50
Inspired West Coast Homes
A MODERN EUROPEAN FARMHOUSE
Malibu, CA
The guest house here was constructed first so the owner could live on-site during construction of the main house. This meant we could accompany
them to showrooms and stores to help with the selection of materials, later incorporating those choices into the drawings. With a design inspired by
a Virginia hunting lodge, the home highlights European hardscaping across the 1.5-acre site, which slopes challengingly toward the rear yet needed
to still provide clear fire department access. The main house is set back 200 feet, so visitors are gifted with a stroll through the lush garden as they
approach the front entrance, which looks straight through to the back of the property. Inside, rare 17th-century oak imported from several European
chateaus was used for the floors, while ceiling heights rise from 12-foot high walls. The gourmet kitchen was outfitted with a wood-burning fireplace
oven, furniture-quality cabinets, zinc countertops, and a marble-topped island with a skylight directly above. A large, three-sided bay window was
designed to accommodate a booth from the iconic and now-closed Chasen's, with an additional adjacent seating area nearby. In addition to a
mechanical room, a wine cellar was constructed in the home's basement to accommodate the owner's vast wine collection.
Photographs by Anthony Peres Photography
Designed by RLB Architecture, Pacific Palisades, CA, page 212
