Costera Moderna in Newport Beach
Costera Moderna— Coastal Modern, but with a Spanish accent: that’s what these clients requested for the media room in their gracious Santa Barbara style home:
The Design Brief: a cozy lounge area for comfortable viewing, styled with elegance on par with the rest of the house.
The Challenge: a small space, and retired clients with a desire for supportive seating (plus discerning taste).
Read on for details!
1.
Small Space Seating
This couple first came to us concerned about layout: each felt they were not being placed directly in front of their media area. Their original sofa was too large, pushing the existing armchair, preferred by the husband, out of the ideal viewing zone. The wife didn’t want to lose sofa seating, and the chance to snuggle with grandkids when they visited for a movie night. The husband, at 6’3,” enjoyed the support of a lounge chair when watching his Formula One races. They’d pushed things around and run out of ideas—that’s where we came in.
We started by defining the space with an 8’ x 10’ rug centered on the television. This gorgeous Loloi rug from the Legacy Collection not only set the palette, but determined the size of seating we needed. We ordered a petite 5’ sofa with a low back and arms to keep it looking proportional. Then we found a vintage mid-century leather lounge chair and footstool that provided some contrast as well as total comfort.
Previously, the couple had used a beautiful oak chest as a coffee table. We moved this downstairs and custom designed an ottoman perfect for putting your feet up, and making the sofa feel like an extra-large armchair (note—we loved this piece so much, there’s a whole post about ottomans coming up in the Design Log.)
Now everyone has a good view in total comfort.
2.
The Perfect Lounger
They just don’t make chairs like this anymore. This mid-century lounger designed in Brazil has it all: wood, leather, a recliner, a headrest, and upholstered armrests. Note to furniture designers—every male client of a certain age that I’ve ever designed for wants all these features. And this beauty achieves the brief in a gorgeous bentwood design, an organic detail you won’t find in the ever popular Eames version.
As this chair was designed some time in the 1960’s we had it refurbished by a specialist. I’ve never found another one, but if you’re looking for something similarly special, try vintage sites like Chairish and 1stDibs.
Mid Century Modern Ilmari Tapiovaara Lounge Chair with Ottoman from 1stDibs $2,750
Ekornes Mid Century Gray Stressless Lounge Chair and Ottoman from Chairish $1,750
3.
Notes on Style
To make so many pieces work together in such a small space, we relied on a cohesive palette as well as just enough contrast to keep things balanced. The seating elements all had distinct textures: leather and wooden curves for the lounger, soft laundered linen on the sofa, and nubby distressed wool from a vintage kilim for the ottoman.
To harmonize everything, we stuck to a palette inspired by early California and the Santa Barbara style of the home; all the silvers, teals, and blues of the ocean, earthy terracotta and brown, and black accents that recall Spanish ironwork (also found throughout the home.) Rustic linens and handwoven fabrics for the cushions (try Shoppe Amber Interiors) contributed patina, while modern ceramics from Heath, Leif, and Esquelito mirrored the design era of the lounger. To bring in the Spanish influence, we included a cast iron side table, the slope arm of the sofa, real terracotta accents, and the Moorish-inspired lattice that opens up the space above the stairway but protects little ones from tumbling over.
Lastly, no space is complete without art, and as these clients are collectors of early California watercolors, hunting down the perfect piece was a great way to celebrate the project. We found inspiration in the work of Carolyn Lord, known for her color work and classic California subjects. The work we chose featured a favorite location—Point Lobos in Carmel—and condensed our palette into a vibrant, saturated focal point. Here’s our selection, plus a couple other pieces we loved:
“Autumn Afternoon at the Pacific” Watercolor ‐ Paper ‐ 22" x 30"
“Fish Rock Retreat” Watercolor ‐ Paper ‐ 22 x 30
“Shell Beach Opalescence” Watercolor ‐ Paper ‐ 22 x 30
We’re so pleased with how the Costera Moderna project came together—working with dream clients to create beauty, function and comfort all in one space. We hope you’ve found some inspiration. Thanks for following along with the Design Log!