If you've ever eyed the houses on Abbot Kinney Boulevard, in Venice, California, and fancied moving in, now is your chance. The just-finished Casa Shelter Half, a two-bedroom bungalow, stands ready to rent—surfboards on hand.
The project is a collaboration between Shelter Half, a lifestyle retailer owned by Davide Berruto and LA designer Heather Heron in conjunction with Safehouse Collective, a Southern California real estate and hospitality group. The trio wanted to create a space based on the Shelter Half brand that, as Heron explains, “touched on its core elements of commerce, community, and collaboration” and “was both personal and public at the same time." With its repurposed materials and easy-living vibe, Casa Shelter Half succeeds in the mission: It's both intimate and accessible. Better still, you can book it on Airbnb.
Photography by Carlos Quinteros Jr., except where noted.
Above: The black-and-white kitchen is detailed with subway-tiled counters and backsplash, leather drawer pulls, and an over-the-windows plant shelf. The floor tiles were repurposed from a previous project. (To make your own leather pulls, watch our DIY video.)
Above: The vintage stove was a Rosebowl Flea Market find.
Above: The low-key living room has a handmade Almond surfboard on the wall. The Drift Chair is from Environment, where Berruto serves as creative director.
Above: A well-stocked bar made from a trunk stands ready for guests. Photograph by Sinuhe Xavier.
Above: Driftwood as art in the bedroom. Many of the house's materials, including textiles, wood, and tile, are reclaimed.
Above: The two-bedroom bungalow houses four people.
Above: Casa Shelter Half occupies the second story of the house. Downstairs neighbor Fiore supplied the plants for the terrace.
Above: Straw roofing with the Casa Shelter logo provides shade and adds a beachside feel to the bungalow.
Above: Herron and Berruto used oversize curtains on the terrace overlooking Abbot Kinney to provide shade and privacy. Photograph by Sinuhe Xavier.
Above: Low furniture and a hammock for lounging. The big curtains were sewn together from different types of Shelter Half tents, including a rare 1940s one with a camouflage pattern. For more information, go to Casa Shelter Half and Airbnb.
For another recent Venice Beach find, check out The Rose Hotel. If you're looking to dine nearby, see our posts on Axe and Gjelina, two of our favorite neighborhood haunts. And on Gardenista, have a look Inside the Secret Gardens of Venice, CA.
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