Designer James Perse Flips Contemporary Farmhouse in Malibu for $13M

Published: September 4, 2016 | By: American Luxury Staff

James Perse, the Los Angeles-born designer whose clothing line has become synonymous with West Coast living and casual sophistication, brought those signatures to his redesign of the Malibu home he purchased in 2013 from Dave Matthews Band bassist Stefan Lessard. And it looks like his aesthetic choices paid off, helping the clothier double his investment in the property, for which he paid $6.69 million three years ago. Last week, Perse unloaded the house for a cool $12.995 million.

Located on about two acres, the European farmhouse-inspired home got a new slate gray exterior paint job during Perse’s ownership, while the exposed beams of the open kitchen/dining area were painted white to match the ceiling—a cleaner, more subdued look that jives nicely with the light hardwood floors. Surfboard accents and rustic pieces like a sawhorse, eight-seat dining table and plank doors play against clean contemporary geometries visible in the living area’s built-in firewood shelving and fireplace, as well as floor lamps and side tables and the darkly painted double-hung windows throughout.

With 7,400 square feet of living space furnished with Perse’s own home collection, the house perfectly blends style with livability. Among the six bedrooms is an L-shaped master suite with a second fireplace, more recessed shelving, a pair of sitting areas and a Juliet balcony through French doors. The backyard features a contemporary concrete fire pit and chic seating areas as well as a pool, and the home also includes keyed access to Little Dume Beach, a popular destination for surfers.

Perse first launched the t-shirt line that spawned his lifestyle brand in 1994, opening his first standalone retail store in 2003. Today, his collections include linen and furniture lines in addition to clothing and can be found in Neiman Marcus, Nordstrom Rack and a wide range of magazine editorials.

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