Name: Scott Diorio and Kitty (my cat, and yes, that’s her name!)
Location: Silver Lake, Los Angeles
Size: 595 sq. ft. One bedroom/One bath half of side-by-side duplex.
Years lived in: Over 1 year, rented
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Say the words "bachelor pad" and many imagine over the top lizard lounge decor, overly done masculine elements and an environment most decorated for show instead of actual living. This isn't the case with Scott's tastefully appointed self-proclaimed bachelor pad in the southern section of Silver Lake. At just under 600 square feet, Scott has been able to integrate his love for vintage MidCentury Modern seamlessly with contemporary pieces from scavenging from all around Los Angeles, with an optimal layout and handsome appeal (to woo or otherwise). Take a peek inside, but watch out for his protective feline friend, Kitty...she's watching you!
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AT Survey:
My/Our style: Classic Mid-Century California Modern.
Inspiration: Jazz, Abstract art (Hard-Edge and Color Spectrum), Palm Springs … Growing up in Southern California and seeing the great designs of the 1950’s and 1960’s in local architecture. Looking at lots of architecture (and their interior) pictures from the 1950’s and 1960’s.
Favorite Element: The amount of light that comes through … and the large grassy yard.
Biggest Challenge: The interior was already painted, so I worked within the constraints of those colors, and tried to choose pieces that were somewhat neutral, yet stood out. I left brighter colors more as an accent, which in turn makes things look more interesting, yet leaves flexibility and portability in changing things if I needed to (or moved).
What Friends Say: - “Wow! It’s so adult!”
- “Very California”
- “Very ‘Mad Men’”
- “Can I have your furniture if something happens to you?”
Biggest Embarrassment: Window AC units. No dishwasher. Peeling paint off of painted over vents, etc.
Proudest DIY: The bedroom, bathroom and kitchen lights: For the pendant lamp over the stove area, I used a recessed can converter kit which cost about $20 from Lowes. I found that you don’t have to use the ugly shades that they sell there, but pretty much any shade where the hole is a big enough diameter to fit the light socket through. I used one of two Danish Verneer Panton Flowerpot-esque lamp shades I bought of eBay, in which I used a grinding point on a drill to make the opening bigger, and then threaded the shade through.
In the bathroom, I wanted to put a light over the toilet, since it is always quite dark in that spot. I only had one outlet, which was far away. I didn’t want to drape cord all over the restroom, but what I did realize however, is that the door had a certain amount of clearance to thread a long cord through, so I took an IKEA Hemma cord, attached an extension cord, ran it along the ceiling, corners, and baseboards with adhesive cord covers. To attach the shade, I took apart the Hemma socket, threaded it through the shade, and reassembled.
Also, the ceiling fan in the kitchen: I took off the set of original blades (will put those back on when I move out), and bought a replacement set which I spray painted with Rustoleum orange.
Biggest Indulgence: The furniture. While I got (for the most part) great deals on everything with respect to how much it would cost normally, it was still costly. At the same time, my parents have always instilled in me to buy quality, and have it last a lifetime, rather than buy cheap, and throw it away in a couple of years. While it’s expensive at first, in the end, quality is almost always a more sound investment. I also wanted to surround myself with beautiful furniture that enhanced the room.
Best advice: Buy quality, and have it last a lifetime, rather that cheap, and throw it away in a couple of years.
Take your time, and let the place “talk to you.” It will organically come together. I myself wound up with pieces that I never thought I would have, but as I acquired each one, it became clear how each piece would compliment the other in my overall goal of how the place should look.
You should want to feel good where you live. Surrounding myself with beautiful furniture and ornamentation has done just that for me.
Dream source: Xcape Long Beach, Denmark 50,
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Furniture:
- Custom Sofa by Steven Anthony from Living Room in Silver Lake (livingroomhome.com)
- Tema Domino Shelves from PlushPod (plushpod.com)
- Coffee Table from Design Within Reach (dwr.com)
- BDI Television Stand from Cantoni (cantoni.com)
- Knoll Saarinen Coffee Table (Craigslist)
- Vintage Marcel Bruer Cesca Chairs (Craigslist)
- Herman Miller Eames Aluminum Group Chair (eBay)
- Vintage McDowell Craig Steel Tanker Desk (eBay)
- Vintage Danish Modern chair (eBay)
- Vintage Tendo Mokko Heron Rocking Chair (eBay)
Accessories:
- Plant pots from yard sales, flea markets, IKEA, and Sunset Nursery.
- Fruit hanging basket and orange floor mats in kitchen from Wal-Mart
- Medicine Cabinet, Shaving mirror and Shelves over stove from IKEA.
