Two weeks ago, our living room was torn apart. The drywall and flooring were removed, then the insulation, to reveal framing that hadn’t been exposed in 75 years. It was a moment we’d been waiting for over 4 years since the day we bought the beach house and began our journey of endless permitting delays with the City of Malibu.

When we started the project, our youngest, Henry, hadn’t begun kindergarten. Now, as we’re finally beginning construction, he’s halfway through fourth grade. The journey of this house has been a masterclass in patience and pivots, teaching us that the only thing that’s really in our control is choosing the next right step… continue reading on Substack.

The post This Post Took Four Years to Write appeared first on Camille Styles.

It’s no exaggeration to say that I’ve been waiting to share this post with you for years. If you’ve been following for a while, you’ll know that in 2020, we went all in on our big dream to renovate a beach house in Malibu. We fell in love with an acre of land overlooking Zuma Beach, with views of a beautiful horse farm and gardens overflowing with wild roses and olive trees. The breezes carried the scent of jasmine and salt water, and at night the sun set just at the point where the ocean meets the mountains. It was love at first sight.

A couple of months later, we got the keys to the house and our journey began. We hired Doug Burdge, our beloved Malibu-based architect, to reinvent the floor plan and add 1,000 square feet. We got all our ducks in a row and submitted everything to the city. And then began three years of waiting as we slogged through the permitting process with the City of Malibu. We didn’t know at the time how much patience and uncertainty this dream of ours would require, but throughout, we held tightly to our vision and refused to give up.

In my Substack today, I shared a lot more about our personal journey and what it taught me, and the range of emotions that come from building in a place that’s so recently been rocked by tragedy. If you want the full story (including why we’re “crazy” enough to build in a high-risk area) head over to the post. Over here, we’re kicking off the first post in our Renovation Diaries series, because we have officially begun construction!

Since I’m going to have a lot to share about our Zuma Beach House project in the coming months, this will be the official spot where you can follow along. My hope is that, for those of you who are as design-obsessed as me, it will become a resource for your own renovation journeys, as well as a place for inspiration and ideas. We’ll be getting granular on the details: how we designed the kitchen island, exactly what materials we’re using in every space, and solving those tricky decisions that come up in every renovation project. And yes, I’ll be asking you to weigh in, too.

It feels right to begin with a birds-eye view: a zoomed-out look at how the house will change, what we’re keeping and what we’re changing, and an overview of the design style and references that have inspired us.

First, the “Before”

What to know about the current house:

• 1950’s ranch-style bungalow—although it has some charming elements, this house is really all about the property.
• 1,400 square feet with two bedrooms and two bathrooms
• 600-square-foot guest house above the garage
• The property is just under an acre overlooking Zuma Beach, with towering palm trees and lush citrus and avocado trees.

Issues with the current house:

• A large electrical pole. It was smack dab in the center of our beach view. After two years of working with the city, we finally got it taken down and had the power lines buried. It was a major investment, but so worth it to open up the view.
• No clear front entrance. While there technically is a front door, it’s been used by exactly zero people since we bought the house. When you pull into the driveway, the path leads you down a sidewalk straight to the back door. So, no one is quite sure whether to circle around to the front of the house, or enter straight into the door of our laundry room.
• Lack of space. Aside from the awkward floor plan, we’re also lacking space in general. It’s a cozy fit for our family of four, so when family or friends come to stay with us, we’re bursting at the seams. There’s also nowhere for me and Adam to work (which is a problem when you both work from home), so one of us usually ends up taking calls from the bedroom while the other sits at the kitchen table with Air Pods in, praying that the kids won’t get into a fight in the meantime.
• Closed-off rooms. If you’ve seen our Austin house, you know that Adam and I are big on an open layout. We gravitate toward an airy vibe, so a house made up of small rooms that are separated from each other makes us feel claustrophobic. We can’t wait to open this space up.
• Low ceilings. In my opinion, low ceilings are one of the most concerning things about a house because they can be really difficult to change—and often, can lead to a house feeling dark and crowded. So, when we first considered the purchase of this house, making sure that we’d be able to raise the ceilings was a prerequisite. More on that later.
• Tucked-away kitchen. For me, the kitchen is the heart and center of a home, so having a small kitchen awkwardly tucked into the corner of the house (with dated granite and cabinetry) was going to be the first thing to go in any renovation.

