7/31/2019 Sweet Digs: Upside down and inside out - A couple on a
budget builds their dream home
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56 SO HB YD gS.CO | 6.15.2012
he formula for a successful custom home project,
accordin to Redondo Beach homeowners ichael
and Julie guzman, involves understandin dimensions,
befriendin the architect, and watchin independent
lms, not necessarily in that order. he front yard
of the couples rustic-modern two-story home is an
edible arden abundant with artichokes, strawberries,
tan erines, onions and mint. t was inspired by the movie,
Stealin Beauty, ichael guzman says, referrin to
Bernardo Bertoluccis 1996 lm about a youn merican
womans idyllic summer at a uscan villa.
Olive trees, ravel round cover and an oversized
wooden table complete this rendition of the classic
talian arden, desi ned by anhattan Beach
landscapin rm Jones & otik. But the home itself
draws attention for its juxtaposition of post-modern
concrete and lass surfaces with reclaimed wood sidin
from an old tah farm. eople will walk by and o, Oh,
what color are you oin to paint your house? Julie
guzman lau hs, describin some observers confusion
about the woods intentionally distressed appearance.
Distressed may be the best word for the ori inal
1965 home that stood on the property when the
guzmans purchased it ve years a o. hey had been
livin in another home just around the block, and
when their current property became available, they
jumped on it. Havin a two-story home was a bi deal
in this nei hborhood because of the view, ichael
says. he idea was to ip the livin spaces so that
the kitchen and main livin a rea were upstairs, and thebedrooms
and laundry room were downstairs.
t rst, the family planned on livin in the ori inal
home for three months. But a slow permit approval
process turned three months into three years. he
ori inal house was a tear-down, ichael recalls. he
toilets were sinkin throu h the oors, the exterior
paint was peelin . t was in bad shape. But they
stayed focused on their vision, buyin stacks of home
desi n ma azines, tearin out pa es and workin
closely with architect James eyer of ean rch in
os n eles.Because the guzmans were on a ti ht bud et,
ichael was heavily involved in the process once
construction be an. His a dvice for other homeowners
who are remodelin or buildin a custom home is to
et a true sense for the dimensions of a particular
space by standin in a room that size. James let us
o into other homes hed desi ned so that we could
really see what a 12 by 12 space felt like, ichael
notes. Sometimes it was ne, and other times it was
like, e want the kitchen to be bi er.
Dont be intimidated by the process, Julie adds.
You have to be comfortable enou h with the architect
to say, o, want it different. Of course, it doesnt hurt
if the architect becomes a BFF. James is from around
here and we really hit it off, ichael says. eve
become ood friends and the kids really love him.
ucas and riana, the guzmans two youn
children, make full use of the homes spacious
backyard, which was another reason the family was
drawn to the property. ere ettin a anhattan
Beach Sand Section home with triple the lot size,
ichael says. he house is walkin distance from Rat
Beach in orrance, a bonus for ichael, who surfs, and
the kids, who enjoy playin in the ocean.
nside, the home is desi ned with a minimalist
aesthetic that still has elements of warmth. ts like
a ew York loft but at the beach, Julie says. Dark
ip wood oors, also known as Brazilian walnut, add
ele ance throu hout the home but are tou h enou h
to survive constant traf c from the two children and
ucy, the family do .
lans for a sittin room in the wood- oored,
Spartan entryway are imminent, but for now, it serves
as a soccer eld, a hockey rink, and a dance sta e for
the children, accordin to Julie. n oversized movie
poster from uc Bessons 1988 French blockbuster,
he Bi Blue, adds a dramatic splash of color to
the neutral palette and re ects the couples shared
passion for the lm.
Four bedrooms, three baths and a laundry roomare arran ed in a
-shape around the entryway. On
one win , the two childrens bedrooms have the same
dimensions, and their two bathrooms mirror each
other. Both bathrooms feature sha ker-style cabinetry,
a desi n element that, ichael remarks, softens the
house and takes the ed e off the modern.
n the master bedroom on the opposite win ,
concrete oors lend an ed y, industrial feel, but a fabric
headboard and upholstered chairs add softness. One of
the overall desi n concepts was to blur the lines betweenindoors
and outdoors, and the room accomplishes
this with a slidin lass pocket wall that opens onto a
backyard sunken patio. Here, an outdoor sittin area
boastin a kidney-shaped re pit with quartz-like
crushed lass draws the master bedroom outside.
nother indoor-outdoor feature especially prized
by Julie is a surf shower just outside the laundry
room in a side yard. ts for sandy babies, Julie
quips. he kids come strai ht from the beach and
shower before comin inside. hey can throw their
clothes in the washer and not t rack sand everywhere.
he laundry room was built with a raphite-colored
concrete oor for low maintenance.
oatin staircase leads to the homes second
oor, where the most dramatic device for brin in the
outdoors in also ives the home its industrial loft vibe.
rchitect eyer desi ned a ara e door made of clear
lass that opens above the stairwell and looks out onto
the backyard. Besides air circulation, the door makes
it possible for the guzmans to be within shoutin
distance while the kids are playin out in the yard.
Here on the homes top oor, ocean views can
be taken in from virtually any spot, thanks to an
open, reat room oor plan. he guzmans entertain
re ularly, and to accommodate a lar e crowdor to
let in fresh, ocean aira spacious outdoor deck can
become part of the upstairs livin area by slidin
open a west-facin lass wall. he focal point of
the reat room is a north-facin lass wall behind
the kitchen, capturin a picture-perfect vista of the
Santa onica Bay.
You can see the sunset from here, ichael notes
while standin in the kitchen, and on a clear day you
can see the snow on the mountains. He estures
toward the northeast-facin view above the cookin
ran e. like to cook, ichael says, and wanted to
be at the stove and still see the ocean.
he color scheme on the second oor plays off
the hues of sea and sky. Calacatta marble kitchen
countertops are offset by a shock of robins e blueon the base of
the chefs island and the backs of
the kitchen cupboards, visible throu h lass cabinet
doors. Corn ower blue cabinets in a pocket of ce add
dimension to the earth-toned xtures and walls.
he second- oor ceilin is made from the same
reclaimed wood sidin visible on the homes exterior,
and is just as rustic. You can still see the bird poop
from when it was a barn, ichael lau hs.
Julie and ichael desi ned all the interiors
themselves with inspiration from their rowin pile ofma azine
clippin s. e were careful not to make the
house look like any one particular style, says Julie.
ointin at two upholstered armchairs in a corner of the
livin room, ichael explains that the traditional desi n
of the chairs and the red and oran e fabric contrast with
the modern lines and blue tones of other furnishin s.
nd the vision for the calacatta marble countertops was
a arisian brasserie. e didnt want people to look at
the house and o, Oh, thats a 1984 sink, Julie says.
e wanted it to look eclectic and timeless.
people WIll Walk By anD go, oh, What color are you goIng to
paInt your houSe? J i g zm s, d s ibi s m bs v s f si
b w ds i i dis ss d .
