USA Houzz: Mid-Century Makeover for a Suave New Bachelor Pad
A smart new look comes from a mix of modern and vintage design features in this single guy's mid-century home
Soon after finding a mid-century modern home in the Hollywood Hills above Sunset Plaza, a young bachelor set out to splash the loft-like space with colour, humour and family mementos. He turned to interior design duo Caitlin & Caitlin for help, and they responded with a fresh palette and fun ideas that make for a bachelor pad that’s far from ordinary.
McCarthy calls the dining room “geometric chaos”.
The aquatic-inspired room overlooks the pool outside and combines natural and calming elements, such as seagrass wallpaper, with noisier, energetic patterns, like the one on the banquette.
The artwork, which at first glance looks like a photograph of a popular beach, is actually an enlarged print from the movie Jaws, giving a cheeky touch to an otherwise sophisticated space.
The aquatic-inspired room overlooks the pool outside and combines natural and calming elements, such as seagrass wallpaper, with noisier, energetic patterns, like the one on the banquette.
The artwork, which at first glance looks like a photograph of a popular beach, is actually an enlarged print from the movie Jaws, giving a cheeky touch to an otherwise sophisticated space.
Murray is a fan of gold-coloured accents, so she was excited that the homeowner wanted to incorporate brass fixtures. “A dream come true,” she says.
And speaking of dreams, the homeowner has several original prints by the surrealist painter Salvador Dali, which helped set the stage for the design.
“Because of the colourful artwork, the best choice was to keep the walls clean and white in most of the rooms and add unexpected pops of colour in woodwork, wallpaper, tile, drapery and furniture,” Murray says.
And speaking of dreams, the homeowner has several original prints by the surrealist painter Salvador Dali, which helped set the stage for the design.
“Because of the colourful artwork, the best choice was to keep the walls clean and white in most of the rooms and add unexpected pops of colour in woodwork, wallpaper, tile, drapery and furniture,” Murray says.
The designers, who used green tones as a neutral framework in the home, sold the client on cabinetry in a British racing green shade. The white Swiss cross tiles on the splashback offer an unexpected alternative to subway tile, while a black marble slab is used as a benchtop for the kitchen island.
Tile: Ann Sacks
Tile: Ann Sacks
The office features warm wood, leather and brass with a sleek desk and a nearby bar cabinet.
Since the client is in the tech field and works almost entirely from his laptop, there was no need for bulky file cabinets and storage furniture.
Since the client is in the tech field and works almost entirely from his laptop, there was no need for bulky file cabinets and storage furniture.
The master bedroom nods to the home’s mid-century roots with low-profile furnishings. The low-slung bed and pendant lights free up space on the bedside tables. Working off muted blues from the Dali artwork on the wall, the designers used a horizontal stripe of navy behind the bedhead, perhaps as a nod to an upscale dormitory space.
A menagerie of materials come together in the bathroom.
Playing off a found painting of an anonymous man, the designers used black and white hexagon tile on the wall and, on the floor, a brilliant blue Moroccan tile from a local tile designer.
Brass, reclaimed timber and industrial accents round out this eye-catching, masculine space.
Floor tile: Kismet
Playing off a found painting of an anonymous man, the designers used black and white hexagon tile on the wall and, on the floor, a brilliant blue Moroccan tile from a local tile designer.
Brass, reclaimed timber and industrial accents round out this eye-catching, masculine space.
Floor tile: Kismet
The guest room got new life thanks to a glossy spray of peacock blue on the cabinetry, which pairs with the matching draperies.
A vintage graphic console was found locally and topped with a few personal touches to give guests a smile as they come and go.
Console: Organic Modernism; peace sign figurine: Jonathan Adler
Console: Organic Modernism; peace sign figurine: Jonathan Adler
Location: Hollywood, California
Size: 139 square metres; 2 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms
Designers: Caitlin Murray and Caitlin McCarthy, formerly of Caitlin & Caitlin
Armed with what the designers dubbed a ‘California palette’ of peacock, peach and vermilion, Caitlin Murray and Caitlin McCarthy melded vintage and modern accents to create airy, open spaces that were both colourful and comfortable. “We wanted it to feel breezy and like a hotel lounge area,” says McCarthy, who has since started her own design firm, Caitlin McCarthy Design. (Meanwhile, Caitlin Murray started Black Lacquer Design.)
This room is what McCarthy considers the heart of the home, with an upholstered, low-profile sofa for lounging that also allows guests to sit casually backward to chat with whoever is in the kitchen. Furniture pieces face each other, not just the TV and fireplace, to create a conversation pit, while an arched lamp throws a curve into all of the horizontal lines. The homeowner came with a collection of heirlooms, including vintage auto and aeroplane figurines from his late father. Mixed with fresh flowers and colourful books, they occupy a prominent spot on metal shelving in the living room.