Name: Nancy Schwappach and Alan Laidlaw
Location: Playa Vista — Los Angeles, California
Size: 1400 square feet
Years lived in: 7 years — Own
Nancy and Alan have been building a home for the past year, but in the mean time they've updated their Playa Vista condo. Though this is a temporary home, they've managed to bring together colorful artwork and warm decor for a functional and contemporary surrounding.
When interior designer Joel Dessaules of LDC Home, told me about his client's space, I was intrigued with the full makeover they gave their condo. Even though this is a temporary home, during the construction of their new house, they've completed a very inviting and comfortable setting to rest their heads. They've painted the walls rich tones that tie together the decor and accent pillows. I love that they installed a door to the master bedroom, where the original floor plan didn't include actual closed off spaces. They've brought out the charm of the hardwood floors, wonderful natural light and airy quality about the space through tons of tall draperies and various light fixtures.
Nancy and Alan depended heavily on Joel's design savvy to create custom pieces, such as daybed style lounging couches and the awesome reclaimed wood island/table in the kitchen. I enjoyed seeing deep red accents, which contrast nicely with the cool blues and creams. The furniture and accessories are mixed so well with all their personal effects, like their framed photos and artwork. Really, they could bring everything right into their new home. They've created a nice contemporary modern look which is adaptable to any home.
Apartment Therapy Survey:
Our Style: Comfortable and practical - but eclectic.
Inspiration: Setting off our artwork without competing with it. Finding furniture that is beautiful and can stand alone as a work of art - yet serves a functional purpose.
Favorite Element: House-wise - we love the high ceilings, open floor plan and large windows which catch an ocean breeze. Design-wise - we absolutely love our counter-height rolling dining table / kitchen island which was custom designed and fabricated for us by the world's best designer, Joel Dessaules of LDC Home. Although we could never have described it to him in a million years, he somehow read our minds and provided the perfect piece. We also love our roll-in entertainment center, which complements the kitchen island.
Biggest Challenge: We purchased an ocean front home that needs a major renovation and we do not intend to live long term in our current home, hoping to move on when the market recovers a bit. So we wanted to avoid a major remodel and do just enough to make it comfortable and stylish (and, ultimately, marketable). We also wanted our furniture to be portable and flexible - so it would have a chance to work in our new home - but suit the open and industrial look of our loft style condo. Finding the way to do "just enough" without having obviously skimped was an interesting balance (particularly for Joel!).
We also needed storage that doesn't look like storage - which is harder than one might think - and to coordinate all the new stuff with our existing art collection.
What Friends Say: "Wow - this looks so great." Then, knowing we could have never pulled this off on our own "Who was your designer?"
Biggest Embarrassment: The guest room - we decided not to touch it and now really need a way to hide it. Also, that we kept Nancy's grandma's veneer dining set (complete with cane backed chairs - we kid you not) and 25-year old sofa for as long as we did.
Proudest DIY: Just after we moved in we designed the buffet in the kitchen and the cabinets in the den. The buffet is built around our wine fridge but we have a piece that slides in as an additional cabinet if we ever get rid of the fridge. The cabinets in the deck can be re-arranged and stacked in different configurations when we move on. And the absolutely most favorite "pre-Joel" item is the very ordinary looking cabinet which converts into a desk. Our cabinet maker outdid himself on that one. Joel calls Nancy the "crazy cabinet lady" because of our mish-mash of wood cabinets but we like them.
Biggest Indulgence: Four $190 accent pillows - who knew plain old linen pillows could cost that much? But by the time we figured out the price we had grown attached to them. And they really do provide a lovely finishing touch.
Best Advice: If you are design or time challenged, for a big project like what we went through, find a designer you trust - and then trust him or her. But at the end, don't be afraid of "empty" or "unfinished" space and avoid buying something just because it "matches" something you have or "will fit" in a specific space. Instead, save room and keep an eye out for things you love and believe that somehow they will all fit together in the end.
Bethany's additional questions:
What is the single most significant thing in your home? Each other.
When you think of designing a home what is the most essential part? It has to be livable and make you feel happy when you walk in the door.
How has the lifestyle and culture in Los Angeles, affected your personal design aesthetic? We love the open floor plans and large windows.
Dream Sources: We are entirely not creative enough to answer this question - which is why we needed Joel.
