Spellbound

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Interior designer Garance Rousseau works her magic on a historic Studio City home

The front door’s stained glass window was designed by Rousseau and fabricated by David Scheid. Both the green tile and the wooden door are original to the house. The wall color is Farrow & Ball’s Pink Ground. Photo by Chris Mottalini.

The clients had stopped into the open house on a whim during a visit to L.A. While they had no plans to leave San Francisco, there was something about the 1930s era adobe-style home that captivated them and they knew it would be the perfect place to raise a family. 

The living room’s coffee table is by Charles Dudouyt. The sofa, upholstered in fabric discovered in Belgium, was created by Designs of the Time. The piping was created by Samuel & Sons. Photo by Chris Mottalini.
The living room’s vintage sideboard was designed by Adrien Audoux & Frida Minet in the 1950. The curtains are bespoke.
Photo by Chris Mottalini.

“Ali and Philip had been living in the house for two years with little furniture,” L.A. and New York-based interior designer Garance Rousseau recalls of her first impression of the space. “It was time to bring it to life.” They were also now parents to a young toddler. “I kept asking myself how the home might shape her vision of the world?”

In the dining room, a 1960s Large Medieval Castle bronze pendant light dangles over vintage Danish chairs from the 70s. The large painting is by Colt Seager. The antler sconces are original to the house. The ceiling’s wood beams were imported from Santa Fe by actress Veronica Cartwright, a previous owner of the home. Photo by Chris Mottalini.
In the powder room, a blue Crystal Glass Mirror by Fontana Arte, 1960s dazzles.
Photo by Chris Mottalini.

Rousseau’s own vision of the world was shaped by a childhood in France, surrounded by magnificent architecture and exquisite craftsmanship. “I’ve always been drawn to unique objects with age and soul,” she discloses. Her goal was to honor the home’s Spanish and Southwestern influences—and its myriad of quirky details—without being constrained by them. “Finding a new palette for the interiors became my first objective,” she says. She was also eager to create a fanciful, inspirational backdrop to the daughter’s life. 

The office features a mid-century chair that was used in And Just Like That. A 1950s-era hand-painted Spanish mirror, a painting by Pat Berger, a ceramic Rubik’s Cube made by Garance Rousseau and a vintage brass and leather tripod table lamp highlight walls painted in Farrow & Ball’s Faded Terracotta. The indigo paint on the window frames and the hand-painted tiles were commissioned by Veronica Cartwright, who previously owned the house. Photo by Chris Mottalini.

The long living room proved to be a significant challenge. “With the fireplace as the central feature, I wanted to created a sense of balance around it,” she explains. The expected convention—placing two sofas facing each other in conversation—felt staid and old fashioned. Instead, in a moment of inspiration, she proposed building a plaster bench along one wall, adding to cushions to soften it and bring it into concert with the sofa. “It looks as though it’s always been there and it beautifully resolved how my clients wanted to interact in the space.”

In the primary bedroom, the vintage pendant lights are by Hans Agne Jakobsson (Sweden,1960s). Rousseau had them rewired and added a bright red cord for contrast. The bed is custom. The vintage rattan nightstands are Italian. The vase is by Future Retrieval.
Photo by Chris Mottalini
A 1930s Chase Art Deco American Glow Lamp sits on top of the cabinet in a guest bathroom. The painting is by Jonathan Todryk. The walls are washed in Farrow & Ball’s Mere Green. Photo by Chris Mottalini.

Rousseau admits that her style is more maximalist and whimsical than her clients were used to. “Certainly it was a big adjustment for them after living in it with very minimal furniture,” she laughs. “Now they’re thrilled with the outcome and love how layered and lived-in and welcoming it feels.” 

The playroom’s palm tree sculpture, created by an unknown artist, was discovered at Shop NFS. The emporium, located in Los Angeles’ Frogtown neighborhood, is a source for all things eclectic and eccentric. Photo by Chris Mottalini.

After the home was completed, Rousseau learned that it had previously belonged to actress Veronica Cartwright. Cartwright had remade it to embody her vision of the American Southwest, importing over 6,000-pounds of lumber, along with all of the home’s doors and windows, from Santa Fe. The broken pottery that covers the exterior was culled from a set of Fiesta dinnerware that shattered during the 1994 Northridge earthquake. The home’s hand-painted tiles were glazed and fired in Pasadena. “The house carries a rich history, full of unexpected connections and uniquely crafted, personal details,” Rousseau shares. Turns out that Ali and Philip were right to trust their instincts. 

The outdoor dining set was left behind by the home’s previous owner. Photo by Chris Mottalini.