- Cat washroom litter box cover from Amazon.com
- Over toilet Étagère from Target
- Shower curtain made custom from Marimekko fabric
- Throw pillows made custom from fabric found on eBay
- Bed throw pillows from Pottery Barn
- Clocks from eBay
- Fans from Restoration Hardware
Lighting:
- Fado lamps from IKEA
- Vintage lamps from eBay and Craigslist
Paint: The interior was already painted as is! I strived to create some contrast and vibrancy with bolder accents.
Flooring: (Provided by landlord) Hardwood as is in the living room and bedroom, non-slip tile in the kitchen and bathroom.
Rugs and Carpets: FLOR carpeting in the bedroom. I just did a border around the bed. The rug in the living room is actually a piece of carpet that I had custom cut and bound into a 5x8 piece at Linoleum City.
Tiles and Stone" (Provided by landlord) I’m fortunate to have granite counter tops in the kitchen and marble tile in the shower!
Window Treatments: Window Treatments are all Levelor custom cut honeycomb shades from Lowe’s. I had them cut at the store for the dimensions of my windows.
Beds: Bedroom set by Against The Grain from Living Room in Silver Lake.
Artwork
- Danish Ege Rya Rug from eBay
- Harris Strong tile mosaic from eBay
- 1960’s Victor Vasarely European Art Exhibit poster from RarePosters.com
- 1960’s Auguste Herbin European Art Exhibit poster from RarePosters.com
- Warhol Flowers print from AllPosters.com
- Verneer Panton-esque concentric circles prints from eBay
- John Coltrane print from eBay
- Sarah Morris print from AllPosters.com
- Mickey Morris print from Craigslist
- Other abstract print (unknown artist) in Kitchen from Craigslist
(Thanks, Scott (and Kitty, even though you hissed at me!)
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Photos by Gregory Han
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love the bedroom and bathroom
view sunan's profile
That's a pretty swanky bachelor pad!
view fabframes's profile
oh so lovely, makes me wanna move from NY to LA, specially these never ending rainy season...
The use of vibrant colors are great addition...Congrats!
view New York Muhtari's profile
Love it! Great colors - the place is very well put together. Thanks for sharing! :-)
view lexinchicago's profile
Your parents taught you well. Nice to see kitty alive and well (she didn't do so well on The Closer)
view jen_g's profile
I normally don't post about people's pets, but that shot of Kitty (and i've had 3 cats named Kitty) is so adorable...
on to the meat and potatoes, i love all the green around your place! Those plants just bring great color, and make your space seem so alive and vibrant. Also i love the idea of the pendant lamp over the toilet! I don't think i've ever seen that in a bathroom, and it's a great way to make the bathroom lighting more about pools of light than flooding the room with light. Great job!
http://www.tangiedecor.blogspot.com
view LTangie's profile
Boy, we shop the same stores... I recognize so many items from your place that I considered as I've been redoing my own. Especially one of your pillows and those amazing carved Tiki heads...
You have a real flair, and I was impressed by your unexpected use of light fixtures... Anyway, great job, neighbor.
Ever go to Akbar? ;)
view bittergaymark's profile
Also...great assembly of planters and pots.
view bittergaymark's profile
did you have that desk refinished? I have a desk that is begging to refinished, but I am broke as a joke...
view chusmabilly's profile
looks great! as much as i despise moving, seeing something like this really wants to make me move somewhere else in LA with a better floorplan.
view Matt. M's profile
Can you see the toilet from every angle? I like the place, but I think I would have shut the door for the photo.
view Palmetto's profile
Thanks for the kind words everyone!
@bittergaymark: Its funny how people automatically think man must be gay to know how to aesthetically put together something. I'm not gay phobic by any means, but, that said, sorry I don't go that way :-)
@chusmabilly: Never had the desk refinished. While the rest of the body looks fine, the top has some scratches all over that the pictures seem to hide. That said, I think it kind of gives it a worn patina that looks "broken in"
@Palmetto: You can't see the toilet from every angle, but given that it directly faces the door, I get what you mean.
view scottd's profile
Love every room but the bedroom.
view Stylerist's profile
Great toilet for Kitty. Did anyone else spot it before reading about it? Love the place and covet the Coltrane poster.
view hippyvieja's profile
Adore it. Love the contrasting elements.
And my cat's name is Kitty, too!
view lizchasse's profile
I enjoyed the tour, thanks. Nice cat.
view hrhprincessfiona's profile
I've bookmarked this - I absolutely love this home! (I was about to ask you out, but then I saw your earlier response to bittermark - ha)
David
view david @ justveggingout.com's profile
This is just gorgeous. I love the use of orange and yellow. The bathroom is amazing!
view kristinm100's profile
It's not only that it's so well put together that can lead one to make certain assumptions. There's also the fact that it's in Silver Lake...and that it's mid century...
;)
Oh, well.
It was worth a shot.
