La Jolla Beach and Tennis Club: the historic California resort renews itself

Set along the Californian coastline of La Jolla, just a few miles north of San Diego, the iconic La Jolla Beach and Tennis Club, founded in the 1930s, is undergoing a renewal thanks to a multi-phase renovation in which Studio UNLTD has redesigned the club’s interiors.

The project redefines the experience for members and guests, enhancing the historic heritage of the club. The Marine Room, the pool, the Walnut Lounge, and the Club Dining areas are all reimagined through a contemporary design language that engages in dialogue with the past.

La Jolla Beach and Tennis Club, contemplating the ocean from the Marine Room

With the aim of creating an intimate setting to enjoy the sunset over the Pacific, the bar area has been expanded into a new lounge with panoramic glass walls.

The interiors draw inspiration from the sea, with surfaces and furnishings that reflect both light and the tactile qualities of water. The color palette, fresh and luminous, combines bright white ceilings, blonde wood flooring, and shades of blue ranging from seafoam to turquoise. The curvilinear line, recalling the movement of waves, becomes a recurring motif—from the bar counter to the carpet, to the custom serpentine chenille sofa.

Craftsmanship adds refinement throughout. Among the highlights are the cocktail tables designed in collaboration with Ornella Pisano, distinguished by the verre églomisé technique—an ancient process that applies a metallic leaf (often gold or silver) and a hand-painted design to the back of glass, creating a shimmering, reflective effect that echoes the surrounding landscape.

Every element is oriented toward the ocean, including the swiveling velvet barstools, designed so guests can turn toward the windows and fully immerse themselves in the contemplative experience.

The Pool and Club Dining: A Culinary and Social Experience

The new Club Dining — with architecture by Dahlin Group — merges the relaxed elegance of a California bungalow with the sophistication of a coastal restaurant. The interiors alternate wood paneling, light marble surfaces, and sand-toned hues. The main dining room prioritizes ocean views, offering a variety of seating arrangements and generous convivial booths.

The bar retains its original structure but has been updated with honed Calacatta marble, panelized wood faces, and an oak and rattan soffit, while new openings now connect the space to the outdoors.

Nearby, the pool area — with architecture by Benton & Benton — reinterprets Spanish Colonial architecture in a contemporary key, renewing materials and furnishings with teak, neutral fabrics, and simple lines. The new family lounges, chaise longues, and private cabanas respond to different modes of social interaction. A brick pizza oven becomes both a focal point and a catalyst for conviviality, extending the culinary experience outdoors.

The Walnut Lounge, an intimate, tactile space

A historic area of the club, the Walnut Lounge— where the architecture is also by Dahlin Group —completes the transformation. Studio UNLTD has preserved its intimate atmosphere, turning it into a space that feels exclusive yet welcoming, perfectly suited to take in the ocean views.

Tumbled marble tiles in shades of blush, burgundy, and sage, laid in a braided pattern, interact with walnut paneling and seating in supple leather, textured velvet, and bouclé. At the center, a floating bar island serving both the indoor and outdoor areas defines a tactile and enveloping environment.

With this thoughtful reinterpretation, Studio UNLTD succeeds in refreshing and elevating the experience of the club’s spaces while celebrating its historic legacy and its deep connection to the ocean.

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