S W E E T D I G S | 5 1 1 M A R I N E AV E N U E
''T
he home feels like a sanctuary,"
says Brett Slagle, homeowner
and real estate development
project manager. He's describ-
ing the 4-bedroom Sand Section
residence he and wife Kate have restored—stay-
ing faithful to its architectural pedigree while
optimizing its plentiful courtyards and decks,
and styling it for contemporary beachside living
that's sophisticated and welcoming.
The Modernist home sits on a rare, oversized
lot a few blocks from the beach, in the neigh-
borly Gas Lamp District, noted for its walkability
and central proximity to beach and town. When
the Slagle's purchased the nearly 40-year-old
residence in 2019 it was, as Brett notes, "one
hundred percent original." A project manager
of hyper-luxury residential projects, mainly
on the Westside of Los Angeles, Brett trans-
ferred his heightened eye for au courant homes
to this project, which he completed with Kate,
who's equally passionate about architecture and
design. It was their most personal project to
date, since it was where they would live and
welcome their two children.
The superb original design was that of nota-
ble architect John Blanton, whose talents were
recognized early by Modernist founding father
Richard Neutra, who employed Blanton in his
Silverlake studio for almost 15 years. During
Neutra's Mid-Century residential heyday of
1950-1964, Blanton rose in ranks at the firm
to lead project architect—one of Neutra's most
valued—before leaving to set up his own shop
in Manhattan Beach, where he would design for
nearly another 50 years.
"The floorplan is extremely unique for the
area," Brett says of the home. It is, however,
authentically Modernist in the Blanton/Neutra
vein. Filled with natural light; painstakingly
designed to positively exploit every facet of its
natural environment; and closely twined with
outdoor spaces no matter where you turn. The
Slagle's recognized and played tribute to the
home's central premise by carefully playing up
the lot, which is endowed with a 50% larger
footprint than others in the area.
"The way the landscaping was designed
makes it feel like a ten million dollar house,"
says real estate agent Lauren Forbes. Mature
trees were planted along the border for shade
and privacy, their sculptural design enhanced by
pom-pom shrubs at their base. In other places,
visually interesting plants and foliage enhance
the free-wheeling, fresh-air atmosphere of
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