It is no accident that Laguna Beach is and remains the creator’s port of call, its identity as entwined with its status as a prolific artist’s community as any place in existence. Maybe especially because it is the antithesis to the slick and shiny ‘OC’ package, Laguna retains its individuality, loyally marching to a quieter and perhaps more insightful drumbeat. In the Plein Air paintings, in the sea-carved tide pools, even in the artful Bear Claw from a beloved bakery’s one-man show, there is that hint of what it means to simplify; to continually hone what is most important to oneself.

These bluffs have launched entire movements with their brazen beauty and distinctive traits. But they inspire other kinds of artistry too. A few years ago, two longtime Lagunans transitioned from their spacious, two-story family home to a tiny, snug harbor cottage shelved into the Laguna hillside. With living room just enough for a modest dining table and overstuffed loveseat, the panoramic ocean views command your full attention in a manner wholly suggestive of the Laguna way. Everything nonessential has been discarded, their lifestyle redefined by an unencumbered, reprioritized point of view. Little by little, every inch of the home has been unhurriedly tended by hand with a deliberate purpose: behold nature’s beauty; enjoy close company; appreciate today.

With love from Laguna Beach,
Katie