The Francos had tapped Mark Morris of Oasis Architecture to refresh the home. He was skeptical; homeowners who go the DIY route usually end up regretting it. But Lisa’s knack for design was apparent. She pulled samples, chose colors, sourced finishes, and visited showrooms, and others in the industry treated her like a fellow pro. “I just started calling myself a designer, and other people believed me,” she laughs. “My career was in science. Science is problem-solving. Interior design is, too. It’s solving a problem, and making it look good.”

When Morris walked through the finished product, he said, “‘You need to come work for me,’” he recalls. Soon after, she did. Their first project together won Bathroom of the Year in San Diego Home/Garden Lifestyles magazine.

As Samantha, now 24, and the couple’s son Ethan, 21, got older, the Francos set out to find a forever home—one that could accommodate a future live-in caregiver for Sam. In 2017, a La Jolla Heights gem jumped out from a listing in the paper: an Old Hollywood–inspired, 1960’s home, once owned by an oil baroness. The Francos bought it, and Morris signed on to bring the build into modern day. The bones were good, and “the house had the perfect entry—grand, yet understated,” Morris says.

The inside, on the other hand, needed work. Full of small, closed-off areas, it had level changes at every turn, like step-downs into bedrooms. Morris and the Francos modified the floor plan with two goals in mind: to create a seamless flow for family time and entertaining and to make the layout safe for Sam to have as much independence as possible.

They leveled out the floors, opened up the once-enclosed staircase for visibility, and installed pocket-door gates to block rooms and stairs as needed. Though the layout changed, “Lisa loved that house and wanted to respect it,” Morris says, so they preserved some original elements: crown molding, light fixtures, closet doors, built-ins.

Today, once you cross the threshold, you step directly into the main living space, or the great room. Just past the L-shaped couch is a million-dollar view: La Jolla’s hodgepodge of terracotta rooftops, the coast, all the way to Mexico.

The home’s primary palette is one of soft gray and white walls with chocolate-brown wood floors. But the Franco house is anything but muted. Lisa’s style is bold, colorful, happiness-inducing. In the great room, velvet pillows add pops of pink, blue, and ochre to the couch.

The great room flows into the kitchen, separated only by a peninsula. When Lisa and Morris design a kitchen for a client, they ask about their everyday routine—and that’s exactly what informed Lisa’s own space. Daily essentials receive priority; open shelves hold flour, sugar, oil, and tea, while a full butler pantry around a corner offers hidden storage.

The most innovative feature is a pass-through cabinet between the kitchen and dining room. Dishes and glassware are accessible from either side, and the configuration lets the dining room borrow the kitchen’s natural light.

The Francos wanted an additional space to unwind with friends, so they tucked a bar into an alcove off the great room. “Sometimes we have a couple come over, and we just want to hang, but our dining room is big,” Lisa says. “So this is an intermediate. It’s cozy.”

The couple pulled the blue from the kitchen island and incorporated gold and stone accents. The wire accents on the bar island are both aesthetic and functional—no need to worry about scuffs from guests’ shoes. Closed cabinets hold their collection of wine and spirits.

On the other side of the great room is Lisa’s office, easily the most colorful space in the house. Her desk is framed by a bay window overlooking the courtyard, while a pendant light fixture, original to the home and refreshed with deep teal paint, anchors the room. “I love whimsy,” Lisa says. The owl-print wallpaper was a touch she couldn’t resist. Luis was skeptical until he saw it installed. “That’s why she’s the designer,” he laughs.

Right across the hall is Sam’s media room, furnished with durable pieces. It’s near the kitchen and dining room, so Sam has her own space but is still in the mix. A mother-in-law suite, which can eventually function as a caregiver’s room, is next-door.

The great room might be the heart of the home, but the lower level is where the fun happens.

A mural of Lisa’s late brother, Michael “Howie” Mandell, who she calls “the life of the party,” is front and center, smiling with arms outstretched. The local artist they commissioned tagged the names of Howie’s loved ones around him, and band posters harken back to Howie and Lisa’s shared love of music.

