A Historical Hancock Park Abode Gets A Retro Update

Details

midcentury modern foyer entry staircase...

In the entry of a 1917 house in Hancock Park, designer Sarah Shetter arranged a lamp by David Cressey, a vintage Danish console and an abstract painting by Helen Frankenthaler and covered the stairway wall in a Farrow & Ball paper, setting the stage for the vibrant assortment of periods and styles found throughout.

midcentury modern archway dining room...

A Circa Lighting fixture hangs in front of a pointed archway leading into the dining room, where chairs by Roberto and Mito Block from Adesso Eclectic Imports in a fabric from Holly Hunt surround the custom table. Above is a Bourgeois Boheme Atelier chandelier, while underfoot is a vintage rug from Woven.

midcentury modern living room yellow...

The living room retains its period feel but still offers stylish modern comfort. A custom sofa covered in yellow velvet from Maharam and a custom rosewood-and-stone console yield a feeling of warmth. Shetter layered a hand-knotted Turkish rug from Woven on a navy rug from Mansour Modern. The leather chair is by Garza Marfa from Heath Ceramics.

midcentury modern dining sitting area...

In the sunlight-filled breakfast room, bright yellow metal chairs surround a table from Room & Board. The vintage Stilnovo chandelier from Obsolete lends whimsy to the space, while brightly colored floor tile from Sabine Hill adds a vibrant graphic quality.

midcentury modern kitchen patterned flooring

>Architect Sonny Ward and his project managers Corey Miller and Malek Alqadi thoroughly revamped the kitchen. A Tom Dixon pendant from YLighting is above the new island, which is topped with Caesarstone. Builder Brad Keeler oversaw the installation of the cabinetry crafted by Showcase. The appliances are Thermador; the Kohler sink features a Grohe faucet.

midcentury modern office sitting area...

The office, an extension of the master bedroom, functions as both a work space and a cozy retreat. Japanese textiles cover the custom sofa in a patchwork upholstered by Custom Craft Upholsterers. In the corner, a Saarinen table by Knoll from Design Within Reach is joined by Jens Risom chairs from Orange.

midcentury modern office vintage coffee...

A rug from Mosaik Interiors and a vintage tile coffee table, an Etsy find, add texture to the upstairs office, where a pair of brass-and-glass midcentury sconces flank artwork by Ellsworth Kelly above the fireplace mantel.

midcentury modern bedroom blue upholstered...

A bright blue upholstered bed from the clients' previous home and a West Elm rug anchor the master suite-and continue the blue-and-yellow palette threaded throughout the home. The side tables flanking the bed are from the 1930s and above is a vintage C. Jere wall sculpture.

midcentury modern bedroom sitting area...

In a corner of the master suite, a Saarinen table by Knoll from Design Within Reach sits beside a vintage wing chair. The artwork behind is by Cy Twombly; the vintage pharmacy floor lamp is from Etsy.

midcentury modern outdoor pool patio...

The architects collaborated with Andrea Scharff of Andrea Scharff Landscape Design for the grounds, while Jim Ply of Oak Crest Landscape installed the landscaping. The exterior plan called for a new pool, by Wavecrest Pools, and the creation of a covered seating area.

midcentury modern outdoor deck sitting...

An old-growth magnolia tree shades a wood deck furnished with a pair of sofas by RH and a vintage tile-topped coffee table in a lush corner of the backyard. The copper-and-stone table and copper-and-rope chairs are also vintage pieces.

When it comes to design, art and style, Los Angeles is a city known for its individuality. So, when a couple and their teenage sons discovered a 1917 house for sale in Hancock Park with the square footage they were looking for, they purchased it almost immediately.

“The house was originally built by The Milwaukee Building Company,” the client says. “They also did Grauman’s Chinese Theater and Grauman’s Egyptian Theater.”

Not long after buying it, the homeowners called on designer Sarah Shetter to help reimagine the rooms of the Tudor-style residence, which also displays elements of Jacobean and Craftsman influences.

“Like the architecture, the furnishings are from different periods and eras,” says the designer, who created a mix that was also inspired by the wife’s affection for older items with a story and the husband’s love of sleek elements.

The house required little change, but before the couple called Shetter, they contacted architect Sonny Ward, who painted the facade, restored the moldings and updated the kitchen and baths.

“These clients like to take risks,” Shetter says. “They have their own sense of style and didn’t choose a house or an interior design for anyone but themselves.”