Casey’s Playful Los Angeles House

Name: Casey Anderson
Location: Highland Park; Los Angeles, California
Size: 1,100 square feet
Years lived in: 3 years; Owned

With a penchant for unconventional activities (read: dodgeball and tap dancing), and an affinity for Spielberg-ian extraterrestrials, it goes without saying that Casey is one rad kindergarten teacher. A tour of her fun and charming home reveals a surprisingly not-creepy collection of vintage dolls juxtaposed with clean, modern lines, and clutter-free tabletops defying the conventional stereotypes that often befit her fellow collectors.

* Re-edited from a tour originally published in 2015

It’s Casey’s generally minimal and understated decor that allows the turn-of-the-century architecture to shine and makes the occasional ice cream cone wall decal or ominous wagon full of dolls that much more fun and unexpected. All of the cute-as-a-button vignettes neatly placed throughout her house seem to have a life and story of their own. Each piece in Casey’s art collection, from Adventure Time cartoon stills to vintage movie posters, has been professionally mounted in a sleek black or white frame to make them cohesive and display-worthy.

Tucked in the hills of LA’s up-and-coming Highland Park, Casey’s authentic craftsman bungalow is a rare commodity. Sipping a hot horchata con espresso from the local Cafe De Leche on her sweeping front porch and admiring the city view from her spacious backyard balcony are activities that may seem better suited for a countryside dweller.

Inside and out, streamlined furniture is coupled with cozy accents to allow a seamless transition from a night at home with a good book, to a gathering of friends on a cool summer night — and by summer, I mean fall, winter, and spring too (hey, California!).

My Style: Twin Peaks meets Adventure Time meets your grandma’s Craftsman house.

Inspiration: Unique things I see in my travels. All things cozy, fun or adventurous.

Favorite Element: I love the big front porch and back deck, and the way the indoor space is really open. It’s perfect for entertaining and makes the house feel bigger than it really is.

Biggest Challenge: Finding the right pieces. Because my house was built in 1911, some spaces can be challenging to furnish. I’ve been looking for a piece for my living room to replace the sad IKEA entertainment center I bought as a temporary piece four years ago. That wall is pretty small so it’s been difficult to find something I love that fits.

What Friends Say: Friends love coming over and I host a lot of brunches, dinners and parties. Everyone says the house is cute and cozy and fits my tastes perfectly. It feels nice to be able to have friends over and have the space to entertain. I love that people feel comfortable and make themselves at home.

Biggest Embarrassment: My Golden Girls dollhouse, complete with tiny cheesecakes. It was a gift from a friend, and I love it, even though it ups the granny quotient, which is already pretty high.

Proudest DIY: My surveyor’s lamp that my dad made for me. He purchased the surveyor’s tripod at a flea market, then wired it to be a lamp and bought a cool drum shade to go with it.

Biggest Indulgence: My custom armchair. It was one of my first purchases when I moved in. My old apartment was teeny tiny, so I only had a sofa in the living room. I’ve always wanted a nice upholstered armchair, and this was the perfect one, so I splurged a little.

Best Advice: Buy what you like and don’t worry about “cool” sources. I like to mix high end and low end, making decisions about what is really worth the money that I will hold onto and what I might want to spend less on and switch up every few years. Buy for your style, not what other people will say about it.

Dream Sources: Room and Board, Scout Regalia, Modernica, estate sales and flea markets.

PAINT & COLORS

Thanks, Casey!

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