The Laguna Beach house is exquisite, modest in size, but very sophisticated – and sexy. The owner wanted to enjoy the beauty of the beach but he also desired the vibe of a penthouse. And he got both – a wraparound deck overlooking a verdant cliffside and the Pacific Ocean and a bachelor pad complete with silk throw pillows on velvet, dark woods, and rock crystal.

With the client’s preference for deep colors, Sheldon Harte knew well enough to avoid chrome, glass and white. He chose taupe limestone for the floors and Zebrano wood cabinets for the kitchen. For the furnishings, Sheldon came up with a palette of gray and taupe to complement the client’s colorful art collection. In the bedrooms, the designer was more adventurous, selecting a handmade Barkskin wallcovering for a toffee-and-gold-hue guest room with a floating Antoine Proulx bed. The result: a house that’s a textural masterpiece down to the floors, where custom artistic silk rugs add an additional layer of richness to the luxe interiors.