Malibu House / Lala Reimagined

Designed to both look and feel like a resort, this Malibu home by Lala Reimagined offers the ultimate retreat for its owners and their family.

“It’s only a 45-minute drive in good traffic but it just feels like hundreds of miles away,” says the owners of the Malibu hideaway, 45 minutes from their LA home.

Founded by Lia McNairy and Azar Fattahi, the West Coast design studio drew inspiration from the home’s location on a Malibu hilltop, overlooking the ocean and surrounded by greenery and rolling mountains, to create a soothing retreat reminiscent of the glamorous II Pelicano resort on Tuscany’s Argentario coast.

“We wanted it to feel like they travelled to one of their favourite spots in France or Italy, like a beautiful boutique hotel on the Mediterranean,” says McNairy of their inspiration for the design.

To this end, the team opted for lots of natural materials, including wooden beams and terracotta flooring, organic shapes and soft nature-inspired hues, from russet clay colours to ocean blues, sage and sunny yellows.

“We used a lot of wicker, a lot of vintage pieces sourced from flea markets, and also high-end pieces, but nothing too precious,” McNairy adds of the furniture and accessories they chose to create a comfy, laid-back yet stylish interior.

““We [aim to] source pieces that no one’s ever seen before. We are always seeking out new design galleries, craftspeople, and antique shops around the world,” Azar adds.

The living room, for instance, features an eclectic high-low combo of furniture: 60s armchairs with pistachio cushions perched atop wicker frames, a round coffee table with sculptural legs by designer Nikolai Lafuge, and a contemporary mushroom-shaped ceramic stool.

Elsewhere unique touches include pink-and-green Milanese tiles in the master bathroom, arched cane chairs from Australia, a mirror by Mexico-based artist Lucas Rise in the living room and a collection of ceramic plates used to decorate the entrance foyer.

A short drive away from their busy lives in reality, but thousands of miles away in spirit, the design has delivered all the escape the clients could ask for and more.