DIGS is the premiere luxury real estate lifestyle magazine serving the most affluent neighborhoods in the South Bay and Westside of Los Angeles, California.
Issue link: https://www.southbaydiggs.com/i/1293532
64 DIGS.NET | 10.2.2020 M A R K E T S W E E T D I G S | 7 0 4 P A C I F I C A V E N U E open floor plan, which was completely counter to what the house was before." Further enhancing the home's elegantly streamlined profile is impeccable craftsmanship courtesy of Steve Larkin (SRL General Contractors), along with high-end finish materials, like a delightfully textured stone wall that immediately forms the atmosphere when walking through the front door. "The stone wall is kind of the anchor of the house," states Starr. "Everything is organized around that stone wall. It looks like a sort of freestanding wall that maybe has stood there for a long time, and we've built the house around it." Immediately adjacent to this anchor is the kitchen, which is considered the beating heart of the house. It's here, in this sprawling, clean-line space, where the family can dine at the extensive quartz island, 16 feet in length, or entertain visitors and partygoers over ocean views. More dining can take place at a built-in nearby nook, or at a sunny rear space that opens onto the very private backyard. Also on this floor are dual spaces to lounge: a sun-drenched living room and a sunken, intimate-feel- ing fireplaced lounge with heated stone floors and an elevated mahogany ceiling. "Sometimes panoramic ocean view homes tend to be a reverse floor plan in order to maximize views," Caras points out. "I love that they left this as a traditional floor plan, where all of the great room living is on the main entrance level, where you also have incredible ocean views." Heightening this already tranquil atmosphere is the influx of ocean air and light that streams in when the seemingly countless number of floor- to-ceiling glass doors are opened wide. There's more recreation space on the lower level, including a peekaboo wine room, while the upper floor is home to five of six total bedrooms, including a master suite with standout ocean views and a soaking tub where water is replenished from the ceiling above. Not figured into the official bedroom count is the additional lodging found in the home's comfortable separate guest quarters, sagely situated just across the yard from the main house and boasting some of the best ocean views on the property. Despite its strong design/build credentials and sleek aesthetic, the property's atmosphere is ultimately comfortable— unstarched and approachable. "That aspect is so appealing to people," points out Caras. "It's not a pretentious home." It even lives like a mini-compound, with buildings enjoined by an ultra-livable backyard where lights twinkle on the spa and slen- der pool at night. Thinking of year-round gatherings, there's an open-air barbecue kitchen and crescent-shaped seating curved along the firepit, plus plenty more places to lounge along the crisply landscaped yard. Reflecting on the home, Caras notes: "There was so much thought that went into every nook and cranny of this house. In my 16 years in real estate it is one of the most extraordinary homes I've listed. It was an honor."