This home is located in Tarzana, CA—a quiet suburban area outside of Los Angeles. “The owner is an amazing gardener so when you pull up to the home you see loads of stunning flowers of all colors and sizes,” interior designer Emily Brownell shares. “I really wanted to pull that into the home in smaller subtle ways.”
Her firm—Gilded Hearth Interiors—was tapped to update a few key spaces in the mid-century home. “My clients are working parents with two young children, including one born between the design phase and construction phase of this project,” Emily explains. “Since my client moved to working from home permanently after Covid, she wanted to turn the third bedroom into an office that felt like she wasn’t just in a bedroom.” They also requested an updated bathroom with double sinks, and a bedroom refresh after years sharing the space with the nursery.
The bathroom originally had an exterior door, which Emily says felt awkward and unnecessary. “We replaced it with a window and added a shower tub combo that was more open and airier, with fixed glass instead of a divider wall,” she says. The custom vanity accommodated the double sinks, and still allows for a space for laundry. “It feels so much larger than it was despite the footprint the being the same,” the designer explains. “My favorite details are the playful shower niche and custom white oak vanity with a quartzite countertop. I have a soft spot for quartzite!” The tile is from Zia and is paired with Portola Paints Roman Clay in Kingdom.
The bedroom’s small footprint proved challenging, and they couldn’t make any structural changes. Emily opened up the closet space, creating something custom and that ensured they’d be able to move freely around the California King bed. “I love the mid-century walnut nightstands we sourced for the bedroom and sconces,” she says. “The nightstands are simple, but the wood grain is just so stunning they feel very current despite being over 50 years old.”
There were a few delays in the process. “It can be hard to keep up momentum and keep a design fresh, but the client really trusted me and that allows the process to move forward when timing is right and create a timeless look that won’t feel trendy fast,” Emily shares. “Having a good working relationship is so important when projects, whether big or small, can take years to wrap up.”