Bringing the outside in takes on a new meaning when you’re redesigning a family home in one of Southern California’s iconic beach towns. For designer Alexis Vitale of Vitale Design Group, incorporating a coastal-cool beach vibe into her latest project was a given, but navigating within the home’s original footprint and designing for how the homeowners—a young family—lived added extra layers of complexity.
Vitale approached the project with the homeowners’ lifestyle and passions in mind—their love of traveling, entertaining, and enjoying time together informed every detail that Vitale incorporated into the finished design. Read on to learn more about Vitale, her backstory, and how she approached this project.
Tell us a little bit about yourself—where you’re based, how long you’ve worked as a designer, and the types of projects you typically work on.
Alexis Vitale: “Currently based in Southern California, in Hermosa Beach. I fully went into the industry three-and-a-half years ago. Believe it or not, my background is not the typical background—let’s just say, I appreciate the art of creating memorable moments. My background has always had some type of artistic vision, from designing clothing to crafting beer to finally doing what I am truly passionate about, creating a home. I get the most joy working on large remodels and ground-up [projects], though remodels hold a sweet spot in my heart. I love recreating a home with good bones, working within the walls, because there is history there. There is a story, and now we get to create a new story within those walls for someone else. It’s truly a beautiful thing.”
How did you get your start in interior design?
“I think I have been designing homes since I was a little girl. Recreating the Barbie dream house, putting up wallpaper, designing the furniture that went inside it—it’s always been a part of who I am. I was also the friend everyone went to for help in their homes. So finally, I decided to start working on the side with other designers, and contractors, taking some classes along the way to help me prepare for my next career leap. It was really about timing for me. Being a single mom to four young children at the time, I played my career safe for a very long time. Finally, after eight years of working on the side learning the business, I decided to jump fully in and open Vitale Design Group. I’ve never been happier doing what I love.”
What is most exciting or rewarding about your chosen career?
“I have to say it truly is incredible to create a home for people, knowing they will be able to create beautiful memories in their home and you were a part of bringing their story of home to life. Home should tell your story, inspire you, bring you peace, and—most of all—bring you joy. My goal is to walk away from each project with clients over the moon with excitement to start their next chapter.”
What do you find most challenging about the type of work you do?
“Home is so emotional. It’s one of the largest investments anyone makes in their life. So not only are you spending a lot of money, but [when you’re renovating] you’re displaced from your home a lot of the time. This can add a lot of stress in our client’s life, and with construction, there are always points everyone has to pivot as a challenge arises. So, the hardest part of my job thus far has been managing clients’ emotions. I believe we do a pretty good job at always listening and communicating clearly through this process, and a lot of reminding clients: ‘It’s going to get there, it’s going to be more than you ever imagined. Hold on tight, it’s a rollercoaster but at the end of it, you will be smiling.'”
Tell us a bit about one of your most memorable projects.
“I have a beverage background, and this comes in handy when your clients love to entertain and enjoy a few cocktails. The project [I’m thinking of] really evolved for all of us: It started with a block of glass, and from there, we decided to create an ‘Ice Bar.’ So, I worked with a team to create custom glass molds from Italy that would give the illusion of melting ice. Having never worked with glass in this form before, there was a good learning curve but I had a great team beside me. A lot of trial and error to get it just right, although the biggest challenge was the final construction of the bar. The glass weighed more than two tons, and what we were creating had never been done before. We also needed to ensure we could illuminate the glass, yet find a way to hide the lights so you couldn’t see them through the glass. Again, this gave us some challenges, but we got it just right using acrylic and mirroring the back of each piece of glass. We were on a strict timeline, which also made things even more difficult. This bar is truly a work of art—one of my proudest moments as a designer. It allowed me to be truly creative, bring an insane vision to life, and do something that’s never been done before. This bar will forever be one of my proudest pieces.”
Where do you look for inspiration? How do you collect and save the images, items, etc that inspire you?
