Sophie Goineau adds "wave-like" timber ceiling to Malibu beach house

Interior designer Sophie Goineau has renovated a family beach home in Malibu, California, adding a wave-like ceiling and maximising the panoramic ocean views from the living spaces.

Goineau initially set about helping a young family that she met in Mexico incorporate stylish spaces for their kids into the house, but the project quickly turned into a full overhaul.

Built in 1965 and remodelled at the turn of the millennium, the house's exterior had to remain untouched in accordance with strict Malibu zoning laws.

Inside, however, multiple walls were opened up to allow light from the expansive windows and skylights to flood all of the spaces.

"Some rooms were divided by walls, there was no light coming through," said Goineau. "We had to use all existing openings — sliding doors and skylights in vaulted ceilings — but there was no rhythm. What could we do here to create a harmonious vibe?"

With the main entry points reconfigured and many of the internal partitions removed, the offset T-shaped building now benefits from more light and improved flow.

Through the main volume of the dwelling, Goineau installed a dramatic curved ceiling composed of thermally modified ash wood in four layers.

The effect is designed to mimic a "breaking wave" and not only directs the eye to the ocean view but also partially obscures the skylights from the bright overhead sun.

"The light here, while beautiful, is very strong, but we didn’t want to ruin the existing skylights with shades," said the designer.

This ceiling feature is most prominently expressed in the spacious open-plan kitchen, dining and living space, which has large windows on two sides and glass doors that opens onto a terrace.

Neutrally decorated with white oak floors, clay plaster and micro-cement wall finishes, the social space is dotted with several black accents.

These include the large Beluga sofa and armchairs from ATRA, the Gio Ponti dining table and chairs, and metal shelving suspended from the ceiling over the kitchen island.

"It is all a visual reference of naturalist materials," Goineau said. "The dark materials chosen highlight the contrast between dark and light in nature, and all the pieces marry so well with everything else in the house."

A media unit that disguises the TV echoes the wooden strips of the ceiling and the kitchen cabinetry at the other end of the room.

At the opposite end of the building's T is the primary bedroom, which also opens to the terrace furnished with various soft seating options.

Rather than a full dividing wall, a tall partition acts as a headboard extension and separates the sleeping area from a large dressing room.

The entrance hall sits at an angle to the home's main volume and continues the striped effect again across the teak front door positioned below another slatted skylight.

Contemporary sculptures by Sébastien Léon and paintings by Damien Chabauty are displayed in this space and along the corridor that connects the remaining rooms.

Malibu's beachfront is lined with impressive properties, including Kelly Wearstler's home adorned with "rustic and raw" decor and a building by Tadao Ando that musician Ye recently stripped back to its structure.

Goineau is based in nearby Los Angeles and has previously refurbished a mid-century house in Beverly Hills in collaboration with Enclosures Architects.

The photography is by Virtually Here Studios.

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