30 DIGS.NET | 6.11.2021
M
A
R
K
E
T
S W E E T D I G S | 8 3 0 L E O N A R D R O A D
in the pool below. A sauna promises warmth after an afternoon
of water polo, belly flop contests and races. There's room for a
dining table here and, given Los Angeles' temperate climate,
eating outside makes even everyday meals feel like a special
occasion. The outdoor fireplace, finally, promises that festivities
can continue even as the chill of evening descends.
In colder weather, welcome friends through the home's
main entryway and into the formal living room, where a fire-
place beckons them to gather. With its high ceilings and glass
walls that open to a private side patio, it's a cozy retreat in
the evening. The rustling of the trees overhead offers a sooth-
ing soundtrack to late-night conversations fortified with good
wines. Leave the sliding doors to the master bedroom suite
open at night and nature's music will lull you to sleep. A gener-
ous bathroom, with a long counter to hold all the products you
picked up at Brentwood Village, and a walk-in closet add to this
area's allure. Three junior bedrooms, with a shared bathroom,
are clustered down the end of the hallway. One, which opens
directly onto the pool, would be an ideal hangout space for
tweenagers. Don't be surprised, however, if on rainy days the
kids commandeer the family room at the top of that turquoise
staircase. With its treetop views, they'll happily spend hours up
here. (Secluded from the rest of the home, it would also make
a great office or a private master bedroom suite.) One of the
delights of this home is that its well-considered configuration
can be reimagined as the kids grow, with parents near their
children when they're younger, then, as they mature, provid-
ing space for all parties.
In the morning, after an hour of "hanging ten" in Malibu—the
drive to the beach, against traffic, puts you on the water in 20
minutes—you arrive home, your boards slotting neatly into the
fence's racks. You dive into the pool for some laps, then warm
up with a few minutes in the sauna. When you emerge, the fami-
ly's just beginning to stir. Gathered for breakfast in the kitchen,
one child on a stool at the island, another at the banquette, your
spouse wondering who fed the animals, it hits you. This is the
real definition of home—a warm, enveloping and intimate space
with everything you could possibly want within easy reach.