Name: Tyra Youland and Paul Figueroa (aka 'The Figs')
Location: Koreatown
Size: 1,100 square feet
Years Lived In: 5
Before arriving at at their home, Paul and Tyra let us in on a few interesting details and facts which set their place apart. After inheriting the pad from a long line of bachelors, the pair set out to overhaul the 1920s Spanish style rental. They described an amazing Moroccan lamp hand carried from Medina of Marrakech and a ginormous cat tree for their cats, Mousse and Serac--needless to say, we were psyched to get over there.
AT Survey:
Our style: Comfort meets practicality
Inspiration: An aesthetic my parents gave me, bound together with tokens of our life travels.
Favorite Element: The original architecture and hardware of the 1920's apartment, original tile in the bathroom, and my Moroccan lamp purchased in the Medina of Marrakech, and hand carried home.
Biggest Challenge: Storage
What Friends Say: The color choices seem to strike people the most.
Biggest Embarrassment: The ceilings. When we fixed all the walls, we neglected to fix the cracks in the ceilings. Now they drive me crazy. I'm afraid it's too messy to try and repair them now that we are fully moved in.
Proudest DIY: Repairing the apartment after inheriting the place from a long line of bachelor friends. We took before and after pics because we knew the change would be dramatic. Every wall had multiple cracks from years of settling and neglect. Every floor surface was worn out. The kitchen is tiny, it was covered in grime, and had the worst layout with very little counter space and oversized appliances.
Biggest Indulgence: I suppose it would be the cost of all the initial repairs. The place is rent controlled and inexpensive, so we felt it was reasonable to take on the expense of the repairs ourselves.
Best advice: When traveling, skip the inexpensive tourist nicknacks and keep your eyes open for that one amazing item that will bring fond memories and warmth to your home for all the years to come.
PS: Buy a mat cutter. It will save you so much money and your art work will look more polished.
Resources:
Appliances: Stove: Eagle Rock Appliances, 22" Wedgewood
Hardware: Rejuvenation, and Vintage Hardware
Lighting: Dining room lamp: Marrakech. Hallway vintage Italian glass pendant: Rose Bowl.
Accessories: Bird pillows: Etsy "magical scraps". Decanters: PCC flea market.
Artwork: Joe Sorren limited print from Wacko.
Paint: I love Jill's Paint in Atwater. They offer a lot of VOC free options. Dining room: "Sunglow", Dunn Edwards. Bedroom: "Chimayo Red", Ralph Lauren.
Flooring: Linoleum City carries a great selection of marmoleum. It's a green product and it's great in kitchens.
Rugs and Carpets: Linoleum City, Santa Monica Blvd.
Furniture: 60's Chinese chairs: Rose Bowl. Couch/daybed: Pottery Barn with custom covers and pillows. Cat tree: Hollywood Franklin Towers, Peter Sehorsch. Wood screen room divider: Cost Plus.
Window Treatments: Kitchen curtains are handmade with fabric from F&S Home.
Beds: Dark wood sleigh bed: Macy's
(Thanks, Paul and Tyra!)
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Comments (52)
I'm a big fan of eclectic. I especially love their fireplace and the fireplace screen they have. I really need to do something with our fireplace. It's just so boring right now. Thanks for sharing! ~ Sarah @ http://www.queenofdiy.com
Gorgeous use of color! I absolutely love that dining room. And however big a pain it was to cart that light fixture home, totally worth it!
Woo! 'Charming' it is. :)
Sarah: There is a big, ugly, heater behind the fireplace screen. I hated looking at it, but we need the heat, so I was really happy to find a screen that would camouflage it, and allow heat to pass. I looked at flea markets for a long time for a solution, but ended up finding the screen at Crate & Barrel. Glad you like it. ~Tyra
I think that bedroom is sooo cute and cozy looking! It's comfy and fun but with a touch of romantic with the capiz wall hangings and matlasse comforter.
I think I need to move. My favorite houses are always on the west coast. Great job.
This is a seriously cool house. I'm in love with that little office area. You did a beautiful job with the art grouping above the desk. I also love the choice of green on the window seat cushion, as well as the groovy pillow next to the more mission style lamp. Best of all, I'm glad that you left the original tiles in the bathroom. It looks fantastic.
I love your place and love the kitchen ideas. Since I've got a small space to work with too. I also really love the cat scratching tree post. Where did that come from?
This is marvelous. It just oozes personality and charm and doesn't look like the owners are trying too hard. The color choices are so lush & soothing. I feel like I could move in tomorrow and probably not change a thing. Cute kitty, too. :)
I absolutely love your home it is so beautiful! It looks warm and cozy. Plus I love that cat tree! I want one. :) Great job!
adore it!! especially that small stained glass window, that elephant ring holder and your bedding!!!!
it looks really great! congrats and good for you for painting, fixing, and making the space more efficient! I luv the stove and the bathroom!
Beautiful. Love the colors, the art, that fabulous chandelier and the cat.
I'd love to see a little shock of bright blue or green in the dining room, maybe some cobalt glass. Just a thought ....
Very inspiring, thanks!
Fantastic home. did you make the cat tree?
Amazing transformation. Congratulations. Love everything but the curtains on the stairway windows.
Thanks to all for the nice comments.
