Raising the Bar.jpg — Checking In: Living the Good Life at Home

By Megan Dufresne

Why wait for a hotel to experience high end design? Interior designer Megan Dufresne redefines resort living at home. Here are her tips to create five-star design so you don’t have to wait for vacation to luxuriate in style.

Raising the Bar “Your life is way too short to be drinking cheap wine. We spend most of our time at home, now more than ever. If you’re a white wine drinker, you absolutely need a wine fridge. Splurge on a full size one if you have the space; if not, under-the-counter will do. If you’re not a wine drinker and do mixed drinks, get fresh citrus. Plant fruit trees and they will yield every year, or go to the market and put fresh fruit in cocktails – it immediately makes you feel like you’re on vacation. If you don’t have the space for a dedicated bar area, you can create an amazing bar cart. CB2 has indoor/outdoor bar carts that you can take inside and out. It’s perfect for summer.”

Indoors/Out “If you can put in either pocket or bifold glass walls like they have at hotels, that brings a huge resort vibe home. It’s not cheap, but if you’re going to build a house, it makes sense to do them and get that amazing indoor/outdoor flow. If you’re going to retrofit it, it can get a little more complicated with engineering, but it’s something great to consider instead of just doing sliders. For my own home, we installed collapsible glass doors from La Cantina. They’re based in Southern California and have lots of different finishes including wood and metal.”

Throwing Shade “Install a hole for an umbrella in the pool, that way you can relax in the water on a hot day without getting scorched.”

Taking It Outside “An outdoor shower is a huge luxury that makes you feel like you’re just coming off the beach in a tropical place. Best of all, it’s not necessarily expensive. Choose a spot where there is already plumbing, like a bathroom wall, and it’s pretty easy to install. You can also use an out-of-the-box system like these amazing surfboard showers.”

Game Day (and Night) “Installing outdoor games makes your home feel like you’re in Napa. You’re outside, you’re getting interaction with others, and you’re getting away from your computer, your schedule, everything that just feels like “any other day.” Get a cocktail, turn the music on, leave the windows open and play your game. I had a useless side yard that was cold and a mess from trees, so I cleaned it up and turned it into a bocce ball court. I don’t even need guests to use it; I’ll play with my husband. A lot of homes here in Palos Verdes are on hillsides so you can tier or plateau a section of the hill to create a bocce court or area for cornhole, horseshoes — even axe throwing! We have a neighbor who transformed their side yard for that.”

About Megan Dufresne

A Manhattan Beach native, Megan was raised visiting jobsites and marking up blueprints with her contractor father. She grew up in a home custom built and designed by her parents

Today, Megan brings South Bay’s casual sophistication to homes across Southern California. Passionate about textiles and design, Megan’s goal is always to elevate the everyday into motivating spaces for her clients. Innovative, fun and inspiring are three of her favorite adjectives when it comes to home design.

Megan works with both homeowners and developers to create personalized homes that are timeless yet current, with thoughtful layers that look and feel as though they’ve been collected over time. Focusing on clients’ culture, tastes and interests as well as the home’s architecture, Megan translates those influences into highly livable, visually stunning interiors. Kids, pets, sand and swimming pools inspire instead of limit her creative possibilities.

She works primarily in the beach cities of Palos Verdes, Rolling Hills, Redondo Beach, Hermosa Beach and Manhattan Beach, and travels for clients as needed.

As a former luxury design specialist for House Beautiful and Modern Luxury Interiors California magazines, Megan now brings that knowledge and passion to interior design. She founded MC Design in 2007.

Megan lives in Lower Lunada Bay in Palos Verdes Estates with her husband and two Chihuahuas. She’s a firm believer in cocktail hour(s) and beautifully organized spaces.

Megan is available for a free consultation of your home or office. You can contact her by visiting www.mcdesignshop.com