On a delightful San Diego afternoon, parched residents of Carlsbad may find relief in an unexpected place: the home of Andrew White.
Situated at the pinnacle of a quaint cul-de-sac, this residence is a captivating blend of a secret hideaway and a chic Palm Springs Airbnb.
White, an avid lover of design with a past as an HGTV personality on ‘Hot Properties: San Diego,’ reveals a hidden treasure within his home.
As he showcases the calf-skin leather walls of his living room, he effortlessly pulls a discreet tab, causing the wall to split into Tetris-shaped panels.
Behind them lies a mirrored nook featuring a fully stocked wet bar, complete with everything necessary to craft the perfect Vesper cocktail.
Once the bar is revealed, White smoothly resets the wall, concealing the space from view, preserving the home’s elegance when guests are not around.
Originally constructed in the 1960s, the home underwent a significant transformation three decades later, revamping it while retaining its original charm.
Reflecting on the renovations, White notes, “[the house] has a lot of cool things going on with it that I can work with and keep that original spirit of the home.”
He aims to blend the existing character with contemporary updates, selectively removing features that reveal the house’s past eras—especially the bold elements from the ‘80s and ‘90s.
This visit isn’t the first for San Diego Magazine; the publication previously explored the home shortly after a laborious remodel by designer Andrew Gerhard in 1990.
Gerhard transformed the midcentury property into a striking modern showcase, a remarkable departure from its former self, as noted by writer Sharon K. Gillenwater.
The design journey involved extensive structural changes, with Gerhard knocking down walls, adding new rooms, and elevating ceilings to open up the space.
Despite the deliberate 1990s flamboyance—think silk wall fabrics and authentic salmon skin table tops—the home feels grounded with a spacious garden room that expands the living area from 2,800 to approximately 3,600 square feet.
The charm remains palpable even three and a half decades later, as White embraces the allure of Gerhard’s original vision.
Upon acquiring the home at the end of 2022, White was captivated by its distinctive features.
“When you walk in, you can see the level of detail [and] the different elements that your cookie-cutter house just doesn’t have,” he recalls.
He expressed a sense of historical importance connected to the property, remarking that homes of its uniqueness are rare in today’s market.
Though Gerhard passed away in 2012, his influence on modern design continues to thrive within the home.
The entryway flows gracefully into a spacious living room, where vertical raked white plaster walls set a unique aesthetic.
The textured walls evoke a tranquil zen sand garden feel, while a custom-built boucle couch anchors the voluminous area, reminiscent of The Memphis Group’s lively designs from the 1980s.
Light bathes the room from every angle, courtesy of a triptych of towering 12-foot windows along the wall opposite the entrance.
Through these expansive windows, one can admire the lush landscape dotted with mature palms and towering bamboos, enhancing the inviting atmosphere.
Moreover, Gerhard’s design delights are scattered throughout the home, transporting visitors and residents to whimsical corners, including a concealed closet in the guest room and a glass-encased sun den that serves as an ideal reading nook.
White’s modifications strike a careful balance between maintaining and refreshing the home’s iconic design.
While he preserved the original Idaho quartz flooring in most areas, the kitchen underwent a significant upgrade, transforming from dark to light with wire-brushed oak cabinetry and modern appliances.
In his revisions, White avoided the original home’s multitude of mirrors, explaining, “I think the problem is, when you have too many mirrors, it becomes kind of like a fun house, like a maze.”
In the living room, curved ceilings gracefully transition to an indoor atrium, where 35-year-old palms bask in sunlight pouring from an overhead skylight.
The primary bedroom features a unique inner garden, elegantly separating the sleeping area from a generously-sized en-suite bathroom adorned with distinctive glass blocks and a show-stopping marble shower that adds a touch of opulence.
Despite its boldness, the overall ambiance of the home feels chic, polished, and undeniably ahead of its time.
White’s sentiment captures a growing trend in modern architectural desires: “Everyone wants that now, and everyone expects that now,” he affirms, referencing the seamless blend of indoor and outdoor living.
In essence, White’s home not only serves as a testament to timeless design but also as a vivid reminder of the evolution of modern living in the San Diego landscape.
image source from：https://sandiegomagazine.com/features/hgtv-andrew-white-san-diego-home-tour/
