Rebuilding After the Woolsey Fire: A Blank Slate, A New Vision
When the Woolsey Fire tore through Malibu, the Zuckermans’ home was lost among countless others. In the months that followed, Andrea and her husband Paul navigated shock and logistics — sorting insurance, revisiting memories reduced to ash, and wondering what came next. Yet beneath the grief, an opportunity emerged: a blank slate. With full rebuild coverage and the right team in place, their loss became a rare chance to start fresh. This wasn’t just a rebuild; it was an opportunity to create a warm, contemporary home designed for collecting, entertaining, and celebrating life’s rituals.
The Team Behind the Transformation
Assembling the right design-and-build team was essential to bringing the vision to life. The collaboration between architect, builder, and owner became the backbone of the project, realized through Burdge Architects and Nick Schaar of CA Buildings.
When Andrea met Doug, she immediately sensed he could translate her instincts into architecture. Their partnership became an ongoing creative conversation — her inspirations and evolving needs woven with Doug’s intuitive understanding of flow, structure, and comfort.
“I met Doug at a fundraiser and instantly sensed he was the right person to guide me through the rebuilding process, given his extensive experience at City Hall,” Andrea recalled. “He had a reputation for getting things built in Malibu, and his portfolio immediately resonated with me.”
Andrea also enlisted Nick Schaar, who had previously worked with Burdge. Nick’s team was not only skilled in general contracting but also exceptional craftspeople, contributing to key details like the front door and stair railing, which give the home its personality.
While the project faced setbacks — post-fire rains, permitting delays, and COVID — each challenge refined the vision. Ideas evolved constantly, yet the team listened at every turn, improving each iteration and demonstrating the power of true collaboration.
A Clear Vision: Light, Space & Purposeful Living
From the first sketch, natural light guided every choice. Andrea’s fascination with sunlight became the guiding principle: oversized black steel windows, open sight lines, soaring ceilings, and bright communal spaces. Light, space, and warmth were non-negotiable.
Entertaining was equally central. The house was conceived for large gatherings, quiet dinners, and intimate conversations. The kitchen expanded, the great room opened wide, a cocktail bar took shape, and cozy seating areas, anchored by colorful rugs, added artistic touches. At the heart of it all, the kitchen island, built for a working cook, not a showpiece. From there, the home grew, both literally and creatively.
Andrea’s collections shaped the vision as well. Raised by parents who hunted beautiful and unusual objects, she imagined a home that honored that legacy.
Collecting & Curating: Reclaiming What Was Lost
The new home became an ode to craftsmanship and memory. A brass-accented front door, fabricated in Tahoe, adds ceremonial weight to every arrival. Throughout the house, curated elements recall what was lost and what was found again: vintage fixtures sourced after the fire, museum-quality shelves, and treasures returned by neighbors, including their wedding china. Upstairs, a deep-blue library complete with cloud-patterned sofas and an antique door became Andrea’s jewel-box retreat. Bathrooms gleam with handmade Zellige tile, and in the master bath, a 1900s French tub celebrates craftsmanship with history.
Some pieces survived. Many didn’t. But each replacement was chosen with intention, restoring not just objects, but identity.
Unexpected Moments Add a Personal Touch
With daylight as the design compass, an open stairwell, born from a last-minute decision to scrap a wall, transformed the home’s vertical core into an illuminated architectural statement. But perhaps nothing embodies the home’s rebirth more than the sculptural Madroño wood dining table, crafted from massive Costa Rican slabs and grounded by custom marble cylinder bases. One part sculpture. One part heirloom. The table anchors the space like functional art and is a clear expression of Andrea’s renewed creativity.
The Joy In Rebuilding
What began as heartbreak became a creative awakening. The completed home is a fire-resistant, intentional design that celebrates the joys of living. Losing a home in the Woolsey Fire was devastating. Rebuilding this one, idea by idea, became an unexpected journey back to joy, purpose, and connection.
Project Team
Architecture: Burdge Architects
Interior Design: Andrea Zuckerman
Contractor: CA Buildings
