Site + architecture
Orientation, arrival, views, privacy, massing, circulation, structure, and the relationship between the home and its land.
Luxury home design-build
One design idea, carried from land to last detail.
Luxury home design-build in Malibu and Southern California, connecting architecture, interiors, preconstruction, craft, and field coordination.
Professional credentialsCreative direction with accountable professional delivery.
Architecture + designApel Design, working in conjunction with Michael B. Maclaren, AIA.
Licensed residential constructionCreative New Dimension Inc
California General Building Contractor · Class B · CSLB #1056632
Why this matters
A custom home becomes more coherent when the questions of beauty, cost, structure, material, and making enter the same conversation early.
Apel Design approaches a luxury residence as a complete environment: site, architecture, rooms, landscape, objects, light, and the realities of construction. The objective is not simply continuity of service. It is continuity of intent.
The architectural practice works in association with Michael B. Maclaren, AIA. Licensed construction is provided by Creative New Dimension Inc, California B 1056632, in conjunction with Apel Design for Design-Build. This structure keeps professional responsibilities clear while allowing design and building knowledge to inform one another.
Capabilities
What the work requires.
Interiors + objects
Interior architecture, materials, kitchens, baths, millwork, art, furniture, lighting, and custom elements developed with the building.
Preconstruction
Early constructability, scope, sequencing, material, procurement, and field questions brought forward before they become expensive surprises.
Making + craft
Design intent communicated through drawings, coordination, mockups, fabrication conversations, and attention to how details are actually assembled.
Selected evidence
Experience you can see.
The work below comes directly from our portfolio. We identify projects by name and city or neighborhood where appropriate; private street addresses are not published.
Malibu
The Aviator
Architecture and interiors shaped as one sculptural residential experience.View related work ↗
Malibu Mountains
Maliview
Residence and landscape composed around material, topography, and evening light.View related work ↗
Malibu Mountains
Framing the View
Field knowledge used to protect the relationship between structure, opening, and view.View related work ↗How we work
A clear path through complexity.
Discover
Define the site, life, ambition, constraints, schedule, and decision-making structure.
Design
Develop architecture and interiors as one spatial and material idea.
Resolve
Coordinate engineering, constructability, scope, selections, and procurement.
Realize
Carry design knowledge into fabrication, construction coordination, and installation.
A strong fit for
Teams looking for design intelligence and practical clarity.
- Private clients planning a custom residence
- Owners of complex coastal or hillside sites
- Clients seeking architecture and interiors under one creative direction
- Owners who value early building intelligence
Luxury homes, start to finish
Our own design-build projects.
Every image below is from an Apel Design project.
Completed design-build homes
Designed and built by one team.
Every image below is from an Apel Design project.
Questions
Useful answers before we begin.
What does luxury home design-build mean at Apel Design?
It means architecture, interiors, preconstruction thinking, and field knowledge are coordinated from the beginning. Architectural services are performed in association with Michael B. Maclaren, AIA; licensed construction is provided by Creative New Dimension Inc, CA B 1056632, in conjunction with Apel Design for Design-Build.
Can Apel Design provide interiors as part of a custom home?
Yes. The studio’s residential work can connect interior architecture, material, kitchens, baths, lighting, furniture, art, objects, and installation with the architecture.
Where does Apel Design work?
The studio is based in Malibu and works across Los Angeles County and Southern California, with particular experience in coastal, hillside, and urban residential settings.
One continuous thread
These do not happen in isolation.
Site engineering, approvals, documentation and building systems all constrain each other. On our projects they are resolved together, by one team, rather than handed between consultants.