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Collection by Megan Hamaker

A Surfer's Paradise

For those that love salt in the air and sand in their hair, these seven shops and homes from the Dwell archives should have you busting out the wet suits and boards. Here, we highlight some of our favorite surf shops and the homes of the people who might frequent them.

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The Third Wave Kiosk opened on the shores of Torquay, Australia, in 2011. Photo by Rory Gardiner.
The Third Wave Kiosk opened on the shores of Torquay, Australia, in 2011. Photo by Rory Gardiner.
On an overcast day, Montara’s beach is almost completely deserted.
On an overcast day, Montara’s beach is almost completely deserted.
It was the surf and the artsy vibe that attracted Eric Grunbaum to Venice Beach, California, 18 years ago. An avid surfer and creative director for an advertising agency, he thrives on lively environs. So it’s no surprise that he turned to the Los Angeles–based architect Barbara Bestor to design a house for him near the Pacific. Bestor, the chair of graduate studies at Woodbury University School of Architecture, has a formidable reputation in Southern California for her bohemian modernism, and for Grunbaum, she created a 2,000–square-foot, three-bedroom, three-bath home that harbors a traditional sensibility with a contemporary heart. From the deck off the master bedroom, Grunbaum looks across his front yard. Bestor designed the second story to float over the ground “like a cloud.” Grunbaum guides us on a tour of his modern surf shack.
It was the surf and the artsy vibe that attracted Eric Grunbaum to Venice Beach, California, 18 years ago. An avid surfer and creative director for an advertising agency, he thrives on lively environs. So it’s no surprise that he turned to the Los Angeles–based architect Barbara Bestor to design a house for him near the Pacific. Bestor, the chair of graduate studies at Woodbury University School of Architecture, has a formidable reputation in Southern California for her bohemian modernism, and for Grunbaum, she created a 2,000–square-foot, three-bedroom, three-bath home that harbors a traditional sensibility with a contemporary heart. From the deck off the master bedroom, Grunbaum looks across his front yard. Bestor designed the second story to float over the ground “like a cloud.” Grunbaum guides us on a tour of his modern surf shack.
Architects David Arkin and Anni Tilt found a balance between passive design strategies—plenty of natural light, maximized winter sun, shaded harsh summer rays, and cross-ventilated breezes—and the latest in green technologies in this Santa Cruz strawbale house. Photo by Gabriela Hasbun. See the house come together in a "bale-raising" gathering here.
Architects David Arkin and Anni Tilt found a balance between passive design strategies—plenty of natural light, maximized winter sun, shaded harsh summer rays, and cross-ventilated breezes—and the latest in green technologies in this Santa Cruz strawbale house. Photo by Gabriela Hasbun. See the house come together in a "bale-raising" gathering here.
Upon entry, on the left you encounter a display of 'antlers' (made of branches), a wooden surfboard by Danny Hess, and a scattering of creatively refurbished chairs by Duthie, who calls his one-man company Chairtastic.
Upon entry, on the left you encounter a display of 'antlers' (made of branches), a wooden surfboard by Danny Hess, and a scattering of creatively refurbished chairs by Duthie, who calls his one-man company Chairtastic.
Joined by architect Michael Lee and friend Gus McConnell, Jacobson shouts up to Dukes that they’re headed out for an impromptu surf session.
Joined by architect Michael Lee and friend Gus McConnell, Jacobson shouts up to Dukes that they’re headed out for an impromptu surf session.