At any rate, with this much taste and style you won't be a bachelor very long...
view bittergaymark's profile
What a beautiful space. What I'd like to know most though is where are the plates and bowls from? I love them!
view bmbrown's profile
Thanks again for the compliments!
@bmbrown: the plates and bowls are from IKEA. Really cheap, and if I break some (which I have), totally not detrimental! :-)
view scottd's profile
The use of the globe lights, artwork, furniture placement and window to bring balance to an unbalanced bedroom is inspired.
view Blandwagon's profile
Wow, this is one of the best place I seen in a long time! You did a great job with the bathroom and the living room. The rocking chair is great.
view mcguerin's profile
Kudos to the bachelor, unless he had the help of a designer...in which case, Kudos still!
Two things I love are the couch jutting from the center of the bay windows, looks great and I would have never though of this. I can imagine laying there with a book and that amazing sunlight. Also, the balance of the art and window above the headboard. This is again a great idea for an awkward bedroom layout where you'd still like to center the bed.
thanks for the ideas!
view ChicagoCharm's profile
Great place! and Kitty is awesome!!! Have you seen this for Kitty (www.modkat.com)? it is amazing and just right for your place!
view rtown's profile
Gorgeous home! Digging the art (Vasarely poster!), your amazing Danish furniture, and your roommate--er cat. So jealous of you West coast mid-century modern fans--you have a much bigger inventory to peruse than we do back east. Thanks for sharing your place.
view P&B's profile
love the white eames desk chair... but ugh on the artwork, hanging fern and bath.
view Lucy Love's profile
warhol over bed. handsome kitty. rattan kitchen chairs. neutrals with pops of appropriate color. clean lines, bright space, scandinavian chair. swoon city.
view ashleynorth//thewanderous's profile
What a great place! I love the mix of new and old together. I have that in my house. All the plants are nice. I'm slowly building up my plant number too. It's funny your cat is walking across when the photo was taken. Mine always does the same thing. And I love the views from the windows. All that lush greenery is awesome. It must be nice to have all year round. Great place. Congrats to a guy who has style AND likes to read! LOL.
view sherigirl's profile
Hi - what a beautiful place you have and especially Kitty's house. great idea. Kitty is also very beautiful, suits the place purrfectly.
view Betty14's profile
So beautiful! This is what I aspire to.
I also have the Fado lamps and the Restoration Hardware fans, so it is nice to see something this amazing and think, hey, I must have pretty good taste!
Love the pictures of Kitty. >^..^
view graefix's profile
Love the agapanthus and lemon tree in backyard!
view Chicago Amy's profile
Very very nice! "California dream'n" !
view omordah's profile
Really like it. Very balanced. You did a nice job of working with the colors already there, and I really feel like I can see your choices to layer neutrals and add color accents, which worked so well.
One "but" -- the clock in the living room is such a strong visual element... the tick tick passage of time would keep me from relaxing completely. Are you sure you're unaffected?
view kushkush's profile
Absolutely beautiful! Darn, now I just might have to redecorate my place! Thanx for the inspiration
view seb in montreal's profile
not exactly my style but i love it. you pulled it off flawlessly. i love the contrast between neutrals and colors that pop as well as textures. it looks very comfortable too, a place i'd like to hang out in. the picture with the windows and green outside the windows looks great. and kitty is adorable :)
view fluffgirl's profile
Really nice apartment - so vibrant and fresh yet looks like a very calm and relaxing environment. Never have I seen so many healthy plants on AT house tours. You have a great eye.
But no outdoor priviliges for kitty? Surely not? Gardens are always more beautiful with cats in them.
view EAM's profile
Love the custom Living Room couch. I have one as well. Steve's work is top-notch.
view Shradey's profile
this place is perfect!! your kitty is so perfect!!!
view ryumama's profile
A heterosexual man with good taste. Just what I'm looking for.
view Midwestdiva's profile
Cool, contemporary, down-to-earth. Absolutely livable-in.
Those pictures you hang are a tad commercial, though. I prefer art prints or awesome landscapes without any words or messages (silence, they say, speaks volumes.)
view Ianny's profile
LOVE the focus on Vasarely. Reminds me of my childhood home. Very cute bachelor's pad!
view onionaddict's profile
Fun and I really like the splash of color throughout. Your pad looks larger than 600 square feet. I think I need your help at my place.
view pariseden's profile
the house is awesome! is the dude straight? if not, i love how he's not afraid of bright, fun and cheery colors! love it!
michelle
http://cheeseloversinternational.blogspot.com/
view michelleinbrooklyn's profile
Your home is so breezy and bright. I love the fans, the plants and the bold color. Very nice.
view bejeweled's profile
What a pleasant space you have made! You must love to come back home every time you do!
view mei-ling's profile