Name: Karen Kimmel & James Bond
Location: Los Feliz, CA
Size: 2800 sq. ft.
Years lived in: 8 years
>>Enter Slideshow
Former ATLA contributor Jonathan Lo has returned for a moment to grace us with one fantastic house tour of his Los Feliz friends, Karen and James. Some of you might recognize James as the co-owner of LA kicks institution, Undefeated (a spot just down the street from us where we've spent a few dollars gracing our feet in the choicest of footwear ourselves) and his former fashion spot, KBond. And Karen's work has been profiled over at ATNY before. No surprise that the Bonds home is as remarkably stylish and sophisticated as the stores they own and operate...
What we're most impressed is the way that the Bond's home is a pleasing integration of "adult" aesthetics and colour schemes with those of the rooms belonging to their children. They call it a compromise, but we think their home is an inspiration for those parents who want to retain an element of fun while also preserving the look of a "grown up" household. Most notably, their extensive collection of artwork throughout the home works as an aesthetic bridge between the different looks of the home, connecting youth and age, bright colours with more neutral decor, and tying classic and trendy elements all into a harmonized home with that work cohesively despite the unique decor that resides in each room.
>>Enter Slideshow
AT Survey:
My/Our style: Comfortable modern, the bones of the house are modern, sunken living room, open floor plan. We wanted these elements to function well for both family hanging and entertaining, but we were unwilling to live in the middle of a kids play area, so we had to figure out a way to make everyone happy and not compromise on the kids fun or our aesthetics, I love a challenge!!
The Inspiration for my home: Looking at color and finding what worked well with the furniture we already had was a real departure point, my affinity for color and how it sets a tone and energy for a place was fun to play with. Each room has a particular commitment to a color palette which helped inform the personality of the room and inspire what we bought for it and the artwork we hung etc....Using blocks of color helped us define space and create a visual relationship with the placement of furniture.
Favorite Element: The aspect of our home that continues to bring us such ongoing pleasure is our organic raised bed garden on the side of the house. I used to look out my kitchen and just see rocks, now it is an ever-transforming living thing that yields the most delightful array of fruits and vegetables. It is so fun to go out in the morning or at dusk with the kids and see what has grown and is ready to be eaten.
Biggest Challenge: To be honest, I am a tad design fickle and what is my favorite home innovation today, can easily be wooed over by some other innovative remarkable vision of design tomorrow. So committing to big pieces of furniture was challenging, in the end I went for classic strong design elements that have legs and would not fall quickly out of favor as soon as the next shinny innovative design thing came dancing across the pages of Met Home, Dwell etc. but even so, I struggle with wanting to change things up, because I get tired of one look. Right now modern design is so over done, I kind of have the longing for a more simple, natural rustic farm look with a big open kitchen, a huge organic garden and a big outdoor community table where everyone can meet up for family meals, or perhaps maybe something with a cotemporary crisp Mediterranean vibe with lots of white comfy furniture, clean lighting and a big saltwater pool surrounded by lemon trees…oops sorry, just doing some dreaming.
What Friends Say: The hugest complement to me is when people say how comfortable they are here and what any easy house it is to live in. Sometimes people can’t help but comment on my obsessive need for order. Organization is kind of my thing, I get that it isn’t for everyone, but it hard for me to think straight when things get messy.
Biggest Embarrassment: My backyard, it has soooooo much potential, but we have had a hard time committing to it, first we thought we would save up for a pool, then we had two kids and got scared off, now it has just gotten a bit forgotten. Recently, I have been inspired by the thought of espalier fruit trees across the entire perimeter wall, but who knows??
Proudest DIY: The last DYI moment that gave me the tickle of self-satisfaction was making these wooden and ceramic herb gardens. Felt good to get my hands in the dirt and make something that was alive.
Biggest Indulgence: With out question it is our art collection. We love art and are so inspired by it, anytime we have a little extra doe-reh-me, we try and invest in something we love and want to look at.
Best Advice given or received: My mother always new how to make a house feel like a home, she filled it with beautiful things, interesting people and delicious food, it was a lovely feeling. She did it for us and I am striving to do that for my family. I guess the best advice I can give, is let your personality come through when you make something. No one can do you like you do.
