Name: Kathryn Bentley & David Scheid
Location: Echo Park - Los Angeles, California
Size: 800 square feet
Years lived in: 2 years
Craftsman love! Every time Kathryn and David start the search for a new apartment with more space, they are reminded how lucky they are to live in a space with the original architectural details beautifully restored. They juxtaposed modern and brightly colored furnishings against the dark wood tones typical of Craftsman architecture and have embraced all the elements of this particular architectural style.
One of my favorite rooms in the house is the guest bedroom (or could be called the utility room with a water heater). Kathryn and David needed to maximize space and lacked a dedicated room for guests to spend the night. They had a back room that housed the water heater, but had its own door for extra privacy. A twin bed fit perfectly in the space and with a few fun accessories, rugs, and flags you barely even notice the water heater in the corner. The space is so cozy, I don't think guests mind being in the converted bedroom.
Apartment Therapy Survey:
Our Style: My boyfriend doesn't really care about things being perfect. I am maybe a little more of a perfectionist, but can appreciate the "wabi sabi"-ness of things. So I feel like that's what we are going for, a sort of "anything goes", as long as it's comfortable. It's how I design my jewelery; how I want it to feel: old, timeless, organic. My taste may be a little more classical than his but that's okay; I don't mind pairing a Bast collage with a flea market oil painting.
Inspiration: My inspiration for my home springs from a desire to be inspired by my surroundings. I want to create a cozy, comfortable space that i look forward to returning to whether from a long trip or a day in the studio. I love sitting on the couch and seeing art on the walls or patterns on some textile or a book on the shelf that will inspire me the next day when I am back at work. Or even that will make me get up and go draw or make something.
Favorite Element: We had this planter on our porch. It was shaped like a bisected egg and made of fired clay. We grew small succulents in it. Someone just tried to steal it and dropped it in the street and broke it. Now we are obsessed with figuring out how to produce it since we've never seen one, anywhere.
Biggest Challenge: Our apartment is in a century old craftsmen. There are lots of dark floors and dark wainscotting so it's hard to lighten it up. We are constantly looking for lamps and light bulbs.
What Friends Say: They say it's where our dog, Dot, lives.
Biggest Embarrassment: My boyfriend's bobbleheads buried in the closet.
Proudest DIY: Our succulent collection. The basket of lights.
Biggest Indulgence: There aren't really any indulgences. Most of the "big ticket items" we have have been trades or barters. We have spent some money on art, but it's always worth it if you love looking at it. But even some of the art has been traded for. It's one of the nice things about living in LA; there are so many friendly, talented, community oriented artists, galleries, and craftsmen here. It's not like NYC where everyone has to make a buck to pay the rent. The cost of living and working is easier here which makes it easier to cut deals and pay the rent.
Best Advice: If you're moving to LA from NYC give it at least two years. You'll thank yourself later when you can't imagine going back.
Dream Source: Anything Alma Allen, Nickey/Kehoe, Blackman Cruz, Heath Ceramics
Resources of Note:
APPLIANCES
- O'Keefe & Merritt Stove: Antique Gas Stoves
HARDWARE
- Antique light switch, door knobs: Liz's Antique Hardware
FURNITURE
- Ramsey Conder custom coffee table
- George Smith replica sofa custom-made: Sofa U Love
- Eames Plywood Chairs: DWR
ACCESSORIES
- Antique Linen Pillow: Nickey Kehoe
- Turkish Kilim Pillows: eBay
BEDS
- Matteo Linens - quilt, shams, and sheets
LIGHTING
- Jielde Lamps: Jielde
- Robert Ogden Lamp: Nickey Kehoe
- David Cressey Lamp: Rewire
WINDOW TREATMENTS
TILES & STONE
- Subway Tile: daltile
RUGS & CARPET
- Navajo Rugs: Navajo Rugs & Blankets
ARTWORK
- Hadley Holliday Paintings
- Kyle Field Drawing
- Zachary Leener Sculpture
- David Korty Sculpture
- Sister Corita Serigraph
- Bast
OTHER
Vintage Stereo - refurbished by Kevin Carney of Generic Man and Mohawk General Store
Thanks Kathryn & David!
Images: Juan Enriquez
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Craftsmans for the win! Love the paneling, love the built in. I'm full of love. I think rooms with dark wood paneling need no lightening up at all - they're cozy, warm and gorgeous. I'd panel my paneling if I could figure out a way to do it. OK that makes no sense but I'm trying to make a point. Great house tour!
