One of the things that interior designer Merissa Haas loves most about her 1927 Spanish bungalow is its location in the historic Hancock Park neighborhood of Los Angeles. “It’s one of the most charming streets in the neighborhood, lined with old Sycamore trees,” she tells us. “What we love most about the neighborhood is its walkability. We’re just around the corner from some of the city’s best restaurants and coffee shops. With two kids and a third on the way, walkability is very important to us.”

When Merissa and her family first moved in, the house was in good shape—but the interiors were in dire need of a facelift. “The house had undergone numerous renovations, the last in the early 2000s,” she recalls. “They had installed dark Baroque-style cabinetry, ornate fireplace mantels, and travertine tile everywhere you looked. Luckily for us, they had kept the original wood plank floors, which we were able to salvage and refinish one final time.”

Her overall goals for the space were to update the kitchen and bathrooms and bring back the home’s original charm and character—while infusing it with her own aesthetic every step of the way. “It’s always a little challenging for me to describe my design style, as it’s ever-evolving,” the designer admits. “In a few words, I would describe my style as sophisticated but livable. A lot of the homes I design are for young families, so practicality is paramount. I am inspired by natural materials—wood, stone, tile, and the tactile quality of fabric. I like looking to the past and other parts of the world for inspiration, finding an eclectic mix of old and new.”

Room to room, Merissa relied on natural and handmade materials like Zellige tiles, antique terracotta, light white oak, petite granite, and marble—all of which give the home life and warmth. “Since this is our personal home, we were on a very tight timeline,” she says. “If you can believe it, I did it in just three months! We purchased the home while we were living in Hawaii during Covid. I did all the design drawings in a week, ordered only in-stock materials, hired a contractor and all my subs the day I got back to LA, and hit the ground running.”

Three months later, the family was happily settled into their new home—though Merissa admits the space will continue to evolve. “As a designer, my home is never truly ‘finished,’” she says with a big smile. “Much to my husband’s dismay.”