In conversation with Camille Styles
There are those places that have a way of waking something up inside of you. The ones defined by seeing and being seen, chasing what’s next and making the most of every moment. And then there are places that call for stillness.
Malibu is both. Long known for its grand residences, notable entertainers and panoramic coastline, there’s another side that’s just as beloved. Here, horse farms stretch toward the Pacific. The roads feel rural and the air a little softer. It’s this less-glitzy, more local side of Malibu that designer and editor Camille Styles fell in love with years ago.
“I lived in Austin for 20 years, where I built my brand and business,” says Styles. “But my husband and I had long dreamed of spending more time in Malibu. We both experienced a slower side of it, not the flashy celebrity version people imagine.”
In 2020, that long-held idea became a firm decision and the couple found a 1950s bungalow near Zuma Beach, overlooking the ocean and neighboring horse farms. They saw its potential immediately but as with many things, the unexpected happened. The renovation took nearly six years to complete, including three and a half years of permitting before construction could even begin.
Today, they live in Malibu full-time, the home finished to reflect the ease and beauty that first drew them there. The design is pared back, yet intentional: clean lines, natural wood floors, and rooms that open wide to the elements. “The design is somewhat minimal, but warmth and comfort are the biggest priorities. Furniture is low-slung and deep so people can curl up, sit cross-legged and relax.”
The house was dubbed Casa Zuma — a fitting name for a home they envisioned as a place for relaxed gatherings. Built around family life, sand, dirt and the occasional spill are simply an expected part of the picture. Their cat and golden retriever are also allowed to roam free, coming and going through an open door. “There’s a constant flow between inside and outside, so rugs and furniture need to be durable,” Styles says. “We never want guests or kids to worry about making a mess.” Every material was chosen with that in mind, including the five custom-sized Ernesta rugs throughout the house.
In the great room, Calico in Latte anchors a round dining table, lounge chairs and stools without obscuring the wood floor beneath it. Xander in Cedar grounds the media room, balancing an oatmeal-colored sectional with a deeper, richer brown. And in the primary bedroom, Cormac in Oatmeal brings texture to an otherwise minimalist space. “The room is very spa-like,” Camille notes. “And the texture keeps it from becoming one oatmeal blob.”
The ability to size the rugs to their respective rooms was essential. The media room’s 13x13 foot rug and the primary bedroom’s custom square shape would not have been possible with standard sizing. But more than that, the rugs are versatile enough for their two children, Henry, 11 and Phoebe, 13.
“Henry is naturally neat and likes a calm, clean space for Legos, drawing and coding video games,” she explains. “We actually leaned into a little bit of a moodier tone with darker colors in his room, so the lighter Maycomb in Linen helped offset it with a bit of contrast.”
Phoebe has a freer approach. “I go in her room and it’s like something just exploded,” Styles says, laughing. “When it came time to choose her rug, Phoebe had a clear point of view. Naturally, she chose Sugar in Cream, the plushest, coziest option of the group.”
For Styles, the choice made perfect sense. “My daughter especially loves softness and plush textures,” she says. “When she gets out of bed and steps onto this super-plush rug, it feels kind of luxurious.” Their rooms were designed to feel cohesive with the rest of the house while still being personal age-appropriate. “At the end of the day, it’s their spaces,” Styles says. “I really wanted them to love their rooms.”
She hopes Casa Zuma will become the kind of home where Henry and Phoebe’s friends will want to spend time as well. She imagines time spent swimming in the pool, playing games or settling around the kitchen island for dinner. It’s a natural extension of Styles’ own experience. Before launching her namesake lifestyle platform in 2009, she worked in event planning, where she learned how food, design and people could come together to make an evening memorable.
“We love hosting dinner parties, pool parties, and casual gatherings,” she says. “That investment was very much about gathering people together.” Her approach to hosting now is reassuringly unfussy. She tends to choose dishes that can be prepared ahead, keeping the sensory details and ingredients simple. “The biggest principle is that the host sets the tone,” she says. “Do whatever helps you be relaxed, even if that means ordering pizza. People won’t remember every menu detail or decoration. They’ll remember whether they had fun, the conversations, and the energy in the room.”
CAMILLE STYLES
Over time, Casa Zuma has grown from the name of a house into a full lifestyle brand, offering ceramics, hand-blown Oaxacan glassware, bedding, baskets, furniture and beach towels inspired by the home and how it’s experienced by friends and family.
On a typical evening, the family might gather in the media room after dinner to watch a movie, though Camille admits to reading on the sofa during this time as well. They swim, spend time at the beach and end evenings around the fire pit. It’s a reminder that this side of Malibu isn’t a backdrop. It’s a place to slow down and settle in with the people you love.
