Houzz Tour: Blue Crush at a Malibu Surf Shack
Retro design touches and moody blue hues transform a mobile home at ‘America’s Most Glamorous Trailer Park’
Paradise Cove in Malibu, California, is something of a celebrity mobile home haven. In 2015, the New York Times dubbed it “America’s Most Glamorous Trailer Park.” Actress Pamela Anderson keeps a trailer there, as does Shabby Chic designer Rachel Ashwell. But surfers looking for prime access to the private beach flock to the park as well. That was the case for one Los Angeles surfer girl, who worked with Megan Georgopoulos and Commune Design to transform a run-down trailer into a bohemian paradise near the waves.
A dutch front door with a custom stained glass window that resembles a peace sign opens to the combined living, dining and kitchen area, where blue abounds.
Paint: Symphony Blue, Benjamin Moore
Paint: Symphony Blue, Benjamin Moore
Cork floors and plywood shelves offset the blue ceiling and laminate cabinets in the kitchen. To streamline the look, the design team chose openings for the cabinets rather than knobs or pulls.
To complete the vintage modern look, it went for a Smeg refrigerator and Saarinen dining table. Corrugated metal in powder-coated white forms the backsplash over the stove. “We wanted to take that trailer vibe and elevate it,” Georgopoulos says.
Flooring: Capri Cork; tile backsplash on window wall and bowls: Heath Ceramics; fruit bowl and lamp: Victoria Morris Pottery
To complete the vintage modern look, it went for a Smeg refrigerator and Saarinen dining table. Corrugated metal in powder-coated white forms the backsplash over the stove. “We wanted to take that trailer vibe and elevate it,” Georgopoulos says.
Flooring: Capri Cork; tile backsplash on window wall and bowls: Heath Ceramics; fruit bowl and lamp: Victoria Morris Pottery
For a plush yet laid-back living area, Georgopoulos created custom, lounge-ready daybeds, flanked by vintage sconces, books and art. Underneath the cushions sit wood-paneled storage boxes.
As a product designer, Georgopolous has made several designs for Commune Design, West Elm and private labels, so here she was quick to design and make custom pillows in various sizes for the floor and daybeds.
Rug: Lulu & Georgia; coffee table: a rare commission by artist Alma Allen
As a product designer, Georgopolous has made several designs for Commune Design, West Elm and private labels, so here she was quick to design and make custom pillows in various sizes for the floor and daybeds.
Rug: Lulu & Georgia; coffee table: a rare commission by artist Alma Allen
Down the brief hallway is a small bedroom, where a custom platform bed also has built-in storage underneath.
Matching custom plywood nightstands, finished in high-gloss laminate, flank the bed. For bedding, Georgopoulos designed a quilt inspired by Gee’s Bend artists and layered in designs and pillows with Hawaiian flair.
The design team also created a floating desk by stacking two layers of knotty pine plywood between a wall and closet.
No surf shack would be complete without an outdoor shower, so the team found just the spot for one in the exterior walkway. Commune’s handmade Morera work boxes in vibrant blue and red echo the 1970s and offer a place to sit, with storage for beach towels inside.
Shower fixtures: Outdoor Shower Co.
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Shower fixtures: Outdoor Shower Co.
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Houzz at a Glance
Location: Malibu, California
Size: 850 square feet (79 square meters); one bedroom, one bathroom
Designer: Steven Johanknecht of Commune Design
Project lead: Megan Georgopoulos
The homeowner’s boyfriend had already painted the exterior blue, incorporating geometric lines for a bit of 1970s flair. Project leader Megan Georgopoulos, who was working with Commune Design at the time, began with a custom wood gate that mimicked the lines in the paint work.