Houzz Tour: Spanish Revival Style Gets a Boost at the Beach
A designer amps up the existing style in a Malibu, California, home using arches, hand-painted tile and antiques
These homeowners, a couple with three children, wanted to live close to running trails and the beach, so they purchased this home in the mountains of Malibu, California, overlooking the Pacific Ocean. The architecture of the 1978 house was inspired by the Spanish Revival style that was popular in the area in the 1920s, but it didn’t fully embrace it.
The homeowners hired interior designer Shannon Ggem to inject the house with some Spanish soul. “It didn’t tell a cohesive style story, so I needed to overlay Spanish Revival on the whole thing, based on the exterior,” she says. The designer also made it family-friendly while considering safety in the face of local natural disasters, including wildfires and earthquakes.
The homeowners hired interior designer Shannon Ggem to inject the house with some Spanish soul. “It didn’t tell a cohesive style story, so I needed to overlay Spanish Revival on the whole thing, based on the exterior,” she says. The designer also made it family-friendly while considering safety in the face of local natural disasters, including wildfires and earthquakes.
After: Ggem had the facade cleaned up, removing some stone that just didn’t fit and covering the exterior in smooth-coated white stucco. She had the front door painted a pretty blue and added Spanish Revival-style wrought iron lanterns on either side of the door.
Another factor to consider was fire resilience. This house narrowly escaped the Woolsey Fire in 2018. The home’s existing driveway was designed to accommodate a fire truck turning around, and it also keeps the area free of combustible material. Ggem had to keep the space around the exterior clear.
The faux tile details and blue door draw the eye. Two potted olive trees help dress up the exterior without compromising safety. “Designing for fire resilience this way is just a look we’ll all get used to,” the designer says.
Find an interior designer on Houzz
Another factor to consider was fire resilience. This house narrowly escaped the Woolsey Fire in 2018. The home’s existing driveway was designed to accommodate a fire truck turning around, and it also keeps the area free of combustible material. Ggem had to keep the space around the exterior clear.
The faux tile details and blue door draw the eye. Two potted olive trees help dress up the exterior without compromising safety. “Designing for fire resilience this way is just a look we’ll all get used to,” the designer says.
Find an interior designer on Houzz
The most impactful change to the entry was the decorative “tile” around the arch. Because the step-backs around the door couldn’t accommodate standard tile sizes, Ggem had to get creative. She hired artist Renée A. Fox to paint faux tiles on each layer around the arch. Fox studied iconic Talavera tile patterns from the era and created a beautiful composition. Between painting and curing time, the process took about three weeks. “Renée also had the idea to do the blue ‘tiles’ and dots down the sides — it’s just brilliant,” Ggem says.
Shop for outdoor lighting
Shop for outdoor lighting
Before: Inside the house, a fantastic wood ceiling and the Saltillo tile floor in the foyer were great Spanish Revival assets. And Ggem knew they’d be able to reuse the wrought iron chandelier elsewhere. Other than that, the open plan was divided awkwardly, with rectilinear openings between rooms and the planter in the center. The planter blocked the ocean view from the entry.
The red lines seen here were added to the photo by Ggem to mark a spot where she wanted to provide some delineation between the dining and living rooms. “We need visual cues like wing walls or else we feel bounced around in a space. If something is too open or there are flow issues, our energy cannot settle,” she says.
The red lines seen here were added to the photo by Ggem to mark a spot where she wanted to provide some delineation between the dining and living rooms. “We need visual cues like wing walls or else we feel bounced around in a space. If something is too open or there are flow issues, our energy cannot settle,” she says.
After: “We needed to plan repeating elements in the architecture for a cohesive feel,” Ggem says. She replaced the existing openings with arches that are more Spanish Revival-appropriate. She removed the planter and provided delineation with two fantastic seahorse sculptures her clients found. “And we knew for a beach house we wanted a shell chandelier to welcome people,” she says.
“My clients loved the patina of the original Saltillo tiles. You can’t buy something new with all of that beautiful patina,” Ggem says, adding that it’s important to cover floors like this with a temporary floor protection product during a renovation. “It is an additional expense, but it’s worth the investment.”
