It was one of those summer days when the rays of sun beating down are so strong that you can’t help but squint your eyes. As my eyes adjusted, I approached the corner Manhattan Beach bungalow of Casey and Ashley Edgar and their two children.
From the half-opened Dutch door, a glimpse of interior designer Bina Murphy’s aesthetic appeared. Inside, the home is open, relaxed, clean and predominantly white with playful touches of color. Before I could knock, I heard the pitter-patter of their 2-year-old daughter, Presley, with Ashley right on her heels.
In the entry, Presley momentarily stood still, moving her blonde hair away from her eyes. Ashley quickly dressed her in light-blue striped shorts and a yellow T-shirt. Presley had just gotten out of the kiddie pool with her 4-year-old brother, Fallon.
The couple held out on an air-conditioner for a home full of history and character. Normally a gentle breeze blows through the airy floor plan, but this uncharacteristically hot day lent itself to treasured summertime imagery of young parents chasing unclad toddlers, who ultimately found liberation in an unfilled bathtub.
At the entry, a modern teak bench with a live edge and an extra-large round mirror above is a simple, organized place for the kids to take off their sandy shoes. Opposite this in the formal living room, a longhorn from a flea market in Texas adorns the wall. It was a wedding gift from Ashley to Casey—they married in Austin.
Bina shares that she loves when her clients have sentiments and curated pieces of value. “This always helps set the tone for any home and tells a lot about clients’ taste before designing the home.”
Casey and Ashley lived in Manhattan for about 10 years before transplanting to Manhattan Beach 2½ years ago. “It was easy,” says Casey about the transition that provided them more space, a home that can be utilized for their children, proximity to the beach and a sense of community.
Like the longhorn, much of the artwork throughout the home narrates the couple’s travels and cities they’ve called home. In the formal living room is Gray Malin’s Central Park Lawn Au Parc triptych. In the family room, a gallery wall includes photos of the children at the beach in Manhattan Beach, family portraits taken in Mexico, a piece by Joe Vickers and two pieces from Dacha—a nearby home goods and décor boutique that recently opened a second location in West Hollywood. The coffee-table books, ottoman, cabinetry and most of the candles are also from Dacha.
Leading to the kids’ rooms is a barnyard door with a detail that’s emblematic of time spent in New York. Designed by Bina, the door carries the same logo as Rhone Apparel, a men’s high-end activewear line started by Casey and two partners when they lived in New York.
The sun-drenched family room is where the Edgars spend a lot of their time. “The goal for the family room was to create fun space for personal expression and color,” shares Bina on her favorite room in the home. “It is an easy space for a young family like the Edgars to entertain, along with being a cozy nest for them to return home to after a long day,” she says.
“Everything’s playful; everything’s kid-friendly,” says Casey. In the family room, for instance, Bina designed a wide couch in a durable blue Perennials fabric accented with colorful pillows. “It’s literally indestructible,” quips Ashley. A Moroccan wool rug adds an extra layer of coziness to the main living space.
Another area of the home where a lot of time is spent is the breakfast nook. Here strands of beads from a Ro Sham Beaux chandelier dangle over a zinc table. “Zinc gives off a silvery-blue color that is the perfect material to mix into this coastal [home],” says Bina. Above the upholstered, built-in bench seat hangs a Bo Bridges print.
Throughout the house are lots of plants like palms, succulents and fiddle leaf fig trees outfitted in planters from Dacha. Outside, Casey and Ashley share their excitement for Lettuce Grow, the start-up business of their friends Zooey Deschanel and husband Jacob Pechenik that sells seeds and growing systems. Ashley and Casey grow lettuce, kale, tomatoes, zucchini, jalapeños, peppers, basil and watermelon in the modern, hydroponic Farmstand grower.
The landscape is the work of Michael Gaines, owner of Eco Concepts, who planted rosemary and lavender among many more herbs, plants and flowers. “We both love gardening and cooking, so that was important to us,” says Casey. “We use every part of the home. That’s what we love about it.”
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