Designed by Wendy Blackband of Blackband Design, this Corona del Mar home was built as an entertainer's paradise. Here's your invitation inside.
This Corona del Mar home gets its good looks from Patterson Custom Homes and Brandon Architects. ALL PHOTOS BY RYAN GARVIN
Custom cabinetry complements the gourmet kitchen’s Sub-Zero, Wolf and Miele appliances.
THE PROJECT
For an Orange County couple with grown children—and a bevy of grandchildren—their Corona del Mar home is a haven for both family events and philanthropic soirees. To create a space that reflects their love of entertaining, the homeowners tapped Wendy Blackband of Orange County’s Blackband Design when they built their custom two-story abode from the ground up. “Maximizing the main floor with comfortable gathering spaces was a must. Each seating arrangement was intentionally designed to make a statement on its own,” says Blackband. “The home has very traditional curb appeal, yet its view from the first step inside is very modern with the unexpected breezeway, so designing the interiors was a constant tightrope walk between traditional and modern elements.” Construction began in 2020, and the home was completed with furnishings in 2022.
Blackband Design created custom sofas in the living room.
THE DESIGN
“Throughout the home, there is a sophisticated mix of caramel wood tones, plush upholstery, and organic and striking tiles and stones. The combination of modern and traditional architectural styles, along with the grand scale of the home, makes Project Shorecliffs uniquely classic with a host of surprises,” says Blackband, who joined a dream team of creatives to bring the project to life. Chris Brandon of Brandon Architects handled the home’s architecture, while Andrew Patterson of Patterson Custom Homes executed the build. Molly Wood of Molly Wood Garden Design acted as the landscape architect, with her work shining in the backyard. The pool sparkles with waterline tile sourced by Wood and is complemented by a dazzling fire pit by Hart Concrete Design.
The sparkling home's pool area
THE CHALLENGE
“Designed with hosting in mind, the luxurious kitchen is an entertainer’s delight. Its impressive square footage offers quite the spread, spanning nearly 30 feet from the pantry and prep kitchen to the main kitchen’s neighboring bar,” says Blackband. “Each kitchen space is defined by unique elements of their own while creating an overall consistent style and cohesive flow.” While the space is one of Blackband’s favorites in the home, it didn’t come without its challenges. “[We had to] incorporate two massive islands in the kitchen that stand in their own space without competing against each other. Since they are big, it was important that they weren’t the same but still cohesive,” she shares. “Statement lighting above each helped to differentiate and define the main kitchen and bar islands. With that being said, selecting all the lighting for the great room area—the kitchen, bar and dining—and ensuring that it all worked together was the biggest challenge and took me the longest.”
Pratt & Larson tile in custom colors livens up the backsplash on the wet bar.
THE HIGHLIGHTS
“Between the kitchen, dining and living spaces in the great room, there are 36 individual seats arranged in intimate layouts that each complement the design as a whole,” notes Blackband. “Two sectional sofas and an array of outdoor seating in the adjacent backyard patio and courtyards keep the seat count climbing.” While ample places to gather allow the home’s owners to fulfill their desire to entertain, Blackband also ensured the couple could enjoy serene spaces of their own. “Beyond a steel-framed corridor, a floating staircase and luxe elevator lead to the homeowner’s personal space to unwind and recharge—a primary suite complete with a canopy bed, spalike bathroom, private retreat and ocean-view balcony.”
A custom canopy bed by Blackband Design serves as the focal point of the open-air primary suite.
The primary bathroom features a Victoria + Albert soaking tub.
THE RESULT
For Blackband, achieving perfection for her clients is all in the details. “As a designer, the trades don’t always want to do it the way we choose because it can be more complicated or just different than the standard method, but it’s those details that are so important.”
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