This hilltop dream home was designed from the ground up by architect Hart Howerton in collaboration with Studio McGee offering sweeping views of Southern California. The home was designed to have a Napa-inspired feel, blended with its coastal location to create an overall breathtaking aesthetic. This project was a labor of love, taking four years to complete.
On the exterior facade of the home, you will a beautiful textural plaster along with steel windows that were custom fabricated. Gas lanterns help to set the tone for the entire home. Materials used on the exterior were carried through into the interior of the home, including the limestone on the front steps that were brought into the entryway.
DESIGN DETAILS: ARCHITECT Hart Howerton INTERIOR DESIGN Studio McGee BUILDER Lombardi Construction
What We Love: This hilltop dream home provides a family of five with a warm and welcoming home with gorgeous living spaces. Straight and curved lines have been mixed throughout this dwelling, along with layers of texture for visual interest. A continuity of thoughtfully selected materials provides harmony for a cohesive design aesthetic and timeless appeal. Overall, the project team did a fabulous job of creating indoor and outdoor spaces with beautifully customized details.
Tell Us: What elements in this hilltop dream home design do you find most inspiring? Let us know in the Comments, we enjoy reading your feedback!
Note: Take a look at a couple of other spectacular home tours that we have showcased here on One Kindesign in Southern California: See this dreamy coastal style home with a contemporary twist in La Jolla and Dreamy transitional inspired home with a rooftop deck in Corona Del Mar.
Step inside the luminous entryway to find oak panels on the walls and ceiling to create a warm and cozy feeling, especially with all of the glass. Teak orbs in the corner bring an organic touch to the entry. A vintage area rug grounds the space, accented by pieces of furnishings sourced from the designer’s shop, McGee & Co.
A formal living and dining area are open to each other and are quite symmetrical. The designer wanted to tie the spaces together but also make them feel separate. Drapery treatments can be found on both sides, along with symmetrical chandeliers to soften the spaces. A calming color palette can be found in the furnishings.
A limestone fireplace in the living room has a more traditional shape with built-ins on either side. The designer added textured wallpaper for visual interest. She also layered in beautiful accessories, including a mix of books, boxes, leaned artwork, objects and plants.
The furnishings have plenty of texture for warmth, from the throw pillows to the fluted detail on the coffee table and the nailhead detail on the ottomans. A patterned area rug defines the space.
The vaulted ceilings carry into the dining room for a cohesive aesthetic. The stain on the ceiling is a shade darker than the floors. A bleached, braided jute rug adds texture underfoot.
The scale was considered when adding furnishings to this space due to the height of the ceiling. One side has a sideboard with a beautiful mirror that reflects the view, while the other has a tall hutch piece that provides an opportunity to style and add interest to the space.
The kitchen cabinetry has a putty gray stain and features a mix of flat and raised panels for visual interest. Chunky brass hardware with a backplate is mixed with pulls and knobs. The countertops are a Calcutta marble and continue on the backsplash and the shelves of the coffee bar station. It incorporates all the tones of the kitchen with an organic look and feel.
The LaCanche Range in black and brass and curved hood are gorgeous focal points in this space. The light fixture above the island brings harmony to the space, with its black and brass shades. An apron front sink has a marble drip edge to catch the water to it prevent from getting on the cabinets.
An antique pocket door closes off the pantry from the kitchen, spotted at a salvage yard in Arizona. It was stripped but not stained, adding character to this new build. The dark and moody pantry features open shelving for display and closed cabinetry for storage. Soapstone countertops have a natural veining throughout for a beautiful aesthetic.
A built-in breakfast nook features a vertical tongue and groove and a cushion that was laminated to be wipeable and durable.
The kitchen opens up to the family room, the family hangout area. A relaxed sectional from McGee & Co. (with a Crypton fabric for durability) provides a comfortable spot to gather and watch TV. Grounding this space is a vintage rug, which ties in with the pillow textiles. A soft ottoman has a tray to store remotes, candles, and accessories. Designer Tip: If you have a vintage rug that does not fit the space, layer it on top of another rug.
As this home took four years to complete, the kid’s bedroom spaces needed to adapt to them as they grow and their interests change. To address this, the designer selected foundational pieces that can be changed with textiles and a color palette.
In the boys’ bedrooms, they have an identical layout, so the designer opted to do some varying decor and finishes to differentiate the two spaces. They both have board and batten siding on all of the walls and all the way up to the ceiling. One bedroom does not go all the way up to the ceiling and instead has a stopping point with a Columbus – Cole and Son Wallpaper above it.
The ceilings have an oak wood beam, while the floors have an indoor/outdoor rug that can easily be washed. The designer also likes to use display shelves for the kid’s interests along with pinboards to change out their collections of stuff. She also likes to add colorful hooks to the walls for hanging backpacks, coats, and medals.
Tip: For the kids’ bathroom, the designer used subway tile in two different sizes. If you are on a budget, this makes for a more designer look for a fraction of the cost.
In this classic laundry room, louvered doors enclose a laundry chute. This space also includes a folding wood table, a hanging space with laundry baskets, soapstone countertops, a subway backsplash, and painted wood knobs.
The flooring in this calming bathroom is limestone. The cabinets are a mix of traditional and modern with countertops of Calcutta marble. The mirrors are integrated into the paneling. Mixed metals are incorporated into the design scheme. A freestanding shelf provides a space for styling and visual interest.
The shower has marble tile on the walls and a basketweave tile on the floor.
Steel doors lead into this gorgeous wine room that is dark and moody with an old lounge feel. The ceiling has a coffered detail stained in a dark brown. The vintage rug sets the tone for the whole room.
All of the storage in this walk-in wine room is oak, while the barrel vault ceiling is plaster.
This L-shaped home is designed around the backyard space. The pool is the main focal point, with plenty of space for lounging, gathering, and hanging out. The outdoor space includes a barbeque, pizza oven, alfresco dining, and a bar with a garage window.
A courtyard sits between the wine room and the formal living room, featuring cafe lights and a firepit. Board-formed planter boxes and olive trees add to the overall aesthetic.
The outdoor bar of this hilltop dream home has a garage window that leads into the pool house.
Photos: Courtesy of Studio McGee
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