Tour a Malibu Home That’s a True Modernist Marvel

By Mayer Rus

Photography by Sam Frost

Styled by Michael Reynolds

Pity the poor word iconic. Over the past the decade, the term has been worn out from overuse, applied to anything and everything, from teeth whiteners to D-list celebrities. But how better to describe this late-1950s Malibu home by architect Craig Ellwood? Recently reimagined by Los Angeles designer Mallery Roberts Morgan for a young Italian entrepreneur, the home radiates an aura of Miesian discipline and precision puréed in a sieve of sun-kissed California midcentury modernism. Although it is not one of Ellwood’s three official Case Study houses, the structure epitomizes the optimism, structural ingenuity, and low-key glamour of the Case Study program. It is, indeed, an icon of the era.

Even the smallest renovation of such an estimable piece of architecture requires a light, deft touch and, naturally, a profound respect for the integrity of the original conception. Happily, few designers possess a touch as adroit and confident as that of Roberts Morgan. Marrying a deep knowledge of history with an incisive eye for contemporary design that is both lasting and sympathetic to Ellwood’s vision, Roberts Morgan tailored her emendations to the house for genuine impact on flow, mood, and usage, with no perceptible disruption of the existing architecture—everything looks as if it were designed by Ellwood or, at the very least, an addition he would heartily approve.

The installation of new wall-to-wall carpeting, for example, was a detail lifted from period photographs taken just as the architect was completing the commission. “With Ellwood’s blessing, so to speak, we chose to do the same thing, and it was a total game changer. Immediately the house felt more expansive,” the designer says. Roberts Morgan’s decision to install white mesh curtains throughout the home created another subtle but palpable shift in the ambience of the interiors. “The curtains add a layer of softness and warmth to the cool, planar architecture,” she explains. “And with all the direct sunlight pouring into the house, the curtains are the most effective HVAC equipment in the house.”

Although the home’s previous owners had executed a sensitive, painstaking restoration, Roberts Morgan nevertheless orchestrated a few strategic interventions to adapt the property to the needs of her client and his frequent guests. Chief among them was the installation of a new courtyard with an alfresco dining setup, designed in collaboration with the AD100 landscape firm Terremoto. Elsewhere, Johnston Marklee created a new outdoor gym pavilion and a monolithic, minimalist outdoor shower—both of which engage in a cross-generational design dialogue with Ellwood’s midcentury architecture.

Roberts Morgan’s assured hand is most evident in the fresh spirit of the interior design, a polyglot assemblage of intriguing furniture, objects, and artworks drawn from the period of the architecture as well as the contemporary Los Angeles design scene. Classic midcentury designs by the likes of Pierre Paulin, Charles Eames, Bruno Matthson, and Walter Lamb rub shoulders amicably with contemporary California makers such Waka Waka, Vince Skelly, Jonathan Cross, Bari Ziperstein, and Caroline Blackburn. The look is layered but never overwrought, perfectly attuned to the restrained architectural envelope.

“My toolbox draws not only from my years living in Europe and America but from countless personal relationships from the worlds of design journalism, fashion, and art,” Roberts Morgan says, reflecting on her singular sensibility and design approach. “I grew up in the golden age of magazines, working with and for legendary creatives and artists. Many designers utilize mood boards filled with research images pulled from social media. I’ve lived many of those references firsthand.” And it shows.

A 1969 painting by Armando Marrocco hangs above an original Craig Ellwood built-in credenza at one end of the living room. The furnishings ensemble includes a Flexform sofa with cushions of Indian textiles from Pat McGann, a Bzippy ceramic side table through the Future Perfect, a Caroline Blackburn ceramic sculpture from JF Chen, and wall-to-wall carpet by Stark.

Signature chairs by Charles Eames and Pierre Paulin join the Flexform sofa in the living room. The painting above the fireplace is by Armando Marrocco.

The Piet Hein Eek canvas-covered chairs and Jonathan Cross stoneware stool that grace the lawn are both from the Future Perfect. Romy the Parson Russell terrier puts the durable seating through its paces.

Sparsely furnished with a vintage Richard Etts lamp and an embroidered cushion from Pat McGann, the primary bedroom has a distinctly meditative quality.

A view of the house over the pool demonstrates the sublime simplicity of architect Craig Ellwood’s design from the late 1950s. Vintage Brown Jordan chairs flank a Paola Lenti daybed.

The dreamy pool offers generous views of the Malibu hills and ocean.

A collaboration between designer Mallery Roberts Morgan and landscape architects Terremoto, the new courtyard provides an additional dining area centered on a custom table with vintage Walter Lamb chairs. The sculpture to the left is by Jude Pauli through JF Chen.

By Mel Studach

By Hadley Keller

By Elizabeth Stamp

An Armando Marrocco painting hangs above an original Craig Ellwood built-in credenza with a Caroline Blackburn ceramic vessel from JF Chen (left). A Chad Hagerman chair and Vince Skelly sculpture share the entry hall with a 1962 painting by Tadaaki Kuwayama.

A quilt by artist Mickey Lee Everett strikes up a conversation with paintings by Charles Arnoldi in a guest room.

A painting by Craig Ellwood overlooks the dining room. A Gino Sarfatti pendant lights hangs above vintage Eames chairs.

By Mel Studach

By Hadley Keller

By Elizabeth Stamp

Behind the dining area and a nearby Eames chair is the open-floor-plan kitchen.

A compact bath remains true to the scale and form of Ellwood’s original design.

A custom Waka Waka desk anchors the recording studio. A Mary Little wall sculpture is installed above.

By Mel Studach

By Hadley Keller

By Elizabeth Stamp

Johnston Marklee devised an ingenious alfresco gym (left) with a steel skeleton and awning-like sides that crank up and down, as well as a new monolithic, minimalist outdoor shower (right).

Johnston Marklee designed the pool pavilion as part of an earlier renovation of the property. The pool chaises are by Modernica.

By Rachel Gallaher

By Kristen Flanagan

By Sara Barragán del Rey

By Hannah Martin