66 DIGS.NET
| 11.13.2020
S W E E T D I G S | 2 6 1 5 C R E S T D R I V E
M
A
R
K
E
T
have the most amazing playground in the world right
in front of the house," says David James, owner of
a contemporary Manhattan Beach dwelling that he
commissioned prolific Beach Cities architect Michael
Lee to design. Poised along Crest Avenue, a Sand
Section address notable for its lofty elevation—and
penthouse-like panoramas of the Pacific Ocean—his
3,200-square-foot residence rises above neighboring
rooftops. Its clean-cut silhouette, wrapped in horizon-
tal beams of golden brown Cumaru hardwood, contrasts vividly
against the blue sky. Sky—lots of it—and ocean are dominant
themes in this custom home, which spans four levels.
"This house has the most expansive panoramic white water
and sand views in the city," states real estate agent Lauren
Forbes. Likewise, each floor has been carefully designed to
make the most of this rarified ocean atmosphere, which means
plenty of glass for streaming in natural light, plus private
outdoor spaces where one can indulge in different takes on
this charmed spot.
The fourth, uppermost floor is where one would spend most
of their time. Communal spaces are enjoined here, and ocean
views—extending from Malibu to Palos Verdes, and interrupted
only by the rolling green hills of the park below—stretch across
the entire floor. "We spend a lot of time upstairs because the
views are really incredible," James points out. From the living
room, where the ceiling is decked in tan Ipe wood and fish swirl
about in a sunlit saltwater fish tank; to the dining room, where
a glowing fireplace is framed in veiny Brazilian quartzite and
I
