floor-to-ceiling corner window in the Great Room to maximize the ocean views from inside the house. And we removed the bar in the Great Room and replaced it with a banquette/breakfast nook.

The one thing this plan was still missing for me was an entryway—I wanted an entrance “moment” when people walk in the front door, and right now they’d be looking at the side of a banquette. Which brings us to…

Beach House Floor Plan version 3:

Here are the details of Floor Plan 3 which is close to where we’ve finally ended up…

Square footage:

2500 square feet (includes a 1000 square foot addition)

Room Layout:

The new house will have 3 bedrooms and 4 bathrooms (including the new powder bath), plus a lounge and a great room with open kitchen and living area. The dining room will be outside under a covered trellis (yes—the only dining room will be outside! The beauty of Southern California.)

It feels like we’re adding on so many rooms and usable space, but in actuality, we’re only adding 1000 square feet to the main house. It’s an example of what a difference it makes when a floor plan is designed to be smart and efficient, thanks to the brilliance of our architect, Doug Burdge. He was able to turn the existing footprint of the house into our bedrooms, bathrooms, and lounge. Then we could let the addition stay one big open room that’ll make the entire house feel more expansive, and invite the indoor-outdoor flow that we knew we wanted for this property.

Round 3 changes included:

• Opening up the entryway to make room for a console table and artwork—we did this by removing the banquette and the pocket door to the laundry room.
• Extending the square footage in the Primary Bedroom. We wanted to keep the current footprint of the house as much as possible to save on cost, however we knew that adding a few feet to the Primary Bedroom would be a worthy investment and make that room feel much more open and luxurious.
• Vaulted ceilings throughout—we decided that it would be worth it to go ahead and raise the ceilings in the guest rooms as well. It added on some cost, but for me, high ceilings are a worthy splurge.

And then there’s the guest house.

We haven’t even talked about the guest house yet! It’s a one-room apartment above the garage, with a weird little kitchenette and fridge that share a space with the bed. The downside is that you have to climb a creepy carpeted staircase from the garage to access it. The upside? It already has gorgeous light, and expansive views of Zuma Beach from every window. We’ll be keeping the current footprint, but getting very creative to turn it into a one-bedroom suite with boutique hotel vibes. The guest house project deserves its own post, so stay tuned to see how we’re doing it.

The post Our Floor Plans for Zuma Beach House—And the Design Journey We Took to Get There appeared first on Camille Styles.

For the last several months, Adam and I have spent our nights and weekends heads down working on this project—it’s truly been like a second full-time job (but instead of getting paid to do it we’re paying a lot to do it, haha)—and it’s been tough keeping all of this initial planning a secret when there were so many things I wanted to share (and ask your opinions on!) Now it’s time to make up for lost time, because although we’ve pretty much figured out the vision and architectural plans, there are still so many decisions to be made. Tile, plumbing fixtures, exterior siding colors, windows… we’re about to get into the good stuff.

But before we get granular, I wanted to zoom out and share our big picture plan so you know where we’re headed. Don’t worry, we’ll get into the nitty-gritty design details, but before we do… here are 7 things I’m dying to share about our Zuma Beach House inspiration.

image above: Montauk property designed by Vanessa Alexander, photo by Chris Mottalini

image by kristen kilpatrick at surfrider hotel in malibu

I’m calling it, “Minimalist Beach Ranch” style

(And yes, that’s subject to change, lol.) Our architect, Doug Burdge, designed the new plans to make the most of the natural environment, whether it’s shifting the orientation to see the full view of the ocean, or adding protection to block the wind. To create the casual, warm aesthetic we’re envisioning for Zuma Beach House, we’ll be leaning into a lack of ornamentation to create a sense of calm. That means that decorative details will be kept to a minimum, allowing the clean lines and lush nature outside the windows to take center stage.

In keeping with the ranch-style qualities of the current house, we’re sticking with a one-story layout with an open floor plan, large windows, and sliding glass doors. And the “beach” comes into play with white walls, vaulted shiplap ceilings, planked cabinetry, and overall casual vibes.

No surprise that I’m embracing a bit of minimalism here as I do with most all of my design projects. My goal is to include just enough interesting elements and thoughtful details while avoiding anything overly trendy—I want it to feel timeless. The architecture and design will create a simple canvas, and then we can layer on interest with furniture, textiles, and decorative details.

image by teal thomsen at ashley merrill’s beach house

We’re keeping the original footprint—and adding to it

The current house is a 1950’s ranch-style bungalow with a low horizontal ceiling and a somewhat bizarre floor plan that somehow makes guests feel lost even though it’s only 1400 square feet. We’ll be keeping the original footprint of the current house, but reworking the existing interior rooms so that the layout makes more sense. We’ll also be adding a 1000 square foot great room (a large open kitchen with living space) as well as vaulting all the ceilings so it feels airy and open. The guest house will keep its footprint, but we’ll be gut renovating the interior to turn it into a small but chic, boutique hotel-style one bedroom loft.

image by teal thomsen at ashley merrill’s beach house

The goal? Turn it into a peaceful retreat

When designing any space, I start by thinking about how I want to feel when I’m there. My dream is that Zuma Beach House will be full of warm energy, a happy, soul-filled house that lets the beauty of nature take center stage. Yes, I want it to be interesting and beautifully-designed, but what’s even more important to me is that we create a space that’s relaxing, light, airy, and intentional—the kind of house you want to curl up in and stay awhile.

