In Manhattan Beach, California, a modern white stucco house balances sophisticated city style with the relaxed ease of Southern California living.
The home, used as a vacation retreat by a couple with grown children, was part of a newly completed development when the owners asked Johnny Moallempour of MJM Interior Design to bring the blank canvas to life.
“We wanted the interiors to feel elevated yet approachable,” Moallempour says, noting that he and the couple had previously collaborated on several homes. “The design embraces the California lifestyle through indoor-outdoor living, natural light, layered textures and relaxed elegance.”
The finishes and furnishings needed to be durable enough to withstand the couple’s active grandchildren, their energetic dog and the harsh oceanfront environment.
The design decisions also had to respect the home’s modern architecture.
The 4,000-square-foot residence, situated on a narrow lot with views toward the ocean and coastline beyond, spans three levels.
Two ensuite guest bedrooms are located on the first floor, while the primary suite and another guest bedroom occupy the second floor. The open-plan kitchen, living room and dining room crown the top level.
With these parameters in mind, Moallempour created spaces that subtly reference beach life while maintaining a polished aesthetic.
The color palette — soothing blues, creams and light grays inspired by the ocean — feels as comforting as a summer shawl. Custom furnishings, many with rounded edges, add another layer of softness.
“I always ask myself how a space will emotionally affect someone when they walk in,” he says. “This home was designed to feel serene, welcoming and restorative.”
When guests enter the living room, their attention is immediately drawn to the dramatic black granite fireplace, flanked by black metal-framed windows and built-in oak cabinetry.
“The clients love a cosmopolitan lifestyle, and I used the fireplace to introduce a sense of edge and anchor the room instead of allowing everything to blend together,” Moallempour says.
The fireplace is accented by a large artwork whose dark background blends seamlessly into the granite surround. Sand mixed into the painting’s pigment adds texture and subtly references the beach, while the image of diaphanous fabric floating in the breeze creates a striking three-dimensional effect.
The room is completed with a light taupe-and-gray sofa featuring softly curved arms, a pair of curvaceous swivel chairs with sun-tolerant cerused oak backs and a trio of circular coffee tables with glass tops that reveal glimpses of the blue-and-white custom rug beneath. The rug’s design was inspired by drops of water falling into the ocean.
Black accents reappear in the base of the kitchen island, whose chairs are upholstered in a blue-dotted fabric against a soft white background. The white echoes the natural quartzite used for the island countertop, backsplash and range hood.
In the dining room, a curved-corner walnut table is grounded by a black base. The chairs, with their caned backs, continue the beach house theme without feeling overly traditional, while the spun-glass chandelier shimmers like sunlight dancing on water.
“The dining room creates a space within a space,” Moallempour says. “It’s distinct yet still connected to the living room.”
In the bedrooms, Moallempour balances sophistication with comfort, creating spaces that feel polished, livable and deeply personal.
In the primary suite, the bed sits beneath an abstract artwork in water-inspired hues. A curved bench at the foot of the bed and a pair of walnut nightstands on X-shaped bases add sculptural interest. The nightstands’ drawer fronts feature subtle wave-like detailing.
The bespoke blue-and-white carpet resembles sunlight reflecting across calm water.
“It looks like waves when you’re sitting on a boat in calm waters,” Moallempour says. “Its color shifts like sunlight reflecting across the water.”
In one guest bedroom, a custom rug and wallcovering that resembles a sky mural create a sense of movement. In another, walnut-and-oak nightstands were inspired by driftwood naturally shaped by sand and water over time.
“I wanted the forms to feel softened and organic,” Moallempour says.
Elsewhere, the horizontal pattern of the wallpaper plays against blue, dark gray, light purple and white striped drapes, guiding the eye toward the outdoor views.
The clients are so thrilled with their new retreat that the wife texts Moallempour each time they stay there to tell him how much she loves being in the home.
Moallempour is equally pleased with the result.
“We created a refined coastal residence that feels timeless rather than overly thematic or predictable.”
Image Credits: Photos by José Manuel Alorda.