When the time came for a couple and their two children to customize a home they purchased on a walk street in Manhattan Beach—featured in this year’s Sandpipers Holiday Homes Tour with a modern holiday décor scheme—they defaulted to important nostalgic elements: their heritage and beginnings. The couple—she’s from New Zealand, and they initially met in Australia—knew they wanted to incorporate hints of their past into the new design. To help, they entrusted Luis Murillo, principal at LMD Architecture Studio in Manhattan Beach, who was a referral from a friend and previous client of the firm.
“The house was originally a 1990s developer home, characterized by angled walls, limited views to the outdoors and minimal exterior spaces,” explains Luis. “The vision for the redesign was to create an open floor plan with abundant natural light, rich textures and a seamless connection between indoor and outdoor living spaces. A modern, sleek aesthetic was the goal, with a focus on functionality and comfort.”
For the overhaul of the three-story, 3,865-square-foot residence dubbed Australian Modern, Luis worked alongside interior designer Kellie Eserts of Kellie Eserts Interiors in Los Angeles, with whom he’d collaborated on several projects. To improve the flow, modernize the space and take full advantage of sweeping views including Catalina Island, the upper level was completely reconfigured to remove existing steps, relocate the dining room and living room to the south of the home, and incorporate expanded outdoor areas at the north and south ends.
“Natural wood was used in the ceilings and the main staircase, chosen for its warmth and organic beauty,” adds Luis. “For the flooring, large tiles resembling natural concrete were selected. The goal was to maintain simplicity and enhance the overall minimalist aesthetic.”
To tailor the home to the family and infuse layers and eye-catching objects, Kellie worked closely with the homeowners to select tile, paint colors, flooring and everything down to the pillows. “We wanted our home to feel like a welcoming retreat where visitors can truly relax like they would in an Aussie beach home,” says the homeowner.
Lighting was hand-selected throughout, including a Caboche pendant by Foscarini belonging to the homeowners, and a woven wood pendant light in the stairwell by New Zealand–based designer David Trubridge. “We were looking for shapes and moments of interest, and a big fixture there,” adds Kellie. “The shadows it casts at night are amazing on the plaster walls.”
In the living room, a painting entitled My Country by Indigenous Australian artist Kudditji Kngwarreye hangs behind a vintage Eames chair, while a sofa and swivel chairs from DWR and a coffee table from A+R atop a rug from Australian company Armadillo create a zone for lounging and entertaining. “It’s a space where everyone can kick back, feel at home and just curl up on the sofa without any fuss,” adds the homeowner.
The clean-lined kitchen is appointed with an island and cabinetry awash in a combination of rift white oak and Dunn-Edwards’ ink-blue-black Slate Wall; a skylight clad in blackened steel; lacquered ash Nerd breakfast chairs by Muuto; and an Akoya LED orange perforated metal pendant lamp from RBW. “It was one of the last pieces we found, and it fits with the homeowners’ love of minimal lines with lots of interesting texture,” says Kellie. “We also bought the [Muuto] chairs in a few colors to mix and match.”
Personal touches continue in the tranquil primary suite with a charcoal-and-white rug from Surya, a Level tufted caramel-hued leather bench from Article, and sentimental artwork and photography including photos left to the wife by her late father. “We thought the leather perfectly matched the color in the Blue Lake photograph by Andrei Duman, the husband’s brother-in-law,” adds Kellie.
Following the two-year-long transformation, the home now artfully blends functionality and character with the essence of the family with hints of their roots. “They are proud of it,” adds Kellie. “It reflects who they are and where they came from.”
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More Than Just a Tour
By 2024–2025 Sandpipers president Dayna Bubenicek
Sandpipers was founded in 1931 at the height of the Great Depression, with a mission of supporting South Bay families in need through philanthropy. The Holiday Homes Tour, now in its 32nd year, is a natural extension of that mission, raising essential funds for our charitable programs while showcasing distinctive South Bay homes decked out in festive décor. It’s more than just a tour; it’s an event—with a holiday market and café—that encapsulates the spirit of giving during the holiday season.
The Sandpipers Holiday Homes Tour is one of our largest fundraising events—allowing us to raise over $130,000 annually to support families in need throughout the year. These funds support virtually all of Sandpipers’ philanthropic programs, benefiting a wide array of causes in the South Bay.
The impact is far-reaching, from our Holiday Baskets, which deliver essential goods to families in need, and Sugarplum, which grants holiday wishes to foster children, to our Back-to-School Shopping, which provides children with clothes and school supplies in August. Our college scholarship program—started in 1941—is the oldest continuing scholarship program in the South Bay.
The money raised by these programs enables Sandpipers to provide essential services and make lasting change in the lives of many in our community.
