A pillow-dotted daybed lures you to the property’s magnificent, 75-foot swimming pool.

How to Hibernate in Style: Malibu’s Beachfront Retreat

From poolside cookouts atop the stone veranda to al fresco dinners overlooking a private orchard, this California estate begs for company.

Words: Kelly Phillips Badal
Images: Paul Barnaby

In the exclusive Point Dume community of Malibu, California, properties aren’t just homes; they’re sanctuaries. The area, dubbed the “Malibu Riviera” for its spectacular cliff-side ocean views and pristine beaches, is private, quiet, and free from the rowdier restaurants and bars studding other sections of the Southern California coastline, and the many celebrities who reside here love it for that very reason. But all that seclusion means that the home, especially in the fall and winter months, becomes an essential entertainment hub.

“The beach and the home are the absolute center of life at Point Dume,” says Compass agent Lily Harfouche. “We joke that it’s because there’s literally nowhere else to go, but this is magical, practically sacred land, a place you won’t want to leave — but will most definitely want to share.”

Above left: Oversized stone slabs seemingly hover atop a peaceful koi pond, creating a transporting pathway to the trellised front doors. Above right: The breezy open-walled pool house invites you to kick back after a day on the sand with fruity, fireside drinks concocted from the home’s private orchard. Below: The extended open-plan kitchen features two islands—and plenty of casual seating—plus space enough for a lengthy dining table.

And behind the gates of 6902 Wildlife Road, there exists much to offer. Approach along a graceful path laid atop a serene koi pond, and the lattice-detailed doors swing open to reveal a spacious formal entryway that elegantly leads to a level of the estate entirely devoted to communal spaces. The open plan harmoniously blends a generous living room with a dining area big enough for a lengthy farmhouse table, plus a vast gourmet kitchen with double appliances and dual islands. Connected to this extended lounge is an enormous walk-in pantry, a sizable library with stately built-in shelving, and a cozy yet commodious den.

The architectural bones nod Mediterranean-modern, yet the current owners opted for crisp white walls and Indonesian touches such as hand-carved wooden paneling to ensure the atmosphere remains casual and beachy.

Glass folding doors throughout the house blur the boundaries between indoors and out. The enclosed deck off the living room area overlooks the property’s private orchard, which brims with more than 40 mature fruit trees.

While the interiors alone can welcome a crowd with ease, draw open the folding glass doors that border the full perimeter of the first level, and the entertaining area nearly quadruples. Outside, the stone veranda encourages cookouts and golden-hour cocktails — perhaps made with pomegranates or passion fruit plucked from the private orchard — around the magnificent 75-foot pool. Come dusk, overnighters can tuck into the self-contained guest cottage.

“Usually with any house, you sacrifice something to get something else — say, a pantry for a bigger kitchen, a walk-in closet for a larger master bedroom,” says Harfouche. “Not here. This house sacrifices nothing,”

An exquisite wall of picture windows in the master bedroom frames the captivating view of Little Dume beach below, just beyond the waving palms.

Then there’s the beach below, and this isn’t just any shoreline. A private path leads to Little Dume, Malibu’s most desirable slice of coast, and this property is one of the lucky few allotted a gate key down to that coveted strip of sand.

“It’s rare to see a completed house designed with high-end amenities that also has direct access to the beach, a gigantic pool, a guest cottage, a mature orchard and enclosed garden, and a mix of cozy nooks and spacious quarters throughout,” says Harfouche. “It’s absolutely everything you’d ever need and more.”

Access more of this transporting Malibu escape at Compass.com.

Want to work with an agent like Lily Harfouche? Compass partners with you throughout your home search, providing deep knowledge of the Malibu real estate market to help you find a home you love.