Synchronicity by Kelly Wearstler

Kelly Wearstler’s first book in four years, Synchronicity, takes a bold and minimalist approach to presenting her recent work, profiling seven of her latest and most striking residential and hospitality designs. We step into Surf Shack—a mid-century home in Malibu.

Photography: The Ingalls, Matthieu Salvaing & Trevor Tondro

The Malibu mid-century home was unaltered and sat unoccupied for almost thirty years.

Rugs are layered in the family room. Here, a 1960s Turkish example lies over one made from seagrass to give the room more dimension and an architectural focus. The leather 1968 Pulkka lounge chairs are by Ilmari Lappalainen.

At the heart of the house is a galley kitchen, with sliding windows that look out onto the garden.

Synchronicity by Kelly Wearstler is out now.

The vintage 1987 Cassina marble table (previous pages) is by Mario Bellini, and the white plaster chairs are by Lukas Gschwandtner. The room’s woven wall art, by Jean Alexander Frater, was chosen to contrast with the original wood paneling.

The console is by Base 10 from Marta Gallery. The florals in the home throughout are by Isa Isa.

In this architectural style Mid-century home in Malibu, the designer’s sense of personal style really shines. Chosen as a summer getaway for the family—all avid surfers who wanted a place where one could catch waves at a moment’s notice—it looks out onto the ocean from the back and with a garden in front. This unaltered gem sat unoccupied for nearly thirty years, and had original everything: elm wood wall paneling, dark terrazzo floors, shoji-style pocket doors, and even drapes.

Unlike most projects, which can take years to plan and execute, this was completed in just a month and half. The design integrity of the house was so high and it was so well maintained that the designer could focus more on art direction without the need for construction. Drawn from a decade’s worth of eclectic treasures kept in storage, the house is outfitted with sculptural and unusual pieces—including a 1950s Rope Lounge Chair that’s made from jute and steel by Dan Johnson—with just as much character as the architecture they’re living in.

At the heart of the house is a galley kitchen, with sliding windows that look out onto the garden. In fact, most of the structure’s plan uses various sliding windows and doors to take maximum advantage of natural light and the cool sea air.

The rest of the house’s proportions are very delicate; lower ceiling heights meant using chairs with matching lower seat heights than normal, and adding somewhat haphazardly placed art that feels a bit earthy. Some furniture pulls double duty, like a green, fiberglass coffee table in the lounge that doubles as a desk. It’s a play on textures. To add a sense of comfort to various sitting rooms, carpets are layered on top of one another—often a little smaller, so the furniture doesn’t have to be on the rug. Front legs on, back legs off. This trick gives the room more dimension.

Designers are frequently tasked with new projects that have more- than-speedy deadlines. In this case, doing something quickly meant learning how to use things in unexpected ways. Embracing a bit of chaos. Rather than choosing things that look too thematic, quick design can push you to find things in unexpected places that are more about creativity. You’re more open when it’s about the art of the find.

This is an edited extract from Synchronicity by Kelly Wearstler. Purchase the book online now here.