4 minute read
PERFECT MATCH
PERFECT MATCH
A Los Angeles home in a celebrity-filled suburb is expertly remodelled for a family of five.
DESIGN | DISC Interiors LANDSCAPE DESIGN | GSLA Studio Landscape Design PHOTOGRAPHER | Sam Frost WORDS | Alexandra Gordon
When a charming Mediterranean Revival house in Hancock Park was listed for sale in 2020, real estate developer and Plus Development cofounder Tyrone McKillen and his wife Christina were quick to snap it up. With a keen eye for property, the couple recognised the potential of the five-bedroom home located in the historic Los Angeles neighbourhood and appointed DISC Interiors to remodel it for their family. “The owners were excited when the home came onto the market,” DISC Interiors designer David John Dick says. “They knew of our work through previous projects and thought our combination of contemporary and classic interiors were a perfect fit for their own aesthetic,” David explains, who founded the California-based studio ten years ago with partner Krista Schrock.
A view of the living room is framed by one of the two original arched doorways off the entry.
Originally built in 1922, the property needed an overhaul to suit the growing family of five. Behind the handsome façade capped with a terracotta shingle roof and softened by cascading bougainvillea, it ultimately lacked modern functionality. “The brief was to transform it into a family home,” David says, adding, “they had a strong desire to keep what we could of the original architecture and interior detailing, but at the same time understood what was possible with this property.” It was a match made in heaven from the start. “We bonded over a love of historical homes and detailing, as well as a love of contemporary design and fine art,” the designer recalls.
The main living room features a pair of 1950s Federico Munari chairs, a wing chair by Jader Almeida, ‘Rotterdam’ accent table by Arteriors and a Marc Phillips antique rug. A ‘CHP’ chandelier by the Urban Electric Company hangs above.
DISC Interiors designed all of the custom joinery in Hancock Park as an extension of the parquetry flooring. The study features the natural oak Vitra Solvay table, Jean Prouvé table (1941), Danny Kaplan Studio lamp and vintage Danish armchair.
A completely new floor plan was conceived to meet the owners’ requirements, while the removal of a secondary staircase enabled the kitchen, master bedroom and ensuite to be enlarged. Fireplaces were retained throughout, and the repainted exterior remains intact, however, all internal walls were demolished in the process. “The only area original to the home is the main staircase and the railing, every other interior wall was moved,” David says, who worked closely with architects Plus Design Studio to make the substantial changes. The reimagined kitchen provides a place for the family to entertain. “We designed a built-in banquette and an over-scaled island with traditional marble detailing that connects the history of the home,” David explains.
The grand entryway features Eco Outdoor limestone checkered flooring. Photographs by artist JR.
Textural finishes were chosen to complement the historic home, including chequerboard limestone tiles that line the floors of the grand entry and parquetry floors layered with antique rugs. The walls throughout are hand plastered in a myriad of shades and rounded shapes prevail, in line with the organic finishes. “For the ensuite, we pulled influences from contemporary design and looked to cocktail bars in Paris to capture a freshness and softness,” the designer says. The dressing room continues the theme, as do the curved furniture pieces such as the custom bedhead and vintage loveseat in the master bedroom.
Thomas Hayes Studio Petra bar stools upholstered in Edelman Roya Suede, sit up at the vast kitchen island in honed Calacatta Viola; contemporary in scale yet traditional in its detailing. Zac spotlights by Hector Finch feature on the back wall.
The new kitchen is well appointed with Waterworks tapware in bronze, a Viking oven, Plain Swan Oak cabinetry and Rose Uniacke pendants in plaster and bronze above.
The timeless and seemingly effortless spaces reflect a successful collaboration, where the owners’ and designers’ sensibilities align. Both parties couldn’t be happier with the result and the friendship that has evolved over the process is a testament to this. “This project captures our love of cosy and comfortable homes that provide spaces for our clients to relax and to entertain, “David says, adding, “we love quietly dramatic spaces, that are striking, yet familiar.”
In the dining room, the Restoration Hardware table is paired with a Lauriston chandelier by Jonathan Browning. The El Royale sideboard by Sabin LA, Vapor wall sconces by Matthew Cox and the clients’ own artwork complete the picture.
The powder room is rich and moody, featuring Waterworks’ dark bronze fixtures, a stone floating wall sink and Piedra sconces by L’Aviva Home.
The cosy yet glamorous main bedroom features a custom-designed curved wall-mounted headboard with Lumfardo vintage sconces and the Agnes nightstand designed by DISC Interiors.
The Una Malan Olive swivel chair upholstered in a Rose Uniacke fabric makes a comfortable reading corner in the main bedroom.
Elegantly detailed glass-fronted doors and open shelves in the dressing room reveal the owner’s enviable fashion collection.
Cocktail bars in Paris were the inspiration for the custom shower in the ensuite. The showerhead is by Roman and Williams for Waterworks.
The ensuite combines Arabescato-honed marble, plaster walls and untreated brass fittings.