I gave a full tour of the old house here and answered a bunch of FAQs about the property and location, if you want to dive deeper.

The Renovation Plan

• The addition: We’ll add a 1,000 square foot great room (a large open kitchen with living space). Our architect Doug brilliantly found a way to keep the original footprint of the current house, but we’ll rework the non-load-bearing walls to completely reimagine the interior floor plan.
• Create a clear front entrance. As mentioned above, the current house lacks a clear entrance and leaves guests confused about where they should go. In the remodeled layout, we want anyone who arrives at the house to know exactly where to park, with a clear plan for how to enter. Did you know there’s an actual name for this topic? It’s wayfinding, and includes principles like creating “well-structured paths” and avoiding “too many navigational choices.” Not sure why I’m obsessed with this topic, but I find it endlessly fascinating.
• Open floor plan. For the areas where we live, eat, and play together as a family, I prefer a wide-open space that preferably opens to the outdoors. If you keep reading, you’ll find out how we’re achieving that with a 1,000-square-foot addition that is basically one big kitchen.
• Vaulted ceilings. When we considered purchasing this house, I knew that for the investment, we’d need to be able to raise the ceilings. Thankfully it wasn’t too complicated here, especially since we’re keeping it to one story. We’ll be vaulting the ceilings, which means that we’re extending into the triangular space between where a ceiling would normally sit and the top of the roof. This will not only help the rooms feel larger than they actually are, but it’ll also let more natural light into each space.
• Room for guests. While we wanted to keep this a fairly modest-sized house, we also knew that this was a place we anticipated hosting family and friends for years to come. By adding a guest suite and a bunk room, we’d make room for an additional four to five people to stay with our family in the main house.
• Big kitchen for entertaining. Since the kitchen is my happy place, I naturally want to be able to spend time in it surrounded by family and friends. I need a kitchen large enough to accommodate cooking projects, recipe photo shoots, and lots of people, since most dinner parties end up with everyone gathered around the island. Based on the current tucked-away corner kitchen, I knew this would require a complete reimagining of the space.
• Natural light. The current house already has great light, but we knew that by raising the ceilings and adding more windows and doors to the back of the house, we could create an even more light-filled space.

The Style: Japandi Modern Beach House

We’re calling this a Japandi Modern Beach House because it combines the minimalism, clean lines, and natural materials of Scandinavian design with the warmth, tranquility, and focus on craftsmanship from Japanese design. Our priorities are simplicity, functionality, and harmony, bringing the indoors and outdoors together in a seamless flow. We want this house to feel like a sanctuary, using natural materials, neutral tones, and handcrafted details.

(Here’s another article I wrote about Japandi design and how to create it in your own home here.)

The Visualizations: Where We’re Headed

We’ve been working with the team at YouSee Studio to create realistic 3D renderings of our plans so we can truly visualize what we’re creating. I can’t recommend this process enough. Not only has it allowed us to make spacial decisions about the architecture, but being able to test out different materials and room layouts has already saved us from multiple decisions we would have regretted.

I can’t wait to share these visualizations of each space in the house as we go through the design process over the next few months—we’ll be able to look at different comparisons and options together as we make all those final decisions to bring the project to life.

Here’s the property overview that shows the new exterior. To the left, you can see the great room addition with the outdoor terrace. The right side is the existing house that becomes the bedrooms, bathrooms, and media room.

Features of our Japandi Modern Beach House:

It’s important to Adam and me that every element of this project is an intentional blend of beauty and functionality. Here are a few design decisions that are guiding the entire project:

Exterior Design:

• Scandinavian-inspired wood cladding. We’re using beautiful redwood from Humboldt Sawmill Company in Northern California.
• Large windows and doors that blur the lines between indoors and outdoors.
• Corrugated metal roofing, adding a contemporary edge to the minimalist design.

