Get Inspired by Photographer Gray Malin’s Rooftop Deck

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Last year, photographer Gray Malin purchased a gorgeous 4600 square foot home in West Hollywood. Not surprisingly Malin, known for his stunning aerial shots which transform beach umbrellas, lifesavers and sunbathers into shimmering patterns of color and light, was drawn to the home because of it roof deck and the stunning views of the city that it offered.  “The roof deck was a huge selling point for the house to me, as they are rare in the West Hollywood area due to zoning ordinances,” says Malin. “I wanted it to be a secret oasis atop of our home to escape to for fresh air, panoramic views and stunning sunsets.”

Malin was galvanized into whipping the space into shape via the One Room Challenge. “It held me to a tight six week timeline as well as the requirement to document it all, week by week on my blog. By going through this process, it was really interesting as it made me highly aware of every detail. In the end, I am really proud of the result as I started with a vision and stuck to it!,” he explains. 

Though it had good bones, it definitely needed the color that is intrisic to the photographer’s signature wanderlust style to bring it to life. “Drawing inspiration from both the east and west coast, I landed on the idea to create a space that conjured visions of classic rooftop terraces in urban east coast cities, then combine them with coastal California vibes,” says Malin. Farrow & Ball’s Worsted No. 284 is trimmed with the company’s Cornforth White No. 228, creates a timeless and elegant backdrop against which to play with color, pattern, and momentos that conjure up Malin’s far-flung travels. 

Stori Modern and Frontgate stepped up the plate and delivered in the allotted (and tight!) timetable. Brinley Indoor/Outdoor Rug by Martyn Lawrence Bullard in the 8×10 from Frontgate gives off cool watery vibes. The Sunbrella Micro Chevron Indoor/Outdoor Throw in Cornflower Blue is perfect to cozy up under when the sun goes down and evening breezes put a chill in the air. 

“Along an entire wall of the deck there is a raised platform that I had planned to cover with a large cushion for additional seating. However, I was lucky enough get the furniture I ordered in a very timely fashion.”

 

Once seeing it all laid out in the space, I knew right away that additional seating was not necessary and I shifted directions, allowing the organic stone to become a platform for decorative elements such as lanterns, greenery and candles— all of which really add an east coast feeling to the space.”

The Rhodes Outdoor lantern in Grande and Medium, found at Frontgate, is ideal for adding atmosphere. 

Malin’s trays corral drinks, snacks and books, keeping the space neat and organized. Here, the Butterflies Tray

With Memorial Day on the horizon, Malin can’t wait to put the space to use. “​Anything from quiet moments of relaxing and reading the newspaper in the sun to full on summer BBQs with friends and family, I’m really excited about it!”. Truly, this outdoor oasis is the embodiment of Malin’s credo to “make every day a getaway”

For the full line of Malin’s bouyant prints, click here.

Of course, no Malin space would ever be complete without one of his signature prints. Here a large size of his “Santa Monica Vertical”, framed in white, transforms a plain wall into a vivid focal point.