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MODERN ZEN: MANHATTAN BEACH HOME FUSES TECHNOLOGY AND TRANQUILITY

BY PAMELA CORANTE-HANSEN
phOTOGRaphy by pauL jONasON

heres no better cure for a long commute than a meditation room, steam showers, and a hammock on the veranda. IT professional Kavian Maghzy doesnt need to book ahead to enjoy these spa resort amenities. They are just a few of the stressreducing elements in his Manhattan Beach home. Maghzy elevates tranquil living to an art form in the 4,700-square-foot retreat he shares with his 16-year-old daughter. Maghzy, who works for a company in Irvine, had lived in Encino and was making the grueling drive almost daily. During this period, he would occasionally spend time in Manhattan Beach, growing to love the area and the calming effect of the ocean so much that he moved his family there in 2002. At that time, the contemporary home he bought was fairly new and suited his familys needs. Several years later, his neighbor mentioned that he was considering a remodel, and Maghzy found himself feeling apprehensive about living adjacent to a major construction project. But things changed within a matter of weeks. The neighbor accepted a job in New York, and Maghzy decided to buy his house. Thus began the project of connecting two homes on back-to-back lots. When I bought my neighbors property, I still wasnt thinking about construction, Maghzy says. A native of Iran, he describes how his father had built a sprawling dream home there, only to lose it during the revolution. It was such a huge project and it had such a negative ending that I thought Id never want to go through that again. Maghzy recalls feeling overwhelmed at the thought of launching a home construction

project of his own, but, as he notes, Things happen, I ran into [architect] Louie Tomaro, and it clicked. Maghzy worked closely with Manhattan Beach interior designer Julie Gelsey of Interior Inspirations. The house became like a drug! Gelsey exclaims with a laugh as she describes how both she and Maghzy were absorbed by the remodel. We talked almost every day, but it never got crazy. From the spacious and open third-floor living room, one can see into a gleaming kitchen, which flows into a formal dining room. Maghzys home office is visible beyond the dining room. The kitchen is the bridge between the two houses, explains Gelsey. Rooms flow seamlessly into one another, making it difficult to imagine that, in essence, new living space was built to connect the two back-to-back homes. Pocket doors disappear into walls and can be pulled out to create separate spaces, or left open when Maghzy entertains. Given Maghzys professional background, the home is equipped with high-tech features that provide comfort, convenience and visual appeal, but take nothing away from the homes calm, serene aesthetic. Window treatments can be controlled by remote, and the house is wired extensively with a home automation package that enables Maghzy to control a sophisticated sound system through his smart phone, adjusting the volume in any room and selecting tracks. In addition, he can turn on the swimming pool, security system and lights with his smart phone.

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I added more stuff to the system, Maghzy remarks. It does have its own headaches, but my background is in technology, so its easier for me to get it going. Theres even music in the steam shower, and it can be remote-controlled. Throughout the house, a harmonious fusion of technology and natural elements contributes to the peaceful vibe. Fire ribbons, sleek fireplaces built into the wall, can be turned on with a smart phone, creating warmth and visual interest in the master bedroom. A two-way fire ribbon between Maghzys office and the dining room is mounted into the wall at about the same level one would hang a painting, creating a striking balance between art and the practical. Kavian leads a more spiritual life, Gelsey explains. He does yoga, he mediates, so we incorporated a lot of fire, rock and water references to keep it calm and very Zen. These three elements give the home a grounded feeling and juxtapose the modernity of the design with the natural world of the beach, just steps away. Brazilian cherry wood floors, travertine tile and stone countertops serve as the basic color palette of the residencewarm earth tones and light sand. Smooth, natural stones are arranged in a ring around the base of the master spa tub, evoking a high-end spa or a pebbly shoreline. Gelsey and Maghzy used textiles and natural fibers to add softness. Hammocks on the wraparound thirdfloor porch and a patchwork animal skin rug in the living room soften the angularity of the modern design. To draw in light and create a sense of airiness, the inner wall of the stairwell is made of glass. As one climbs the stairs from the entry to the top level, a colorful, blown-glass chandelier hung from the third-floor ceiling provides a lively contrast to the muted color scheme.

We didnt want it to be so modern that it didnt feel human.

Texture is another design element that adds character throughout the home. The kitchen features a stone countertop with a leathered surface, giving it a subtle rippled feeling. This rustic earthiness adds a counterbalance to the sleek wooden cabinets and a decidedly modern, stainless steel tile backsplash that changes appearance with the shifting light of the day. While the upper floor is perfect for entertaining, the two lower levels are designed as a rejuvenating haven from the fast pace of modern living. The homes construction is such that the second-floor bedrooms are protected from the buzz of beach traffic and the sound of children playing in the park directly facing the master bedroom. On the ground floor, a bedroom is used as a meditation room with shoji-like pocket doors that can be closed or left open. Maghzy uses the room to practice yoga or engage in quiet reflection. A hallway runs past the meditation room and leads to the homes most unexpected amenityan indoor grotto with a pool. Technology makes a cameo appearance here in the form of an automated, adjustable current pool that allows for an intense workout by swimming in place against the current. But the space looks less like an exercise room and more like a tranquil retreat. One wall is made entirely of stone with built-in niches that house lighting fixtures resembling white wax candles. Rectangular, mosaic glass tiles in varying shades of blue line the inside of the pool, bringing the colors of the ocean indoors. The pool features a self-cleaning ionization system, eliminating the need forand the odor ofharsh chemicals. On the poolside deck, a cabinet decorated with crushed seashells looks like the kind of piece one would find at an estate sale on the island of Capri. Carrying the theme is an exotic capiz shell lamp placed atop the cabinet. My mom got it in Egypt in 1967, and its been with the family forever, Maghzy says of the lamp. It really works in here. Despite the technological comforts, Maghzy notes that one of his favorite things about the home is the ocean view. I never get tired of it. He adds that the natural elements provide an essential touch to the houses contemporary design. We didnt want it to be so modern that it didnt feel human.

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