A family home in Malibu—previously owned by Jakob Dylan—gets a stylish makeover by Lady Michael McCraine before hitting the market for a cool $17,650,000.
Lady Michael McCraine designed this on-the-market Point Dume home that comes with a “Protected View” of the Pacific, ensuring that any future construction will never obstruct its exceptional sight. Additionally, the tennis court lights—no longer permitted on new tennis courts due to the Dark Sky Ordinance—are grandfathered in.
Originally owned by General Hospital actress Jackie Zelman, this eight-bedroom, eight-bathroom home was purchased by Jakob Dylan, who remodeled and expanded the property with local Malibu architect Doug Burdge. Eventually, after changing hands a few more times, Compass real estate agent and designer Lady Michael McCraine’s clients—a family with five kids and many pets—purchased the property. “It came off like a bland spec home and had some funky energetic vibes,” McCraine explains. “[My clients] chose to live there as-is for three years before moving to an 11-acre property in Ojai.” McCraine was called in to turn the home—now an investment property—into something special before listing it.
Serving as the home’s central hub, the warm and cozy living room looks out toward the pool and the ocean.
“We brought in a local appraiser to give us three price points: the current value, the value with a light remodel, and the value with a full remodel,” says McCraine. “The light remodel included new lighting, a complete kitchen and powder room renovation, new hardware and mirrors in all baths, painting, deck replacement and roof repairs.” After deciding to go in that direction, McCraine received the green light from her clients to do her thing. “We all knew we were dealing with a family home and our goal was to make it feel warm, welcoming, elegant and classic, with a little touch of something special that would set it apart from the other homes currently listed on the market.”
The home’s entry comes with antique iron doors and 12-foot ceilings.
“We really lucked out,” says McCraine. “Doug Burdge, the architect, had already created a functional floor plan in 2011,” she explains, noting that the home is split into two wings: one for living and entertaining and one for sleeping. “Everything was in the right place and all of the rooms were appropriately sized, so we didn’t need to make any major structural changes.” Instead, McCraine and her team focused on cosmetic upgrades throughout with special attention on the kitchen.
The family room is conveniently situated next to the kitchen, with a fireplace and French doors that present a scenic view of the tennis court.
McCraine turned to Farrow & Ball paint and used muted, deep neutrals throughout. “I’ve always been drawn to colors with a bit of muddiness—I find they add an overall sense of warmth and sophistication. This was the first time I decided to paint the walls, trim and doors all the same color and finish in several rooms,” she shares. “I love the result. It made the rooms feel more united and let the artwork take centerstage, instead of the window frames.”
For the kitchen, McCraine looked to Joseph Dirand’s Paris apartment for design inspiration. “[It is] a space I’ve admired since it appeared in Architectural Digest back in 2020. Dirand’s a designers’s designer, and his work never fails to inspire me.”
She nixed the kitchen’s upper cabinets on the sink and range side of the room to open things up and chose Farrow & Ball’s Carriage Green shade for the remaining cabinetry. “Choosing the right color for the cabinetry was a real head-scratcher,” says McCraine. “The conventional wisdom is to ‘keep it neutral, keep it basic,’... but I’ve always strayed from that path. I aim for a move-in-ready, designer-finished home, which seems to be a hit with people.”
The primary bedroom encompasses the entire second floor of the home and includes dual walk-in closets, a spacious bathroom, two seating areas and four sets of French doors that provide breathtaking panoramic views of the Pacific Ocean, stretching from Malibu to Palos Verdes.
“I had a chance to show the home to a top Malibu agent who had a deep history with the property and its past owners,” McCraine says. “I believe he’d even brokered its sale at one point. As mentioned before, the home had a peculiar energy when my clients first bought it, something this agent was well aware of,” she adds. “When he entered the renovated space, he stood there for a moment surveying the surroundings and commented, ‘You’ve completely transformed the energy of this home.’ That was a really sweet moment for me.”
Offering a lounge area for morning coffee, two islands with seating, and a breakfast area accommodating six people, the kitchen boasts vaulted 16-foot ceilings and multiple skylights that allow the sun to illuminate the space throughout the day gracefully.
Since recently listing the home, the feedback McCraine’s received has been glowing. “The response has been overwhelmingly positive, and I can tell it’s only a matter of time before we find a match. Call it intuition, but I can almost sense the energy of the future homeowners—an energy that perfectly aligns with the calm, sweet and inviting ambiance of the home.” The current homeowners’ reaction to the transformation was “nothing short of amazing,” McCraine shares. “Naturally, they found themselves wishing they had made these improvements earlier, during their three years living there. The kids absolutely loved it, and all wanted to move back in.”
TYPE
Single-family home
LOCATION
6930 Dume Drive, Point Dume, Malibu
PRICE
$17,650,000
DESIGN
Compass Listing Agent Lady Michel McCraine
compass.com/agents/lady-michael
ARCHITECTURE
Douglas W. Burdge, AIA
buaia.com
LANDSCAPE DESIGN
Katie Moss
katiemoss.com
HOME STAGING
Ash Staging
ashstaging.com
ARTERIORS
Lighting throughout
arteriorshome.com
BRASS PURE
Kitchen faucets
brasspure.com
DLIGHT
Kitchen sconces
etsy.com
FARROW & BALL
Paint throughout
farrow-ball.com
MARBLE UNLIMITED
Calacatta Breccia turquoise marble backsplash and countertops in kitchen
marbleunlimitedinc.com
UNIVERSAL APPLIANCE AND KITCHEN CENTER
Kitchen appliances
uakc.com
Photography by: NILS TIMM
