Lisa McDennon

McDennon came to the project through her frequent collaborator Nicholson Construction, and the builder brought her onto Ocean early, alongside architect Geoff Sumich. The house was conceived as a spec home, but McDennon was given something designers rarely get: complete trust.

“It was a dream project,” she says. “The builder really believed in me and gave me the freedom to create.”

Her approach to that iconic view was to introduce a little drama and a lot of texture while remaining understated. The home’s architecture is defined by clean, contemporary lines and an extraordinary sense of openness: walls of glass connect the kitchen, living spaces, courtyard, pool and garden, while the primary suite opens onto a balcony overlooking the ocean. Louvered screens can close off the terrace, creating an indoor-outdoor experience that feels private as well as expansive. Open the glass doors, close the louvers, and suddenly you have the best of both worlds.

That same idea continues indoors. Large-scale slab flooring, marble, porcelain, onyx and granite are layered with burnished bronze and brass. The staircase is wrapped in floor-to-ceiling amber-tinted smoked glass. But despite the abundance of luxe materials, the house remains firmly in the territory of quiet luxury. McDennon calls the mood of Ocean “serene, elegant, elevated,” and, above all, “understated.”

I tend not to design interiors that are overly glamorous,’” says the designer. “People often want contemporary houses, and the interiors can feel cold or impersonal. But Ocean is warm, comfortable, and inviting. You step inside and you don’t want to leave.”

A lot of that warmth comes from McDennon's thoughtful use of furniture in the residence. Rather than arranging every room around that postcard view, she created spaces and vignettes that could be experienced in multiple directions. Swivel chairs and carefully positioned sofas allow guests to look toward the ocean or turn inward for conversation. Ultimately, the experience of the house is as important as the view it frames.

Interestingly, the space that most resonates with visitors, McDennon says, is the one where the ocean disappears altogether: the basement. It is an evening entertaining space and private wellness retreat, including a dedicated massage room, full bar, wine cellar, and home theater. It is also proof that the success of a house like this can’t be measured in square footage of ocean view alone.

"Ocean is about the essentials—the design, the mood, the lighting, the furniture, and the flow.” says McDennon.

That attention to a home’s overall feeling is characteristic of McDennon’s work. Her material palette draws as much from the landscape as it does from traditional notions of luxury: tactile woods and stones, layered fabrics, and subtly contrasting finishes. “I’m hugely inspired by my surroundings, whether it’s up in the hills or at the beach,” says the designer. “Having that tactile sensation around me is where the texture and layering comes in.”

Central to that layering is Frette, especially in the primary suite. McDennon explored the brand’s familiar bedding, incorporating linens, throws and pillows throughout the sleeping and sitting areas, along with bath accessories, trays and oversized diffusers. She says the experience also opened her eyes to the breadth of Frette’s offerings beyond the bed and bath. In fact, she recently found herself shopping Frette sleepwear with a client who had initially come in looking for products for the home.

"It was really fun working with Frette because they are such a great partner,” says McDennon. “When I met with Frette, they essentially gave me carte blanche to select from their collection. That level of trust and generosity is rare in our industry, and working with them was truly a designer’s dream.”

The result is a house that manages to feel distinctly Newport Beach without leaning too heavily on the familiar tropes of coastal SoCal design. There is no need for a nautical theme when the Pacific is already outside the door. Instead, the landscape is felt in the house’s light, texture, materials and easy movement between indoors and out. The architecture is strong and clean; the interiors soften it with warmth, tactility and a sense of give.

And therein lies the achievement of Ocean: The architecture provides the drama, but the interiors provide a reason to stay. The house may have been designed around one of the most enviable views in Southern California, but McDennon never lets the view have the final word.

Or, as she puts it: “The lifestyle is the design, and the design is the lifestyle.”