A Fresh Take on Family Living: The Redesigned Manhattan Beach Home
Welcome to a space where thoughtful design meets real-life function! This Manhattan Beach home remodel wasn’t just about creating something beautiful, it was about solving problems, enhancing daily living, and reflecting the personality of the family who lives here (including their sweet husky, Lucky, who was often our unofficial project supervisor).
As an interior designer in Manhattan Beach, my goal for this family remodel was to create a refined yet approachable home that balances masculine and feminine design elements, offers smart, high-end functionality, and above all, feels deeply personal. In this post, I’m going beyond the glossy “after” photos and pulling back the curtain to share the why behind each design choice, from storage challenges to aesthetic inspiration, and how this project evolved from concept to completion.
Entryway Elegance with a Purpose
Let’s start at the front door, where this redesign truly began. The entryway presented a common issue in many Southern California homes: a complete lack of usable storage. This busy family needed a functional landing zone for shoes, bags, and daily essentials, but they didn’t want to clutter their foyer with traditional storage furniture.
The problem was there was no designated place to hide the everyday chaos that naturally builds up in an active family household. So we solved this problem by designing custom floor-to-ceiling cabinetry that wraps around the front door, giving the illusion of architectural intention. The fronts are antiqued mirror panels, a design-forward solution that reflects natural light and expands the visual space of the entry, while cleverly hiding everything from backpacks to dog leashes. (Lucky has his own drawer!)
This feature alone transformed the functionality of the foyer. It’s not just a pass-through anymore, it’s an intentional space that welcomes guests with elegance and serves the family’s everyday needs.
Dramatic Living Room: Where Style Meets Storytelling
The two-story living room was always meant to be a showpiece, but it lacked cohesion and personality. I wanted it to feel both bold and warm, the kind of room that invites you to linger.
By painting the fireplace a rich charcoal hue and surrounding it with custom trimwork, we grounded the space and gave it an architectural focal point that holds its own against the soaring ceilings. The contrast with soft furnishings and lighter decor helps balance masculine energy with lighter, more inviting touches.
Powder Bath Perfection: Small Room, Big Impact
This tiny room packs a punch. Located just off the main hallway, this powder bathroom is used by nearly every guest, so I treated it like a jewel box. Small spaces are the perfect opportunity to play with patterns without overwhelming the senses. The colorful, richly patterned wallpaper, from Lee Jofa adds visual interest and a sense of occasion—your guests feel like they’re stepping into something special, even if it’s just a quick visit.
Great Room Grandeur
The family’s dream? A sophisticated, masculine bar that didn’t scream “man cave.” They wanted a space that felt elevated but approachable, with functionality built right in. Planning this space meant answering: How do we host effortlessly? How do we hide the clutter and still make it look beautiful?
So we designed custom built-in bar cabinetry with reflective mirror, open shelving for display, and integrated storage for everything from cocktail glasses to board games. The mix of dark paint tones and warm textures ensured it felt masculine, but not heavy.
Kitchen Chic: Classic Meets Modern
As an LA interior designer, I see a lot of “safe” white kitchens, but for this family, I wanted something more elevated. We combined white oak and painted cabinetry for warmth and contrast, added a marble backsplash with gold details for luxury, and echoed mirror details in the lighting fixtures, from Visual Comfort, from the great room bar to maintain continuity. Blending materials brings a richness and depth that pure white kitchens often lack. The result? A modern yet timeless space that’s beautiful and ultra-functional for everyday family life and weekend entertaining.
Serene Primary Suite: A Personal Retreat
The primary suite needed to feel like a sanctuary, especially for two busy working parents. The large-scale floral wallpaper by Kravet is a nod to nature, softened by organic wood elements like the ceiling beams. We decided to carry a blue herringbone wallpaper by Thibaut into the bathroom, to tie in the bedroom and with a seamless color story. It creates flow while enhancing the spa-like atmosphere we were aiming for.
Laundry Room Love: Practical with Personality
Yes, even the laundry room got a design glow-up! With sage green cabinetry, English garden wallpaper from Clarke and Clarke, and vintage-inspired lighting by Visual Comfort, this space proves that utility rooms don’t have to feel utilitarian. Why bother with laundry room design? Because these “in-between” spaces are part of your daily rhythm. Making them beautiful encourages better routines, and yes, makes folding towels just a little more enjoyable.
Final Thoughts: More Than Just a Makeover
Every design choice in this Manhattan Beach remodel came from a place of intention. Whether it was to solve a problem (like the entryway storage), enhance family functionality (hello, hidden bar!), or infuse joy into the mundane (laundry, anyone?), the underlying goal was the same: to design a home that reflects the people who live in it.
And let’s not forget Lucky, the family's husky, who was present for nearly every design meeting. I’d like to think she approves of the custom drawer we added just for her leash and toys in the entryway cabinetry!
Interested in a Remodel?
If you're looking for an interior designer in the South Bay area who can help you create a space that's as smart as it is stunning, I’d love to chat. From custom storage solutions to luxury kitchen remodels, we specialize in creating homes that blend beauty and function, with personality to spare.
Let Us Create the Environment for the Life You Crave.