Resources of Note:
PAINT & COLORS
- • Light Blue: Dunn Edwards Canadian Lake
• Dark Blue: Dunn Edwards Vulcan
• Brown: Dunn Edwards Bannister Brown
• Sage: Behr Mountain Sage
DEN/ OFFICE AREA
- • Leigh Chaise Lounge: LDC Home
• Industrial Stage Floor Lamp: LDC Home
• Doughnut Drink Table: LDC Home
• Custom Cabinet with Pop-Up Desk: Greg Lannan at Working Designs
LIVING ROOM
- • Custom Sofa with Sunbrella Velvet: LDC Home
• Leather Reclining Chairs: Mortise & Tenon
• Woven Rattan Pouf: Mortise & Tenon
• Tanner Coffee Table: Pottery Barn
• Custom Ottomans: LDC Home
• Custom Bookshelf: LDC Home
• Drapes: Restoration Hardware
KITCHEN
- • Custom Island/Table: LDC Home
• Hicks Round Pendants: LDC Home
• Leather Counter Stools: LDC Home
BEDROOM
- • Custom Headboard and Side Tables: Greg Lannan at Working Designs
• Chest of drawers: Mortise & Tenon
• Lamps: Signature Table Lamps by LDC Home
• Bedding: LDC Home
• Merlin Mirror: LDC Home
• Blue Vases: LDC Home
ARTWORK
- • Several paintings by Sandra Jones Campbell
• Glass sculpture ("Rosie") by Gavin Heath
• Nancy met Sandra and Gavin at the Laguna Art Festival. Other artwork Nancy has collected in her travels.
Thanks, Nancy and Alan!
Images: Bethany Nauert
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I kinda like cane-backed chairs.
Wow! but why would they put so much into a temp?
OOOOOOOOH that island...
Wow - I really love this, but it does seem a little excessive, especially as a temp, professional-designed home.
Beautiful home... but I always think it's hilarious when people hire interior designers. And I'm an interior designer!!
SO MUCH to love about this space... The color palette... The tailored, sophisticated look... That kitchen island! Very nice.
They're planning to use a lot of the new stuff in their new house, and they also are planning to sell the condo and had to make improvements toward that end. They clearly have plenty of energy and money, but there is a method to their madness.
It's nice, but not what I expect on at. It looks a bit corporate for my taste.
I'm very surprised by the negative comments. For myself, I'm very appreciative of the beautiful, artistic decor! And looking at the floor plan, I wouldn't call this large at all!
I LOVE the shade of brown on the kitchen walls. And yes, the kitchen island is fantabulous.
It's nice, too, to see a place that looks spare and uncluttered yet comfy. What I get tired of is spaces that are so industrial and stark, it is impossible to believe anyone could (or would want to) actually live there. I actually feel kind of sorry for people who need their environments to be so thoroughly controlled and removed from nature.
In AT's defense, it IS an apartment. While maybe not our taste, there are certain things we can take away from this. I think the kitchen island is a great idea for a small space. The double overhang with barstools is a cool idea.
Hanging curtains up near the ceiling emphasizes the tall ceilings. I'm going to be redoing my curtain rods soon to move them up.
And also, you can create a warm, old world feel space in new construction.
I totally wanna hate on these rich people with too much money and different taste, but there's really no point in telling people how to spend their own money. And this was an effective exercise in decorating a small-ish (by american standards) space.
that kitchen island is awesome!! love the color/stain chosen.
Its not my style at all but I understand wanting to make something even temp. feel like home. Stuff happens and you never know actually how long you will be somewhere.
I don't see why people react so negatively. For my part, I think this condo has no architectural interest at all, it's not an old building full of charm or anything. And the decor isn't my style, I think it's pretty much everything I hate, from generic to already seen a million times before, etc. But I've seen things on AT that are worse than this and nobody was ever that mean.
Is it because these people hired an interior designer? Do you think it's "cheating"? If they have the money to, why not? After all they're the people living there, not us. That they should or shouldn't be featured on AT is another issue that is not the point of this post. Maybe the editors could offer the readers a chance to discuss this subject (are DIYed flats and houses the only ones allowed here?).
And frankly, I don't see what's wrong in wanting to have a nice home, where you feel comfortable, even if for just a short time (which apparently for them won't be so short). Just because it won't last doesn't mean you can't enjoy it.
Those floors...those windows, just beautiful. Lovely home and I'll definitely be sourcing out Dunn Edwards paint.
What is wrong with caned-back chairs??
Nice place.
A home is where the heart is, whether temporary or permanent. The condo is lovely and each feature shows personality and tells a story.
