Dwell.com Cardiff by the Sea Remodel

Choosing a cozy remodel project in a sleepy surf town, East Coast transplants and their young family renovated an aging and frigid home into an open, warm and vivacious space for their young brood. Looking to build a home that could both support and encourage an active lifestyle, architect Lauren Williams (Matrix Design Studio), designed the remodel to encourage passive cooling elements, made use of sensual natural material finishes, and focused the center of the house around family and friends.

An exaggerated kitchen island provides a gathering space for friends, while a tequila bar, a coffee nook and kombucha on tap allow the homeowners to host with ease and enjoy their new California life to the fullest. The beach is just moments away and the view from the balcony gives you a captain's overlook to the ocean so the family of surfers can check out the waves before grabbing their boards and heading down to the beach.