Inside a Home That Was Designed to Feel Like a Modern Fairytale
It’s joyful and full of character, but still rooted in history.
Gavin Cater
In a world full of bland, neutral interiors and modern homes that feel soulless, it’s a delightful surprise when you see a home that embraces color and whimsy. This Spanish Revival house in Los Angeles’s Franklin Village, just below the Hollywood Hills, is one of those surprises.
The homeowners—actors who are heavily involved in the theater scene—wanted their home to tell a story and evoke a feeling.
Gavin Cater
“They wanted an inviting, historic-inspired home filled with color and whimsy that reflected their unique and joy-filled personalities—a storybook Spanish Revival,” says interior designer Heather Phillips of Sunday Supper Club, who worked on the project with architect Barrett Cooke of Arterberry Cooke.
Gavin Cater
At the start of the renovation, the home was 1,590 square feet and had three bedrooms and two bathrooms. Two of its main problems were a small and cramped entryway that almost felt nonexistent, and only one small living area to gather. The project was a full gut remodel with a completely reconfigured layout and new everything, from the windows to the doors to the floors.
Gavin Cater
“We leaned heavily into historic-inspired tile as our main medium for color and pattern, from a porcelain mosaic penny with colorful border in the kitchen to marble checker floor in the laundry and a custom floral motif and check in the entryway,” Heather says. “One common thread across all rooms is 1920s/1930s/1940s-inspired florals by way of tile or wallpaper. We even designed a custom tulip and leaf pattern for the exterior iron railing.”
To solve the entry problem, Heather and Barrett designed an addition to the front of the house to create a dedicated entry area.
Gavin Cater
“Architecturally, the front addition was the main feature to transform how the home functions,” explains Barrett. “It allows the somewhat small spaces to feel both protected from the street and offer a sense of mystery in the floor plan navigation. Heather and I were trying to make a space that felt special and unique, was in scale with the existing structure, and also allowed the growing family to feel comfortable and inspired.”
The entry’s custom stained glass door was designed in collaboration with Judson Studios, and it’s paired with beautiful handmade tile from Mission Tile West that helps evoke a feeling of history. The small coat cabinet was made to look like it’s been there forever, while a functional shoe bench provides a place to sit and store shoes, school bags, jackets, and more.
Gavin Cater
They expanded the main living area, creating a dual-purpose living room and family room. Its neutral color scheme serves as a “palette cleanser” from all the other colorful rooms in the home. A small parlor was designed to connect the kitchen and living room.
Gavin Cater
“We wanted a kitchen that felt like a cozy restaurant that transitioned well from a bright whimsical kitchen during the day to an intimate watering hole at night as this is the main dining area in the home,” says Heather. “The chunky walnut countertops, rich, creamy tile and mosaic floor, and leaded glass cabinet fronts with the playful high-gloss green cabinets achieve this!”
Gavin Cater
The library was created to be a space where you could sink into your own thoughts, listen to music, write, and read, Heather says. Whimsical wallpaper was installed, along with a ladder to reach high shelves and give access to a loft space for the clients’ children.
Gavin Cater
Like the living room, the primary bedroom was also designed to be a palette cleanser—a minimal, quiet place to rest. The primary bathroom next door was the most fun to design, according Heather, as it was inspired by a backstage green room.
Gavin Cater
Gavin Cater
“My dreams came true when the client loved this vanity and mirror concept as much as me,” Heather says. “Floral wallpaper continues our flower motif throughout the home.”
Gavin Cater
And the design didn’t just focus on whimsy and color, function was also a priority. The new laundry room really does the work, providing plenty of storage options, from a designated storage closet for a stand-up steamer to a spot for three hampers under the counter.
Gavin Cater
Gavin Cater
Heather, Barrett, and the rest of the design team were able to accomplish something that’s not always easy: making a home both visually interesting and highly functional.
Gavin Cater
“They absolutely love it,” Heather adds. “They feel like it is a true representation of their unique family and is historic-inspired, but not too serious; whimsical and functional.”
Contractor: Cosy Mosey Design Build
Plant Stylist: Adrienne Wollman