BOOK SMART

Indulging her passion for all things literary, Emma Roberts enlists Pierce & Ward to help fashion a cozy yet sophisticated LA base for her and her young child

- CHELSEA HODSON

The home is like a womb,” says actor and producer Emma Roberts (most recently seen in American Horror Story: Delicate), adding that her new Los Angeles residence is a place where she can feel protected and happy. “I haven’t always had that—I think I lived in 10 houses by the time I was 15—so for me now, having a son, I wanted a place that felt really ours.”

After a few self-proclaimed “failed” attempts at decorating on her own, Roberts turned to star designers Louisa Pierce and Emily Ward of the AD100 firm Pierce & Ward, with whom she had worked on a previous residence. Their first step was simply to repaint the stark white walls a creamy ivory in order to begin bringing warmth, depth, and an air of timelessness to the space. “We want a house to look like it’s been there for 50 years,” says Pierce. “We never want a home to look new.”

Keeping in line with this approach, they retained many pieces of furniture that Roberts already owned, doing things like reupholstering the sofa in the formal living room to give old possessions new life. They also incorporated much of the art that Roberts already had, and made room for her collections of dolls, books, and vintage magazines. “Minimalism is not my strong suit,” she says with a laugh. “Every house I’ve ever lived in feels a little bit like a cabinet of curiosities.” This element of repurposing, Ward points out, helps ensure the home doesn’t feel overly designed.