Tucked into the foothills of the Santa Monica Mountains, interior designer Vanessa Alexander’s secluded home replaces surf-side clichés with a light-filled, European-inspired modern farmhouse.

Located in Bonsall Canyon, the residence is a reimagined 1960s post-and-beam ranch. By cladding the exterior in Shou Sugi Ban (charred wood) and cutting back the original eaves, Vanessa transformed the once-dark structure into a private family compound defined by a seamless indoor-outdoor flow.

In this exclusive house tour, Vanessa guides us through the residence, sharing how she balanced Californian ease with European restraint—influenced by Belgian and Flemish sensibilities—to create a calm, considered retreat.

The Bonsall Canyon House serves as a masterclass in adapting mid-century bones for a contemporary, European-inflected lifestyle. Vanessa Alexander of Alexander Design utilized a high-contrast material palette, most notably the application of Shou Sugi Ban (charred timber) cladding, to unify the 1960s post-and-beam structure. By strategically removing the original eaves, the design unlocks a previously “blocked energy,” facilitating a sophisticated spatial fluidity between the interior volumes and the pastoral landscape. Influenced by Belgian and Flemish architects, the home balances Californian ease with a rigorous sense of restraint. From the addition of a soaring new kitchen volume to the curation of collectible design sourced from the Paris Flea Markets and Copenhagen, this sanctuary illustrates how material honesty and architectural editing can transform a dark ranch into a light-filled family compound.

“I do feel like the house has a European sensibility. I’m certainly influenced by many Belgian and Flemish architects and designers. What I love about European design is that it exudes a lifestyle—I want to create beautiful environments that are equally livable. We love this neighborhood of Bonsall Canyon; we like that pastoral vibe and the fact that we’re completely private once you get behind the gates.

The original home was built in the 60s; it was a post-and-beam ranch with cool bones, but it was much darker and the focus was not on indoor-outdoor flow. We clad the exterior with Shou Sugi Ban wood and furred out the exterior, which allowed us to pocket large doors. We also cut the eaves back to remove that blocked energy.

One of the rooms we gravitate towards is the kitchen and family room—this is a new volume that was added onto the home. It’s the nexus of all our activities. Many pieces are custom designs made with local fabricators, but we also have special pieces collected from the Paris Flea Markets and Copenhagen, as well as inherited items. Mixing old and new adds to the patina and timelessness. We were quite intentional about how the home activates this indoor-outdoor lifestyle; I’m proud that we actually use every room here. It’s a place where I can clear my head and find peace.”