House of Payne
he German poet Novalis said in 1798, “Everything at a distance turns into poetry; distant mountains, distant people, distant events, all become romantic.” His words were used to describe the unforgettable art exhibit “ Rooms with a View - The Open Window in the 19th Century ” at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City in 2011. “Windows” explored how two worlds can exist as mirrored images. The New York Times said, “Its head-clearing effect is the perfect start for a show of artworks permeated, for the most part, by a luminous light and an accompanying clarity of vision that regularly translates life’s daily pleasures.” For Malibu couple Tina and David Payne it is precisely this love for “luminous light” and a “clarity of vision.” that connected them not only by building their lives together, but also their forever home
“Walking in the door is an affirmation of the life choices we’ve made.”
When Tina and David first met at a Hollywood party years ago, they came from two distinctly different universes. She grew up in Johannesburg, South Africa, and he was raised in a small town outside of Chicago called Elk Grove Village, but together they found common ground in their creative pursuits. Tina was a London-trained actress then, and David was a writer/director/producer in the indie movie world.
Together, they worked on a few films, but when it was time to settle down and start a family, they changed course and embarked on a more stable yet challenging journey. Two boys and two businesses later, Tina and Dave, have constructed a living space that incorporates all of their favorite things
Tina, and her husband David runs a Burbank-based post production company and a vehicle camping accessory business called, Front Runner Outfitters. “We’ve completed many big projects in our lives, but we get to live with this one every day. Designing and building this house is so much more satisfying because we get to live in the results and experience the payoff of our hard work daily.
”The couple’s home is quintessential Cali-living with its breathtaking views of the picturesque Monte Nido neighborhood in Malibu. It is an area dotted with pine, oak, sycamore, and fruit trees nestled among horse trails, all essential elements to Tina and David when considering a place to call home. “Our goal was to capture the best of the big city and rural life.
Our priorities were clean air and close to open spaces and the ocean. Yet, it’s not too far from milk. We never wanted to live more than 10 minutes from necessities,” says Tina. After two and half years of looking at every available home and property for sale in the tiny neighborhood of just 200 homes, they found what they wanted.
They spent the next two years designing and building their utopia.“I can see straight through the house to the backyard when I enter the foyer. I like the contrast of entering a safe, climate-controlled space, surrounded by everything I love, and feeling right in the middle of nature.
The landscape blends and feeds right into our interiors, and we find an excellent sense of peace by inviting the rest of the outside world into our space, says David. The expansive views are a natural backdrop for two artists who have lived worldwide and wanted to bring pieces from their journeys into their show-stopping space.
Architect: walkerworkshop.com
Windows and doors: westernwindowsystems.com
