The quirky allure of a surf shack
Sun-drenched beach scenes, glistening Airstreams and showers strewn with drying wetsuits fill the pages of “Surf Shack” (Clarkson Potter), a newly published collection of laid-back surfer homes captured by interior designer Nina Freudenberger. Fascinated by surf culture after a 2013 move to Venice (Los Angeles County), the former New Yorker explores how surfing influences home design from Malibu to Hayama, Japan. The book features the West Marin retreat of Sabrina Buell and Yves Béhar, founder of the design firm Fuseproject and chic co-working space Canopy, as well as the Outer Sunset cottage of Lana Porcello and Dave Muller, owners of nearby Outerlands restaurant. While homes feature familiar seaside details — vintage buoys, candy-colored surfboards — Freudenberger discovered that surf shacks are more about comfortable spaces where friends and family gather to share a love of surfing and nature. We asked the author about this quirky, quintessentially Californian house type.
Garrick Ramirez: What defines a surf shack? Nina Freudenberger:
When people hear “surf shack,” they likely imagine a shanty steps from the sand where you grab your board and run out to the water. That wasn’t my criteria. I was interested in homes where people made their love of surfing a priority and built a life around it. I think readers might be surprised at some of the locations captured in the book, such as Brooklyn and the Los Angeles hills. They aren’t just beachside properties.
GR: In what ways did surfing inform interior design? NF:
The most obvious influence was a respect for nature and the use of natural materials including indoor plants, wood furnishings and fabrics such as linen, with natural imperfections. I think people are moving toward handmade items with a perceptible hand stroke like ceramics and macrame. Things didn’t feel precious in these houses. In books and magazines, we often see homes presented as a glossy set design, but that’s not how people live. I visited and wrote about more authentic spaces. No one freaked out when sand got on the floor.
GR: There aren’t a lot of bankers in your book. Why are so many creative types drawn toward surfing? NF:
I think creative people not only have a creative way of looking at their work, but also their lifestyle. I was seeking creativity in domestic life, in the home and interiors, and it just so happened that everyone had creative careers as well. The book features individuals such as boutique hotelier Sean MacPherson, Lux/Eros ceramicist Desanka Fasiska, and restaurateurs Dave Muller and Lana Porcello, who helped galvanize a tightknit creative community in San Francisco’s Outer Sunset. Yet there are definitely bankers that surf, and, in New York, they’re especially devoted. They get up at 5 a.m. in the freezing cold, surf for an hour and then head to their finance jobs.
GR: Did you find other commonalities among the homeowners? NF:
I felt as though these people had found a level of satisfaction in their lives that I don’t see everyday. I saw them interact with their children — it’s clear that family came first. Everyone had these beautiful, loving homes. Not too much structure and very comfortable. Take the Brooklyn brownstone that Julia Chaplin, author of the best-selling Gypset-style books, shares with her 6-year-old daughter. Their living room is essentially an adjustable 1970s Mario Bellini leather sofa and a pile of Mexican quilts and Berber pillows. I think the people featured in the book are really pleased with their lives. It doesn’t matter if they have a $12 million waterfront home or a double-wide trailer.
GR: It’s hard to image a high-design icon like Yves Béhar owning a “shack.” NF:
When Yves and Sabrina bought an old B&B in West Marin, they didn’t want a flawless renovation. Not every shingle is painted, the tile work is old and the kitchen isn’t newly renovated. Yet everything felt perfect. Yves knows that when something is designed correctly, you leave it alone. Doing so helps maintain a sense of history. People who were married at the property in the 1970s often return for nostalgic reasons, and end up sharing a bottle of wine and a story. Yves and Sabrina love company. They have a huge outdoor communal table where they host dinner parties. GR: The San Francisco home of Dave Muller and Lana Porcello seems to attract a crowd despite its small size. NF:
Dave and Lana have this amazing outdoor, built-in dining table at the front of their house. Instead of a yard, they value sitting with friends and breaking bread. Whenever they get a chance, they invite over as many people as possible. Given the size of the house, just 700 square feet, they did a lot of thoughtful built-ins such as a living room sofa/shelving unit and a kids’ bunk room above the master bed. They figured out how to live simply and comfortably as a family of four.
GR: Do you surf ? What aspects of surf culture have you adopted? NF:
I don’t surf, but there are so many things wrapped up in surfing that I found aspirational. Being an interior designer, I felt stuck with the same resources, and I found new inspiration in each of these homes. These individuals took risks with unusual design decisions such as custom triangular windows, worn leather chairs, or learning to live with weird red carpet. Quirkiness can be so beautiful, yet we erase it in interior design. I’ve become less precious with my stuff. I’m actually building my own weekend surf shack at the Point Dume Club trailer park in Malibu. Two years ago, I never would have bought a weekend trailer home. Now it’s all I want.