The first time I visited Little Beach House in MalibuI fell in love with their iconic covered patio that sort of felt like a real dining room, but with the waves crashing just steps away. Sitting under the beautiful wooden pergola, the ocean breeze flowing through, the line between indoors and outdoors seemed completely blurred. I remember thinking, It’s the prettiest dining room I’ve ever seen. And let’s face it: when you have more than 300 days of sunshine a year, why not move your main dining room outside?
So when our architect showed us his plans for our Malibu Renovationwe made a decision that may seem unconventional: our main dining room would not be inside the house at all. Instead, we create an outdoor dining area that connects directly to the great room through a 30 foot wall of glass Marvin Pocket Doors: A space designed specifically for the slow weekend breakfasts and golden hour dinners that make California living so special.
What makes this outdoor room work is how it seamlessly connects to the great indoor room. We add a motor to the glass doors so that with the press of a button, the entire wall disappears into the structure. Suddenly, the kitchen island, indoor living space, and outdoor dining area become one seamless flow.
The vision: an outdoor room that looks like a living space
I have always been drawn to spaces that challenge the traditional indoor/outdoor divide. The restaurants and hotels that stay with me long after I’ve left are the ones where you can’t really tell whether you’re inside or out – where the fabric flutters in the breeze, where you sink into cushions soft enough for a living room, where the design is as thoughtful as any interior. This is my goal with this space: a real exterior bedroomnot just a terrace with furniture.
The centerpiece of this space is the aerial pergola, inspired by the stunning terrace at Little Beach House (see above to see where we are under construction!). We use rich, warm wooden beams that will create a beautiful dappled light during the day and an intimate, enclosed feel at night.
We install two Infratech radiators (one on each side of the patio) directly in the overhead frame. This means we will be able to use this space comfortably even on chilly Malibu evenings. Lighting is intentionally minimal: small sconces mounted on the pergola beams cast a warm, ambient glow that will resemble that of a candle.
For the deck flooring, we use ipe wood, an incredibly dense, weather-resistant hardwood that ages beautifully over time. Its rich, warm tone complements the pergola beams above and it is known as one of the most durable outdoor decking materials available. As it ages and develops a silver patina, it will become even prettier.
The Chiringuito in Ibiza inspired the seats I designed for this space.
The seats: Ibiza banquette atmosphere
Another source of inspiration was El Chiringuito, a beach club we loved on our trip. trip to Ibiza a few summers ago. Instead of standard dining room chairs, there were these comfy banquettes with soft cushions and tons of pillows – the kind of seat you settle into for hours, seamlessly transitioning from dinner to dessert to lingering over wine while the stars come out.
That’s the feeling I want to recreate here, which is why I’m looking for a banquette/love seat situation that runs along one side of the dining room, covered in Perennial fabricdesigned to withstand the elements while remaining luxurious and soft. I’m still looking for a 12ft teak table to pair with it, so we’ll ideally have seating for 10-14 people.
Where is the hotel located at Todos Santos: this fabric drape is everything.
Outdoor curtains: should you add them?
When we stayed at Where is the hotel located at Todos Santos, I became completely obsessed with how they used sheer fabric to create definition and block wind in outdoor spaces while still maintaining that ethereal quality. The way the fabric moved in the breeze, the way it filtered light transformed the space into something that seemed almost ceremonial.
I’d love to incorporate something similar here, but I’ll be honest: we haven’t quite figured it out yet. This is one of those details that could be a “step two” of development, once we live in space and can really understand how the winds work, where we need more protection, and where we want to preserve views. Sometimes the best design decisions come from actually living in a space first.
The landscape: beach grass and gravel
To make it truly look like an outdoor room, we work with Fiore landscaping plant beach grasses around the perimeter. These will move in the breeze and soften the edges of the hardscaping, creating that natural, coastal feel so essential to the overall aesthetic. Combined with the property’s gravel walkways and surrounding olive and citrus trees, the dining room will feel nestled into the landscape rather than imposed.
Where we are and where we are going
The pergola frame is finished (I love its look facing the mountains) and we are about to start installing the ipe terrace. Every time I visit the site and stand under the wooden beams to take in the view, I can already imagine how it will feel to gather here.
Slow Saturday morning breakfasts with coffee and fresh pastries, everyone still in their pajamas. Summer dinners among friends, the table filled with family plates, the wine flowing freely, the sky turning pink as the sun sets behind the mountains. Quiet weekday dinners, just the four of us, with the heat lamps glowing overhead.
This is my California dream completed: bringing the inside out, blurring boundaries, creating spaces that invite you to linger, savor, and be fully present. I can’t wait to start making memories here!
The position Where We’ll Meet: Designing Our Beach House Dining Room appeared first on Camille Styles.