I love everything about this place! So bright and airy. I've always been a big fan of Craftsman style. Beautiful home! Love the succulents! :)
wow! perfect! best in a long time!
I'm in love with this home! I could move right in. The homeowners look cool too.
love the lightbulbs in the basket idea! beautiful home, thanks for sharing.
I love this house. It is amazing.
Love the bookcase!
I love your style! So fun.
An interesting home, full of interesting things. I love your use of color and pattern. Great job!
It definitely taught me not to paint over every bit of old wood! Gorgeously cozy.
Our first home was a Craftsman, and then we moved to an area where there just aren't any. It's making it very hard to house shop right now. Every house we see is just so devoid of the character that's built into Craftsmans. Sigh.
Love the house and there are some great touches in the little details. I envy your kitchen and bath - my poor little Craftsman bungalow was 'remuddled' in those areas and I don't (yet) have the budget to put them back.
wowza! love everything. literally, theres nothing i dont like.
I really enjoyed this house tour. It's very thoughtfully decorated.
Well done! Totally enjoyed your house tour.
Ah! I loved the peeks of this home when Kathryn was on Closet Visit! And now here's the whole thing! So gorgeous. I'm inspired.
Thank you. The details and personality here are beautiful, and beautifully arranged. I love your house. Thank you for sharing it with us. Esp. love the wood pieces that you added, the side table next to the couch, the bedside table, your love of plants and order, the pops of colour, eclectic artworks (esp. bathroom), the rocking chair with tennis player art above. Well done! I also think your succulents and basket of lights are great!
I've been an AT fan for years, but have never actually bookmarked a house tour until yours. Love it, love it, love it. Your mix of pieces, display of artwork, use of carpets, spacing/placing of furniture and innovative lighting have me motivated to tweak what I've done and make it better. Thanks!
Your little dog is adorable, too!
"Buster1" misses the point.
That these two styles can co-exist is the very genius of this place.
Hodgepodge? Paint what? Seriously?
Geeze, what a snob...
Nice job, guys.
Source for ceramic lamp in living room?
this place is amazing, but those aren't eames chairs, they are thonet.
I love the succulent collection!
It's funny to hear LA described as "cheap". I guess if you came from NYC it probably is... I'm originally from a mid-size Midwestern city, and I live in SoCal now. Ummm, let's just say the cost of living and pace of life were quite the opposite of easier for me at first!
What I love about your space is that you were able to style it while complimenting the (insanely gorgeous) architectural elements. Your textiles are to-die-for, your palette is gives the right amount of color, I just really like this!
Definately one of my all time favorite AT posts.
I love the turquoise/orange pillow on the bed... where did you find it? What a beautiful space!
I've been looking for those washroom hand towels all my life. Where did they come from??
The bathroom and kitchen are fab!
I love this house tour. Beautiful.
I especially love how you decorated the corner of the kitchen counter with a Japanese yellow kettle, a lamp (using old sake bottle as a base?). But I just wanted to let you know that the thin wooden plate with vertical kanji writings is something that should not be used for decorating. As a Japanese person, I would not feel comfortable having that, especially if I do not know where it came from.
I thought I should at least bring your attention to this because I really like the rest of your house!
What a super example of an 'un-decorated' home -- My favourite house tour in months. It is in an object lesson in trusting one's own sense of style and letting the beauty of humble things speak for themselves. I would love to wake up in your guest room!
wow - this is amazing! i love love love your home and the color choices, artwork, everything is perfect. i also adore those chairs in your living room, can you (or anyone here) please tell us where they are from? thank you!
So much to love here - coffee table, bulbs in basket. Totally sucks about your egg planter. And moving advice is important: no matter where you move, you should always give your new city 2 years to prove itself.
The architecture of the house is beautiful and so are the objects within. They set each other off nicely. All the wood and organic shapes are appealing and must make for a comforting space to live in. I'd live there in a heartbeat!
the prettiest house i've seen in awhile. i saved a lot of those pictures to my inspiration folder. gorgeous house!!
Once in a blue moon I see a home and I think... "I would walk away from all of my things to take over that home and all of their things."
Whether or not it's literally true, the feeling applies here. This home is just WONDERFUL! It's just the right amount of styled/designed and casual, I love the bones of the house and the amount of stuff in the space; it feels lived in and loved but not cluttered or overthought.
LOVE!