In the corner is sapo, a Peruvian game (also called “toad in the hole”) that Luis grew up playing. The objective: Throw a gold coin into the toad’s mouth or the nearby holes. The sapo table was a gift from Luis’s mom, who transported it in pieces via plane.

A far wall holds a candy bar, stocked with guests’ favorites, and a mini kitchen with a pink SMEG fridge and toaster. The oversized sliding window opens up onto the grill, the outdoor dining space, and the pool area.

It’s a stunning pool, considering it was once surrounded by green carpet. “It was like going into a football locker room,” Morris says. “The pool itself was spectacular, and we didn’t want to lose that character.” The Francos kept the exposed beams, opened the ceiling and walls, and wrapped the columns in dark brick. “During the day, it feels like you’re outside,” Morris says, “but at night, all lit up, it really feels like its own room.”

Morris and Lisa treated the outdoor space like an extension of the home, creating “rooms” for different functions: grilling, playing, resting, entertaining. A fire pit at the farthest point is an ideal spot to sit and reflect. Lisa designed a “rug” made from tiles that frames the outdoor dining area. They added a ping-pong table for Ethan and his friends. And in the polished, turfed yard, which mimics the shape of the pool, there’s always room for an impromptu game of soccer.

Looking up from the backyard, you can see the family’s gathering spots—great room, basement, kitchen—framed like vignettes through the windows. “Being a good architect is not about bringing your sense of style to the table,” Morris says. “It’s about being sensitive to the environment, the existing [house], and the client’s interests. And if you can cohesively pull that together into a beautiful design that feels like home, you’ve done your job.”

The post Home Tour: Renovation Brings Coastal Glamour to a 1960’s Abode appeared first on San Diego Magazine.

Alexia Maria, hero

Courtesy of Alexia Maria

For San Diego–based designer Alexia María Esquer, style runs through her DNA. Her grandmother’s atelier in Mexicali served as her childhood playground. At five, she started to sew, paint, and design, using whatever materials she could find. Old zippers. Broken jewelry. Scraps of cloth.

“Together, my grandmother and I could make something out of anything,” she says. When she did take a trip to the fabric store, it felt like a trip to Disneyland.

In adulthood, Esquer’s lifelong passion translated into a career. With her grandmother’s mentorship, she launched an eponymous clothing line in 2014, opening the first Alexia María store in La Jolla.

The Alexia María aesthetic is classically feminine with a modern twist: oversized bows and detachable capes, mini dresses, and column gowns.

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Her designs pay homage to Golden Age film icons like Grace Kelly and Audrey Hepburn. A voracious vintage shopper, Esquer notes that the craftsmanship of decades-old pieces is unparalleled, though she’s known to tweak her finds to modernize their silhouettes. “If I can’t find it, maybe I can try to make it,” she explains.

One signature Alexia María look: overskirts. En vogue in the ’50s, overskirts offer two options: Add it on for a formal dress, or leave it off for a jumpsuit. The Alexia María overskirt made its red carpet debut in early 2016 when actress Abigail Spencer turned heads in a red ensemble.

That classic look in a sea of trendy gowns soon garnered A-list interest. Ariana Grande, Paris Hilton, and Gwen Stefani have donned Alexia María gowns.

Yet while big names come calling, the designs are attainable enough to also fit black tie events and weddings, most often on bridesmaids, mothers of the bride, and guests.

In 2020, mid-pandemic, Esquer began to cater to an influx of brides who were scrambling to pull together backyard ceremonies and courthouse weddings. “They needed something fast,” she says. “And they needed something white.”

For smaller-scale weddings, brides were favoring alternative styles like midi dresses or jumpsuits. Galas and events were on pause, so the Alexia María atelier’s production time was faster than ever: seven to 10 business days. Orders rolled in, and in the months that followed, grateful brides sent photos, thanking the Alexia María team for being a bright spot in a hard time.

Alexia Maria, dresses

Courtesy of Alexia Maria

As large-scale weddings returned, Alexia María pieces became go-to’s for rehearsal dinners, engagement parties, and bridal showers. The pandemic shifted the Alexia María shopping experience; though the atelier no longer offers in-person appointments, customers can peruse new collections at trunk shows and select Saks Fifth Avenue and Neiman Marcus stores.