Dream source: So many places to shop. Traveling always reveals such unexpected inspiration and resources and you can pick up things that are truly special because they are infused with the adventure of the trip. I love looking at the treasure trove of high and low design at Moss, especially their NY store on Greene St. it has an incredible selection and their website boggles the mind. Also, think vintage pieces are so original and can create a visual landmark for a room that other quiet and more simple pieces can rally around.
(Thanks, Karen and James, and also Jonathan Lo)
>> Enter Slideshow
for real? the guys name is james bond? wow
view dM's profile
verry cool home....it would be so fun to be one of your kids!
view hanako66's profile
coolest tour i've seen in a while! what is with that rocker? i thought it was an eames until i looked at the arms..where is it from??
view himsl's profile
okay, this house is amazing...can i move in?
view The Other Tiffany's profile
Beautiful house. Oh man I have so many comments and questions!
First of all, your art collection is marvelous. It seems as though every piece is special and a lot of thought was put into the placement of them.
The furniture is beautiful. I love the nice mixture of classic mid-century pieces with new, modern work. And the dining room credenza is incredible. Very Josef Albers-esque.
Where did you get that ghost lamp from in your daughter's room. It is so cute! And I love the Murakami flower plate (or whatever that is).
I also love those four small cubys with books in them. I think two are wood, one is white, and the other is yellow. Where are those from as well?
But yes, congratulations on your beautiful house. You clearly are doing well for yourselves so good for you. I'm sure you deserve it.
view shlacking's profile
Very Very cool! Where did the pantone/color swatch skate decks come from?
view plastolux's profile
Great to see James Bond´s place at last! :-)
view jjanul's profile
best house tour yet! perfection....
thanks for sharing :)
view lcatt's profile
wow. fantastic home. i especially love the stripes in the kid's bedroom.
view Lady J's profile
i want everything in that home. well done and very inspiring how you do it with kids.
view bprophs's profile
AMAZING!
view Stephvixen's profile
This is by far my favorite home tour. Every space is absolutely brilliant. I am left simultaneously envious and inspired. Thanks AT!
view aaacoba's profile
Anyone know who the artist is on this painting in the little girl's room?
http://gallery.apartmenttherapy.com/photo/102408atlabondhouse/IMG_4129
view gentillefille's profile
Wow!!! What an outstanding house. Definite bookmark!
view PhillyLass's profile
I absolutely love this house.
Made me look around my dwelling and think about what to tackle first! Maybe I should first start with a garage sale!
view umeboshi's profile
Yeah, I really love it too!
view rhiana's profile
Great place! So...when can you come over to help with mine?
view midu's profile
this is an exquisite home. so beautiful on so many levels...
view brand-eye's profile
It took me a second to realize this wasn't an entry in the contest. Like after the 14th photo or so. Anyway... this is just amazing. I love how much of it is in neutrals. The color really pops from that.
view Curtis's profile
Incredible art collection. I'm jealous of the Margaret Kilgallen. Everything is very well balanced.
view charlenemcbride's profile
This is now on the top of my house tour favorites. What I particularly like is that the family retains some cheekiness and fun without crazy patterns and colors splashed everywhere. It is classic yet fresh, and must be as comfortable and welcoming as it looks!
view l u c c a's profile
I love it as well, particularly the fireplace.
Tell me about the 3 little bear image please? I love it.
view Gigi818's profile
I was delighted to see so much art in your children's rooms---as well as areas in your home for them to be creative. The apples don't fall far from their trees do they?
view scootergirl's profile
Wow! This was a fabulous house tour! Thanks so much for sharing! i'll be sure to bookmark this one...very inspirational.
view suzy8track's profile
Was there a house tour here? -- I couldn't take my eyes off the art collection. Yowza.
view Lisa (Montreal)'s profile
absolutelywonderful
view JoJenks's profile
Yeah, this is now my dream house....
I love the artwork, especially the piece in the girl's room and in the kitchen. Who is that artist??