About the cat tree: I got it from a local LA company you can find online: www.sehorsch.com/HOLLYWOOD_FRANKLIN_TOWER.swf
I added the rope and branches, to make it suit my home and style more, but it's very cool on it's own too... More of a modern, clean look. Mousse sleeps and plays in it daily.... money well spent.
patia: I like your idea. I had been toying with the idea of adding a touch of caribbean blue to the dining room somewhere. Just gotta find the right thing. Thanks!
LOVE what you accomplished with this house. It's a joy to see & I'm sure it's wonderful living there.
Graceful, comfortable and unpretentiously beautiful. Well done!
This is lovely. Great wall colors
Beautiful! And so refreshing to see a home that breaks out of the Mid Century Modern mode that seems to have taken over originality in decor and is holding it hostage! The warmth & coziness and ooze from every room!
Great use of color, art and textiles...truly an eclectic home and an amazing renovation!
Fantastic! Absolutely love it.
What a great house. And I LOVE the coffee table. Where did you find it?
I LOVE this house! One of my favorites ever. Love the niches, love the bathroom tile, love the way you honored the original aesthetic of the place. And the colors too. All great. :)
Vintage kitchen with green counter tops, beaded lighting, peacock feathers, kitties! I think I may need a lie down after all this. Great house- thank you for giving us a peak!
As I looked at the first few pictures I stopped at the bedroom and said to my husband "I love that color" and he started laughing at me - I was staring at a wall painted Chimayo red in my family room. It looks awesome with the white and bright blue.
Thanks to Beth Zeigler for a great house tour. You can get a real feel for the entire place without a bunch of frustrating little vignettes. Oh, and the house is lovely too!
Your place has fantastic bones and am so glad you found it to make it live up to its potential! Love those windows and all the woodwork--and also glad the bathroom tile was not destroyed. Your colors are beautiful, as is your kitty. I assume your second one is a shy one. Great cat tree. Thanks so much for sharing!
Very charming!
And I second the suggestion about buying a mat cutter...mine has allowed me to rehab all kinds of thrift store frames with really professional looking results. Can't remember how I lived without it.
I love your use of color.
i would love to know where you got your coffee table.
Thank you---Rose
Beautiful!
wow! what a difference a little style and taste makes!
What a wondeful place to come home to! So many pieces made me smile!
I love this. I can't believe you rent--you did such an amazing job with this place. I love everything--but especially the kitchen and bathroom I almost wept at the sight of your vintage tile and sink in the bathroom. So jealous.
Also, I love the advice you give in the questionnaire. Those are some wise words--both the travel tip and the matte cutter. Nice to see some really good practical advice and not an empty platitude. (Sorry if that's mean to other tour-ees).
I spy a David Sedaris book in the bedroom! My favorite book. Excellent color choices. Nice to see something with a little firey flair!
Its so unusual...I love it! Great job guys, these kind of tours keep me coming back to AT.
Your apartment is beautiful. I love your coffee table, it's exactly what I've been looking for. What are the dimensions and where did you get it.
Whoa. I need to move to LA... and into this house! I love everything about it. My favorite elements are the stained glass, the bathroom, the paint colors, the stove, and the awesome kitty tree. One of my favorite house tours.
Rose, einnac, & ecosarah:
Thanks! The coffee table (30" diameter, & 17" high) came from Pier One several years ago, and the bowl inside of it came from Target. I know these can both be "run of the mill" box stores, but when you combine the two pieces, I think it seems to create something unique. I doubt these exact pieces are still available, but the idea can be re-created with any glass top table and a large basket or bowl. Glad you liked it!
I'm so happy to see this apartment, which has distinct charm and wonderful colors. You've done a great job with it, congrats!!
love all the color choices! warm and beautiful and very much showing the owners' personalities. and that morroccan lamp is a show-stopper.
Figs: you guys are clearly wonderful and caring pet owners... that fabulous cat tree must make your kitty very happy.
Your home is wonderful!!! I love the pieces hanging above the bed. What are they? and where did you find them?
I love every room in this house. The Bedroom colors are my favorite.
milemiki: Thank you for the compliment. The pieces above the bed are capiz shells. They were originally sold as a room divider by West Elm.
OMG I love the daybed looking like a sofa! Did you special order the pillows? I too have a daybed in my LR.
91styale: Thanks, yes, my sofa is a daybed. The covers and pillows were custom built to make it more "sofa-like". I liked this option, as the wood frame, keeps my cats from being tempted to scratch upholstered arms, and when company arrives for sleep overs, I have a real bed for them to sleep on. All the covers are removable, so I can keep the sofa clean... again a big bonus when you have pets.
Lots of great color here and I'm so glad you kept the bathroom tiling. It's beautiful. Your cats are very lucky and this is the best cat tree ever. You made it work.
i love this place! and it's a RENTAL????
I agree- striking color choices and just an overall cozy looking pad!
I had a comment prepared, but then I saw the Raggedy Ann curtains in a before photo, and I think I'm going to be speechless for a couple of weeks.
Okay, I remembered what I was going to say. Whew.
The ceiling cracks: look for a plaster specialist in your area. He/she can easily fix them all, without mess, and fast. Prices vary a great deal, so get at least three quotes. As someone who had the same problem, I can promise you it will bug you more and more, not less and less. And as someone who repaired the cracks herself instead of hiring someone, I can tell you the neck strain was fierce. Last but not least: because it's California and the ground can be a bit jiggly, the cracks will reappear eventually.
Great job on your renovations! Proves that home makeovers can happen while still keeping the original elements that give a place character. :)