Visit an Open and Airy Southern California Home With Ocean Views
In this video, see how a couple worked with an architect found on Houzz to build a stylish custom home fit for the beach
Mitchell Parker
March 16, 2021
Houzz Editorial Staff. Home design journalist writing about cool spaces, innovative trends, breaking news, industry analysis and humor.
Houzz Editorial Staff. Home design journalist writing about cool spaces, innovative... More
Ileana Frometa Grillo was 12 years old when she fell in love with Southern California during a vacation from her hometown of Caracas, Venezuela. “Somehow I knew I was going to be here,” Grillo says. Years later, she made that dream a reality when she and husband Tim Kippen found a tear-down property near Laguna Beach that fit their budget and allowed them to create a personalized home from scratch.
For help developing the difficult wedge-shaped site into a spacious, open home with an art studio for Grillo and a rental unit to supplement the couple’s income, they searched Houzz for architects in the area. They kept coming back to the work of Anders Lasater, and they hired him to design a home that imitates the tropical, open feel of spaces in Venezuela. The new home features lots of windows oriented to the ocean, durable materials that hold up to beach life and pops of blue that nod to the sea.
For help developing the difficult wedge-shaped site into a spacious, open home with an art studio for Grillo and a rental unit to supplement the couple’s income, they searched Houzz for architects in the area. They kept coming back to the work of Anders Lasater, and they hired him to design a home that imitates the tropical, open feel of spaces in Venezuela. The new home features lots of windows oriented to the ocean, durable materials that hold up to beach life and pops of blue that nod to the sea.
Photos by Chad Mellon
House at a Glance
Who lives here: Ileana Frometa Grillo and Tim Kippen, plus their three Staffordshire bull terriers, Manny, Rosa and Miles
Location: Fisherman’s Cove area of Laguna Beach, California
Size: 2,900 square feet (269 square meters); three bedrooms, three bathrooms, plus an art studio. The duplex also has a rental unit that’s 1,300 square feet (121 square meters) with two bedrooms and two bathrooms
Architect: Anders Lasater
Builder: J. Kramer Corp.
Interior designer: Gregory Rayes
Watch now: Go inside this contemporary beachside home on Houzz TV
The previous structure on the property was listed as a commercial space, a designation left over from the 1950s. It once contained a street-level pilates studio with two apartments above. The structure was in bad shape, and the city wanted to retire the commercial variance for the lot, so the couple and Lasater decided to demolish the structure and start fresh with a duplex design that includes a 2,900-square-foot home for the couple and a 1,300-square-foot rental unit.
Each unit has a two-car garage. The ground-floor rental unit on the left has its own entrance, visible on the side of the building. Grillo and Kippen’s home, on the right, features an art studio on the ground floor and three bedrooms and three bathrooms on the second floor.
Stucco in two colors forms the ground floor exterior at the front. Cumaru, a Brazilian hardwood, clads the top level.
Find home design and remodeling pros to help with your project
House at a Glance
Who lives here: Ileana Frometa Grillo and Tim Kippen, plus their three Staffordshire bull terriers, Manny, Rosa and Miles
Location: Fisherman’s Cove area of Laguna Beach, California
Size: 2,900 square feet (269 square meters); three bedrooms, three bathrooms, plus an art studio. The duplex also has a rental unit that’s 1,300 square feet (121 square meters) with two bedrooms and two bathrooms
Architect: Anders Lasater
Builder: J. Kramer Corp.
Interior designer: Gregory Rayes
Watch now: Go inside this contemporary beachside home on Houzz TV
The previous structure on the property was listed as a commercial space, a designation left over from the 1950s. It once contained a street-level pilates studio with two apartments above. The structure was in bad shape, and the city wanted to retire the commercial variance for the lot, so the couple and Lasater decided to demolish the structure and start fresh with a duplex design that includes a 2,900-square-foot home for the couple and a 1,300-square-foot rental unit.
Each unit has a two-car garage. The ground-floor rental unit on the left has its own entrance, visible on the side of the building. Grillo and Kippen’s home, on the right, features an art studio on the ground floor and three bedrooms and three bathrooms on the second floor.
