A home on the California coast is transformed to reflect the owners' passion for entertaining and ocean-side living. Words and photos by Karyn Millet
For a family of five that loves the ocean, the Pacific coast of California is the perfect location.
But when this 370-square-metre home in a gated Huntington Beach community was purchased, it looked just like all the others in the neighbourhood. The owners wanted their house to have a signature all their own.
With help from the designer Michael Fullen, they set out to emulate the refined island style of resorts and upscale homes in Hawaii, incorporating open spaces and a free flow from the inside to the back garden and pool. They also insisted on natural colours, rich woods and textured tile.
Fullen started with a new facade of Eldorado Stone and a massive, modern front door. A graphic mixture of walnut and glass, the door is a kerbside calling card letting passersby know this house is much different from the next.
Inside, a two-storey foyer in chiselled limestone is punctuated by a dark alder wood staircase and clear glass handrail. It has the feel of a chic, modern, boutique hotel.
To the right of the foyer, a sunken living room shares a fireplace with the adjacent dining room. Although the homeowners asked for natural colours only, Fullen mixed two turquoise slipper chairs into the sand and brown overtones, providing an exciting accent. A high-pile, wool, shag rug from Stark unifies all the colours and anchors the seating arrangement.
Texture is the key feature of the dining room, which has a wall of bamboo tile, a stone floor and a wood ceiling. Rusted oil can lids, which Fullen found locally for $75 (Dh275) each, serve as artwork on the main wall. Eight custom-made chairs, upholstered in stripped velvet, fit comfortably around a square dining table.
Because the family regularly entertains groups of 10 to 50 people, the ground floor not only needed to be open and flowing, but also needed to accommodate the owners' culinary and catering needs. Fullen created a high-style kitchen that could be at home in one of Hawaii's finest restaurants. All the appliances are concealed in cabinetry, and built-in sliding shelves for the toaster and coffee maker keep the kitchen looking tidy all day long. The centre island is sleek and modern.
Subtly lit, interlocking square shelving units display the owners' pottery and glassware, once again turning everyday objects into art. But they serve a practical purpose as well. From the hub of the kitchen, the glassware is within easy reach.
The kitchen also features a walk-in pantry with each shelf measured to fit the homeowner's most common staples. Racks designed especially for large platters give a clue to the size of the parties held at the house.
The kitchen expands into a casual eating area, where, again, Fullen sneaked in a bit of colour with persimmon chairs and soft blue pillows. A family room is beyond and, as with the entire back of the house, features sliding glass doors that disappear into the walls. Everything is open to the back garden and pool.
Although the house accommodates parties of any size, it's never long before Southern California partygoers find their way to the terrace. Knowing this, Fullen made the transition between inside and outside seamless. An outdoor fireplace and comfortable teak and chocolate brown seats create an inviting setting for visitors.
Apart from the guest quarters, all the bedrooms are upstairs, and with the master bedroom fashioned after a five-star hotel suite, one wonders why the homeowners would ever leave. A stunning wood-panelled fireplace stretches the length of one wall, while a bank of windows opens up to ocean breezes and sunset views. The colour scheme is all natural with no accent shades, offering a soothing respite day or night.
A spacious, en suite wood and marble master bath leads into a jewel of a closet for the lady of the house. A crystal chandelier, marble floor and tufted leather benches resemble a fine dressing room in Paris. Shoes and handbags are displayed in custom shelves, and clothes are hung behind mirrored wardrobe doors.
A house lacking for nothing is the sign of a job well done. As Fullen is a frequent guest at the elaborate parties there, it seams the homeowners are delighted with the changes. The lesson learnt is to buy a house for its location, then do everything imaginable to make it your own - even if that includes bringing a little Hawaii to the California coast.
