Lantern Village Association

Pride Award Winner--Architectural Expression

Summer Pride Award Winner

Architectural Expression
24832 La Paz Avenue

First-time homebuilders Peter and Georgine Dragojlovic bought a vacant lot in 1996 and just finished constructing the duplex of their dreams three months ago. It took one-and-a-half years to build and Peter designed it himself “about five times.” “We wanted it to look like a nice big home with light and air in every room, maximizing the cool ocean breezes,” says Peter. Living in Mission Viejo for seventeen years, Peter would sit and draw late into the night after everyone had gone to bed. He then took his sketches to Victor Bejarano who drew the plans. Despite all the planning, some elements such as a curved ceiling were “created as we went” and with the design having so much height, they discovered they were able to put storage lofts in each of the garages.
“This is a love project,” says Peter and Georgine who share their 2500 square foot, three-bedroom space with their two sons and daughter. (The two-bedroom, 1200 square foot second unit is currently rented to a professional couple but it was built for Peter’s parents when they can no longer live alone in their own home.) Having a large family in the area who visits often, they designed their home for comfort and living with hickory floors, cherry cabinets, and “a nice big kitchen—we both like to cook,” says Peter, a professional chef, to which Georgine replies, “Speak for yourself!” Having resided in Europe and Australia, the Dragojlovic home has a few things unique to Dana Point. The kitchen features two Fisher & Paykel dishwashers from New Zealand that automatically control the water level by the weight of the load. As Georgine explains, “If you want to wash only one spoon, it only uses that much water.” A lot of thought towards conservation and preservation went into the exterior of the home as well. The roof is fireproof concrete and there is no exposed wood for the ocean air or termites to feast on.
Peter advises to first-time homebuilders, “The most complex part of building a home is the delicacy of the system; getting the plans, permits and combining all the needs, necessities and rules while trying to please everybody.” Far from discouraged by the process, Peter enthusiastically muses, “Next time we build…” which triggers a look of panic on Georgine’s face!