Interior Materials:

• Natural wood floors and cabinetry for warmth and texture. Our floors are by Stuga, a direct-to-consumer wood flooring company that’s based in the US and works with Scandinavian manufacturers.
• Stone accent walls that ground the space and reflect the surrounding environment. I can’t wait to show you guys the stone that we chose from Eldorado Stone—it’s gorgeous and will be such a statement.
• Simple, functional layouts that maximize space and light.

Design Philosophy:

• A focus on natural elements like olive and citrus trees, agave, and native grasses in the landscape.
• A neutral color palette of black, wood, creamy plaster, concrete, and stone for a calming vibe.
• An emphasis on craftsmanship and high-quality, long-lasting materials.

Overall Atmosphere:

• A blend of Scandinavian hygge (coziness) with Japanese wabi-sabi (beauty in imperfection).
• Spaces designed for peace, relaxation, and connection to nature.

The Team

• Architect: Burdge and Associates Architects
• Builder: RS Wood Construction
• Landscape Architect: Fiore Landscape Design
• Design: Camille Styles

The post Zuma Beach House, Ch. 1: The Journey Begins appeared first on Camille Styles.

Our family is spending the last couple weeks of summer at Zuma Beach House, and we’re sincerely hoping that it’s one of the last times we’ll be able to sleep here before construction starts. Because that would imply that construction is starting sometime in the near future. But even though nails aren’t being hammered yet, things are definitely happening behind-the-scenes on this project. Permits are filed, and we’ve been meeting with our builders to hammer out interior elevations as we make decisions like the kitchen cabinet and drawer configurations, or the placement of the tub fillers and sink faucets in each bathroom. Our goal is to get ahead, so that once we’ve got those approved plans in hand, we can hit the ground running on construction.

So far, I’ve shared the backstory and our overall inspiration for this project. We’re creating a serene, minimalist beach bungalow, while keeping the 1950s ranch elements that give the house its character. Now, I’m excited to start diving into the nitty-gritty details of the design and renovation itself, and there’s no better place to start than by walking you through the new beach house floor plan. Ready to see how we’re laying it all out, and exactly what the added square footage will include? Come on in…

Let’s revisit the existing house floor plan…

Here’s the breakdown of the current house…

Square footage:

1421 square feet in the main house

Room Layout:

The current 2 bedroom / 2 bathroom house has an undeniably awkward floor plan. It’s the only time I’ve ever seen people get lost in a house this small, because the floor plan makes absolutely no sense. The kids’ room connects directly into the living room (divided by a curtain, no less), and the “primary” bathroom is separated from the primary bedroom by a small den that was added on to the house at some point.

Issues with the current house

No clear front entrance. While technically there is a front door, it’s been used by exactly zero people since we bought the house. When you pull into the driveway, the path leads you down a sidewalk straight to the back door. So, no one is quite sure whether to circle around to the front of the house, or enter straight into the door of our laundry room.

Lack of space. Aside from the awkward floor plan, we’re also lacking space in general. It’s a cozy fit for our family of four, so when family or friends come to stay with us, we’re bursting at the seams. There’s also nowhere for me and Adam to work (which is a problem when you both work from home), so one of us usually ends up taking zoom calls from the bedroom while the other sits at the kitchen table with air pods in, praying that the kids won’t get into a fight while you’re on an important call.

Closed-off rooms. If you’ve seen our Austin house, you know that Adam and I are big on an open floor plan layout. We gravitate towards an open, airy vibe, so a house made up of small rooms that are separated off from each other makes us feel claustrophobic. We can’t wait to open this space up.

Low ceilings. In my opinion, low ceilings are one of the most concerning things about a house because they can be really difficult to change—and often, can lead to a house feeling dark and crowded. So, when we first considered the purchase of this house, making sure that we’d be able to raise up the ceilings was a prerequisite. More on that later.