Stucco in two colors forms the ground floor exterior at the front. Cumaru, a Brazilian hardwood, clads the top level.
Find home design and remodeling pros to help with your project
The framing of the home was a first of its kind in Laguna Beach. The post-and-beam frame is made of prefabricated steel pieces that are delivered to the site and then assembled by a team. Sprayed-in foam and Roxul were used for insulation.
Prefab construction: Bone Structure
Prefab construction: Bone Structure
The second-floor kitchen features custom bamboo cabinets in two tones: a rich custom stain for some, a custom blue paint for the others. “The blue is meant to be a counterpart to the ocean seen through the windows on the other side of the room,” Grillo says.
The white paint used for the walls in the ocean side of the home has blue undertones, while the white paint used in the guest rooms, in the street- and tree-facing side of the home, has green undertones.
The white paint used for the walls in the ocean side of the home has blue undertones, while the white paint used in the guest rooms, in the street- and tree-facing side of the home, has green undertones.
Patterned Spanish-style porcelain tile forms the kitchen backsplash. The sink is a workstation sink from Galley that contains removable trays and other elements that help with prep. A second sink sits on the rear wall.
Grillo says she worked closely with designer Gregory Rayes on the layout. Rayes observed Grillo’s cooking routines and the two eventually determined that locating the cooktop on the island next to the workstation sink was the best setup. “I usually prepare everything at the sink and then get it immediately cooking at the cooktop, so this made the most sense,” Grillo says. “Plus I like to face people when cooking and like to enjoy the view of the ocean.”
The island features a full-body porcelain marble-look countertop with a waterfall edge. A dining area with a custom table sits off one end of the island. And the kitchen space flows into a small living room before extending to an outdoor patio. Skylights bring more light into the interiors.
Large-format porcelain floor tiles mimic the look of concrete. The door on the left leads to the master bedroom.
Watch now: Take a virtual tour of this California home
The island features a full-body porcelain marble-look countertop with a waterfall edge. A dining area with a custom table sits off one end of the island. And the kitchen space flows into a small living room before extending to an outdoor patio. Skylights bring more light into the interiors.
Large-format porcelain floor tiles mimic the look of concrete. The door on the left leads to the master bedroom.
Watch now: Take a virtual tour of this California home
One area of the patio, which also sits off the master bedroom, has a fire feature and outdoor seating, making this the couple’s favorite spot in their new home. Grillo has since hung a hammock from the overhang and can often be found there reading a book. “A hammock is an essential component of any self-respecting Venezuelan, or Latin American for that matter, and I wanted to make sure that we had one in our patio,” she says.
Porcelain tiles float on a mounting system that allows for water to flow through the cracks and into a drainage system.
Porcelain tiles float on a mounting system that allows for water to flow through the cracks and into a drainage system.
An artificial turf section on a patio at the front of the home gives the couple a spot to take their three Staffordshire bull terriers on quick potty breaks between walks. The turf can be hosed off, and the wastewater drains below.
Here, Grillo gives Rosa, left, and Manny a treat.
Here, Grillo gives Rosa, left, and Manny a treat.
In the master bathroom, a mirror hangs in front of a window with ocean views. Wavy porcelain wall tile mimics the ocean waves. The vanities are bamboo in a custom gray stain. The countertops are porcelain.
Blue glass tile in the curbless shower continues the ocean theme. The tub surround is porcelain.
In the master bedroom, a custom blue accent wall faces the ocean. The headboard is custom.
The master bedroom opens to the patio and its spectacular view. “We’re seeing a whale right now,” Grillo said during a phone interview for this article. “We saw a pod of 200 dolphins going by about two months ago. That’s the beauty of being here.”
Watch now: Go inside this home on Houzz TV
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Watch now: Go inside this home on Houzz TV
More on Houzz
Tour more homes
Find local home design and construction professionals
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Absolutely Stunning!!
Exquisite thoughtful design......perfect! And I love the gratitude of the homeowner and her artwork!! Thank you for sharing and I hope this family has many beautiful years in their home!
Thanks for your comments @Gram 1954 and @Murtaza Hashwani