Sea & Sky

Just a short stroll from Venice Beach, this light-flooded LA home is a modernist's dream. Stripped back wooden floors and ceilings, a California sky colour palette, and floor-to-ceiling windows may have you fooled that you're actually outside. And that's what this home does so wonderfully, it marries its ample inside space with its smaller outdoor area, blurring the lines between the two. The prime is example is obvious for all to see – the pool and hot tub are half inside the living room. Slide open the glass doors and you can pad from your sofa to the water and back in a few steps. And if you tire of the pretty barbecue area and fire pit on the ground floor, you can swap it for the expansive roof terrace, with an outdoor kitchen, huge sofa and incredible views across the rooftops and swaying palm trees. The living space is cool and minimalist, with a gas fire, sleek kitchen and plenty of space for a good size group at the dining table, while upstairs it's the master suite that's the star of the show – with its own fireplace and large bathroom. Here you're just steps away from the beach in one direction and the canals in the other, and there are all sorts of dining options within walking distance.



Home truths:
* A seventh guest would be sleeping on a sofa bed in the office room

*One of the ensuite bedrooms is on the ground floor, while the rest are on the first floor

* There are quite a few stairs up to the roof terrace

*If you're bringing a car (and in LA it's recommended) there is driveway parking but the garage is not in use

*If you're travelling with children, items like a cot and highchair can be hired for an extra fee – contact the host

*Pool and spa heating comes at an additional charge of $50 per day all year round, regardless of the season

*Daily or weekly cleaning is available for an additional cost