Beautiful Virgin Islands

Monday, Oct 06, 2025

Mariposa House by Brininstool + Lynch

Mariposa House by Brininstool + Lynch

The Mariposa House restoration by Brininstool + Lynch promises solitude and garden views in Malibu, California.

Privacy in Malibu is hard to come by. Most of the area’s commodious beachfront houses are packed close together, which is why Brad Lynch, principal and president of Chicago architecture firm Brininstool + Lynch, was intrigued by a residence that stood apart.



The actual site of the 1955 residence is one of the first aspects that appealed to the client. "Situated on a flag lot tucked away by tall 20-foot-tall hedges, [the home is] a secret that only reveals itself once you get inside," he says.

In 2017, one of Lynch’s loyal clients asked him to fly out to Los Angeles to scope out the home, which he was keen to buy. "A lot of the properties in Malibu are relatively exposed, but this one is down a side road that gets you off the street. It’s rare to get this kind of quiet there while the Pacific Ocean is still within walking distance," says Lynch.

The home is nestled into a canyon and surrounded by the Santa Monica Mountains, and it was this dramatic setting that initially called out to Lynchขbut its distinct architecture captured his intrigue, too.



"The combination of the low, sprawling midcentury ranch with a more than one-acre expanse of mature palms just spoke to us. Everything felt like it belonged right there and nowhere else," explains the owner.

The Malibu home, dubbed the Mariposa House, was built in 1955 by Frank Lloyd Wright protégé Alfred T. "Hap" Gilman, who was also known for his Spanish Colonial–style creations. Despite its rundown state, Lynch thought the residence was a stellar example of California modernism. The "good bones" of the structure, which flaunted a mix of earthy stone, wood, and glass, are also what impressed the client.



Before: When the owner discovered the dwelling and its adjacent guesthouse, the property wasn’t in the best condition. However, he was immediately struck by the home’s simple palette of materials and believed in its potential to become a modernist showplace again.



Before: Leafy exterior pathways, a holdover from the old site, were beautifully reimagined for the 2020 renovation.

"It felt considered, not contrived," says the owner. "[There were] small courtyards for every bedroom, rooms with comfortable scale, [and a] low, flat, sloping roof. You could tell the original architect thought about how to put it together for living, not just for looking."

Given that Lynch and the client had collaborated on a number of prior projects, there was an ease to their communication about the Mariposa House renovation. Lynch understood from the get-go that one of the client’s priorities would be reinstating the dwelling’s midcentury vibe while seismically retrofitting it and making upgrades with sustainability in mind.



One of the highlights of the Mariposa House’s renovation is a new trellis complemented by heaps of lush vegetation.



"We wanted Brininstool + Lynch to honor the original intent while transforming it into an even better version of itself," says the client. "Clean it up, balance it out, modernize the systems, create more views out to the landscape, and introduce one big, new element: A gorgeous whole-house terrazzo floor, to pull it all together."



A duo of vintage Cubica chairs from Verzelloni and globe-shaped light fixtures set against warm slats of Douglas Fir elicit a retro spirit in the living room.



Behind the Muuto sofa, a dreamy but muted painting by artist Keiko Hara commands attention.



Striking millwork seamlessly separates the living room from the art-lined dining area, where Knoll chairs sit positioned around a custom tabletop.



The new kitchen, which features banquette seating for laidback meals, is one of the owner’s favorite parts of the renovation.



Sleek cabinetry, space-saving built-ins, and gleaming stainless steel define the kitchen.

"There were very few parts of the house left standingขjust a few stone walls and beams that we thought we would have to replace but were able to restore by stripping down and adding a minimal stain that looks as natural as possible," recalls Lynch.

The owner wanted to maintain the warmth conjured by the home’s original Douglas fir tongue-and-groove ceilings, so Lynch replicated that same cozy feeling with a swath of new wood.



Before: In the old living room, a fireplace obstructed the gorgeous views, so it was removed and the stones were then recycled and incorporated into the new layout.



Before: The Mariposa House’s original kitchen featured dark floor tiles and white cabinetry.

Expanding the connection to the outdoors was also essential to the client. Lynch amplified this relationship by ensuring the home featured copious glass walls and gardens rife with native plantings like California sycamore, California poppy, and Calistoga harrow, all pieced together by Santa Monica landscape architecture firm Pamela Burton & Company.

"The idea is really that the depth of the landscape becomes the predominant feature," explains Lynch. "[So] that when you walk into the home, you are comfortable and your eye is drawn outside."



Custom walnut millwork, courtesy of Brininstool + Lynch, provides a crafted, minimalist touch in the bedroom that overlooks the pool.



Greenery brightens a patch of outdoor space just off the main bathroom.



Small patios with bistro folding chairs adjoin each bedroom, filling the spaces with natural light.

New, glimmering terrazzo floors help make the indoor/outdoor transition feel organic, stretching across each room in the 5,574-square-foot home, and even out onto the hardscape.

