{"id":84218,"date":"2011-11-10T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2011-11-10T00:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.sunset.com\/home-garden\/home-tours"},"modified":"2025-08-01T16:23:46","modified_gmt":"2025-08-01T23:23:46","slug":"home-garden-home-tours","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.sunset.com\/home-garden\/home-tours","title":{"rendered":"Home Tours"},"content":{"rendered":"
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\n\n \n\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Take a peek at our favorite homes around the West, from modern cabins to mid-century ranch houses","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"landing-page.php","meta":{"_acf_changed":true,"_should_modify_publish_date":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[43207,43],"tags":[],"layout":[67],"class_list":["post-84218","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry","category-home-garden","category-home-tours","layout-article"],"acf":{"display_row_fields":"yes","page_subheadline":"Take a look inside some of our favorite houses in the West, from architectural gems to light-filled bungalows. ","display_row_1":"yes","stories_row_1_top":[{"ID":187257,"post_author":"98","post_date":"2025-07-30 03:00:00","post_date_gmt":"2025-07-30 10:00:00","post_content":"\n

Nothing can beat the location of this four-bedroom, six-bathroom home on Balboa Island in Newport Beach<\/a>, California: a cozy, tight-knit community that\u2019s accessible by ferry, bridge, or boat. But the home itself had potential, but needed an update when its current homeowners\u2014a couple with three school-age daughters and a dog\u2014bought the place.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Great
There is an open flow between the kitchen, living area, and dining area.<\/figcaption>

Ryan Garvin<\/p><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt needed significant updating in both style and layout to meet the family\u2019s needs,\u201d says Wendy Blackband, principal and lead designer of Blackband Design<\/a>. \u201cThe floor plan felt tight, and the design leaned heavily into dated cottage charm that wasn\u2019t making the best use of the space.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Great
\"They\u2019re active, down-to-earth, and love bright, happy, unique design\u2014finally, a client who truly embraces color! We were thrilled to pull out new colorful swatches,\" Wendy says.<\/figcaption>

Ryan Garvin<\/p><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Wendy\u2019s clients envisioned a space where their daughters could hang out with friends as they grew older, and where guests could comfortably stay. They\u2019re active, down-to-earth, and love bright and happy designs<\/a>, so they were definitely looking for an eclectic, personal, and character-filled aesthetic. Functionality<\/a>, better flow, and more open spaces were also a priority.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Kitchen
The kitchen has function and style.<\/figcaption>

Ryan Garvin<\/p><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe philosophy of this project was summed up early on: \u2018Why do what everyone does when the design could be fun and different?\u2019\u201d Wendy says.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Stairs
Tropical green wallpaper runs up the staircase ceiling.<\/figcaption>

Ryan Garvin<\/p><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The renovation was a down-to-studs transformation, with the design inspiration coming from nature, the island\u2019s relaxed charm, and artwork from both the wife and other artists. The clients weren\u2019t afraid of color<\/a>, which is music to any designer\u2019s ears.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Green
\"We converted a bonus room into a personalized, eclectic space for the family, complete with a kitchenette for functional living,\" Wendy says.<\/figcaption>

Ryan Garvin<\/p><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

\"Bonus
The fireplace in the bonus room has a fun design.<\/figcaption>

Ryan Garvin<\/p><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe goal was to find the sweet spot between bold and timeless, layering rich color selections with soft, coastal-inspired neutrals,\u201d Wendy explains. \u201cWe pulled inspiration from coastal nature scenes: burl wood, live-edge furniture, sea-blue tiles in the main bath, natural material light fixtures in the kitchen and dining room, green kitchenette and palm tree wallpaper, and bougainvillea pink front door. Turquoise fabric with an animal menagerie print covers the great room's swivel chairs and a tropical green wallpaper runs up the staircase ceiling\u2014two fun surprises in the home.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Dining
The house's Dutch door is painted pink as a nod to the island's bougainvillea.<\/figcaption>