Tucked-Away Kitchen. For me, the kitchen is the heart and center of a home, so having a small kitchen awkwardly tucked into the corner of the house (with dated granite and cabinetry no less) was going to be the first thing to go in any renovation.

GOALS for the new house

Clear front entrance.

As mentioned above, the current house lacks a clear entrance and leaves guests confused about where they should go. In the remodeled layout, we want anyone who arrives at the house to know exactly where to park, with a clear plan for how to enter the house. Did you know there’s an actual name for this topic? It’s wayfinding, and includes principles like creating “well-structured paths” and avoiding “too many navigational choices.” Not sure why I’m obsessed with this topic, but I find it endlessly fascinating.

Open floor plan.

For the areas where we live, eat, and play together as a family, I prefer a wide-open space that feels expansive and preferably, opens up to the outdoors as well. If you keep reading, you’ll find out how we’re achieving that with a 1000 square foot addition that is basically one big kitchen.

Vaulted ceilings.

When we considered purchasing this house, I knew that for the investment, we’d need to be able to raise the ceilings. Thankfully it wasn’t too complicated here, especially since we’re keeping it one-story. We’ll be vaulting the ceilings, which means that we’re extending into the triangular space between where a ceiling would normally sit and the top of the roof. This will not only help the rooms feel larger than they actually are—it’ll also let more natural light into each space.

Room for guests.

While we wanted to keep this a fairly modest-sized house, we also knew that this was a place we anticipated hosting family and friends for years to come. By adding a guest suite and a bunk room, we’d make room for an additional 4 – 5 people to stay with our family in the main house.

Big kitchen for entertaining.

Since the kitchen is my happy place, I naturally want to be able to spend time in it surrounded by family and friends. I need a kitchen large enough to accommodate cooking projects, recipe photo shoots, and lots of people, since most dinner parties end up with everyone gathered around the island. I knew that, based on the current tucked-away corner kitchen, this would require a complete reimagining of the space.

Lots of natural light.

The current house already has great light, but we knew that by raising the ceilings and adding more windows and doors to the back of the house, we could create an even more light-filled space.

Floor plan version 1

Our architect, Doug Burdge, pretty much nailed the new layout on his first pass. We had thought that the addition would probably be comprised of a primary bedroom suite, however Doug totally reimagined the footprint of the current house to include all the bedrooms/bathrooms, while adding a 1000 square foot great room that would become the home’s focal point. He truly understood our desire to make this house about entertaining and hosting, and created an open floor plan that was really all about gatherings.

For this first pass, Doug experimented with an interesting vision for a modern “hacienda-style” entrance, where once people entered the main gate from the driveway, they could roam around to the front of the house and enter through the huge glass sliding doors. However, for us this plan was missing a few things… namely, a clear front door. We liked the concept, but felt like it ultimately wouldn’t be conducive to everyday life.

Floor plan version 2:

Our second floor plan introduces the new front door, and (surprise!) it’s actually on what is currently the back side of the house. We basically flipped the entrance so that when you walk down the path from the driveway, you enter down a long tree-lined path and enter right into the new Great Room.

One other concern we had from the first set of plans was that our Primary Bathroom was tiny. So, in version 2 we expanded the Primary Bath by stealing the closet from Guest Room 2 (sorry guests!) We’ll add a built-in to that room to serve as the closet. It would have been cool to have an actual closet there, but a small primary bath is just not a great option since I want this one to feel airy and spa-like.

We also turned Guest Room 3 into a bunkroom to make room for lots of kids to sleepover. We added a large floor-to-ceiling corner window in the Great Room to maximize the ocean views from inside the house. And we removed the bar in the Great Room and replaced it with a banquette/breakfast nook.