Alexia María’s latest collection—fall/winter 2022/2023—might be the label’s most feminine yet. “I captured the dreamy feeling of Paris in this collection,” Esquer says. “Like a dramatic ruby gown with a long train and long bow. It makes you dream of dressing up, a big event, a romantic moment.”

“As an entrepreneur, business owner, and mother, I see modern femininity as embracing your essence and being confident in who you are,” she continues. “I always tell my customers, the most important thing you can wear is your confidence.”

As one of the foremost designers in the San Diego bridal and formalwear space, Esquer says she appreciates the petite size of the city’s design community. “There are great artists here in San Diego, but they each have their own niche,” she says. “And I get to have my family life and my personal life without feeling the rush of the fashion scene.”

Her family plays a big role. Esquer’s husband, Ricardo Rubio, is the brand’s CEO, while her sister-in-law Gabriela Rubio is the brand director. And, she adds, “Every time my grandmother visits me, she comes to my atelier and wants to cry because she can’t believe it.”

The post Mexicali Modern appeared first on San Diego Magazine.

Two-story windows frame the ocean view in the great room.

Photo Credit: James Brady

You can build your dream house, but you can’t build your dream view. So when a London-based family with San Diego roots started its search for a vacation home in La Jolla, it kept one thing in mind: potential.

In 2013, the family purchased a property on Mount Soledad, a 1960s home with a pool and a guest house. The foundation was failing. The pool had seen better days. But the sweeping view of the Pacific was priceless.

The owners interviewed a half dozen architects before landing on Mark A Silva (who doesn’t punctuate his name). They gave him a design brief: number of bedrooms and bathrooms, key features—and all of their trust.

The design process was done almost entirely remotely. Silva frequented the site until he was intimately familiar with the lot size, its orientation and the levels of privacy throughout. He memorized the view. Walked the terrain. Inhaled the salty breeze. Traced the sun’s path. And started to sketch.

The owners understood Silva’s concept when it was just lines on paper. He presented an angular, contemporary home, brimming with natural light, multiple indoor-outdoor living spaces, and floor-to-ceiling windows that did the ocean view justice.

Early in the process, the family dubbed its vacation home Can Deus: “House of the Gods.” Construction was completed in 2016. The steps that wind through the backyard, and the retaining walls that line them, are the only original element.

The backyard steps are the only original element on the property.

Photo Credit: James Brady

Inside the home, a light-wood ceiling soars toward a wall of windows, showing off an infinite sky where it collides with the blue-green of the ocean. Outside, lush landscaping frames the steps as they descend toward the lowest point of the property, home to a new pool and guest house.

As you walk back up the steps and face the back of the home, the lines of the roof “are like two arms embracing you,” says Silva.

“The outcome of a project very clearly shows: How much did you care?” says Silva. “It’s not just doing the design, plans, and permit. It has so much more meaning to me.”

As he reminisces on the Can Deus project, Silva points to eight design elements—from the cantilever deck that captures an unexpected view to the natural light that pours in through skylights—that combine to form a home fit for the gods.

A row of skylights illuminates the south stone wall.

Photo Credit: James Brady

Organic Architecture

Coined by the iconic Frank Lloyd Wright, organic architecture is a design principle in which structures are inspired by, and built into, their environment. Those who adhere to the principle first consider a lot’s features: sun, wind, orientation, existing slopes, and shapes. Then, they factor in the homeowners: their preferred aesthetic, must-haves, lifestyle. Finally, they note any limitations, like height restrictions. Massage all that together, and the design will evolve on its own. “It’s functional sculpture,” Silva says.

Can Deus Exterior SDM 02-23

Photo Credit: James Brady

Aesthetic

The home’s blend of metal, glass, wood, and concrete was Silva’s directive, influenced by the owners’ vision. They had requested an aesthetic that was, in their words, “sludgy,” a nod to the moody weather in their native London. Interior designer Anita Dawson collaborated with Silva and the owners to fulfill that vision, using statement pieces—a motorcycle in the great room, a custom wood record player, a neon sign from an English artist—to establish a California vibe with a splash of London.

