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MH, Marlene Hennings Studio
Atelier Azul living room with a beamed wood ceiling, white brick fireplace, green leather chairs, a grand piano and a patterned-tile staircase

Marlene Hennings StudioCreative interiors with an inspired coastal touch

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A few of my favorite finds: good books, pieces for the home, and art that makes me smile.

Surf Shacks Vol. 1, published by Gestaltenvol. 1 Surf Shacks Vol. 2 by Matt Titone, published by Gestaltenvol. 2 Surf Shacks Vol. 3 by Matt Titone, published by Gestaltenvol. 3

the Surf Shacks series

Gestalten's three-volume series on how surfers live. Edited by Matt Titone, co-founder of Indoek, each 288-page hardcover visits the homes of creative surfers around the world, from New York apartments and Hawaiian treehouses to a Japanese mountain cabin and design-led retreats in Portugal and Panama.

A rich source of ideas for bringing relaxed coastal style home.

buy Surf Shacks books

projects

Atelier Azul living room with a beamed wood ceiling, white brick fireplace, green leather chairs, a grand piano and a patterned-tile staircase Atelier Azulview project Marble kitchen island with autumn branches in a clay vase, glass pendants above and wood counter stools Three Arch Bayview project Establo Project living room with a grand piano, a stone fireplace, leather sling chairs and a tall arched steel window Establo Projectview project Vista Bahia dining room with a dark wood table, wishbone chairs, a tiered woven pendant and ocean views at sunset Vista Bahiaview project

before & after

I look beyond what a home is today to what it can become, then manage the work from the big picture to the smallest details.

The kitchen before: dark floors and a grey granite island
before
The kitchen after: white cabinetry, marble counters and a new range hood
after
The fireplace before: a white mantel with a television above and a black granite surround and hearth
before
The fireplace after: a smooth white plaster surround and hearth with a herringbone tile firebox and stone fire spheres
after
Black and white portrait of Marlene Hennings sitting on a window seat in a white room, agave plants outside

Marlene Hennings Studio

I believe every home tells a story. Rooted in The Art of Coastal Living, my work blends relaxed coastal elegance with refined luxury, and I focus on craftsmanship, restraint, and integrity. Every decision is purposeful. Every enhancement is curated. Quality always leads.

I have designed California coastal homes since 2016, working from San Clemente to Laguna Beach. I project manage each one as if it were my own home.

Marlene also represents buyers and sellers of luxury coastal homes as a REALTOR® with First Team, DRE #02235619. View her real estate site

services & expertise

  • Design concepts and space planning
  • Furniture and home decor selection and placement
  • Styling for surfaces, sofas, beds and walls
  • Paint, wall treatments and window treatments
  • Cabinetry and built-ins
  • Fixtures, finishes and trims
  • Remodel design and project management
  • Exterior and outdoor living design
  • Sourcing from recommended stores and brands
  • Home staging

book a consultation

Start with a one-on-one session with Marlene. Walk her through your home, your photos and your ideas, and leave with a clear direction for the space.

get in touch

kind words

“We loved the location, but the home needed updates and we had difficulty visualizing its potential. Marlene guided the design vision and managed the entire remodel from start to finish, handling every detail seamlessly and making the process smooth and stress-free.”

homeowners, laguna beach

“I had seen the design work she had done in friends’ homes, but she far exceeded my expectations. She made simple yet highly effective changes to our home. Throughout the process, she was incredibly pleasant, efficient, and easy to work with.”

home seller

let's work together

Have a home in mind? Tell Marlene about it and she'll be in touch.

949.439.9002 marlenehennings@gmail.com San Clemente, California
← all projects

atelier azul

Atelier Azul living room with a beamed wood ceiling, white brick fireplace, green leather chairs, a grand piano and a patterned-tile staircase
Atelier Azul kitchen with exposed beams, metal dome pendants, a marble island and cane counter stools Atelier Azul attic studio with a long wood desk, black pendant lights, oak cabinet doors and a painting on the wall
Atelier Azul landing with a gallery wall of framed art beneath a beamed ceiling Atelier Azul dining nook with a round white table, wishbone chairs, a faceted glass pendant and a surf photograph Atelier Azul bath with green zellige tile, an oak double vanity, brass faucets and pierced metal globe pendants
Atelier Azul music room with six guitars hung on a wood rail above an amplifier Atelier Azul bedroom with framed drawings, a reclaimed-wood dartboard panel and an indigo throw
Atelier Azul bath with white subway tile, a freestanding tub, a Dutch door and brass fixtures Atelier Azul office nook under the eaves with three pendant lights and a pink painting
Atelier Azul den with a leather sofa, a white brick fireplace, a gallery wall with a California flag and a patterned surfboard Atelier Azul upstairs landing with a gallery wall of framed art, Moroccan lanterns and a patterned-tile staircase

