Much like driftwood that has been fretted until nearly polished, so this well-loved California home is equal parts organic beauty and effortless grace. “We didn’t want to build a ‘wow’ house,” Jeannette says. “Nothing overstated. We wanted something open and comfortable. But we also needed a beach house that could be abused, not only by salty sea air, but also by kids.” For this multitiered task, they called on designer Ohara Davies-Gaetano, a Traditional Home 2018 New Trad honoree with an eye for both relaxed refinement and family-friendly living. “The Englands have such an amazing sense of family,” Davies-Gaetano says. “I wanted to honor that. My first thought was, How do we make this house beautiful and indestructible at the same time?” Following her self-imposed directive, while also opting for impact on arrival, Davies-Gaetano custom-designed an elegant front door carved from mahogany (a wood that will stand up to unforgiving oceanfront elements). The rich wood carries over to the entryway ceiling, balancing limestone floors that offer practicality for bare feet returning from beach frolics. The island-inspired allure of pierced-metal pendants and a cane-back chair dressed with vintage indigo fabric cushions sets the stage for the rest of the house: resort-like and powerfully inviting. “It embraces what it means to be at the beach,” Davies-Gaetano says. “It has a timeless quality without being stuffy. There’s no fuss to it. No pretention. It feels well-appointed but incredibly livable.” “This is our family gathering space,” Carrie says. “The island, which can easily seat 10, takes on a life of its own when we cook. And there’s a cohesiveness between indoors and out. We throw open the doors, and the kids gather as we make pizza in the pizza oven.” “I wanted the entire house to feel like an oasis,” Davies-Gaetano says, “but these private spaces had to be ethereal. Arriving at a house on the ocean should decompress you. I wanted even more of that sense of retreat in the bedrooms.”