Really? Looks pretty impersonal to moi (as do most decorator-done places). I'm w/Barb in CT -- decide who you are, AT! (And don't delete this comment!)
"What is the single most significant thing in your home? Each other." Wow! This is the only thing that matters, folks! Everything else is just stuff.
I think it's hilarious how ppl pretend to know that "when AT began, it was about X". That's a myth. I've gone back to the very beginning of the house tours in the archive (that are tagged as such); the first house tours began with ppl who owned their own spaces (or rented but had the ability to extensively renovate) and had the means to hire an interior designer. Namely, Maxwell. So there you go. :p
(... they also began with "tours" of places in the middle of demolition/renovation, which I am relieved has largely been phased out. Although I think there were some rather rude responses to some tours which were mid-renovation in 2008--2008 seemed like a low point for the AT commentariat, frankly.)
(And for those complaining about the "current" preponderance of luxury goods, FYI, there is a marketplace post on Hastens from early 2006--the comments section is very informative and interesting, and seems to be revisited even into 2011....)
ANYWAY. I like the pear painting. Although... I would totally pair it with a figurine of the Biting Pear of Salamanca. Good luck selling your condo.
I like it, especially the brown walls in the kitchen.
I also like the peacock blue pillow and duvet cover on the bed with the brown and blue paisley print. I think the only thing that I am tired of seeing on AT is the Keep Calm and Carry On pictures. Other than that, I think it is fun to glean ideas from all kinds of homes, even ones that are not my taste.
I love what they did in the bedroom with the colors and bedspread (It reminds me of my bedroom!).
I am having a one-sided love affair with those Thomas O'Brien pendants. I am passionately lusting after them... yet they remain elusively out of my price range. Boy, they are pretty.
Some of it is really cool like the kitchen island on castors. The one thing that stands out as a negative is the generic pear painting.
Very generic Pier 1/Pottery Barn catalog style.
It's lovely. I like "Pottery Barn Style," and I think "generic" can be captivating. I think my own home is nice and attractive, (I have some generics and straight out of the Ballard catalog pieces) but I don't think I could stand all the negatives. Not that my place would ever be featured on AT, but if it were...
I'd like to step into the living room and straighten the red stools/ottomans so they are not angled. To break up the rectangular arrangment, I'd angle the two leather chairs toward each other. Just a few inches.
My home is very small and modest, but I've hired decorators, mainly for consulation because I was afraid of making the wrong decision. I've had good and bad experiences with this and have learned to be my own designer and make my own selections. But I don't see anything wrong with hiring a decorator or designer if you have the money and want to. What's the big deal? Some of the places I've seen on AT LOOK like they could use some help from a professional! Just my opinion, for what it's worth.
There are many good reasons to hire a designer. Also, this condo is larger than my house, as many toured homes are, and I don't resent that it's posted on AT. It takes nothing from me, and I like seeing a wide variety of homes on AT that otherwise I'd never see. It's fun, interesting, and educational. I hope the gratuitously ungracious comments don't stop every one from letting AT post their homes. It would be a shame if trolls ruined things for the rest of us who appreciate the people allowing tours.
Love the custom island and the use of dark moody colors. The windows make the condo.
I Likey!
small correction, please forgive the hiccup:
Nancy and Alan have been in this condo for 7 years (Not 7 months) and have only recently this year begun their new construction at their new house.
That's a pretty grey color in the bedroom.
Elegant, warm, comfortable, and inviting--not at all generic. The "Keep Calm and Carry On" posters, Noguchi tables, Nelson lamps, and Eames chairs that I see in every other AT tour seem much more generic to me.
I am searching for a coffee table and have been considering the Tanner--and there it is! It looks great here--clean and simple wrought iron and glass.
Thank you for sharing your home with us.
What a generic, sad little apartment. I was sent this link from someone who somehow knows (or knows of? I am not quite sure) the owners, and they apparently live here, hoping to sell for years. I see the difficulty, although evidently there are other issues. I live in Europe most of the year - we have little space here, but we seem to use our resources a bit more personally - avec un peu de joie, as the French say. I have a good number of friends in Manhattan and Los Angeles, and they seem to do the same. Some more contemporary, some more vintage, and varying according to budgetary constraints - but so much more inviting, enveloping and simply more pleasant to be around. Perhaps these apartments are not so attractive to live in, and this was the best they could do? Perhaps this is a style in this area of America? It seems a matter of poor imagination as they used a decorator, which I find very hard to believe. Perhaps the decorator was a friend and charged them nothing?