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Isabelle & Brandon’s Lovely Los Angeles Cottage

Bethany Nauert
Bethany Nauert
A Los Angeles photographer with a weakness for adorable house pets and quesadillas.
published Jul 27, 2011
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Name: Isabelle Dahlin and Brandon Boudet
Location: Echo Park, California
Size: 1,250 square feet
Years lived in: 5 years — Own

What do you get when you mix an interior designer and chef under one roof? A lovely one bedroom English style cottage with incredible landscaping, an organic vegetable garden and a chicken coop! Isabelle Dahlin, owner of deKor, and her boyfriend Brandon Boudet, of Little Dom’s, have created the ideal getaway right at home in the hills of Echo Park.

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Mixing an abundance of vintage and Scandinavian furniture with collected artwork, this home was designed for comfort, friends and the ultimate feeling of being “at home.” Isabelle and Brandon love to entertain, and they certainly have the space to do so. With a dining table outdoors, a fireplace, a projector and movie screen- it’s no wonder that guests (and house tour photographers) are in awe of all their space.

The house itself is a tiny cottage with only one bedroom and one bathroom. After purchasing the home, they underwent many renovations and additions to the entire property. They built a multi-level back yard that houses the chicken coop where they get fresh eggs. Brandon has a mid size kitchen with classic features like the old stove, and nice outdoor deck with a barbecue for fresh grilled meals. Isabelle needed a space to do her painting and sculpting, so they built a small studio space right out back. She told us that it is her favorite place in the world.

My three questions to Isabelle regarding her home:

1. What is the single most significant thing in your home?
Our dogs and pictures.

2. When you think of designing a home what is the most essential part?
You have to “listen ” to the house. Also I always try to make the client really think of what makes them feel good not whats trending at the time.

3. How has the lifestyle and culture in Los Angeles effected your personal design aesthetic?
I’m much more free and gutsy! You can be whoever you are and do what works for you without judgement. It’s a melting pot of different cultures so I get inspired everyday! I love it here !!!!

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Apartment Therapy Survey:

My Style: Eclectic mix old and new -no rules design 🙂

Inspiration: Growing up in Sweden, and all my travels.

Favorite Element: The high ceilings! Our house is small, but it feels so much bigger because of the high ceilings. Also, our outdoor space.

Biggest Challenge: One closet 🙁 and making the bedroom feel light. We don’t have any sunlight in the bedroom.

What Friends Say: “If I lived here I would never leave.”

Biggest Embarrassment: Our fireplace used to be pink! We just changed it; Brandon stripped the paint and aged the mantel and then painted the tile white.

Proudest DIY: Our back yard! When we moved in there was nothing in the back. It is very steep so we built levels and put in a fireplace, veggie garden. Then, we built a art studio with a bridge in front of it.

Biggest Indulgence: The back yard. Also I bought this old gramophone that we did not really need. We almost broke up over it… Ha ha ha.

Best Advice: Don’t follow trends , who cares about rules, do what makes you happy!

Dream Sources: Marakech, Kenya, Greece, Scandinavia, someone’s old barn in the middle of America filled with old furniture 🙂 If you know of one, call me:)

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Resources of Note:
New Orleans, Sweden, antique shops in Los Angeles

LIVING ROOM

    • Reclaimed swing available at deKor
    • Custom built bookcases
    • Coffee table chairs from thrift store
    • Gramophone flea market

DINING ROOM

    • Dining table found at an antique store on Fairfax in Los Angeles
    • Chairs found at garage sale
    • Pictures from our trip to Kenya

KITCHEN

    • old vintage butcher block
    • Tile from Mexico

BEDROOM

    • Ceiling paint Benjamin Moore – Napa Vinyard
    • Wall paint byBenjamin Moore, Opaline
    • Headboard found at thrift store for 50$! We sanded and stained it.
    • Art collected from all over. Sweden , New Orleans and Los Angeles
    • Pillows from deKor
    • Vintage Metal cabinet/ night stand- I stripped the paint off.

BATHROOM

    • Basket from India
    • Art and photos from a trip to Venice Italy
    • Old cabinet found at store in Silver Lake.

Outdoor Front Dining Area

    • Table and benches made by Brandon and our friend Jeremy
    • Runner from Ikea
    • Copper candle holders from Sweden.
    • vintage lamp from store that closed 🙁 in echo park

OFFICE, OFF THE BEDROOM

    • Built in book case
    • Mid Century desk from a flea market
    • Art work- Textile wall hanging by Scandinavian artist, Idamast. (Available at deKor.)

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Thanks, Isabelle and Brandon!

Images: Bethany Nauert

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