Ryan Garvin<\/p><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The first big change was relocating the front door from an alleyway to the street-facing side. Inside, the main living space was reworked to create a natural flow between the living room, dining room, and kitchen. For an indoor-outdoor feel<\/a>, they installed large sliding doors in the great room to open it up to the front patio.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Fish
\"The husband wanted an office that felt connected to the rest of the home but could still offer some acoustic separation\u2014and he had dreamt of having a built-in fish tank that could be enjoyed from both the great room and the office,\" Wendy says.<\/figcaption>

Ryan Garvin<\/p><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

\"Home
The quiet home office.<\/figcaption>

Ryan Garvin<\/p><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The original home office was dark, small, and closed-off, but it was relocated with an entrance in the great room. The husband dreamt of having a built-in fish tank that could be viewed from the office and great room, and he got his wish\u2014it separates the two spaces, along with a glass door.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Primary
The primary bedroom was rearranged so the homeowners could enjoy the bay views.<\/figcaption>

Ryan Garvin<\/p><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

\"Coffee
There's a coffee bar in the primary bedroom.<\/figcaption>

Ryan Garvin<\/p><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The main bedroom also got a major makeover, with the design team making several modifications to the floor plan. \u201cOriginally, there was a fireplace where the headboard now sits,\u201d Wendy says. \u201cRemoving it was a must\u2014it was important to both the clients and our team to use that wall for the bed, allowing them to wake up to a bay view. The original closet was very small\u2014in fact, it's now where their coffee bar is located. To create a proper walk-in closet, accessible through the bathroom, we borrowed space from the adjacent secondary bedroom.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Primary
The primary bathroom features colorful tile.<\/figcaption>

Ryan Garvin<\/p><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

A notable renovation<\/a> addition is the rooftop deck, which was expanded over the entire footprint of the home and is now a big space for entertaining and enjoying the views. Another noteworthy details is the restoration of the lighthouse on the post of the home\u2019s stair rail.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Rooftop
The expansive roof deck is perfect for entertaining.<\/figcaption>

Ryan Garvin<\/p><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt had undeniable charm and serves as a mini time capsule from the original home,\u201d Wendy adds. \u201cBringing it to life\u2014especially making it functional and actually light up\u2014was a fun and rewarding challenge.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Lighthouse
The stair's original lighthouse detail was restored.<\/figcaption>

Ryan Garvin<\/p><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The final design feels easy breezy, stylish, and fun. It very much evokes its beachy environment, and the homeowners agree. \u201cThey\u2019re so happy to be living on Balboa Island in a beautiful home that reflects their love for the area\u2014enjoying their coffee from the sitting area of their bedroom watching boats pass by, filling the bonus room with teen friends on the weekends, and hosting many birthday parties on the rooftop deck!\u201d Wendy says.<\/p>\n","post_title":"A Kitschy Balboa Island Cottage Got a Colorful, Quirky Makeover","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"balboa-island-beach-cottage","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2025-08-07 11:12:57","post_modified_gmt":"2025-08-07 18:12:57","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.sunset.com\/?p=187257","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"stories_row_1_bottom":[{"ID":190731,"post_author":"16","post_date":"2025-07-23 03:00:00","post_date_gmt":"2025-07-23 10:00:00","post_content":"\n

You can thank Dinah Shore for the newest Sunset Idea House<\/a>. In the mid-1960s, the singer and actress commissioned famed desert modern architect Donald Wexler to build her a desert getaway in Palm Springs<\/a>. The 7,000-square-foot estate, a masterpiece of open plan design, with floor-to-ceiling windows framing generous views of the San Jacinto Mountains from nearly every room, poured concrete floors, and extensive use of steel so impressed New Yorker Marnie McBryde on a tour of the home that she decided to commission Wexler to design a house for her to build back in East Hampton. Wexler is known for pioneering the use of steel in residential architecture and for his striking buildings, such as the Palm Springs International Airport, the Alexander houses, and other public and private buildings in the area.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Lance
Lance O\u2019Donnell (of o2 Architecture), Marnie McBryde, and Marc Sanders.<\/figcaption>

