COTE DE TEXAS: A HOUSE IN LOS ANGELES

A HOUSE IN LOS ANGELES

 

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As I said last time, I’ve become really interested in the Spanish Mission or Colonial Revival architecture that is so popular in California – especially houses built in the 1920s and 1930s.  While researching those houses on Los Angeles real estate web sites, I found this one house for sale with a really beautiful interior - sophisticated and well designed - it really captured my eye.  The brochure said the house was designed by Hagy Belzberg, so I looked up Belzberg Architects and found another Belzberg designed house, above & below – with the movie screen on the outside.

  

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So, I wrote the story around the movie screen house and drive-in movies.  I must say, no one was really impressed with the house!  Almost all the comments wanted to reminiscence about drive-in movies, and hardly anyone even mentioned the Belzberg designed movie screen house.  I guess we all just don’t care much for ultra contemporary houses!!!  Me neither, I have to admit, although I can certainly appreciate the architecture and I do LOVE that movie screen! 

That last story grew so long that I decided to show the other house that Belzberg designed - the sophisticated house - that I really DID like, today.   Enjoy!!

 

 

 

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Really terrible picture!   But, this is how the house looked in 1998.

 

This non-descript white bungalow was built in 1956 high up on a hill above Sunset Avenue and close to the legendary Greystone Mansion. In 1998 an art-loving, young couple bought the $750,000. house for the views of downtown and the ocean – which could be seen from the rooftop. They hired Hagy Belzberg to completely renovate the  2800 sq. ft. house – which he did – taking it down to the studs and leaving only two small rooms in the back untouched, along with the outside stairs that lead to the front door. On top of the living room, above the garage, he added a second floor which houses the master bedroom, and  now has the commanding views of the Pacific Ocean. Belzberg built the addition around a steel frame, which is practical in the earthquake prone area. He topped it all with a metal seam roof.

 

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And today:  the ceilings were raised to 12’ in the living area – seen in the room above the garage. The master bedroom was added above the living room.  The architect deliberately kept the new second floor from over powering the façade.  You can barely even see it. 

 

 

 

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And today – at night. 

 

 

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And the Google Maps Satellite view:  In the google maps view, you can see part of the side of the house that wraps around the narrow, hilly street.  Though listed at close to 3 1/2 million dollars, the façade doesn’t give much away!   The house is now 3650 sq. ft with 3 bedrooms and 3.5 bathrooms – Belzberg added almost 1,000 sq. ft during the renovation.   The house received a lot of press when it was renovated, including a long article in the L.A. Times, HERE

 

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The back of the house. The kitchen is on the right – inside an enclosed garden. To the left is the swimming pool which runs along one side of the house.

 

The original interior designer was the late Milo Baglioni, who designed several other Belzberg houses and he also the producer of Sex and the City,  Darren Star’s house HERE.  The art-collecting couple were so pleased with Belzberg’s results, they said:  "We had wanted a place that was full of light, where friends and our dogs could sit anywhere they chose, and it's turned out so well that we hate going away."   Well, not exactly true!  They lived in the house for just a few years and then sold it.  

 

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The view – of downtown and the ocean beyond - is pretty incredible and is probably one reason for the high price tag.    The house overlooks Sunset Blvd.  and is high in the hills.

 

Ready to go inside? 

 

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With its 12 ft ceilings, the main floor includes the living room, dining room, and family room, with two guest bedrooms and a study.  The house has gorgeous dark hardwoods and white walls that are accented by textured khaki colored grasscloth wallcoverings.   The newly decorated space is very sophisticated with a mix of antiques and contemporary pieces.  Textiles play an important part in the design, as do Oriental accents.   I love how the different spaces are defined by the light colored rugs that anchor the assorted seating areas.   Notice how the dining room chairs each have a textile which hangs over its back.  Another framed textile hangs in the living area.

 

 

 

 

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And looking at the other direction.  The far wall of windows is at the front of the house, over the garage.  To the left of the house is the side yard and pool.   Between the family room and the living room sits a long console which houses many antiques.   The living room has four identical chairs covered in white and grouped around the fireplace.  And notice the vase on the wall to the right!  Love that!   All the art work is black and white, including the Picasso print over the fireplace.