“My clients loved the patina of the original Saltillo tiles. You can’t buy something new with all of that beautiful patina,” Ggem says, adding that it’s important to cover floors like this with a temporary floor protection product during a renovation. “It is an additional expense, but it’s worth the investment.”
The dining room is visible from the entry, with the living room and views to the mountains and sea beyond it. “It was so much fun to work with clients who appreciate antiques. There are so many great Spanish Revival pieces in this area because it was such a popular style here,” Ggem says. Her clients enjoyed the thrill of the hunt, joining her on shopping trips.
The embossed leather dining chairs and table are Spanish Revival-style antiques. Ggem added large upholstered wingback host and hostess chairs that suit the scale of the table. She also found a 1930s map of California for the wall.
The kitchen is located through the arch on the left. “We chose not to open up the kitchen because we wanted to hide messes from cooking,” Ggem says. “And there is another dining table in there, so we didn’t want to have them sitting at one dining table and looking at another.”
The embossed leather dining chairs and table are Spanish Revival-style antiques. Ggem added large upholstered wingback host and hostess chairs that suit the scale of the table. She also found a 1930s map of California for the wall.
The kitchen is located through the arch on the left. “We chose not to open up the kitchen because we wanted to hide messes from cooking,” Ggem says. “And there is another dining table in there, so we didn’t want to have them sitting at one dining table and looking at another.”
Guided by those red lines in the “before” photo, Ggem added a large arched opening between the dining room and living room to provide delineation. She also sourced a vintage console table to serve both the dining room and the living room sofa. She topped it with a pair of whimsical fish lamps. A vintage planter holds a large tree that breathes life into the house.
The living room provides gorgeous views of the coast and openings to the wraparound balcony on two sides. Ggem found pleated armchairs that swivel to face different views, including of the fireplace. The two floor pillows can serve as extra seating indoors and out. A carved wood piece on the wall adds another arch.
“We used performance fabric by Revolution Fabrics on a lot of the furniture, including the sofa. I gave my client a sample and she tested lipstick, chocolate and popsicles on it to make sure it was truly easy to clean before purchasing,” Ggem says. The flat-weave, hand-knotted wool rug in a terra-cotta hue was inspired by the Saltillo tiles inside and the tile roof outside. “Humans have been cleaning wool for centuries, and because it’s hand-knotted it can last 100 years,” Ggem says. The designer favors long-lasting and repurposed pieces for sustainability.
“We used performance fabric by Revolution Fabrics on a lot of the furniture, including the sofa. I gave my client a sample and she tested lipstick, chocolate and popsicles on it to make sure it was truly easy to clean before purchasing,” Ggem says. The flat-weave, hand-knotted wool rug in a terra-cotta hue was inspired by the Saltillo tiles inside and the tile roof outside. “Humans have been cleaning wool for centuries, and because it’s hand-knotted it can last 100 years,” Ggem says. The designer favors long-lasting and repurposed pieces for sustainability.
Before: The living room had wood ceiling beams that suited Spanish Revival style, but the corner fireplace was a missed opportunity to reinforce that style. And one of the things designers notice is when the top of window and door casings don’t line up, marked here in red.
After: Ggem gave the existing fireplace surround a new shape, inspired by the kiva fireplaces of Southwestern pueblo architecture. The pleasing curves of the surround, the new custom wrought iron doors and the Talavera tile around the hearth better suit the home’s style. Ggem designed new window and door casings that line up along the top.
The console on the right adds more arches to the space. Items like the green glass marine float nod to her clients’ East Coast roots. “The mirror reflects the coastal view and acts as another window,” Ggem says. “I had the contractor angle it by shimming out the top to capture that view.”
There was subflooring underneath the existing carpet. Ggem recommended character-grade white oak flooring to her clients. “Character grade shows more knots, and I knew that rustic and casual look would be fitting for the beach,” she says. This also shaved some money off the budget.
Find a local fireplace contractor
The console on the right adds more arches to the space. Items like the green glass marine float nod to her clients’ East Coast roots. “The mirror reflects the coastal view and acts as another window,” Ggem says. “I had the contractor angle it by shimming out the top to capture that view.”
