House Tour: Kelly’s Craftsman Comfort

Name: Kelly Van Patter
Location: Mt. Washington, Los Angeles
Size: 1500 sq. ft.
Years lived in: 4 years

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Just a hop, skip and jump from the last house tour we photographed in the scenic and historic inclines of Mt. Washington, we found ourselves on a street lined with genteel homes all glowing of Los Angeles’ oft forgotten past. Our destination was the home of Kelly Van Patter, owner of Silver Lake eco-friendly home wares store, Kellygreen Design + Home (also one of the past judges of our Fall Colors Contest), who invited us to her renovated 1900-built Craftsman. Greeted and accompanied to the entry by Kelly’s imposing but gentle canine companion, Piggy, we immediately fell in love with the home’s comfortable style and the sun-dappled atmosphere that seemed quintessential Los Angeles from top to bottom, charming us with decorative and architectural details reflecting the eclectic tastes of its owner…

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AT Survey:

My/Our style: Eclectic modern with a Southwest mix

Inspiration: I wanted to have a very clean, simple and uncluttered living space but wanted to surround myself with things that inspire me.

Favorite Element: my favorite element in my home are the skylights and large windows which allow a constant stream of glorious sunlight throughout the day and minimize the use of light fixtures.

Biggest Challenge: making it as modern and clean while still keeping the craftsman integrity and embracing the few architectural details that make it unique. It’s also in a historic preservation overlay zone and you cannot alter the exterior of the house, so I had to work within those requirements and make it so that the interior wasn’t too different from the exterior

What Friends Say: they like how it’s uncluttered, easy and good for dinner parties and entertaining.

Biggest Embarrassment: the biggest embarrassment is that I’m a production / interior designer and I don’t have it decorated exactly the way I would like….it could always be better as I am never totally satisfied.

Proudest DIY: I did so much work on this house which was gutted and completely restored, and while I was the general contractor and designer throughout the project, I’m most proud of the fact that I did all the landscaping which required moving and placing tons of granite rocks and planting a lot very prickly agave cacti and other drought tolerant plantings.

Biggest Indulgence: the pool is the biggest indulgence….it was here when I bought the house, but it had to be restored as well, and is expensive to keep it up, but SOOO worth it.

Best advice: there are always going to be things that you wish you had done differently but embrace what you have and know that changing tastes are due to an evolving design aesthetic.

Dream source: my green lifestyle boutique which is definitely inspired my my own tastes and likes in home furnishings, called Kellygreen Design + Home.

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Resources:

Appliances: Dishwasher Bosche, Range and Hood by Maytag, Espresso Machine by KitchenAid

Hardware: Door hardware: Mix of antique hardware (most original to home) that I had chrome plated, and a little Schlage and Omnia.

Plumbing fixtures: KWC, Chicago faucets, Kallista

Furniture: Living space:
Sofas: Tacchini sectional – 2 pieces
Coffee table, chrome étagère, reading lamps, settee & Punjab chair: vintage
Steer Horn Chair: vintage family heirloom

Dining room:
Dining table: Big Sur from Crate and Barrel
Dining chairs and 3 seater piece: vintage
2 small side table / stools: Kartell
Eames Chair w/ Effiel tower base: vintage

Kitchen:
Island: Ikea but greatly modified, painted, covered with stainless and casters added.
DeJa-Vu Stools: Naota Fukasawa for Magis

Master Bedroom:
Bed Frame: Min frame by Luciano Bertoncini
Dresser: Vintage
Eames Chair: vintage
Bedside tables: Paul McCobb vintage

Guest Bedroom:
Bed Frame: CB2
Bedside tables: vintage Danish
2 Chairs: Verner Panton
coffee table: Vintage wash stand base with gear wheel and glass tabletop
Floor lamp: Flos Spun Lamp
Twig console table: folk art

Sleeping Porch:
Coffee table – Paul McCobb
2 chairs – vintage Cherner chairs

Accessories: Living room: stools from set of “Survivor Africa”, large antler – flea market, vintage taxidermy squirrel – thrift store,

Dining room: Large wooden bowl – Malaysia, Ostrich Eggs – props from “Survivor Africa” from one of the challenges, Antlers on plaques on walls – 26th street flea market in New York City

Guest bedroom: antler candlesticks – New York City, Items on shelves – misc. books, flea market finds and props on Survivor, bedside table: texas tumbleweed, coffee table: faux bois tree trunk Christmas tree holder.

Master Bedroom: Vintage Taxidermy Pheasant – John Derrian, New York City, Acoma pottery – New Mexico

Lighting: Living room: Foscarini Aretha floor lamp (orange and white), vintage matching chrome reading lamps

Dining: custom made bleached antler chandelier – Park City, Utah

Kitchen: galvanized industrial pendants – Smith & Hawken

Master bedroom: Artemide tolomeo wall sconces, hanging aluminum pendant – flea market, antler lamp – gift

Rugs and Carpets: Vintage Navajo rug,- sunroom, Interface Flor tiles for kitchen and entry, sisal rug- dining, Nanimarquina Manuscript rug – guest room

Tiles and Stone: Master bathroom: cararra marble floor, Bisazza Tiles for shower and tub surround

Guest bathroom: discounted 1″x2″ tiles for shower, 1″ floor tiles are actually pool tiles.

Window Treatments: Hunter Douglas throughout: Solar screens and honeycomb: top down

Artwork: Kitchen: vinyl appliqués for the walls, and vintage buck and doe sketch.

Dining: small framed vintage German targets for shooting

Stairwell: African fabric in plexi frame

Guest bedroom: antique prints of birds

Paint: a mix of Ralph Lauren, Behr, and Benjamin Moore…there are about 5 different whites.

Flooring: original fir floors, but refinished with an ebonized stain.

(Thanks, Kelly and Piggy)

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