Laguna Beach home showcases new trends in design

“God is in the details.”

-Mies van der Rohe

Innovative details are at the foundation of great design. Natural

light, simplified interiors, textures, slate floors, neutral

palettes, combining dark and light woods, muted tones, rain and

reeded glass on doors and cabinetry, glass sinks and faucets with

great lines, energy efficient products, technology that allows

designers to do things with lightness and transparency, bringing the

outdoors inside and taking every advantage of endless ocean views ...

these epitomize the “California Look.”

I was fortunate enough to catch up with Bonnie MacMillan, IIDA of

Pacific Design, whose passion has been residential and commercial

interior design for the past 21 years. She was gracious enough to

take me through a recent remodel of a 1960s residence she had

completed in Laguna Beach, situated on a hill with breathtaking views

of the sea. Encompassing all the elements of great design, this home

was surrounded by lush foliage, a running brook and eucalyptus grove,

making it a very special private retreat. Starting with the

exterior’s soft blue/green textured stucco, and incorporating local

Laguna artists’ paintings, blown glass sculptures and furniture

designs along with accessorizing each furnishing right down to the

customized floor registers, and bed linens and towels, MacMillan

designed and coordinated the entire home, working only from the

architect’s renderings.

“I love working from conceptual design with the architect from the

beginning because this allows me to gain a real feel of how

furnishings will fit into the spaces,” MacMillan said.

Her design vision took into account the elements of an oceanview

location, the architecture and the needs and wants of her client --

who is an avid athlete, loves water sports, travels the world and is

head of a corporation.

“Because of the high stress level of my client’s professional

life, she wanted a calmness to come home to, a place to retreat,”

MacMillan said. “I designed her home [which she now shares with her

husband] as an extension of what was outside. If I couldn’t find

something I truly wanted for this home, I made it.”

MacMillan chose a neutral backdrop, natural materials, and soft

blue and green furnishings that are reminiscent of the ocean.

There is slate flooring throughout, except in the master bedroom

and guestroom, with soft hints of green. Beautiful wooden trusses

were architecturally sand blasted; there is bullnose drywall and

subtle textured Venetian-finished plastered walls. Mahogany woods and

glass allow the eye to move inside and outside effortlessly.

The distinguished highlights of this three level,

2,500-square-foot house begins at the first level as you enter the

home, which has the kitchen, dining area and living room, all looking

out to the ocean. The kitchen’s warmth is induced from the rich

mahogany, seamless granite countertops and rain glass cabinetry.

There is a wooden-faced Sub-Zero and stainless steel appliances. The

convection oven and Amana gas cooktop along with the two energy

efficient pull-out stainless dishwashers by Fisher Payload

accommodate the owners’ love for cooking. High doors and windows,

including a clerestory window above provide natural light. Bruch flex

track lighting (which is also in the dining, living and office areas)

is beautiful as well as flexible. Hammered bronze light plates,

bronze detailing on the granite backsplash and built-in wooden bins

for favorite varietals are lovely accoutrements. The bar stools, in

soft blue ultrasuede, were hand-made (as were the tables in the

living room) by a local Irish craftsman. The stunning soft blue nubby

raw silk fabric on the dining room chairs were the perfect complement

to the blue and green furnishings in the living room. There is a

remote controlled sunshade (on a timer) on the exterior of the dining

area floor-to-ceiling bay window to block out the intense afternoon

summer heat and 90% of damaging UV rays. The living room’s focal

point was the 150 gallon salt water aquarium. The powder room, off

the entry foyer, warmly welcomes any guest with its seeded bottled

green glass sink and Venetian finish painted/waxed walls.

Going down to a second level, there is the master bedroom and

retreat as well as the home office, all with ocean views. Above the

bed, a local designer crafted bronze leaves that are scattered on the

wall. The retreat room off the master has a comfortable chaise lounge

for reading or quiet repose with a remote control ceiling fan. In the

master bath, the two bowl-shaped glass vessel sinks on the granite

countertop are on different heights to accommodate specific needs.

The shower is beautifully crafted from slate. The home office with

its light wood maple desk accommodates professional needs for husband

and wife on either side, and was in rich contrast to the dark

mahogany window and door trims. The laundry room is opened up by a

mahogany glass door with views of the tranquil, tropical garden.

The bottom level has a hideaway TV/guest room with an adjacent

coffee bar. African-themed, the guest quarters are filled with the

owner’s photography and art collections from her visit to Africa.

There is an oversized flat screen plasma TV on the wall. The bathroom

with a sauna bench and glass window looks out onto the secluded

outdoor hot tub area with ocean views and a large sauna bench. This

is truly a retreat where visitors can feel right at home while having

their own space in which to relax and unwind.

Outside decks on every level take in endless views of the sea.

To reach Bonnie MacMillan at Pacific Design, contact her at (949)

497-4679; cell (949) 689-0300.

Editor’s note: MacMillan is currently involved in the re-design

and expansion of the Boys and Girls Club in Laguna Beach. She

continues to remodel residences, which has been her focus for the

past four years.

Story and photos by Lana H. Johnson