Just one of the elegantly-designed living rooms in this magnificent Rancho Santa Fe home

At Home In The Skyline
Downtown San Diego is in an urban springtime with new condo buildings sprouting up in every available space. An unlikely place just ten years ago is now unmistakably ideal. But you didn’t have to convince David and Diana Brandenburg. The couple moved to San Diego driving a Porsche Boxter convertible with the top down all the way from Dallas, Texas. With their youthful spirit, this dynamic partnership found themselves among the original pioneers of downtown San Diego living.

"This is such a convertible city," Diana says, referring to the joys of San Diego, but the Brandenburgs are more accurately celebrated for converting dual condo residences, 30-flights high, into a single-level spectacular penthouse in one of San Diego’s first condo high-rises, the Harbor Club. To be certain, it was no small feat.

From the elevator, one passes through an indoor entrance courtyard minimally filled with plants, rocks, and a Japanese garden-inspired fountain. The sound of falling water sets the tone. Floor-to-ceiling glazing reveals the first of many bird’s-eye views.

The main corridor of the penthouse starts, at it’s most narrow point, at the striking glass front door and extends through the center, opening like a river, dividing the east and west sides of the penthouse into private suites. Each side is graced with a special vantage point to the surrounding views. The central corridor continues past the first private guest bedroom suite on the left. To the right, the office suite is complete with his and her workspaces.

Past the master bedroom suite and second guest bedroom suite, the passageway widens with a graceful curve into a vestibule that connects the kitchen to the main entertaining room. Defined by a curving wall of glass that wraps around the perimeter, the room’s central point directly overlooks the bay and ocean, while the enclosing glass gesture arches back to 180-degree views, opening up the north and south as far as the eye can see. Sectioned off with multiple seating arrangements, a dining room table, grand piano, and full wet bar, one part of the space flows into the next while skillfully maintaining multiple isolated functions.

The vestibule allows for easy communication between the kitchen and great room. The galley kitchen enjoys a direct view to the ocean as well, even with your back to the windows, as just under the wall of handsomely designed cabinets, a background of mirrors reflects the outside. Mirrors were used very skillfully in the design, reflecting the sky as part of the interior dialogue and space. "Never put a mirror in unless you gain a view from it," Diana explains.

From black lacquer and stainless steel in the main room to floating chiseled glass counter tops and vivid hand-blown glass bowl sinks in a guest bath, accents tastefully enforce the shimmering and reflective qualities of the home, while the walls seem to just disappear. Labrador antique granite floors and countertops run throughout, giving a dignified weight to the clean lines and brightly colored accents that come from the art and objects on display. A contemporary Asian influence is prevalent but not pigeonholed, as many pieces stand in resonance with their own uniqueness.

Each room is encircled with dimmable cold cathode lighting warmly reflected from the underbelly of ceiling coves. Perfectly engineered, remote-controlled shades, lighting, and Bose sound can be directed with the touch of a button. Even the central entertainment system has been perfected, with a secret door, hiding messy cords; every little detail has been resolved eloquently.

The masterminds behind this superbly crafted space are the owners themselves. In their 40 years of marriage, the Brandenburgs have accomplished 20 renovations, blurring the line between craft and passion. Newly listed on the market with Ann Lebaron and Pale Bowen of Prudential California Realty, this penthouse was more than a hobby driven by love so it is no surprise when David reflects, "We hope to find someone who will love this home as much as we do." — Lauren Bender, photography by John Leonffu

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Lion, giraffe, elephant, and buffalo pewter and wood napkin rings, and glass bowl with cheetah stand from Africa & Beyond in La Jolla; folk art tiger carving from Northern Thailand from David Alan Collection in the Cedros Design District; wood-carved elephant from Leaping Lotus in the Cedros Design District

Left to right: Hand-painted wood shore birds from Cedros Design in the Cedros Design District, rare tribal coconut scraper from Nias Island from David Alan Collection in the Cedros Design District. Purple pillow with elephant from Leaping Lotus in the Cedros Design District, zebra print pillow and zebra needleprint bench from Seaside Home in La Jolla, bobcat print baby blanket with gold ruffle from Africa & Beyond in La Jolla

Welcome To The Jungle
You won’t find many wild animals living in downtown San Diego (unless you count the wolves that frequent some of the local nightclubs), so the best way to bring a bit of wilderness into your loft or apartment is to add splashes of animal print and nature-inspired accessories. We hunted around and found these exotic accoutrements that brought out the animal in us. — Alicia Garcia

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Gardens From South Of The Border
Mexico’s vast terrain ranges from the sea to the mountains, desert to jungles, and hosts more than 25,000 species of plants. After over a year of preparation, Quail Gardens has gracefully transformed an area previously occupied by a Meso-American landscape to their new Mexican Gardens. New bilingual signs and plant identification labels educate visitors of the country’s widely diverse flora. Decorated with native design elements and pottery, the Mexican Gardens celebrate not only the wide variety of plants, but also the culture and style of gardens in Mexico. (760/436-3036, www.qbgardens.org) — Kaila Lee

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Margaret Dean, Amy Bourma-Kellerman, Traci Taylor, Lothar C. Birkenfield, and Lee Austin

Poggenpohl Arrives
Recently, Poggenpohl, the world’s oldest German kitchen cabinet brand, opened its 5th California showroom at Design Studio West in La Jolla. Poggenpohl has established a strong global presence with its forward thinking and innovative designs that combine cutting edge technology and style with multifunctional use. The brand’s +Integration series embodies some of the top trends in design as it transforms the kitchen into a versatile space ideal for dining, entertaining, relaxing, and working. This is the first Poggenpohl studio for Design Studio West owner Lee Austin, who is excited that "the affluent residents and visitors of La Jolla will now have access to the most luxurious brand in the world." (858/454-9133, www.designstudiowest.com)
— Kaila Lee