Transforming a building with a design history is fun for any creative. But a blank canvas enables you to let your vision go wild. For Linda Hayslett, Principal Designer of LH.Designs, getting the opportunity to work on this ground-up in South Bay’s Hermosa Beach meant she could run the gamut when it came to expressing her clients’ vision.

“There is something very special about being involved in the creative process from the beginning. You have a lot more room to let ideas flow, and you see them take shape in every stone and element of the build. I love working on transforming properties, but it’s a unique feeling when you see your design come to life in front of you in a space that was just dust and dirt.”

Linda worked on this five-bedroom property in the exclusive oceanside enclave with the builder Levine Homes. At 5,200 square feet, this was no beach cottage style affair.

LH.Designs was given the opportunity to come up with a property offering a sleek, contemporary vibe that embraced the relaxed attitude of its local beach scene.

“When you work alongside a builder on a property, it’s really a matter of teamwork and a good understanding of what to design for a potential homeowner. You have to work together to achieve the design within the parameters of their ability on the build. At LH.Designs that relationship is absolutely essential to the cohesion of the project. You have to really understand how each other thinks, and it makes life so much easier for everyone.

Anyone familiar with the beach cities knows that the plots available for new builds can often be narrow and compromising on space. So, the one thing you need to make the most of is the panoramic ocean view.

How did LH.Designs achieve this?

“The client wanted something that blended into the scene without being too modern or cold,” says Linda.

“The land was a great plot with some amazing panoramic views if the floors were created at the right height. I knew I had to make the most of the scenery. I gave the potential new homeowner loads of beautiful fixtures and materials to enhance the space when entertaining in the home and using the outdoor spaces.”

Linda incorporated a contemporary, minimalist theme to make this concept become a reality. For the interior, she used a blend of clean lines and intense colors to maximize the use of light.

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Linda says: “I decided to use natural wood tones and black throughout as a unifying concept for the interiors. It’s soft, but strong and plays into the contemporary beach lifestyle perfectly.”

For the five bathrooms, she chose granite counters teamed with black fittings and modern fixtures. Linda says it was challenging to keep it fresh for each bathroom, so each stood out in its own way, but still integrated with the vibe of the house: “I didn’t want it to feel like we copied the same exact style in each bathroom, but wanted the spaces to reflect the unified personality of the design at the same time.”

Perhaps the most breathtaking addition inside the home was the black marble quartz countertops and backsplash in the kitchen. The white veins through the quartz mirror the edge of the waves on the South Bay shoreline.

To maximize the outdoor Californian lifestyle, two barbecue areas that would allow chef Gordon Ramsay to cook up a veritable feast for guests gives plenty of room to enjoy a spectacular sunset.

“What I loved about this build was that I got to show how a modern space can be warm and inviting within a very beachy town,” says Linda.

The end result of the year-long project turned out to be a stunning home that sold for $4.4 million.

Love what you see? Take a peek at the talent behind the story… Design: LH.Designs · Build: Levine Homes · Photography: Lauren Pressey