Name: Monica and Christian
Location: Hollywood, CA
Size: 1,700 square feet
Years lived in: 1 year
Los Angeles couple, Monica and Christian, have been living in their home for about a year and had been doing a lot of research prior to finding it. They found their home in a real estate listing that advertised it as Paris in LA. As Christian describes, "the history of the home reveals the work of a famous designer which we are still enjoying today - carved wood walls, parquet floors, dramatic interior molding and 15 foot ceilings. Walking into our place is a departure from traditional LA spaces, it has an old world, European feel, but it's just steps away from all we love about LA." We couldn't agree more! Plus, the home also has a great outdoor space that is the epitome of Southern California living.
AT Survey:
Our style: A work in progress and an exercise in cooperation. My wife has more classical taste while I lean more towards rustic, industrial, or modern.
Inspiration: Eclectic versatility. We have moved around a bit over the past couple years. So we like things that travel well and we can use in a variety of situations or environments.
Favorite Element: Artwork, some of our art we have acquired while traveling together, it always reminds us of those experiences.
Biggest Challenge: Clutter and Storage. We’re both collectors.
What Friends Say: It has a museum quality. We have high ceilings and lots of great molding. The house was for a period of time owned and renovated by iconic Interior Designer William Haines. A lot of his influence and designs still remain today. If anyone is interested start at www.williamhaines.com
Biggest Embarrassment: It’s not too embarrassing but this is the first time we’ve not had a second bedroom. We really enjoy having family or friends stay with us so it can be a challenge.
Proudest DIY: For me it’s our garden although I didn’t shoot it for this tour, unfortunately. Monica is the architect and she did an amazing job. (Apartment Therapy readers, we'll do a follow-up on their outdoor space soon!)
Biggest Indulgence: Our sofa. It is a custom piece I designed and had made here in LA. We spent a little more, but the quality is excellent and we supported local artisans.
Best advice: Be patient and find the things you’ll love and enjoy for years to come. Sometimes it may mean spending a little more, within reason, but you’ll have something you won’t grow tired of. Eventually, if you want to change it up, you may be able get some kind of return.
Dream source: Just one? Les Puces Paris, LA: I love Blackman Cruz, Blend, Empiric, Orange, Lawson Fenning, Bourgeois Boheme, and of course Gibson.
Resources:
Furniture:
Living room sofa is my own custom design w/ fabric Linen from Kravet
Eastlake chair was Christian’s grandmothers reupholstered in Cowtan & Tout fabric.
Wing Chair was C’s grandfathers and was reupholstered in Manuel Canovas front and seat and Classic Cloth on the back.
Console is a Gary Gibson design. “Larsen Console” Gibson Studio.
Library Table is Monica’s and we had it refinished in natural.
Coffee Table Monica found on Ebay
Dining Room chairs “Louis Ghost Chairs” By Philippe Stark for Kartel
Appliances:
Nothing really significant but I love me Breville Espresso machine, at this point a true necessity.
Accessories:
Flea Markets! Long Beach, Santa Monica Airport, Pasadena City College.
Lighting:
Fantasy Lighting
Paint:
Benjamin Moore
Koontz
Rugs and carpets:
Living Room
Williams Sonoma Home
Window Treatments:
West Elm
Beds:
Headboard I made and covered with wallpaper from Walnut.
Art:
Flea Markets, Travel, Antique Stores
(Thanks for sharing your home, Monica and Christian!)
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Beautiful! I wish each home tour would include a full photo of the home's exterior, however. :)
One of the most amazing house tours ever! Not only does the history of the place fascinate and impress me, the owner's personalities and interests shine through so perfectly; The perfect place to spend a weekend!
Very cool house. However, even though I know this is sacrilege to many people, I just don't care for the wood paneling in the living room. I would paint it.
Also, I'm going to keep asking until someone at AT takes notice - please, please, please include a floorplan! Just a quick sketch - please!
amazing...i'm always stunned that i can never find places like this when i'm househunting. Oh the ugly tile i've seen in LA!
Cool! So very un-Hollywood. I love it.
What a lovely place. I'm not sure I understand one thing though. It's a 1700sf house with only one bedroom? Interesting.
It's gorgeous - the house itself is an amazing find, let alone the beautiful furnishings and artwork.
"I'm not sure I understand one thing though. It's a 1700sf house with only one bedroom?"
Many Hollywood homes built for Motion Picture Actors of the 20's thru the 60's were sizable places with very few bedrooms - Stars such as Billy Haines didn't have families and therefore didn't need more than a single bedroom (servants quarters don't count...)
Guests were driven home by their chauffeurs after parties and extended family visiting from elsewhere would be put up at places like the Chateau Marmont.
Beautiful, love the sofa, great design and it looks comfy. Great idea to put the TV on the smaller traditional table, it's something I never would have thought of and it works so well. It's always a struggle to work a TV into decor.
This is such a beautiful home... what an inspiring mix of art, decor, coziness and style. Is that a headboard or a painting behind the bed? Thanks for sharing!
oh, I just saw the info on the headboard... very cool.
What a lovely home.
Has anyone else noticed that bus-rolls (the black-and-white banner with British place names) are suddenly everywhere in chic interiors right now? Could this be the new antlers?
beautiful furniture and what a great place. I thought the bedroom was a miss seems too last year trendy for the rest of the house and beautiful style.
I really love what's done with the greenery and the colors. They pop! The outdoor living area looks fantastic.
Wow, bepsf, thanks for explaining the history behind the house's layout. I enjoyed the tour, even though it isn't remotely my style.
Lisa (Montreal) -- I think bus rolls are the new antlers, for sure. This one sits so awkwardly where it is placed, too.
Right, I'm getting off here NOW before the "if you can't say something nice, say nothing at all" brigade comes after me!
I love that wing chair.
I wonder about the bus roll over the door as well. I have a door that's not being used and wonder if that's the case here.
MiklakMiklak, I was wondering the same thing; how could you possibly not have a second BR in 1700 SF? I have the same square footage and 3 bedrooms, though granted one is very small and is used as an office...
@ cliokitty
I liked bepsf's description of family visitors being shuttled off to a hotel. I should take a lesson.
My whole house is only 750sf. I was picturing them with a bedroom the size of my house and got a little jealous.
love it, amazing job on the sofa
lol @ladymantle. Those ghost chairs are beautiful and I thought about those until I actually sat in one. Killed that plan.
@Emily the cat- Don't feel bad, I'm not a fan of wood paneled walls either.
The house was definitely not what I would expect in hollywood, but It's absolutely beautiful.
Love the house - very charming. I too have a bus roll that I found last spring - I love it and it looks great on my dark grey wall - what to do - I had no idea it was the new antlers!
love all the layers, great place to come home too.
Bravo! This is so very Hollywood in everyway. Elegant, refined, and sophisticated. The new old shines thru in the best possible way. The combination of the chic and the past is brillant and sensitive throughout the whole house even the concrete garden table states this is old Hollywood. Thanks Monica and Christian for the wonderful tour. You guys got it right. Hollywood forever, Kevin