THE ARTFU L LODG ER

Pillows on the bed, above, are covered in fabric remnants from Chris’s own 2007 women’s wear line.

With its shower and central drain, the mudroom, right, is ideal for dog washing.

The compact shoe closet, far right, is as organized as it can be, “but even so, my Virgo perfectionism is always itching to rearrange,” Chris says.

Chris installed the globe light in the front parlor, opposite. “I love swapping out fixtures,” he says. “I think I’ve changed every light in the house multiple times.”

STYLEMAKER CHRIS BENZ

DESIGN ADV ICE Just try! People have so many strange rules they’ve committed to for no good reason.

MY UNIFORM I wear a navy blazer with gold buttons, ripped jeans, and an untucked shirt. I am an unmade bed.

MUST- HAV E Weleda Skin Food. I never wore gloves while renovating, and it’s my go-to hand cream.

SIGNATURE MOV E l like leaving something undone. It says things are always evolving.

FAVORITE SPLURGE Faucets and fixtures: You touch a kitchen faucet dozens of times a day, so why not let that be enjoyable?

WALL

ST GI LES B LUE NO. 280 FARROW & B ALL

WHEN I FIRST SAW THE HOUSE, THE ORIGINAL TILES IN THE FIREPLACE SURROUND WERE INTACT, BUT THEY LOOKED ARBITRARY. ONCE I PAINTED, THEY BECAME JEWELS IN A CROWN.

—CHRIS BENZ

MEDITERRANEAN LIGHT

A SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA GARDEN DESIGNER AND STORE OWNER FINDS THE WAY TO INNER PEACE WITH A MIX OF SCULPTURAL PLANTS ACCENTED BY CAREFULLY PLACED OUTDOOR ORNAMENTS AND SALVAGED PIECES.

The slope leading to Greg Salmeri’s home, this photo, stars Mediterranean plants that thrive in his dry climate, such as rosemary, echium, olives, and succulents like Agave attenuata, opposite.

BEFORE HIS LAGUNA BEACH NEIGHBORS BEGIN TO STIR, GREG SA LMERI IS IN HIS GARDEN ENJOY ING THE SOLITUDE.

“I need a few minutes to connect with the earth before I start my day,” says Greg, a garden designer and co-owner of Rolling Greens Nursery in Culver City. His Mediterranean-inspired terraced courtyard refl ects a style he describes as eclectic organic. Wide decomposed granite paths, geometric hardscaping, and drought-tolerant plants that are more about texture and sculptural foliage than color keep maintenance to a minimum, allowing Greg more time to relax with his 95-year-old dad, Angelo, in the home that’s been in the family for three generations. A mostly neutral palette (white, silver, and green with fl ecks of purple and blue) sets a tranquil tone. Statues, urns, and relics gathered from his annual travels—the Texas Round Top and Paris fl ea markets are favorites— decorate the garden and supply an ever-changing inventory for the shop. “I like crumbly stuff —things that have a patina,” Greg says. “Age tells a story.” Stories come through in the pieces he has selected for his own garden, including the antique upholstered iron chairs by the fi re pit that came from his mother’s dining room, a rule-breaking twist that sums up Greg’s signature style.

STYLEMAKER GREG SALMERI

The co-owner of Rolling Greens Nursery has made his reputation with one simple thing—his unerring eye.

MY D ESI GN STYLE It’s truly very eclectic. I can fall in love with pure modern as easily as old and chippy—and a mix of the two is my favorite.

B EST O U T D OOR D E C ORATI NG TRI C K Create drama with a big pot and a topiary or tree, such as Dracaena marginata, left. Add artifacts and smaller plants, such as sedum and aeonium.

I G ET I N S P IRE D BY Anything passionate and authentic—music, painting, design, and photography.

MY B EST E N TERTAI N I NG TI P Keep it small and intimate.

D E C ORATI NG R U LE WORTH B REAKI NG Give yourself permission to use indoor furniture outside.

MY B EST GAR D E N TI P Add fragrant plants, such as rosemary, scented geranium, sage, and mint. Scents enhance the pleasure of a garden.

Greg's revamped yard is reminiscent of a classic Mediterranean garden with formal lines and rooms on differing levels. Weathered timbers and evergreens like rosemary, bay, and Italian cypress define the spaces filled with only a few actual flowers: rose, geranium, scabiosa, buddleia, verbena, and Santa Barbara daisy.