I love your dresser in your bedroom with the cubby of books. Did that piece once belong with a hutch? Love the wood and the white. Nothing about this house I don't like. Creation of guest room - excellent! Love the bed dressings. So mad about the stolen planter :(
Thanks for sharing your lovely home:)
Great tour, well done. The only thing is that the yellow dining chairs are not Eames as listed in the "Resources of Note," but Thonet.
now, now njm...no name calling...take a look at any of the bungalow shelter magazines and you can see bungalows painted in the colors they were historically meant to be. Understanding the history of a style isn't snobbery...
Ouou: What should the thin wooden plate be used for? Why does not knowing where it came from matter? I'm curious. A Google search didn't turn up much. Thanks.
Thanks so much for sharing your home. I love CA Craftsmens but like them even better without matching period furniture. The great architectural elements are timeless, IMO. People should live in them with their current style and tastes.
Since I live in CA, I really enjoy seeing CA spaces, since many have so much in common. The housing boom plus remodel boom in the 1950's made so many things really, really common. There could be support groups for people with wall mount faucets and painted door hinges. Sign me up.
I've noticed several recent AT posts where there are mystery curtain rods and/or brackets on the window frames, but no window coverings? Are people taking them down for the photos. Too bad, because living with window covering is part of the challenge of creating decor and privacy at the same time. Function and form....not always easy.
Your big ticket item was your house and your remodel, regardless of whether it's expensive compared to NYC or not. Love seeing your space as it looks like colorful and intereting people live there and love their space and their stuff (and their dog).
That Red Cross vintage trunk. Where did you find that? I would love to have that in my living room!
Beautiful woodwork!! Very personalized.
AT, Kathryn, David: Don't know if you're still reading comments, but have a question. Is this Roman Alonso's house/apt featured in 'House Beautiful' earlier this year?
http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/la/inspiration/get-the-look-commune-designs-roman-alonsos-living-room-142667
I'm thinking it is. I was just re-reading the HB spread this weekend, and remembered this house tour. (I love Alonso's space, and have spent a lot of time looking at those images.)
Just wondering if there is a connection? Even if he's "a friend" who hooked you up with the space once he planned to move. I can't imagine there isn't. Those are serious design creds / connections. Disclosure? :)
@arroyo: Ramon lives above us. We didn't know Ramon lived there when we moved in. We didn't even know Ramon. We didn't even know he had done a house tour before AT asked to shoot our place. Just a wonderful coincidence as he is a great friend and neighbor.
@ night: We found the Red Cross trunk at the Rose Bowl flea market. It's a Warner Bros. first aid kit.
@Ouou: Yes, please fill us in as to why it shouldn't be displayed? we got it in Japan a couple years ago. I believe at a temple in Kyoto?
this is one of the best at posts i've seen! bookmarking for inspiration for my new house (which is incredibly similar to yours!)
Such a lovely place. One small thing I gotta know--where'd you get that print (or is it a painting?) of that boat to the left of the bookcase in your living room? So taken with that image.
this is in my top two favorite posts. sooo gorgeous! im also wondering about the hand towels, and what you do do for a living. you mentioned working in the studio...?
Help. I am in love with your house.
@guava3: The towels are straight Turkish towels from Turkey. You can find them on eBay or other places. Kathryn makes jewelry. dreamcollective.com or kathrynbentley.com
@melatone: It's an old oil painting. Kathryn got it at a flea market.
I too have been looking for turkish bath towels. I was happy to find them on the Foundary today.
http://shop.thefoundary.com/event_1591.html
this is one of my favorite house tours in a long time! LOVE every detail... great work!
One of my faves ever....
Love it all. Well done!
Adorable.
I'm in love ...even the dark wood which I'm not a fan of works in this sunny home!
i loved everything about this house. wow.
Anyone have an idea on where to find the bedding in the guest room?
Love this home! I would pay money if someone could tell me what colour white paint was used. I also live in a craftsman and am wanting to show off the wood with a white to contrast and let the light in. I am curious to know if the same white was used in the entire house?
Any chance you remember the color white you painted? I have the same dark wood and the white I tried looks a little pink. Thanks!
Absolutely beautiful. Such warmth and comfort in this home. The things that are in this home are clearly so thoughtfully picked out and loved. I just bought my first pair of Dream Collective earrings and now, I will treasure them even more, knowing they are made with thoughtfulness and love. Thanks for sharing this home!
xo
Melissa