 

 

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Another view of the living room – which opens onto the side garden.  Layered over the seagrass is a flat weave rug with a faint pattern.  There are so many textures – notice the concrete flower pot on the console and the moss covered piece of wood on the mantel.   It’s all so sophisticated.  It’s obvious this is the home of either empty-nesters or a single person.  And, it’s a person with excellent taste.  

 

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Another view – notice the framed textile on the wall – I love that!  And the console table to the right with its assortment of oriental antiques is beautiful.  Across from the living area is the kitchen while behind that is the office and guest rooms and the staircase that leads to the master bedroom. 

Of course, I was dying to know who designed the house, which just recently sold. Searching on the internet, I discovered the current owners had also put the house up for sale a few years earlier and the décor was different back then.  Care to see how they decorated it a few years ago?

 

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BEFORE:  in 2006, some of the same elements remain – the seagrass rug, the metal console table, the wonderful framed textile. But the chairs, art work and coffee table are all different!  And there is no grasscloth, instead all the walls are painted a khaki color.  While the brown leather chairs are attractive, I don’t think they are weighty enough to fill up this space.  The four white covered club chairs are so much better in this room.

 

 

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The view at night.   I love that console table – with the concrete base and wood top and the lamp is stunning.  Notice the gorgeous tree right outside the window.  The pool and garden run along this side of the house.

 

 

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BEFORE:  in 2006, the owners used the same console with a different  lamp and accessories. And the x-bench is missing from under the table.   Notice that beautiful tree that stands in the side yard. 

The architect Hagy Belzberg said:  "Like the rubber tree at the edge of the plot, the house grows from the earth and reaches for the heavens.  The edge of the roof canopy was inspired by the curvature of the leaves, and its bronze tone echoes the trunk."

 

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The dining room has a round table with two sets of chairs.  Oriental textiles hang over the upholstered chairs.  Against one wall is a red Oriental antique armoire with chests atop it.  Two floor length mirrors reflect the iron chandelier, which is just perfect over the table. 

 

imageHere you can see the series of framed black and white prints on the walls.  And notice the base of the dining room – the  iron matches the ladderback chairs.   Along the back wall is textured grasscloth which adds a bit of interest against the stark white walls.

 

 

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BEFORE:  in 2006, the owners decorated it with the same Oriental chests, chandelier, mirrors and art work, but the square table and chairs is not nearly as attractive as the ones used today.

 

 

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Across from the living room is the kitchen with its brown granite, stainless appliances and taupe colored walls that match the color of the grasscloth.

 

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And looking the other direction is a small breakfast area with a built in china cabinet.  The kitchen is contemporary- but not stark or cold.   More texture- notice the stone rolling pin and the plants in a tray of stones.  Off the kitchen  is a small enclosed garden.

 

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And here, you can see the light fixture over the island. 

 

 

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BEFORE:  back in 2006, there was a different fixture over the island.  I like the one there now much better.  They also have since added a shade in the kitchen window and gotten a new faucet.

 

 

 

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And the family room – over the garage.  Again it’s a mix of styles and textures.  And again, a thin textile is layered over the diamond patterned seagrass.  The room is all glass on three sides – making it seem like a treehouse.  Against the window on the right, there is a series of oriental figures sitting on a console.  Notice how the lamp bases are see-through, so they don’t block the view.  Despite being very contemporary, the room is warm and welcoming due to its furnishings. 

 

 

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BEFORE:  Here’s how the family room looked decorated by the current owners in 2006.  There is no layered rug, and the coffee table is different and the pillows have changed.  Otherwise it looks very similar, but not quite as beautiful. 

 

 

Below, I found a picture of this room as it was decorated by the first owners – the ones that hired Belzberg to renovate their house in 1998:

 

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BEFORE:  In 1998, this is how Milo Baglioni decorated the family room for the original art-collecting couple.   He used all very modern furniture, a sectional sofa, and a contemporary rug.  That lamp!  NO!   I like how the current owners decorated this room so much better!!!

 

 

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At the back of the house is the office, with the diamond patterned seagrass. grasscloth wallpaper, and beautiful Conrad shades.  Two unusual lamps sit on the console.  And notice the stairs – the metal reminds me of the same metal as used on the dining room chairs and table.

