Berkus at the Beach
by habituallychic
02 . 23 . 09
I was checking out interior designer Nate Berkus‘s website and noticed a few new photos of a beach house. I posted them yesterday without knowing where they were from and in a funny coincidence, they were published in the November 2008 issue of C Magazine (more on C Magazine later) and now I can bring you the entire story.The 3,400 SF home is tucked away on a beach in Malibu and of course, has amazing views of the ocean. Nate was called by the lucky homeowner who was given a complete house makeover for her birthday and couldn’t resist the offer to help her. As I mentioned before, the home is a beautiful mix of black, white and browns mixed with natural fibers since the owner is not a color person which creates a clean and calm interior. It’s also nice the decor does not compete with the amazing views. In the living room above, the Corian topped table was designed by Berkus and sits near a 1940’s carved giltwood chair and what appears to be a Mies van der Rohe daybed.
A glass desk and wood chair overlook the living room in the study that closes off to become a guestroom.
Petrified wood looks like modern art on the wall of the stairwell.
The downstairs guestroom has a leather topped desk and a photograph taken by a Navy admiral who was a family ancestor.
In the master bedroom, a zebra skin rug adds pattern to the neutral color scheme, as does the Ross Bleckner painting and agate lamps. 
Can you just imagine taking a bath with that view? Looks very dreamy!
The dining chairs look blue but are really gray. Another variation on the colors through out the home and take their cue from the colors of seashells and the colors of the beach.
The kitchen has a more industrial feel but Berkus says, “I like things with a touch of the industrial.” The floors are softened with seagrass rugs. I think this home is going to have to go into my file of inspiration for my future beach house. It’s perfect!
Photos from Nate Berkus and Lisa Romerein for C Magazine
12 Comments
love nate’s work…..
really enjoying your blog. i added you on to mine.. hope that’s ok!
all the best
david
Um, I’ll take that bathtub, please. With that view.
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It is amazing!!! I have the issue and have been coveting it!
the woven base of the bed is great !!!
i would like to be in that beach house anyday, anytime!
I like that bathroom best of all
greetings from Germany
http://www.ginaspics.net
Love your post today! You captured the story so well. Wish I could ask for him to design my house for my birthday!
It’s funny – rarely has a house given me such mixed feelings… the first pic felt bland as if it were missing something, but by the time I hit pic # 4 (the kitchen) I had fallen head over heels! Interestingly, as I type I sit in the EXACT SAME cafe chairs as in this kitchen… only mine have a little bronze plaque which reads “Les Deux Magots” on their rear as they are retired Les Deux Magots chairs from the famed Paris institution. But it was the bedroom that sealed the deal for me… the statue on the floor was quirky and fun while the boisserie panel next to the bed felt perfect, as if it had been made for this room.
Thanks for sharing,
Toma, aka The Antiques Diva
HC
reminds me of calvin klein
very clean, minimal and uncluttered.
pve
Are you sure the painting in the bedroom is actually a Ross Bleckner painting? It doesn’t look anything like his style and it looks much more like a Richard Serra painting…fyi…
There’s been some debate as to whether the painting above the bed is a Bleckner. I’m going by what the caption stated which could be wrong but Bleckner does use circles in his work. I’ll see if I can find anyone to verify.
S is right… This is most definitely a work by Richard Serra. It is a 2-color lithograph (edition size 45) called “Splines” (2000). It is available in NY at Gemini GEL at http://www.joniweyl.com. There is also a gemini GEL in L.A. Current price $18000.