Located in the Pacific Palisades, a beautiful residential neighborhood on the westside of Los Angeles, this new construction home was quite a project. “It was a trailer that was completely rebuilt from the ground up,” designer Genna Margolis of Shapeside recalls. “The existing house wasn’t worth salvaging but we kept the ceiling of the exposed beams to give some authentic detailing.”

The home has incredible views of both the ocean and the mountains, so the entire house was designed to have an indoor/outdoor feel with plenty of windows. “We wanted it to be modern, but since it’s right on the beach and mountains, we wanted to incorporate earth tones to bring the outside in,” Genna shares. In the kitchen, they added a large island so it would have a communal feel for guests to gather. “We wanted the finishes to be simple but special which is why we want with a glazed terracotta brick tile for the backsplash,” she says. To keep the cabinets from feeling too basic, she coated them in a “greige” paint, and added walnut floating shelves as well as a walnut detail on the pony wall above the sink – an unexpected wood choice for Southern California.  “We are seeing a lot of oak detailing and wanted to do things a little different.”

In the dining room, durability was key. “We needed it to be easy to clean for the kids! It did limit initially how cool the dining room could look,” Genna explains. “That’s why we want for such a modern light installation. It’s a very big focal point not just of the dining area but of the whole house. You see it immediately when you walk in.” The living area is welcoming and cozy, perfect for movie nights. Genna tied the space together with a striped rug and bold pillows. 

Since the home offers so many views to the beautiful wrap-around deck, Genna had to be mindful when choosing outdoor furniture. She opted for pieces that felt like an extension of the interior, truly connecting the two spaces together. The result is a modern, chic home with loads of function. “This project almost 2 years from start to complete finish,” the designer says. “My client was very involved in the process. Every time she visited, she was always so happy and excited she could not wait to move in!”