 

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The powder room is wallpapered on the walls and the ceiling to create a jewel box effect.  The large round mirror is the focal point, but notice the vessel sink – a stone trough.  And they used another sconce/flower vase.

 

 

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The media room faces the swimming pool.  Love the coffee table – it looks like an Indian bed – and love the textiles, the rug, the lamps.  I love all the accessories – like the candlesticks.  That looks like an antique barley twist chair against the window. 

 

 

 

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And looking the other way – you can see the stairs and the office outside the door.  Love that painting.  At first when I saw that – I thought perhaps Renea Abbott from Houston had designed this house because she had that same Hockney print in her house at one time.  But no, it wasn’t her.  Love those lamps.   e

 

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The bathroom off the media room continues the same mix of rough textures and plants.  Pretty sconces. 

 

 

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And the shower.  Is any inch of the house not decorated?  I’m sure when guests are there, they remove the old oriental screen, right? 

 

 

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And next to the media room is the guest room – another of the two rooms left intact from the original reconstruction by Belzberg in 1998.  Again, flat cotton rugs layered over the seagrass.  Notice the bed – I love that frame – especially at the foot of the bed.  More textiles – layered on the bed, along with a tapestry pillow.  More beautiful lamps.  Love the concrete table next to the club chair.  And I like how they treated the small, tall windows behind the bed – just curtain the entire wall!  The swimming pool is right out the door. 

 

 

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Another view – love the stone topped side table and notice that bench with the giant nailheads. 

 

 

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And the bathroom off the guest room, love the print above the vanity.  The grasscloth was brought into this room.  I love how all the same elements were used throughout the house to make it all flow.

 

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Up the stairs with the iron rails is the addition which Belzberg built in 1998.  Outside the door is a small balcony area on the left side of the house.  The floor is loft style – with the bedroom, bathroom, and study all occupying the one large room.   You can see the study behind the bed on the left.  And the bathroom is open to the room on the right.  The bed rests along a short wall, wallpapered in the same grasscloth.  The floors are the same dark hardwoods found through out the first floor.  The bed is simple, again covered in a flat textile.   Notice the hanging textile to the left of the bed.   Different from the rest of the house, there is no rug!

 

 

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Low shelves and cabinets beneath the windows circle around the room.  The owners have used antique vellum covered books and oriental pottery to fill them up.  In the corner is a pair of club chairs.  More vellum books on top of the two bamboo tables at the end of the bed.  And – on the right, the door that opens to the small balcony.

 

 

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Hiding under the cornice boards are dark brown textured shades that hide the morning sun.  Below is a view of how the bedroom looked before it was redecorated:

 

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BEFORE:  Here’s how the current owners decorated the master bedroom in 2006.  The bedding is the same – but they added zebra pillows and two zebra rugs.  Just  a little over kill.  The benches are different at the end of the bed, too, as are the light oak colored night tables – which it looks like were part of the headboard.  The wall behind the bed was not covered in the grasscloth and the walls were ivory then, not white.  I like the current color scheme, the grasscloth and white walls better.  And here- you can see there is a fireplace on the right that warms the bedroom and bathroom behind it.  Do you like this room better with the zebra patterns or without? 

 

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The bathroom is at the back of the bed.  The owners put a series of art work on the half wall behind the bed.  What a great view from the tub.

 

 

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And looking the other way.  Notice how the owners accessorized the bathroom with a wooden stool, plants, a rug, and more.  They also added a rain forest in the shower.  And notice those lighted frosted glass panels behind the sink – these are actually windows that face the side street. 

 

 

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BEFORE:  Here is how the bathroom looked in 1998 with the original art-collecting owners.  No accessorizing.    I like how it looks today much better. 

 

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The house wraps around the side yard where the swimming pool is.  Outside the living room is this outdoor eating area – decorated like the house with a chandelier and assorted stone items.  

 

 

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And looking at the other view, back towards the eating area, is the swimming pool and hot tub.  The media room and guest room are seen through the doors on the right.  Above is the master bedroom and bathroom loft.

 

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A view of the long pool, with the hot tub at the end.  The back yard is screened from the neighbors by tall trees.

