Retractable ceilings that take the concept of high ceilings to limitless heights. Walls of glass that dissolve the barrier between indoor space and the world outside. Private sculpture gardens that turn a stroll around the property into a magical journey.
There’s no shortage of architectural gems in Orange County. Luxury homebuilders, with the help of architectural visionaries and clients with expansive budgets, are turning what a few years ago could only be imagined into breathtaking realty. Take your imagination on a tour of the following noteworthy homes:
Floating Glass House
Designed by architect Paul McClean, who hails from Ireland but made his mark designing mega mansions in Los Angeles, the three-level home at 32013 Point Place in Laguna Beach seems to literally defy gravity.
Perched on a bluff overlooking the ocean, it appears to hover above the water, like one of the drones often seen sailing above the beaches, through the careful use in this case of glass and steel.
An interesting side note: The home is comprised of two noncontiguous land parcels. Visitors enter through a street-level garage and are taken by hydraulic lift to an entry hall lined with artwork to rival a gallery. The home was also cited in Forbes magazine in 2010 as having one of the “coolest car elevators” in America.
It’s listed for $11.8 million by Sean Stanfield of Pacific Sotheby’s International Realty.
Trophy Home
Casa Paraiso, at 31 Strand Beach Drive in Dana Point, takes premier oceanfront living to the next level.
Laguna Beach-based architect Ed Lorbach designed it with vanishing walls that directly open up the living space to the sand, blurring the lines between indoor and outdoor living. The waves almost literally crash at one’s feet.
The soft-modern home embraces its spectacular setting with a minimalist aesthetic that makes ample use of ecologically responsible materials, earth-tone colors and natural light.
It’s listed for $26 million by John McMonigle and Arlen Raubach of the McMonigle Group.
View From Above
A glass bridge that traverses the home at 25 Montage Way in Laguna Beach invites guests to experience the property in a whole new way.
The bridge is just one feature that makes this property remarkable. Designed by Newport Beach-based architect Chris Light to take full advantage of its close proximity to the ocean, the residence is defined by zero-transition indoor and outdoor living spaces, including tranquil fountains.
The home is listed for $24 million by Tim Smith of Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage.
Other recently sold homes in Orange County include:
Santa Barbara Style
The home at 2 Scenic Bluff in Newport Coast sold on Feb. 13 for $7.7 million. Its November list price was $8 million.
The property offers views of the Pelican Hill golf course, Crystal Cove State Beach and Catalina Island.
It encompasses 6,153 square feet of living space that includes six en-suite bedrooms and two half-baths, an office, game room and chef’s kitchen.
The resort-like backyard features a swimming pool, hot tub and a large pool house with kitchenette and a full bath.
The listing agents were Lili Peters and Rex McKown of Surterre Properties Inc. The buyer was represented by Michael Shank of Compass Realty.
Forever Home
The contemporary ocean-view home at 5701 Seashore Drive in Newport Beach sold on March 7 for $6.6 million, under its December list of $6.9 million.
Situated on a 2,430-square-foot lot right on the sand, it boasts one of the best lots in western Newport Beach. It’s designed to make the most of indoor/outdoor living, and is crafted with an open floor plan, an oversize oceanfront patio and floor-to-ceiling windows and sliding glass doors that frame the views. There are three bedrooms and four baths in the 2,483-square-foot home, as well as a den and an office. There’s also a rooftop deck.
Tara Foster Shapiro of HOM Sotheby’s International Realty was the listing agent, and Christopher Parr of Douglas Elliman of California was the buyer’s agent.