The plan is to not have a lot of surfaces to house clutter, instead embracing negative space, even leaving a wall bare here and there. I want it to feel like a true retreat, a deep cleansing breath of fresh air that allows me to reset whenever I’m there. That means few decorative details, clean lines and negative space that allows me to breathe. A true retreat.

image by sam frost at jodie fried’s home

Materials are inspired by nature

From the beginning of our design process, I’ve been hyper-focused on using materials drawn from nature. I want every element to feel simple and slightly rustic, as close to its natural state as possible. On the exterior, we’re using timber siding and stacked stone. Inside, warm wood cabinetry and floors will sit alongside stone countertops and earthy clay tile.

My favorite part of the current property is the sunlight that floods every room, so letting in plenty of natural light through large windows and doors is top priority. We’re planning to use clad doors with interior wood frames.

image by sam frost at jodie fried’s home

Comfort reigns supreme

At this point in my life, I want to be comfortable all the time—and I want everyone who enters our home to feel instantly at ease. Everything in the house should make us happy—it’ll be full of meaningful pieces that we love and that foster creating memories together as a family.

My plan is to create coziness through lots of texture and soft materials, avoiding overly sculptural or hard-lined furniture pieces. We’re incorporating soft, ambient light that will make each room feel like a cocoon (more on our lighting plan to come… I still have some major decisions to make.)

Let’s talk about the fireplaces, because few things make me more comfortable than curling up in front of a fire for the evening (especially on a chilly evening, which is just about every evening in Malibu.) When we built our house in Austin, our architect initially included a fireplace in the primary bedroom. We cut it due to budget constraints, and I’ve been kicking myself over it ever since. When we started building our wishlist of “nice to haves” for this house, I knew that if we could swing it, a fireplace in the bedroom would bring so much joy and coziness to our lives every single night that we were there.

image above: Montauk property designed by Vanessa Alexander, photo by Chris Mottalini

A neutral color palette will create expansiveness

No surprise here, but I’m happiest with a neutral palette and I’ve learned that there’s no point in trying to fight it. Plus, keeping the palette in light, neutral tones will help the house feel more expansive than it actually is. When the main house is done, it’ll be 2500 square feet, and my vision is that it’ll feel much larger. We’re designing the floor plan to be as open as possible—the vaulted ceilings, open living space, natural light, and muted palette will create that sense of airiness that I love.

image above: Montauk property designed by Vanessa Alexander, photo by Chris Mottalini

It’s all about indoor-outdoor living

The only downside to having so many windows and doors is that it doesn’t leave much room to hang art! But I’m okay with that since they’ll be framing the stunning eucalyptus trees, Santa Monica mountains, and crashing waves that are “nature’s art” all around us. Doug designed the house to open up completely to the outside, blurring the lines of whether you’re indoors or out. When we’re in Malibu, we treat the backyard like our living room, working, playing, eating, and exercising outside every chance we get. In the new house, I picture doors and windows open all the time, nights spent around the fire pit, bare feet throughout the property, plucking lemons and avocados from the tree outside the kitchen—basically, living outdoors as much as possible.

***

If you’re still reading, I’m shocked that you’ve stuck with me this far, but thank you for caring! Drop any questions you have about #ZumaBeachHouse in the comments, and sign up here if you want to get house updates delivered straight to your inbox. More updates soon!

The post 7 Things to Know About Our Zuma Beach House Renovation appeared first on Camille Styles.

Since we’re getting ready to dive into renovations on our beach house in Malibu, it felt like a good time to drop in with some “before” shots of the current house, as well as answer a few FAQ’s that I’ve gotten from you guys since I shared about the renovation last month. So, let’s get to it! First up:

How did you find the Malibu house?

I answered this question in our Breathing Space email, so if you’re a subscriber, feel free to just scroll on and enjoy the “Before” shots… otherwise, why not sign up here? Here’s a recap:

The story of Zuma Beach House starts during the first few months of the pandemic, with our family locked down at home in Austin. With so many distractions eliminated from our day-to-day, we found ourselves taking a fresh look at the choices we were making with our lives. Though Adam and I had talked for years about having a vacation home at the beach, it was always in the context of someday far off in the future.