 

 

 

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A night view of the eating area under the large tree that screens the living room. 

 

 

 

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The view at night of the wall that surrounds the side yard and swimming pool.

 

 

 

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Who designed this house?  It really was driving me crazy.  It couldn’t be Milo Baglioni who had decorated this house for the original owners – Baglioni had passed away at a very young age.  So, who was it?  Obviously whomever lived here had great taste, a love of textures and organic furnishings.  They love gardens and flowers which are abundant throughout.  They have a love Oriental furnishings and accessories- both of which are seen in every room.  They love textiles and drape their chairs and beds and sofas with a collection of unusual fabrics.  And they are obviously up to date with decorating.  Many of items are trendy – the concrete tables, the white linens, the seagrass, the fiddle leaf trees, and all the stone objects.  Still, something about the spaces looked familiar, but why???  Why???

 

 

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If you are designer, have you figured it out yet?  Do you recognize the light fixtures?  The tables?  The lamps?  The bed????

 

Nothing is secret on the internet anymore.  See a house for sale on a realtors web site and put the address into google and it will tell you who owns the house now, when they bought it and who they bought it from.  Nothing is sacred, nothing is secret.  And through a little research everything was answered.

 

 

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No wonder everything was so beautiful, so well put together, so well designed.  No wonder everything flowed together creating a cohesive vision.  The owners are principals in Gregorious Pineo, the very high end, to the trade only,  furniture,  lighting and accessories company.  The photographs from their showroom are equally as beautiful as their house! 

 

 

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I had so much fun going through their web site to see which pieces are in their house.  You might want to do that too.

 

 

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Like the great chandelier in the dining room – seen here in their showroom.

 

 

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And all those wonderful lamps.  And those tables.  And that barley twist chair, not an antique after all.

 

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That wonderful bed in the guest room – comes with a canopy or without.  Stunning.

 

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I particularly love the console in the living room – piled high with oriental antiques and their wonderful lamps.

 

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And all their wonderful lamps!!

 

 

 

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So many of the great designers use their furniture.  Designers like John Saladino and Michael Smith – who placed their bed in this house shown last year in Veranda.  Notice how the bed is similar to those wonderful candlesticks in the media room.  Those candlesticks really reminded me of something – that I couldn’t place – until I saw this bed!!!

 

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Myra Hoefer used their wonderful light fixture in this kitchen shown last year in House Beautiful.

 

 

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Remember how I wondered if Renea Abbott was the decorator?   Well, she did use their sconces here in that wonderful house she designed that was shown in Veranda a few years ago.

 

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And  here – these sconces too!

 

 

To visit the Gregorius Pineo web site go HERE.

In Houston, the Gregorius Pineo catalogue is available at:

CULP ASSOCIATES
5120 Woodway Drive
Suite 4018
Houston, TX 77056
Tel: (713) 623-4670
sales@culpassociates.com

 

AND FINALLY:

 

 

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Remember this house featured in Veranda last year?  I think this is the only house in Houston that Miles Redd has decorated.  I could be wrong, but let’s say it’s the only house in Houston that he’s decorated that’s been published!  Only Miles would think to do curtains like this – and mix them with classic furnishings and fabrics including antique Jansen chairs, along with that fabulous antique Irish library table!!  Unreal.  I think I stared at this photograph for thirty minutes and then decided never to decorate another house.  Why bother when Miles is alive?

 

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The great himself, Miles Redd.  He must be missing that house because he is coming back to Houston…this Thursday, October 25th, at 6:00 pm.  Book signing, refreshments and a lecture – all at the Bayou Club.  Invitation below:

 

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If you don’t live in Houston or can’t make it to the book signing, you can pre-order his new book:  The Big Book of Chic below.  Just click on the image!

 

 

 

51 comments :

  1. Joni,
    This is an incredible post. Your comparative pictures and commentary help me to understand how a wonderful room can be taken to extraordinary-- just with small, but very particular changes. I am going to have to look over this several more times. What a beautiful space! What a difference a lamp or a table or carefully placed piece of artwork or plant can make! Lots to think about here. Thank you.