The one thing this plan was still missing for me was an entryway—I wanted an entrance “moment” when people walk in the front door, and right now they’d be looking at the side of a banquette. Which brings us to…

Beach House Floor Plan version 3:

Here are the details of Floor Plan 3 which is close to where we’ve finally ended up…

Square footage:

2500 square feet (includes a 1000 square foot addition)

Room Layout:

The new house will have 3 bedrooms and 4 bathrooms (including the new powder bath), plus a lounge and a great room with open kitchen and living area. The dining room will be outside under a covered trellis (yes—the only dining room will be outside! The beauty of Southern California.)

It feels like we’re adding on so many rooms and usable space, but in actuality, we’re only adding 1000 square feet to the main house. It’s an example of what a difference it makes when a floor plan is designed to be smart and efficient, thanks to the brilliance of our architect, Doug Burdge. He was able to turn the existing footprint of the house into our bedrooms, bathrooms, and lounge. Then we could let the addition stay one big open room that’ll make the entire house feel more expansive, and invite the indoor-outdoor flow that we knew we wanted for this property.

Round 3 changes included:

• Opening up the entryway to make room for a console table and artwork—we did this by removing the banquette and the pocket door to the laundry room.
• Extending the square footage in the Primary Bedroom. We wanted to keep the current footprint of the house as much as possible to save on cost, however we knew that adding a few feet to the Primary Bedroom would be a worthy investment and make that room feel much more open and luxurious.
• Vaulted ceilings throughout—we decided that it would be worth it to go ahead and raise the ceilings in the guest rooms as well. It added on some cost, but for me, high ceilings are a worthy splurge.

And then there’s the guest house.

We haven’t even talked about the guest house yet! It’s a one-room apartment above the garage, with a weird little kitchenette and fridge that share a space with the bed. The downside is that you have to climb a creepy carpeted staircase from the garage to access it. The upside? It already has gorgeous light, and expansive views of Zuma Beach from every window. We’ll be keeping the current footprint, but getting very creative to turn it into a one-bedroom suite with boutique hotel vibes. The guest house project deserves its own post, so stay tuned to see how we’re doing it.

The post Our Floor Plans for Zuma Beach House—And the Design Journey We Took to Get There appeared first on Camille Styles.

Sign up here to get monthly #ZumaBeachHouse updates delivered straight to your inbox. First up? Answers to your frequently asked questions about the property, as well as the full “Before” tour.

Since we’re getting ready to dive into renovations on our beach house in Malibu, it felt like a good time to drop in with some “before” shots of the current house, as well as answer a few FAQ’s that I’ve gotten from you guys since I shared about the renovation last month. So, let’s get to it! First up:

How did you find the Malibu house?

I answered this question in our Breathing Space email, so if you’re a subscriber, feel free to just scroll on and enjoy the “Before” shots… otherwise, why not sign up here? Here’s a recap:

The story of Zuma Beach House starts during the first few months of the pandemic, with our family locked down at home in Austin. With so many distractions eliminated from our day-to-day, we found ourselves taking a fresh look at the choices we were making with our lives. Though Adam and I had talked for years about having a vacation home at the beach, it was always in the context of someday far off in the future.

But with the pandemic came a new level of flexibility—no longer did we have to be in one location to function in work, school, and life. Plus, we’d recently sold our studio space in downtown Austin, and were ready to jump into another project. Suddenly, we questioned why we weren’t actually doing this thing we’d been talking about for years.

Instead of waiting for “someday” in the vague future, could we start moving toward our big dream right now?

Above: photos from the MLS listing when we first laid eyes on the house, 2020

The next thing we knew, we were online looking at real estate on the north end of Malibu. As we searched, there was this one 1950’s bungalow listed on Redfin with a crazy floor plan that we kept coming back to. It had some issues, but it also had sunset views over the Pacific, doors that welcomed in the sea breezes, and citrus and avocado trees. When we got an alert that the seller dropped the price, we booked our flights, and 48 hours later, we were headed to see the house in person. The rest is history. (Actually, it was followed by a crazy stressful few months of trying to make it work, but I’ll spare you the details. Point is, we miraculously got the house.)

