Tranquillity by the sea

Interior design by Chris Barrett Design

From the designer:

 Southern California interior designer Chris Barrett embraces the state’s ethos – light and airy, comfortable and casual, tinged with multi-cultural reference points and handcrafted elements.

Barrett’s creative and talented homeowners who worked in the film industry, had actually designed the seaside residence themselves and were now ready to furnish the interior.

Plus, ready to start the next stage of their life fresh, the couple had left most of their possessions behind.

“This was one of those rare jobs. The owners brought no furniture from their previous home with the exception of a few pieces from the master bedroom — the bed, a bench, the rug — and a few chairs, so we had a clean slate,” says Barrett.

A mix of light fabrics, wood and stone accented with smoky ocean blues set the tone for the home.

“My purpose was to complement the architecture and the ocean, creating something fresh and approachable,” says the interior designer. 

“Our goal is to blend beauty with design that ultimately feels as if the space should have always been this way – beauty but not perfection, nothing overdone.” 

Here that meant a clean white backdrop, from the kitchen – with its waterfall island and elegant Baker bar stools – to the dining room – where ghostly slip-covered chairs cluster around a custom white oak table.

The existing dining chairs were given a new life by covering them in the easy to remove slipcovers.

In addition, the designer added an iron base to an old chest to create a unique bar alongside the dining setting.

And the clean, white backdrop continues to the living room, too, where a rug from Mansour Modern, leather ottomans from Gregorius Pineo, antique side tables and a custom white oak coffee table together ground the chairs and couches covered in white linen fabric from Pindler.

The same approach was taken in the bedrooms.

This pale, understated design strategy puts the focus on the home’s key elements: the brilliant ocean view; the colourful life lived here – made especially lively when the owners’ grandchildren come to visit; and, also, the couple’s collection of awards and accolades.

Designed by: Chris Barrett Design

Story by: Trendsideas