SOUTH BAY DIGS | Digital Edition Online

68 DIGS.NET | 5.28.2021 S W E E T D I G S | 3 3 9 2 7 T H S T R E E T M A R K E T alley Park is an oasis of green in the Beach Cities. Situated in Hermosa Beach, the 5-plus acre spread spans leafy trees and playgrounds, sports fields and picnic areas. Along its pe- rimeter are quiet residential streets with rustling palm trees. Step westbound and there's fresh scenes of the Pacific, like the intersection of navy-hued waves against soft-blue beachside sky. "You get a little bit of new Hermosa, and a little bit of old Hermosa," says real estate agent Dave Fratello of this charming pocket at the North End of town, where one can hop on their beach cruiser and reach either pier—Manhattan Beach or Hermosa Beach—in less than 10 minutes, passing a bevy of cafes and shops along the way. "You definitely know you're in a beach town," he affirms, "even though you happen to be in one of the nicest, newest and biggest homes in the area." Fratello is referring to this eye-catching modernist home, approximately 3,500 square feet, containing five bedrooms and three-and-a-half bath- rooms within its sunlit floorplan. Completed in 2016, the three-story resi- dence reads as brand new, with a smart-looking white exterior that pops against vivid blue accents and glossy planks of wood, the latter found on the underside of the deck on the uppermost level. "The modern style works when you have big, open spaces and lots of windows and light," the agent describes. "That's the way a beach house should be." Consider that goal accomplished here: the home's five bedrooms are inter- spersed on the first two levels of the home, and the uppermost floor—with its bird's-eye views of town, sky and ocean—is the pulse of the home, with everyday gathering spaces organized in an airy arrangement. There's a south-facing living room that adjoins a tile-clad deck, creating a fresh-air lounge that becomes lit with electric color during sunset hours. "You can easily fold away the floor-to-ceiling doors, and the whole house feels like you're outdoors," Fratello explains. "There's lots of room to hang out and enjoy the environment." Steps away is a chic kitchen where a white quartz island and slab countertops are warmed by grainy wood cabinets and hard- wood floors with layers of character. The other side of the top floor houses yet another living room. This one is more tucked away; made intimate with a fireplace and ocean breezes that stream in via a second private deck. "You can have two different activi- ties going on at either end of the house," Fratello notes. This separation of spaces works nicely for daily use—such as when kids want to play in one space, while adults congregate or cook in another—and helps the home shift easily into entertaining mode. With the glass doors ajar and both decks open, light and beach air flows freely throughout the home. "You're living in the space," Fratello points out, "but everywhere you go you're seeing the outdoors—the ocean, the tree tops and the park. You feel the natural environment all around you." The effect is stimulating, and during parties there's a nice selection of distinct spaces, both indoors and under the sun or moonlight, for guests to gather. Also helpful during parties is the home's three-stop elevator for transporting guests past sleeping levels and to the top floor. The home's overall floorplan is distinguished by its efficiency and thought- ful flow. Where the top floor is for meeting and dining, the lower floors are dedicated to bedrooms, some of which can be transformed for other V

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