Inside a Home That Blends Natural Elements With Historical Details

Annie Carolin, an interior designer at Pride of Place, styled a reimagined Los Angeles home developed by JMI Construction using soothing neutral hues, and the space is now ready for prospective buyers to admire. 

“It's always a pleasure to style homes that so perfectly align with our ethos,” Carolin says of the project. “We are known for making homes feel layered and lived-in, and we put a lot into creating aspirational spaces that promote thoughtful living.” 

Carolin explains that the home’s original stone facade has been transformed to also include a stucco addition.

“The developer of this home obviously took the time to figure out how to preserve the history of the home, while staying true to his design,” she notes. “He chose to incorporate the roughness of stone on the facade, and return to minimalism by working with steel, concrete, and neutral colors.” 

Indoors, the home features a selection of untreated materials in their natural, simple state, Carolin explains.

“A thoughtful approach was taken by exposing an iron beam that spans across the room," she says. "It's the first thing you see upon entering, and juxtaposes so beautifully against the warm white walls and high ceilings.” The developer chose to install Scandinavian-inspired pendant lights from West Elm to make the space pop. 

Incorporating various wood tones was also important to Carolin. “We wanted to continue the developer's inclusion of natural elements into the space by bringing in materials such as wood, leather, wool, and rattan,” she comments.

Caroline opted to feature different species of wood throughout the space, introducing pieces made from elm, teak, and more. “My most favorite piece in the house is a vintage olive branch coffee table with a glass top,” she adds. “It tells a story that is 100 years old.”  

Carolin thought carefully about how to best draw attention to the large windows off the living and dining area. “We knew that we wanted to feature a plant in one and a bench to sit and enjoy the front garden from the other,” she says.

In the dining room, natural elements continue to prevail—the table is constructed from ash wood.  Connected to the outdoors, the home sits on a large lot that is home to both fruit trees and a vegetable garden. A large outdoor table with string lights adds a welcoming touch and makes entertaining a breeze.

“A basket full of vegetables sits on the table to highlight the farm-to-table idea that is embedded into the blueprint of the home,” Carolin explains. 

Because this space was staged for potential buyers, Carolin thought carefully about the specific feeling she wanted to evoke.

“Our approach to styling and staging a thoughtfully constructed home is to continue the sentiment by thoughtfully curating furnishings to adorn its rooms,” she says. “If we can evoke an emotional response from prospective buyers who visit, we have managed a job well done.”