That was in August 2020, and since then we’ve been working with our architect, Doug Burdge, to reimagine the house and transform the floor plan into a space that’s more reflective of our vision and conducive to our family’s life.

Here’s the little video tour I made after our first summer in the house…

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Why Malibu? Do you have family there?

Nope—Adam’s from San Diego and I’m from Texas, but we’ve both been in Austin for over 15 years and (wonderfully) our family’s mostly live in Austin, too. However, even before we knew each other, both Adam and I have felt a pull towards the West Coast. I remember the first time I visited LA when I was 18. My brother had moved to Santa Monica, so I spent a week exploring the city and remember feeling such an instant connection, ease, and just “at home” feeling immediately.

In the years since we’ve been married, Adam and I have spent more time in Malibu together. Anyone remember this Malibu trip from back in the archives? I think that was the beginning of my love affair… and later, spending the day at Shelley Armistead’s home and then with Helene Henderson… We both felt a connection with the surf vibes and nature-focused way of life in the north part of Malibu. Here, it’s more about surfing, farms, and hiking trails than it is about paparazzi. There’s a great burrito place, a local grocery store that makes amazing smoothies, a surf shop, and not a whole lot else. We shop at the local farm stand and sit around watching the stars at night. The cell signal is terrible—just the kind of change from “normal life” that we’ve been craving amidst the crazy busy pace of our Austin lives.

above: the house as it is now in summer 2022 after a basic “freshen up” (mainly re-styling and IKEA finds) to get us through the pre-renovation period

Where is the Malibu house located?

As mentioned, it’s on the north end of Malibu, just north of Point Dume and across from Zuma Beach. We have several incredible beaches within walking distance or a short drive, and when we’re there, we spend time at the beach every single day—walking in the morning, attempting to surf, searching for shells when the tide is low. There are honestly not a lot of great restaurants around us, but that suits us just fine since it creates a daily rhythm that’s more about cooking our meals at home and often, inviting friends to join us.

What drew you to the current house?

The current house is a 1950’s ranch-style bungalow—although it has some charming elements, this house is really all about the property. It’s situated on just under an acre overlooking Zuma Beach, with towering palm trees and lush citrus and avocado trees. We’re on a quiet street with a horse farm as neighbors. The current house has some major issues that may have discouraged previous buyers (and that we had to carefully consider when we purchased the property.)

For one, there’s a large electrical pole smack dab in the center of our beach view. It’s definitely not ideal, but we’ve been working with the city to get it buried under ground. Almost two years later, we’re so close…it’s taken some persistence and a lot of patience, but I know it’ll be worth it. Another problem is that the house has low horizontal ceilings and a somewhat bizarre floor plan (the result of a not-very-thought-out addition) that somehow makes guests feel lost even though it’s only 1400 square feet. I remember the first time we saw it in person, we both laid in bed that night trying to sort out how in the world we could make the floor plan work. The answer was that we probably couldn’t, and unsurprisingly, our plans include demo’ing most of the interior walls to rework it.

However one major “pro” for the house is its natural light – every photo I take has its own beauty despite the brown granite countertops and dated flooring. When you’re there, there’s that feeling of being immersed in nature even when you’re indoors, and that’s certainly something I want to carry into the new version of the house.

What will the renovation include?

Our genius architect Doug found a way to keep the original footprint of the current house and make it make sense, but we’ll be reworking the interior rooms so that the layout works. We’ll also be adding a 1,000 square foot great room (a large open kitchen with living space) as well as vaulting all the ceilings so it feels airy and open. The 600 square foot guest house will keep its footprint, but we’ll be gut renovating the interior to turn it into a small but chic, boutique hotel-style one bedroom loft.

Be sure to sign up here if you want to get #ZumaBeachHouse updates delivered to your inbox! Next up, I’ll be sharing all my design inspiration, including the “design style” I’m going with and what materials we’re planning to use throughout the house.

The post Step Inside Zuma Beach House—The “Before” Tour appeared first on Camille Styles.