This Writer-Actor Designed His LA Home Office to Be the Star of His Home

For writer-actor Cameron J. Ross, designing a home office meant carefully curating what he calls an “inspo room.” Ross wanted the workspace to fuel his creativity and reflect his identity as a Black queer artist. So he leaned into renter-friendly upgrades and meaningful artwork to transform a plain room in his Los Angeles condo into exactly that. 

“Everything’s super intentional,” Ross says. “I wanted every pocket of the space to be not just inspirational but have a story to tell so that when I’m in that space, I’m always reminded of who I am, and how hard I’ve worked, and what else there is to do.”

In his artistic sanctuary, Ross has worked on many TV projects, including The Summer I Turned Pretty, and developed the script for the new Lifetime movie Mary J. Blige Presents Be Happy. Distinct from the West Hollywood pad’s largely neutral color palette, this room’s eye-catching focal point is a peel-and-stick wallpaper by artist Uzo Njoku from Otto Studio in emerald green. 

After testing countless wallpaper swatches, Ross selected the pattern because “it looks like different parts of an African town where people are gossiping and telling a story to each other,” he says. “Every time I look at it, I’m kind of drawn to a different conversation or a different pocket of the wallpaper.”

Coincidentally, the wallpaper came in Ross’ favorite color. “The color itself brightens my day in a way, and it’s reflective of money — you know, making sure that I am writing something that could not just be fulfilling to me as a creator but also could make some money,” he says.

Ross installed the wallpaper himself after canceling a Taskrabbit the night before. “I’m a Virgo, so it’s very on-brand for me to want to do things on my own and like things a certain way, and I thought to myself, ‘I wonder if I could do this?’” he explains. “So, I got on YouTube … It was an all-day task. It was probably one of the hardest things I’ve ever done in my life because I was being super anal about it, but it’s also something I’m very proud of.”

Ross’ collection of artwork, books, and mementos further personalize the office. A sketch of Paul Robeson — which Ross’ best friend gifted to him when he moved to LA nine years ago — takes center stage above a small-space-friendly West Elm Mid-Century Mini Desk. “I consider [Robeson] to be one of the original multi-hyphenates, a jack of many trades,” Ross says. “He wore many hats as an actor, as an athlete, but also as someone who was an activist and a pioneer in so many ways.”

Those attributes make Ross feel a creative kinship with Robeson. “My career thus far has kind of reflected a lot of that, and so I’ve mentioned him as a North Star, someone that I look up to,” he explains. “It’s also the expression he’s making in the photo, and it’s almost [saying,] ‘You got this. Get up and do it, like get off your ass and make it happen.’”

Another piece that makes a standout statement? An original Dreamgirls poster. “I come from the theater Broadway stage, and so Dreamgirls happens to be one of my favorite musicals ever,” says Ross, who lived in New York City for 11 years before heading west. “I had a wonderful opportunity to be a part of it as well.”

As a cofounder of the Broadway Advocacy Coalition, Ross earned a Special Tony Award. The trophy naturally sits high on the West Elm Mid-Century Bookshelves, which when combined with the coordinating mini desk, create an almost built-in furniture look on the wallpapered wall. There, he also keeps his favorite reads, including novels by author Toni Morrison. Sometimes, when hard-pressed for a character name, he’ll grab a book to examine it for ideas. 

For an instant dose of inspiration, Ross hung what he calls an “ongoing vision board.” He DIYed the board by spray-painting a frame black and covering a piece of cork in canvas. What he keeps pinned to the board, he says, is ever-changing based on his current project. Nearby, a bar cart makes it easy for Ross to pour a glass of red wine to mellow out during nighttime writing sessions.

A mix of old and new pieces round out the space, from a vintage rust-colored office chair and a red-orange West Elm area rug to a World Market table lamp. “I’m all about mood lighting, especially when I’m writing, so the lamp is always on,” Ross says. 

The creative hub doubles as a man cave where Ross likes to decompress and watch TV on the nearby sofa bed, a furnishing that also allows the space to function as a secondary guest room as well. “I’m in there more than I’m not in there,” Ross says of maybe his favorite room in his home. “It’s almost become essential to not just my human makeup but also my creativity. I’m very proud of it, and I love it.”