144 DIGS.NET
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12.15.2017
PHOTOS COURTESY OF SCOTT GAHRET 4MALIBU REAL ESTATE
COASTAL HOMAGE
W
hile seeking a spot in Malibu to call home more than a decade ago, Chicago-based real estate entrepreneur Sean
Conlon toured numerous properties and ultimately settled on one of the first places he viewed—an amazing
Harry Gesner-designed house that he went on to salvage and restore from near ruins, keeping the architect's
outside signature design and transforming the interiors to serve as a true cathedral to the ocean, complete with
soaring ceilings and glass windows opening to every level. "When compared against everything else I saw, I couldn't pass
up the energy that this home had," says Conlon, chairman of CONLON & Co. (conlonandco.com) and host of CNBC's e
Deed: Chicago. "It sits on some rocks at the top of Broad Beach perched above beautiful old Cypress trees, kind of like a
treehouse on Big Sur. It is my escape from a mad-mad world!" Conlon infused his classic Old-World meets a modern twist
sle with Gesner's bent toward nature by rebuilding original windows that inspired the Sydney Opera House to retain
a portal to the ocean. He also employed natural stone and wide hand-scraped walnut flooring to maintain a warm, Zen
feeling. Along the way, he added personal touches, including unique artwork and pieces collected while traveling such as
beautiful old books, 2,000-year-old Greek statues and a 1500's charcoal drawing once owned by David Bowie. "I would like
to think the home reflects my personali, with lots of diversions for small, perfectly curated pieces and unique in sle, but
never losing sight of the fact that life is short and can be beautiful," says Conlon. "My home never allows you to forget that;
it's all about the majestic unbridled power of the Pacific Ocean and the home's purpose is to immerse you in that feeling."