"It is just spectacular; the warmth of the colors, the flecks of texture throughout," says the client. "The glass, the flowing curtains, even the little things, like the hidden integration of the forced air registers. The place is awash in thoughtful, respectful details where they matterขnothing feels overdone, nothing too precious. It’s lightweight and livable, perfectly integrated with the landscape, and a treat to spend time in. We’re fortunate."



A floor plan of the Mariposa House in Malibu, California, by Brininstool + Lynch.

Newsletter

Related Articles

Beautiful Virgin Islands
0:00
0:00
Close
Munich Airport Reopens After Second Drone Shutdown
France Names New Government Amid Political Crisis
Trump Stands Firm in Shutdown Showdown and Declares War on Drug Cartels — Turning Crisis into Opportunity
Surge of U.S. Billionaires Transforms London’s Peninsula Apartments into Ultra-Luxury Stronghold
Pro Europe and Anti-War Babiš Poised to Return to Power After Czech Parliamentary Vote
Jeff Bezos Calls AI Surge a ‘Good’ Bubble, Urges Focus on Lasting Innovation
Japan’s Ruling Party Chooses Sanae Takaichi, Clearing Path to First Female Prime Minister
Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs Sentenced to Fifty Months in Prison Following Prostitution Conviction
Taylor Swift’s ‘Showgirl’ Launch Extends Billion-Dollar Empire
Trump Administration Launches “TrumpRx” Plan to Enable Direct Drug Sales at Deep Discounts
Trump Announces Intention to Impose 100 Percent Tariff on Foreign-Made Films
Altman Says GPT-5 Already Outpaces Him, Warns AI Could Automate 40% of Work
Singapore and Hong Kong Vie to Dominate Asia’s Rising Gold Trade
Trump Organization Teams with Saudi Developer on $1 Billion Trump Plaza in Jeddah
Manhattan Sees Surge in Office-to-Housing Conversions, Highest Since 2008
Switzerland and U.S. Issue Joint Assurance Against Currency Manipulation
Electronic Arts to Be Taken Private in Historic $55 Billion Buyout
Thomas Jacob Sanford Named as Suspect in Deadly Michigan Church Shooting and Arson
Russian Research Vessel 'Yantar' Tracked Mapping Europe’s Subsea Cables, Raising Security Alarms
New York Man Arrested After On-Air Confession to 2017 Parents’ Murders
U.S. Defense Chief Orders Sudden Summit of Hundreds of Generals and Admirals
Global Cruise Industry Posts Dramatic Comeback with 34.6 Million Passengers in 2024
Trump Claims FBI Planted 274 Agents at Capitol Riot, Citing Unverified Reports
India: Internet Suspended in Bareilly Amid Communal Clashes Between Muslims and Hindus
Supreme Court Extends Freeze on Nearly $5 Billion in U.S. Foreign Aid at Trump’s Request
Archaeologists Recover Statues and Temples from 2,000-Year-Old Sunken City off Alexandria
China Deploys 2,000 Workers to Spain to Build Major EV Battery Factory, Raising European Dependence
Speed Takes Over: How Drive-Through Coffee Chains Are Rewriting U.S. Coffee Culture
U.S. Demands Brussels Scrutinize Digital Rules to Prevent Bias Against American Tech
Ringo Starr Champions Enduring Beatles Legacy While Debuting Las Vegas Art Show
Private Equity’s Fundraising Surge Triggers Concern of European Market Shake-Out
Colombian President Petro Vows to Mobilize Volunteers for Gaza and Joins List of Fighters
FBI Removes Agents Who Kneeled at 2020 Protest, Citing Breach of Professional Conduct
Trump Alleges ‘Triple Sabotage’ at United Nations After Escalator and Teleprompter Failures
Shock in France: 5 Years in Prison for Former President Nicolas Sarkozy
Tokyo’s Jimbōchō Named World’s Coolest Neighbourhood for 2025
European Officials Fear Trump May Shift Blame for Ukraine War onto EU
BNP Paribas Abandons Ban on 'Controversial Weapons' Financing Amid Europe’s Defence Push
Typhoon Ragasa Leaves Trail of Destruction Across East Asia Before Making Landfall in China
The Personality Rights Challenge in India’s AI Era
Big Banks Rebuild in Hong Kong as Deal Volume Surges
Italy Considers Freezing Retirement Age at 67 to Avert Scheduled Hike
Italian City to Impose Tax on Visiting Dogs Starting in 2026
Arnault Denounces Proposed Wealth Tax as Threat to French Economy
Study Finds No Safe Level of Alcohol for Dementia Risk
Denmark Investigates Drone Incursion, Does Not Rule Out Russian Involvement
Lilly CEO Warns UK Is ‘Worst Country in Europe’ for Drug Prices, Pulls Back Investment
Nigel Farage Emerges as Central Force in British Politics with Reform UK Surge
Disney Reinstates ‘Jimmy Kimmel Live!’ after Six-Day Suspension over Charlie Kirk Comments
U.S. Prosecutors Move to Break Up Google’s Advertising Monopoly
×