The story starts in Atlanta—nowhere near excellent waves—nearly two decades ago on a day so hot that then-NFL Flacon reserve quarterback Perry Klein was negotiating his six-foot-three-inch frame into an inflatable kiddie pool. "What are we doing here?" the Malibu-raised surfer joked to his Orange Country-born wife, Cari. After Perry spent two years playing for the Falcons, the Kleins returned to their roots. Once back in Souther California, they began looking for a house with views of the ocean. Now home is a Hawaii-inspired beach bungalow with stop-and-breathe views of the cliffs of Pacific Palisades.

Downstairs, the kitchen and family room have an open floor plan banked by wide windows framing the pool. Trout's biggest challenge was to succesfully blend Cari's traditional taste with Perry's contemporary style. She also need to customize everything for her clients' lifestyle: Every room needed to be able to withstand wear from wet feet and swimsuits, sand, salt and sun. "Perry has a passion for design, and he didn't want anything fussy or fancy," says Trout. "He described his concept as 'modern Hawaii but funky,' a place where everyone would be comfortable hanging out.