There was subflooring underneath the existing carpet. Ggem recommended character-grade white oak flooring to her clients. “Character grade shows more knots, and I knew that rustic and casual look would be fitting for the beach,” she says. This also shaved some money off the budget.
Find a local fireplace contractor
“Rooms need three types of light: ambient, task and decorative,” Ggem says. But because of the required fire sprinklers in the ceiling and other issues, she was unable to add ceiling lights. So she made up for it with multiple wall sconces to serve as the ambient light.
Before: The existing kitchen didn’t fit with Spanish Revival style. And the homeowners didn’t want a kitchen island, as they knew it wouldn’t work with the way they like to function.
After: Ggem preserved the existing Saltillo tile floor and added new tongue-and-groove paneling and beams to the ceiling. “It adds a natural material, and the dark colors make these lower ceilings recede and seem higher,” she says. “At the same time, it makes the room feel cozy and warm.”
The new cabinets are white oak, and Ggem gave them a custom finish that resembles well-weathered teak. “I like to step out the cabinetry in various places,” she says. Here the sink cabinets and range cabinets protrude out and have feet, which nod to a 1920s furniture-like look. White oak floating shelves hold preppy nautical melamine plates from Thomas Paul, another nod to the homeowners’ East Coast roots.
Sconces: Martyn Lawrence Bullard for Hudson Valley Lighting
The new cabinets are white oak, and Ggem gave them a custom finish that resembles well-weathered teak. “I like to step out the cabinetry in various places,” she says. Here the sink cabinets and range cabinets protrude out and have feet, which nod to a 1920s furniture-like look. White oak floating shelves hold preppy nautical melamine plates from Thomas Paul, another nod to the homeowners’ East Coast roots.
Sconces: Martyn Lawrence Bullard for Hudson Valley Lighting
The star of the kitchen is a hand-painted tile from Los Angeles company Arto. It has a raised texture. Ggem used the opportunity to add another arch over the induction range. It has a vent installed at the top.
The designer created a cozy atmosphere at the eat-in end of the kitchen, adding a built-in bench that wraps the corner. Enamelware plates add fun coastal creatures and other beachy motifs to the wall. Ggem used enamelware here and melamine on the floating shelves because of earthquakes. “It’s especially important to be conscious of this when things are hanging over where someone’s head will be,” she says.
The trestle table has Spanish Revival style and the chairs add woven texture. The pillows play off the sun setting over the ocean. Ggem added a small table next to the banquette near an outlet for charging devices. Its style is Moorish, a nod to Spain’s architectural history.
The trestle table has Spanish Revival style and the chairs add woven texture. The pillows play off the sun setting over the ocean. Ggem added a small table next to the banquette near an outlet for charging devices. Its style is Moorish, a nod to Spain’s architectural history.
The only TV in the house is in the family room. Here again, Ggem used wall sconces to make up for the lack of ceiling lights. And she gave the squared-off corner fireplace a similar makeover with a kiva shape, new doors and tile detail.
“This rug adds so much color and has a SoCal feeling,” Ggem says. She composed the coffee table out of two leather-topped benches. “They can pull them out when they need extra seating,” she says.
“This rug adds so much color and has a SoCal feeling,” Ggem says. She composed the coffee table out of two leather-topped benches. “They can pull them out when they need extra seating,” she says.
“I don’t know why people stopped arranging two sofas like this, because it’s wonderful,” Ggem says. “More people get the comfy corners to lean on and there’s room for a table and lamp between them.” She again turned to performance fabrics for durability, choosing sandy colors. She found the lamp on the side table at a consignment shop.
Behind the sofas is a game table. Ggem approved of the existing built-ins and kept them, filling them with books and board games the family already had. The window treatments are simple, sand-colored, raw linen Roman shades.
Behind the sofas is a game table. Ggem approved of the existing built-ins and kept them, filling them with books and board games the family already had. The window treatments are simple, sand-colored, raw linen Roman shades.
