MALIBU SPANISH HOME REMODEL

THE STORY

Malibu

LOCATION

Los Angeles coastline

Full Home Remodel + Outdoor Living

SERVICE

Interior reconfiguration + pool + cabana construction

Full Home Renovation

PROJECT TYPE

Reconfiguring layout within the existing structure

Coastal Indoor–Outdoor Family Living

LIVING STYLE

Connecting the home to backyard, pool, and cabana

Layout · Light · Flow · Function

PRIMARY FOCUS

Opening the space around how it’s actually lived in

Open · Coastal · Connected · Functional

OVERALL FEEL

Feels like it was always meant to open toward the ocean without losing its original character.

A Malibu home should feel connected. This one didn’t.

The property had the location ocean-facing, with the potential for indoor-outdoor living but the layout worked against it. Walls interrupted views, light didn’t travel, and the main living spaces felt separated instead of connected. The ocean was there but it didn’t feel present.

And beneath that, there was a deeper issue. A load-bearing wall divided the kitchen and family room, limiting how the space could open and how far sightlines could extend. The problem wasn’t just how the home looked. It was how it functioned.

At the same time, the goal wasn’t to expand the house. There was enough square footage it just wasn’t being used well.

This project wasn’t about adding space. It was about making the space work.

The home needed to support how it’s actually lived in not just as a coastal property, but as a family home. Open when shared, connected to the outdoors, and easy to move through.

And the transformation didn’t stop inside. The backyard needed to become part of the experience pool, cabana, and outdoor living spaces that feel integrated, not separate.

So the approach wasn’t about doing more. It was about opening everything carefully, structurally, and in the right order while preserving the original character of the home.

The result is a home that feels aligned with its setting and the way it’s lived in.

The Challenge

At the same time, the problem went deeper than layout.

A load-bearing wall separated the kitchen and family room, limiting how much the space could open and how far sightlines could extend. Any meaningful change required structural intervention not just design decisions.

The home also carried a strong architectural identity.

The original Spanish character gave it presence and proportion, but the layout didn’t support how the home was meant to be lived in.

And like most projects in Malibu, there were layers beyond the house itself.

Coastal oversight and city permitting requirements added another level of coordination — especially with the addition of the pool, cabana, and outdoor living areas.

The challenge wasn’t just opening the space.

It was transforming how it functioned

while navigating structure, permitting, and preserving what made it distinct.

A coastal home that didn’t fully connect to its setting.

The property had everything it needed location, scale, and ocean-facing orientation but the layout worked against it.

Walls interrupted views. Natural light was limited. The kitchen, dining, and family room functioned as separate spaces instead of one continuous environment.

Despite being in Malibu, the home didn’t feel like a coastal home.

It felt closed, fragmented, and underutilized.

PROJECT CONSIDERATIONS

✔️ Remove load-bearing wall to open the main living space
✔️ Reconfigure layout to improve flow, light, and usability
✔️ Maximize existing square footage without expanding
✔️ Align interior spaces with ocean-facing orientation
✔️ Integrate pool, cabana, and outdoor living areas
✔️ Coordinate interior remodel with exterior construction
✔️ Navigate Malibu city + Coastal Commission permitting
✔️ Preserve the home’s original Spanish architectural character

Planning a similar project?

We work across Malibu, Santa Monica, Venice, and coastal Los Angeles navigating structure, layout, and Coastal Commission + city permitting requirements from the start.

SCHEDULE A CONSULTATION

Our Approach

This project started with clarity.

Not how to add more but how to make what’s already there work better.

Open the Structure

The main limitation wasn’t design it was structure.

A load-bearing wall separating the kitchen and family room was removed and replaced with structural beams, allowing the main level to open completely and restoring long sightlines through the home.

Rework the Layout First

Before finishes, before details the layout was solved first.

The kitchen, dining, and family room were reorganized into one continuous space, creating a clear central hub that supports how the home is actually used day to day.

Design Around the View

The layout was aligned with the home’s ocean-facing orientation.

Sightlines, circulation, and spatial relationships were all adjusted to keep the backyard and ocean visually present from the main living areas.

Integrate Indoor–Outdoor Living

The backyard wasn’t treated as a separate project.

The pool, cabana, and outdoor living spaces were designed as direct extensions of the interior allowing movement, visibility, and use to flow naturally between inside and out.

Preserve and Clarify the Original Architecture

The goal wasn’t to replace the home’s Spanish character.

It was to refine it.

Existing architectural elements were preserved and integrated into the new layout, allowing the home to feel more intentional without losing its identity.

Coordinate Structure, Systems, and Permitting Early

Opening the home required alignment across structure, systems, and approvals from the start.

Structural changes, system upgrades, and Malibu city and Coastal Commission requirements were coordinated early reducing delays and keeping the project moving cleanly from demolition through completion.

Behind the Build

The work behind the finished spaces.

The final home feels open and effortless, but getting there required aligning structure, layout, and construction across both the interior and exterior of the property.

BEFORE — ORIGINAL CONDITION

The house had the right setting, but the wrong layout to support it.

The kitchen was small and disconnected. The main living spaces were broken up, with walls limiting both movement and natural light. Sightlines toward the backyard and ocean were interrupted, making the home feel more closed than its location suggested.

At the same time, the structure defined the limits of the space.

A load-bearing wall separated the kitchen and family room, restricting how the layout could function and preventing the home from opening up.

The home also had strong architectural character.

The Spanish style gave it identity and presence, but the layout didn’t support how it was meant to be lived in.

It felt like a home turned inward instead of outward.

