Right At Home

Author:Lindsey Shook

Designer Anne Carr takes us inside her fabulous flip

When most designers work on their own home, it can take time as nothing ever feels just right. However, when it came to renovating her own Brentwood home, Anne Carr had a clear vision for what she wanted and was able to complete the entire project in just 12 months. “The house was a flip for my husband and I, so I designed it with us and our family in mind,” says Carr. “With one child still living at home and two in college,  we didn’t want a house so large that it would feel empty when they left home.”

The u-shaped structure that sits close to Sunset Blvd., followed suit with Carr’s plan giving a nice amount of separation for the parents and kids but ample room to meet in the middle when entertaining. “I made sure the master bedroom and one guest bedroom were on the side of the house farthest from the busy road, while the family room and kitchen were on the side closer to Sunset,” she notes. “We assumed these parts of the home would be used in the evening and night when the traffic was gone. The house has a center courtyard which is great for entertaining, so I added a fountain to provide a pleasant and serene sound.”

Originally built in the 1940’s, the home had not been updated since the 80s. “It was a pinkish coral color and had a lot of ornate trellises,” she says. “I think they were going for a Palm Beach look, but it just looked sad.” Carr did however fall in love with the courtyard which provided central access to all the rooms, but the layout was choppy and needed a more modern flow.

They gutted the house to the studs to update all the plumbing, electrical and windows, allowing Carr to reconfigure the walls. Three old, divided main living spaces were converted into one large kitchen and family area, adding a much smaller dining room. “I don’t like to give a dining room too much real estate because people only use them only a few times a year,” she says. “In fact, if we had decided to live there (we ultimately decided it was too small for our own family), I wouldn’t have even made a dining room at all.”

Carr applied a lovely neutral palette throughout in the form of paint, finishes and lighting and added pops of color in the furnishings and decor. She notes, “I Like to use a mix of materials and vendors and often use a vintage piece, similar to what I do indoors.” Emphasis was placed on the courtyard where family time can occur and intimate entertaining.