Front Door

The home’s façade is intentionally “mild mannered,” says Silva. “More of a sleeper,” merely hinting at what’s inside. Initially, it was even more so. Silva and the homeowners had settled on and installed a simpler front door. Later on, Silva rediscovered his original door designs. On a whim, he emailed them to the homeowner, saying, “[C]oulda, woulda, shoulda.” A nearly immediate response came through: “Let’s do it.”

Silva collaborated with a wood craftsman and a metal artist to bring his vision to life. The door’s slab is sandblasted redwood; the harder grain remains and softer grain is stripped away, like a carving dictated by the tree itself.

The door swings open on a pivot hinge to reveal nearly the entire view. Can Deus’s wedge shape mimics that of a telescope—its walls angle out at nine degrees, and the roof angles up at nine degrees, too. The effect draws the eye both up and out before you even step inside.

Can Deus Front Door SDM 02-23

Photo Credit: James Brady

Fireplace

To create distinction between the kitchen and the great room, Silva designed a sculptural fireplace. It’s a piece that adds warmth, both visually and literally; clad in copper, the wood-burning fireplace stretches from the first floor through the second-story loft. This was one of the first design elements to be finalized, and its concrete base was poured at the same time as the building foundation.

Pond

A tiny pond greets guests by the front entrance, while the back deck houses a larger pond with stocky koi. The initial plan was to run a pond right through the house, along the south interior wall, under the skylights. Since Can Deus is a vacation home, concerns about the upkeep and the potential for fish fiascos nixed that idea. Now, says Silva, the owners wish they had gone for it. They’re in town more often than they’d anticipated, and the homeowners even opened an office locally to have additional cause to visit.

Can Deus Bedroom SDM 02-23

Photo Credit: James Brady

Natural Light

Southern California’s constant sunshine is a welcome deviation from rainy London. While designing, Silva harnessed natural light as much as possible. Afternoon sun flows through the great room’s western-facing windows. (The homeowners’ cat splays out in the patches of sun in between jaunts through the garden.) A row of skylights on the home’s south side runs from interior to exterior, illuminating the south stone wall.

Silva arranged the bedrooms on the north side of the home and the game room and garage on the south. In the bedrooms and bathrooms, Silva incorporated extra high windows. Flush to the ceiling and often in a corner, these windows invite sunlight in while maintaining privacy.

The owners’ extensive art collection is on display on the second story. To ensure each piece is well lit without incurring sun damage, Silva installed a multi-layer skylight. One on the roof, with a pane of glass in a hallway floor. Light travels freely through two stories, brightening both at once.

Can Deus Interior SDM 02-23

Photo Credit: James Brady

Cantilever Deck

When Silva first explored the site, he had a hunch that there might be an untapped view. He returned with an A-frame ladder, climbed to the top, held a camera up high, and snapped a photo. He was right. From the right height and angle, the property boasts a southern view: Mission Beach, the curve of the shoreline down to Point Loma, the islands off of Mexico, and beyond.

One of the homeowners is an avid surfer who grew up in Mission Beach. When he was a teen, his family moved to London, and he’s lived there since. Now, from the tip of the cantilever deck off the primary bedroom, he can see where he grew up. A long, low window on the room’s south wall also frames the Mission Beach view, making it visible from the bed.

Mark A Silva Can Deus SDM 02-23

Photo Credit: James Brady

Landscaping

When the property was purchased, three towering pine trees were removed due to overgrown roots. Today, the drought-friendly landscaping brings together some of the rarest species in San Diego. Initially installed by David McCullough of McCullough Landscape Architecture, the plants are now tenderly maintained by Paul Lough.

In the front yard, a jacaranda shades Mexican birds of paradise, and wispy feather grass lines the sidewalk. Throughout both front and back yards, the trained eye will spot variegated aloe (one regular, one reversed) and 25 species of agave.

The garden, which resembles a postage stamp from above, regularly lures hummingbirds. It offers everything from plump lemons to bay laurel, rosemary, and mint. A strawberry tree by the guest house scatters its edible fruit; it’s juicy, studded with seeds, reminiscent of a peach.

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