When designer Bradley Bayou first laid eyes on his future home, it was mid-renovation. “I stopped the team in their tracks,” he recalls. “I basically inherited a shell and made it my mission to open the existing structure up to the outside as much as possible.” Situated in Hollywood’s famed bird streets, the house is perched on the edge of a cliff. As a result, the design was more based on the view and the surrounding nature than the neighborhood itself.
The designer has focused on interiors since 2010, but he first saw success in the fashion industry. His eponymous couture line garnered fans like Oprah Winfrey and Anne Hathaway. Soon after, Bayou was tapped to be Halston’s creative director, with a goal of reviving the iconic brand. He went on to launch a ready-to-wear line with QVC, write a book, and collaborate with the likes of LACMA. Today, his design firm creates luxurious, unforgettable spaces.
Of course, his own home is no exception. He introduced quite a bit of glass, stone, and exotic woods, making sure to prioritize a flow between the indoor and outdoor spaces so he could take advantage of California’s idyllic weather. “I’m also an art collector so I made sure that even though this is a view house, there are lots of great walls to hang art,” he explains. Though his robust career has often revolved around creating for others, he quite enjoyed dreaming up a space all his own. He concludes, “Designing for yourself gives you the freedom to do whatever you want. There is no need to ask for permission.”
