A Place In The Sun

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Kim Gordon weaves Southern California cool in a dark and dreary Venice home

A sofa from Restoration Hardware sits atop a rug from Jaipur. The coffee table is from Burke Decor. The side tables are Jayson Home. The 12 foot macrame wall divider was created by local artist Jayme Cole.

“When I first saw it, the house was so cold. There were cement floors, lots of exposed metal and sharp edges everywhere,” says interior designer Kim Gordon remembering her initial impression of this Venice Beach home. Built in 2008, it already felt dated, dark and heavy. “People are under the mistaken impression that contemporary design has to be cold and theoretical.” One look at Gordon’s work here instantly disproves that notion.

The European clients, who’d found Gordon through her Instagram, wanted a contemporary and relaxing home that felt “California”. “I remember her saying, ‘Please help me with this bachelor pad. I don’t even know where to put my shoes.’” 


The dining area’s chairs are from The Hangar. The chandeliers, purchased from Goodee World, is by ACDO.

Gordon, who’s known for her livable interiors, got to work. She gutted the bathrooms and the kitchen. She reconfigured the floor plan. She replaced doors and windows. She warmed up the cement floors with stains. She reshaped the primary suite to optimize flow, view and sunlight. “So now you have a home that actually makes sense.” she says, “There are clean lines.”

Gordon takes a measured approach to open-concept living, creating a rhythm of open and closed spaces that speak to everyday needs. As one example, she created a entryway. “Before you walked in and saw the entire ground floor. So we created a foyer with coat closet for your shoes and places to put things,” she explains.

In the mezzanine area off the kitchen, Gordon carved out a bar area for morning coffee, evening cocktails and everything in between. The countertop is Ceasarstone. The vintage barstools are an Arthur Umanoff design.

There’s also a twelve-foot wall hanging that creates a visual separation between the kitchen and living areas. “It’s like a macrame moment,” she says of the intricately woven piece by Venice-based artist Jayme Cole. Made of cord, it includes air succulents on both sides. “You can see right through, so the spaces are still connected in a way that keeps the light flowing, but there’s a slight division that creates definition.”


Gordon reshaped the primary bedroom suite to optimize flow, view, and sunlight. The bistro table is from Revival Rugs, while the chairs were discovered at CB2. A the end of the bed, whose frame is by Restoration Hardware, Gordon added a small sofa from West Elm.

In the kitchen, Gordon reduced the island’s footprint, enabling her to carve out a welcoming breakfast banquet, pairing it with a set of vintage Arthur Umanoff  barstools. “We had everything rebuilt,” she explains, “In addition to storage, it gave us the opportunity to create a coffee center and bar area.” Steel frame glass doors merge indoor and out while tall hedges ensure privacy.

“When we first got here, the home was a patchwork of industrial elements with lots of metal and different finishes,” she says, “Our goal was to calm that profusion down and create a more visually soothing experience.” Warm and welcoming, we’re calling it “California Compelling”. 


Twenty-foot-tall hedges and huge glass walls welcome sunlight and calm and keep the city’s chaos at bay.