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  2. Joni,
    You really do have the best and most comprehensive posts. I love reading your blogs. You always find the most divine spaces. This home is spectacular! Every single detail is so thought out. I wish I could live in a space like this. I love it!!! Thanks again for sharing talent like this with us..

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  3. Once again, I am in awe of the amount of research and insight you put into virtually every post you do. This was a fascinating journey. I plan to delve into the Gregorius Pineo website after I make another pot of coffee. Thanks for the ride. It was great fun.
    XO, Victoria

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  4. I'm not that fond of contemporary design, but this house was really beautiful! Thank you for sharing it with us! I think it is so funny that you figured out where all their furniture came from! My absolute favorite style of home is Spanish Colonial so I am really looking forward to seeing what you show us on that subject.

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    1. Me, too. I love Spanish Colonial. It can morph into so many related styles - French Country, Italian Country, Mexican Country, Santa Fe, and even Swedish Country if you bleach or paint the wood beams. Believe it or not, there are a number of homes in Sweden with barrel-tile roofs. You would not think that was a good idea because it is freezing so much of the year, but they are there!

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  5. Beautiful tour- thank you so much! I love love love that console... and every other thing in that house!

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  6. I loved the contemporary house & movie screen! I loved the upper and lower seating, that balcony was great! Loved both postings and would die to meet Miles Redd in Houston, wish I could make it!

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  7. Joni, awesome post! At first I wasn't impressed with the exterior of the house, but the interiors are beautiful! Rich in texture and warmth. I do hope guests remove that screen from the shower!

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    1. i know!!! the outside is really nothing to look at at all, but i love the inside. i would use the family room as the tv room. instead of being off in the back of the house - why not use that gorgeous space daily?

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  8. Joni once again you have amazed me with your undercover work and this house is absolutely stunning! The exterior a little under whelmed me until you showed us the interior and then I realized how well everything actually flowed together. The lamps and pottery were some of the first things that popped out at me softening the lines inside and adding aged depth. I’m going to go back and look some more and then I’m going to find some of those lamps for my home. Thank you once again for bringing a fabulous post to us.

    Enjoy your Sunday!
    XXX
    Debra~

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  9. Joni I adore homes that are such a surprise when you enter the front door. This home is fabulous!
    I loved all of the latter choices, stunning, layered, textural elements everywhere.
    An incredible collections of antiques found in every room! Thank you!

    xoxo
    Karena
    2012 Artists Series

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  10. AND...this is WHY WE LOVE YOU!!! Gaaaa...gorgeous!! This is SO MUCH BETTER than sitting in a stuffy class room. 5 *****! franki

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  11. Hi Joni, Being from the LA area, this post really hits the spot. I love this home! All of the architectural and design elements are perfection.
    Mary

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  12. So much to learn from and appreciate! Thanks for this wonderful post!

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  13. Incridable how you always find the most interesting before and after pictures of all these gorgeous houses!
    I am off to the Gregorius Pineo website! Looks so interesting!
    Have a wonderful Sunday evening Joni!
    xx
    Greet

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  14. I'm generally not a fan of modern design, but this house is amazing! I love the cement tables, the beautiful chairs, the accessories and even the plants that are perfect for their surroundings. And I'm sure "Garden and Be Well" Tara will notice the vanishing threshold.

    All in all, a wonderful post.

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  15. Great post! You put so much into research and descriptions.

    Angular style homes have never been my thing - until now. This house has so much warmth and character. The use of texture throughout the space makes it so inviting. I love the rich dark floors and white slipped furniture.

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  16. I have been by this address many times + always wondered what it was like on the inside. Stunning + not a fan of contemporary but this blew me away. I adore GP. xxpeggybraswelldesign.com

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  17. Just skimmed through this post and will have to spend a few wee hours on it to do it justice. BUT, I have to tell you this now, Joni...it's the fact that you pointed out the faucet change in the kitchen that I love you so much.

    You and your posts are filled with an exuberance of details which is at once, both inspiring and exhausting....happily exhausting. You leave us less needy. You're one of a kind.

    Bianca

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  18. Typical impressive and labor intensive post filled with beautiful photos. The home, not so typical of Cote de Texas, is awesome. Thanks for sharing!

