A Husband and Wife and His Mother Merge Housing Situations to Create the Ideal Private Retreat in Redondo Beach

After a series of family conversations, Judy weighed options and scenarios: fix up the home and rent it; move out of state to be near siblings; combine households with Tony and Teri; or sell the home. She decided on the latter. After less than a week on the market, however, she changed her mind—opting to stay put and blend households with Tony and Teri.

“She said, ‘I want to keep the legacy in the family and build something here and live in the back,’” shares Tony. “She loved the area too much and wanted a forever home.”

They knew when they joined households, they would have to start anew with a standalone accessory dwelling unit (ADU) for Judy and a main space for Tony and Teri, their English bulldog, Buffy, and the couple’s two grown daughters, who would visit from time to time.

“The original house was fairly old, and although it had been remodeled with a second story in the 1970s, it was long and narrow,” recalls Tony of the roughly 1,600-square-foot home. “You had to walk up a long, skinny driveway to the front door. My mom and I agreed if we were going to do it, we’d have to rebuild.”

Collectively settling on a “beachy style” home, they scoured Instagram and Pinterest for inspiration and turned to Gary Lane, owner of Lane Design+Build in Hermosa Beach, and construction manager Trey Campbell, who had also designed a few homes on the same street.

“It’s fun because we’re doing more houses now with detached or separate living areas for family members, and I think the designing needs are changing for some of these projects,” says Gary. “I think that’s the next generation—it’s happening more and more.”

The “beach house” design included help from Kimm Dunne of Details Tile and Stone Studio in Hermosa Beach and Melonee Patterson of Zing Design Inc. in Rolling Hills Estates, who have both worked alongside Lane Design+Build on numerous previous projects. It consists of a 3,200-square-foot main house with four bedrooms and four and one-half baths layered with distressed oak flooring; light fixtures by Regina Andrew, Visual Comfort & Co. and Serena & Lily; a kitchen island in Benjamin Moore’s Wild Blue Yonder; and wallcoverings by Phillip Jeffries.

“I love all of the details,” says Melonee. “There is something around every corner—from wainscoting and tongue-and-groove to barn doors and brass fixtures. It is a lovely balance of coastal with a little farmhouse thrown in.”

Additional home features include custom-built exterior railings based on a Southern Cross design; a media room and office area; a backyard barbecue, hot tub and swimming pool (something Tony had always wanted); a rooftop deck with a firepit and TV; an elevator; a three-car garage; and a sizeable, fully contained separate living space for Judy.

“We had a blank canvas to work with,” says Gary. “We looked at the light and the flow of the property and placed the pool on the south side for more southern exposure. It’s your own little world in the backyard, and we wanted the ADU to tie in so that it all cohesively flows together and makes it feel connected to the main house. We built the pool right up against the ADU with a retaining wall going down, so part of the pool is actually part of the house. It looks like it’s floating with the pool right up against it. [The backyard] is a retreat where you can get away from everything because it’s so private back there.”

Judy’s 590-square-foot dwelling—located a few steps from the house abutting the lagoon-like pool—mimics the architecture of the main home on the exterior but feels worlds away on the inside. Marked by a blue Dutch door, her space is appointed with a full kitchen; bathroom with a large walk-in shower; laundry room; bedroom; and a main living room. Furnishings include a custom built-in credenza with raffia panels; a rattan Zita coffee table by Tikamoon; a Ravel handwoven rug by Dash & Albert by Annie Selke; and an ivory Sterling sofa by Room & Board.

“It really reflects Judy’s style,” adds Melonee. “She likes mid-century modern and brought some items from the previous house that she wanted to incorporate—like a brass bed that had been in the family for more than 50 years.”

Being together on one lot, the Whittles each cherish individual elements of the home and living arrangement. They don’t regret their decision to combine residences for a second.

“The thing I love most about my ‘little house,’ as I call it, is the opportunity to live in close proximity to my family,” says Judy. “We respect each other’s privacy but are close enough to pop over and enjoy each other’s company anytime.”