Houzz Tour: Design Harmony for an Animal Rescue Ranch

Lori and Bob Morris have been rescuing unwanted and neglected animals, taking care of them, rehabilitating them and placing them in "forever" homes since 1982. They are so passionate about the animals that they had neglected their own forever home at The Hope Ranch Animal Rescue in Malibu, California.

"This is 80 acres of paradise, but everything was about the animals," says interior designer Suzan Fellman. "[They] put their own lives completely aside for them."

The original house had been somewhat slapped together; it was dark, with pine paneling on the walls and ceilings, and the interior did not have a comfortable flow. "This renovation was about harmony, connection, balance and scale; it's design that is not precious and will stand rock solid for the next 30 years or more," Fellman says.

Here's how she found beauty in the simplicity of ranch life and created a cohesive and relaxing home for these hardworking owners.

Houzz at a Glance
Who lives here: Lori and Bob Morris, llamas, ostriches, guinea pigs, horses, dogs, goats and other animals. Learn more about Hope Ranch Animal Rescue
Location: Malibu, California
Size: 3,000 square feet; 4 bedrooms, 2½ bathrooms

BEFORE: The entry did not have much of a presence. "The property has several sort of Malibu hippie structures, built with things found on the property and by the side of the road," Fellman says. Her aim was to give it a cohesiveness and a comfortable feel, while repurposing and reusing as many materials as possible.


AFTER: "These owners were great about trusting my judgment and giving me a lot of freedom," she says. "They let me paint the brick exterior the same color as the oak Shaker door, which makes it look larger from a distance."

Fellman snatched up these lanterns from elsewhere on the property.

Paint: Orangery, Farrow & Ball


Just inside is this entry hall. "The entry suits their lifestyle; they can come in and kick off their muddy boots, hang up their hats, and now the space feels sheltered and connected to the rest of the house," Fellman says.

She fashioned this rack from more found objects from the ranch. She took a bucket of the owners' old horseshoes, arranged them on the ground and took pictures. Then she had an ironworker solder them together and add hooks. The result is a functional and artful piece that suits the ranch.


BEFORE: Inside, just past the entry hall, there was a small, odd courtyard with poor circulation. "Nothing could really grow here, but the rock work was beautiful," Fellman says.


AFTER: Fellman created a new entry and powder room by enclosing the courtyard. An expert stone mason filled in the walls with matching full-size stones where sliding doors used to be. The designer kept the outdoor feeling by adding a high ceiling and a large skylight.

Fellman used her clients' favorite red throughout the home, including on this barn door and the red Caesarstone countertop on the vanity, made from a dresser. The door pull ring is an iron antique the designers and her clients were drawn to because of its equestrian style.

Door paint: Rectory Red 217, Farrow & Ball; wall paint: Lime White 1, Farrow & Ball; door: custom five-panel Shaker profile by American Door Company; barn track hardware: Barn Door Hardware


The skylight was a big-ticket item but worth it. "The double-paned glass is 60 percent UV protected, lets in the light and warms the entry on cold days," Fellman says. "It's magical — you look up and see hawks flying overhead, jets headed for LAX and the stars at night."

To balance the budget, she picked up inexpensive paper lanterns in Chinatown and had them electrified. "These were less than $10 each and give off a great glow," she says.


BEFORE: The master bathroom.


AFTER: The reconfigured master bath is now a simple and beautiful spot where the couple can unwind with a long soak. The renovation also included adding a separate toilet closet. The new glass door next to the vanity lets in the light from outside.

Wainscoting in horizontal planks and X-shaped shelves subtly reference stable architecture. Fellman also recycled much of the original home's pine paneling by sanding it, painting it and using it as shiplap. She unearthed the mirror in the clients' garage.

Wainscoting paint: Elephant's Breath 229, Farrow & Ball


Lori Morris loves quilts, so Fellman integrated quilt-inspired elements around the house. This shower stall wall's tiles are arranged in a classic chimney sweep pattern. "The difficulty in accomplishing this is making sure that there is red grout between the tiles in all of the right places," Fellman explains.

Fellman designed the vanity and mirror frame, which are made from fallen ironwood found on the property. The vanity top is poured cement with basin sinks dropped in.


Across from the tub is a pony wall that separates the master bathroom from the master bedroom. Fellman had it painted in black, red and blue, with boards arranged in a log cabin quilt pattern.

The furniture is a mix of the owners' own pieces and antiques Fellman found.


BEFORE: Pine paneling and miles of cabinets had made the kitchen feel closed in. The floor was two layers of linoleum taped down with gaffer's tape.


AFTER: Fellman gave the kitchen what she calls "old-school charm." The lack of upper cabinets makes it feel more open and airier.

The homeowners introduced Fellman to Castle Flooring, and she was thrilled. The floors are ¼-inch-ply reclaimed oak atop plywood; they look fantastic, are very durable and saved money.

Wall paint: String 8, Farrow & Ball; ceiling paint (used throughout the house): James White 2010, Farrow & Ball


Using open maple shelves allowed the patterned Grenada cement tiles to extend up the wall. In lieu of hardware, Fellman opted for simple scoop pulls. The pantry door handle is a solid maple rolling pin crafted in Vermont.

Fellman likes to use granite for countertops, because it's natural, "it has life in it and is not much more expensive than Corian or Caesarstone," she says.

Cabinet paint: Hay 37, Farrow & Ball


A small reclaimed box with a mirrored back is another object salvaged from the site. The skulls belong to animals that have passed away on the ranch. "The owners see the beauty in both the life and death of the animals," Fellman says.


Every room has a woodstove for heat. The designer found buckets of pennies in an outbuilding and used them to cover the hearth in a time capsule of copper.

"I wanted this renovation to give my clients their balance back without being too precious; they can still come in and drop their tools, leave their boots on the floor and let the animals inside," Fellman says. "They live a simple life of jeans and boots, and the house will serve them well for many years."


"Bob builds amazing ponds all over L.A. and is always bringing home unwanted items from demolitions to reuse," Fellman says. "Seeing these ornate statues that probably came from a fancy Bel Air estate out in the dirt on the ranch is so typical of this place."


The ranch's many critters have a wonderful life in the mountains of Malibu.

URL: Houzz Tour: Design Harmony for an Animal Rescue Ranch http://www.decor-ideas.org/cases-view-id-21043.html