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  19. I just discovered your blog and have thoroughly enjoyed it. I need help in my new Boerne home. Any recommendations for designers in the San Antonio / Boerne area?

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  20. A post worth reading several times. This is the kind of contemporary design that is so beautiful and livable. I love the textures and soothing colors and the magnificent views which come together in such perfect harmony in this house. It is one of the few contemporary designs that I could actually imagine myself feeling comfortable in. Glad to see a bit of a departure in your usual posts. I am certain this will appeal to a lot of die hard traditionalists.

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  21. I so enjoy your posts and todays was so thorough and absorbing, I couldn't stop reading it. The L.A. house was perfect in every way and contrasting it with the "befores" just shows how the "right" pieces can make something almost good...absolutely wonderful. As a designer for many years (30 plus), I'm not easily awed. But Joni, today you did it!
    In contrast, however, the Living room with the almost ludicrous window treatments, made me very uncomfortable. You should have stopped at L.A.! A. Gordinier

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    1. While I think Miles Redd does some incredible work, this was not his finest hour. Knowing when to stop takes talent also and the window treatments made the room circus like.

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    2. Joni, you are so nice and I suppose you had to say nice things about the Miles Redd room, but it is atrocious! The drapes! What was he...thinking? Money does not always buy taste! Yuck!

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    3. y'all really hate it? i don't know. icould live with it, but it certainly is a show stopper. those curtains look like oriental temples. ok, take away the curtains and it's a gorgeous room. i would love to see it in person, but knowing who owns the house, it aint ever going to happen.

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    4. You say you could live with it???
      Look at all the pattern. It makes you almost dizzy trying to take it all in. I will say, however, that the picture does challenge me to use a bit more in my own decor.

      Joni, you would go crazy if you came home and your living room looked like Market Day in Madagascar.

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  22. I learn something about decorating every time I read your posts.
    Merci,
    Sam

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  23. I was prepared not to like this house from the outside, but the interiors made me change my mind completely. All the textures of the wall coverings, fabrics, and objects make this a really warm and inviting place. I'd be happy moving right in! Thanks for the clever sleuthing on Gregorius Pineo. I would have guessed Richard Hallberg and Barbara Wiseley, as they have done some similar work (See Veranda, March-April 2006, pp. 174-175).

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  24. I look forward to your posts Joni. Part history, part sleuthing, part interior design, part architecture, part celebrity, all fun, educational,inspiring, beautiful and stimulating! And great company!! Thank you so much for doing what you do!

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  25. Love this post, and the guest bedroom is to die for! I just love the idea of being surrounded by a thick cocoon of drapes, which must make the room so quiet at night, and so peaceful.

    And you have a fantastic memory! How you piece together so much (from past magazine spreads to google maps) and then present it is such a clear and interesting way. Thanks so much! Liz

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  26. Joni! I have followed you for a very long time. I live in Houston and happen to love the slipped look so your posts always resonate, but I've also always had a fondness for contemporary/minimalism. IMO, today's house combined the best of both worlds! I loved the post so much I made my husband go through the photos too. He was also most impressed with the difference between the 'before' and 'after' decor. Thank you for sharing the thoughts that spring forth from your mind - please keep it up! As for your previous post about the glass house in the Hollywood Hills, I just want you to know that I did drool but didn't comment because it seemed so far out of reach, needing to be somewhere where prying eyes could not see inside and that isn't applicable to my life inside the Loop. Today's house feels much more attainable! Thank you for the education you provide us all on a weekly basis...

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  28. Happy Face! This morning after a night with everything turned off the computer is showing the images.... all FIXED, now back to blog reading....have a great week.

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  29. Joni,
    WOW! Every picture was incredible. Your post are a labor of love and it shows.

    Tikaa
    Green Acres Brenham.blogspot.com
    Tikaa@sbcglobal.net ((I'd love to ask you a few questions, if you had a few minutes to email). Thanks.

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  30. This is just an amazing and a beautiful home have ever seen, the interiors here are just amazing with the lovely texture and designs.