Before remodel bathroom with built-in tub, glass sink vanity, and limited connection to outdoor space in Malibu home

Before remodel dining and living area with ocean views but segmented layout and limited spatial connection

Before remodel kitchen with dark wood cabinets and ocean-view windows but disconnected layout and limited flow

DURING — IN PROGRESS

The transformation started with structure.

The load-bearing wall was removed and replaced with beams, allowing the main level to open and restoring long, continuous sightlines through the home.

From there, the layout was rebuilt internally.

The kitchen, dining, and family room were reorganized into a single connected space, aligned with the backyard and ocean beyond.

At the same time, the project extended beyond the interior.

Pool construction, cabana development, and outdoor living areas were built in parallel — requiring tight coordination between trades, sequencing, and site conditions.

Behind the walls, systems were upgraded.

Electrical, plumbing, and HVAC were aligned with the new layout, ensuring the home performs as well as it looks.

Throughout construction, the goal remained consistent:

Open the home without losing what made it distinct.

Existing architectural elements were preserved and integrated into the new structure, allowing the Spanish character to remain present while the space around it was transformed.

During remodel structural work with exposed floor framing and rough plumbing in Malibu home renovation

During remodel installation of new subfloor and rough electrical and plumbing in open layout reconfiguration

During remodel removal of load-bearing walls and installation of new structural framing to open main living space

By the time finishes began, the structure, layout, and outdoor spaces were already aligned.

That’s what allows the final result to feel effortless instead of assembled.

Key Decisions

The decisions that shaped how the project came together.

Projects like this are defined early by a few moves that reduce complexity, avoid rework, and set the direction for everything that follows.

1

REMOVE THE STRUCTURAL BARRIER EARLY

Addressing the load-bearing wall at the beginning allowed the layout to open fully and prevented costly redesign later.

2

SOLVE THE LAYOUT BEFORE FINISHES

Reworking the kitchen, dining, and family room first created a clear structure for the home making every decision after that more efficient and aligned.

3

ALIGN THE HOME WITH THE VIEW

Organizing the main living spaces around the ocean-facing side ensured that sightlines and natural light became part of the everyday experience.

4

INTEGRATE OUTDOOR LIVING FROM THE START

Designing the pool, cabana, and backyard alongside the interior avoided disconnect between spaces and created a more cohesive indoor–outdoor flow.

5

PRESERVE THE ORIGINAL ARCHITECTURE

Maintaining the home’s Spanish character allowed the renovation to feel intentional rather than replaced improving function without losing identity.

6

COORDINATE STRUCTURE, SYSTEMS, AND PERMITS TOGETHER

Aligning structural changes, system upgrades, and Malibu city + Coastal Commission approvals early reduced delays and kept the project moving cleanly through construction.

Before & After

Drag to reveal the transformation.

↔
BeforeAfter

Project Timeline

6 months from planning to completion.

Planning + Coordination

Structural planning, layout decisions, and coordination with Malibu city and Coastal Commission requirements before construction began

PHASE 1

PHASE 2

Demolition + Structure

Removal of existing conditions, load-bearing wall removal, and installation of structural beams to open the main level

PHASE 3

Layout + Systems

Reconfiguration of kitchen, dining, and family room alongside electrical, plumbing, and HVAC upgrades

PHASE 4

Outdoor Construction

Pool, cabana, and exterior living areas built in parallel with interior progress

PHASE 5

Finishes + Integration

Interior finishes, exterior detailing, and final alignment between indoor and outdoor spaces

Sequencing structure, layout, systems, and outdoor construction together reduced rework and allowed the home to function as one cohesive environment.

The Result

The home feels completely different — without being bigger.

The kitchen, dining, and family room now function as one continuous space, opening toward the backyard and the ocean beyond. Sightlines are clear, natural light moves freely, and the layout supports how the home is actually lived in.

Outside, the pool and cabana extend the living space, creating a true indoor–outdoor environment that feels connected rather than added on. What changed isn’t just the layout it’s how the home is experienced.

Movement feels natural, spaces feel connected, and the home works as a whole. At the same time, the original character remains intact. The Spanish architecture is still present, but now it feels more intentional, no longer constrained by the layout around it.

What was once closed and fragmented is now open, aligned, and connected to its setting.

The ocean is finally present.

Open living room with restored staircase, natural light, and connected layout in Malibu home

Kitchen with blue cabinetry, large island, and open layout connected to dining and living areas

Dining and kitchen area with large glass doors opening to backyard and outdoor living space

Backyard with pool, spa, cabana, and outdoor kitchen integrated into Malibu home outdoor living space

Bright living space with vaulted ceilings, fireplace, and indoor-outdoor connection

Open staircase and living area with improved flow and connection between spaces

Outdoor living area with pool, lounge seating, and ocean views in landscaped Malibu backyard

VIEW FULL PORTFOLIO PAGE

Project overview

  
    

4,000
Square feet
total home size
6 mo
Construction
timeline
1
Structural reconfiguration
load-bearing wall removal
1
Pool + cabana
outdoor living integrated



  

ARCHITECT

Alexandra Rae

INTERIOR DESIGN

Alexandra Rae

PHOTOGRAPHER

Hillary Campbell

“We didn’t think it was possible to get this much out of the house without expanding.”

Opening the structure changed everything. The layout finally makes sense, the main living spaces feel open and connected, and now the house flows naturally into the backyard, pool, and cabana. You can see through the home to the ocean, and everything feels aligned.
At the same time, it still feels like the same house. The original character is there just clearer, more open, and much easier to live in day to day.
It feels like the home was always meant to be this way.
— Gina .M , Malibu