The whole place is remarkable, it looks cozy and lived in but oh so chic and stylish too. I just love it!
view alexia77's profile
also one of my, if not my favorite, house tour yet. awesome! love it!
view rstrtz's profile
figures that a guy named james bond would have a super-cool home; i mean, that's a gimme, right?
view formosagirl's profile
Where is that dreamy couch from? Looks like the very well made version of the UO mid-century couch everyone has been eyeing.
Great tour, totally inspired.
view dsigninslc's profile
Beautiful!
As and aside, I know another James Bond, he's a collections manager at the Smithsonian
I guess there are a lot of James Bonds out there!
view Hollie's profile
Your space is amazing and inspiring! I love your style and choice of color. beautiful.
view Sylvia K's profile
what's the low-down on that fantastic yellow credenza?
view L1bby's profile
I'm not certian but it looks like the paintings in the kitchen and in the bedroom are by Thomas Campbell. He did the cover art for the Ugly Casanova Album.
view ziggurateyes's profile
Very clever to paint the credenza like the iconic Josef Albers' Homage to the Square.
view threadbare's profile
What is that amazing hexagon throw in the living room?
view melodie-nelson's profile
I keep checking back to this thread to see if there has been any answer on where those cubbies with the books in them are from... please tell us!
view Antonine's profile
Me too - Gregory, any chance you can relay our questions to the homeowners?
view Gigi818's profile
This is everything I love about interior design. This might be my favorite hour tour yet. Perfect mix of mid-century and new pieces and I love all the artwork!
view shoshona snow's profile
The bear print...pretty please...who is the artist?
view I Love Upstate's profile
After going through this tour a third time, I spotted a few of my books. Thanks for keeping me in 'bidness', Mr. Bond.
view I Love Upstate's profile
Bear print; c'mon share the info!
view 707PF's profile
i don't understand why so many people do the living rooms that color: bland neutrals
looks like a waiting room or office
view mayer1's profile
Sorry for the delay, bear painting is by Joseph Parks and he is represented by Robertson Tilton in LA...Glad your jazzed on it, it makes me happy tooooo.
view kkimmel's profile
Credenza is vintage, got it at a store about 9 years ago on LaBrea in LA, think they went outa bussiness....
view kkimmel's profile
Art in my daughter's room is Thomas Campbell, same artist did the piece in the kitchen...
view kkimmel's profile
Skate decks are by Ryan McGuiness, there are actually 5 decks in the set, but at the time I was not feeling the 5th one, I could kick myself for not getting it.
view kkimmel's profile
The rocker I picked up at a street sale for 50 bucks and had it refinished and made a cushion for it, was one of those lucky finds. The lamp is by Marcel Dzama, the Murakami disc was the plate charger at the dinner for his opening at MOCA. I'm lucky I got to even keep my own. When people left their tables to go to bathroom, strangers would swoop in and steal them, craziness.
view kkimmel's profile
Love the graphic quilt. The pattern is called "Grandmother's Flower Garden," so it is really neat to see such a modern interpretation. Guess it reflects how many of today's grandmothers are so thoroughly modern.
view quiltmaster's profile
my favorite house tour-
i love the bamboo in the backyard-
i am going to try and copy that thank you.
view circusmidgitte's profile
I AM OFFICIALLY IN LOVE
view tee25's profile
Where are the embroidered pillows from on the bed in the master bedroom? I love the K & J and would like to get a set made myself!
view korenmcc's profile
LOVE, LOVE, LOVE! Great job! I could move there tomorrow...make that today!
view kellyvanhook's profile
Karen and James, thank you for sharing your lovely home tour. You have a keen eye for design and use of lofty space.
I am particularly taken by your ability to fashion your home with welcoming elements. It looks like it would feel good to be there.
I also truly loved the office desk just outside the dining area. The desk appears to be an autumn orange color. Where can I find this great piece? Thanks again.
view Truthiness's profile
I absolutely love everything about your home! It is so simple and yet so fun and colorful.
I would really love to know where you purchased the duvet cover in your daughter's room and what colors are in it?
Thanks so much.
view Kathylivingsimply's profile