Just steps from the beach, this Coronado home first captured its owners’ hearts with its location rather than its looks. The house leaned heavily into a bold southwestern aesthetic and a landscape dominated by desert cacti. “It wasn’t exactly our style,” they admit. But beneath the surface, they saw something more important: undeniable potential.
The main living area featured a desirable great room layout flooded with natural light—an architectural asset that already aligned with the way people live and gather today. A two-story guest house with ocean views sealed the deal, offering flexibility and a surprise coastal vantage point that many wouldn’t expect from the street. There was also an expansive outdoor space that had yet to be fully realized. For homeowners who have long been drawn to renovating existing homes rather than new builds, the opportunity felt right. “We love bringing a home back to its former glory while updating it with modern conveniences,” they explain.
The original structure, built in 1958, had been redesigned in 2013 by local architect Christian Rice. Reconnecting with Rice proved pivotal. He seamlessly merged his earlier work with thoughtful new updates, creating a fluid indoor-outdoor living experience, elevating modern living. Homeowners made design choices shifting the home’s stylistic direction toward a timeless Spanish Colonial Revival aesthetic, more in keeping with the home’s original charm.
Rice designed a private courtyard spa and pool, along with multiple outdoor gathering spaces that now feel as though they’ve always belonged. Landscape partner MK Graham Landscape Construction and Diamond Pools helped bring the outdoor oasis to life, carefully executing the vision with materials meticulously chosen by the homeowners that feel organic to the property.
Perhaps the most difficult decision was choosing not to add a second story to the main house, even though plans were drawn to capture ocean views. Ultimately, they embraced the existing footprint. “The space flows beautifully and fits our needs,” they reflect. By investing in the outdoor areas and strengthening the home’s connection to its surroundings, they found they didn’t miss the added square footage. It was the right call.
Inside, the team modernized finishes while preserving character-defining features. The beehive fireplace remains a focal point in the great room; its hearth was retained and thoughtfully integrated to double as seating. The kitchen, now the homeowner’s favorite space, maintains its original layout but was reimagined with contemporary finishes and smart design upgrades that make it a natural gathering space for family and friends.
Though no hidden artifacts surfaced during construction, the owners honored the home’s past by incorporating two items from the former homeowner: a cross once affixed to the fireplace and an angel statue left in the garden. Both have been lovingly rehomed within the refreshed design, a quiet tribute to those who lived there before.
Now recognized as a steward of a charming piece of Coronado history, the owners feel both pride and responsibility. “The way you take care of a home reflects how much you love it,” they say. The reward of embracing an older home, they’ve found, is a place that feels both timeless and entirely your own.
