When a few — he is in media fund; she’s a child psychologist — transferred into their Craftsman-style house in Los Angeles’ Hancock Park neighborhood, the home was in pristine state. The prior owner had restored it superbly, allowing the warm and rich wood glow.
But the pair thought it could use just a little fun. They wanted to honor the standard design and materials, but modernize the appearance with a couple clever passes of picture color and pattern by means of bold wallpaper, boisterous rugs and psychedelic furniture, turning into what might potentially be a stuffy and rigid interior into a young and hip one.
They tapped local designer Taylor Jacobson to enhance the mood. She understood that all of the timber introduced a dark and heavy threat into the interiors, so adding more of it was out of the question. She began by choosing a vital bit for every room and building layers of pattern and a blue-green colour palette from that point.
in a Glance
Who lives here: A media fund specialist, a child psychologist and their 3 children (all younger than 7)
Location: Hancock Park neighborhood of Los Angeles
Size: 2,800 square feet; 3 bedrooms and an office
Budget: $45,000
Taylor Jacobson Interior Design
Jacobson started with the wallpaper in the dining area. She decided blue or green would look best with the rich timber, so that she wrapped the wall space over the wainscoting in an emerald green Feather Fan print. “I wanted it to become a trendy tone but saturated with the timber,” she says.
She also knew immediately she wanted black lacquered chairs to contrast with the wood. She enjoyed the design and shape of these vintage midcentury dining chairs, but they had been originally brown timber, so that she had them painted with black lacquer and reupholstered in amazing patterns. “I enjoyed that pink salmon on the chairs with the green walls,” she says.
The black and white flat-weave wool carpet was the last element.
Chairs: MidcenturyLA and Amsterdam Modern; chair fabric: China Seas; Shade: The Rug Company; wallpaper: Cole & Son
Taylor Jacobson Interior Design
The designer looked at obtaining vintage light fittings, however this Jonathan Adler chandelier and matching sconces were far more moderately priced. The near-black alloy works nicely with the black in the chairs.
Taylor Jacobson Interior Design
Rather than beginning with the walls, Jacobson made the living area from the vintage Turkish carpet. “The design is actually popular at the moment,” the designer says. The green in the carpet matches the tile onto the fireplace, and she understood the couple wanted a blue sofa, a color also found in the carpet. “Blue always contrasts well with hot timber,” she says. The colour of the sofa nailed it perfectly: “It’s almost just like a peacock blue; there is a hint of green in it.”
Sofa: custom from The Sofa Company; light fixture: Worlds Away
Taylor Jacobson Interior Design
After seeing a photograph of a vintage French coffee table, Jacobson reproduced the layout for this custom table with an antique metal plate complete.
She refinished just two of this couple’s tall glistening silver bookcases with a dark iron colour she predicts oil-rubbed bronze.
Taylor Jacobson Interior Design
The target painting is by on-the-rise Los Angeles artist Jason Koharik. It hangs over a vintage Danish wood chair. The sconces are from Visual Comfort. The white lacquered console table with dark metallic base was custom made by Weego Home.
Taylor Jacobson Interior Design
The powder room features Zebra Collection wallpaper from Scalamandre. The layout has been popular because it was first utilized in the New York restaurant Gino in 1945. Here it is paired with a black and white carpet from Crate & Barrel.
The bench is a breeding Thonet style of black lacquered bentwood with a cane chair and cane back.
Taylor Jacobson Interior Design
Wanting something interesting and picture in the master bedroom, Jacobson started with the Tropical Bird wallpaper. “The clients had to think on it for a week or so,” she says. “It’s a lot happening. They had to be sure they’d love it.” The area is currently the spouse’s all-time favorite.
The golden ball with crystal beads light fixture is from Serena & Lily. “It’s a really feminine bit,” the designer says.
Using the rather impartial custom Roman shades, wallpaper and upholstered headboard, Jacobson wanted to bring in a scoop of colour. She included the royal-blue flat-weave carpet from The Rug Company, two turquoise lamps, vibrant pillows and a pixelated blue and green throw blanket.
The timber bench was inserted by the homeowners.
Taylor Jacobson Interior Design
The vintage Danish nightstands follow exactly the same thought as the dining chairs: the all-wood bits were muted down with partial black lacquer; here they play the black, white and gold wallpaper.