“Inspiration is all around us. Being out in nature truly inspires me. If I’m working on a project with more of an organic style, then that’s when I find myself taking a little time to explore. It could be the color of certain bark on a tree or the shape of flowers on a walk, or taking a walk on the beach and seeing all the organic shapes, the way the waves are crashing, and all the colors of the ocean that day. I snap a lot of photos of items I see and then start to create an inspirational album. Sometimes, I get inspired by tiles, as well. It’s one of the first items I start with when designing.”
Let’s dive into the featured project: a beachy-boho family home in SoCal.
Give us the backstory—how did this project come across your desk? What made you decide to take it on?
“I was introduced to this lovely family. I loved that they were ready to create their forever home, and to see their excitement and love was truly inspiring. I wanted to be part of this journey because I believe a happy home creates a happy life.”
What type of design were they looking for? What problems did they want you to solve?
“This project was for a young family with two little girls and the sweetest pup. They enjoy traveling, entertaining, and spending time together as a family, so it was important to blend beauty and function in their home. We took a Spanish-style home and put a “Coastal Organic California” twist on it.
They wanted to be able to cater to their guests with this home, so we made sure they had an entertainer’s kitchen with the indoor-outdoor experience. The dining room had the perfect corner to serve up some drinks; in the powder room, we added an inviting shower with beautiful tiles waterfalling onto the floor. We ended the guest experience by adding a room above the dining room with a beautifully customized Murphy bed so it could have multiple purposes. Now they have a home where they can create memories with friends and family, all while being able to entertain the way they want.”
If you had a tagline for this project, what would it be?
“Unlocking magic, one room at a time.”
What words would you use to describe the vibe of the finished space?
“Cali coastal notes and organic Spanish flair. Taking inspiration from the outdoors. Natural, raw wood finishes. Unexpected uses of stone. Feel at peace every corner you turn.”
How did you approach the project? What were the steps involved in your creative process?
“We began by planning for real life. How do they live? How can we make this home reflect their personal style? We start by looking backward, and end with how we look forward. It’s important that we’re all in harmony, so we start to pull inspiration. There were so many layers to our inspiration—it came from heirlooms, nature, travel, and experiences. We made sure their home was all about them. It was important to have as much natural light as possible, so we kept everything feeling light, dreamy, and relaxed and used cool colors throughout the home. That’s where our coastal inspiration came in.”
What aspects of this project were most rewarding to you?
“The transformation is always the most rewarding. We were able to take an extremely dated home and breathe new life into it. The primary bathroom was so closed off before that we felt it was important to create a “fishbowl” effect. We designed a large glass wall for the shower and soaking area to give a spa-like experience and used natural stones throughout. It truly is one of my favorite rooms in the house.”
What aspects were particularly challenging?
“The most challenging is when you’re working within the walls of a home. Our biggest challenge was HVAC; the home had no air conditioning prior and we had to find a way to not have soffits. So, we got creative and hid everything in beams. In the kitchen, we used reclaimed wood to wrap everything and it turned out beautifully. You would think those beams had history and were part of the original home.”
What are your favorite details or elements of this design?
“When you walk in, you’re greeted by the formal room. As soon as I saw this home, I knew we needed a dramatic, large fireplace [because of] the high ceilings. So, we designed this exquisite plaster fireplace using natural stones that gave us just the right mix of drama. Then, as you walk toward the kitchen, you’re welcomed with this beautiful natural stone archway. It only gets better as you enter the kitchen, thanks to the reclaimed wood beams, rough-cut stone countertops, the arched glass cabinets, and natural oak throughout. Every detail is so perfectly intertwined, it leaves you speechless.”
What ideas or tips can our readers take from this project and apply to their own space?
“Incorporate natural elements in your design. This can be as simple as adding plants to create a serene ambiance. We love to use natural stones and earthy woods to really give that organic, outdoor tranquility within the home. When it comes to lighting, remember this can truly bring a room to life. It’s a powerful tool to create the mood. So, think of how you want to feel when you walk into every space of your home.”
Check out more interviews with interior design pros around the country here.