Photo by Thomas J. Story. Artwork by Sebastiaan Knot (left) and Glen Wexler (right).<\/p><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI just fell in love with Wexler\u2019s vision of desert modernism, and it just spoke much more closely to my aesthetic and the way I like living,\u201d says McBryde. \u201cI love the simplicity and elegance of it.\u201d Working with Palm Springs architect Lance O\u2019Donnell<\/a>, of o2 Architecture, Wexler designed a low-slung glass and steel house for a site in the country with sweeping meadow views. That house was never built. Wexler passed away in 2015. On a beach walk in the Hamptons, McBryde asked a friend what he thought she should do with the unbuilt Wexler. His answer: \u201cWhy don\u2019t you take it back home?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Idea
The last lost Donald Wexler house sits amongst boulders at the base of the San Jacinto Mountains on the last view lot in Palm Springs.<\/figcaption>

Thomas J. Story<\/p><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Soon McBryde was back in Palm Springs looking for the perfect site to build the last Wexler, eventually finding a view lot in the Desert Palisades development<\/a> just up the hill from Little Tuscany on the north end of town. It was represented by real estate developer Marc Sanders, who not only had the site but shared a love for Wexler: He was in the process of developing what was to become the second-to-last Wexler. McBryde and Sanders hit it off, picked a lot in Desert Palisades, and the last lost Wexler was on its way to becoming reality.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Palm
Trex decking makes for a cool walkway by the pool while the brand\u2019s railing lets in the classic Palm Springs view, which includes the San Jacinto Mountains and a home designed by Al Beadle and Lance O\u2019Donnell, o2 Architecture, in the distance.<\/figcaption>

Thomas J. Story<\/p><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Like so many visionary home designs in Palm Springs, the new home is adept at framing the desert landscape and offers a refreshingly intentional and practical approach to living. Backing up against the mountain range, the sites in Desert Palisades are dotted throughout a dramatic boulder field that offers sweeping views of the city below, from downtown to the airport of Wexler fame<\/a> to the Santa Rosa Mountains to the south.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Palm
Every room, including the office, has the same stunning view and opens to the outside.<\/figcaption>

Photo by Thomas J. Story. Artwork by Glen Wexler.<\/p><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The primary suite was flipped from one end to another to give its occupants the best view of the city. The layout is extremely democratic: Nearly every room, from the secondary and guest bedrooms to the office, all share that same dramatic view, with doors leading past pocket gardens to the outdoor living area<\/a>. The open plan design is anchored by a great room with a fireplace and seating bench that seems to stretch from the interior out through the glass to the valley below. A shaded dining area tucked under beams leads to a pool and viewing decks. \u201cA lot of houses with beautiful landscapes will be sited to favor one room or another with the best view,\u201d says O\u2019Donnell. \u201cBut not this house. No matter what bedroom you\u2019re in, you\u2019re seeing the desert in all its glory.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Idea
Western Window Systems\u2019 Classic Line seamlessly frames the dramatic stone fireplace, echoing the mountains outside.<\/figcaption>

Thomas J. Story<\/p><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI remember sitting with Donald Wexler, having coffee and talking about life and about getting old and time passing, and I made a promise to him that this house would be built,\u201d says McBryde. While Wexler didn\u2019t live to see his dream realized, this home is a testament to the longstanding principles of modernist design, but with smart, contemporary adjustments to make it a timeless, efficient, eminently livable space<\/a> that\u2019s human-centered with no reference to the past or future, but to what any homeowner needs in the here and now: views of the surrounding landscape, spaces for privacy, spaces for gathering, and an experience that allows for life to flow and time to pass with grace and beauty\u2014unassailable good ideas for a house.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Here's How We Got the Look<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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