But with the pandemic came a new level of flexibility—no longer did we have to be in one location to function in work, school, and life. Plus, we’d recently sold our studio space in downtown Austin, and were ready to jump into another project. Suddenly, we questioned why we weren’t actually doing this thing we’d been talking about for years.

Instead of waiting for “someday” in the vague future, could we start moving toward our big dream right now?

Above: photos from the MLS listing when we first laid eyes on the house, 2020

The next thing we knew, we were online looking at real estate on the north end of Malibu. As we searched, there was this one 1950’s bungalow listed on Redfin with a crazy floor plan that we kept coming back to. It had some issues, but it also had sunset views over the Pacific, doors that welcomed in the sea breezes, and citrus and avocado trees. When we got an alert that the seller dropped the price, we booked our flights, and 48 hours later, we were headed to see the house in person. The rest is history. (Actually, it was followed by a crazy stressful few months of trying to make it work, but I’ll spare you the details. Point is, we miraculously got the house.)

That was in August 2020, and since then we’ve been working with our architect, Doug Burdge, to reimagine the house and transform the floor plan into a space that’s more reflective of our vision and conducive to our family’s life.

Here’s the little video tour I made after our first summer in the house…

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Why Malibu? Do you have family there?

Nope—Adam’s from San Diego and I’m from Texas, but we’ve both been in Austin for over 15 years and (wonderfully) our family’s mostly live in Austin, too. However, even before we knew each other, both Adam and I have felt a pull towards the West Coast. I remember the first time I visited LA when I was 18. My brother had moved to Santa Monica, so I spent a week exploring the city and remember feeling such an instant connection, ease, and just “at home” feeling immediately.

In the years since we’ve been married, Adam and I have spent more time in Malibu together. Anyone remember this Malibu trip from back in the archives? I think that was the beginning of my love affair… and later, spending the day at Shelley Armistead’s home and then with Helene Henderson… We both felt a connection with the surf vibes and nature-focused way of life in the north part of Malibu. Here, it’s more about surfing, farms, and hiking trails than it is about paparazzi. There’s a great burrito place, a local grocery store that makes amazing smoothies, a surf shop, and not a whole lot else. We shop at the local farm stand and sit around watching the stars at night. The cell signal is terrible—just the kind of change from “normal life” that we’ve been craving amidst the crazy busy pace of our Austin lives.

above: the house as it is now in summer 2022 after a basic “freshen up” (mainly re-styling and IKEA finds) to get us through the pre-renovation period

Where is the Malibu house located?

As mentioned, it’s on the north end of Malibu, just north of Point Dume and across from Zuma Beach. We have several incredible beaches within walking distance or a short drive, and when we’re there, we spend time at the beach every single day—walking in the morning, attempting to surf, searching for shells when the tide is low. There are honestly not a lot of great restaurants around us, but that suits us just fine since it creates a daily rhythm that’s more about cooking our meals at home and often, inviting friends to join us.

What drew you to the current house?

The current house is a 1950’s ranch-style bungalow—although it has some charming elements, this house is really all about the property. It’s situated on just under an acre overlooking Zuma Beach, with towering palm trees and lush citrus and avocado trees. We’re on a quiet street with a horse farm as neighbors. The current house has some major issues that may have discouraged previous buyers (and that we had to carefully consider when we purchased the property.)

For one, there’s a large electrical pole smack dab in the center of our beach view. It’s definitely not ideal, but we’ve been working with the city to get it buried under ground. Almost two years later, we’re so close…it’s taken some persistence and a lot of patience, but I know it’ll be worth it. Another problem is that the house has low horizontal ceilings and a somewhat bizarre floor plan (the result of a not-very-thought-out addition) that somehow makes guests feel lost even though it’s only 1400 square feet. I remember the first time we saw it in person, we both laid in bed that night trying to sort out how in the world we could make the floor plan work. The answer was that we probably couldn’t, and unsurprisingly, our plans include demo’ing most of the interior walls to rework it.

However one major “pro” for the house is its natural light – every photo I take has its own beauty despite the brown granite countertops and dated flooring. When you’re there, there’s that feeling of being immersed in nature even when you’re indoors, and that’s certainly something I want to carry into the new version of the house.

What will the renovation include?

Our genius architect Doug found a way to keep the original footprint of the current house and make it make sense, but we’ll be reworking the interior rooms so that the layout works. We’ll also be adding a 1,000 square foot great room (a large open kitchen with living space) as well as vaulting all the ceilings so it feels airy and open. The 600 square foot guest house will keep its footprint, but we’ll be gut renovating the interior to turn it into a small but chic, boutique hotel-style one bedroom loft.

Be sure to sign up here if you want to get #ZumaBeachHouse updates delivered to your inbox! Next up, I’ll be sharing all my design inspiration, including the “design style” I’m going with and what materials we’re planning to use throughout the house.

The post Step Inside Zuma Beach House—The “Before” Tour appeared first on Camille Styles.