East Meets West in an Engaging, Art-Filled Hillside Home
1800
1800
Name: Melinda and Mark Fay
Location: Eagle Rock; Los Angeles, California
Size: 1,800 square feet
Years lived in: 16 years; owned

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Melinda Fay, owner of Good Eye Gallery in Eagle Rock, has a background in therapy and finds the act of curating spaces deeply beneficial to her well-being. Her ability to refine and curate her family’s extensive collection of art is nothing short of impressive. She shares her art-filled hillside home with her husband Mark and two boys Boon and Haskell, and has designed an interior as breathtaking as the back yard’s cascading view of the city.
Through the therapeutic process of curating, the Fays have brought together an eclectic mix of art in a series of gallery walls and vignettes that are fun, intimate, and aesthetically pleasing. Melinda describes the furniture and art in her home as, “a mix of low and high, vintage and emerging, [and] self-taught”. Being close to the creative process is important to Melinda, which is why a good portion of the family’s collection is made locally and specifically commissioned by her.
Apartment Therapy Survey:
Our style: East meets West — my style fuses my love of curating, creativity and community— A concept I call Curativity. I want people to feel invited and inspired by the spaces I create. As a therapist I’ve always believed your mental wealth grows from your relationships with people and how you engage with the world. Your story evolves over time and is visually translated by the things that surround you. I grew up in a split level midcentury suburban house in Philadelphia. My mother is a true artist/maker and collected antiques. My husband grew up in Northern California in a laid back country environment so his attitude and style are very different but I think they work well together. We are both very nostalgic at heart and our home reflects our love of the outdoors and family history (inherited and created). I want my boys to have an appreciation for art, design and creative play. California living affords them that great luxury.
Inspiration: Indoor outdoor living. Cliff May architecture, old Sunset magazines, outsider art, Japanese design and the wild of nature.
Favorite Element: The playful mix of pattern, color and artwork throughout the house. My master suite is my favorite room. I love the palette and pattern play in the bedroom and the indian marble tile in the bathroom. I designed the room around it.
Biggest Challenge: Keeping things clean and unbroken with two boys who like to wrestle and play ball in the house.
What Friends Say: The first thing people see when they walk in our house is the outside. The first thing they say is, “Wow. Nice view. “
Biggest Embarrassment: I don’t embarrass easily but my husband usually scrambles when I tell him I’ve invited kids over to play and there’s dog poo all over the lawn. It really bugs him. But it gives us a good excuse to get the hose out. What kid doesn’t love water play?
Proudest DIY: Admittedly I am more of a designer than DIY’er. I’ve found and redesigned most of the furniture in the house but I source the labor out. Mostly because I like things done right. I’m good at arranging and hanging art and I have enough of it that I can usually cover an existing hole with something that fits perfectly.
Biggest Indulgence: The Christian Lacroix wallpaper was a splurge as well as the Japanese ceramic penny tile but they both look awesome and add a lot of character to the space.
Best Advice: Collect art and barter! Buy what you want to look at and can afford not what someone else tells you is valuable. We built our collection by buying each other art for our birthdays. Now we’ve included Mother’s Day/Father’s Day, Valentines, Christmas and Hanukkah. As an art therapist
I can tell you that nothing improves your mood (except nature) better than surrounding yourself with things that make you smile. Accessorize and play with color and pattern. Bring your kids in on the decorating action
Dream Sources: Faraway lands I’ve been to in a previous life and places I’ve yet to travel
Resources
PAINT & COLORS
- Master Bedroom feature wall painted in Avalon Teal
- Vanity area painted in Azure Water
- TV Room: Christian LaCroix wallpaper from House of Honey
- Boon’s Room: Marimekko vinyl wallpaper on custom barn doors; Newburyport Blue, Benjamin Moore walls; Gull Wing Gray, Benjamin Moore (bathroom)
ENTRY
- Salon wall of art by Christine Shields (yearbook portraits) Jordan Daines (lips), Melinda Fay (polaroid photos), Chris Johanson, Jill Kleinhans, Alison Elizabeth Taylor, Javier Mayoral (ultraman commission) assorted Outsider Art
LIVING ROOM
- Landscape art wall in living room vintage
- light fixtures Pasadena Antique Center
- Living room sofa vintage Arne Norell (midcentury la)
- Travertine and teak coffee table (Rose Bowl flea market)
- ceramics and assorted smalls (Good Eye Gallery)
- 70’s tiled side tables, danish amber glass vase, african tie dye pillows (Bonita Interiors Pasadena)
- shag rug Anthropologie
- JuJu feather wall decor (L”Aviva Home)
- Fireplace area
- Fiery vintage matchstick artwork by Pei San Ng (Good Eye Gallery)
DINING ROOM/KITCHEN
- Kitchen design by studio Emphasis
- Kitchen materials from Abet Laminati
- Eat artwork Marha Rich
- Kitchen table
- Kitchen Table (Salvation Army)
- Strriped Dining Chairs Midcentury LA
- Patchwork Kilim Area Rug & mango wood bowl (Bonita Interiors)
- Pendant Lights CB2
- 1920’s Military Brass Drum and Vintage Snoopy phone
TELEVISION ROOM
- Christian LaCroix wallpaper (House of Honey)
- Vintage Dresser refinished by House of Honey
- Vintage Dalmatian (Dustmuffin Silverlake)
- Room and Board Sleeper Sofa dressed in room and board Sheepskin
- Bonita Interior Turkish Pillows
- Good Eye Gallery Indian Patchwork Tapestry and Pillows
- Lizard Skin ceramic bowl by artist Pat Husted (Good Eye Gallery)
- Rattlesnake drawing on LA map Lynn Hanson
- Firecracker Girl painting by Becca Midwood (Good Eye Gallery)
- midcentury chrome side table with moroccan tray top (Good Eye Gallery)
MASTER BEDROOM/BATHROOM
- Bedding by Dwell Studio
- Headboard Upcycled and covered in Michael Levine fabric (House of Honey)
- Art Mel Kadel, J. Stancin (over bed)
- Dresser CB2
- Ceramics (Jason Agena for Good Eye Gallery)
- Vintage rope and brass Moe Lighting (Ebay)
- Midcentury Walnut Nightstands (Rose Bowl Flea market)
- Wallcolor on feature wall in bedroom Avalon Teal
- Vintage Italian Lamp (Sunbeam Vintage)
- Artwork above reading chair Becca Midwood
- Midcentury rocking chair recovered in teal velvet Michael Levine fabrics
- Custom Shoji sliding doors LA Shoji
- Vanity area painted in Azure Water
- Salvation Army desk lacquered black
- Eames naughahyde shell chair (craiglist)
- Car artwork Danielle Krysa (Good Eye Gallery)
- Master bathroom design by studio Emphasis
- Color in bathroom custom
- Indian Marble floor
- Rosewood floors throughout house
- Art in vanity area Tasha Kusama, Ashley Mistriel
BOON’S ROOM
- (designed by House of Honey)
- Furnishings and Artwork (Good Eye Gallery)
- Marimekko vinyl wallpaper on custom barn doors
- Bedding CB2
- Pendelton blanket
- Artwork (good eye gallery)
- Locker (Reform School Silverlake)
- Time Cools All Jets banner by Jimmy Marble
- bathroom design (House Of Honey)
- Japanese ceramic penny tile (Tap n Tile Pasadena)
OFFICE/DEN
- Fiery vintage matchstick artwork by Pei San Ng (Good Eye Gallery)
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Thanks, Melinda!
Re-edited from a tour originally published in 2015 — AB