This outdoor lounge area is located off the family room. “I didn’t want to use a lot of cushioned furniture out here because near the beach it tends to get soaking wet,” Ggem says. “Instead I had them invest in woven teak furniture that is very comfortable without cushions.” A concrete-and-teak cocktail table also stands up to the elements. Spanish style inspired the choice of saffron hues.
“You really want to invest in the very best outdoor lighting in a climate like this,” the designer says. She chose high-quality lanterns that befit the Spanish Revival style.
Browse outdoor lounge furniture
“You really want to invest in the very best outdoor lighting in a climate like this,” the designer says. She chose high-quality lanterns that befit the Spanish Revival style.
Browse outdoor lounge furniture
Because the house is built on a hill, it has an upside-down plan. The bedrooms are below the main level and also enjoy the ocean views. “Being in the homeowners’ bedroom is like being on a boat,” Ggem says. She placed a sitting area where they could enjoy the vista. A wicker bench at the end of the bed has big spool legs. And the octagonal stools are Moorish. Ggem sourced artwork by Bea Husman, a midcentury artist who lived in Encino, California.
Ggem mixed cool aquas with warm oranges and black for the color palette. The caned headboard’s curved silhouette adds character to the wall. She reused the entry’s wrought iron chandelier here but placed it safely at the foot of the bed in case of an earthquake.
Two bird lamps filled with personality flank the bed. “I used media consoles as nightstands because this room is large,” Ggem says. “If I had used regular-size nightstands, they would have looked rinky-dink in here.”
Two bird lamps filled with personality flank the bed. “I used media consoles as nightstands because this room is large,” Ggem says. “If I had used regular-size nightstands, they would have looked rinky-dink in here.”
Ggem preserved the original Saltillo fireplace hearth but gave the firebox a new marble tile surround. Because it’s marble, she didn’t need to edge the top — the edge of the tile is just as pretty as the front. She had a meticulous tile pro cut the tile and lay it out to give the surround a unique shape. “It’s like he cut a tiara that the fireplace gets to wear,” Ggem says with a laugh.
She sourced the vintage mirror at a local consignment shop.
She sourced the vintage mirror at a local consignment shop.
The en suite bathroom needed new flooring, so Ggem found a Saltillo tile with coloring similar to the original floors in the house. She laid it out in a herringbone pattern. White square tile wainscoting wraps around the shower and up the walls, nodding to the era of the Adamson House. Inside the shower, she used a beautiful deep blue Talavera tile with a hand-painted star pattern. Not shown in this photo are sconces with star motifs around the bathroom sink.
In the couple’s twin boys’ room, Ggem’s plan was to make a comfy hangout space. The VW bus console is from Deny Designs. “I love to use this company because they pay the artist every time a piece with their work on it is sold,” Ggem says.
Navy blue beds recall the preppy East Coast, while saffron bedding accents bring in Spanish flavor. The batik print on the bedspreads and the VW bus incorporate the Southern California location.
More on Houzz
Tour more homes
Hire a local design pro
Shop for your home
Navy blue beds recall the preppy East Coast, while saffron bedding accents bring in Spanish flavor. The batik print on the bedspreads and the VW bus incorporate the Southern California location.
More on Houzz
Tour more homes
Hire a local design pro
Shop for your home
House at a Glance
Who lives here: A couple and their three boys
Location: Malibu, California
Size: 3,129 square feet (291 square meters); four bedrooms and three bathrooms
Designer: Shannon Ggem
Before: “The tile roof and arched doorway told me that this house wanted to be Spanish Revival,” Ggem says. “We wanted to turn up the volume on those aspects.” For inspiration, she looked to the Adamson House, an iconic Spanish Revival house that’s now a local museum full of decorative tile and wrought iron railings typical of the style.
The designer brought in elements such as wrought iron, arched openings, Mexican Talavera tile and Spanish Revival antiques to enhance the style. At the same time, she was careful to preserve the home’s best assets, such as the 40-year-old Saltillo tile floors. “My clients also wanted to embrace their beach location,” she says. So she chose textures for the furniture and accessories that reference the coastal location.