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  31. What amazing interiors. I love the way that most of the furnishings were planned so that the view was not upstaged. The textures are wonderful!
    Paula
    Mise en scène

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  32. Phenomenal transformation. BTW loved the last entry on drive-ins! Keep up the great work & thanks for sharing

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  33. Truly captivating particularly in architectural design.
    Teriffic post, Joni. -Brenda-

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  34. If I were able to staret from scratch and if money was no object, I'd love to live in a house similar to the Pineo one. Joni, you and I generally have similar aesthetics but those stripe curtains make my ears itch. They remind me of an illustration from a child's book on a day at the circus. In my opinion, Big,Big FAIL.
    MD

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  35. Such an entertaining read!! I love how you write! It's like the story begins where the movie screen left off from the last entry, then ties to the 2nd L.A. home... A stunning home (with an obviously fabulous designer)!! Then the story is developed (each room is described like a character that you learn more about) and it's all linked later in the entry to even more homes or interests and people...sometimes even more places and events! I will always love reading your blog, Joni! I find myself answering your questions (talking to you actually, but in my head), while I'm reading and it feels like you're here talking to me...which I enjoy thoroughly! The Pineo home you featured today is beautiful - every little detail makes such a difference when it's all put together. I don't know how you find the time to do all of this, but know that there are so many of us who appreciate all of the work that you put into these entries....it's such a wonderful way to spend my few moments of free time!!! And though the striped drapes by that famous guy are attention-getters, and maybe not for everyone, they are dramatic and a great show-stopper! I love seeing rooms put together that way - things that I would have never thought of - and the confidence, fun and personality of the designer that composed the room. Kudos to you and the designers, even the ones who decorated the Pineo house in 2006!

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  36. Having an apartment like this is just like a dream come true. Thanks for sharing

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  37. Like yourself I'm not into modern but really enjoyed this home. There's still lots of slipcovering and sisal in it!

    Not mad about the Miles Redd room. Hurts my eyes.

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  38. Joni- You must have some sort of sixth sense: this house is featured in the November-December Veranda that just arrived in my mailbox yesterday. I sat down to read it this morning and when I reached that story - it's the last one in the mag - I thought, gee, that looks so familiar! A quick trip to the cmputer confirmed that it's the same house.How do you do that??

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  39. You can have a house in Los Angeles. Have a look at it

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  40. Great post...thanks for the reminder to blog about the everyday things that people want to read. As a real estate agent, I too struggle with what to blog about. Thanks!

    Electrician los angeles

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  41. I already got one in los angeles, but now I am looking for the kitchen remodeling los angeles. So could you suggest where can I contact for the same.

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  42. Marvelous Construction , Interior and Remodeling Works.
    Los Angeles General Contractors

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  43. Joni,

    I came across your blog/website in looking for pictures of the Schector Residence you profiled above (designed by Hagy Belzberg). I was the original landscape designer along with my then design partner Basia Kenton. We worked closely with Milo & Hagy when we designed the garden for the original owners Mark & Julie Schector who hired Hagy to remodel the house. It appears from the photographs taken more recently that some of the original plantings remain while others have been changed. Nice work on the images of the house...I don't think I've seen as complete an inventory of the house as you presented (I think Tim Street-Porter took the original photographs of the house when it was published in the Los Angeles Times Magazine). Milo Baglioni, the interior designer of the residence, passed away in 2006. He was a talented and colorful person that I was lucky to work with and get to know. It is true the Schectors lived in the house only a few years but it was an investment property for them and they never intended to stay there long term. Incidentally, the back garden off the street, which shows a circular stone pattern with Hong Kong Orchid Trees at the edge, was made to accomodate an additional parking space required by the City of LA for the off street parking requirements. Milo's boyfriend at the time, Kennon Earl (Los Angeles real estate agent now) somehow got a 911 Porche Carrera into that space the day of the final permit inspection. That was a sight to see... It was an interesting project for sophisticated clients who understood contemporary architecture and allowed all the designers a free reign when designing this house for them...a rare opportunity indeed.

    Steve Silva
    Suburban Design Inc.
    Los Angeles, CA 90046
    (310) 422-0354

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  44. This home is absolutely beautifully done. Your comparison pictures were a wonderful way to help a person with a love for decorating, see how small changes can make impactful statements and take a room from great to outstanding. You did a superb job of showing this house from all angles - I feel like I've been there!
    Diana Ras-Watkins - Montgomery,Texas

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