* Red Cover
In numbers: PKK’s money network in Europe
Germany: PKK collectors typically bring in $18 million in cash a year – amount has trebled since 2010
Revolutionary tax: Investigators say about $2 million a year raised from ‘tax collection’ around Marseille
Extortion: Gunman convicted in 2023 of demanding $10,000 from Kurdish businessman in Stockholm
Drug trade: PKK income claimed by Turkish anti-drugs force in 2024 to be as high as $500 million a year
Denmark: PKK one of two terrorist groups along with Iranian separatists ASMLA to raise “two-digit million amounts”
Contributions: Hundreds of euros expected from typical Kurdish families and thousands from business owners
TV channel: Kurdish Roj TV accounts frozen and went bankrupt after Denmark fined it more than $1 million over PKK links in 2013
The specs
Engine: Four electric motors, one at each wheel
Power: 579hp
Torque: 859Nm
Transmission: Single-speed automatic
Price: From Dh825,900
On sale: Now
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
KILLING OF QASSEM SULEIMANI
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Kumulus Water
Started: 2021
Founders: Iheb Triki and Mohamed Ali Abid
Based: Tunisia
Sector: Water technology
Number of staff: 22
Investment raised: $4 million
RedCrow Intelligence Company Profile
Started: 2016
Founders: Hussein Nasser Eddin, Laila Akel, Tayeb Akel
Based: Ramallah, Palestine
Sector: Technology, Security
# of staff: 13
Investment: $745,000
Investors: Palestine’s Ibtikar Fund, Abu Dhabi’s Gothams and angel investors
3%20Body%20Problem
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The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4-cylinder turbo
Power: 240hp at 5,500rpm
Torque: 390Nm at 3,000rpm
Transmission: eight-speed auto
Price: from Dh122,745
On sale: now
Healthy tips to remember
Here, Dr Mohamed El Abiary, paediatric consultant at Al Zahra Hospital Dubai, shares some advice for parents whose children are fasting during the holy month of Ramadan:
Gradual fasting and golden points - For children under the age of 10, follow a step-by-step approach to fasting and don't push them beyond their limits. Start with a few hours fasting a day and increase it to a half fast and full fast when the child is ready. Every individual's ability varies as per the age and personal readiness. You could introduce a points system that awards the child and offers them encouragement when they make progress with the amount of hours they fast
Why fast? - Explain to your child why they are fasting. By shedding light on the importance of abstaining from food and drink, children may feel more encouraged to give it there all during the observance period. It is also a good opportunity to teach children about controlling urges, doing good for others and instilling healthy food habits
Sleep and suhoor - A child needs adequate sleep every night - at least eight hours. Make sure to set a routine early bedtime so he/she has sufficient time to wake up for suhoor, which is an essential meal at the beginning of the day
Good diet - Nutritious food is crucial to ensuring a healthy Ramadan for children. They must refrain from eating too much junk food as well as canned goods and snacks and drinks high in sugar. Foods that are rich in nutrients, vitamins and proteins, like fruits, fresh meats and vegetables, make for a good balanced diet
Specs
Engine: Dual-motor all-wheel-drive electric
Range: Up to 610km
Power: 905hp
Torque: 985Nm
Price: From Dh439,000
Available: Now
The rules on fostering in the UAE
A foster couple or family must:
- be Muslim, Emirati and be residing in the UAE
- not be younger than 25 years old
- not have been convicted of offences or crimes involving moral turpitude
- be free of infectious diseases or psychological and mental disorders
- have the ability to support its members and the foster child financially
- undertake to treat and raise the child in a proper manner and take care of his or her health and well-being
- A single, divorced or widowed Muslim Emirati female, residing in the UAE may apply to foster a child if she is at least 30 years old and able to support the child financially
Nayanthara: Beyond The Fairy Tale
Starring: Nayanthara, Vignesh Shivan, Radhika Sarathkumar, Nagarjuna Akkineni
Director: Amith Krishnan
Rating: 3.5/5
Real estate tokenisation project
Dubai launched the pilot phase of its real estate tokenisation project last month.
The initiative focuses on converting real estate assets into digital tokens recorded on blockchain technology and helps in streamlining the process of buying, selling and investing, the Dubai Land Department said.
Dubai’s real estate tokenisation market is projected to reach Dh60 billion ($16.33 billion) by 2033, representing 7 per cent of the emirate’s total property transactions, according to the DLD.
NO OTHER LAND
Director: Basel Adra, Yuval Abraham, Rachel Szor, Hamdan Ballal
Stars: Basel Adra, Yuval Abraham
Rating: 3.5/5
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
Safety 'top priority' for rival hyperloop company
The chief operating officer of Hyperloop Transportation Technologies, Andres de Leon, said his company's hyperloop technology is “ready” and safe.
He said the company prioritised safety throughout its development and, last year, Munich Re, one of the world's largest reinsurance companies, announced it was ready to insure their technology.
“Our levitation, propulsion, and vacuum technology have all been developed [...] over several decades and have been deployed and tested at full scale,” he said in a statement to The National.
“Only once the system has been certified and approved will it move people,” he said.
HyperloopTT has begun designing and engineering processes for its Abu Dhabi projects and hopes to break ground soon.
With no delivery date yet announced, Mr de Leon said timelines had to be considered carefully, as government approval, permits, and regulations could create necessary delays.
All or Nothing
Amazon Prime
Four stars
At a glance
Global events: Much of the UK’s economic woes were blamed on “increased global uncertainty”, which can be interpreted as the economic impact of the Ukraine war and the uncertainty over Donald Trump’s tariffs.
Growth forecasts: Cut for 2025 from 2 per cent to 1 per cent. The OBR watchdog also estimated inflation will average 3.2 per cent this year
Welfare: Universal credit health element cut by 50 per cent and frozen for new claimants, building on cuts to the disability and incapacity bill set out earlier this month
Spending cuts: Overall day-to day-spending across government cut by £6.1bn in 2029-30
Tax evasion: Steps to crack down on tax evasion to raise “£6.5bn per year” for the public purse
Defence: New high-tech weaponry, upgrading HM Naval Base in Portsmouth
Housing: Housebuilding to reach its highest in 40 years, with planning reforms helping generate an extra £3.4bn for public finances
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