three arch bay

Marble kitchen island with autumn branches in a clay vase, glass pendants above and wood counter stools
Three Arch Bay living room with a white sofa, boucle swivel chairs and French doors onto an ocean-view deck Three Arch Bay dining table with striped chairs, a fireplace seating area and doors open to the ocean
Living room with white sofas around a round wood coffee table and a lit fireplace Marble counter and shelf styled with wood boards and ceramic pitchers
Clear blown-glass pendant light with a long filament bulb Three Arch Bay great room with an oval wood dining table, glass pendants and a white kitchen with a veined marble backsplash
Front entry with a copper lantern and an olive tree in a clay pot Marble kitchen island with woven stools and an ocean view beyond
Breakfast nook with a round white table and two sculptural leather chairs Kitchen with white cabinetry, a professional range and a marble island
Built-in bar with white cabinetry, a marble counter and shelf, and a wine fridge Antique stone trough fountain set in gravel outside the house
Three Arch Bay exterior: a two-storey coastal home with a white railed deck, olive trees and a flagstone driveway

establo project

Establo Project living room with a grand piano, a stone fireplace, leather sling chairs and a tall arched steel window
Entry with herringbone oak floor, a walnut front door, iron stair railing and a ring chandelier Living room seen from the piano toward the arched steel window
White kitchen with herringbone tile, oak open shelves, woven pendants and a vintage runner Courtyard at dusk with built-in seating around a linear fire pit and arched steel doors
Primary bath with a floating oak vanity, marble herringbone walls and a freestanding tub Freestanding tub under a steel window beside a glass-enclosed marble shower
Bedroom with a black shiplap wall, brass sconces and a striped rug Bath with charcoal glazed tile, a round mirror and a patterned cement tile floor Bath with black and white star-pattern tile, an oak double vanity and brass sconces
Spanish-style exterior at sunset with a clay tile roof, wood garage doors and an olive tree

vista bahia

Vista Bahia dining room with a dark wood table, wishbone chairs, a tiered woven pendant and ocean views at sunset
Vista Bahia living room with a white slipcovered sofa, a patterned-tile fireplace under a round mirror, and black-framed windows onto the golf course Vista Bahia kitchen with deep green cabinetry, white quartz counters, zellige tile, oak shelves and brass globe pendants
Vista Bahia bath with charcoal tile, arched mirrors, globe sconces, an oak double vanity and a patterned floor Vista Bahia bath with a green tiled shower, brass hardware, an arched mirror and a woven pendant
Vista Bahia terrace with two teak lounge chairs facing the golf course and the ocean at sunset Vista Bahia exterior at sunset: a white hillside home with a clay tile roof and a wide terrace
← back to home

books

Books on surf, style and the coastal home, chosen by Marlene.

Cover of Surf Tribe by Stephan Vanfleteren

photography

Surf Tribe

Stephan Vanfleteren · Hannibal Books · 400 pages

Black-and-white portraits of surfers from coastlines around the world, from young talent to living legends, by the Belgian photographer Stephan Vanfleteren.

where to order your copy

Cover of KATE: The Kate Moss Book

fashion

KATE: The Kate Moss Book

Rizzoli

Kate Moss edits her own career in pictures, curated with creative director Fabien Baron, Jess Hallett and Jefferson Hack.

where to order your copy

Cover of Chloé Catwalk

fashion

Chloé Catwalk

Lou Stoppard · Thames & Hudson

Every Chloé collection on the runway, in order. A short history of the house, founded in 1952, opens the book, which then follows its designers from Karl Lagerfeld to Stella McCartney.

where to order your copy

Cover of Surf Shacks, published by Gestalten

surf & home

Surf Shacks

Indoek · Gestalten · 288 pages

The book that started the series. Indoek gathers the homes of surfers and creatives from coast to coast and overseas, drawn from its online Surf Shacks stories, with interviews and original photography.

where to order your copy

Cover of Surf Shacks Vol. 2 by Matt Titone

surf & home

Surf Shacks Vol. 2

Matt Titone · Gestalten · 288 pages

From city apartments and cabins to tiny Hawaiian huts, a look at how surfing shapes where and how surfers live, including a Hawaiian treehouse and a mountain cabin in Japan.

where to order your copy

Cover of Surf Shacks Vol. 3 by Matt Titone

surf & home

Surf Shacks Vol. 3

Matt Titone · Gestalten · 288 pages

The latest volume visits cabins in California, artist-built hideaways in Hawaii and design-led retreats in Portugal and Panama, and meets the designers and builders shaping the surf homes still to come.

where to order your copy

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