Endless Summer

On just about any nice weekend- La Jolla has almost nothing but nice weekends- you can see Frank and Diane Hurst and their three children packed into their vintage woody and heading to the beach for a day of surfing. On days they don’t ride the waves, they can walk across the street to the beach and splash in them. Or, they can just stay home and swim in their own pool. Such is life for this Southern California family of five. “There are always people around, and lots of action,” says Diane. And the recreational benefits of having a beach front home have been terrific. Her husband and son get more time to surf together, and the whole family can ride their bikes down to Mission Beach when the spirit moves them. “I also appreciate looking out on the ocean,” says Diane. “It keeps me company when everyone leaves.” And at the end of the day, “We really enjoy being able to walk down and watch the sun set on the water,” she adds.

Frank, a financial executive, and Diane, a stay-at-home mom, decided several years ago to move the family home closer to their children’s schools—Kathleen and Hayley are in college and Frankie is in high school. So they decided to leave a much larger home in the quiet enclave of nearby Rancho Santa Fe for the hustle and bustle of this picturesque community’s beach area. That led them to a 1946 Nantucket-style beachfront home designed by noted local architect Harold Abrams. The house had great bones and wonderful detailing. Plus, Abrams anticipated the current trend of extending indoor living spaces to the outdoor s by creating fantastic outdoor areas, including a brick-edged pool and covered loggia, a large upper balcony, a sheltered front courtyard entry, and an inner courtyard outfitted with a built-in grill, wet bar, and dining area—perfect for the casual beach home lifestyle the family envisioned and the location demands.