California Colonial |
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| Tucked away on a quiet winding street in
the Hollywood Hills, this house had seen better days. Built in 1947, the architecture
reflected the period in which it was built. It was part classic ranch house with an open
floor plan, but peppered with more traditional overtones of an Eastern Colonial. My job was to capture and build upon these two contradictory styles: casual California living set within a more traditional framework. When my client proclaimed that she wanted the house to be "Christmas in Connecticut," I began drawing inspiration for the redesign of the house from the traditional movie sets of the 1940’s. |
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| The living room’s furniture arrangement is symmetrical.
This is a very traditional approach to furniture layout by using the fireplace as the
focal point. The scale of the furnishings is what brings it up to date. The comfortable sofa and chairs are generously scaled. The sofa’s touch-me texture of washed chenille upholstery is the perfect complement to its squishy down cushions. To further enhance the cocoon-like feel of the living room, the windows have been swathed in layers of luxurious draperies. Somewhere between mint and aqua, the color of the velvet is the perfect foil for the silk underdraperies in a deep iridescent wine red. Underfoot is a durable sisal area rug to add textural contrast to the silky velvet and chenille. Custom designed chests flank the sofa, while an old table behind the sofa plays host to a collection of photographs. Vintage Chinese food boxes on metal stands serve as side tables. Other chinoiserie accents and touches of black add dramatic interest. |
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The oh-so-French style fireplace was removed and replaced with a more colonial version. The Jerusalem stone surround and hearth repeat the earthy yellows of the sisal rug. The luscious yellow ottoman can be pulled up to the khaki-striped velvet fireside chairs for extra seating. Kidney pillows sporting scarabs add a wry whimsical touch.
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In the dining area, traditional hunting motifs humorously nod to the more traditional colonial style. Bugles and hunting horns have been wired to supply the lighting. Corner alcoves painted a rich metallic gold glow with reflected light, featuring the collection of Depression-era pottery that was inspiration for the minty-aqua velvet drapery.
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| Wainscoting and tongue and groove paneling are used
throughout the house. Here in the powder room, an unusually high wainscot of tongue and
groove is used to create the feel of an old fashioned bathroom. New fixtures in vintage
shapes help to continue the look. The classic black and white floor has been reinterpreted
in marble mosaic. A small alternating band of checks with a green marble detail defines
the perimeter of the room. The soft green is repeated in the striped wallpaper above the
wainscot.
Continued... |
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